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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.