Has anyone had the rattling noise from the center of the instrument panal at the base of the windshield? My 2 month old RX330 does this especially when the weather is cold and going over any little bump. The NHTSA lists a TSB NV00603 (8/03) that adresses this problem. Sounds like enough people must have complained for Lexus to issue the TSB. Thanks!
Yes, I also have the rattle. It is the same rattle that I had in my 2001 Rav4. It is more noticeable in cold weather. There is a kit to fix the problem but it has not been very successful. The 2004's still have the problem. It has something to do with the plastic fasteners in the cowl area near the windshield expanding and contracting with the temp. I am very disappointed that Toyota hasn't fixed this problem yet. You would think that 3 years would be enough time.
I could be corrected, but I thought that the Lexus leather had a protective coating that resists anything, including any kind of leather treatment. If so, only a damp cloth would be needed to clean.
I took my RX to the dealership today for it's 1K complementary service. I must say, Lexus is all about customer care. The waiting lounge was nicely furnished with free coffee in all types - capuccino, french vanilla, regular, whipped, etc. There's even a window where you can view your vehicle while it's being serviced. They even throw in a free car wash/interior cleaning. The service personell were courteous and helpful as well.
I purchased aftermarket bulbs for the headlamps (brights), fog lamps, and park lights (above the brights) and tried to install them. It was quite difficult so I brought them in with me when I had my 1K service done.
The service manager suggested not to get them installed because apparently, they cause the harnesses to melt.
I've experienced this on my previous car but the problem was solved when I used the correct voltage/wattage.
Has anyone else installed aftermarket bulbs on their RX's? Any suggestions/comments?
Has anyone installed one of those license plate covers? Does it cause vibrating noise when the vehicle is moving/when the stereo's volume is loud enough?
YES, YES, YES! My husband keeps telling me I am crazy for being annoyed by the dash rattle. Now I can tell him I am not the only one!
I too have this problem (I have mentioned it an earlier post). And cold weather makes it worse but I could also hear it in very hot weather when the air conditioning was on. The noise seems to go away, for the most part, after several minutes of driving.
My dealer took apart my dash at my 1000 mile service in September (when I had the transmission TSB update installed). The service manager told me he wasn't aware of any TSB's for dash noise but he "worked" on the assumption the noise was similar to problems in the dash of the ES. Whatever they did, it did not fix the noise. I will have to ask about the dash TSB at my 5000 mile service.
I have had dash rattles on previous cars and most of the time dealers have been able to solve them (although it normally took several trips). I hope Lexus can do better.
Item #3, page 609 of the manual indicates that "Excess of wet may cause the hardening or shrinking of the leather." Thus, I opt for leather cleaning products rather than a regular damp cloth.
I wouldn't suggest using REGULAR Armor All as it causes the leather to become slippery. Has anyone tried the Armor All Leather Cleaner?
I saw some LEXUS Interior/Exterior Cleansers at the dealership. Has anyone tried them?
I have covers on both the front and rear plates on my RX. Since the rear plate area on my RX only has two holes for the license plate, I was concerned the cover would rattle. To solve this problem, I screwed the two bottom bolts of the plate cover to the plate, cut off the excess "ends" of the bottom screws and covered what was left with a liberal coat of clear silicone to protect against any scratches. Then, I installed the plate/cover combo. I haven't heard any rattles from the plate covers.
myk_a - If you replace the bulbs (low & high beams) with the same wattage bulbs, it should be no problem. Most bulbs (low and high beams) on cars are 12V 55W. Fog lights, turn signals, back up and parking lights usually require less wattage drawing, like 27W or 32W bulbs. I have a very good experience with MTEC and PIAA bulbs. MTEC costs almost half less than PIAA with the same rating. Both are made in Japan. Just follow what the owner manual said and it should fun on this project.
For leather care, I am using Blue Coral leather/vinyl cleaner and leather condition (both in spray bottles), not 2-in-1 formula. No chemical smell, no plastic look on leather and no slippy surface. The cleaner really works as I can see the result on the white towel and sponge. And the conditioner provide the same protection like skin lotion for human. I wouldn't use any Armor All products on my cars. No! No!
I went looking for an RX330 and was totally turned off. The salesperson and salesmanager acted like I should feel lucky if they were to put me on a waiting list at full MSRP for a optioned car that I wouldn't even want. I bought a Lincoln LS V8 Sport for the same money. It comes standard with fold down rear seats so I don't need the SUV body. You people can keep your <<<<<<"The waiting lounge was nicely furnished with free coffee in all types - capuccino, french vanilla, regular, whipped, etc.">>>>>>> Your paying for that crap. I'll take a car that can do off ramps without fliping over.
Thanks for the reply's on the dash rattle. This is my first Lexus and frankly I'm not that impressed. I traded a 2002 Jeep Liberty Limited and a 2000 Infiniti I30 on the RX330 ($6K out). I had three cars and was trying to cut down to one luxury vehicle with AWD. My wife still has a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited V8 that she loves. The Grand Cherokee is and the Liberty had been trouble free and don't/didn't rattle. The I30 never had any issues in the 4 years I owned it. I almost bought the Infiniti FX35, but my wife hated the looks. I find the RX330 dash rattle very annoying and I hate the thought of taking the dash apart to try and fix it. Dollar for dollar, after three months with the RX330, I firmly believe the Liberty ($26K vs $41K) road just as good, had NO rattles, got better gas mileage and was more fun to drive. My one dealer service experience with the Lexus (1mth check) was no better than Infiniti. My local dedicated Jeep dealer has given me fine service but no loaner cars - shuttle service instead. I usually change cars every two to three years. So far, I could not say it would be another Lexus.
Thanks for the advise/info on the rear dvd system. Because the the limited availability and long wait to get RSES for the rx 330, I will forgo the factory system and get a feature rich after market installed dvd player or get a portable dvd for my kids. It's unfortunate Lexus doen't make RSES more available.
I have had 2 Jeep GC Limited in the past and have friends with them also. Over the long run (transmission problems) and "nickle and dime" problems (bad seat motors, poor paint, premature wear of (very cheep leather seats, carpet, discolored plastic )interior parts, poor trade in values. Give the Lexus some time I think you will be happy.
I just took delivery of a RX330. My RX330 was made in Japan and I was happy about that. Prior to the RX330 I had 1999 RX300 then an GS300. Both were great. I appreciate the up grades in the RX330 vs my RX300. The power rear door, 18" wheels, head lights, auto tilt steering wheel (GS had that). My Lexas' have been problem free and very impressive over time. I don't think any mainstream car company has better quality materials in the interior. Lexus owners seem to report minor problems in the Edmunds discussions. Overall the majority of Lexus owners seem quite happy. I'm not sure you could say that about Jeep's. Go to the Edmund Jeep discussions and read for a while. I think many of you will agree. Jeep owners seem report more major problems, transmissions etc. But each to their own. We can always trade and go back to the brand we are comfortable with.
...lost interest when his first question was..."So...how often DO these puppies flip-over on the off-ramps?"
I'm always a bit amused when I read of somebody's "bad" experience at a Lexus dealer...of course they are not perfect...but, by far, I've had more positive experiences at the three different Lexus dealers I've purchased vehicles from the last ten years than any other brand.
There is always a risk a would-be customer will find an arrogant attitude at any of the premium luxury brand dealers, especially BMW or Mercedes dealers, but I have rarely seen anyone complain about Lexus dealers. I would like to hear both sides of this story...
I also find it strange that a dealer would demand full MSRP for an RX330, unless it is a special order.
Of course, why consider any SUV if you don't need the added capacity, utility, AWD capability, height, etc; especially if you find such fault with an SUV's handling? Oh, I almost forgot... You might also consider the Lincoln LS instead of the RX330 if don't need resale value.
I would recommend the Lexus leather cleaner. We purchased a bottle when we took delivery of our RX330. With its light gray interior and our 4yr old son, we knew we would use it frequently!
I thought I read somewhere that the Lexus leather cleaner is actually made by Lexol, but I can't say for sure. I have never tried the "premium" brands, such as Leatherique or Zaino Brothers, but I have previously tried Meguiars and Armor All. I recommend the Lexus brand over either of those two products.
... because the road is not perfectly smooth. Your passengers' eyes must always keep tracing the screen. This will make the eyes tired and in the long run, it'll be bad for the eyes. Just imagine reading newspaper/novel while the car is moving. Your eye will feel tired more quickly compared to reading at the desk.
Took delivery yesterday on RX330 2WD. My owners manual states 87 octane or higher with 91 recommended for improved performance. My salesman and sales manager both told me not to use 87 octane even for one tank full because that would mess up the computer and I would never get the best mileage or performance again. Somehow this does not seem right. I would welcome any help on this matter.
True, higher octane gasoline runs cleaner and produces better perfomance. But that doesn't always translate to better gas mileage. A better MPG comes from your driving habits (e.g. stop-and-go traffic, jack-rabbit starts, etc.).
Pose this question to your sales person/manager: "Why would Lexus recommend regular unleaded fuel if it would cause adverse effects on their product?"
Personally, I use 89 octane because it's a little cleaner than the regular and allows for better performance. Yet, it isn't as expensive as a 91+ octane. I'll be using 91+ once a month and after every scheduled maintenance service.
I suppose it's a matter of preference and budget at this point...
am being offered 559/month for 36 months 12k miles year on a white rx 330. out of pocket is 1462, which includes 1st month, MV fees, bank fee(bogus fee), documentation fee(bogus fee) or 582.00 for 15k miles. To purchase he said 39000 plus ttl. He said no one else is doing this and he wants to earn my business for the FOURTH TIME-I figured I would get some advantage of being a four-timer, but he said no incentives, just that he would do 39k This is over 100 more per month than my rx 300 lease from 2000! Any suggestions? Any other deals out there
Has anyone else noticed that the 18watt back up lights on their RX 330 provide little illuminatin when backing up in a dark area? Probably because of the tinted rear windows. I would like to replace the bulbs with brighter (55 watt)haligon bulbs, but am having trouble finding them. Comments?
What's up with a couple of these Lexus dealers, anyway? We've had one person in here claim his dealer is charging full MSRP without much choice of content, and another post regarding a dealer who insists we need to always use 91 octane.
Regarding price, I don't know the story on the east coast, but I DO know that there have been several dealers, especially in southern CA, who are ultimately selling Premium Plus packages at about $3K off MSRP (after negotiation). If I lived in a region of the country in which all the dealers were insisting on selling at/near MSRP, I would strongly consider contacting the internet sales departments of some other dealers and enquiring about shipping costs.
Regarding gasoline, I agree with myk_a. Lexus clearly states that 87 octane may be used. If 87 octane could cause any problems, I believe that Lexus would have taken a similar approach as Acura did with their MDX. Our '01 MDX owners manual stated that 91 octane should always be used except in emergencies when only regular octane gasoline is available. Definitely not the message here with the RX330. I've also had two different dealers tell me that 87 octane was perfectly fine, although 91 would probably provide increased engine performance. I don't see how 87 octane would mess up the computer?? You might want to contact the service manager and see if he agrees with the salesman and sales manager on that assertion.
Thanks MYH_A, AND COTMC for your input. The salesman and manager had nothing to gain by telling me to use 91 therefore this is very puzzling. I will check with the service manager about this. I will probably try 87 or 89 if I am convinced it will not damage future performance.
cotmc wrote: <<<,I would like to hear both sides of this story...>>>>>>>>>>.
Both sides? What could be the other side? I went shopping for a RX330, they said there was a waiting list, they said they order all the cars pretty much loaded because there is a demand and the price is MSRP. End of story. Maybe the problem is there's only 1 dealer in Baltimore. Maybe things are different a few miles down the road around D.C.
<><<<<<>>>>>
Nope. Not a special order.
<<<<<<<<Of course, why consider any SUV if you don't need the added capacity, utility, AWD capability, height, etc; especially if you find such fault with an SUV's handling? Oh, I almost forgot... You might also consider the Lincoln LS instead of the RX330 if don't need resale value.>>>>>>>>.
To answer your "question" and scarcasm I started out thinking it might be nice to have an AWD vehicle around as a second car. Then I decided we really don't HAVE to go out in the snow. As far as resale goes I see that the RX300/330 has a good resale value. 2 reasons. First, because the car has been written up as having great reliability in that magazine that people buy who need help buying breakfast cereal. I guess they don't read these boards and see the problems owner's are having. Secondly, it's also because of the fact there are a bunch of morons out there who are stupid enough to pay a high price for a used car just to be seen in it or they don't want to wait for a new one. I saw 2002s priced within a grand of a new one with the same equipment. They had 30,000 miles on the odometer. Who would buy such a deal? Just wait until Toyota/Lexus decides to ramp up production after they are done playing the artifical "limited production" game just to build demand. See where depreciation is then. It's a Japanese car not an Italian exotic. The LS does depreciate but the king of depreciation is the BMW 7 Series. Don't get so defensive about my post. I drove the RX330 and I thought it was a nice car. Weak motor but nice car. Best feature, quiet for an SUV wannabe. By the way my coment regarding off ramps was just to indicate that I consider handling to be an important attribute in a piece of transportation. I don't know how easy it would be to flip a RX330 but would assume it would happen at a much slower speed than the LS. The LS Sport has a Formula 1 inspired suspension using forged aluminum unequal length A- arms and coil over shocks not those silly struts that the RX 330 uses. Have a nice day.
My lexus dealer is just awful. I have been shopping there personally and with friends and have had poor experiences both times. The first time a friend was trying to buy a left over rx300 last fall. Best deal the dealer would do was 1500 off msrp on a model that would be replaced in three months we showed invoice (also had dealer cash on the model) etc and he said if you can buy cheaper go ahead with a very flippant attitude. My friend bought a toyota seqouia about 8 weeks later.
My wife and I while shopping for a vehicle back in april went and drove the RX330 to see how we would like it. We took it for a 30 minute test drive. Upon returning to the dealership we were YELLED AT by the salesperson for taking too long. I was so upset but held it together and left. I wound up buying an FX35 2 weeks later that I absolutely love.
I have experienced awesome service at a lexus dealer in chicago when we went to test drive an ES300 when we lived there.
So All lexus dealers are not great. My infiniti dealer I bought from is excellent the one that services my car is pretty good. Both way outclasss My closest lexus dealer.
We have both an RX330 and FX45 and I have to say that our dealers have both been excellent, with two minor exceptions. On our second oil change on the FX the Infiniti dealer neglected to use my synthetic oil despite having written it up on the service order sheet and me leaving it prominantly in the passenger compartment in the footwell area. To compensate they gave me a free oil change, and I put the Mobil 1 in the next time. The glitch with the Lexus dealer came when the night shift service personnel could not figure out how to perform the ECM update. They said the guy they use there at the shop to perform functions like this works during the day. I plan to have this done at the next service appointment.
Otherwise, I've found both the Lexus and Infiniti dealerships, both sales and service, to be top-notch. And the vehicles themselves have been a real joy to own thus far also.
Without the French with Infiniti, there would be no new FX. They are the money backers. Pre-Renault, Nissan was in the deep red like most american automakers today. Good news is the French have nothing to do with the electrical components. Viva La France.
"As far as resale goes I see that the RX300/330 has a good resale value. 2 reasons. First, because the car has been written up as having great reliability in that magazine that people buy who need help buying breakfast cereal. I guess they don't read these boards and see the problems owner's are having."
I don't know how everyone else feels, but I consider the problems mentioned within these boards to be relatively minor compared to any of the other luxury SUVs, especially when you consider all the new gee-whiz gadgets that were recently introduced for this model.
Also, I'm not aware of the RX300 model having many problems. Correct me if I'm wrong...
By the way, that issue on breakfast cereals was a classic! ;-)
Check out this article: (see post 2165) Very good article. Another example of why America's former leadership in manufacturing is being overtaken. It's only a matter of time when Detroit auto manufacturing will die.
Picked up my new RX330 past Satuday. It is AWD with Black on ivory with premimum plus. Traded my 99 GS300 that both my wife and myself loved so much. The drive was nice but the car has a lots more noises than the RX300. While we were driving home, we started to notice rattle/ticking noises from front and the rear of the car. Unfortunately, the noise from the dash board was so loud that I had to take it back to the dealer this morning. Saw the post on this issue and forwared the bulletin # to the dealer. According to the Dealer, they will have to remove the dash to get to the problem.
My wife is thinking we made the mistake getting this car. This is my second Lexus and fifth Toyota cars/trucks in my life and the quality on this RX is the worst that I have experienced on Toyota. Do ya'll think we made a big mistake and also, do you thinking the rattle noises from front and rear could fixed.
Well I wouldn't call removing dashboards as something "relatively minor" That's one of the most common problems I've read about. Todays dashboards are pretty complicated. I wouldn't want a car that's had it's dashboard removed and put back. But that's the way it goes these days. A Mercedes driver posted on another board that he had a terminal engine failure at 280 miles and Mercedes wouldn't replace the car.
I too just took delivery last week of a black/ivory RX330, premium plus, AWD. Mine was made in Japan. I'm happy about that. I would have been a bit uptight about having one of the first suv's from a new factory. Was yours made in Japan or Canada? I also had a 1999 RX300 . I have not heard any dash rattle, clicking or other noises in mine. I would agree that I hear a bit more noise then in my RX300 but that's ok with me. I really like the new 18" wheels and wider and more appealing tires that give the RX330 a sporty look. When you go with wider tires and larger wheels you are going to get a bit more noise. I found that with a BMW 330i with the sport package with wider larger tires and wheels. More noise then a BMW 330i with non sport option (not as wide of tires). The Michelin's on the RX330 although a mud and snow are more aggressive. I always hated the Goodyear's with 16" wheels/tires on my RX300.
After 600 miles my only problem it with the Homelink. I can only program the 1st button. The 2nd and 3rd buttons will not program my other garage doors. I will have this checked at my 1000 check. Anyone had a homelink problem. I can program any of my 3 garage doors with button 1 but again, button 2 and 3 do not program. I went through the same process with each button. I have a rolling code on my garage door openers. Thanks
Comments
of the instrument panal at the base of the windshield? My 2 month old RX330 does this especially when the weather is cold and going over any little bump. The NHTSA lists a TSB NV00603 (8/03) that adresses this problem. Sounds
like enough people must have complained for Lexus to issue the TSB. Thanks!
Security - PASSIVE MODE - ON
Wireless Door Lock - WIRELESS BUZZ VOLUME - MIN
Illuminated Entry - LIGHTING TIME - 30S
Note that the PASSIVE MODE only activates the alarm but does not lock the doors. You'd still have to lock the doors via remote or key.
I also wanted the following done but the service manager suggested against them inciting security reasons (e.g. car jacking).
Door Lock - ALL UNLOCK/OPN-CL - ON
Door Lock - UNLOCK/PARK - ON
The service manager suggested not to get them installed because apparently, they cause the harnesses to melt.
I've experienced this on my previous car but the problem was solved when I used the correct voltage/wattage.
Has anyone else installed aftermarket bulbs on their RX's? Any suggestions/comments?
I too have this problem (I have mentioned it an earlier post). And cold weather makes it worse but I could also hear it in very hot weather when the air conditioning was on. The noise seems to go away, for the most part, after several minutes of driving.
My dealer took apart my dash at my 1000 mile service in September (when I had the transmission TSB update installed). The service manager told me he wasn't aware of any TSB's for dash noise but he "worked" on the assumption the noise was similar to problems in the dash of the ES. Whatever they did, it did not fix the noise. I will have to ask about the dash TSB at my 5000 mile service.
I have had dash rattles on previous cars and most of the time dealers have been able to solve them (although it normally took several trips). I hope Lexus can do better.
I wouldn't suggest using REGULAR Armor All as it causes the leather to become slippery. Has anyone tried the Armor All Leather Cleaner?
I saw some LEXUS Interior/Exterior Cleansers at the dealership. Has anyone tried them?
Now if I could only solve the dash rattle....
For leather care, I am using Blue Coral leather/vinyl cleaner and leather condition (both in spray bottles), not 2-in-1 formula. No chemical smell, no plastic look on leather and no slippy surface. The cleaner really works as I can see the result on the white towel and sponge. And the conditioner provide the same protection like skin lotion for human. I wouldn't use any Armor All products on my cars. No! No!
Is there proof of any Lexus RX 330 Flipping over? If so, please cite it so everyone can benefit from it. Thanks!
With regards to leather care, I will keep your suggestions in mind. Thanks!
Is that good or bad, and why?
I just took delivery of a RX330. My RX330 was made in Japan and I was happy about that. Prior to the RX330 I had 1999 RX300 then an GS300. Both were great. I appreciate the up grades in the RX330 vs my RX300. The power rear door, 18" wheels, head lights, auto tilt steering wheel (GS had that). My Lexas' have been problem free and very impressive over time. I don't think any mainstream car company has better quality materials in the interior. Lexus owners seem to report minor problems in the Edmunds discussions. Overall the majority of Lexus owners seem quite happy. I'm not sure you could say that about Jeep's. Go to the Edmund Jeep discussions and read for a while. I think many of you will agree. Jeep owners seem report more major problems, transmissions etc. But each to their own. We can always trade and go back to the brand we are comfortable with.
I'm always a bit amused when I read of somebody's "bad" experience at a Lexus dealer...of course they are not perfect...but, by far, I've had more positive experiences at the three different Lexus dealers I've purchased vehicles from the last ten years than any other brand.
Predicted Reliability: worst rating possible
Owner Satisfaction: 2nd worst rating possible
Predicted Depreciation: 2nd worst rating possible
In sum: "Reliability continues to be poor"
Enjoy.
I also find it strange that a dealer would demand full MSRP for an RX330, unless it is a special order.
Of course, why consider any SUV if you don't need the added capacity, utility, AWD capability, height, etc; especially if you find such fault with an SUV's handling? Oh, I almost forgot... You might also consider the Lincoln LS instead of the RX330 if don't need resale value.
Scott
I thought I read somewhere that the Lexus leather cleaner is actually made by Lexol, but I can't say for sure. I have never tried the "premium" brands, such as Leatherique or Zaino Brothers, but I have previously tried Meguiars and Armor All. I recommend the Lexus brand over either of those two products.
Pose this question to your sales person/manager: "Why would Lexus recommend regular unleaded fuel if it would cause adverse effects on their product?"
Personally, I use 89 octane because it's a little cleaner than the regular and allows for better performance. Yet, it isn't as expensive as a 91+ octane. I'll be using 91+ once a month and after every scheduled maintenance service.
I suppose it's a matter of preference and budget at this point...
out of pocket is 1462, which includes 1st month, MV fees, bank fee(bogus fee), documentation fee(bogus fee)
or 582.00 for 15k miles. To purchase he said 39000 plus ttl. He said no one else is doing this and he wants to earn my business for the FOURTH TIME-I figured I would get some advantage of being a four-timer, but he said no incentives, just that he would do 39k
This is over 100 more per month than my rx 300 lease from 2000!
Any suggestions? Any other deals out there
Or you can purchase an adapter from performance products.
Regarding price, I don't know the story on the east coast, but I DO know that there have been several dealers, especially in southern CA, who are ultimately selling Premium Plus packages at about $3K off MSRP (after negotiation). If I lived in a region of the country in which all the dealers were insisting on selling at/near MSRP, I would strongly consider contacting the internet sales departments of some other dealers and enquiring about shipping costs.
Regarding gasoline, I agree with myk_a. Lexus clearly states that 87 octane may be used. If 87 octane could cause any problems, I believe that Lexus would have taken a similar approach as Acura did with their MDX. Our '01 MDX owners manual stated that 91 octane should always be used except in emergencies when only regular octane gasoline is available. Definitely not the message here with the RX330. I've also had two different dealers tell me that 87 octane was perfectly fine, although 91 would probably provide increased engine performance. I don't see how 87 octane would mess up the computer?? You might want to contact the service manager and see if he agrees with the salesman and sales manager on that assertion.
about this. I will probably try 87 or 89 if I am convinced it will not damage future performance.
Both sides? What could be the other side? I went shopping for a RX330, they said there was a waiting list, they said they order all the cars pretty much loaded because there is a demand and the price is MSRP. End of story. Maybe the problem is there's only 1 dealer in Baltimore. Maybe things are different a few miles down the road around D.C.
<><<<<<>>>>>
Nope. Not a special order.
<<<<<<<<Of course, why consider any SUV if you don't need the added capacity, utility, AWD capability, height, etc; especially if you find such fault with an SUV's handling? Oh, I almost forgot... You might also consider the Lincoln LS instead of the RX330 if don't need resale value.>>>>>>>>.
To answer your "question" and scarcasm I started out thinking it might be nice to have an AWD vehicle around as a second car. Then I decided we really don't HAVE to go out in the snow.
As far as resale goes I see that the RX300/330 has a good resale value. 2 reasons. First, because the car has been written up as having great reliability in that magazine that people buy who need help buying breakfast cereal. I guess they don't read these boards and see the problems owner's are having. Secondly, it's also because of the fact there are a bunch of morons out there who are stupid enough to pay a high price for a used car just to be seen in it or they don't want to wait for a new one. I saw 2002s priced within a grand of a new one with the same equipment. They had 30,000 miles on the odometer. Who would buy such a deal? Just wait until Toyota/Lexus decides to ramp up production after they are done playing the artifical "limited production" game just to build demand. See where depreciation is then. It's a Japanese car not an Italian exotic.
The LS does depreciate but the king of depreciation is the BMW 7 Series.
Don't get so defensive about my post. I drove the RX330 and I thought it was a nice car. Weak motor but nice car. Best feature, quiet for an SUV wannabe. By the way my coment regarding off ramps was just to indicate that I consider handling to be an important attribute in a piece of transportation. I don't know how easy it would be to flip a RX330 but would assume it would happen at a much slower speed than the LS. The LS Sport has a Formula 1 inspired suspension using forged aluminum unequal length A- arms and coil over shocks not those silly struts that the RX 330 uses. Have a nice day.
My wife and I while shopping for a vehicle back in april went and drove the RX330 to see how we would like it. We took it for a 30 minute test drive. Upon returning to the dealership we were YELLED AT by the salesperson for taking too long. I was so upset but held it together and left. I wound up buying an FX35 2 weeks later that I absolutely love.
I have experienced awesome service at a lexus dealer in chicago when we went to test drive an ES300 when we lived there.
So All lexus dealers are not great. My infiniti dealer I bought from is excellent the one that services my car is pretty good. Both way outclasss My closest lexus dealer.
Otherwise, I've found both the Lexus and Infiniti dealerships, both sales and service, to be top-notch. And the vehicles themselves have been a real joy to own thus far also.
Just wondering.
Y'all go country bash somewhere else. We're talking cars in here.
Steve, Host
I didn't know that Ford had stakes in Mazda, Land Rover, and Jaguar.
"As far as resale goes I see that the RX300/330 has a good resale value. 2 reasons. First, because the car has been written up as having great reliability in that magazine that people buy who need help buying breakfast cereal. I guess they don't read these boards and see the problems owner's are having."
I don't know how everyone else feels, but I consider the problems mentioned within these boards to be relatively minor compared to any of the other luxury SUVs, especially when you consider all the new gee-whiz gadgets that were recently introduced for this model.
Also, I'm not aware of the RX300 model having many problems. Correct me if I'm wrong...
By the way, that issue on breakfast cereals was a classic! ;-)
Very good article. Another example of why America's former leadership in manufacturing is being overtaken. It's only a matter of time when Detroit auto manufacturing will die.
My wife is thinking we made the mistake getting this car. This is my second Lexus and fifth Toyota cars/trucks in my life and the quality on this RX is the worst that I have experienced on Toyota. Do ya'll think we made a big mistake and also, do you thinking the rattle noises from front and rear could fixed.
thanks,
tony
Well I wouldn't call removing dashboards as something "relatively minor" That's one of the most common problems I've read about. Todays dashboards are pretty complicated. I wouldn't want a car that's had it's dashboard removed and put back. But that's the way it goes these days. A Mercedes driver posted on another board that he had a terminal engine failure at 280 miles and Mercedes wouldn't replace the car.
After 600 miles my only problem it with the Homelink. I can only program the 1st button. The 2nd and 3rd buttons will not program my other garage doors. I will have this checked at my 1000 check. Anyone had a homelink problem. I can program any of my 3 garage doors with button 1 but again, button 2 and 3 do not program. I went through the same process with each button. I have a rolling code on my garage door openers.
Thanks