Barry14UK

I have never owned or driven a Volvo but I think the very old ones were pretty rugged and fairly easy to work on but I was only reading last night how the V60 was selected as one of the cars to avoid being unreliable and expensive to maintain. Ford has a reputation of reasonable reliability and maintenance costs helped by being a non premium car. Mazda CX5 seems quite a nice choice.

Yes Colin, I have just checked prices with Lexus Parts Direct who state that they only supply genuine replacement parts. I don't know what 12v battery the 4th generation came with but they now give the ref for this as SKU: 28800-YZZZA RXP4 with a price of £71-49, retail. (You will not get an AGM battery for this sort of price so it must be a standard full flow model) For the 3rd generation they have dropped their price to £140-02, the reference to it being SKU; 28800-31291 RXP3, so this could still be an AGM model as originally fitted albeit at a much lower price. Maybe Lexus will use up stocks of this battery and then change to a non AGM one as fitted in the 4th generation. This is just speculation on my part but would appear to be logical progression. If this is indeed the case it begs the question as to why anybody with a 3rd generation and some further models further back, should not opt for an appropriate non AGM model if they need one now.

Interested to learn that Lexus fit a non AGM with screw tops to cells battery for 4th Generation, unless the particular Lexus dealership you bought car from put in a cheaper non original spec one for expediency. If/when you trickle charge it, the correct mode on the smart charger should be used for AGM or normal, depending on type of battery fitted.

I couldn't help but notice with the warm weather (and expectation of increasingly more in future), that there were many more open top cars on the road. Unfortunately, for those of us that want an SUV, this does not appear to be an option. I am aware that extra bracing would be necessary but it seems to me that there could be potential for this sort of option. Maybe it could incorporate one or two roll safety cages to also help rigidity. (If only I had Elton Musk's money to develop!!) Not quite what I was envisaging but it would appear somebody is moving this way, what do you thnk? https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/fisker-ocean-electric-suv-california-mode-convertible/

People differ in what they want and are prepared to forgo in cars but when you buy a well loaded car, you don't expect to pay extra for this by way of subscription except for navigation updates. I would be happy to revert to manually wind up windows, manual seat adjustment and manual rather than electrical steering wheel adjustment. I also prefer to use my own navigation than have the built in one you have to update at excessive cost. I don't need enormous size wheels with ultra low profile tyres. What I would like is to have is a space saver or better still a full size spare wheel with all wheels being the same size.

If you have a small 12v battery beneath the tailgate and it is the original or is an original replacement, it is likely to be a Panasonic VRLA AGM rated at 51Ah like Herbie and I had on our 3rd generations.. This is a very small but expensive battery. It has been suggested that Lexus fitted the AGM type because the electrolyte is held within the mat which means that in the event of an accident there is reduced risk of acid affecting passengers than would be the case with a free flowing lead acid version. However, if you accept this small risk as some have, you can fit a free flowing other make acid battery of the same size as the Panasonic which is not only cheaper but gives 60Ah from memory. The limitation of size is because of the small compartment size Lexus allowed for the battery. I did modify the plastic tray and do a few other mods to enable an alternative AGM battery to be fitted which I did post on this forum with pictures. This also gave 60Ah but was considerably less expensive than the standard Panasonic and was of a size more readily available than the Panasonic. As Herbie says, was a bit of a faff but I wanted to prove a point and still have an AGM battery. Batteries should not be allowed to go flat, particularly AGM ones as it seriously reduces life. AGM 12v batteries need to be charged with a smart charger using AGM mode and limiting charging to 5A.(this reduces as battery becomes near fully charged). Other ways to charge the 12v battery are to use the car, including statically as Lexus set out in the owners manual or via fitted small solar panel. As Herbie said, only a small power source is required to power up computers etc to powerup your Lexus. You might find this video on testing jump starters interesting, (one of many tests done by Project Farm on products).

I see all new cars not yet in showrooms in mainland Europe are now to have speed limiting facility by law, although this may be possible to turn off with some inconvenience, at least for the time being. So although this is not a requirement in the UK at present, it is likely to become so, helped by manufacturers fitting the system as a matter of course rather than omitting oir the UK market. So speed and acceleration will be less important, you will just slot in and bunched up in a convoy in many cases. I question why anybody putting a premium on speed, acceleration and handling is considering the RX anyway.

It really is what the owner prefers. Personally, I prefer the darker red interior but have to go a very l--on--n--g way back to the MG Magnette ZB I had which although a 'Varitone' version was bought with an all 'Birch Grey' exterior (which I resprayed blue), and had almost maroon seats. Light interiors need a bit more cleaning but I prefer them. Don't like black seats although I have had a few over the years. The canny purchaser my also take into consideration what colour might be most favoured/less well liked in two ,three or whenever years when a buyer is sought, assuming trends don't change significantly.

Same parents but quite different children. If you really want a GS450h I would be patient for a little longer than settle for an RX (great car though it is) and then feel you missed out and want to change again before long when a GS becomes available.

Good to add to a list of things to check.

Relax is a clever idea because it is 'free', whereas Lexus increased their service charges to cover potential costs this warranty brought about and by scrapping essential service, as most dealerships. Relax is not as comprehensive as the extended warranty but it has meant the dealers have found a way of keeping some of their customers who were contemplating using a garage other than a Lexus one. Of course there are a number of things that can affect the sale price of a car but the advantage of having had a full Lexus service history must be one of them so another reason to stay with official dealership while the car has some reasonable value.

I had similar but worse situation some years ago when I parked my MB SLC quite near the entrance to motorway services centre due to urgent need to use the 'Facilities' on that occasion. My wife stayed in the car and when I returned I noticed a small mark on the passenger door. My wife said another car had parked and driven off. When my wife remonstrated with the lady driver she had been told "a blind man wouldn't notice it". Such is the attitude of some drivers and yes I was nicely parked. I always park well away from the entrance to services, supermarkets etc, parks generally. Cars seem to be growing in size but few parks enlarging the size of the spaces, which doesn't help.

My daughter has a Sorrento with which she is happy, although this is their top model albeit a diesel, but even so it seems a couple of leagues lower than than the RX when you go from one to the other. What a very nice car yours looks. Somebody is going to be very lucky. Hope you enjoy your new car and look forward to reading about your experience with it. I will go BEV next time but only after they have been out a few years and with the solid state batteries that are currently developed by Toyota and some others.

Well you have to remember your car was expensive to start with and at some point Lexus had to order some new parts which with inflation would now cost more and all the time parts are on the shelf it is money tied up. There comes a time when gradually demand for the parts falls away so a manufacturer begins to drop parts which are comparatively rarely asked for. Of course a mechanic doing work now is going to charge the same for fitting parts to an old or very old car. The cumulative cost is therefore very high. Also a search may have to be made for used parts where new parts are no longer available or considered too expensive. Sad when you are forced to pay up or dispose of at best but 20 years is a pretty long life for a car. My granddaughter has a small 2001 Ford which was a cheap car to start with and they were so common that when she needed a replacement tailgate last year a breaker gave her the choice of 4.

Thank you Herbie, I was unaware of the restriction no doubt as I am a Gold Member.

You can edit your own post by clicking on the 3 dots at top right of your post and then pressing edit which enables you to do so. What I have not found a way of doing on this forum is to be able to completely withdraw a post without leaving an indication I had made one. I am not sure of the system on your car but any leaks could mean air is introduced which might be cause of vibration. I remember changing the oil on my old V6 2.5 Camry which had a conventional power steering system. On this to the best of my memory, I had to jack the front wheels off the ground and turn steering several times from lock to opposite lock to remove air out the system. I don't remember if the car had to be running or not (it was back in the late nineteen eighties) but most likely with engine running). I did the job according to Toyota workshop manual and it worked fine afterwards.

I believe the quoted 317miles is for the single engine version of the bZ4x. Unfortunately, it comes with those hideous black wheel arch extensions which I suppose could be covered with a wrap. As reviewers have said, these extensions have been 'toned back' on the RZ.

Hope a good and speedy job is made of repairing your car. It's particularly upsetting when you have taken care and car it so new. What is also irritating is that although you were not at fault, by some strange logic, Insurers consider you are more likely to be involved in another accident and thereby pose a higher risk!

I would have thought that is a rather small mileage for the driveshaft needing to be replaced. especially if boots still in good condition with no indication of grease escaping. I remember doing this job on my V6 2.5l Camry many years ago, with much higher mileage although I sent away for overhaul but removed and reinstalled myself. I would be very careful about fitting driveshaft from a later car and first seek confirmation from Lexus that numbers tie up. Reverting to the Camry, I also had a click which a local Toyota outlet failed to find the cause of. It was more pronounced on pretty heavy lock. I remembered I had had new rubber bushes fitted to antiroll bar and possibly elsewhere up front. I jacked up the front and found that the garage that had fitted these new bushes had not tightened them properly, so there was movement and that was responsible for the clicks. So recommend a good check for any movement.

Certainly not the way to seek help by a new member who has contributed nothing to the forum.

Very useful post Herbie.

I am not familiar with the wheel nuts on your Lexus but on my RX there is a multi pointed wavy star. The key is quite large but also has an internal multi star that mates with the wheel nuts. You might have to keep trying until the 'key' engages. When this has engaged you just use a socket or the tool provided to tighten or untighten the nut via the key. If all the stars on locking wheel nuts were the same on other cars it would be possible for anybody with a Lexus key to remove the wheels of any other model. So just turn your wheel nut gradually until it fully mates. If it doesn't engage at some point, you have the wrong key (assuming yours is similar. Wheel nuts on some cars require a key to undo a lock, which enables a spinning part to be removed to give access to the part you put your socket on.

I am surprised that the pull does not occur until you reach such high speeds but if you have tried alternative Tyres/wheels on all 4 wheels, it seems likely that the problem is somewhere with rest of the car. A very full check should be made to ensure that toe, cast and camber are all correct. I don't know your model but some cars have some adjustments affecting rear wheels and wrong settings can affect pulling to one side. When on flat is the gap between the top of the tyre and the underside of the wing the same on both front pair and the back pair? As speed increases the car is having to work go harder through an air dam, therefore greater pressure exerted on suspension so any slight slack on nearside would mean that being pushed back more increasingly affecting steering. Assume front wheels in particular freely rotate equally, in other words one side not causing slightly more drag. Possible misalignment due to accident damage also a possibility as previous post suggested might be the cause.

Correct. Aftermarket HIDS puts it outside type approval in UK and MOT testers now have to pay more attention to lights. There were many aftermarket HIDS wrongly fitted in inappropriate headlamps that were causing dazzle to oncoming drivers due to 'scatter' and non having constantly adjustable motorised headlights. It might technically be possible to do this by fitting headlight washers, headlights of the correct type and other parts as originally fitted for originally equipped cars but it would be enormously expensive unless parts sourced from breakers and highly competent electrician to wire up. I know this because I did it on my BMW but was helped by retrofitting instruction disc from BMW and all the necessary parts from ebay and an electrician who said he wouldn't want to do another one! The car already had headlamp washers which helped. The genuine xenons on dipped make a really big difference.

I also bought both front wipers (Denso as originally fitted by Lexus) from Euro car parts which were on offer. and work well. They seem to have almost permanent sales of parts but discount can vary. Worth a call to establish price and availability.