Rabbers

This, strangely enough, is not the case. I’ve also never had cause to use the mechanical lock, but, when I did my last big cleaning & waxing at about 80000km, I thought I’d take a peep at it out of curiosity and, to my amazement, I found it as clean as a whistle

Had this thread appeared before I test-drove the LBX (Original Edition, leather/ultrasuede trim) some months ago I would have paid more attention to the seat adjustability. I recall that when I got out of the car after driving for an hour or so I felt an unfamiliar lumbar twinge - unfamiliar in the sense that I don’t get it after sitting in my RC. Since the seat felt comfortable enough during the drive itself, I blamed myself for perhaps having been too hasty when adjusting the seat before initially driving off. Thinking back, I still consider this to have been the case.

Might feeling the need to apply more steering force when changing direction at higher speeds not be a natural driver reaction to the momentary transfer of weights that accompanies the AVS’ functional reduction of body roll, or, more simply, an equally natural desire to compensate for the substantially stiffer suspension in the SPORT or SPORT+ modes?

It obviously got a buzz from being there.

There have been some threads in the past about Lexus models being driven by villains in TV shows. No doubt the threads need updating. See, for example, 300h on TV, started by Dixgas, October 2014 on the IS Forum, and Lexus, The Bad Man’s Car, started by The-Acre, October 8, 2016 in Lexus General Discussions.

I have very little to add to your assessment, Ewan, and it was good to read opinions based on what the RC is, which is an eminently driveable and pleasing car in its various modes, rather than what it isn’t, which is a car designed to stretch everyday practicalities. I always switch to SPORT mode when outside of towns, and SPORT+ for fast roads and motorways. Have you tried CUSTOM settings? I share most of your quality niggles, though the 2019 facelift was an improvement over the 2016 version in several features. I personally find the auto high-beam more than adequate, but then again, I’ve not had it on other cars and therefore have no points of comparison. As regards the seat heating, I would recommend keeping it on the maximum 3-led setting if you feel the need and are driving for any length of time. The heating effect seems to be more cumulative than immediate, and although the system is therefore pretty useless for short drives, I find it acceptable for longer ones.

The last few posters must be glad for their anonymity, otherwise nobody would buy cars previously owned by them.

I also agree, based on experience, but I have never seen or heard objective evidence of it. Were such evidence to exist, I don’t know how popular it would be with technicians, dealers, manufacturers of maintenance products etc. Interestingly, if my memory serves me right, Lexus states in in its manuals that you can keep the AC on permanently if you like but does not go so far as to recommend you do so.

The thing is that if they don’t come out in one piece the cost of original replacements won’t ruin you but nevertheless be intrinsically exorbitant.

And nor is it specified as a standard servicing operation for the RC300h. Nor do I recall seeing any mention of it in the owner’s manual. It was, I was given to believe at the time, a dealer recommendation intended as a response to customer reports of issues due to non-cleaning. And, of course, if accepted, as in my case, it provided (provides) the dealer with an extra source of servicing income.

See my post Hybrid Battery Fan Cleaning of 14 January 2022 on the RC Forum. The cleaning job was recommended and carried out with the 45000km service, and I was told at the time that this was the interval recommended by Lexus internationally and not just by Lexus Italy. Checking back, I now notice that I was not asked if I wanted it done with the 90000km service last year (or, indeed, with the 105000km one only two weeks ago). I’ve made a note to enquire next time, but I have the feeling there may be different schools of thought about it within Toyota/Lexus.

Grounds for divorce, I would say.

I think that most purchasers of new cars give a lot of thought to their choice of colour but that a significant number of others, to their subsequent regret, fail to make an adequate distinction between the appeal of a colour as it strikes them in the showroom and the probable diminishing appeal it will have in the years that follow. If this is true it would be interesting to know if there is a correlation between individual colour choices and the predicted or predictable lengths of ownership at the time of purchase. I would bet on mainstream colour choices being favoured in firm predictions of long-term ownership.

My sincere thanks for the advice. I am able to confirm that the boot and the amplifier were checked at the time, and that I also had a peep under the lining myself before and after and saw no signs of wet or damp or anything visibly untoward. I am glad to say, touch wood, that I have had no detectable issues of any sort after more than a month now. I should add that car was in for routine servicing last week and, to my continuing relief, the same mechanic as originally inspected the car again gave it a clean bill of health.

Purely as an observer I've always rather liked Mazda's signature premium red. I believe they charge extra for it in respect of other metallic colours in the range, touting it as proprietary and consequently as desirable and exclusive, which is clever but cheeky. Occasionally they reformulate it for added depth and sparkle and give it a new name. Originally called Soul Red, it then became Soul Red Crystal, and now, either as a replacement or as a further option, I'm not sure which, it's called Artisan Premium Red. Not unlike Lexus' "Sonic" colours, it has the reputation of being difficult to match in body repairs.