Lexus RX 300

tolentino

Just bought a 2002 two weeks ago. I hear an intermittent whistling sound above 60 mph. It's definitely wind related. I have the racks but no deflector. Any thoughts?

Tino

mvs1

Getting in here a little late but, I would be inclined to agree with the host. The internet "manager" probably has a salesman do all the regular stuff, they go over the vehicle ect. Don't fess up to anything about inquiring over the web. Let them ask you, if they even do. What would be funny is if the internet salesman delivers the car at a lower price then the floor. Then I would be "very" upset, and let them know.

Also, Westport has about 95% of their inventory in an underground bay, so the Gold RX your salivating over is one of many, don't let the size of the dealership fool you, there's a large inventory.

Mohegan Sun: Must have been a million people there last night looking for your "lost" money laurasdada, but I sure didn't find it, also didn't lose any myself, after 5 hours in the casino..... major accomplishment.

wwest

You should always keep in mind that this isn't a task that requires any great skill level, most dealers use inexperienced "gofers" (McD flippers) for this job in order to keep their overhead down.

Having your oil changed by a dealer far from home seems even more chancy.

I ALWAYS change my own OIL, every 4 to 5k miles, Mobil 1, filter purchased at Lexus. The next day I check the engine oil level and the filter seal myself. I make mistakes too.

laurasdada

Thanks for trying and congrats on the victory. I may go hunting for my missing funds tomorrow. I wonder if the evil wife will let me give the RX its first road trip? Nah, keeping the speed below 60mph for the trip would drive me nuts! Only 600 miles left to break in!
And only 4000 miles left in my Chrysler warranty...tick, tick, tick?

dorothyct

We bought it!!!! They have to locate the color I want (and we have to get our financing squared away) - but I'll be driving my new RX before long!

I'll spare you the details. The final price (less tax/title/etc.) was $36,850. I was pretty psyched with that and husband was too. Got all but chrome wheels and nav. Has all the other stuff (heated seats, HID, accessory cross bars, cargo mat, spoiler).

So - we got out the door for $39,600. How nice. Right under hubby's $40K cut off.

I'm so excited and cannot wait to be in my new wheels.

Now - when would be the proper time to discuss this $400 we 'saved' by coming in under $40K with hubby? I should be able to use it to go shopping, right?

Dorothy

bcjacob1

We have a 2001 RX w/ HID + Nav. Is there any way to install HID fog lights or replacement bulbs that give the HID appearance?

Also, any one know about an update to the Nav DVD?

gimpyrx

"There is a rumor that the RX300 and other Lexus/Toyota cars with the 3.0 engine have a bit of a sludge problem"

That's for sure!

finch3

I've had my 2000 RX for 25,000 miles and it's still a great vehicle. The more we own and drive it, the more we enjoy and appreciate it. Still tight as a drum and nary a glitch or problem. Any talk of a sludge problem is silly if the vehicle is properly maintained. If I left my info cumulative MPG display on to record all my mpg, I'm sure it would be a solid 20 mpg, very respectable for this type of vehicle.

jiamin

Can somebody give a little more detail on the sludge issues? 3.0 engine only? Never heard anything on 3.0 Camry or ES300?

gteach26

Carsdirect.com has the 2002 RX300 2wd with nav pkg at $36,365 as of January 11 in the South Florida (Miami-Ft. Lauderdale) area. They say this price is guaranteed. This offer looks very good --is it too good? Anyone use carsdirect to buy cars here? Thanks!

gimpyrx

"Any talk of a sludge problem is silly if the vehicle is properly maintained"

Another misinformed Rx owner led astray.

I too,was happy until 47,000 miles.

stever

Engine Sludge? (Discussion Re-opened) won't answer your question, but it can be interesting reading.

Steve
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johnbass

Hello people, I'm new at posting here, but I've been reading this board for a while, and let me just say that you guys are a wealth of info. I need help. I have a 2000 RX300, and a few weeks ago I bumped into a parking block while pulling into a parking space at a good speed. I figure I wasn't going any faster than 2 or 3 mph (my foot was already riding the brake) or I would have gone over the parking block, right? Anyways, I believe I hit the block with my right front tire, and the whole car came to a halt and just rocked up and down for a second. At first, I thought no big deal right, but after I left I noticed my steering wheel was tilted to the left. I don't know if it was me, but the wheel could've already been slightly tilted before I hit the block, but now I was aware of it. Anyways, I took my car to the Lexus dealer and paid for a 4 wheel alignment and I told the service guy what happened. He said that he would check for anything bent or broken in the suspension. After the alignment, he told me nothing was bent or broken and the alignment was fixed. However, when I drove away, the steering was tilted to the left. I brought the car back 5 more times, and they finally centered the steering wheel by REMOVING THE WHEEL/AIRBAG and REPOSITIONING IT ON THE NEXT NOTCH OVER. Does this sound right to you guys? Now the wheel seems to be straight, but now I feel like there is a "dead spot" in the steering; what I mean is that if I pull the steering wheel left and let it "spring back" to the center, it doesn't move or feel the same as it does if I pull the steering wheel to the right and let it "spring back" to the center. Could something be bent or broken, or am I just crazy. Thanks in advance for any light you guys could shed.

tarik

Could something be bent or broken, or am I just crazy

You don't want to post such questions here unless you are ready for some hefty humor...=:-P

As to your incident, I'm pretty sure everyone's gone through such a thing before. Components in your driving gear can get bent or knocked out of position slightly, but will still allow for an alignment within the factory tolerances. You didn't mention whether your Rex now pulls (or ever pulled) to one side or tracks (tracked) straight. The tech plays a big role in the correct execution of this adjustment though, and if he isn't up to the task, nobody can tell you what you get.

Try to describe the offset of the steering wheel by relating the position of its vertical centerline to a minute hand on a watch. If it wasn't off by more than 30 degrees (55 minute position), I wouldn't worry. The dead spot in the steering could be (and I'm not trying to be paranoid) a hit which the steering gearbox took through its linkage. Maybe an independent mechanic can take the Rex for a ride without you telling him about the "spot" first, just explain the hit, the alignment, and the steering wheel move.

Let us know how it shakes out once you further investigated.

Tarik

tidester

Welcome aboard! We're glad you finally decided to join the fray.

Sorry to hear about the troubles you're having. I would guess that you probably hit the block a little faster than 2 or 3 mph which probably wouldn't even have deformed the tires as far as the wheel rim.

tidester
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gambiaman

I have a MY01, FWD RX300. I checked my gas mileage for the first 10K miles that I owned the vehicle and it averaged 21.3 mpg. I used 89 for all of that except for 3K for which I used 93. During that 3K the mileage was about 0.1 mpg better. Not worth the extra cost or really attributable to the difference in octane. I could tell no change in performance. I went to Atlanta over Xmas and drove over 1300 miles total and got 23.4 mpg (no AC apparently makes a difference). Very good I thought. Normal driving around town and to work I average 21.4 mpg per computer. I checked computer and it read very closely to actual mpg.
Also no sludge yet but I change oil/filter per Lexus recommendations. Trying to determine out if I should use Mobil 1 or the Castrol Syntec that the Lexus dealer uses or does it make no difference.

im_brentwood

Florida is probably the cheapest place to buy a Lexus.

Shop JM, Countyline, Palm Beach, and you may even want to Try Orlando (New style of management, they sort of run things like a Ford store, but they will give cars away, which is good for you).

Also shop Lexus of Melbourne. Those 5 will be the cheap deal people in FL

Bill

johnbass

Hello guys, thanks for responding with your ideas so quickly... Hey TARIK, to respond to your post, the steering wheel's offset was about what you said, 30 degrees (55 minute position). And yes, the car was pulling to the right at freeway speeds. I think the pulling is a little bit better after the re-alignment, but I don't know if this is true or not: I heard somewhere that all cars are supposed to drift to the right slowly so you won't slam into oncoming traffic if you doze off at the wheel? Oh, another interesting thing about my little parking block incident; when I got the alignment done, the tech gave me a before and after printout of the alignment results. According to the report, it stated that before alignment, the LEFT FRONT tire's caster/toe in/out (I don't remember) was a -0.29, which was WAAAYY OUT of specs, even though I hit the curb with the RIGHT FRONT tire, which measured within specs even before alignment. Weird, huh? The tech said that maybe the impact transferred the force to the other side. Anyways, TIDESTER, to respond to your post, my right front tire was ok; it didn't get any impact air bubbles, nor was the rim damaged. How fast would I have to be going in order to drive up and over a parking block? Well, thanks everyone. I will continue to post all my follies here.

tidester

johnbass,

How fast would I have to be going in order to drive up and over a parking block?

That depends entirely on the size of the tire an and the height of the block.

tidester
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mrrogers

to my post about the rumored sludge problem. I was thinking this could actually be an opportunity to turn lemons into lemonade. Would you consider designing and marketing a tuned RX300 that would improve the current car? I am thinking along the lines of how the Saleen Mustang is an improvement over the current Mustang GT. Several posts have talked about the lack of performance of the standard 3.0 engine. I have also read about the waiting lists for the Acura MDX. Why not tap into this market by creating the tuned Gimpy RX350 with the Honda/Acura 3.5 engine? That could be Stage One. Edmunds has talked about the lack of a V8 for the RX in their review. Why not put the Ford Taurus SHO V8 into the RX as the Stage Two? You could add Eibach springs, Koni Struts, and 17 inch rims with Michelin Cross Terrains. Willard may be able to design an improvement to the wiring harness to upgrade the hvac system. Real English leather would improve the seats and door panels. I see cars like the M series BMWs and the Ruf Porsches, and I begin to think some people will pay big bucks for a tuned car.

ravl

I'm getting jealous of the postings that list decent gas mileage. I live in SoCal and the addition of MTBE, or whatever they call it, really drags my gas mileage down. I've had it set for a while now, with no resets, and I'm sitting at 18 mpg. If I reset it, it'll be more like 17.3. I got the 18 by hitting the freeway a while back.

Who woulda ever thought one little tenth of a gallon would excite a person?! You should see me when I finally get it to tick another tenth up! WoooHoooo! I had to restrain myself from commenting to my husband that he accelerated too extreme up a hill. I was afraid he'd knock the mpg's down! Sick sick sick.

Oh, did I mention I happen to like (a lot!) the pickup this car has? Gee....(scratching head)....I wonder if this has anything to do with dismal gas mileage?

wwest

And how about a set of rear coil springs specifically designed so snow chains can be used on the REAR and not just the front?

And what is the possibility of an electromagnetic clutch that's a direct drop in replacement for the "flaccid" VC?

I've already allocated the funds for designing an add-in module, part pre-propcessor and part post-processor, that woulld correct the NipponDenso HVAC flaws.

But, is there a bright young engineer out there that would be willing to take on the task of designing a motor oil contamination sensor? Amsoil just might be on to something great, but with no way to detect the EXCEPTIONS to the RULE, who in their right mind would take a chance on incurring such horrid expenses?

I think I know of at least one motor oil supply company that might be in the market for one of those.

wwest

variations. My 2001 AWD RX300 gets about 20MPG HWY if I work really hard at staying off the gas. About the same with regular vs preminum.

I just simply chalk it up to murphy and don't give it any further thought.

steevr1

Someone had asked if there was a foglight bulb that was close to the color of the HID low beams. Sylvania has just come out with there new Silverstar line of bulbs. The color temp of their bulbs are 4000K and true HID's are 4100K. Autozone sells them for $25 each.

My question is, has anyone changed a foglight bulb on the RX300 before. It seems impossible to get at it, yet alone even see it from the top or the bottom. There are two screws that hold the headlight assembly in place. I thought maybe the whole assembly slides forward and comes out. However after removing the two visible screws, something else seems to be still holding it in place. Any ideas?

Thanks.

gimpyrx

stevern

Hi all, I have been a long time lurker on this board and this is my first post, I hope that somebody can help me..Here goes..
..I have a 2000 RX300 with approx. 34,000 miles. My lease is up in Jan. '03. I have the Goodyear Integrity tires. I have noticed that the tire tread indicators are starting to show through...I have had the tires rotated religioulsy as per the maint. schedule. I thought that these tires had a 50,000 mile warranty on them. Who do I take this up with (if anybody?) It doesn't seem worth it to upgrade to the Michelin tires at approx $124 each since I only have 11 months left on the lease. Do I have a case with the warranty on my current tires? Or is it just easier to replace the tires with the same stock Goodyears ($70/ea). P.S. I live in the NY metro area, so we can see some decent snow. ANY help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

gimpyrx

I put the same back on,turn it in this year.POL!

fariebones

Hi, I am new to this message board. I am in the market for a new 2002 RX300. I was wondering if anyone knows of a dealer in the SF Bay Area, that has lower prices. A response would be greatly appreciated. Thankyou.

gimpyrx

My 2000 just sludged (at least I made it to 68,000) but still find that unacceptable as I have had my changed every 3000-5000 with receipts to prove it. Seeing all these posts made me accept a little quicker that Toyota is not going to do anything for me so I informed them of the action I was taking and would encourage anyone else to do the same...I am taking my van to Maaco and for $400 am having it painted lemon yellow, I am then going to either paint or use stickers to put BUYER BEWARE in large black letters on both sides. I am copying my toyota estimate ($8300) and listing all web addresses I can find with these postings and will give this info to anyone that asks about my yellow van and will leave them in a plastic box suction cupped to my window when I am not in my van. I drive 150 miles a day on three major interstates between VA and MD so this yellow van should have quite an impact to many drivers. I also work right across the street from a toyota dealer so anyone going to that dealer will see my van five days a week. I have also contacted a local news channel group, 7 On Your Side about my plan. My husband asked if I will be embarrassed driving this yellow van around, and my response is heck no! Not as embarrassed as throwing good money after bad by continually giving toyota money for repairs for a defective engine!! Hope others will follow suit, wouldn't it be great to see all these yellow vans around, but better yet help keep other poor saps from having this problem!!

pmccarthy@craftstarhomes.com

This is SWEET!

mooretorque

stevern, 34k isn't too bad. I'm unaware if there is a 50k warranty on the Integritys, but all tire info is located in the same leather wallet that contains your owner's manual. It WILL state that tire issues are addressed by the Goodyear dealer.

Considering your situation (lease up in 12 mos), I'd just replace the Integritys with the same rim protectors. If there is any warranty, it will be a prorated one, and should pay for 1 (and maybe part of a second) tire. It's really not that the Integritys are so bad, just that there are better, though more expensive, alternatives. Of course, since this car is my wife's driver and my children normally travel in her car, I don't mind the expense.

gdanczyk

fariebones- The only dealer that I know of in the SF area that has good prices is Lexus of Concord. I personally ordered my RX from Lexus of Riverside (www.lexusofriverside.com) (select Quick Quote) and had them ship it up on a flatbed truck. It was less expensive than all the Bay Area Dealers that I dealt with. Hope this helps!

fariebones

I will see what riverside can offer before I look into concord. Thankyou again

jeffmust2

Try Cory Williams, their Internet Manager (909/353-0903)-- a pleasure to deal with.

Just make sure you don't buy Gimpy's used '99 RX300 after he returns it.

raybear

Make sure you included all the options. I'll take exception to what Bill says, I think Southern California is the best place to go to get a deal on a Lexus, the selling price is usually a little better'n Florida and they're limited to a $45 doc fee (fariebones, take notice).

dorothyct

Posted an update on Saturday. Post #4114.

Dorothy

raybear

Did you use the $400 at DeRosa's or Rocco's?

dorothyct

Must admit my mind was totally preoccupied. I forgot even to look across the street to see if DeRosa's was there.

Oh well. Now I'll just have to spend it at the mall.

raybear

Rocco's is across the street. Not that it matters. Have fun with the RX.

fantom

an upgraded set of tires Dorothy, you will not regret it. Trade the Goodyears for Bridgestone H/Ls or Michelin CTs and your ride will improve
dramatically.

durango318

Has anyone run into a situation where you followed the service manual's recommended interval (7,500 miles) for oil changes, but upon learning there are problems with your engine, or for any other reason, a Lexus representative tells you the engine needs oil changes more frequently? I'll check this message board frequently. Thanks

wwest

If you're gullible enough to believe it the Lexus service manager would tell you that you need to change out the acid in your battery every 5000 miles.

fariebones

I have been contacted by someone at riverside lexus and they seem to be well priced. Thankyou. I will let you know what happens. Can the internet manager do better than a sales person?
thankyou.

subal

Just purchased a 2002 AWD from the fleet mgr there, Francose.
They treated better than when I bought my Jag last year.

Subal

fasterthanu

Re: oil change interval

The manual shows two maintenance intervals depending on how much you drive your RX. I forget exactly what the mileages are, but basically, if you drive casually and not all that often, then Lexus recommends changes at 7,500 miles. If you drive daily, and rev harder (and tow), they recommend their 5,000 mile interval (or less even, up to you).

It's actually a reasonable suggestion. Ounce of prevention and pound of cure and all that jazz. Take care of your RX, it'll coddle you for a long time to come.

wwest

is defined as towing, or lots of idling (taxi{?}), or lots of short trips wherein the engine doesn't get enough time to fully warm up and thus purge the water condensation inside the engine and in the oil itself. For these uses and/or circumstances Lexus recommends 5000 mile oil changes.

Driving every day, even 24/7 and high revs ("normal" loading and within reason) wouldn't be rough service therefore only 7500 mile oil changes are recommended.

mrrogers

ounce of prevention. Over in the Edmunds "Maintenance and Repair" section, there is a topic called Engine Sludge. A certified lubricant engineer ran some tests, and claims it is possible for the oil to shear and break down in as little as 4,000 miles in the Toyota/Lexus 3.0 V6. It would not happen to every engine; only about one in ten, so I wouldn't worry about it. You Lexus Master Black Belts help me out here. I think that is close to a six sigma quality level. One theory has the cam gears shearing the oil. Another theory has Toyota making the cooling passages in the head too small when they redesigned the 3.0 engine in 1997 to the LEV (low emission vehicle) status. It could be the most interesting site on the world wide web. Good luck!

outrun

More than one person out of the 100s of 1000s of people with the 3.0 V6 would be complaining of sludge. Think of all the Camarys, ES300's, RX300's, GS300's, etc.

And that one person didn't bother to change his oil for a very, very, very long time due to his gullability in a stupid product claiming protection for a very, very, very long time.

-Craig

dorothyct

Hi - Anyone order their cargo net from Irontoad?

Lexus dealership wanted $69 for it and I knew from surfing irontoad.com that it is there for $23.50 - so I laughed at the $69 and said forget it.

Today I saw someone selling one on eBay - it is up over $45. What's up with that?

Anyway - anyone order theirs from irontoad? How come it's so much cheaper????

Dorothy

mooretorque

Outrun, not to pick a nit, but the GS300 has the same inline 6 as the (late, great) SC300 and the Supra and SupraTT. It is 3.0L but has no other relationship to the V6.

Other than that, your point is well made.

outrun

mooretorque,

Thanks for the correction. My apologies to all about the inaccuracy of the GS300 engine.

-Craig