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Comments
It's been awhile since I've seen any buzz about the '03 RX300. Will there be any changes?? Will there be any info released at the Chicago Auto Show? What gives? I'm hoping that there will be some modifications.....since my '00 lease is up in January '03. I would hate for Lexus to modify the RX the following MY. ..keeping my fingers crossed.......Steve
Bob W (62k miles on the 2000 RX 300)
I assume the a $1500 dealer incentive means that the dealer can give me the RX300 for $1500 less, correct?
Definitely NOT doable for me....
First, I would assume you want an AWD model (Seattle) and that might be hard to get in Florida. We bought a T&C AWD in Arkansas a few years ago and the closest one the dealer could find was in Chicago.
Second, the Lexus Nav will be fine in major cities and if you don't leave the interstate system but map coverage, say in Monroe, or Bellingham is poor to non-existant. If you use the nav to calulate shortest time or distance you will need to cross check it against a map. We found it to be over an hour off calulating the shortest time route from Condon Oregon to Seattle.
My wife and I picked up our 996 last June at POE and visted relatives in memphis and Montana on the way home, great drive, great experience.
RX300 notes of caution:
Snow chains cannot be installed on the rear wheels because of poor clearance and Lexus has acknowledged that while the owners manual recommends chains only on the front that configuration, greatly superior traction on the front vs the rear, can be extremely hazardous in low traction conditions.
The AWD model is predominantly FWD and the highest percentage of torque that can be measured in adverse circumstances, VC fully active, on a 4 wheel dyno was 25% The RX300 is a poor AWD if you plan to ski or drive over our mountain passes in the wintertime.
Also be very careful of the climate control in wintertime conditions. Lexus continues to use the A/C to dehumidify the airflow and thus prevent and remove windsield condensation even when the a/c COMPRESSOR IS COMPLETELY NON-FUNCTIONAL because the OAT is too low.
On my 2001 AWD RX300 I have removed the A/C compressor clutch relay for the duration to prevent the random, and potentially extremely hazardous incidents of the windshield completely fogging over almost instantaneously.
If I want to remove condensation from the interior surface of the windshield I "flick" the temperature control to max heat and activate the front defrost function to inflict a sure and quick "state change" on the condensed moisture.
Why not take factory delivery of an non-nav ML320 in Alabama instead?
Does anyone know ..
Equipment level is very well equip.
thank in advance
As for his remarks:
Snow chains: The RX300 is an AWD Camry raised a few inches, and equipment with total luxury. If you live or drive in ANY conditions that require snow chains, do NOT drive an RX300. Period. End of story. Maybe in a few weeks, Willy will be trying to attach a snow plow to the front of his RX300, and quibble that a plain old pickup truck can do it, so why shouldn't the all mighty RX300?
AWD: No matter what Willy says, the AWD system work, and works wonderfully. I tried to get a tire spinning on 4 inches of snow. Punched the gas. Just took off like it was dry. The VSC and Traction control also assist you in preventing loss of control around corners and stopping.
Climate Control: Let's face it. Lexus has sold 100's of thousand of these things. He's the only one who complains about the climate control. It works as it's supposed to. He can take all his geology terminology and throw it out the window.
ML320: If you want one of those instead, go right ahead. I think they're butt ugly.
-Craig
And an RX just makes it better. I am sure they would have AWDs in FL too- because they are available plenty in AZ.
Assuming you drive the first 1000 miles less than 60 and vary engine speed etc its a great idea.
I have driven my RX from Phoenix AZ to Seattle WA; round trip from Seattle WA to Salt Lake City UT and another round trip from Seattle WA to Phoenix AZ.
Unfortunately I was driving alone and had only CDs for company. It will be a nice time for you and whomever you are travelling with. I am not sure how comfortable the passenger seat is for long drives.
And dont forget to stop and smell flowers and enjoy life's little joys.
Senthil
So what DID you prove?
That the AWD "TRAC" acts exactly like the FWD "TRAC" in 4 inches of snow!
When attempting to install the wiring harness, I could not find where to plug it in. My car is in for its 30K service and I asked the dealer to take a look. They said the wiring harness would not work and it would cost $288 to get the wiring done. Is this crazy? Has anyone done done the wiring themselves on a 2000? Would it be advisable to take the car elsewhere (Toyota, trailer seller, etc.) for the wiring harness installation? Thanks for any input!!
gsenthil: Yes - the car drives far better mainly because the letters are on the inside! Haven't you seen other cars withe the godawful advertising all over the tires! Now you tell me which provides a better ride!
paulblue02: You're right. The deal I got was comparable to yours. I got the same "extras" that you did. I like that I can have them rotated often and at no cost. I figure that way I won't delay or postpone having it done. Thanks for the clarification!
1) lots of yellow electrical tape striping (evidently yellow is the color of power for slammed civics, integras and eclipses.....net hp gain: approx 5 hp for each linear foot)
2) multiple window decals from aftermarket mfgrs, the more the better. presence of equipment from a particular mfgr touted is optional. net hp gain: 2 hp per sticker.
3) aftermarket muffler tip, folgers coffee can size, at least. don't bother with the rest of the exhaust system; chicks really go for "the big can", and you can save some money by using an actual coffee can with some spray paint! just the can itself is the next best thing to having NOS (nitrous), as far as power on demand is concerned.
4) don't forget the all important and, dare I say, de riguer 4 foot high rear wing. this is an absolute necessity for maximum horsepower and roadhanding. On the RX, this may cause some clearance problems with certain overpasses, but we're NOT talking compromises here.
5) lighting modifications.....we could go on ad nauseum regarding the handling improvements available by changing your turn signal bulbs and lense colors, but this field really deserves it's own post, so we'll stop here. suffice to say that 1 g cornering is easily within your grasp (and your wallet)!
Why, your RX will run with a Murcielago given these horsepower and handling enhancements! I've gotten myself so excited, I'm on my way to the garage to work on wifey's RX right now!!!!! She'll be so..........thrilled, I'm certain of it!
I have learned that in Ohio, you must take an out of state car with a "Salvage Rebuildable" title to a dealer before you can get your new title. The dealer only checks the mileage and VIN. The problem is that the title bureau then issues a "Salvage Rebuilt" title which I assume would ruin the resale value of the car. The 2000 RX I saw was gone, but the dealer now has a black 2001 AWD that is four months old with 3,000 miles. It also is a theft recovery. He claims it was titled at $38K, and he is asking $27,700. I would think that would be a $33K car with a clean title. You can view it at: www.ecocar.com.
Pass. $6K or so under current wholesale... No way.
Bill
Pete
Just goes to show that you don't even read messages in full, fly off the handle with a embarassing reply.
I quote:
"I tried to get a tire spinning on 4 inches of snow. Punched the gas. Just took off like it was dry."
You're reply:
"If you couldn't get the RX300 to spin its tires in 4 inches of snow it was becuase the TRAC ECU dethrottled the engine to prevent wheelspin, just like its supposed to do."
Gee Willy, if the TRAC ECU dethrottled the engine, would the car still have taken off like it was dry? Maybe YOUR RX cuts throttle on dry pavement, but mine doesn't.
The VSC ECU cuts the throttle when cutting the wheel at a stop and hitting the gas hard.
Willy, please read the entire message, think about it, take a nap, some geritol, or whatever you do, and then reply sensibly.
Thank you,
-Craig
Sorry, I read "punched the gas" to mean WOT. At WOT and with 220HP and 4 inches of snow it is inconcieveable to me that you didn't incur wheelspin. So if the VSC/TRAC didn't modulate the torque delivery then you must have, although you didn't say so.
AZ has lots of mountains and snow, FL has ONLY flatland and swamps, mostly swamps from what I saw last week driving from Daytona to Tampa.
Not saying FL wouldn't have RX AWD available, but selection of options/colors would definitely be lower.
less than 10% of RXs sold here in Florida are AWDs. Perhaps one out of 20. Its flat and tropical here.
Bill
Who feels bad for Willard for having to drive down I-4 as I have to do every day! grrr...
David
At the first place I went to a dealer agreed to sell fully loaded 4wd RX300 with no navigation for $36,200. It looks like it had pretty much all optional equipment maybe except chrome wheels and the price is pretty much the invoice figure. The carsdirect price for the same configuration (w/o chrome whels) is $37,400, the edmunds tmv is even higher.
At another place I went to the dealer hapily agreed to much above price. There is a $2,000 luxury package rebate which is listed on windows stickers at both places.
I'm sure at both places dealers are making their profit (around $1000 maybe?). But just by looking at the invoice it seems like they are making none.
So where am I getting screwed? I just think that it's by definition whenever one buys a new car or anything else from a car dealer he'she "is getting screwed", this is virtually by design of the car sales system. But this is a diferent topic on a different board. No offense, car dealers at this board, I know many of you are honest guys.
I should also mention that i'm trying to trade in my honda accord and the price thay are offering does not match mine. This is what's keeping me from making a deal so far. Both dealers though said that they would sell me rx300 for the same price ($36,200) even if I don't trade in my old car.
So what commission are they getting? Just their holdback?
And second, is the prices on the East coast are really lower than in the rest of the country?
Thanks.
Senthil
Here is what I can do on the Garmin that cannot be done on the Lexus system:
1. Being able to identify the POI's at the upcoming exits when on an interstate.
2. Being able to list all the restaurants by distance to your current location.
3. Being able to change your destination to a marked waypoint while the car is moving.
4. The logic of not allowing usage of all of the features of the GPS while the vehicle is in motion is just lame. This so-called safety feature does not take into account that the passenger can act as the map operator, to obtain the data while the car is enroute.
5. Displaying the POI's on the screen without displaying their name, makes this feature useless. One has to touch each symbol to display the name, now that is distracting.
I could go on, but I will stop with this last comment. On our next cross-country trip we will take the Garmin along with the Lexus' GPS so we can have the best of both worlds. The Lexus NAVTECH system has some nice autorouting and rerouting features, and the color is nice, but it is not worth the extra 2 to 4k it costs to have it.
Especially if you paid $4k for it - blast those crooked Lexus dealers!!
almost forgot.....don't forget to staple some wire screening behind anything on your RX that can pass for an air intake...this is a must and is worth easily a full second in 0-60 improvement.
vzin, holdback is 2%, so the dealer is making something, plus not having an RX floorplanned.....supply has caught up with demand and since there were no significant changes between '01 and '02, there are plenty around. no real surprise they're willing to deal.....
Tarik
The lowest price I can get the dealer down to on the RX300 with the basic premium plus package is $36,911 (in Smithtown(Long Island), NY). Is anyone else having better luck?
Date: Wed Feb 06, 2002 08:26:22 AM US/Pacific
Subject: TMS Offers Special Program for Engine Oil Gel Condition
Irv A Miller
02/05/2002 11:07 AM
Please respond to Bruce Ertmann/TMS/Toyota
To:
cc:
Subject: TMS Offers Special Program for Engine Oil Gel Condition
An Important Message from Irv Miller
Group Vice President, Corporate Communications
Dear Associate:
After discovering that a small number of Toyota and Lexus vehicle owners
have encountered engine oil gelling resulting from lack of proper
maintenance, we have created a new customer goodwill program to pay for
repairs for a 12-month period.
The one-time Special Policy Adjustment (SPA) program will reimburse owners
for past repairs that they have paid for and for repairs during the policy
period if they are done at Toyota and Lexus dealerships. The only condition
is that owners be able to show that they changed the oil/filter in their
vehicles at least once per year.
Although the overall complaint rate on oil gelling is less than 0.1 percent
(about 3,400 units), we see this as an opportunity to show our customers we
stand behind the quality of our vehicles and to re-enforce our maintenance
policy. Even highly reliable Toyota and Lexus vehicles need their
oil/filter changed on a regular basis.
Letters containing details on the SPA program are being sent to owners of
certain 1997-2001 model-year vehicles with 4- and 6-cylinder engines.
Vehicles covered by the SPA include Camry, Camry Solara, Sienna, Avalon,
Celica, Highlander, Lexus RX 300 and Lexus ES 300. The letter also
encourages owners to service their vehicles on the schedule in their
owner’s manuals.
The Toyota Scheduled Maintenance Guide and Lexus Owner’s Manual Supplement
stipulate oil changes every 7,500 miles or six months, whichever comes
first, for normal driving conditions. For severe driving conditions, we
recommend changing the oil every 5,000 miles, or four months, whichever
comes first.
If you, a family member, friend or customer needs more information on oil
gelling or this Special Policy Adjustment, please contact the Toyota
Customer Assistance Center at 1-888-802-9436 or the Lexus Customer
Assistance Center at 1-888-654-6421. Thank you.
before then, we spent more than a couple month to choose btwn es300 and this, this was our final choice.
but now i wonder if that choice was really the right.
these are some negative pts i found out from my car
1. the accelator was too tight
had to push hard to get some hp
2. handling was too smooth so that i felt sorta not well safe during highway drive
3. not too much fun to drive
but my mom likes the smootheness
4. my hips lean aside too much when cornering
so i'm thinking to exchange this to es300 IF possible
can u give me some advices??
If you replace whatever tires came on the RX with Michelin CrossTerrains, your steering feel and cornering response will improve tremendously, without any deterioration in comfort or noise.
Can't do anything about the drive by wire throttle. The horsepower and torque are there (actually more than in the ES) but RX was not designed for a sporty throttle response.
As far as lateral support when cornering, the RX isn't designed to be a sports sedan, therefore the seats are not very deeply bolstered. But the RX isn't designed in the same vein as the BMW X5, so most folks who were looking for sports sedan-like handling went over to the store with the roundel. Or bought a sports sedan. And, btw, the ES doesn't fit that bill either. Lexus has positioned it as a little brother to the LS, not the GS.
And zielinw is absolutely right as far as taking a big depreciation hit. At least 4k.
The RX is really a great car for what it is; it just doesn't appear to be quite what you want. Having said that, you definitely need to (at some point, anyway) get precisely what you want. Things that you don't like about your vehicle tend to grate on your soul every time you drive it and, in general, your mental discomfort won't fade as time passes. So, trade away, if you can afford it. But drive the ES for at least a full weekend before you decide to get one. Don't make the same mistake twice. my .02
RX300 is a Small Box on the inside which does not equal lots of room. With 4 people, you will have little room behind the second seat row for luggage. The factory roof rack is a bit of a joke, with no runner-strip type protection for the roof's paint so you would need to add some hardware items up there to accept luggage without damages. Easy to do but then the roof is only rated for holding about 75# if I remember it right.
Fill-up your van with the items you take on your trip then go to a Lexus dealer and put them in the back of the RX300. Or two of them.
The RX has HID, VSC and TRAC and a useless Nav system. It is also quite luxorious and very reliable.
The Chrysler will seat seven fairly comfortably with room left over for some baggage, can fit snow chains on all four wheels and its AWD is fully functional.
If you live in a northern climate do not get the RX, its climate control is designed only for warm climate as is the AWD drive train.
I think you could save at least a few hundred $$ by buying in NJ over Long Island. I bought mine in 2000 @ Ray Catena and they had the best prices in the NY/NJ area. There were also some negative postings in the past about LI dealers. $36,200 sounds like a decent price in the East Coast.
sundoo409, I think after a few thousand miles you willsee some improved performance in the acceleration. If the tight turns is really a problem you might want to change to Michelins CT's but again the RX only gets sweeter as time goes by.
o Snow chains do NOT belong on an RX300.
o The AWD system in the RX actually works.
o The Climate Control is perfectly fine and actually better than most.
o The Nav System is great for the purpose that it's advertised to deliver, and is better than those by BMW, Acura, MB, etc.
-Craig
Snow chains were okay to use on my 1960 RWD Ford Sunliner sedan, but would be a REAL mistake on the RX.
And outrun is correct, if you live in an area where you only have to content with rain and oil-slicked streets the RX300 AWD will work fine for you.
And no, I didn't expect the same level of AWD performance as the previous Jeeps' but I did expect something more on a par with the Chrysler T&C AWD, or maybe the Jeeps' fulltime mode. The RX AWD is not even close.