Should you buy a USED Lexus RC? What goes WRONG?

In real life, this is such a hot looking car. Now, if you've ever wanted a visual representation of just how slowly the world's tectonic plates move, this is how long it takes. You're probably expecting me to sit here and rave on about Toyota and Lexus reliability, but you know what? Yeah, that is exactly what I'm gonna do. Okay, look, we totally get it. The Lexus RC, it does seem to make a whole lot of sense. The build quality and reliability is apparently some of the best in the business. Thanks to this entire category of car, maybe not exactly being the flavor of the month at the moment, depreciating used prices make the car very tempting. And it's a sporty, decently sized rear drive two-door coupe. So you'd like to think it offers a decent amount of practicality and comfort. They tick so many boxes, especially when they're packing this V8. But the RC can often be a misunderstood car. And unfortunately, it's maybe not all good news. For example, and this will impact cars that drive in colder climates on salted roads mainly, but on some of the earlier models, Lexus did a really crap job at applying the weather seals within the wheel arches. And over time, this can lead to water building up in the arches and it can rust it out. This was fixed over time as the production cycle went on. And it's basically unheard of in warmer climates like here in Australia. But something that can impact cars in Australia or really any warm climates, and look, this will depend on the model and if it's fitted with any exterior carbon fibre parts, sometimes these carbon fibre parts can fade and degrade prematurely over time. In saying that, as long as the car is garaged and these parts are polished and cleaned regularly, you shouldn't have a problem. Actually, just on the models that are available, trim specs generally fall into three categories. However, there are various additions within these and we'll get more into those shortly. And before 2018, the three engines on offer determined what the model was actually called. For example, the two litre turbo four was the RC200T, the 3.5 litre is the RC350 and the V8 is the RCF. However, that changed with the mid-cycle update in 2018 because the RC200T was renamed the RC300. That mid-cycle update also focused on improving the refinement, the tech and the handling. And it did update a few design elements too. Also, hot tip, if you're trying to decipher between a pre-update and post-update car, on the pre-updates, the headlights are kind of more of a two-piece feed. On the post-update, they're a single piece unit like this and they're just simplified and look very sexy. And also, remember, we are talking about a Lexus here. So even though there was that kind of one main update, these things were just honed and improved the entire way through the production cycle. Also, did you know, in some markets, you could get a hybrid RC300 and RC350 with all-wheel drive? But Australia was not one of those markets. Also, fun fact, under the sheet metal, these things are actually made up of the front end of a fourth-gen Lexus GS, the mid-section from a second-generation Lexus IS convertible, and the rear-end platform is from the third-generation Lexus IS. So it's basically a whole lot of Lexus incest going on. But easily the biggest complaint when it comes to these exteriors comes down to excessive tyre wear on the insides of the front tyres. Now look, many believe that this issue comes down to the factory geometry settings from the factory or maybe the bushes. Interestingly, the F-Sport models and these V8s, they tend to avoid this problem, maybe because their bushes are a little bit less squidgy, but this can be fixed with aftermarket bushes. And then as for the rears, adding some aftermarket adjustable control arms will give you a bit more adjustment for geometry. And here's a hot tip, not doing burnouts will save your rear tyre wear as well. But either if it's the front or the back, a few owners have been complaining that some of the passive struts are starting to leak a little bit. And if the model you're looking at is fitted with AVS suspension, which is the adjustable variable suspension, if this stuff goes on the fritz, it can be massively expensive to replace. Look, chances are, you're probably not gonna have a problem because most owners don't. But before you go buying replacement OEM stuff, do your homework when it comes to aftermarket parts because the owners we spoke to mentioned there's a host of components out there that can cost less than the OEM stuff, can last longer and can perform even better. And the same can be said for the brakes as well. Before you buy one of these, just check the rotor and pad wear and tear, especially if it's an RCF, because as we all know, Brembo is Italian for stops great but expensive. And the same goes for general consumables like wiper blades because what some manufacturers will try to charge you for replacement OEM blades can be ridiculous. And some of the aftermarket options are just ----. They don't last and they do a terrible job at wiping. Instead, do what we do and get yourself a set of Wipotec blades because they're so bloody easy to order online. They wipe so, so well. And if your order is set via the link below, you're gonna get 15% off and free express shipping. That is unless your name is Graeme and you've lent us your car to feature because we're gonna give you a set for free as a thank you present. Graeme, thank you so much, mate. Also, if you lend us your car to feature, we're gonna give you a set for free. If you wanna volunteer your car, email me via the link below or shoot us a message on the socials. But unfortunately, that is not it for exterior complaints because some owners have had some dramas with the TPS or the tyre pressure monitoring system or TPMS, whatever it's called. Chances are this will just require a reset and you should be fine. Other times it might need some more attention than that, but again, chances are you're not gonna have a problem. But if you've got an RCF, you might have a problem with the spoiler. I'll show you. See, the RCF spoiler goes up and down, but sometimes apparently it can either get stuck in the up or down position. This is super rare. And I hate to say it, but we think it actually might be down to operator error rather than an issue with the car. But that's actually about it for common complaints with the exterior. And this is interesting because compared to say the Audi A5, S5 or RS5, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class coupes, including the AMG models and the BMW 4 Series and even the M4, all of which we have found can be guilty of a host of exterior electronic discrepancies and other problems, the Lexus does seem to avoid these issues in the exterior department. Even when it comes just to the build quality and the fit and finish on this thing, honestly, it is second to none, easily the best in this category of car. Actually, here's a fun fact for you. To work on the Lexus production line, one of the tests you have to go through is that you have to be able to fold an origami cat with your non-dominant hand in under 90 seconds because that's the level of dexterity it takes to build something of this quality. However, there is one area that you might think the Lexus cannot match some of the European competition and that's when it comes to the looks. And look, I get it. When you look at pictures of, say, an Audi RS5 or even S5 or the BMW M4, they do, in pictures, look better than these. I get it. But you gotta see one of these things in the middle. I forgot. I haven't seen one of these for a while. And then when we turned up to film this car, in real life, this is such a hot-looking car. It's got its own thing going on as well. It's clearly Japanese. It's not trying to copy the Europeans. Please, just try to find one, especially in this spec, in the middle because, oh my God, it looks good. It is helped that this is wearing the Enhancement Pack 3. So that means you get these super sexy, lightweight BBS alloy wheels and the ceramic brakes and there's a titanium exhaust back there and in the white with the black highlights. Oh, so good. And also remember, this is just the standard RCF with the Enhancement Pack. We haven't even gotten into the Tracker or the Carbon Editions yet. Those things look the absolute business. Speaking of the business, how much is it gonna cost you to get into one of these at the moment? Well, if we're talking the lower end of the spectrum, so an early base model, say RC200T with a stack of kilometers on it, here in Australia, around about 25,000 bucks. And the other end of the spectrum, a mint condition and really recent RCF, as much as $125,000. But this is another whole area that the Lexus can just easily trump its competition. See, when the Lexus RC was brand new, it was generally asking thousands of dollars less than most of the European competition. But on the used market, because it's a Lexus and Lexus generally hold their value really well, it tends to avoid depreciation anywhere near as much as the competition. Don't get me wrong, it is a two-door coupe and this whole category of car at the moment isn't great for depreciation, but this will retain value better than pretty much anything from BMW, Audi or Mercedes-Benz. Plus, because it's pretty much all Toyota components underneath, the running costs and maintenance and to spare parts should be more affordable too. Honestly, these things just make so much more financial sense. I'm saying that though, it still doesn't mean that you should buy one. And that's because it's inside that you might find some issues that over time might drive you slowly insane. And yes, this is a Lexus, that means it's a fancy Toyota and that means, yeah, I'm talking about the bloody infotainment system. There are countless reports of just frustration with this entire setup, mainly because Lexus used this sort of laptop-style trackpad. So if you're using this with your non-dominant hand, it can just be a pain in the ass. You will learn it over time, but it takes some time. But even then, the native interface, it's just not intuitive at all. Now look, the sort of good news here is that post-2020 models, they do come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and you can retrofit CarPlay and Android Auto to post-2017 models. Even then, it's still gonna be a bit of a pain in the ass to actually use. Now in saying that, there are also owners out there that actually love how this works. For me personally, I'm just lucky that being left-handed in a right-hand drive car, it kind of makes sense. And also, after playing drums for a living for 30 years, my hand-eye coordination is not too bad. So I'm okay with it, but it's still nothing on, say, BMW's iDrive. That's the winner in this category. Now look, it does seem that Lexus have listened to these complaints because on their more recent examples of other models, they've ditched this entire system for a far more easy-to-use system. And also, there are countless aftermarket options out there to replace this system for yourself. If you're gonna do that, you can also then add maybe a wireless charging pad for your phone, maybe replacement cameras for the reverse parking because the cameras on these are a bit ---- as well. Now elsewhere for common issues in here, on some of the really early North American cars, a few owners complained that the dashboards could delaminate and the door cards could mark way too easily. Although it does seem that Lexus sort of fixed this issue pretty early in the production cycle. Doesn't happen anymore. Also, some owners have had some issues with the HVAC or the air conditioning system. Apparently, the servo motor can malfunction and it means that the car just doesn't blow cold air from the passenger side. It's not what we'd call a common problem though. Also, some owners have had problems with when they've selected the heat to ventilate to cool, it actually gets hot. And this is because the blower motor itself starts to go on the fritz and heats the seat up. Not a common issue at all. Also on the seats, look, no matter which model you're looking at, all the seats are really, really good. In the RCFs though, these seats, for me, they're maybe the best seats I've ever sat in. I know that's a massive call, but I cannot get over how comfortable they are and also how supportive they are. However, plenty of owners have complained that especially in the non-RCF seats, you just can't get them long enough in the car. You end up kind of feeling like you're sitting on the car rather than in the car. And in these, yeah, I do kind of wish they went down about that much further. I'm being ultra picky. They're totally fine, but just a smidge lower would be just perfect. Also, thanks to the length of the door, it makes sense that they're this big because it's a two-door coupe of this size. If you're constantly parking in a tight parking spot, you might have to attempt some, let's say Olympic levels of gymnastics to get in and out of the car, but this can play havoc with the seat bolsters, especially on the RCF and the F Sport seats with their chunkier bolsters. So just check for any wear and tear on the bolsters. Now, just on what the different trim specs come with, we'd highly recommend trying to find yourself an F Sport or a Sports Luxury model because thanks to the used market sort of compressing the prices between each of the different trim specs, for just a little bit more money, you could end up getting a whole bunch of amazing extras. The Mark Levinson sound system in this, this sound system is one of the best you will hear in any car out there. Plus, you're gonna get a few extra driving and safety features as well. And even for the RCFs, try to find one fitted with one of the three enhancement packs. As I mentioned, this has Enhancement Pack 3. That was a $30,000 option when these things were brand new, but now on the used market, you're not gonna be paying anywhere near that for an Enhancement Pack 3 fitted car. In fact, this actual car, Graham bought for a bit over 90 grand. It's a near $170,000 car brand new. It's a bloody bargain. However, in saying that, some of these Enhancement Pack models can feature TVD or the torque vectoring diff. And that's fantastic when it works, but just pray to God that you never have to replace it because some owners have been quoted in excess of $35,000 to replace that diff. But chances are, it's gonna be fine. And generally speaking, you're only gonna have a problem if the car has been honestly abused. And we're gonna let Jim elaborate on this more when he gets to his mechanical section soon. Now look, as for the design in here, these things get criticized all the time for having way too many kind of surface areas and too many materials going on. I completely disagree. I think the legit carbon fiber looks great. The leather is just brilliant, brilliant quality. It even smells expensive in here. The ergonomics, this isn't in my driving position. The steering wheel comes out to meet you when you're actually driving, but all the ergonomics are spot on. It's really intuitive to use except for the infotainment system. It's really only the infotainment system that lets the interior down. But as I said, this can all be replaced. Although another area that maybe isn't great is just the levels of practicality in here. Glove box is not real big. You've got the two cup holders here with little fingery things to hold your small pretentious coffee, like for me it'd be an oat piccolo. But then if you wanna put your phone here, you kinda gotta choose between, is it phone or is it coffee? Who knows? You've got storage under here. Not very big. This Alcantara does feel lovely. Door bins are pathetic. I don't know what you're gonna put in there. Maybe something with one dimension, but there's no storage under here. There's nothing under the seats. There's no sunglasses holder. So practicality isn't fantastic. But then, just like the exterior, the sense of quality is outrageous in here. It's funny, with a lot of cars in this class, they're really good at perceived quality. Like it looks really good and it feels nice to touch, but then you get this feeling that everything behind the scenes is just the cheapest plastics they could find. Not in this. Everything, it just, it feels like it's been chiseled from granite and then wrapped in the highest quality Alcantaras and leathers. Even the way the switch gear and everything feels, it doesn't feel like a parts bin special of Toyota components. It just, everything works in such a premium way. But now we have to talk about the back seats. And this is gonna be interesting. Now, if you've ever wanted a visual representation of just how slowly the world's tectonic plates move, flip the seat forward in an Lexus RC and this is how long it takes. Basically, an age. And then once you are in the back, it does feel like this car has a parcel shelf that identifies as a rear seat because this whole area is really only appropriate for a box of tissues and a hat, not an actual adult male human. In fact, I'm exactly six centimeters taller than another strong performer that can divide opinion with the initials RC, Russell Crowe. This is now in my driving position and I'm actually in pain. My leg's been crushed, my feet are being crushed, my head's crushed up against the roof. This is a horrible place to be. Plus, because it's dark and the windows are small, I feel even more claustrophobic than what I look. But there is some good news. The actual seat part is really comfortable. Like the front, the sense of quality back here is about as good as it's gonna get. But then you've got like, what's the point of this? Like a bit of cheap, scratchy plastic here and cup holders. This is not an appropriate area for humans. So I don't know why you've got any features back here. Why does it even have a back seat at all? Oh, also, it does have a pull-down armrest. Again, what's the point, why? Now I should mention, not all RCs have this pull-down armrest. And also, this one does have like the little cubby hole access into the back for your skis to go through. Not all RCs have that, but the RC F does. And then as far as practicality in the boot goes, again, not great news to be honest. It actually has one of the smallest boots in this category of car. And even the opening aperture is a bit on the small side. Obviously you can fit maybe one and a half humans back here, but practicality is not a strong suit of the RC, unfortunately. Now we do need your help with something here. See, we wanna make more content for you. And to do that, we just need the 75-ish percent of you that watch our videos regularly, that haven't subscribed, to hit that subscribe button. Plus, why not just tell everybody you've ever met about Redriven, because that will help as well. Also, for even more Redriven perks, why not consider joining our membership program? The link is down below. That link is also right near the link for the Lexus RC cheat sheet, which is an absolute must-read if you're buying one of these. We've listed out all the common issues and a bunch of other stuff. Check it out. And then we come to an area that the RCF is often misunderstood, and that's just the overall driving experience. See, thanks to the internet and especially YouTube, people seem to be more obsessed than ever with lap times and acceleration figures. But in the real world, which is where you're gonna be driving at 99% of the time, none of that stuff matters. Trust me, it doesn't. And look, sure, the likes of a BMW M4 is going to be faster. It's gonna shift quicker than this. It's got maybe more dynamic range, and it feels more like a racing car, but that's actually the issue with it. See, the more that a road car feels like a race car, generally speaking, the worse it is to live on a day-to-day basis. If you just go chasing outright grip and sheer performance numbers, then it compromises ride quality and refinement. And Lexus, they get this. They've tuned these things for real-world enjoyment. That means potholes and speed limits and traffic. This thing was never designed to smash Nurburgring lap records or go viral for winning drag races. In the RC F, like this naturally aspirated V8, it will grab you at like an emotional level. This engine in this car can give you things that so many other faster, more modern performance cars simply cannot match. And let's be honest here as well, in terms of performance, the six-cylinder RC 350 is, that's gonna give you all the performance you're ever gonna need in the real world. And if you don't think an RC 350 is fast enough for you, look, I'm sorry, but that's more of a reflection of your lack of driving ability and your ego talking than it is an issue with the car. Although in saying that, with the V8, flick into sport mode, go down a couple of gears. Oh my God. Yeah, this thing is so special. And look, it's not just this sound and feel of this engine. The ride quality is outrageously good. The steering feel is great. As a package, as a driving package, it's phenomenal. And look, you don't have to rev it out because at any speed, this thing is just, it is so rewarding. It feels just so incredibly sorted. But yeah, when you do push it past 3000 RPM, it's an emotional experience. I feel connected with the car. Look, as we said with our IS500 video recently, these things just offer all of the charm and character and fun of an old school muscle car, but then just with the right dose of precision Japanese engineering, it's the perfect balance. Okay, maybe that's being way too kind to it because it isn't perfect. It's a heavy car. It weighs over 1800 kilos. So if you are gonna have a bit of a pump through some corners with enthusiasm, often enough, you are gonna eat through tyres and brakes in no time. And also, no matter what engine is fitted, quite a few owners have complained that the throttle response can be a little bit on the vague side. But good news here, that's so easily fixed with an aftermarket throttle controller. Speaking of which, for aftermarket throttle controllers or upgrading the suspension or the brakes or the infotainment system or even car care products, make sure you check out our mates at Automotive Superstore. Look, they stock everything you're gonna need. They ship Australia-wide. So why not join the half a million other happy customers and check them out via the link below? They also stack a whole bunch of engine parts. Will you need any of those in one of these? Well, I can't answer that question because I'm not a qualified mechanic, but Jim certainly is. Look, the two litre turbo, look, so far, yes, they are very reliable. They are of the new-ish generation of Toyota motors and they are far more complex than previous generations. There's a lot more to go wrong in these engines. As I said, so far, fairly reliable. I would say as these things age, they're probably not going to tolerate and neglect like a lot of previous generation Toyota motors. And that means just servicing it, service it every 10,000 Ks and you should be fine. Now, the two and a half litre hybrid, in Australia, at least, we really didn't get many of these, but they're out there. They are actually very reliable. The two and a half litre is a non-turbo engine, so there is a lot less to go wrong. We have seen a few cases where the EGR valve sticks open, just makes the thing run terribly. And that can actually be a tricky diagnostic process, so just make sure you don't overlook that. A few reports of the high-pressure fuel pump leaking, but not common at all. The hybrid system and the hybrid battery, very reliable. You just need to make sure that the cooling fan and the cooling fan filter are working and the filter is clean because if the batteries get hot, then they start to fail. And if they should fail, look, they are actually quite easy to change and there are plenty of aftermarket supplies of these batteries, so you don't necessarily have to go through the dealer. As for the V6 versions, again, super reliable. Occasionally, we've seen a few water pumps leak. That's probably the biggest problem we see with these things. And occasionally, the thermostat as well. My tip here is if you're draining the cooling system to do the water pump, do the thermostat as well. A few reports of the thermostat getting stuck open and the engine running cool, you will also get a fault code telling you that as well. A few random reports of high-pressure fuel pump complications, but not common at all. The purge valve on these is a known problem. It's relatively cheap and easy to fix. It's just the valve responsible for purging the fuel vapor from the fuel tank. And now the V8, the wonderful V8. And it's wonderful because it very rarely has a problem. The V8 is actually, look, it is arguably one of the most reliable domestic V8s you can get. Look, it isn't perfect though. One of the more serious and semi-common problem is a coolant leak down in the valley. There's just a cover plate there in the bottom of the valley. And you do have to take everything off to get at it and repair it. That is fairly labor-intensive, although nowhere near as labor-intensive as something like this piece of ----. But still, it is time-consuming and can be a little bit pricey. And while you're in the valley of that Lexus repairing that water leak, it's probably a good idea to do the water pump at the same time. It's probably the next in line of the most frequent problems there. And if you're draining the cooling system, it's just a good idea to do it all at once. Some owners have experienced moderate oil consumption, but really not common at all. Probably worth mentioning that the very early models, like the pre-2016, did actually have some timing chain complications. Most of them were fixed under warranty and post-2016, rarely an issue. The transmissions in these, look, if you service that every 80,000 kilometres, you are extremely unlikely to have any issues with it. And the same can be said for the eCVT in the hybrid. Super reliable and, in fact, probably the most reliable CVT ever made, actually. Very good. Overall, mechanically speaking, in terms of reliability and build quality, this is really about as good as you're gonna get. Okay, look, as reliable as you'd like to think an RC is going to be, and as incredible as the fit and finish and build quality clearly is, when it comes to if we think if you should buy one or not, we're actually not so sure. At least when we're talking about the lower spec models. See, we don't really get why you'd buy the RC200T or 300. Because isn't buying a car that looks the way these do, but then choosing the least powerful engine a little bit like buying a fake Rolex or a fake Louis Vuitton handbag? I'm sure they look the part, but don't they kind of lack any real legitimacy? Plus, in regards to the cars, they're the least desirable models, so depreciation might become an issue down the track. Plus, with RC350s asking just a little bit more on the used market, why not just buy one of those instead? In fact, yeah, you should buy one of those instead. And that's because we think the six-cylinder RC is the model to get. It offers all the performance anyone really needs on the street while avoiding the premiums that the V8 models ask. Plus, they're a little bit more fuel efficient, that engine is basically bomb-proof, and short of the thunderous V8 soundtrack, the 350 offers all the RC you'd ever want. In saying that, though, if you can afford to pay the premiums that the RC F will ask, you would be mad not to buy one of these. We feel that the RC F is just now in a class of its own, superior build quality and reliability compared to any of its rivals, more affordable ownership and running costs, better residuals, just as enjoyable to drive, and thanks to slightly lazier acceleration times, it might even be kinder to your license. Just remember, you've got a budget for an aftermarket infotainment system, and maybe don't sit anyone in the back seats unless you really hate them, but please, if you can afford one of these, you have to buy one. But also, and trust us on this, maybe you also consider one of these instead. But we have a favor to ask. If you already own a Lexus RC of any kind, can you let us know what your ownership experience has been like down in the comments? Because that way, anyone researching these has even more information to draw from. You're a legend. Speaking of the business, how much, oh, we nearly fell over.