Lexus RX 330

squack

Use your OEM mats, but keep them clean with these.
Check it out:

http://www.matprotector.com

mrrogers

JM Lexus is in Margate, FL. He claims to be the world's largest Lexus dealer. His website is www.jmlexus.com. He posts his new car inventory online. Good luck!

tomtomtom

Thanks but don't think she likes it. Anyway, since the sun has returned since last week and it would last the whole summer in CA. My ears should be okay.

johngreis

What I have done for years after getting a new car - including my 2000 RX - is go to a carpet store and buy a remnant for $6 to $10. You can find pieces to match any interior. Put your present mats together on the garage floor and you can easily figure out how big a remnant you need.
   Then, using your present mats as a template, draw their outline on the back of the remnant and then use a utility knife and cut them out.
   I use these in the winter to keep the originals clean.
   Works great.

smg1062

Looking to buy within the next few months. Looking at the Limited 4Runner, GX470, and the RX330. Im curious as to why the lower priced RX has some fueatures that the GX doesnt (laser cruise control, pivoting headlights, rear camera). Those items intrigue me, BUT I LOVE the new 4runner/GX body style. Any suggestions? My ONLY drawback is the side swinging door on the GX (WHY OH WHY did they do that???)

r1_97

Only you can decide. It's your money and no one else can determine your values as well as you. Try them all, make your own choice and don't look back.

samang

Thanks for posting how to set door unlocking sequence/option. It worked on first try. Do you have procedure for other settings? I am looking for shutting off the beeps when disarming alarm/unlocking door from key-fob.

samang

A little off subject, but someone posted a comment about considering the to be released VW Tuareg (spelling?). I saw one in Frankfurt last Saturday, I have to say it looks nice. Being an anti VW guy, I just hate them, dont ask me why, But the Tuareg kinda caught my attention.

All RX330 owners, have you noticed people staring at you on the road? My passengers on different occasions have noticed that people on the road keep staring at us. I guess it is still new to most.

We are enjoying our silver with grey FWD with Nav. It is awsome.

albdoc

I have had my black RX AWD 330 for almost 2 weeks now. The fun part is my drive to work and back . I am usually surrounded by few SUV mostly in my back checking out my RX . To name a few these mostly include Rx 300, Toyota 4 runners, FX's and land rover Discovery. I am enjoying every minute of the attention. At times I have seen people checking it out in parking lot. I am sure as samsang mentioned ,all other RX owners are experiencing this and enjoying the attention.

albdoc

Here is what you need to spend some time on thinking
-Do you need your vehicle for off road or on road . If you plan to do lot of off road trips , I would not recommend RX 330. You are better off with a 4 runner or GX.
- RX 330 is an excellent vehicle if you are mostly on road and need a comfortable ride .
I had second thoughts about GX , while buying Rx 330 but I gave it up as
-I mostly use my vehicle for work and long drives. Almost no off road
-Fuel consumption is worse with GX but you get more power V8 vs V6.
- A fully loaded GX will cost you more (>5000 +) than RX 330.
- If you do not go off road and need style, luxury and comfort and can spend extra 5000 -7000 than RX any day is a better choice than 4 runner.

rparis

Does anyone know if the unlocking/locking of car doors info, as mentioned in post #550, works for the ES 300?

rparis

I presently drive the RX 300, model year 2001, and really like the vehicle. I think the standard cd player is top notch. My opinion is the cds sound so much better than the radio. I especially enjoy "blasting" a cd while on the highway. I ask myself is the ML system worth the extra money???? Any thoughts?

In any case, owners of the new 330 who have previously owned the 300; what are your comments comparing the two vehicles.

To owners that have recently traded a RX300 any idea what range my vehicle is worth. Does not have nav, but has most other options and 35,000 miles.

adb3

My wife loves the stares--I just ignore. She comments to me every time we are riding together that folks are constantly checking out the 330. Oh well, same thing happened when we bought our GS. Soon after, we started seeing more and more on the road. I guess we are a rolling advertisement for Lexus. Wish I could reap some perks for that.

I really wanted the ML this time around, but it wasn't available for the performance/NAV build package. However, the OEM system is more than adequate and should fulfill the need of all except the most discerning audiophiles.

rparis

I presently drive the RX 300, model year 2001, and really like the vehicle. I think the standard cd player is top notch. My opinion is the cds sound so much better than the radio. I especially enjoy "blasting" a cd while on the highway. I ask myself is the ML system worth the extra money???? Any thoughts?

In any case, owners of the new 330 who have previously owned the 300; what are your comments comparing the two vehicles.

To owners that have recently traded a RX300 any idea what range my vehicle is worth. Does not have nav, but has most other options and 35,000 miles.

wwest

vs RX. Salesman told me it was to distinguish that the GX was a "lower class" than the LX. Apparently they think the LX wouldn't sell as well if the GX included too many RX and LX features.

Driver operated rear window winglets on the LX vs manual on the GX was was the starting subject matter.

blackrx330

I just bought my new RX - and it has the performance package (with air suspension and adaptive headlights)and the laser cruise that are not offered on the GX. By the time all of this was stacked up (with the NAV too) the car was about $44,100. The least expensive GX my local dealer could get was close to $49,000 - all with the useless the third row. So, for me it came down to price and availability.

Regarding the side swinging rear door on the GX, it may actually be a good idea versus the upward swinging door. We also have a '01 MB ML320 - which has the regular - upward swinging door. Recently on a trip to Atlanta we were in a parking deck - and the ceiling clearance was already low - but when we opened the back hatch we did not notice the sprinkler head protruding from the ceiling above. The door hit it causing a little bit of a dent. A regular upward swinging hatch actually lifts quite a bit higher than the car's regular roofline. And, the GX already being a very tall vehicle (a couple inches taller than the MB) would not only have trouble fitting in some tight parking decks, but certainly would not be able to fully open the rear door.
In my car search, I had thought before about the side swinging GX door and realized the benefit in that it would not have hit the ceiling in this case. So maybe Lexus was thinking of vertical clearance when they decided to make it open to the side.

avery1

Does anyone have a link to info on the actual date they are planning to introduce the hybrid? I keep hearing next year but does that mean next model year which might be out in October or really next year? Do they already sell it in Japan? My dealer wasn't much help. Obviously he wants to sell what he has now which makes sense.

albdoc

Hi

I can give you some idea as before getting my RX 330,I was given a loner RX 300 ( 2000 with 46500 miles ) by my dealer.I drove it for a month .
I enjoyed RX 300.Its a great vehicle.
The standard CD player(?? Nakamichi) is excellent. I now have a RX 330 with ML. There is a difference in the sound specially if you are used to high end audio. If you crank up the volume with ML , You can feel the drum beats near you feet.The increased number of speakers and subwoofer definitely brings the sound to a different level.The high end frequencies sound much better.You may not appreciate the difference if you are an average listner i.e Bose,Sony , Panasonic, JVC etc .

Besides a good and expensive music system the most important thing is the acoustics of the area you are playing it in.I found that ML sounds much better in ES300 than RX 330. I am not sure if anyone else has observed this.This again is related the acosutics of the area you are playing it in.

Just to let you know that

1.ML was rated as #1 in EDMUNDS top 10 car stero's.
2.An average ML home component system will cost you close to cost of a fully loaded RX 330. I hope this tells you the class of high end audio equipment ML makes.
There is a possibility you may just find it to be average and not that great.

wwest

Maybe Toyota/Lexus should license Ford's 68 station wagon rear door concept!

Top glass lowered into the 1/2 door, and the door could then be flipped down, or swung open. Lowering the rear glass slightly was a good way to solve the painful helicopter noise too.

I don't remember the noise in either the 68 or 75 squire wagons entering the pain threshold, certainly not at the eardrum shattering level of the RX.

scottphillip

I traded my LS430 on a Porsche 911 four months ago, and really miss having a posh sedan. Since the RX330 is new, and a 2004, I am considering buying one. I haven't owned a sport utility. The RX is comfortable front and rear. It just doesn't handle as well as a sedan. Should I wait for a Performance Package? Is there a ride/handling difference with the air suspension?
Thanks,
Scott

wwest

My answer to audio upgrade question posed by 911/996 C4 cabriolet owner:

My[QUOTE]Originally posted by willard:

[QB]Well, first, if you have an enclosed garage, pull the car in and close the garage door, turn the engine off, but leave the accessories on.

Now, sit and listen to three of your favorite CDs.

Now, listen to the very same CDs while traveling, top up and top down.

And only then decide what it is that most prevents you from fully enjoying your three favorite CDs while traveling.

1. Wind noise at speed...
2. Tire noise at speed...
3. Engine exhaust and intake "notes"...
4. Accessory operating (blower) noises...
5. The LOUD BASS in that "ricer" nearby...
6. General traffic noise...
7. The siren on that car just behind...

Clearly VOLUME is the only answer.

Now, how many, and how much, of your favorite three CDs can be truly enjoyed at extremely high volume? John Phillip Sousa or John Williams comes to mind for me.

Back to the garage.

Listen to a CD with a passage that should be played LOUDLY, with the volume turned up to roadway traveling level. Listen carefully for any noticeable distortion.

If you hear discernable distortion then change/upgrade the speakers first. Then test again and if the distortion is still there you likely need higher supply voltage for the speaker drivers.

That's it, you're DONE![/QB][/QUOTE]

wwest

Personally I consider even the RX300 as a better ownership experience, overall, than the LS series. Now with the availiability of air suspension on the new RX there is no question, I will never again purchase a "posh sedan".

That after having purchased no fewer than 5 LS400s over the years (including Gates' 90), three of them still in the "family".

stever

You own a used car that once belonged to Bill Gates? Wow. This is better than George Costanza's Jon Voight mobile :-)

Did yours ever catch on fire?

Steve, Host

wwest

Sold it to a friend who later donated to some charity.

squack

and we went to medical school together.

Fire in a Lexus?

I couldn't see any fire through the fogged up windshield. Or perhaps all that excess CO2 extinguished the fire before it could do any real damage.

newlexer

Some observations about evaluating auto sound systems:

1.A car's interior is one of the absolute worse acoustic environments in which we listen to music. The angled glass, resonating surfaces, and bad speaker placement relative to the listeners, small acoustic space, ambient noise level, and other factors make a car a very different than a typical living room. A car system just won't sound like a home system.

2.Going to a dealer, taking a car for a test ride, turning the radio to a favorite station, and evaluating the stereo as you drive around—will not tell you what you really want to know. It may tell you something about radio reception, but not much reliable about the sound system itself.

3.Before you evaluate a sound system, make sure the treble and bass are flat—at 0 (no boost and no cut). People fiddle with knobs on test vehicles. You could jump into a 330 and assume the stereo is way too bassy and muddy just because the tone controls are misadjusted.

Some suggestions for comparing audio systems:

1.Select a few discs you know well—and listen to on a good-to-superior quality home system. Then pick a selection from each. These discs should reflect the range of music you like—female jazz vocalist, chamber music, rap, for example. They shouldn't be just that last three Madonna albums (unless you listen to nothing else.) Make sure these discs are originals—not CD copies or converted MP3 files.

2.You need to compare sound systems in the same model. Checking out the Mark Levinson in a Lexus sedan will tell you virtually nothing about how it will sound in a 330. It doesn't even make much sense to compare the 300 vs. a 330—the interior spaces of the two cars are different, so the acoustics are different. Check out the Levinson in a 330 and the standard Pioneer in a 330.

3.With the engine off, roof closed, and windows rolled up, listen to your three selections in Car 1. Make sure the tone controls are "flat," that is no + or - . On each selection, try to focus separately on the high, mid, and bass notes. Then turn on the engine and the AC or fan. (Actually driving would produce additional car and environmental noise, but you can't easily produce the exact same conditions for testing each car.) You don't really need to listen to each entire selection each time, usually part of a song will do.

4.Do the same in Car 2. If your lucky, the same dealer has both 330s.

5. Draw you conclusions and write a bigger—or smaller—check.

wwest

Typically, on a test drive, the salesperson will reach over and turn on the radio to impress me. I immediately turn it off and advise him/her that first on my agenda is finding out if I'm pleased with the vehicle itself.

That's especially true in the $50K and up class, you can buy a lot of HiFi at 10% of the value of the car.

wwest

Just how often will you be setting in your car listening to CDs with the engine off?

If you're going to comparison test audio systems you should test in a real or actual useage environment. A system that sounds perfect at low volume in a quiet environment might be an insult to your ears at the higher volumes actually required.

Actually with modern day technology it is typically the high volume passages where the distortion shows up the most. Horrible sound of a speaker voice coil reaching end of travel or speaker driver not able to reach higher voltages.

sopecreek

If you are on a limited budget, upgrading speakers make the most bang for the buck.

newlexer

It's a two-step listening process. Engine off, then engine on.

While few people do sit in a car with the engine off listening to music,it's useful to test sound systems that way.

Listening initially with the engine off may allow you to hear distortion that you'd experience under normal driving conditions, but couldn't as readily identify with the additional background noise from the engine, fan, and traffic.

Also, audio electronics are not generic. Two amps with very similar specs can sound very different. The consumer and pro-audio magazines will always include a listening test when reviewing electronics, speakers, or mikes. The engine-off listening test will give you a better idea of the system's capability. Play with the sound level.

The other thing you're checking with the engine off is how well the sound system has been designed to to overcome the severe acoustic limitations of the car's interior. A system with great looking specs may sound average because of poor speaker placement and bad reverberations.

Distortion can come from many sources--mismatched components (e.g.,too small a power amp to drive the speakers to adequate listening levels), bad sources (weak signal from the radio station or an overloaded CD-R), inadequate speakers, etc.

wco81

Do the factory systems, either stock or the upgraded ML, get ripped off at all?

I would assume most of the thefts involve after market equipment but maybe with the hype and the Lexus name (whether stock or ML)...

Do the cars come with an alarm?

wwest

If your audio system has a "flaw" that you can't hear in transit, does it actually exist?

Or you only "hear" in a "false" environment?

bodble2

There must be some sort of audio anti-theft device for the RX. Isn't there a code that has to be programmed in before the system would work?

tomtomtom

You can't really upgrade the headunit in most of the car today because of the "custom" dash. Most thefts are not interested in those car stereos as they used to be just too much work to take the thing out.

s852

They are not interested in how hard it is to remove. They do not care if they destroy the dash ripping it out. They steal them much less often only because there is a limited market for a stereo that only fits in one model car.
Who buys used car stereos anyway?

clpurnell

Do NOT shop at sterling mcall lexus on 59s. Had the worst dealer experience there ever. I mean worse than pontiac, honda etc. I should thank them though partly because of the way I was treated I nixed the 330 and am the happy owner of an FX35. Try westside lexus I have heard good things about them from co workers.

finch3

One of the new features is memory for the seat positions for two drivers and also the mirrors.
Unlike the RX300 CD changer, the 6 CDs will be dropped through a dashboard slot, instead of placed in a case. Does that mean they will eject through the slot? That could be fun trying to catch them.

If you want the pricey NAV system, you get the cases. I found those cases a pain in the neck.

The Kelly site has complete info on standard features, options and their prices and a couple of reviews. Very good and positive analysis.

bodble2

They don't exactly come shooting out!

trillium1

I am still waiting delivery of my RX330 ordered 6 weeks ago with the ultra premium package.
I did not know that with the NAV system, the CD changer is relocated and requires a case to load (mine has the ML package). Can anyone verify that?

r1_97

Overall happy with the car. Compared with prior car (E-320) notice more lean around corners due to higher center of gravity and different suspension. Transmission a little sluggish - seems a slight delay to get going from a dead stop. I was surprised with the engine growl (exhaust sound) when accelerating. I expected Lexus to be very quiet.

Very comfortable seats and good back support. Regular stereo (not ML) very good. Everything works as it should - no 1st year bugs. Build quality is excellent. Easy to drive and park. I recommend it for anyone wanting to sit up high and have more storage area than a sedan and drive mostly on paved roads.

adb3

CDs are slot loaded in the dash. And being true to the touted Lexus quality, when removing cds-- they are presented to you smoothly with the player sliding the cd about 3/4s out the slot for removal. If after a certain time the cd has not been removed, then the cd will automatically be recovered back into the player.

artc1688

I just recieved a quote of $36,920 for a 2004 FWD RX330, with 18" alloy wheel and premium plus package. Is this a good price?

Thx
AC

tnguy1

That's a great price.

harryl330

The interior of my RX330 is light gray leather. The color is great but its my first time with a light interior color. Any suggestions for products to keep the leather clean? Thanks.

serenoa

artc1688--On the surface it sounds like a great price. What is the MSRP and what did they add later? What was the out the door price?

cfgross

I use Leatherique Rejuvinator Oil and Pristine Clean on my 2003 Jag's Connoly leather and will use it on our RX330 when we get it. The stuff is incredible. The leather is better than new after conditioning. You can get it directly from Leatherique at http://leatherique.com/. I have also used Zaino Brothers leather cleaner and conditioner ( http://www.zainobros.com/ ) which are quite good and not as expensive as Leatherique. You really wouldn't go wrong with either one.

Craig

r1_97

It sure is. It's about $500.00 less than I paid for the same configuration.

m5power

I know this sounds crazy, but we just got a flint/gray Rx330 w/premium (ie no nav/ML) in part because they're hard to get, and in part because we didn't want the navigation. I was wondering if anyone has considered swapping out the front speakers with better speakers (with similar crossover points) because the stock system sounds a bit muddy compared to the Nak or ML systems!

Thanks!

s852

Is the price contingent in you trading in another vehicle at a price they set?

artc1688

s852 -> This is a cash transaction.. I do not have any trade in..

Serenoa, This is out of door price + shipping cost to my state ($380)