DanD

I have never managed the figures stated by Rayaan, maybe because I have a heavy foot and economy is not my priority, maybe also because mine is a pre-facelift model. I consistently achieve around 29 MPG with 50% in town, 25% A-roads, 25% motorway. Also I live in south Hampshire, so not too many hills.

Worth checking which model you are being offered. The SE-L has more toys than the SE, but also has air suspension as opposed to the more conventional set up of the SE. Some say the air sprung car is more comfortable, others that it is unsettled over anything less than smooth roads... others still (including myself), can't see a huge difference. In any case, the air suspension can be costly to put right if it goes wrong, although it seems more reliable than it was on the 300/350.

During a routing service (80k miles), the dealer identified an oil leak around the head gasket. Some seal needed to be replaced. This was covered by the extended warranty. While replacing the head gasket seal, the technician noticed that the coolant reservoir had a small crack and was leaking. This too was replaced under warranty. Money saved: Approx £620.00

Personally, I love the spindle grille, although I accept that it is very a much a love it / hate it feature. At least, it means that recent Lexus models stand out of the crowd, which to me is not necessarily a bad thing... I guess plenty of Nissan Juke owners would agree! I suppose new designs will often divide opinions but it is better than disappearing into oblivion within a couple of years. I suspect that the colourless rear lights of the RX300/400h must have caused controversy as well when the car was first launched...

Rayaan, are you saying that in the 2012 facelift, the RX lost the dash-mounted 6 CD player?

Spot on. I too switched to the Michelin Latitude and I love them. Performance is very good, and they are very quiet. You will find that you aim for the recommended 32psi, it will make a difference to the ride.

Can't find a way to view all your pics, but the first one shows a very nice car, considering its age! - It looks like it's fresh out of the factory!

Personally, I do not think that you will see a lot of difference changing down from 19" to 18". I have owned a 400h previously and I always thought the 450h was quieter. However, I would suggest that, as the car is quieter and offers better insulation from the outside than the 400h, the noise generated by the tyres may appear louder. Noise and comfort will be influence by tyre choice, tyre wear... and yes, seat wear too! Like Rayaan I'd recommend that you check your tyre pressure and also how much life they have in them. Swapping to new and different tyres may be the solution. If you bought the car from a Lexus dealer, I guess you could also ask to drive another one of their cars for comparison.

Incidentally, headlight converters are not a legal requirement on the continent. The legal requirement is to not dazzle oncoming traffic.

Fair enough. Apologies if I misunderstood.

What the 400h offered when it first became available was way ahead of the game, in particular considering that its various gadgets all came as standard when they were costly extras for other brands... or sometimes not available. However, it remains based on a 2003 design and you cannot expect functionality that was not available at the time - on that particular model on indeed on all cars - to be retrofitted. It would be the same as expecting a 2003 mobile phone to do the same as a 2016 one! On a different note, I am surprised that the new DVD does not allow changes on the move. I remember this was the case when I bought my first 400h, but when I updated the DVD to a later version (sorry, can't remember which version), it certainly removed all the "locks", allowing full use of both the satnav and phone functionality.

Is it worth pointing out that both the 250 and 200T only come with automatic transmissions?

I had problems with parking sensors behaving erratically on my 450h. This is an extract from my post on a different thread... might be of help before you go and spend a lot of money on having your sensors replaced, in particular if you recently applied any type of clear coat or wax over the sensors. Here is what was explained to me as a possible - but not definitive - cause of my problems. I am saying possible, as diagnostics did not pick up any fault. I hope I will do the technician justice in my explanation below!. The sensors are made of three main parts. An outer ring, a small disc (the sensor), and in between a rubber ring. The sensor works in a way that is similar to a sonar, sending and receiving sound waves. The rubber ring around it allows the sensor to register the tiny vibrations from incoming sound waves. When the 3G glass coat (clear coat protection) was applied to my car, it was also applied over the sensors and surrounding rubber ring. Over time, the 3G glass coat hardened to such an extent that the rubber ring became completely rigid, thus preventing any kind of movement., hence confusing the system. The sensors were removed, dismantled and thoroughly cleaned so as to remove all trace of the clear coat, and then re-installed. No problem since.

Did you test drive the 300h also and compared the two?

Really? - What's wrong with the analog clock on the dashboard?

Daniel, welcome to the forum. what made you decide to go for the 200T as opposed to the 300h?

It does indeed, but it's much more fun when it happens to someone else!

In terms of size, XC90 vs RX450h or XC60 vs NX300h/200T would probably make more sense... Anyway, the hybrid system is, to my knowledge at least, maintenance free, and the air suspension is only available on the top of the range models. I have driven cars with air and with conventional suspensions, and was happy that the difference in ride quality did not justify the extra costs associated with the air set up, in particular as it can be costly to repair. Personally, I would leave the maintenance to the experts, and invest in an extended warranty. The RX is extremely reliable, but if you start to tinker with it and things go wrong (it is a complex car!), you will not get much support from Lexus. I find that servicing costs compare well with the competition. You may want to consider a service plan from your local dealer, which guarantees fixed prices... and becoming a gold member of this forum to secure a 15% discount on parts and labour. (Am I in breach of the rules?)

It all depends what your priorities are and whether or not you need the interior space that the RX offers. Ultimately, the RX is a design that dates back to 2008/2009 and both design and technology are - to some extent - a little dated in comparison to the NX. for space and performance, I would recommend the RX. For everything else, I think the NX is probably the better choice.

Had the opportunity to drive a NX300h Premier for the first time on Friday, whilst our RX was in for its scheduled service. We had booked the day off to go to the Chelsea Flower Show, so were able to test the car from Winchester to Battersea Park via the M3, dual carriageways and slow town traffic. All in all, I was very impressed with the car. In particular, I liked: - The gadgets! and there are plenty to play with whilst stuck in traffic!!! - the lane departure system that lets you know when you drift across the white line without indicating... and the gentle way the steering wheel tries to correct your course - the head up display... very clear and easy to read... as long as you are tall enough (unless there is a way to reposition it for shorter drivers) - the excellent sound system with DAB and its 15 speakers - the adaptive cruise control: brilliant in nose to tail traffic on the Motorway - the all-round cameras with side monitors - the car feels much more nimble than the RX around corners and roundabouts, no doubt due to its smaller size and lighter weight - the quietness under normal conditions - the LED lights which I found far superior to the RX's HIDs - the WiFi and phone setup What I am not so sure about - but could live with: - the seats: my bum felt numb after an hour or so - the noise when putting your foot down: this is well documented and is inherent to the CVT transmission, however I felt it was far more intrusive in the NX than in the RX, possibly because the RX's V6 as a deeper engine note - the satnav graphics... while the satnav is efficient, the interface is still cumbersome and the graphics look dated - The remote touch pad. I think I prefer the RX's remote touch with the mouse. I find it a little less sensitive and therefore easier to use To summarise, the NX will definitely replace my RX when we are ready to change, as we will no longer need the larger car. I previously had some reservation as to whether or not the 300h would be powerful enough (after the RX) and whether the 200T might be a better fit, but I could definitely live with the 300h. As for the gadgets - I love my gadgets! - there are certainly plenty and you travels are punctuated with dings, bongs, beeps and bells, but I would be keen to hear from other Premier drivers as to whether they are just gimmicks that you soon tire of and forget, or whether they are definitely worth the extra money.

I think we might be talking about different kinds of waxing. ;-)

You guys have far too much time on your hands. I leave the cleaning to the staff - sorry, kids - and the waxing to the wife!

Typo on my part... very sorry... £445 is what I was quoted. ... and take 15% off for gold membership of this forum.

Had mine for 3 years, covering 18k miles per year without real problem. Apart from the inverter recall, and regular maintenance, the only issues I had was condensation in the headlights and a mirror that would not dip when going into reverse. All was sorted under warranty.

I agree, the RX400h, despite being a little less powerful, feels faster than the RX450h. I am not sure whether it is indeed true, or simply that the 450h feels slower because it is quieter due to better insulation (laminated glass etc) and a deeper exhaust note. In any case, I have never felt that the 450h is under powered.... under stated maybe... but not under powered... :-) Just make sure you don't select ECO mode, which is in my view and gimmick with no real benefit.