Gary H

I decided to take the parents for a ride out today and treat them to a coffee at a farm shop about 20 miles away which I know they enjoy. Anyway, I arrived there and what did I spot? A 23 plate NX350h parked up - from the same local dealer I’m using. Naturally this sparked interest from them when I pointed it out and we started talking about the ongoing ‘not knowing anything’ / ‘delays’ e.t.c... On the way back I decided to make a small detour, still with them in the car at this point, to drive past the local dealer. I spotted at least five NX’s parked up in a row, unregistered, at the rear of their car park. I couldn’t make out if they were 350h’s or 450h’s to be honest, but NXs nevertheless. This sparked more conversation from them (not necessarily in a positive way about the brand...) and it’s given me some food for thought as we go forward with this order and what will be said if it ever does actually get built. Anyway, when I was in the dealers some seven weeks ago when my UX was in for it’s service and first MOT, my salesman actually took me through to the sales office where the computers were for me to see my order on the screen. I'm sure I’ve mentioned this before... Anyway, there were indeed lots on order. The newest at the top of the screen, with the oldest at the bottom. I can’t exactly remember just how ‘low down’ mine was on the screen (I recall was quite a long way down...) but it was in the bottom 15/20 or so. The eldest he had on his screen, at that point seven weeks ago, was from the end of February. Given the passage of time and those five which were now sitting at the back of their compound, presumably awaiting PDI then collection, I must now surely be somewhere comfortably within that ‘bottom 10’? 😕 I’m getting towards that way, I’m sorry to say. Personally, I’m quite happy to continue waiting until September if necessary (my ‘subject to change’ date is mid-August). Well, when I say ‘happy’, I think ‘tolerate’ would be more accurate. I just want some concrete dates, though. Towards the end of May I’ll be at the first anniversary of my order - without any progress on it whatsoever. It's this specific factor which bothers me more than anything else - not having the same sorts of progress reports/build/shipping information others have had. If I find out this 'mid-August' ETA is being delayed even further (which I strongly suspect will be the case...), I will be ramping up my efforts to look for alternative pre-registered/ex demo models from other manufacturers. Hello! Welcome to the forum! Did the dealer state what year that August would be?! I suspect my own dealer now has similar information but as they've maintained a complete 'radio silence' on my own order unless I chase, they're just keeping it to themselves. The latest I heard (again, after me doing all the legwork) was 'mid-August', but since then I've seen plenty here stating their own estimates as October. I can only assume my May '22 order is now estimated to be that. I'm not expecting to hear at all from my dealer until I contact them again. Lexus on social media have told me to 'ask again' at the end of May - which as I just said above, takes my own order up to a full year with zero information other than absolute basic, rough 'estimates' - which I'm currently up to my fourth. It seems Lexus are more willing to build 450h's than 350h's at the moment... 😕 They do seem to be coming through the pipeline notably faster in some cases.

I hadn't considered this before. At work, I often have to park near a line of large conifer trees - which there of course plenty of little insects gathering around during the warmer months. I try to keep away from parking right next to the trees for obvious reasons, but that's not always possible. It's not unusual to see the odd fly make it into the car. In most cases it's got in there as I've opened the door in the morning to get out and not even noticed until I've returned to the car at the end of the day. On the odd occasion it's been the other way around where a fly has somehow got into the car when I've left work and only discovered it the following morning - so it had been in there overnight. It's never set the alarm off in the three years I've had the car so far, but I'm going to keep my eye open for this now!

I was going to say that my 2020 F-Sport doesn’t have anything, barring the standard brushed aluminium inlay on the plastic trim on the inside of the sill. The sill itself does get the odd scuff mark from my shoes every so often (which unfortunately are easily visible with the car being F-Sport White), but luckily it’s removeable with a dab of Autoglym Super Resin Polish.

Indeed, any car comes second fiddle to your family’s health. It puts an awful lot into perspective. Please pass on my best wishes to your wife and of course, my sympathies to yourself Ian. I have a work colleague who’s son is currently in Palliative care and how utterly nerve-wracking that has been for him.

Same here! I saw Gary’s opening post and my eyes nearly popped out of my sockets when I saw delivery of December 2023 when his order has just been placed! I’m still waiting for any sort of progression at all on my NX350h Takumi order from May 2022...

Firstly, I’m sorry to hear about your health, Ian. I do sincerely hope you well in future. As others have said, your health is far more important over any car. I have a few life-long medical conditions myself and have delayed at least one car purchase in the past as a result. Fortunately in that case, I didn't quite make it as far as the ordering stage before I myself needed work for my own 'MOT' as such! I’m within days of going over the 11 month mark with my own order now. There's been no progression on it all on my NX350h Takumi order. Whilst it’s given me more time to save additional money, my patience is beginning to wear thin. I feel anyone who has got to that stage of 14/15 months with no sign of any hope of receiving their car (which we have had a few on here) has given more than enough patience regardless of their health. Again, wishing you all the very best.

We have a cat but considering the car doesn’t often go more than a fortnight without a wash (and given a ‘ceramic blast’ every few months), if he does go on the car it’s certainly not noticeable. I have, however, found the odd strand of other cats fur on it once in a blue moon!

This is unacceptable and for a brand like Lexus. They ought to be embarrassed by that. As someone else who considers their car to be their pride and joy, I do spend a lot of time cleaning it properly. I even subscribe to a few semi-professional and full-time professional detailers over on YouTube. The problem I always find when dealers clean your car is that, yes, they simply use contractors who are often careless. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a mediocre job of a cleanish car which is full of water stains. Usually, it's a 'patchwork quilt' type of affair where it’s clear bits have been missed and more often than not, they've only very briefly put a sponge over the alloy facings - leaving them mostly dirty. At worst - you'll end up in the unfortunate situation of scratches like what you’ve seen. When my UX was in for a service and it’s first MOT last month, I did give them permission to wash it. I done this simply because it wasn't that dirty to begin with (less chance of inflicting scratches/swirls) and it was bitterly cold - too cold for me to give it a once-over myself. When I got it back, it looked pretty good from 20ft away. No scratches were there, but they’d completely missed washing the driver's side door mirror and the recessed panel which the rear number plate sits in.

Thanks for copying your reply from Customer Relations, Michael. Much appreciated. That’s much better than that one paragraph response I got. I do genuinely feel sorry for you as I know you’ve ordered the same model as me, are three months further down the line and still don’t have any solid information. Why I’m being told ‘August’ I really don’t know. I fully expect to be told mine is going to be at very least as far back into the year as yours. It’s also interesting to see that they actually mention a ‘queue’. It’s just a pity they can’t acknowledge the factory are bumping some orders up that queue, leaving folks like us in the dark... Thank you too for copying your reply, Graeme. I do appreciate it. Like Michael who I’ve quoted above, you’re in the same position as me with the same model on order - only three months further down the line. I’ll be at the 11th month mark next week. It makes you wonder if they are actually saving any of these additional components for our Takumi models because if they’re just using them on others instead to get them out of the factory, what’s the likelihood we’ll ever see our own NX’s ever make it to production?! Hi Bob. If you’ve seen my post from last Friday on this thread, you’ll have seen that on social media, Lexus themselves have told me to ask them again for the latest information at the end of May. Until then, I’m expected to continue to sit in limbo. That would take my order up to a full year, like yourself, without any information with regards to it’s progress whatsoever. As we’ve seen from earlier in this thread, many other people by this time, if they aren’t about to receive their new NX, have had at very least a build date or shipping date. So, that begs the question. What exactly is going on with our orders? To me, in my humble opinion, something has gone very wrong and we’re simply not being told. I also feel they’re worried about losing orders because whilst I’m still being old August/Mid-August, we have several others like yourself being told October. I’m expecting this to be the case for mine when I chase again at the end of next month. I suspect whenever you’re getting vaguely close to an estimated date (making you think there’s light at the end of this incredibly long tunnel), they put it back another few months... As I said in my last post and I’m sorry for sounding like a broken record here, it seems the factory is only wanting to build certain NX’s and keeping other people’s at the back of the queue indefinitely, regardless of how long they’ve waited. It’s damaging the brand and it’ll no doubt cost multiple orders over the course of this year if people aren’t getting the same basic courtesy of build/shipping dates. Like yourself, I’m going to have to extend my current contract on my UX, which ends in September. Lexus have left me no choice and their own finance people have already asked me how long they want me to extend it for. I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place. The dealer has no information other than a basic ETA ‘subject to change’, Lexus on social media are basically repeating what I’ve already been told and Customer Relations, despite two separate e-mail, have not responded to me.

Something I forgot to say on this the other day is that I do very much regret not returning to my second-nearest dealer when it come to placing my current order. Whilst this particular dealer was a little more awkward to get to and the building itself is clearly older, I couldn’t really fault them. Also, unlike my local dealer, I do occasionally receive the odd sales e-mail from them and even service reminders for my UX. I’ve had none of this from my local dealer - where the UX has always been serviced. I decided to place my current order with my local dealer for a few reasons. Firstly, it’s only about three miles up the road from my house - therefore much more convenient. Secondly, barring forgetting to reset the service indicator on my UX last time around, they’ve always done a decent, timely service on it. Credit where credit is due. Sadly, their sales team leave an awful lot to be desired.

Until I become a Lexus owner in March 2020, I often said "Lexuses" as a bit of a snub to the "Lexi" brigade. However, since that time I'm very much now on the team "Lexi2 side! 😉

Hi Paul! My main complaint with the UX is indeed the boot. I've mentioned it before and no doubt will continue to do so. There's literally no depth to it and with the fabric parcel shelf in place (which I much prefer to have in place, to be honest), it's like a large letterbox. I'd honestly say that my father's Corsa D is slightly more practical without resorting to dropping seats e.t.c. It's also one of the main reasons why I want to replace the UX. I thought I could 'get away' with it but these last three years have shown whilst I generally can if I'm on my own, when it comes to any overnight stays or trips away, it's often a case of using the back seats/footwells as additional boot space. It's not the car's fault. It is what it is. I bought it knowing it may be problematic but I did slightly underestimate how much boot space I actually needed. I think I've only once had an "oh 'eck!" moment with the UX in terms of handling...but that was down to me underestimating quite a tight right hand bend on a rural road I hadn't been on before. That was an 'interesting' moment when I clearly felt the nearside front scrabble and understeer. Other than that, I think it's handling is very good. Not the sharpest front wheel drive car I've owned, but perfectly competent for my own driving style. I'm surprised about the seat complaint because certainly up front, I feel they're excellent. Certainly in F-Sport trim. I do suffer a bit with my lower back anyway and I can truthfully say the only time I feel it start to suffer is on the 350-odd mile round trips I occasionally do in it. I had four Audi's back-to-back prior to getting the UX and I'd say only two of them came reasonably close to the comfort I get with the Lexus seats. I wish you well! 👍

Sadly not. I was aware of the event taking place but unfortunately I'd already made plans for yesterday about a month ago! I will be catching up with what was happening over on YouTube. Someone who I subscribe to was there. My father owned an 'S' plate Morris Marina in blue, which he was really fond of. It's actually the first car I remember him having when I was a child and do have short, vivid memories of using the rear armrest as a 'booster seat'! 😄 My brother also had a 'D' plate three door Metro City in red. What a tough little thing that was... It remains to this day one of the few cars which has survived his ownership (a combination of some truly terrible luck and not the most mechanically sympathetic). He also had two black Freelander vans back-to-back at one point, due to the nature of the job he was doing at the time. Unfortunately, neither of those lasted beyond his ownership. Pride Of Longbridge is certainly one event that I'd love to attend one day. Maybe next year, you never know...

A very good post, Graham. I can only echo much of what you said, there. Qualities which grow on you over time particularly resonates with me. I also very much agree on a limited model range. They do miss a small saloon/estate. I'll admit I was a little surprised at the service cost the very first time I took my UX in for a service. I generally I overprice my own estimates I have in my head but this was the very first occasion that I can remember (certainly in a good number of years) where I underestimated it. Fortunately I'm in a position where I can stomach the cost but it wouldn't surprise me if others have been caught out and then subsequently moved away from the brand once they changed cars. In much more recent times there is of course the issue of building and supplying new cars. Of course it's a widespread problem affecting near enough every manufacturer, but it does seem to have hit Toyota/Lexus particularly hard - more so than any other manufacturer, in my opinion. I do often wonder how many sales they have lost over the last twelve months because of the ongoing issue with very long lead times. It's something I've discussed with my father quite a few times recently (someone who spent most of his working career in sales up until he retired) and he wonders how Lexus is actually surviving at the moment. Yet alone not making it mainstream.

They certainly wouldn't like what I've got to say about my experiences with the local dealer at the moment...

I'm sorry to hear this and I completely understand your frustration, given you're three months even further along than me. We can both relate to receiving no progression reports other than very rough ETAs which are always subject to change. Like yourself, my own estimated date at the moment is mid-August, but I have absolutely no faith that will be the case. Waiting a year or so really isn't so much an issue if people at Lexus actually kept us informed with more rock-solid information as they clearly have with others. I am perfectly fine with the wait, it's what's not happening which bothers me. For some reason, there are certain orders for NX350h's out there which they appear to have no intention to fulfill. Semi-conductor issues seem to apply some orders, but not others...and they don't seem to understand or know how to answer questions from people like ourselves who have also paid their deposits but seem to always be remaining at the back of the queue without any hope given that we will ever receive our cars. I did ask Lexus some pretty specific questions as to why some are waiting notably longer than others for similar specs, but it's a question they've very much ignoring from my own experience of their responses. It's all very well in them apologising for the frustration caused, but that's no good to those like ourselves who are seeing build dates and delivery dates given elsewhere, whilst we can't even get so much beyond a very rough ETA - which is subject to change. It's as if we've just ordered the car. With the reply I've had today (which tells me nothing more than what I already knew - they've ignored all my specific questions and points), I'm going to have a long think over the next week or two as to what to do. I will absolutely be looking out for other options now as it's quite clear to me they have no desire in clearing long-standing orders. If, at the end of May, when my own waiting time for any progress is up to twelve months and it's me having to do all the legwork in chasing once more with no firm information over how it's progressing, I'm going to have to seriously consider walking away from it and getting my deposit back. I may very well calm down over the coming days and this is just me 'blabbing away' before the dust settles (and I'll happily admit to that if that will be the case), but I'm genuinely annoyed by that one paragraph I've had back from them today. I'm really not in a good place with this, now.

Well, I've had no reply from Customer Services (which to be fair, I didn't expect given it was only last night), but I also DM'ed LexusUK on Twitter...who have finally responded after about four or five previous attempts. I explained I know of the ongoing shortages. I explained I've already been given a 'rough ETA' of August. I explained I would like the same updates others are receiving - such as build dates/slots, shipping information e.t.c... I explained there are now similar age and newer orders than my own which are getting build slots/dates and shipping dates. I explained the dealer isn't keeping me updated as they are with other people. I explained I'm not happy with just the absolute basic 'always subject to change' information the dealer is telling me, whilst others have much firmer dates. This is the reply I have just had back... So, to conclude - a generic reply which is pretty much exactly what my dealer has told me. Oh yes - note how it's me who's expected to keep on chasing this. At the end of May. Which will take my order up to a full year without news of any progress at all from the day of ordering. Other members can make of this what they will and I'm always happy to hear other people's thoughts on this, but at the moment with August not even 'a given', I think this is very much a definite nail in the coffin of this long-standing order as I have no faith at all that I'll ever receive this car. It's clearly being pushed back over and over again to favour other orders.

There's still no news on my NX350h Takumi - which I ordered close to eleven months ago. No delivery date, no build date, no progress... The dealer doesn’t keep me updated without me chasing first (barring that one occasion - which was another delay), my e-mail to Customer Relations almost three weeks ago has not been responded to and Lexus don’t respond to me on social media - although I’ve noticed they have happily replied to a few others in a similar situation to myself. I've just e-mailed Customer Relations again this evening. To say I feel forgotten, ignored, at the 'back of the queue' e.t.c would be a polite understatement now. I won’t lie. I genuinely feel even worse for those who are still waiting for their cars who ordered them in February-April last year and inexplicably find themselves in a similar position where they have had literally no sign of any progress since the day they signed on the dotted line and handed over their deposit. Whilst I understand how the factory operates, surely there must come a point they find some orders which are now so old that they’re going to have to start investigating why they’re not being fulfilled? What’s the alternative for waiting customers? They’re never going to receive their car and lost a year, eighteen months (longer?!) of time whilst they could have bought something else? What the company doesn’t appear to understand is how frustrating this is as the customer. It really isn't giving the company a very good impression at all if they’re seeing their orders always being pushed back in favour of orders taken, in some cases, months later than their own... Looking at the Lexus website out of curiosity, they’re now advising potential new customers “Due to exceptionally high demand for the NX Hybrid, the lead time for this product is estimated to be Q2 2024 at the earliest.” I feel like adding a footnote to that advising these potential customers that Lexus are seemingly picking and choosing what NX’s they want to build, regardless of how long ago your order was and paying the same deposit as everyone else. There's still orders from the first half of last year they’ve not built yet or given any hope that they will get built. On a slightly lighter note, I have a ‘Lexus Link’ app on my phone which just tells me about the UX I have now. A silly question perhaps, but Is this the same as ‘My Lexus’ I’m seeing on this thread or is it an entirely different entity? I must have clicked practically everything on the ‘Lexus Link’ app and I just can’t see how to add or view the order I have for the NX. Obviously I don’t have a VIN number or anything, but I’m sure I’ve seen previous comments from fellow members who have been keeping an eye on pending build dates for months unless I’m very much mistaken. It’s only since joining this forum a few months ago I found out about being able to track orders via an app. The dealer certainly didn't tell me! All they have is my email address but, obviously as explained, have never stayed in touch unless I chase first.

My experience with Lexus dealers has been a mixed bag over the last three (and a bit) years. The UX I have at the moment isn't from my local dealer - it's from the second nearest. Typically located next to a Toyota Dealer but in it's own separate building. The staff were generally pleasant and the place was absolutely spotless. The dealer doesn't look much on the outside, but very good indeed on the inside. The handover process was very good indeed but I wouldn't say it was anything truly special. I've had near-identical experiences elsewhere. I can't comment on this particular dealer's service other than changing the front wiper blades under warranty which was done there and then, without fuss. Top marks for that. My main experience is at my local dealer, which is where all the servicing has been done and more recently, it's first MOT. The dealer is in a more modern building with an 'airier' setting, but it's smaller and part of a group which also owns other brand's dealers on effectively the same large site. The general servicing is fine and timekeeping has been spot on. However, they didn't reset my service indicator the last time around - a pretty basic error I'd expect a company of Lexus' calibre not to make. Ironically they pride themselves on customer service on the franchise's website, but as you may have seen on the 'NX 2023 delivery dates' thread with some previous posts of mine, they have very much let themselves down and continue to do so with regards to the order I placed with them approaching 11 months ago. If I don't chase them for news, they won't keep in touch. No courteous call, no quick e-mail, no nothing. Just one 50-odd second video-text message from the salesman three days after I e-mailed Lexus Customer Services (who haven't replied directly to me) saying it's been delayed again. I'm certainly reconsidering changing dealers once this ongoing saga is at an end, as I do feel very much 'forgotten' by them. I have to say that in the 21 years I've been driving, in this particular respect of ordering a new car, this has been by far the worst experience not just myself, but my family, has ever come across. It'd absolutely the opposite you'd expect from the brand.

Record player? Pah! I'd like an on-board gramophone! 😉 I do think either would be an incredibly odd but desirable option to have! Yes - I have nothing much against the Toyota C-HR either. I've grown used to it's looks over the years. It's quite funky. It was just the dark and plasticky-feeling rear seat area which put me off it above all else. I generally get a feeling from just sitting in a car whether it's worth considering further consideration (such as a test drive). As someone who tends to carry a back seat passenger or two at weekends, I just knew they wouldn't be happy with the small window area. I knew I wouldn't - and it wasn't even me who was going to be sitting back there! Believe me, Barry... You aren’t missing anything with that hands-free boot release. It may very well be my feet, but mine is literally useless! I’ll admit it would be nice to have the additional facility of chilled seats (I just have heated fronts). I don’t listen to much in the way of music so I know the top spec Mark Levinson sound system would have been wasted on me if I’d had it.

Strangely enough, I did consider a Toyota C-HR before I plumped for the UX. What put me off the C-HR was the rear cabin. I didn’t mind it up front, but it did feel distinctly ‘plasticy’ in the back. I didn’t even have to test drive it. I just knew after poking around one for about ten minutes I wouldn’t be happy with it. Yes, the seats in the UX are superb. Amongst some of the best I’ve had in any car I’ve owned. Also for the class/size of car, it’s incredibly well screwed together. Even just over three years on from that, these are two things I do absolutely love about the UX. The run-flats on the UX are a bit of a ‘mixed bag’ for me. In most circumstances I’m fine with them, but they absolutely do not like bumps on motorways (I’ve felt the car ‘skit’ several times...) and indeed, they’re not the quietest on surface-dressed roads. I suspect some of that ‘roar’ is down to the fact that the rest of the car is so quiet!

I do love the heads-up display, yes. That’s very good indeed. When I got the car I thought it was a little ‘gimmiky’ but after a month or two I started to use it more than the usual speedo in the binnacle. Embarrassingly, I don’t recall having ever used the steering wheel paddles. With it being a CVT, I’d rather it just do it’s own thing! Occasionally, I’ve slotted it into sport mode but that’s as far as it’s ever gone with me... I have to admit I find the boot kick thingy on mine very temperamental. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to it, so I generally just stick to using the boot button on the key to open it and then pressing the button on the bootlid itself to close it again.

I’m a big fan of Clarkson, but you do have to take a lot of his car reviews with a pinch of salt. I’ve not read this particular review so I can’t comment on it. There’s not many reviews I do take notice of these days simply because the testers usually have some sort of vendetta against certain brands, or a love for another. They’re usually given the keys of the car to drive for a day. They don’t buy them and live with them to learn what they’re really like over a period of time. I wont say what they are, but there are a number of cars out there which were generally panned by the press, but in my opinion (and my father having had two of one particular car which was deemed poor) were actually very good indeed.

A fellow F Sport owner here... I completely agree. It was switched on when I was driving home from the dealer (which I wasn't aware of) and after a few miles wondering what on earth that noise was, it dawned on me the sales person told me about it on the test drive of another model about a month prior! Needless to say, I pressed the button to turn it off and it's never been used since. It sounds a bit like a synthetic Yamaha motorbike that's constantly changing up gears! I'm sure it would appeal to some, but not for me.

Let’s hope things are starting to move, if we’re now seeing later orders than mine (May ‘22) getting build dates. I was under the impression you could start ordering NX350h’s again - but I’ll happily stand corrected on that. I have to admit one thing which is beginning to irritate me is that there seems to be a shorter wait for the more expensive NX450h and the factory is 'picking and choosing' what to build from the list, rather than building them on a fairer 'first come, first served' basis - which is the impression I was given at the time of ordering. Rightly or wrongly, it's giving me the impression that there's some orders that they don’t care about and/or want to keep at the back of the queue regardless of how long the deposit-paid customer has been waiting for.