Lexus RX 330

laterldf

The owners manual says that regular is o.k. but recommends premium for "performance". I've used the 91 octane so far. My 330 has the nav system/Mark Levinsion package and does not have the Lexus link.
later, ldf

nyccarguy

Hello everybody. I'm posting for the first time here in the RX330 Forum hoping to get some answers not available on the Lexus website. I'll give you some background info and hopefully not bore you to tears too much.

The height Adjustable suspension. Is that standard equipment on AWD RX330s?

Are the 18" wheels that I see in the packages the 5 spoke ones you see in all the commercials?

My father has an '01 Infiniti QX4 whose lease is up in March of '04. I know it is early, but what can I say? He really likes the refinement, look, interior quality, and somewhat soft ride. The problem is the QX4 is a bit too cramped on the inside for my Dad (6'3") and his 2 passengers (130# Great Danes). He needs his truck (we refuse to adopt the term SUV in our fanily) to be masculine looking (something the RX300 lacked except for that Black Platinum Edition), have a V6 (we don't tow and don't need to have a V8 suck gas), have a roomy interior, and be luxurious. He does use the truck to pick up toilets and deliver the occassional water heater (my family owns a plumbing supply house). Safety is also a big concern (as it is with everyone).

The Infiniti is his first Japanese truck ever (After a '92 Explorer, '95 Grand Cherokee, & '98 Explorer) and he's thrilled with the quality and seamless operation.

So we're going to look at the RX330 along with the Acura MDX, and BMW X5. The MDX has a good look to it and definitely has lots of room plus legendary Honda reliability. The MDX also seems to be the cheapest and with Acura's great resale values should be an excellent truck to lease.

The X5 is definitely the sportiest and smallest. It is expensive but good leases can be had (attributed to BMWs high residuals).

The RX330 definitely seems like a worthy competitor.

You may ask, why not look at the FX? Well, I checked it out at the dealer and the interior is gorgeous. It is way too small for the dogs.

Thanks for letting me chew the fat for a while.

cbest1465

The height adjustment is in the Performance package - not sure if it can be a separate stand alone option (haven't seen/read anything).

The 18" wheels are 5 spoke. Again, it seems that every RX coming in will have 18" wheels (at least in the DC metro area).

For safety - look at the RX brochure - there is a picture of all the air bags deployed. They are all standard. There is front and rear side curtain. Front driver/passenger and shoulder/side and a knee air bag for the driver.

There is also a Lexus event being held. The web address is http://www.luxuryredefined.com/ I am attending next month, again what I have read/heard, you will get a chance to drive an RX, MDX, X5, M class, XC90, and Aviator.

Hope this helps.

I was talking to my sales rep and she mentioned the passenger seat will monitor the weight of the person/dog and if less then 30 lbs (??) the air bag will not deploy (I think I have that right)? Something to that affect.

cbest1465

I had a chance to finally see the new RX in person at the dealership. Was able to see the power door in action which was cool. There are 3 places you can open/close the door. One key fob, two on the dash to the left of the steering column, and third (when the door is open). There is a button on the bottom where the latch is.

The spare tire (which is full size) is now underneath and is covered! Thought that was nice. Since the tire is now underneath - there are compartments. One is where the first aid / jack is kept. The other one is where the tonneau cover is kept if your not using it. There are 2 buttons on the bottom (where the door latches that opens these compartments.

There is a retractable cup holder to the left of the steering column, right under the air vent.

Also where the power door button and mirror control is has a door to hide these (located to the left of the steering column). There were 3 AC jacks, one on the front dash behind the gear shift, one on the back/bottom of the console for the rear seat passengers and the third is in the cargo area.

Just some things I found out that I thought was interesting to share.

tomtomtom

Would like to get some inputs regarding to the color. I have only seen one in person and it was silver. What do you guys/gals think is the best looking color (when it is clean)?

wwest

not enough color choices, all the "darks" are BLACK until you get within a few inches and what is left is white or some dominant level of silver or gold.

Gold/Ivory would be my choice.

tomtomtom

I know, I was thinking (actually posting) the same thing last week (#261) after I got the brochure but my wife like the car so I need to help her to pick the best looking color.

samang

We have seen 6 out of the 9 colors. That took 4 trips to the dealership to see them.

White, was white, what can I say. Big contrast against the black privacy windows.

Flint Mica, very cool color under sunlight. Matches best with the clear tail lights (not a big fan). We almost picked this. However, in the evening/night light, it is a very dull grey.

Breakwater Blue, similar to flint mica, just lighter on the grey, add a hint of blue. Again nice under the sun, dull without sun.

Savanah, very nice gold. But reminds me of Acura's naples gold. Nice, but makes it look kinda normal. If we didn't have a naples gold Acura, we would have chosen this, also comes only with Ivory interior and maple wood.

Silver, the one we picked. We did light grey interior, to get the walnut wood.

Bamboo pearl, kinda like silver with a hint of green, we think it is very special but availability is low. If one with light grey and nav comes before a silver, this is what we will buy. We have a slight preference to this color compared to silver.

Did not see onyl black, neptune blue or black forest pearl. But these 3 are pretty dark.

JBaumgart

Colors are of course a purely personal choice. We ordered a Breakwater Blue with the Light Gray interior. I was told that only 2% of the initial build (in our area) will be in this color, so at least for the time being availability (as with the Bamboo Pearl) will also be quite limited. I was told that the most widely available colors will be white, black, and silver with the Mica Grey right behind. I forget the exact percentages, but these four combined will make up about 75% of production, I believe.

We also liked the silver but we've been driving a silver car (A4) for the past 5 years and wanted something a little different. If we had gone with the silver once again, we would have gotten the black interior as our A4 also has a grey leather interior, and this definitely would have been too much of the same. We saw the Breakwater at the local auto show, and thought that it goes well with the clear tail lights, and this was a factor in our decision also. At the dealer I noticed the rather stark contrast between the clear tail lights and the darker colors, especially with the black. Some might like this a lot, but we thought it was a little too much (again, colors are purely a matter of personal choice). But since we are special ordering, we thought we would go with the color combination that appeals most to us - and mostly "her" since she will be driving it most of the time. With the other options and this color combo, it will be a very unique model. The only downside is that we'll have to wait 90-120 days until delivery.

tomtomtom

Thanks for the inputs. I am not a fan of light colors because those colors just don't give you the satisfication after a 2 hours wax job. I really like the copper colors (is different) that the Nissan/Infiniti FX45 has but don't like the jacked up hatch back/ station wagon look.

r1_97

If so, please post details.

samang

MSRP. But got a decent deal on trade in. $10k for a 1999 Accord LX. That gives me an additional $625 worth of tax savings. Offer is good until our RX330 arrives.

jryn

Anyone have any thoughts on netting and gates that work in Lexuses to keep dogs either all the way in the back when the seats are up or in the back when the seats are down?

A number of competitors have hooks built into the ceiling and into the floor, but not Lexus (in the RX or GX, as far as I can tell).

What have others on this board been doing?

Jocko

Just got a silver with light gray interior FWD with 18 in. wheels, etc, etc. No NAV system or upgraded sound. $1000 off MSRP plus they threw in window tinting for the front windows and a full tank of premium gas.. No dealer prep - just add tax, title and tag transfer. Not a terribly great deal, but one I can live with. Besides, my wife is crazy about it, and that's worth something! Am still on first tank of gas and the computer is showing 24.8 mpg as of right now.

Would be interested in what you folks think of the deal.

outrigger

My dog got thru her dog gate 3 times. So, I went to Home Depot and got a length of thin steel cable that's covered in plastic.

I made a loop on both ends with cable clamps, putting a leash clip on one end and a screw open chain link on the other. I made the cable long enough so the dog can jump down from the rear without hanging herself, but not long enough for her to get into the front seats. When she's tied up in the back I don't put the rear door windows down far enough for her to jump out of them.

Then I found something (or some way) to attach this cable at the back where the rear hatch is hinged.

Total cost: about 3 or 4 dollars.

adb3

In my area (No VA) anything off MSRP would be a good deal. As far as I know, everything here is selling at MSRP. Maybe they are starting to make some deals for non-performance 330s. My dealer is backlogged 3 Mos with folks waiting for the VP version. I was lucky enough to get the first VP in the initial shipment of 7 vehicles.

JBaumgart

Just wondering how you like the Light Gray interior with the Silver exterior, and if you considered either the Ivory or Black. My order is for the Breakwater Blue with Light Gray, which is fairly similar.

adb3, with the VP and air suspension, any plans to take your RX 330 off road ever? Although it's not designed to go off road, I would imagine the extra clearance in the "high" setting, and the auto-leveling of the air suspension would make it somewhat more capable than the coil suspension. Otherwise are you satisfied with the ride quality and handling?

adb3

JBaumgart,

Not hardly, LOL! However, good to know flexibility is there when needed. The mostly rave reviews the 330 is getting are quite justified. As expected, the vehicle has been rock solid. Road feel is noticeably improved and handling nimbleness makes the 330 a joy to drive. I only get to drive it on the weekends, but when I do it is as much fun to drive as my GS300. That should tell you how good this thing is. Since I couldn't get the WU with the VP, I purchased the wood shifting knob from the dealer. The added touch makes the interior just right.

I hope you're as happy with yours when it gets in.

r1_97

On line services are offering $1,500 off MSRP.

mikehags

Is the rx330 already in the dealerships?......Are they in full scale production now?.......how hard is it to get one?............is there a high demand for this car like the gx470?.........any one who can help.....thanks in advance

jill25

I picked up my Flint Mica, with light gray interior, 330 last Thursday. My original color choice was silver, but when I saw the sparkle in the Flint, my mind was changed. My previous car was an Acura TL and so far I am very impressed with the Lexus. While I thought that the navigation system on the Acura was good I find that the one on the Lexus is better. I was worried after reading previous posts about the backing visibility, but have had no problem. I am still getting used to the mirrors moving downward and the backup camera though. A friend purchased a 300 last month and when we compared the two side by side, I find that the 330 is a great improvement and more impressive (I think my friend wished she had waited after seeing my 330). We did pay MSRP from our dealer, but there was no additional markup.

adb3

Answers:
1--Yes
2--Yes
3--Depends on build package, the VP (performance build) is back-ordered 3 mos in my area
4--Yes

Other questions?

jhk_db

I am scheduled to pick up my RX330 at the end of the month, which will come with 235/55/18 Goodyear Eagle RS-As. I am a bit concerned as the reviews for this tire are not very good. Unfortunately, (at least on tirerack.com) there aren't alot of choices in this size.

I am considering whether it might be better to go with 235/65/17 tires which have gotten better reviews. (I am considering the Yokohama Geolander HT-S G052 and the Michelin Cross Terrain SUV). The RX330 is for my wife, so I am more concerned with ride comfort, noise and snow traction than I am with performance qualities.

Do any of you have thoughts/opinions as to the Goodyears, Yokohamas or Michelins? Thanks.

adb3

I'm not a tire guy, but I too was a little concerned when I saw the Goodyears. However, our 18" Goodyears have been more than acceptable. Maybe others can chime in.

JBaumgart

When I was at the dealer looking at the first batch of vehicles that had arrived, i'm almost positive that both the 17 and 18 inch tires were Michelin's. There was a clear difference in the tread and I agree that the 17 inch looked like it would do better in the winter than the more performance oriented tread on the 18's, althought the 18's did have a M&S rating on them. I later did a search at TireRack to find out more information, but they did not yet have any Michelin's for sale as of yet in either size, at least when I looked. Now I see where Tire Rack is listing the Goodyear's as the only available tire in the 235/55-18 inch size. I'll have to have another look next time I go to the dealer to make sure that the cars here do in fact have the Michelin's, which is what I would prefer, everything else being equal.

jhk_db

JBaumgart- I believe the other 235/55/18 tire on tirerack.com is the Michelin MXV4. That was another reason why I started looking at 17" tires. I believe those Michelins may have been OEM on my '98 Honda Accord; at 30K, I replaced those with Bridgestone Potenzas RE950s which were much better. Thanks for your response and please let me know if some of the RX330s are coming with Michelins.

jeffmust2

Toyota significantly upgraded their Prius hybrid system in a model coming out in a few months -

http://biz.yahoo.com/rc/030416/autos_toyota_1.html

No real details in this link but they're sure to follow. Could foreshadow the structure of the new, upcoming RX 330 hybrid.

Man, I'd HATE to have just purchased that OLD TECHNOLOGY Prius with this baby hitting the streets in a few months - 55 mpg average, city & highway, bigger, more luxo - wow!

I'm old enough to remember in the 60's when the American auto manufacturers said that radial tires were a fad and they cost too much for too little return.

Right. Until Ford's heavier cars like Lincolns started blowing-out the bias-wound nylon tires and they HAD to switch to Michelins. Should be interesting to see how the domestic hybrids do.

Let the race begin!

Jocko

JBaumgart - We like the gray interior just great. the black was a bit much for our tastes. The tan interior is nice as well, but we had just had a Jeep Grand Cherokee with the tan interior and wanted something different. The tan did not come with the silver model.

I suspect the floor mats will show the dirt quickly. So far, we really love the new machine. Smooth as glass, and the power rear door is an all-tyime favorite of my wife's!

Jack H.

squack

Take a look at this 51 MPG minivan that Toyota is sekking in Japan. It's hard to find much info in English language. This may be the basis for the RX 330 Hybrid

bodble2

Went to a Lexus dealer today and we thought the silver with the grey interior really looks good. Couldn't really figure out what exactly is the flint mica, is it graphite grey? Looks like it's got a tinge of dark green in it. One thing about a dark colour is that it doesn't seem to go with the clear taillights, IMHO.

JBaumgart

Agree that the silver/gray is real nice on this car. We would have gone with this except that is what our current car is that is being replaced, so we went with Breakwater Blue/Light Grey, which is the next closest thing. Notice how many of the RX 330 pictures (in the ads & brochure) are in Silver - very attractive.

Also agree with you about the clear taillamps not going with the dark colors, except some people I'm sure will find the extra contrast to their liking. The Flint Mica is exactly as you described - graphite grey with a tinge of dark green that you can see under certain lighting conditions.

trillium1

Bodble2: I ordered an RX330 (Silver with Grey interior) with the ultra premium package (I wanted the GPS though not the DVD entertainment package). Two dealers will not budge at all on the price and I paid MSRP. The car is expected to arrive in a month. What is your situation? Is your dealer ready to deal at this time?

bodble2

I'm actually looking to buy after June, so I'm hoping prices would settle down a bit by then. I have not actually spoken to anyone from a dealer yet. I have a relative (on my wife's side) whose family have bought a number of Lexus vehicles from one dealer, so I'm going to ask who he's been dealing with and hopefully he will give me a favourable deal.

I'm thinking either the luxury package or the sport package. The premium package seems like a good deal except I don't really want the power rear gate, or the wood steering wheel (looks nice but not comfortable).

BTW, the other vehicle that I'm cross-shopping is the Volvo XC70, which I like a lot. Has most of what I'm looking for in terms of size, amenities, style, utility. BUT, for about the same money, I'm finding it difficult to ignor the legendary Lexus reputation for quality, luxury and customer service. If the XC was made by Lexus, then in would be a no-brainer for me!

Look forward to trading notes with you when I finally pull the trigger.

adb3

It's funny, but the clear lights is why I went with the Onyx Black (the first black-colored car I've owned). I wanted the total contrast of the black with the lights and the chrome. IMHO, it is quite striking and have received several positive comments. Of course, beauty (color) is in the eye of the beholder. Hope everyone is happy with the color you choose.

Almost 1000 miles and the 330 remains rock-solid and a total joy to drive.

bodble2

How do you find the transmission? I know there was some concern over whether the tranny would have the some problems encountered in the ES300 -- slow to downshift and vibration at certain rpm, IIRC.

adb3

Although the Lexus manual states there is no brake-in period, I haven't driven the 330 overly hard for the first 1000k--just ensured that I drove it at various in-town and Hwy speeds up to 80 MPH. My experience so far is that the 330 has a very solid engine and transmission. No problems with downshifts or intermittent hesitations. With so much at stake with the 330 and Sienna, maybe Lexus learned from the ES and worked out the bugs. All I know is that it is very obvious that the production QC for my 330 was at a very high standard. The fit and polish are top-notch. I have all the gadgets, except the laser cruise and DVD, and everything works as designed and advertised. This segment of the luxury SUV marget is very competitive with some strong offerings to choose from. I believe Lexus realized that if is to maintain its market share it had to prove, even to Lexus loyalists as myself, that the 330 was tight right out of the gate. So it couldn't afford to have the normal bugs and problems that usually plague new car/major revision introductions. Overall, the reviews have been generally great, but the proof is what the SUV owner experiences.

So far, this SUV owner is more than satisfied. The RX 330 measures up to Lexus standards of quality, performance, and reliability.

bodble2

BTW, the production in the first few months are built in Japan, right? And then later it will switch to the plant in Canada? If that is true, I will have to grab one before they make the switch.

adb3

Suppose to start coming off the Canada line in September.

jeffmust2

...50% of the RX330s will come from Canadian operations after it opens and the other 50% from the Japanese plant. This from a General Sales Manager at my local Lexus dealer.

Doesn't seem to make sense but who knows...

davidcalhoun

Is there anyone on here that has just leased The RX-330? Could you share some numbers? Payments?

Ours just came in and I would like to be informed before we talk with the dealer. This car stickers for $46,808. Thanks

jeffmust2

1) Term, i.e., number of months in lease?
2) Miles allowed per year, usually 12k or 15k?
3) Navigation System?
4) Other the 1st month's lease payment and one-time fees, are you putting any money up front to lower lease payments?
5) The MSRP is $46.8k - is that what you agreed to pay?
6) Any trade? If so, how much did dealer offer?
7) Did the dealer quote you a Money Factor (MF) or an interest rate for your lease?
8) Did the dealer quote you a Residual amount or percentage?

More complicated than a simple installment sale, as you can see.

davidcalhoun

Cap Cost - The MSRP is $46,808 (with Nav & ML sound). We will probable get it down to $44,000. 36 months. 12k mile per year. .00250 money factor. 57% residual. 1st months payment (no additional money put down). No trade.

The first figure that they threw at me was $806.64 month (based on full MRSP).

jeffmust2

At the numbers you've provided - at full MSRP:
a) $46808 x 43% depreciation over term = $20128
Divided by 36 months = $559.11/mo depreciation

b) $46808 + 57% residual of $26681 = $73489
Multiplied by money factor of .0025 = $183.73/mo interest charge

c) $559.11 + $183.73 = $742.84/mo payment plus your local sales tax

This assumes you pay the first month's payment plus the security deposit fee plus the acquisition fee up front - around $1830-1850 in all. If the two fees are rolled back into the lease, obviously your payment goes higher.

Conversely, if you manage to negotiate a cap cost (with a $2,808 discount) down to $44000 - and all else stays the same - your lease looks like:

a) $44000 less $26681 depreciation over term=$17319
Divided by 36 months = $481.09/mo depreciation

b) $44000 + 57% residual of $26681 = $70681
Multiplied by money factor of .0025 = $176.71/mo interest charge

c) $481.09 + $176.71 = $657.80/mo payment plus your local sales tax

Same as above, this assumes you pay first month + tax + sec fee + acquisition fee upfront or else payment would be a bit higher.

The money factor at .0025, or 6.0% interest, seems high compared to other MFs posted on RX boards; I was quoted .0022 (5.28%) by a Lexus dealer also this month. The 57% residual is down from the 62% residual I was quoted for a 36/15k lease but the AWD and/or the Nav system probably had an influence in decreasing this figure a bit.

Hope this helps!

stever

We also have lease calculators linked from the main Edmunds.com page.

Steve, Host

jeffmust2

...this gives your posters a shot at doing their own math at the dealership since it's unlikely they'll have a wireless-modem-equipped notebook real handy.

tomtomtom

Is the RX that comes to $46,808 AWD? Do dealers only carry the AWD models? My wife wants a RX with Navgiation but a FWD will do find for us.

davidcalhoun

It is in AWD.

I am convenced that my wife would have said "Yes" to the deal last night, I was the party pooper. I thought that their MF was too high (it is high because they have a hot selling vehicle - for this year). There is a $6000 dealer profit on the way I had this RX equiped. Add the $6000 to the dealer holdback and you can see why the dealers enjoy selling these type of vehicles.

I decided not to pay a premium for this vehicle because in 3 or 4 years (after they have built 120,000 per year), I would be throwing that extra money away. Better to invest that "extra" money into our future retirement than into the Lexus owner's yacht.

samang

My dealer just called me about a Silver with Grey interior. CL, NV, VP, WL, C1. which are Laser cruise ctrl, Nav with camera, performance, wheel locks, and cargo mat. $44,163 MSRP including destination charge. They got it from a trade with another dealer. If you are interested, call Park Place Lexus in Grapevine, TX. I am working with Brandon.

It was shipped yesterday, which means delivery mid to late May. Too bad, no heated seats, and no wood steering and shift knob. So, we passed on it. I would like the air suspension, AFS lights, and sport shift. But since it's going to be my wife's car, we will stick with our original plan (silver, grey, PT, NV, HH, FT).

JBaumgart

I do know that if you do decide to get the Performance Package (VP) that you are not able to have the wood steering wheel and shift knob, for some reason. I was also told that the Mark Levingson system is also not available with the VP, at least if you order the Navigation System(NV). We stuck with the VP on our order and are willing to forego the wood steering wheel and shift knob, and we had not ordered the Levingson system anyway.

adb3

Although the wood steering wheel and shift knob looks great, as JBaumgart stated, you can't get them or the ML option with the VP build. Actually, the leather steering wheel will probably wear and feel better in all climates, but I did purchase the wood shifting knob as an added luxury touch.