Lexus RX450HL & RX400H - going full barge
Discussion
SAS Tom said:
BrettMRC said:
That sounds like a good buy! Only thing I can advise you to watch out for is the heated seats - various parts of the circuit can fail and leave you with a permanently fried backside! The plugs/clips etc are cheap enough if you need to replace any though 
What’s the issue with the seats and how do you fix it? I have an RX300 and I’m sure there are fires colder than the heated seats in my car.If you do a google for it you'll find a few quite detailed posts on the Lexus forums that are much better at explaining it than me!
SAS Tom said:
I’ve tried googling several times but can’t seem to find what I want. Could you point me in the right direction?
Have a go with a few of these https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-2nd-gen-2004-2...
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-2nd-gen-2004-2...
https://advrider.com/f/threads/need-help-2006-lexu...
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-1st-and-2nd-ge...
BrettMRC said:
SAS Tom said:
Thanks very much, the first link has the part number I think I need. I’ll swap the driver and passenger side to see if it makes a difference before I order.
....or just leave it swapped over and say nothing... 
I think I’ll soon hear about it when she’s got 3rd degree burns down her legs!Couple more pics to show the dash setup.
Nice to see Mrs Brett managed to get 20mpg out of it on the run back from the dealership!
The power guage on the left changes into a tachometer when you switch to sport mode, the speedometer on the right is a 'real' guage as opposed to digital.
Nice to see Mrs Brett managed to get 20mpg out of it on the run back from the dealership!
The power guage on the left changes into a tachometer when you switch to sport mode, the speedometer on the right is a 'real' guage as opposed to digital.
Tabs said:
I presently drive an RC300h hybrid. I've driven many Prius in my taxi driving days amounting to about 400,000 miles worth.
You learn to drive just below the flare of the CVT box,and can make quite brisk and economical driving.
But in reality, it's just very relaxing wafting, when you appreciate that there's no benefit in mashing the pedal down all the time.
Do you have a thread on your RC300h?You learn to drive just below the flare of the CVT box,and can make quite brisk and economical driving.
But in reality, it's just very relaxing wafting, when you appreciate that there's no benefit in mashing the pedal down all the time.
Would.be good to get some ownership insight as they are on my list!
No, I don't have an ownership thread.
It most probably drives the same as your new purchase.
Mine is a 2016 Luxury version, silver with light grey leather. I didn't want a Sport version, as I didn't want stiff suspension. Had enough of that in the previous ISF!
It's a fairly basic spec for a Lexus, but it does have everything I need.
It does feel quite wide, and seems large going down country lanes. Being a coupe, one seems to sit fairly low, but the electric seats can be adjusted to help.
Getting in and out can be a problem, as the doors are huge and heavy, and if you're not very athletic, you can tend to fall out rather than make an elegant exit!
Viability is average, but parking sensors and rear camera are very good.
The boot is fairly large and the rear seat backs split and fold. I got a 2.5 metre kitchen top in with ease.
It is certainly rare, and I've only seen 2 others on the road in the 18 months that I've had it. On holiday in France last year, people were looking inside whilst it was parked, some waiting until I opened it.
You won't be able to get a new one to order now as Lexus have decided not to import the IS300h, RC300h and CT models.
It most probably drives the same as your new purchase.
Mine is a 2016 Luxury version, silver with light grey leather. I didn't want a Sport version, as I didn't want stiff suspension. Had enough of that in the previous ISF!
It's a fairly basic spec for a Lexus, but it does have everything I need.
It does feel quite wide, and seems large going down country lanes. Being a coupe, one seems to sit fairly low, but the electric seats can be adjusted to help.
Getting in and out can be a problem, as the doors are huge and heavy, and if you're not very athletic, you can tend to fall out rather than make an elegant exit!
Viability is average, but parking sensors and rear camera are very good.
The boot is fairly large and the rear seat backs split and fold. I got a 2.5 metre kitchen top in with ease.
It is certainly rare, and I've only seen 2 others on the road in the 18 months that I've had it. On holiday in France last year, people were looking inside whilst it was parked, some waiting until I opened it.
You won't be able to get a new one to order now as Lexus have decided not to import the IS300h, RC300h and CT models.
Thanks Tabs for that review. I'm also thinking of an RC to replace my old IS. They do look somewhat exotic for what is basically just a 2-door version of a run-of-the-mill saloon.
How do you find the performance of the RC300h? They could be a bit of a sheep in wolf's clothing, but I suspect there's enough oomph for daily driving (if we ignore the usual PH trope of anything with <300bhp being dangerously slow).
How do you find the performance of the RC300h? They could be a bit of a sheep in wolf's clothing, but I suspect there's enough oomph for daily driving (if we ignore the usual PH trope of anything with <300bhp being dangerously slow).
Performance wise, better than adequate as you might say. Again, you have to know how to get the best out of it.
There are 3 transmission modes, Eco, Normal and Sport. Eco around town is very good, and when out of town, Normal is a bit more spritely. Sport allows use of the paddles, but they are a bit of a gimmick really. It gives 6 gears if you like, and you can drive briskly in country lanes. You can come down the box for slowing and cornering to good effect. Also in Sports mode, it's very quick in a traffic light grand prix, using the full power of the electric and petrol motors.
My average mpg over 10000 miles is about 43. Not as good as a diesel, but none of the diesel problems!!
It does take time to get the best out of a hybrid, that's why magazine road tests always slate them. Come out with me to prove them all wrong.
The even better bit, they never go wrong.
There are 3 transmission modes, Eco, Normal and Sport. Eco around town is very good, and when out of town, Normal is a bit more spritely. Sport allows use of the paddles, but they are a bit of a gimmick really. It gives 6 gears if you like, and you can drive briskly in country lanes. You can come down the box for slowing and cornering to good effect. Also in Sports mode, it's very quick in a traffic light grand prix, using the full power of the electric and petrol motors.
My average mpg over 10000 miles is about 43. Not as good as a diesel, but none of the diesel problems!!
It does take time to get the best out of a hybrid, that's why magazine road tests always slate them. Come out with me to prove them all wrong.
The even better bit, they never go wrong.
43mpg is loads better than the c.30mpg I get from my 2.5 petrol V6 IS.
Also the 'fake' gears in the CVT sounds like it works better than the not-really-manual mode on the traditional autobox on the older cars.
In an ideal world you'd be able to rent a suitable hybrid for a weekend and see if you could get on with it, instead of just having a quick 20 minutes around the block on a test drive.
(I had a CT200h for the day as a courtesy car once and that impressed me for what it was)
Also the 'fake' gears in the CVT sounds like it works better than the not-really-manual mode on the traditional autobox on the older cars.
In an ideal world you'd be able to rent a suitable hybrid for a weekend and see if you could get on with it, instead of just having a quick 20 minutes around the block on a test drive.
(I had a CT200h for the day as a courtesy car once and that impressed me for what it was)
The RC300h I had for a test drive was lovely, but never got above 20mph as the traffic was nose to tail in every direction for miles.
I ended up going for a Golf R at the time, but really wish I had gone with my heart and the RC300h.
Slightly back on topic; tried the cooling feature on the seats...flat out I think it could induce shivering in about 30 seconds!
I ended up going for a Golf R at the time, but really wish I had gone with my heart and the RC300h.
Slightly back on topic; tried the cooling feature on the seats...flat out I think it could induce shivering in about 30 seconds!
These are really starting to grow on me after the initial shock of seeing one at launch. Love the Lexus ethos and the flawless quality but at the time couldn’t get over the looks. They have however aged very gracefully.
May have to speak to the wife about chopping in her xc90 for one. Interior looks to be a cut above just about everything else on the market too.
May have to speak to the wife about chopping in her xc90 for one. Interior looks to be a cut above just about everything else on the market too.
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