February 2013

campden

I have been extremely disappointed with the fuel consumption of this car, and complaining to Lexus, ever since I bought it in 2009. I had moved on from a RX400h which had an official EU figure of 34.1 mpg and in practice actually easily achieved slightly over 30 mpg. Lexus are claiming 44.8 mpg for the RX450h and I foolishly had expected to achieve a figure of at least 39 mpg. In practice, with extremely carefull driving, the best I could obtain was 34mpg. Lexus firstly tried to reset the electronics and then replaced the battery, but with no improvement. They then told me that I was alone in having this problem and it must be caused by my driving style! I felt I was alone in having this problem until I read the Honest John website. According to, at the last count ,over 360 other drivers, 34mpg is a good average for this car! Lexus are still strongly pushing their mileage figure in National advertising (The Times 6.2.13 - two full page adverts). I think they are miss-selling and have submitted a complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority. The problem is that the EU figures are misleading They take no account of the differences between these figures and those actually achieved in practice, in respect of individul models. If anyone else feels as strongly as i do, perhaps we could take the matter further.

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Collos25

When I worked in the middle east the GS300 was badged as a Toyota, Lexus did not start till the 400 and onwards there was a new Lexus showroom next door to my office in Jeddah I used to look every day I had a Toyota corolla as a company car and these lexus 400s were just a dream.

privateinvestor

2002 Audi A4 1.9TDI....100 BHP... 227k and still going strong............regular 5w/30 oil (Quantum) changes using oil to VW 504/507....every 8k miles....looking to take it to 300K. On average 600-650 miles on a full tank on Shell fuel.

Question 1... Read more

RobJP

I would suggest every 4 or 5 years. As was stated in the other posts, all the rollers tensioners and the water pump at the same time.

Sollie

Hello folks. Wondering if someone can help me. I recently purchased a 2004 S type. The car was advertised as being in good condition apart from the slight tapping noise. I emailed the seller who advised that the noise went away after a while. Picked up the car and to be honest everything worked perfectly apart from the tapping noise. I took it to my local garage and the as soon as he heard the sound told me the pistons have gone and I would need a new engine. Well that was a shocker. I decided to get a second opinion and went to the local Jaguar dealer who also said the same thing. Contacted the guy I bought it off who told me he had done some investigation and quote " the engine tapping and pistons do not make that noise when you get a piston go you get a missfire and smoke,ive been told its either a big end tapping in that case you need new shells,or a hyd tappet sized and would need a new one,deff not a piston as the car wasnt misfiring,or smoking"

Also wanted to add there is a lot of oil leaking on the underside

Now all this sounds alien to me. I have told the guy I want my money back, but I must admit I do like the car and have thought about changing the engine. What would you folks suggest.

Appreciate any help/advice.

Thanks

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Sollie

It's a 3L V6 petrol

paulpaul

Hello

In my town there is two lanes travelling one way with a gatso speed camera and both these lanes have the white line speed markings. on the other direction travelling towards teh camera is two lanes with NO white line speed markings.... Read more

monian

www.pepipoo.com/

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maur2411

Has 'Check Emissions' with engine motif, engine running poorly with a slight judder when accellerating doesn't like 5th gear, changed plugs no better any ideas? Read more

Mr Fox

Again you are showing your ignorance of the problem a code reader even if it has the proper Renault software will not show all faults or will show faults that have been historic or show faults that are not really faults but show as such because there is some other complication further up the line.The skill is knowing what is a real fault and what is one brought on by other problems something you will never learn.

For your information I haven´t touched an Avenger since the early eighties when I welded a new inner wing and bulkhead into one for the MOT.I do have two BMWs and a Peugeot 307 and I live in Germany anything else you want to know please ask but leave cars alone because you will never learn the inner workings of the combustion engine just keep taking your car to the local Bosch or Renault agents and let them look after it it safer that way. ...

Mizpah

I am posting this article on behalf of my partners father who is not the forum type!

He owns a 2005, A4 (B7, 2005) 2.0 TDi S. He appears to have tun into the oil light / wrecked engine issue as explained in this article this article of yours - with an estimated cost of £8000 from the local Audi dealership to fix.... Read more

SlidingPillar

I'm no mechanic, but HJs description of the problem does not sound quite correct. An interference fit on a splined shaft won't wear out with miles - unless the fit is a bit loose, and the joint moves. And if it does, arguably defective from day 1.

So it's probably an issue of tolerances really, that and poor design as you always have to account for the worst case....

Graham567

I have just been outside to put my car away in the garage and as i got in i noticed a car setting off in front of me with no rear tails lights showing.I flashed him to let him know he didn't have his lights on.A bit further up my road he did a u-turn and came back towards me.At this point he seemed to have his lights on.As he passed me i looked round and found the back of his car in darkness.I then looked at the plate of the car and noticed it was 2012.My guess was that he had daytime running lights on at the front and because he could see his lights had thought that his lights were already on but obviously no tail lights.

This begs the question is why don't cars fitted with DRL's also have auto lights so there is no confusion.
In fact why don't all modern cars have auto lights?
We have all these gadgets like adjustable wingmirrors and see you home lights but for the sake of a few quid i think that all cars,especially those with drl's,should have auto lights.

The amount of drivers who forget to put their lights on is quite high round where i live.

What does everyone else think especially if drl's are fitted.
(Also i feel cars with drl's should also have the tail lights illuminated so part of the above problem wouldn't happen) Read more

dadbif

Not being able to see where you are going could provide a clue.. .

monument garage

i have an 03 plate 1.5 dci kangoo ive had cylinder head off and ever since had nothing but trouble with it

firstly it wouldnt start,had all 4 injectors overhauled put them back in today it now starts but wont rev up and it runs half off a cylinder... Read more

Aocal

Hi

For the past couple of weeks when the temperatures have been at or below around 4 degrees I'll start the car from cold, it will fire up, make a feeble attempt at idling then just die. Then i'll start it up again but this time the car will put the glow plug light on first, then make a much better job of starting, even though it will be idling roughly for a few minutes.... Read more

Collos25

A car that will run properly on garage fuel and will not run on supermarket fuel ,just think about it.Thosands of cars do thousands of miles on supermarket fuel without any problem and your car will not sounds like a snobbish car to me.

chanlfc

After many days of reading and deliberation I have opted to go down the LPG route. Reason being I heard diesel cars to have issues with DPF's and petrol cars just not giving me the best MPG for my needs.

I do around 20K a year, mainly motorway mileage but I'm looking for advise on which are the best systems out there. I hear BRC and PRINS are the best.... Read more

WilliamRead

I had a Lada 1600 converted to LPG in the mid 1980s - the system was Landi-Hartog, and it was excellent. A subsequent move to rear engined Skodas meant that LPG was no longer an option. I am still a Skoda driver, and am considering LPG for my next car. Surprisingly, Skoda positively discourages LPG conversions..... or at least they do in the UK. But, for example, in Hungary, Skodas can be purchased from new ready converted for LPG.

Which make me think that the low take up for LPG in the UK has little do with its undoubted financial and environmental benefits (for the owner) and a lot to do with the financial interetss of manufacturers and the petrol/diesel refiners and retailers.