Can you get HS WITHOUT getting PM or PT? If you run the KBB configurator with ONLY NV HS and FT, the price MSRP is $40,105. But if you add PM, then the MSRP jumps to $42,250. If you add PT which includes PM, then the MSRP jumps to $43,545. If the RX330 you test drove did have PT, then KBB might be accurate.
Went to the local auto show last night where they had the RX 330 on display. I also picked up a pricing sheet for this area (basically the Midwest from Minneapolis to Cleveland) which lists the MSRP's for 5 separate packages from which you must choose. I believe that in this area only the AWD model will be sold, at least initially:
1. Premium Pkg - Leather, Moonroof, 6 Disc CD Changer, Air Filtration, Dual Climate Control, Wood Steering Wheel, Rain Sensing Wipers, Rear Power Lift Gate, 17 inch Wheels with All Season Mud and Snow Tires - $40,908
2. Premium Pkg with Rear Entertainment - Above except Wood Steering Wheel not listed, adds DVD Rear Entertainment with Wireless Headphones - $42,748
3. Premium Performance Pkg (Sport) - 18" Graphite Polished Wheels, Rear Power Lift Gate, High Intensity Headlights, Rain Sensing Wipers, Multi-Mode Shifter, Air Suspension - $43,313
4. Navigation/Mark Levinson Pkg - DVD Based Navigation System, Mark Levinson Audio, Rear Power Liftgate, Wood Steering Wheel, High Intensity Headlights, Rain Sensing Wipers - $44,968
5. Navigation/Mark Levinson Pkg, Rear Entertainment - DVD Based Navigation System, Mark Levinson Audio, Rear Power Liftgate, Wood Steering Wheel, High Intensity Headlights, Rain Sensing Wipers - $46,808
According the sales person, the dealers in each Lexus zone come to a consensus of how the vehicles in their zone will be packaged, and that at least for the first six months or so in this zone you will have to choose one of the above 5 option packages. This means, for example, that if you want the Performance Pkg, the Nav and Mark Levinson will not be available. At some point the packages could well be changed, either due to perceived demand or new package incentives being offered, but there will be at least a four month lag between the time from when the decision is made to change the available packages and when they actually would arrive at the dealerships. Please note that other areas of the country will have different packages and pricing than here.
Too bad as this will have me looking at other vehicle options, although I still haven't ruled the RX 330 out yet. If I do get it it will be between option pkg 3 and 4 above.
PT - Premium Plus Package (including leather trim, moonroof, tilt/telescope steering wheel, power back door (PL), high-intensity headlamps (HL), 6 disc in-dash DC (DC), roof rails and racks (DR), wood and leather steering wheel and shift knob (WU)
VQ - Large Sunroof package (including large sunroof, leather trim, tilt/telescoping steering wheel, 6 disc in-dash CD (DC), power back door (PL), high-intensity headlamps (HL), wood and leather steering wheel and shift know (WU)
VP - Performance package (including air suspension and sequential A/T, 18 inch wheels, rain-sensing wipers, moonroof, leather trim, tilt/telescoping steering wheel, 6 disc in-dash CD (DC), power back door (PL), high-intensity headlamps (HL), roof rails and racks (DR), wood and leather steering wheel and shift knob (WU)
HH - Two level heated front seats, rain sensing wipers
HS - Two level heated front seats (note that VP already has rain sensing wipers)
FT - 18 inch wheels with full-size spare (note that VP already has 18 inch wheels)
Oops! I meant the car I drove had VN+HS+FT. Not NV as I typed. Thats why I think the kbb numbers are a little high.
As for regional builds, it seems that way. South region (Texas) will have very few 4wd. Nav cars will be VN, not many will have NV with no Levinson. And only 5% with performance package.
Are you sure that all of the packages in the Eastern region will come with 18 inch wheels? I would be very surprised if that were the case - many buyers would prefer the softer ride of the 17 inch wheels, which I understood to be available only with the Performance Pkg (VP).
I'm a little jealous that your last package includes both the VP and Nav (NV) - that would be my preference but apparently it's not available in the Midwest (very strange IMO).
Don't know what I can say that might satisfy the skeptics who've asked "No Mark Levinson?" and "Only 18 inch wheels?" for the initial eastern build mix, except:
CALL YOUR DEALER and talk to a knowledgeable salesperson or, better yet, the sales manager. The build info comes straight off a Lexus bulletin to dealers. They've all got it. If you hear otherwise, please post.
(Incidentally, the kbb.com numbers seem to be accurate. For each of these builds, the handwritten prices on the build sheet I got from the dealer were $138 higher than the kbb.com prices, reflecting the dealer's processing/tag charge.)
Saw one in Atlanta auto show. I and my wife liked it much more than RX300, both the exterior and interior. Definitely much better than what I saw in the photos before. We drove RX300 several times when our dealer gave it as a loaner during scheduled maintenance. My wife liked the ride. I found it too soft. With the performance package, does anybody think we can get performance similar to Infiniti FX35 in handling or ride?
I have confirmed everything jryn posted concerning the eastern area build mix (no ML & only 18" tires for all packages) except the wood & leather steering wheel and shift knob for the performance package. The printout I received from the dealer did not list WU as part of the VP package. I asked for clarification but the salesman didn't know for sure. I guess I'll find out when my Black-on-Black VP/NAV gets in within a week.
I am in the market for either an MDX or a RX330. It seems that with everything the MDX has to offer that you will be paying about 5,000 more for the same things as what you get in an MDX. Except you get a third row. I agree that you don't get a Power gate lift or a few other minor things. What makes this car better than a MDX. I already have 2 Lexus' and was going to get a GX470, but Lexus already dropped the ball on that one because of their weight recall, so I am not a Lexus basher.
The Lexus will have a more luxurious interior with more convenince features. As well as equipment not found on the MDX, e.g. side curtain airbags, available xenons, etc. On average, you'll also get better service from your Lexus dealer than your average Acura dealer. It comes down to what your priorities are in your purchase.
FOr $5,000 this isn't much. I have seen the interior of the MDX compared to the GX and it isn't that much better. Plus the fact that the Acura NAV System is rated #1 and the Lexus #2. Now I still may get the RX after all of this but I don't know if it is worth $5,000 more
adb3 is absolutely right. No wood steering wheel/shift knob (WU) is listed on the build sheet with the Performance Package (VP). My bad - I must have cut and paste it into the VP description in error.
adb3 - how long ago did you place your order to be first in line for the VP/NV?
jryn - would you mind posting the name of the dealership that told you VP would be available with NV? I'm in the midwest and am finding it near impossible for any dealership to give me a straight answer.
Oops...news flash...after the third call tonight my salesman is FINALLY admitting that only the east coast is getting VP/NV combos. Go figure. Anyway, jryn - could you throw me a bone?
Anyone else know of an east coast dealership who might be getting some of the 3% VP/NV combos such that I might be able to take delivery before June?? I'll drive to get what I want!! Right now I'm 20th on a list of 50+ but my Dealer obviously won't/can't make trades.
I'm not THE Gordon Campbell. I just "borrowed" his name 'cause I'm a "Gordo backer". However, I must admit the mental picture of our good Premier weaving down a highway in Hawaii in a rented CR-V is a bit embarrassing!
Thanks for clearing that up! But it would be fun to drag the BC Premier in here - we could make him talk about the dangers of holiday drinking and driving for his community service :-)
Guess I was wrong about KBB pricing. They are right on the money except for the WU (wood and leather steering & shifter). It's $380 not $4200
Anyway, here are prices for the 7 builds available for whatever region Dallas TX falls into:
Every build includes $92 cargo mats and $66 wheel locks, and all are 2wd. I dont have a list for 4wd, nor do I know if they are or aren't building for this region.
PM + 18" wheels, rain sensing wipers, power back door, wood and leather steering and shifter. $39023
I'd suggest that you talk to Lexus Customer Service and find out what states are included in the "Eastern" region.
The Lexus Customer Assistance Center Monday - Friday, 6:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. PT Phone: 1-800-255-3987 prompt #4
I'd think your best bet is to find the state in the Eastern region that's most convenient for you to travel to and to talk to them about the VP/NV/HS RX330s. Though only 3% of the vehicles in-region come that way, perhaps one could be routed to your Eastern region dealer, if they didn't already have one to sell you. Best of luck.
I got to talk to a factory rep about the RX330. My salesman is at an RX330 "ride and drive" event and called me to see if I had any questions about the RX330 for him to ask. The factory rep walked by and he gave him the phone.
The Lexus.com and Lexus.ca RX330 online specifications indicate that the 330 still uses the VC for torque apportioning. I had already heard from Lexus customer service that the online information is wrong but I asked the question anyway. The rep agree that the RX330 uses the ML & Sequoia style "dynamic" torque apportioning method.
I then asked if the RX330 would still be FWD torque biased and he went into an explanation that, yes, that would still be true but only because of the front weight bias of the engine.
When I then brought up the question of differing drive ratios to accomplish "latent" torque bias he immediately went into a dissertation about the fact that the ML and some other SUVs use that technique to apportion latent torque but the RX does not.
When I pointed out to him that Lexus own specs indicate that both the HL and RX use differing final drive ratios F/R and asked what effect that might have on latent toque distribution he was definitely caught by surprise. At first he denied that this was the case but then I told him that while I didn't remember which was which, front or rear, but the numbers were like "2.92 and 3.12" he quickly changed the subject.
Then I asked a purely subjective question, and said so. How aggressive is the dynamic torque apportioning system software/firmware? He didn't seem to know how to quantify his answer and admittedly I understood completely.
So I used an example. Very few vehicles have any type of front LSD since that might result in jerking the steering wheel from an unprepared, unwitting, persons grasp. So, assuming the RX330 has a "virtual" LSD, is it aggressive or more "ladylike"? Apologies to all the wonderful ladies in the audience, just couldn't think quickly enough of a better analogy.
It was at this point that the factory rep decided he needed to be someplace else in a hurry and handed the phone back to my salesman.
John said he would do his best in the upcoming test drive to answer my questions.
But the truth will soon "out". If the RX330 has a truly aggressive front LSD then there will be a note of caution in the owner's manual in that regard. But given the demograhics, the overall market the RX seems to be aimed at, I'm betting that no aspect of the dynamic torque apportioning system will be anything close to what I would call aggressive.
Anyone out there yet have any experience on this subject with the Sequoia?
The local dealer has one '04 RX330 now. It's a dark blue with a tan interior. Strangely the window sticker is completely blank, but the car does not have nav or ml. There is absolutely no way a 3rd row seat could fit... in fact the cargo space seems smaller than the current RX300.... both in terms of the length of the floor and the tapered roofline. The car was VERY impressive. The metal, leather, and wood on the doors actually looked really good. The seats were great; the leather was much nicer than my MB. Legroom in the rear was tremendous and the floor was completely flat.... although it has two mats with mat hooks compared to last year's with one single mini-van mat stretching from side to side. The fancy auto-retractable cargo cover that is being advertised is not all that. It seems to allow the cargo cover to retract (by a release then springs).... and thats it..... not as fancy or sophisticated as they made it sound. The car on the floor had headlamp washers but I was not sure if that indicated that there were HID headlamps. The center console is kind of cool - there's a auto open and close. I'm not sure how it works but it's purely mechanical - not electric. The door sills illuminate the Lexus logo when the door is open and there's lots of fade in/out lighting - in the floor panels, overhead and even just above the door handles. I'm not sure if this is new to this model. Worst of all was the rear visabilty from the driver's seat... just like the new Infiniti FX the rear pillars completely obstruct your rear view. That's the only bad thing I can say.
Did you get a chance to see how the power hatch works? I assume it can be activated by a button on the key fob. I just hope it can't be accidentally deployed easily. I'm thinking if the vehicle is parked inside a tight garage and somehow you accidentally trigger the power hatch. Might do some serious damage to the hatch/glass.
I am going to one at the end of April. I have a 99 RX and am very interested in driving the 330 and the GX. I can't wait. I will post thoughts and perspective then.
I attended the Lexus event this past weekend in Malibu, CA. In terms of driving characteristics, I couldn't tell the differance between the RX 330 and my 2002 RX 300. Actually, my RX seems like it has better acceration. My favorite Lexus SUV is the GX - very solid feel with excellent off-road capabilities. If you're debating about attending this event, I would highly recommend it.
The competing luxury SUVs available for test drives are: BMW X5 (both V6 and V8), Volvo XC 70, ML350, M55, Escalade, Aviator, Discovery, Range Rover, MDX. Lexus had a pretty agressive off-road course set up to really test out the vehicles' offroad capabilities.
The RX 330 3-panel moonroof provides a larger opening but you lose the roof racks. I personally don't like the way the panels stack on top of each other with the moonroof opened and I need the racks too.
LS400. With my 01 AWD RX300 I still miss some of the aspects of the LS, comfort, quietness, and smooth ride provided by air suspension. Now with the RX330 I can have an "almost" LS, likely NEVER going back.
If I have to have the sunroof and the nav as a "package" deal, okay, but NEVER the extended sunroof.
LS400 - lost a lawsuit against Lexus over supposed factory engineering HVAC defects - but still keep the vehicle.
First RX - disappointed with supposed factory engineering defects in drivetrain and HVAC systems...but...
Replaced RX#1 with RX#2 - disappointed again with supposed factory engineering defects in drivetrain and HVAC systems (could there be a pattern here?)
Now, replacing RX#2 with RX#3.
All the while, hundreds upon hundreds of posts about Lexus service dept being rip-offs, factory-defective AWD and HVAC engineering, fradulent advertising re RX off-road capabilities etc etc ad nauseum.
My personal favorite is the Home Depot furnace filter being cut to fit the RX A/C filter slot.
Let's see, one (or was it two?) LS400s, probably $40k. Soon-to-be three RX AWDs, average price on the first two probably $39k and $42k on the 330. That's a total of $160k on four Lexus vehicles and I might have forgotton one.
"The Pursuit of Purchasing the Unloved?"
You know, Chrysler's got that AWD Pacifica hitting the showrooms in a month or two...probably has the same beloved AWD system as the T&C...
Overall, Lexus is the best choice for me, and undountedly many others. It's impossible to get ANY manufacturer to correct a defect they know nothing of....
Well the dealer has now confirmed that they will not be getting any Perf. Pkg models that will also be equiped with Nav., at least in the foreseeable future. Furthermore, the color selection will be limited to Black, Silver and Gray, with any interior color you want, as long as it's black. Too bad Lexus is so restrictive in these things. Not sure what we're going to do at this point. A custom order may be a possibility, but this would delay actually getting it by 4 months or more. I'm thinking it may make sense to check availability of Sport/Nav vehicles outside of our area, maybe on the East Coast. Anyone else in this position or could otherwise provide any advice?
If you are to have any chance of success, I suggest you make a decision soonest (checking with Eastern Region dealers that is). I went by my Chantilly, VA Lexus dealer today because they alerted me that a new 330 was now on the show room floor. Salesman informed me they were already up to 40 pre-orders with more coming in everyday. They are only building 3% with VP/NAV and after seeing the 330 up close and personal, I predict ALL 330s will be hard to get for awhile.
Folks, I'll admit that I'm a Lexus diehard but after thoroughly scrutinizing the 330 all I can say it is "off the chain." I took a chance in pre-ordering a VP/NAV, even though my wife will be the primary driver, because I do all the driving on road trips and vacations and I wanted a SUV "I" would be comfortable with. Well, my research paid off and this is it. My black-on-black VP/NAV is in and I'm looking forward to testing it out when they finish the prep.
IMO, this is niche SUV, best suited for small families or better yet for empty nesters like myself. If I had a growing family I would probably opt for the Highlander, GX, or the Sequoia. Oh yea, with its 3rd row seating, I would also look closely at the MDX (a very good vehicle).
The new 330 is stylish, luxurious, and best of all a Lexus through and through. As said in street vernacular, "it's all that and a bag of chips." Lexus will not be able to build enough of these things to keep pace with the demand.
adb3, just curious - what is the MSRP for the VP/NAV combination that you ordered? I assume that given the demand that your dealer is not discounting it any. Tomorrow I am going to take one of the dealer's in-stock VP's for a short test drive, and may just go with that, without the NAV. I do have a portable Garmin unit that I can use in a pinch, and according to the dealer if I did custom order a VP/NAV vehicle it would also necessarily come with the Mark Levingson audio. This would push the MSRP to over $48,000 - about $5,000 more than the VP pkg alone. This would not be worth it to me, so I'm thinking a Silver/Black VP will suit us just fine. Including the Towing Pkg, Variable Heated Seats, Cargo Mat, Wheel Locks and Destination Charge, the price will be $43,313.
As an aside, I really like the more aggressive look of the 5 spoke 18 inch wheels. Much sharper than the standard 17 inchers, IMO. The tread on the included tires seems much more performance-oriented as well, plus the air suspension is supposed to firm things up a bit. So I'm looking forward to the test drive to see how it compares to the standard premium model. Like you, this will primarily be my wife's car, but I want to enjoy driving it as well when we're all (3 of us) in the car.
You got it, no discount. Preliminary MSRP (VP/NAV)quoted was $45,500. They couldn't give me the exact quote before because they didn't have the official numbers til now. However, from everything I've researched, I believe that's pretty close.
my wife and I went to our dealer on 3/26 to look at the rx330, its first day on the floor. It is a very nice vehicle with one very important caveat: major blind spot! The way they designed the car is to make it look more appealing from the outside, but they placed a pillar on the side that makes it impossible to feel confident when you are backing up, especially in a parking lot. We took the car for a drive. I am almost 6 ft. and my wife is 5'7" and we tried adjusting the seat and turning our heads but could not look around the side pillar. In the rx300, there was no pillar, there was a window panel. It was an awful feeling trying to maneuver as we backed up. I feel that this will definitely result in eventual damage and worse yet, personal injury. In my opinion don't be carried away by the "new" car aura when you are dealing with a very serious potential tragedy. I would not trust my wife and family in such a vehicle.
Just a heads up for buyers. I talked to a saleguy at the Dallas autoshow yesterday. I was told that off the first delivery, the builds did not match everyone's preference. So, they have quite a few available (despite claiming a 100+ waiting list when we first talked at his dealership).
My feeling is, this is a hot car, but the market is soft (due to economy and "wait till after war" decisions). So don't be so quick to accept MSRP. If this keeps up, they might just have to discount a little.
I wish all good luck on finding a dealer that will go below MSRP. Unfortunately, here in No. VA there are too many deep pockets, so I don't see that happening here anytime soon.
I think that's at least 2 people who have commented on the blind spot. I have not sat in the vehicle yet, but it's hard to imagine the blind spot being worse than the one in the Murano.
I also noticed that visibility was quite limited when backing up, but when you shift into reverse, the rearview camera comes onto the nav screen and the mirrors move down to show a closer view of the sides of the vehicle (at least on the 330's which have the nav units). Don't know about the non-nav ones. later, ldf
I didn't notice the blind spot when I test drive the 330 a couple of days ago, but I will check this out more thoroughly when I go to the dealer this evening. In any case I've also heard that overall visability, especially to the side rear and straight out the rear, on the Murano is a real problem, and have heard the same complaints with the Infiniti FX35/45's.
Regarding the rear vision issue when backing up, it is true that you must have the NAV in order to get the rear camera, but even on non-NAV equipped models the side mirrors do tilt down when you put the vehicle into reverse. They will only tilt down when you have the electric adjustment control in the middle position, so they will only perform this function when you want them to.
Has anyone driven a 2004 RX330 enough to determine if the transmission will downshift out of fifth and fourth gears without hesitation? Over on the Edmunds' ES300 site, the claim is that Lexus is offering some owners $2,000 because of this issue.
Yeah I was wondering about this too. Is the transmission in the RX the same as the one in the ES? Is the problem a design flaw or just a problem with some units?
Jeff, don't have any idea if this was a Toyota or Lexus SUV but you can bet the HVAC design was by Denso.
Police: foggy windshield blamed in fatal Durham accident By Associated Press, 3/19/2003 21:28 DURHAM, Conn. (AP) A 16-year-old Portland girl charged with driving into a group of teenagers near the Durham Fair last September, killing one, had trouble seeing because of a fogged-up windshield, a newly released state police affidavit says. The document, obtained by the Record-Journal of Meriden, says that Marcy Jarzabek looked down to turn on the defroster, which made the fogging problem worse, and turned on her windshield wipers. She then heard a loud thud, the affidavit says. Jarzabek had been driving with a fogged windshield for close to seven minutes and tried opening the windows to clear the windshield, according to a statement in the aftidavit from a passenger in Jarzabek’s vehicle. Jarzabek was driving her parents’ sport utility vehicle on Route 17 after the close of the Durham Fair on Sept. 28. She had received her driver’s license two weeks earlier. State police charged Jarzabek on March 7 with negligent homicide with a motor vehicle and third-degree assault. She was to be arraigned Thursday at Middlesex Superior Court in Middletown. The SUV struck and killed Jason Gelinas, 15, and critically injured Ryan Terrenzi, 15, who were among a crowd of Meriden youths walking toward the Durham fairgrounds. Two 15-year-old girls, Lisa Shea and Faith Suzio, suffered minor injuries. A message left by The Associated Press for Jarzabek’s lawyer, Hope Seeley, was not returned Wednesday night.
Comments
1. Premium Pkg - Leather, Moonroof, 6 Disc CD Changer, Air Filtration, Dual Climate Control, Wood Steering Wheel, Rain Sensing Wipers, Rear Power Lift Gate, 17 inch Wheels with All Season Mud and Snow Tires - $40,908
2. Premium Pkg with Rear Entertainment - Above except Wood Steering Wheel not listed, adds DVD Rear Entertainment with Wireless Headphones - $42,748
3. Premium Performance Pkg (Sport) - 18" Graphite Polished Wheels, Rear Power Lift Gate, High Intensity Headlights, Rain Sensing Wipers, Multi-Mode Shifter, Air Suspension - $43,313
4. Navigation/Mark Levinson Pkg - DVD Based Navigation System, Mark Levinson Audio, Rear Power Liftgate, Wood Steering Wheel, High Intensity Headlights, Rain Sensing Wipers - $44,968
5. Navigation/Mark Levinson Pkg, Rear Entertainment - DVD Based Navigation System, Mark Levinson Audio, Rear Power Liftgate, Wood Steering Wheel, High Intensity Headlights, Rain Sensing Wipers - $46,808
According the sales person, the dealers in each Lexus zone come to a consensus of how the vehicles in their zone will be packaged, and that at least for the first six months or so in this zone you will have to choose one of the above 5 option packages. This means, for example, that if you want the Performance Pkg, the Nav and Mark Levinson will not be available. At some point the packages could well be changed, either due to perceived demand or new package incentives being offered, but there will be at least a four month lag between the time from when the decision is made to change the available packages and when they actually would arrive at the dealerships. Please note that other areas of the country will have different packages and pricing than here.
Too bad as this will have me looking at other vehicle options, although I still haven't ruled the RX 330 out yet. If I do get it it will be between option pkg 3 and 4 above.
All AWD
All w/18 inch wheels
75% Non-Nav/25% Nav
69% - $41,320 - PT, HH, FT
5% - $43,160 - PT, HH, FT, EY
1% - $42,100 - VQ, HH, FT
17% - $43,670 - PT, HH, FT, NV
5% - $45,501 - PT, HH, FT, NV, EY
3% - $45,345 - VP, HS, NV
PT - Premium Plus Package (including leather trim, moonroof, tilt/telescope steering wheel, power back door (PL), high-intensity headlamps (HL), 6 disc in-dash DC (DC), roof rails and racks (DR), wood and leather steering wheel and shift knob (WU)
VQ - Large Sunroof package (including large sunroof, leather trim, tilt/telescoping steering wheel, 6 disc in-dash CD (DC), power back door (PL), high-intensity headlamps (HL), wood and leather steering wheel and shift know (WU)
VP - Performance package (including air suspension and sequential A/T, 18 inch wheels, rain-sensing wipers, moonroof, leather trim, tilt/telescoping steering wheel, 6 disc in-dash CD (DC), power back door (PL), high-intensity headlamps (HL), roof rails and racks (DR), wood and leather steering wheel and shift knob (WU)
HH - Two level heated front seats, rain sensing wipers
HS - Two level heated front seats (note that VP already has rain sensing wipers)
FT - 18 inch wheels with full-size spare (note that VP already has 18 inch wheels)
EY - Rear Seat Entertainment
NV - Navigation System with Rear Camera
I'm having trouble believing that.
As for regional builds, it seems that way. South region (Texas) will have very few 4wd. Nav cars will be VN, not many will have NV with no Levinson. And only 5% with performance package.
I'm a little jealous that your last package includes both the VP and Nav (NV) - that would be my preference but apparently it's not available in the Midwest (very strange IMO).
CALL YOUR DEALER and talk to a knowledgeable salesperson or, better yet, the sales manager. The build info comes straight off a Lexus bulletin to dealers. They've all got it. If you hear otherwise, please post.
(Incidentally, the kbb.com numbers seem to be accurate. For each of these builds, the handwritten prices on the build sheet I got from the dealer were $138 higher than the kbb.com prices, reflecting the dealer's processing/tag charge.)
adb3 - how long ago did you place your order to be first in line for the VP/NV?
Oops...news flash...after the third call tonight my salesman is FINALLY admitting that only the east coast is getting VP/NV combos. Go figure. Anyway, jryn - could you throw me a bone?
Anyone else know of an east coast dealership who might be getting some of the 3% VP/NV combos such that I might be able to take delivery before June?? I'll drive to get what I want!! Right now I'm 20th on a list of 50+ but my Dealer obviously won't/can't make trades.
Thanks for all the help!
Steve, Host
Anyway, here are prices for the 7 builds available for whatever region Dallas TX falls into:
Every build includes $92 cargo mats and $66 wheel locks, and all are 2wd. I dont have a list for 4wd, nor do I know if they are or aren't building for this region.
PM + 18" wheels, rain sensing wipers, power back door, wood and leather steering and shifter.
$39023
PT + 18" wheels, rain sensing wipers, heated front seats.
$40,078
PT + 18" wheels, rain sensing wipers, rear seat entertainment.
$41,378
PT + 18" wheels, rain sensing wipers, 2 level heated front seats, NAV wit rear camera.
$42,428
VQ + 18" wheels
$40,193
VP + Adaptive cruise control, NAV with rear camera.
$44,163
VN + 18" wheels, rain sensing wipers, 2 level heated front seats, adaptive cruise control, rear seat entertanment.
$45,848
I am a extremely dissapointed, because I dont care for the $600 laser cruise ctrl, or the $1840 back seat dvd player.
I would have liked a VP+WU+NV+HS ($44483) or a VN+FT+HH ($44288). Maybe I will just have to order and wait...
The Lexus Customer Assistance Center
Monday - Friday, 6:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. PT
Phone: 1-800-255-3987 prompt #4
I'd think your best bet is to find the state in the Eastern region that's most convenient for you to travel to and to talk to them about the VP/NV/HS RX330s. Though only 3% of the vehicles in-region come that way, perhaps one could be routed to your Eastern region dealer, if they didn't already have one to sell you. Best of luck.
The Lexus.com and Lexus.ca RX330 online specifications indicate that the 330 still uses the VC for torque apportioning. I had already heard from Lexus customer service that the online information is wrong but I asked the question anyway. The rep agree that the RX330 uses the ML & Sequoia style "dynamic" torque apportioning method.
I then asked if the RX330 would still be FWD torque biased and he went into an explanation that, yes, that would still be true but only because of the front weight bias of the engine.
When I then brought up the question of differing drive ratios to accomplish "latent" torque bias he immediately went into a dissertation about the fact that the ML and some other SUVs use that technique to apportion latent torque but the RX does not.
When I pointed out to him that Lexus own specs indicate that both the HL and RX use differing final drive ratios F/R and asked what effect that might have on latent toque distribution he was definitely caught by surprise. At first he denied that this was the case but then I told him that while I didn't remember which was which, front or rear, but the numbers were like "2.92 and 3.12" he quickly changed the subject.
Then I asked a purely subjective question, and said so. How aggressive is the dynamic torque apportioning system software/firmware? He didn't seem to know how to quantify his answer and admittedly I understood completely.
So I used an example. Very few vehicles have any type of front LSD since that might result in jerking the steering wheel from an unprepared, unwitting, persons grasp. So, assuming the RX330 has a "virtual" LSD, is it aggressive or more "ladylike"? Apologies to all the wonderful ladies in the audience, just couldn't think quickly enough of a better analogy.
It was at this point that the factory rep decided he needed to be someplace else in a hurry and handed the phone back to my salesman.
John said he would do his best in the upcoming test drive to answer my questions.
But the truth will soon "out". If the RX330 has a truly aggressive front LSD then there will be a note of caution in the owner's manual in that regard. But given the demograhics, the overall market the RX seems to be aimed at, I'm betting that no aspect of the dynamic torque apportioning system will be anything close to what I would call aggressive.
Anyone out there yet have any experience on this subject with the Sequoia?
The car was VERY impressive. The metal, leather, and wood on the doors actually looked really good. The seats were great; the leather was much nicer than my MB. Legroom in the rear was tremendous and the floor was completely flat.... although it has two mats with mat hooks compared to last year's with one single mini-van mat stretching from side to side.
The fancy auto-retractable cargo cover that is being advertised is not all that. It seems to allow the cargo cover to retract (by a release then springs).... and thats it..... not as fancy or sophisticated as they made it sound. The car on the floor had headlamp washers but I was not sure if that indicated that there were HID headlamps.
The center console is kind of cool - there's a auto open and close. I'm not sure how it works but it's purely mechanical - not electric.
The door sills illuminate the Lexus logo when the door is open and there's lots of fade in/out lighting - in the floor panels, overhead and even just above the door handles. I'm not sure if this is new to this model.
Worst of all was the rear visabilty from the driver's seat... just like the new Infiniti FX the rear pillars completely obstruct your rear view. That's the only bad thing I can say.
How should reliability be for the RX330 if she purchases it in August? Are first-year Lexuses as reliable as those in subsequent model years?
Thanks for your help!
The RX 330 3-panel moonroof provides a larger opening but you lose the roof racks. I personally don't like the way the panels stack on top of each other with the moonroof opened and I need the racks too.
If I have to have the sunroof and the nav as a "package" deal, okay, but NEVER the extended sunroof.
LS400 - lost a lawsuit against Lexus over supposed factory engineering HVAC defects - but still keep the vehicle.
First RX - disappointed with supposed factory engineering defects in drivetrain and HVAC systems...but...
Replaced RX#1 with RX#2 - disappointed again with supposed factory engineering defects in drivetrain and HVAC systems (could there be a pattern here?)
Now, replacing RX#2 with RX#3.
All the while, hundreds upon hundreds of posts about Lexus service dept being rip-offs, factory-defective AWD and HVAC engineering, fradulent advertising re RX off-road capabilities etc etc ad nauseum.
My personal favorite is the Home Depot furnace filter being cut to fit the RX A/C filter slot.
Let's see, one (or was it two?) LS400s, probably $40k. Soon-to-be three RX AWDs, average price on the first two probably $39k and $42k on the 330. That's a total of $160k on four Lexus vehicles and I might have forgotton one.
"The Pursuit of Purchasing the Unloved?"
You know, Chrysler's got that AWD Pacifica hitting the showrooms in a month or two...probably has the same beloved AWD system as the T&C...
What, no test drive?
If you are to have any chance of success, I suggest you make a decision soonest (checking with Eastern Region dealers that is). I went by my Chantilly, VA Lexus dealer today because they alerted me that a new 330 was now on the show room floor. Salesman informed me they were already up to 40 pre-orders with more coming in everyday. They are only building 3% with VP/NAV and after seeing the 330 up close and personal, I predict ALL 330s will be hard to get for awhile.
Folks, I'll admit that I'm a Lexus diehard but after thoroughly scrutinizing the 330 all I can say it is "off the chain." I took a chance in pre-ordering a VP/NAV, even though my wife will be the primary driver, because I do all the driving on road trips and vacations and I wanted a SUV "I" would be comfortable with. Well, my research paid off and this is it. My black-on-black VP/NAV is in and I'm looking forward to testing it out when they finish the prep.
IMO, this is niche SUV, best suited for small families or better yet for empty nesters like myself. If I had a growing family I would probably opt for the Highlander, GX, or the Sequoia. Oh yea, with its 3rd row seating, I would also look closely at the MDX (a very good vehicle).
The new 330 is stylish, luxurious, and best of all a Lexus through and through. As said in street vernacular, "it's all that and a bag of chips." Lexus will not be able to build enough of these things to keep pace with the demand.
As an aside, I really like the more aggressive look of the 5 spoke 18 inch wheels. Much sharper than the standard 17 inchers, IMO. The tread on the included tires seems much more performance-oriented as well, plus the air suspension is supposed to firm things up a bit. So I'm looking forward to the test drive to see how it compares to the standard premium model. Like you, this will primarily be my wife's car, but I want to enjoy driving it as well when we're all (3 of us) in the car.
My feeling is, this is a hot car, but the market is soft (due to economy and "wait till after war" decisions). So don't be so quick to accept MSRP. If this keeps up, they might just have to discount a little.
Regarding the rear vision issue when backing up, it is true that you must have the NAV in order to get the rear camera, but even on non-NAV equipped models the side mirrors do tilt down when you put the vehicle into reverse. They will only tilt down when you have the electric adjustment control in the middle position, so they will only perform this function when you want them to.
Jeff, don't have any idea if this was a Toyota or Lexus SUV but you can bet the HVAC design was by Denso.
Police: foggy windshield blamed in fatal Durham accident
By Associated Press, 3/19/2003 21:28
DURHAM, Conn. (AP) A 16-year-old Portland girl charged with driving into
a group of teenagers near the Durham Fair last September, killing one,
had trouble seeing because of a fogged-up windshield, a newly released
state police affidavit says.
The document, obtained by the Record-Journal of Meriden, says that Marcy
Jarzabek looked down to turn on the defroster, which made the fogging
problem worse, and turned on her windshield wipers. She then heard a
loud thud, the affidavit says.
Jarzabek had been driving with a fogged windshield for close to seven
minutes and tried opening the windows to clear the windshield, according
to a statement in the aftidavit from a passenger in Jarzabek’s vehicle.
Jarzabek was driving her parents’ sport utility vehicle on Route 17
after the close of the Durham Fair on Sept. 28. She had received her
driver’s license two weeks earlier.
State police charged Jarzabek on March 7 with negligent homicide with a
motor vehicle and third-degree assault. She was to be arraigned Thursday
at Middlesex Superior Court in Middletown.
The SUV struck and killed Jason Gelinas, 15, and critically injured Ryan
Terrenzi, 15, who were among a crowd of Meriden youths walking toward
the Durham fairgrounds. Two 15-year-old girls, Lisa Shea and Faith
Suzio, suffered minor injuries.
A message left by The Associated Press for Jarzabek’s lawyer, Hope
Seeley, was not returned Wednesday night.