Bluemarlin

I'm not sure that there's a flaw with the windcreen. I had haevy frost first thing this morning, after a milder week or two and,, whilst the outside of the windscreen was frosted over, the inside of it was completely dry. Maybe down to different usage. It's usually only me in the car, so only one person breathing and, as I said before, I have the a/c on auto. I also smoke, so have the window open occasionally, and maybe that refreshes the inside air a bit.

Like it or not, EVs are coming, so hopefully the infrastructure will be in place. I'm not sure why people think there should be a charging point outside every house though, any more than a personal petrol pump, it's not as if they have to be kept on charge like a phone. I think people form a mental concern about batteries running low, that they don't seem to apply to the same degree as petrol. I'd have thought that once 400 mile plus range becomes commonly available then people, especially in cities, would only need to recharge about as often as they fill up with petrol. Carparks would make sense for charging points, as people could charge as they shop. It currently looks as though the government might be optimistic with timescales though, but who knows what progess will be made over the next 7-10 years. It would be convenient if things stayed as they are, but that's clearly not going to happen, although it wouldn't shock me if the date got put back.

GIven the price of electricity, the energy companies should provide the appliances free, on say a two year contract, like mobile phone companies do 🙂

Cracking in suspension bushings is quite common, even when fairly new. It's something that Lexus will flag at service, even though the bushings may actually be fine, and good for years. I assume yours are being replaced under warranty but, if you want to mitigate any future problems, you could apply something like a silicone spray periodically to stop them dryng out. I spray all rubber parts with something called AT 205. Lexus advised me about mine about 18 months ago, so I spray mine every year when I take the weels off to do cleaning/rust proofing and they haven't mentioned it since. Regarding creaking/squeaking. If it's brakes, I use Atom-Mac when washing the wheels, it's a water based rust inhibitor, that's designed to be safe to use on brake parts, and to help stop surface rust on discs. Worth doing periodically if the car's going to be sitting out in the wet for long periods. As for suspension. Once a year, in the autumn, I give the underside a liberal spray of ACF-50 on top of any rustproofing. This helps cover anything that the wax products might have missed, as well as seeping into any nooks, crannies and bolt fixings. Apart from adding rust protection it also helps to lubricate everything. It only takes about 20 minutes to do with a garden sprayer but, since doing it, I get no squeaks or creaks, either while braking, or going over speed bumps.

I think I'd have been insisting that they replace them with something different.

Martin, I'm sure I read on here recently that if you get it serviced at 99k then the Relax warranty is extended for another 12 months. Have a search for a recent warranty thread as I recall someone saying they got it confirmed by the dealer. As I understand it servicing costs are fixed, with the extended warranty replacing essentials service, regardless of age, and so prices are on the Lexus website. That said, you might be able to negotiate with individual dealers, I got 15% discount on a 5 yr service plan. For me It works out at around £275 for intermediate services, and £450 for full. Also, beyond 10 yrs/100k miles, there's the 10yr Plus extended warranty, at around £500 a year, which seems pretty comprehensive and includes UK & European AA cover.

Are they truly interim, or are they auto wipers with an interim setting? Mine are the latter, with no true interim option, and so the lowest setting can be a bit hit and miss at times, depending on how fast I'm going and how light any rain is.

Not sure how it works on the 400h, but check the manual for menu settings, and see if they're all set to do as you want with windows/doors/mirrors etc, just to make sure it's not a settings issue. As Peter says though, if it was bought from a dealer get them to sort the warning lights and other issues.

Is it that the passenger side roof bar is silver, and the other black, or is that just the lighting making it look that way?

That would rely on the thieves being able to tell it was an aftermarket one. By the time they're underneath with tools they'll probably swipe whatever's there.

I'm not sure that the dealer is entitled to say that without knowing how the water is getting in.

I got an invite today, so perhaps they're giving it another try.

This place does cages and plates for Lexus, don't know how good they are: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264541119345?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338723872&toolid=20006&customid=eEwVwtUUAAAAjY95juv_vB3V5WQGAAAAAA Also read somewhere that spraying it with brightly coloured high temp paint can act as a deterrent. I had mine marked and stickered by Lexus free at my last service.

Also check your car insurance, as some who include/provide European cover only provide it for third party damage by default.

There seems to be some kind of badge or something below the passenger door mirror. Is that what you mean, or is that normal on the 400h?

Don't know the answer to that Barney however, if you download a copy of the user manual and search for air suspension, you should see where the air suspension button is, and what it looks like. Then just look at the interior photos in any ads you're looking at and see if the button is there. A bit long winded, but that's what I did when I was searching to buy.

I might be imagining it, but I'm sure I've turned my screen off before. I think there's a "display" button somewhere on screen, which then lets you adjust things like brightness, and has a screen off option. Can't guarantee my memory is correct though, I'm getting older.

I suppose it's possible that the servicing dealer got carried away with putting zeros in when doing the service, but a Lexus dealer should be able to read the mileage from the ECU. Of course it's also possible that the car's been clocked, but I'd have thought anyone doing that would enter a more realistic mileage than 2,200 for a 4 year old car. For peace of mind I'd get it checked with a Lexus dealer.

Well if you're going to revert back to gallons then it's an 11 shilling difference 🙂

As Colin said, the hybrid battery is warrantied up to 15 years. At 15 years old there are plenty of other things that can go wrong on non hybrid cars, such as engine, transmission, electrics etc, all of which are pretty reliable on an RX450h. Additionally there are now third party companies who can repair/replace, even down to individual cells, on hybrid batteries. Obviously one can be unlucky, but personally I wouldn't be too concerned about the hybrid battery. When buying, the things I'd look out for are service history and signs that the car's been well looked after, along with MOT history to check there are no ongoing problems, serious issues, or corrosion issues. Overall condition of car, as well as a good look underneath, and around the sills, bottom of doors, and wheel arches for any signs of corrosion as, in my experience, corrosion can kill a car as quick as any mechanical fault. Also check carpets, headlining and all boot spaces for any signs of leaks or water ingress, especially if the car has a sunroof or roof bars, as leaks are a pain to track down and fix, but they don't appear to be as much of an issue on the 450h as older models. It's also worth noting that you can get an extended warranty for up 15yrs/150k for around £550 a year, which includes UK and European recovery, and seems to be pretty comprehensive, so the newer and lower mileage you can afford, the longer you can get.

I would definitely take it up with Lexus. I've just checked the terms of my 10yr+ extended warranty and it says that for any repair that would take more than 24 hours, Lexus will reimburse £75 a day for a hire car, for up to 5 days. I can't see how a new car warranty would offer lesser terms.

Do you mean these?: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/401496166850 I bought these for a 450h and they're great. Cheap too.

It's like the old joke about two men running from a bear. One stops to put his trainers on while the other tells him they still won't help him outrun a bear. "I know" he says, "but I only need to outrun you". 🙂

Hard to say whether it's an issue or you're being fussy, without knowing how loud it is. That said, if it doesn't appear to be causing any problems after a couple of years, and the mechanic says there's no problem, then at 172k miles I'd be tempted to just turn the music up and enjoy the ride 🙂

I would think that there is more to it than that if it's actually dripping onto the dash. With this thread in mind I made a point of checking mine over the last few days, while it's been cold and frosty, and have had no condensation inside. You might want to check your cabin filter just in case, it's only a 2 minute job. Also worth lifting all the mats to see if the carpets are damp, as well as checking all the boot storage areas, as there must be moisture somewhere in the car if there's that much condensation. A light coating is understandable, but it shouldn't be to the extent that it's dripping.