Between headlight warning alarms going off and the obviousness of lights on in a closed garage, how likely is it really that someone could leave their lights on and not notice? However, lights should turn off automatically in a $40K vehicle if you manage to ignore the headlight warning chimes.
"Between headlight warning alarms going off and the obviousness of lights on in a closed garage, how likely is it really that someone could leave their lights on and not notice? However, lights should turn off automatically in a $40K vehicle if you manage to ignore the headlight warning chimes."
We've done it. Our prior Volvo wagon and current E320 have an automatic shut off. Although it's not likely, I agree, there's no reason not to program this feature in even when lights are in manual (not auto) mode.
"Audi doesn't have that feature in a lot of their models."
Since our last two cars have been Audi's I've gotten used to controlling the lights manually. One advantage of this is less wear and tear (usage) of the Xenon's. Having them go on and off for very short periods of time is supposed to greatly shorten their expected lifespan. When I have the lights set on Automatic in my new FX45, they will sometimes go on just when I pull into the garage, either at work or at home, just before I'm going to turn off the car. I see this as unnecessary wear & tear so now I've gone back to controlling them manually. Haven't yet tried to see if they will turn off by themselves if I should ever forget myself - interesting question and I will try this tonight (if I remember :-)).
Where did you hear that the useful life of HIDs is affected by on/off cycles? Everything I have heard is so much more positive in comparison to incandescents/halogens that it would appear on/off cycles simply don't enter into "life" issue.
Just how many times do you think the equivalent electrical "arc" goes on/off in your spark plugs before they fail?
Hello all, In your visits to the dealerships are you seeing any remaining RX300s sitting on the lot? Just wondering if there might be a few good buys left.
The "ballast" module for an HID (High Intensity Discharge) bulb is there to initially provide an extremely high voltage, 15 to 25 Kilovolts, for "starting" the arc across the HID bulb's gap. Then it sustains the arc by regulating the applied voltage to something on the order of 70 to 100 volts.
Modern day ignition systems use an extremely high voltage, as high as 50 kilovolts, to "strike" the initial arc across the spark plug gap and the individual step-up transformers are specially designed to maintain a spark duration at a comparatively low voltage.
The old mechanical point/coil system sustained the arc using the magnetic energy stored in the coil during the time the points were closed.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus of Seinfeld fame was on Howard Stern today. They ribbed her about her environmentalism -- she has an electric car and a solar-powered home.
She did say next year, when hybrid SUVs come out, she'll be one of the first in line to get one.
Does anyone know if these are available yet? No luck finding out on Lexus.com and my dealer is oblivious. I know the 03 RX had color keyed. I need them badly.
I was at the JM Lexus Dealership in S. FL the other weekend and they had at least a half dozen RX 300's on the front of their lot. Not sure if they had more out back. They had even more RX 330's on the lot as well. Plus another 4 or 5 in the sold section of their lot.
So, they are out there. Don't know what deals they have though.
Why would you want to turn these off? I think they help a great deal on two lane roads. I assume if your alternator is working they wouldn't have any impact on battery life. It may have some impact on bulb life but I've got a '99 with 77,000 miles and haven't had to change any bulbs.
As always, the most important vote for vehicle success resides with the consumer. Lexus sold 7,666 RX units in April (can't tell if some 300 units were included in total, but I assume there were) and that's pretty darn impressive compared to the FX35/45 & XC90 figures I've seen (both show a little over 2,000 units sold). At that pace, Lexus will significantly exceed their yearly RX projections. I've said it before, but my RX330 is really a great vehicle. Looks like others think so too. At least for now, looks like the RX & GX lines are bonafide hits.
Took a RX330 with Premium Plus package for a quick spin. I was underwhelmed. While the build quality is excellent, and reliability is probably going to be top notch, the car is: overpriced (over $2k more than the RX300 for similar content), underpowered (especially for the price), doesn't have a real luxury feel to it (hard plastic on the dash top, center console silver plastic feels flimsy, leather is less rich than in a GS). Lots of electronic gizmos that cost Toyota (pardon, Lexus) a few hundred $ per car, and are priced at $10k. Beautiful business model.
The RX300 invented a segment. The RX330 is far from that, and will probably sell under MSRP pretty soon. It's hard to believe that Lexus dares to ask $42k - $45k for a Camry based vehicle (BTW the sales person acknowledged that the pricing is too high).
Life would be so boring if we all agreed on most things. I respect your observations but I must point out that based on the sale figures quite a few folks, including myself, would disagree. Alas, the consumers will decide what they are willing to pay, and speaking of overpriced, most vehicles fit into that category. Anyway, happy hunting for a vehicle more to your liking in price and performance.
...and it's the Infiniti FX that he praised a while back on that board.
Since our RX300 lease is up soon, I've test driven both and they're obviously intended for different markets. Infiniti was smart to not go after the luxury, medium-size, car-like SUV market that Lexus dominates with the RX and, and on the other hand, the RX330 doesn't pretend to be a sports car G35 on stilts like the FX.
Two very different markets and two different vehicles, both with pros and cons.
With that being said, I live in a community with a large Lexus dealer on one side of the street, unable to keep RX330s in the SHOWROOM, let alone on their lot, and an Infiniti dealer 800 feet down the same street with 20-30 FX35/45s parked in their lot for the last 45 days or so.
Further, the FX board in TH reports 10% discounts off MSRP already and a 36-month lease residual of 49%. Compare those numbers to the RX330 where it's difficult to get more than 3% off MSRP and the 36-mo residual is around 60%.
Indeed, I mentioned the FX on the respective board and eventually got an FX45. I was looking at the RX330 as a replacement for my wife's 1998 ML320. The FX and RX are clearly different cars with different demographic targets. The fact that the FX is slower selling has more to do with the weaker brand Infiniti has and with the fact that it's not your typical family hauler (which the RX is) than with its potential weaknesses.
Just for the record, I am no brand fanatic. I could live easily with an FX and an RX in my driveway :-). It so happens that the RX didn't impress me today.
I recently purchased an RX 330 and was shocked that the stock stereo does not play CD-R. I had a 2000 RX 300 and the same CDs played fine. Calling customer service has been useless. Any suggestions (besides not using CD-Rs). Also, the computer mileage range is inaccurate - 19 gallon tank and 20 mpg average so far, and the range shows 308 miles. Anyone else notice this discrepancy on their RX 330?
...then what prompted the RX330 test drive post on this board? Had me under the impression that you were still looking. Quite frankly, seems a little suspicious. Oh well.
Jeffmust2 makes some very good points. The FX & RX are too different vehicles, each with pros and cons. Where I differ is that I believe FX & RX are really operating in the same market, the luxury SUV/crossover market--started by Mercedes but fully energized by the RX300, which became the 1000lb gorilla segment leader. The Lexus success not surprisingly prompted other automakers to quickly get in the game. IMO, that's a good thing. Now this segment is teeming with solid offerings that give the consumer much to choose from. In fact, if one looks over the automobile landscape it would be hard to find another segment that is as vibrant and exciting in its product offerings as this one.
Lexus reaction to all this is a study in corporate culture. As the segment leader, do you stand pat? Or, do you evolve your product in an attempt to remain the leader, but at the risk of alienating your core consumer base. Not an easy decision, but its obvious that Lexus chose the latter. No question, the 330 is a marked improvement on already a solid product. Personally, I (and particularly my wife) was always interested in the 300, but timing was never good. Fortunately, timing lined up perfectly with the 330 introduction and we've never been happier with a vehicle. It has a great blend of features I demand in a vehicle; performance, ride, quietness, fit, and reliability. In addition, the edgier styling appeals to me more than the 300. Will the 330 appeal to everybody? Of course it will not. If I still had kids at home, needed more room, had other competing requirements for my money, or were a strong sporstcar enthusiast, I would look elsewhere--and there are great offerings out there. However, for my wife & I the 330 is just about perfect for our needs.
It will be quite interesting to observe what happens in this market segment over the next year. Will the segment continue to expand or become stagnant? If it becomes stagnant, with all the new offerings, then who loses? If it continues to expand, will it be enough to make most of the products in this segment profitable? Will Lexus gain or lose market share? Will another 1000lb gorilla emerge?
I believe if you don't want to have Daytime Running Lights they can be turned off by the dealer. The RX is equipped with C-BEST programming which is done at the dealership.
Check with the service department, they have a list of all the C-BEST programming features have for the RX. The list goes on.....
IMO - I like having DRL's for safety reasons. As far as I know the DRL's are running off the high beam headlights at 30-40%(?) lower wattage.
I think there have been lots of posts on this topic...I'm no expert, but some of the input had to do with changing your CD-R stock to a different color substrate that has a slightly different reflectivity to the laser pick-up beam. Not expensive to do so it's worth a try.
Perhaps r1_97 could post what brand CD-R he/she uses successfully?
It's funny when I see car stereos or even home stereos advertised as supporting CDRs. Don't think you need specific changes to enable this. My 1989 Alpine CD player plays CDs that I've burned.
Now car stereos are starting to support CD-ROMs with MP3 files. This is good but much better would be a line-level input so that you can plug your iPod or similar MP3 players which can store your entire music collection.
Before the dot com flameout, the car makers were supposedly working on getting computer functions as well as mobile internet access to the cars. Quaalcom was said to be streaming digital audio to specially equipped cars near it's San Diego headquarters with its 3G technology.
Did you read my message "Good memory, Jeffmust2"? Before calling my actions suspicious, I'd suggest you read it. No, I have no affiliation with Infiniti, or Lexus, or any other manufacturer.
Geez. Is it so unique that a family needs to buy two cars in the space of a couple of months? I'm not part of an underground conspiracy to destroy the RX330's reputation.
Don't know for sure but the price doesn't seem too out of line. An Alpine 7" motorized system is about $1500 with an IR transmitter for wireless phones.
One nice thing about these after-market systems is they have A/V inputs (not sure if they include S-video) so that you can connect something like an iPod directly, instead of using an FM modulator.
If there was AC power, you could hook up video games to these screens.
Did I see you there and are you now more intrigued with the Lexus rX 330 as I am? If you were there, I attended the event Sunday and during less inclement weather. What is your opinion of the Acura MDX, Mercedes Benz ML 320, BMW x5 and Volvo SUV versus the rX 330? I feel the Lexus rX 330 SUV won the rode event although the Acura MDX was impressive. The BMW X5 was also impressive. Noticeably it rendered a stiffer ride and 'on the rode as well as 'off the road,' agree? Which would you buy today? Did you go off road with the Land Rover Discovery. That thing yielded the most truck-feel of them all, agree? Of course some consumers like to be jerked around in and around town. I expected a better ride from the maker and I speak from experience. I owned a Discovery SE7 a few years ago. Thankfully they improved the well publicized top-heaviness plagued vehicle,..... although not enough it seems, agree? The rX 330 was the winner 'hands down,' agree neighbor? If you were like me, you drove the majority twice!! Did you like the event, food and professional layout? Did you try the free Smoothies?
Thanks! I guess it's only in East US while I'm in San Francisco Bay Area. Another dealer showed me all the 4 AWD packages today - no VQ. May I ask where you live?
1. How old is the LX470, how many miles, the condition, etc. - how much warranty is left? 2. How much space do you need (third row seat)? 3. Do you go off-road or need to tow large loads? 4. Do you like a lighter, more agile car-like ride around town, or would you prefer a heavier, smoother ride for long trips? 5. How much value do you put on some of the new features found in the RX330 that would not be available on a used LX470? 6. How important is the difference in fuel economy and cost to own? (the LX, depending on No. 1, would cost more) 7. Which do you think is more fun/enjoyable to drive? 8. Image and status important? The LX looks and IS more expensive, but its body style has been around longer). 9. Price difference?
After considering all of the above, and maybe more, only you can decide!
The LX has it the RX doesn't. The RX330 only has "soft" AWD, and there isn't enough rear wheel suspension clearance for the use of snowchains. Lexus advises use of snowchains ONLY on the front wheels which can prove to be VERY hazardous in adverse, snow and ice, roadbed conditions.
Most of the time when I need, or suspect I will/might need, AWD capability I take the old reliable Aerostar.
Have you considered a new GX or the new 4runner?
Otherwise, absent any foreseen need for on-road TRUE AWD capability I would choose the RX330 any day.
Just got a new black RX330 with black interior with ML & NAV. I spent 4 months researching SUV's and test drove XC 90, MDX, FX 45 Lexus 's interior is probably the best amongst all othercontenders including ML and X5. I paid MSRP and did not negotiate as the Lexus dealer was kind enough to lend me an old RX 300 for a month. I love RX 330 and not to mention ML which is a big asset for an audiophile like me.I am very pleased with my choice . And please guys stop comparing Toyota Sienna with Rx 330 There is absolutely no comparison . I mean its allright to compare RX 330 with XC 90, MDX, or X5 . Sienna is an old fashioned simple plane VAN with no glamour , whereas RX 330 is a new generation SUV with all the curves and luxury you can think of.
Congrats! I also have a Black-on-Black but with NAV/VP. Wanted ML this time around, but it wasn't available with the performance build (although the stock pioneer system is more than adequate). This is the first black vehicle I've ever owned, but it really seems to work with the 330 styling. Have notice several others in my area (No. VA).
I thought the ML comes with the NAV. My wife loves her Flint Mica especially when the multicolor sparkles under the sun but the light gray carpet is a nightmare in rainy days.
Comments
However, lights should turn off automatically in a $40K vehicle if you manage to ignore the headlight warning chimes.
However, lights should turn off automatically in a $40K vehicle if you manage to ignore the headlight warning chimes."
We've done it. Our prior Volvo wagon and current E320 have an automatic shut off. Although it's not likely, I agree, there's no reason not to program this feature in even when lights are in manual (not auto) mode.
Since our last two cars have been Audi's I've gotten used to controlling the lights manually. One advantage of this is less wear and tear (usage) of the Xenon's. Having them go on and off for very short periods of time is supposed to greatly shorten their expected lifespan. When I have the lights set on Automatic in my new FX45, they will sometimes go on just when I pull into the garage, either at work or at home, just before I'm going to turn off the car. I see this as unnecessary wear & tear so now I've gone back to controlling them manually. Haven't yet tried to see if they will turn off by themselves if I should ever forget myself - interesting question and I will try this tonight (if I remember :-)).
Just how many times do you think the equivalent electrical "arc" goes on/off in your spark plugs before they fail?
In your visits to the dealerships are you seeing any remaining RX300s sitting on the lot? Just wondering if there might be a few good buys left.
Thanks
Modern day ignition systems use an extremely high voltage, as high as 50 kilovolts, to "strike" the initial arc across the spark plug gap and the individual step-up transformers are specially designed to maintain a spark duration at a comparatively low voltage.
The old mechanical point/coil system sustained the arc using the magnetic energy stored in the coil during the time the points were closed.
http://www.jdpower.com/presspass/pr/images/2003028cfull.gif
She did say next year, when hybrid SUVs come out, she'll be one of the first in line to get one.
Maybe she liked Larry David's Prius.
TIA
Ray
So, they are out there. Don't know what deals they have though.
Good Luck.
How does this affect battery life?
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/headlines.hmtl?TACH
(Link not working properly-once on autochannel homepage, scroll down to previous articles, and click, then scroll down to 2 May article)
The RX300 invented a segment. The RX330 is far from that, and will probably sell under MSRP pretty soon. It's hard to believe that Lexus dares to ask $42k - $45k for a Camry based vehicle (BTW the sales person acknowledged that the pricing is too high).
Since our RX300 lease is up soon, I've test driven both and they're obviously intended for different markets. Infiniti was smart to not go after the luxury, medium-size, car-like SUV market that Lexus dominates with the RX and, and on the other hand, the RX330 doesn't pretend to be a sports car G35 on stilts like the FX.
Two very different markets and two different vehicles, both with pros and cons.
With that being said, I live in a community with a large Lexus dealer on one side of the street, unable to keep RX330s in the SHOWROOM, let alone on their lot, and an Infiniti dealer 800 feet down the same street with 20-30 FX35/45s parked in their lot for the last 45 days or so.
Further, the FX board in TH reports 10% discounts off MSRP already and a 36-month lease residual of 49%. Compare those numbers to the RX330 where it's difficult to get more than 3% off MSRP and the 36-mo residual is around 60%.
Steve, Host
Just for the record, I am no brand fanatic. I could live easily with an FX and an RX in my driveway :-). It so happens that the RX didn't impress me today.
Jeffmust2 makes some very good points. The FX & RX are too different vehicles, each with pros and cons. Where I differ is that I believe FX & RX are really operating in the same market, the luxury SUV/crossover market--started by Mercedes but fully energized by the RX300, which became the 1000lb gorilla segment leader. The Lexus success not surprisingly prompted other automakers to quickly get in the game. IMO, that's a good thing. Now this segment is teeming with solid offerings that give the consumer much to choose from. In fact, if one looks over the automobile landscape it would be hard to find another segment that is as vibrant and exciting in its product offerings as this one.
Lexus reaction to all this is a study in corporate culture. As the segment leader, do you stand pat? Or, do you evolve your product in an attempt to remain the leader, but at the risk of alienating your core consumer base. Not an easy decision, but its obvious that Lexus chose the latter. No question, the 330 is a marked improvement on already a solid product. Personally, I (and particularly my wife) was always interested in the 300, but timing was never good. Fortunately, timing lined up perfectly with the 330 introduction and we've never been happier with a vehicle. It has a great blend of features I demand in a vehicle; performance, ride, quietness, fit, and reliability. In addition, the edgier styling appeals to me more than the 300. Will the 330 appeal to everybody? Of course it will not. If I still had kids at home, needed more room, had other competing requirements for my money, or were a strong sporstcar enthusiast, I would look elsewhere--and there are great offerings out there. However, for my wife & I the 330 is just about perfect for our needs.
It will be quite interesting to observe what happens in this market segment over the next year. Will the segment continue to expand or become stagnant? If it becomes stagnant, with all the new offerings, then who loses? If it continues to expand, will it be enough to make most of the products in this segment profitable? Will Lexus gain or lose market share? Will another 1000lb gorilla emerge?
I will definitely stay tuned.
Check with the service department, they have a list of all the C-BEST programming features have for the RX. The list goes on.....
IMO - I like having DRL's for safety reasons. As far as I know the DRL's are running off the high beam headlights at 30-40%(?) lower wattage.
Not expensive to do so it's worth a try.
Perhaps r1_97 could post what brand CD-R he/she uses successfully?
Now car stereos are starting to support CD-ROMs with MP3 files. This is good but much better would be a line-level input so that you can plug your iPod or similar MP3 players which can store your entire music collection.
Before the dot com flameout, the car makers were supposedly working on getting computer functions as well as mobile internet access to the cars. Quaalcom was said to be streaming digital audio to specially equipped cars near it's San Diego headquarters with its 3G technology.
But I guess wireless kind of flamed out too.
Geez. Is it so unique that a family needs to buy two cars in the space of a couple of months? I'm not part of an underground conspiracy to destroy the RX330's reputation.
Is this true? Thanks.
http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S-heTeyylcVlF/ProdView.asp?s=0- &c=3&g=39200&I=500TMXR705&o=m&a=0&cc=01&a- mp;avf=N
Seems like most 7" screens have about 334k pixels. One exception is an Alpine unit with over a 1.1 million pixels.
http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S-heTeyylcVlF/ProdView.asp?s=0- &c=3&g=102200&I=500IVAD900&o=m&a=0&cc=01&- amp;avf=N
One nice thing about these after-market systems is they have A/V inputs (not sure if they include S-video) so that you can connect something like an iPod directly, instead of using an FM modulator.
If there was AC power, you could hook up video games to these screens.
You also hope that they use progressive scan.
Should we use this one for the hybrid or have a new thread for it?
1. How old is the LX470, how many miles, the condition, etc. - how much warranty is left?
2. How much space do you need (third row seat)?
3. Do you go off-road or need to tow large loads?
4. Do you like a lighter, more agile car-like ride around town, or would you prefer a heavier, smoother ride for long trips?
5. How much value do you put on some of the new features found in the RX330 that would not be available on a used LX470?
6. How important is the difference in fuel economy and cost to own? (the LX, depending on No. 1, would cost more)
7. Which do you think is more fun/enjoyable to drive?
8. Image and status important? The LX looks and IS more expensive, but its body style has been around longer).
9. Price difference?
After considering all of the above, and maybe more, only you can decide!
Most of the time when I need, or suspect I will/might need, AWD capability I take the old reliable Aerostar.
Have you considered a new GX or the new 4runner?
Otherwise, absent any foreseen need for on-road TRUE AWD capability I would choose the RX330 any day.
Lexus 's interior is probably the best amongst all othercontenders including ML and X5.
I paid MSRP and did not negotiate as the Lexus dealer was kind enough to lend me an old RX 300 for a month.
I love RX 330 and not to mention ML which is a big asset for an audiophile like me.I am very pleased with my choice .
And please guys stop comparing Toyota Sienna with Rx 330 There is absolutely no comparison . I mean its allright to compare RX 330 with XC 90, MDX, or X5 . Sienna is an old fashioned simple plane VAN with no glamour , whereas RX 330 is a new generation SUV with all the curves and luxury you can think of.
The way it is now, I have to push the unlock key to open the rear doors to get something I left on the rear seat or floor.