Lexus RX 300

tonychrys

clee4 Feb 19, 2001 7:48pm

If he REALLY was a Sants Fe owner, it would be suicide for him to start a RX300 vs Santa Fe thread. It's an apples to oranges comparison. It's obvious that Santa Fe owners' priority is saving $$$ and that RX300 owners' priority is saftey, performance and the best possible ownership experience.

It's obvious that Jeff nailed this guy. I wasn't even going to bother because he had yet to directly address any of my points in a logical, concise manner. He's what's known as a lonely discussion troll, who is just interested in stirring up controversy rather than debating the facts and merits of automotive products.

tod

In a post yesterday, Tonychrys pointed out the advantages of the MDX and RX. One of the things you mentioned was the RX's base radio having RDS and traffic reports. Did I miss something? What are these 2 items? Thanks for the clarification.

BTW, my new AWD NAV RX comes at the end of the month.

tod

Anyone heard that the VP price incentives are going away at the end of February? One dealer told me it was a definite... they had just had a staff meeting about it last week. He said all the VP priced RXs had been build as of about 3 weeks ago, just before a 2 week break in production. Now, he claims, all RXs being built are NON-VP priced. He said the VP package was originally intended to last only thru December (the "December To Remember" sale) and was extended indefinitely.

Can anyone confirm?

Another dealer I spoke to says he's heard nothing about it ending. He did warn, however, that it could end at any time and "probably" wouldn't last much longer.

Yes... the scare-tactic worked. I bought one a little sooner than I wanted to. Didn't want to take a chance on missing out on that -$1500.

dognut1

Let's add one more reason for buying a RX. Tonychrys lists safety, performance and the best possible ownership experience. But the vast majority of Lexus owners I know will attest to the fact that IMAGE is a huge factor. How one looks in the Lexus driving to work, soccer games, or just to the grocery store is very important to most RX drivers. It portrays an -"I've arrived" status to neighbors and friends. Snob appeal is the not so polite term. That's one big reason that the RX and SantaFe can never be compared as you just can't project the same image in these two S.U.V.s.

first_lexus

Hi everyone, this is my first post. I have been reading this forum for a while and found it very helpful. We are considering buying an RX300 because it's the only SUV that seems to meet our needs in terms of safety, reliability, cargo space, interior design, and size (live in San Francisco so don't want a big SUV). BMW and others are too expensive. Lexus is a bit of a stretch for us but given the combination of features we're willing to pay extra for quality. Our question is, what do you think of this price-$37000 for AWD with Premium package plus, spoiler, crossbar/wheel lock/cargo mat (no Nav). It's $2400 above invoice and $2300 below MSRP. They don't seem to be willing to come down any further. They wouldn't match the Carsdirect price but came within $400. It's from a local dealer, which would be more convenient for us in terms of service and perks. We've put a refundable deposit down for one coming in later this week, but haven't signed any contracts. Is this a fair price for the Bay Area? Has anyone gotten it for less around here? Is it worth trying internet purchasing (Priceline etc.) if I want to buy from a local dealer? Has anyone dealt with either Lexus Serramonte or Lexus Marin, any opinions? Thanks for your help.

tonychrys

You make a valid point, but trust me, I never EVER thought I would be caught dead in Lexus, Mercedes, etc. When I was single I always like sporty, economical cars that were cheap to buy, mostly Nissans.

But once I started doing my research 2 months ago, the more and more I looked at safety in terms of a car/SUV hybrid, the names Lexus, MB and BMW just kept popping up at the top of the list. I was determined to buy the most car for my money that would help avoid or protect my wife and son in case of an accident.

There are certain things I don't like about the RX, but I didn't buy it to please all my petty little points or to impress anyone else. My #1 priority was to get the safest vehicle possible for my family. Is 30 something thousand a lot to pay for ANY vehicle? Yes. But I can replace a piece of sheetmetal, I can't replace my family.

Think about that.

tonychrys

tod Feb 20, 2001 7:37am

I don't have the manual in front of me, but I believe RDS stands for Radio Data System. They use it a lot in Europe. What it is that certain FM radio stations transmit "text messages" over the air-waves, usually as notifications or to "classify" the radio prgramming. The stereo in the RX300 can decode these messages. For example, many of the stations I recieve I can see the call letters, ex. WBAB, and the type of programming, i.e., classical, jazz, talk, etc.

The Traffic function is button on the console that when pushed will automatically look for stations classified as traffic report stations. When there is a report it will break through whatever you are listening at the moment.

All this wonderful info is in the manual when you get your RX.

TC

tonychrys

first_lexus Feb 20, 2001 8:04am

First_Lexus, your configuration as stated in your message has an invoice of $35,053, and MSRP of $39,316. $37,000 is too high for this car now given the market conditions, even Carsdirect's pricing confirms this.

Why not just buy from Carsdirect? All they do is refer you to a local dealer, they'll even tell you who it is. Or just use Priceline like many of us did and just keep the geographic area within your county.

Good luck,
TC

first_lexus

If the invoice is 35053 how much should I offer on priceline? 500 over? 1000 over?

tonychrys

3% over invoice is $36,105, or about $1k over invoice. While on most makes this is a fair offer, Lexus Dealers do have a bit more overhead than other mainstream dealers.

I believe that the Carsdirect price is about $36,450(?) which is about 4% profit.

I would do $36,000 on PL and make sure you have at least two color choices. Dealers who accept PL bids almost always will accept the deal if it is reasonable and the model is on thier lot or about to come in. If a dealer accepts this bid you'll be saving $1000 over the dealer that wanted to charge you $37k!

Make sure you configure the car EXACTLY because the PL bid if accepted is a binding contract. They will charge your credit card if you back out.

Good luck and let us know how it works out!

TC

kingscreek

I say this with all honesty - image and perceived status never came into play when choosing the RX300 for me. I actually prefer the body style of some of the other choices out there, and as I said in an earlier post, luxury vehicles are a dime a dozen in these times. I would even venture to say that the Mercedes or the BMW would have probably have more inherent "snob appeal".

Truthfully, I have found the Lexus line to be rather understated to the point of being plain. While this was not terribly attractive to me in the beginning, the look has grown on me. There were three reasons I chose the Lexus line; repair record, service record, and the Lexus navigation system.

I am certainly offering no criticism of the earlier post, and the fact that I have not shared his experiences does not make them any less valid for him and for others. I'm just afraid that if one puts this attribute on the checklist as an advantage in making your purchase decision, you may be sorely disappointed. Maybe its just my area, but "luxury cars" sell like postage stamps around here.

Having made these distinctions, I can attest to one vanity about this car, which I'm sure could be attached to most cars in this category. There is a really nice feeling in driving a car that feels solid, has great little features that make your driving time more bearable, and one that has an attractive interior.

So in the end result, I guess this only proves that we all look for different things in a car, and the dilemma that every new buyer will face lies in the discovery of what those attributes are and which car fills most of those needs.

drew_

Don't forget, 5-6pm Pacific tonight! Hope to see some of you there!

http://www.edmunds.com/chat/cartalk022001.html?id=hphall2.cartalk2

rmorin2

Here is the latest on my noise issue. The Lexus factory engineer claimed that the noise was "characteristic of this vehicle." I challenged this conclusion and he then admitted that he did hear a noise especially when the vehicle was cold. He attributed this to the liquid filled motor mounts and the increased torque on the engine when it is in gear. While I might accept this as a reasonable explanation, I asked why we did not hear this noise last winter even on the coldest days. He had no answer. So, I have written Lexus in California to see if they have any explanation. Is it possible one of the motor mounts have failed? Other than this, I have no other leads at this time. If anyone has any ideas, let me know.

mvs1

I happened to be at the dealer yesterday for service and asked him about getting into an 01' RX or IS after about 2 years I get that fever again. Well he(Sales manager) stated that the value package was here for the duration of 01'(To his knowledge)A quick aside in 99 the msrp of the RX I purchased was $39,292 every option except the Nac. In 2000 Lexus raised the price by $1000 no additional features(different wing same price) then recently the invoice to dealers increased by $500 so basically the $1500 VP puts a customer back to square one, or 99' pricing when Lexus didn't know the future success of the RX.

As far as the Lexus image, of course it plays into the equation of the purchase you wouldn't pay $40000 for say a Hyundai (SORRY COULDN'T RESIST). Each individual above has a different reason to justify their purchase not relating to the "status" of the nameplate. I personally wouldn't pay for a rebadge such as a QX4/pathfinder, Denali/Escalade/Yukon just for the sake of owning an Infiniti, Cady, etc.In my instance family members work at the dealer where I purchased my Lexus from,an ES300. After my experience owning this type of vehicle and the service I received getting another Lexus was a no brainer. But being the first on my block with an RX had nothing to do with it

4424jm

I bought my rx300 three weeks ago and we love it. I shopped 4 or 5 dealers in the bay area and ended up buying in fremont. Magnussen Lexus had the best price and most proffesional sales staff. I paid 37,053 for mine just the way yours is plus chrome wheels and gold package. Sales consultant Yulia Preys was very friendly and helpful.I to wanted to buy close to my house, but Stevens creek lexus just laughed at this price when I offered them this. They are only two miles from my house in San Jose. I drove the extra 18 miles and was very glad I did. Magnussens service dept is open until midnight plus sat and sunday plus loaner cars. Good luck and I know you will love the car.

gtmustang

Jeff should get his facts straight.
I "USED" to own a Toyota Camry. I sold it because it was a piece of junk. It was not built with good quality.
I own 2 Mustangs. One is an early 1990's model with almost 260,000 miles on it with original engine and transmission. The 2nd one is a 2000GT. Both are running in excellent condition.
I "USED" to own an RX300. I sold it because it was a lemon.
I beleive that Jeff doesn't want to face the true facts that some of these Lexus RX300 vehicles could be Lemons. I don't think that Jeff should get up tight about this. I know many people who have had problems with their RX300 and they have accepted this fact. Jeff doesn't. He thinks that the RX300 is some kind of special type of vehicle. It isn't. It's overpriced for the poor quality which it's built with. I do not recommend this vehicle to people who are thinking about purchasing it. I am just putting my 2 centsin about this vehicle, that's all. I am not here to offend anybody, but to just give you the straight TRUE FACTS.

cali5

Can someone please let me know if you experience terrible wind noise with one or both of your rear windows rolled down 50% or more at speeds of 30 mph or above? I had an appointment with my local dealer to see if this is normal, but it was raining that day and I cancelled. I have decided to wait for the 30 day service appointment now since it is in less than 2 weeks. The noise is so awful that it actually hurts my ears! Heck,it even bothers my husband who has much less sensitive hearing thanks to his days as a Navy Seal. I just would like to know if it's something wrong with my RX or if it happens with all of them. Thanks in advance!

00rxguy1

Hi Cali5, it's not your RX. Almost all of the Rx's that i have read in the previous posts in other forum have had the same problem. I too have that problem with mine. What i do is i just don't have one window open. You should have at least two or maybe even three. Opening the moonroof slightly will also decrease the wind noise. I guess it's just a minor design flaw or something.

drew_

Off-topic posts regarding the Sante Fe have subsequently been removed. Please stay on-topic.

Thank you,

Drew
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00rxguy1

Hi Drew, I do not understand why you removed my post regarding the Santa Fe. I was only trying to get gtmustang off the forum since all he seems so care about is bashing the RX. I was trying to get my 2 cents in. His posts regarding the Santa Fe have not been removed. I'm a little disappointed as i was only trying to make a point. It wasn't completely off topic.

tonychrys

I hate to break this to you folks, but any car similar in shape/volume will make a loud noise when you open only the rear windows. It's simple physics.

Picture the air flow: if you open just the rear windows, the air comes in those entries, then rushes straight back to the large, open area in the back. it's got no where else to go since more air is rushing in through the two rear open windows. It's the same as blowing into a glass beer bottle and making that tuba sound.

Try this: Open just the drivers front window. Feel the air, hear the noise? Now open the driver's rear window a crack and then vary it. Notice the wind flow and sound change? You are creating different air flows and pressure levels.

One might say, "but my XXX car never had this much wind noise with just the rear windows open." That's because the sedan has less open air volume than the SUV.

The one thing I love about this vehicle is that at highway speeds with the windows closed there is little wind noise at all. Makes listening to Vivaldi a pleasure.

tonychrys

rmorin2 Feb 20, 2001 4:27pm

Yes, a bad motor mount could be a possible cause.

I hate to beat a point to death, but I would make Lexus prove that this sound can come from another RX300 the same MY as yours. It's a simple procedure. If they claim this is normal make them prove it by reproducing the sound on another vehicle on the lot.

Keep us informed.

tjpiacenjr

I just picked up my new RX300 (Black w'Nav) last weekend and I'm loving it except for one thing. I have just 400 miles on it and already have a big stone chip in the paint on the front edge of the hood. Does the RX tend to get a lot of these chips or was I just very "lucky"? Do they have paint touch-up kits available? I know that Lexus offers nose masks but my experience is that they make the paint look bad over time. So I was hoping another RX owner may have a better suggestion.

mooretorque

Tipiacenjr, I don't think there is any inherent problem with Lexus' paint. My wife's '99 with 29k on it has a very few small chips in front clip but nothing that penetrated to metal. Here in Arkansas crap all over the road is more or less a fact of life as therefore are paint chips and the occasional windshield ding. All of which leads me to believe that you had an especially bad bit of luck; sounds like your mindset is similar to mine when it comes to dings.

Lexus does indeed have touchup paint available through dealer service dept. Don't use the dinky brush that's in the cap, though. Hobby shops will have excellent assortment of quality brushes which will be of much more help.

Sorry about your divot/crater (that's what they always look like to me, no matter how small- guess I'm too obsessed.).

tonychrys

There was an extensive discussion, either in this forum or the Pathfinder forum (I use to lease a PF) about the 3M car film that you can get applied to the front of the vehicle and headlights to prevent damage from stone chips.

Here is one "brand" of the 3M film

http://www.stongard.com/

Check out the FAQ at the web site.

malhokc

Also check out these websites for the 3M film

clearmask.com
xpel.com

tod

Talked to Lexus corporate yesterday and they claim that the VP pricing ends 4/03. Supposedly, any car marked with -$1500 will be "re-stickered" on 4/03 to reflect the new price.

They also claim that there will be a new promotion after this one, but wouldn't say what it will be.

I thought that was interesting. I find it hard to believe.

adpcs

Well, I finally did it. I traded in my '99 RX for an '01. This car is so much more refined than the '99. It seems quieter, smoother, no rattles yet (knock on wood), the steering is easier, etc. Of course, all of this could be attributed to it being brand new, but who cares! I got my 2WD '01 w/ Nav package in Vapor Blue with Spoiler, Tint, Pinstripe for $37,225. According to the other posts that I have seen here, this seems to be in line.
Now, a question for those with the NAV. Is there a way to keep the a/c details on the screen? Also, if you are on the map screen, and you want to change the radio station, do you have to hit the audio button first, then change it? If so, then I wish they had incorporated steering wheel controls....Also, if they had put separate buttons, you could just feel the presets instead of having to look at the screen each time...
Anyways, I think a lot of it is just getting used to the differences...

gtmustang

I see that the paint on the RX300 doesn't live up to its standards regarding stone chips. I knew it.
You pay $35,000.00 to $40,000.00 for a Lexus SUV and the paint is cheap and it chips from stone chips. And you also get wind noise on top of that. This is just some more justification to me that the RX300 is not built as well as a $40,000.00 vehicle should be built. I think Lexus is ripping the consumers off with these quality problems. I am ashamed to hear that smart consumers in here have these problems with their RX300. I thought that Lexus was supposed to be the "ELITE" car company- NOT!

kingscreek

Please just ignore Mr. Mustang. He just wants to see if he can get all of you excited. For some reason he seems to receive some sort of charge out of seeing everyone flustered. Trust me, the only way to deal with a pest like this is to give him the cold shoulder and let him drown in his own vitriolic musings.

stever

You can always scroll down past posts you don't care for too:-)

Steve
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ststephen0

I love my RX300......I would not trade it for any other SUV. I would pay $50,000 for it if I had to.
GO LEXUS........Keep up the high quality !!

rmorin2

I mailed a letter to Lexus Customer Satisfaction in California today. It was very diplomatic but I firmly stated my case that the rumbling noise was unacceptable and although my local dealer has tried valiantly to diagnose the cause, the noise persists and if anything is getting worse. Hopefully I will get someone's attention. We'll see if Lexus is truly "relentlessly pursuing perfection".

JOFO

I was wondering if foglights are available as a dealer option or would I need to purchase from a 3rd party company. Has anyone installed foglights? Any brands or suggestions?

jeffmust2

We're still waiting for that RX VIN to validate your claim that you once owned God's Greatest Vehicle.

Every time you post on this board, I'm going to ask for that VIN as a reminder that you flat-out lied in your first post and nothing has changed.

If I don't have email access that day, I hope another RX300 owner will ask you the same question.

Give it up, George. You're embarrassing yourself.

kingscreek

I have been reading your posts with interest. Did Lexus just drop your case after the engineer looked at it? Why have you been put in the position of having to write Lexus? Have you been left to your own devices to deal with this? It would seem to me that the company would be interested in discovering the cause of this noise. Did they not offer to help you pursue this issue up the chain of command?

How loud is this rumbling? On a scale of 1 - 10 how would you compare it to your original sound? Someone suggested that you have a tech listen to your car and then another similar car. Did you do this?

Did any of your service people agree that this noise was much too loud for this car? If not, then why did they bring in the engineer? I am somewhat baffled by your problem.

Are you working with the Lexus dealer from which you originally purchased the car?

hugotung

I first appologize my asking a Highlander question on this RX300 board. However, since I understand the Highlander benefits from sharing a number of key components with the RX300, I am hoping RX300 owners can shed some light on a concern on my potential purchase. If the RX300 does not exhibit the following problem, then I am leaning toward buying a RX300 instead of a Highlander.

I test drove a Highlander AWD V6 this morning. The vehicle felt quite solid and I liked it overall. However, I noticed that when I hit the breaks with moderate force and brought the Highlander to a complete stop, it produced an audible thump in the rear after stopping. After I raised my concern about the thump with the sales person, he asked a service manager to test drive with me. After observing the thump for several times, the service manager was confident that it was the normal behavior of the vehicle due to the recoil of the rear suspension and bushing, there is nothing to worry about. Had anyone, especially the owners, experiencing this. Thanks for your time.

ruski

has anyone here experienced this? The dual cupholder in the center console of my wife's RX broke.

tonychrys

I've never heard a "thump" but the only way the springs in the rear could be recoiling is if they are substantially streatched or compressed. In your case you said you were braking, were you braking hard enough at a high enough speed that the vehicle did a severe nose-plow? This in turn would "stretch" the rear springs, thus causing the vehicle rear to snap back down when the forward momentum stops.

tonychrys

Will be available for sale in April. No pricing has been announced yet.

The only real differences are two:

Cosmetic- will be silver all over, including the roof rack crossbars. Interior will have a brushed aluminium treatment rather than wood. Grill is slightly different. All outside badges will be "black pearl" instead of standard chrome.

Suspension- suppose to be "euro-tuned" which will result in less body sway when taking corners. They claim ride won't be sacrificed. I don't know about that, but my '01 has little body sway as it is now. I take corners as good as my Grand Am sport sedan. Once I slap a set of Michelins or Pirellis on there the handling should get even better. The ride is just fine as it is right now, if it gets any stiffer than the RX loses it's edge over other vehicles in terms of ride comfort. Just my opinion.

TC

hugotung

The "thump" that I mentioned in my original "Highlander Question" message happens on almost every stop I made, under normal driving condition and without hard nose dive, that's why I was concerned. The "thump" sound, however, was short and not harsh, but more like something was loose and therefore shifted/rocked_back_and_forth_once in the rear. We checked the spare and jack and the tool tray etc. and those weren't the cause.

tonychrys

If "normal" driving conditions was the case, then I can confidently say I never heard a thump on my or any 2001 RX300 that I have test drove.

But you really should test drive one for yourself and not take mine or anyone else's word for it. Afterall, you have to live with the vehicle.

TC

levyrob

On a previous post, one "xcaliber" had a problem with a clicking sound coming from under the dashboard. His dealer found a fender clip of some sort on the driver's side.

If XCALIBER is still reading this board (assuming this message is visible, what with all the Sante Fe traffic) or if anyone elase has experienced this sound and has had it fixed, can you tell me what the problem was and how it was fixed (where the clip was)?

gpvs

I don't know whether you've tried this but, have you tried driving a different highlander and see if you still hear the thump?

kingscreek

TC, do you remember reading about this braking and thumping problem all over the Jeep boards? It seemed as though many people were hearing a sound that was described in a quite similar way to this one.

cali5

Thanks 00rxguy1 and tonychrys for the feedback on the wind noise. I appreciate it! I am relieved to know it's not just my RX. I have found that the noise decreases if I crack the front windows or moonroof as suggested.

cali5

I test drove the V6 Highlander twice before deciding to purchase the RX300. I did not hear a thump when I came to a stop on either test drive. I did notice that the ride is much quieter in the RX300 than in the Highlander, particularly when riding in the rear seat. The Highlander had much more road noise. Have you taken the RX for a test drive yet? I found a Toyota dealer that was next to a Lexus dealer and went right from one lot to the other to compare drives. I could really notice the differences in the two vehicles. Also, pricing is not that much different right now with the value package on the RX! The Highlander I was looking at was $32+ and I purchased a 2WD RX300 for $33,693 (not including tax and license fees).

tonychrys

Kings, yea I've read about it at the JGC discussion. A thumping noise when coming to a stop or sometimes an extreme turn can be caused on any vehicle due to a few reasons:

1. As obviously stated already, something in the vehicle (that should have been stationary) shifting and hitting something else.

2. An unlubricated bushing in the suspension. What happens is that the thing moves abrubtly and hence a pop or thump.

3. A bottoming out of the vehicle, i.e., a part of the vehicle above the suspension components hitting an "unsprung" component, like the wheel.

I agree with someone else who said try another Highlander if this is the vehicle you really want.
But I'd first get a more competent dealer who isn't going to give you BS and respect your concerns.

alexnewberry

I get a thump similar to what you're talking about when my Dodge Caravan's gas tank is about 7/8s full. I get it on braking and it goes away after a little more fuel is used up.

This is very consistent.

brs1

Hi,
I am a bit dissatisfied with cupholders that
are located on the top of the center storage
block in my 2001 RX300. Every time a put a small
16 Oz water bottle, the bottle keeps flying out
every time I break or accelerate (I do break
gently.) I think all the cupholders are kind of shallow.

Did anybody else notice the problem?
Any solutions/recommendations?
Is there an aftermarket replacement?
Thanks,
brs1.