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Especially with twin cars like RX300 and Highlander, LX470 and Land Cruiser, ES300 and Camry, etc. There are many shared parts. Even without shared parts, I don't see why Toyota can't service Lexus. Further, Any independent shop can provide appropriate service without voiding warranty provided by "genuine" dealers.
First off, let me say that I have now read all 2,255 posts on this message board. I have found it to be very informative. Due to the discussions and information posted herein, I have been able to purchase my new Rex, AWD, Nav, Bun Warmers (that is what my wife calls the heated seats), Accessory Cross Bars, Cargo Mat and Wheel Locks for $38,400 plus tax (about $1,500 under CarsDirect.com).
I really like the look of the spoiler, but the dealership actually suggested against getting it due to the increase in wind noise.
My questions
(1) Anyone out there have experience with the spoiler on the 2001 and the increase in wind noise?
(2) After hearing all of the opinions on the tires, what tires should I upgrade to, what should I expect the cost to upgrade the tires to be and should the dealership do it for me?
Does anyone have suggestions as to how to best clean the film off of the headlights? There appears to be a light coating of some sort (road grime? oil? etc.?) and I would like to have it cleaned off as easily as possible. Thanks.
1) The rear spoiler does not add noise. In fact, it was the old, ugly "wind deflector" on the '99s that added noise. That's why Lexus changed to a "spoiler" on the 2000's and up. I suspect your sales person is trying to talk you out of it because he has a model in stock without the spoiler, these are usually port installed or from the factory. If he has to install it he has to eat the labor charge.
2) Tires. The 2001 RX AWD can come with either the Goodyear's or Bridgestones from the factory. Tell your dealer you want the Bridgestones, they will usually swap off of another vehicle if necessary. No charge. If you want something else (like Michelins) there will be a nominal charge.
I've been using the local Toyota dealership for 4-5 years for work on my '93 Lexus GS 300 after it came off warranty and will continue to use them for work on my GS and RX after its out of warranty. They have done a great job on the GS including brake job, transmission oil change, trunk lid strut replacement (on warranty) and, of course routine oil changes for under $20. Might consider using Lexus for some serious engine work but otherwise I wouldn't think of using Lexus for those bogus 15, 30, and 60K checks. A huge $$ ripoff--always has been, always will be. Just make sure you have an honest Toyota dealer--fortunately I do.
I am new to Lexus. Your board has been Great. I would like to know if I got a good deal on My new one I leased yesterday. The main option is the whole package my Sticker says 41,576 + 545 - msrp discount of 1500 total sticker 40621.00. Did I get a good deal or did I get Savaged
Also, my first Major gripe (there is always one) is why you cannot get the interior light to come on when you open the doors.There is no button for Door
I paid 38000.00 even on the deal before taxes and stuff. My lease will be 3yrs $663 a mth Thanks all.
1. Interior light: When all else fails, read the manual. There's a center-mounted switch near the moonroof control that will automate the interior light coming on with a door open (unlike the Santa Fe, where Hyundai supplies a bulb, wires, and a carbon zinc battery and their 10-year warranty coverage, except for the bulb and battery).
2. Good lease deal: When a prospective buyer tells a dealer they want to lease and it's painfully obvious that they haven't got a clue as to how to do the calculations on their own, that salesman must feel like he just won the lotto. You might want to do your homework before leasing a car, perhaps by going to Edmunds "Leasing" boards and learning how to do the math.
When you purchase outright, it's easy to see how the deal works: Your final price out-the-door or your monthly payments multiplied by number of contract months.
On a lease, there are many more factors. You don't list how many miles per year your contract calls for, how much cash up front (if any), the residual amount, the money (finance) factor, the pay-off amount at end-of-lease, etc.
Example: Our 2001 RX is on a 36-mo lease, 15k miles/year, 15 cents a mile over 45k miles at end--of-lease, sticker of $41K, capitalization cost of $36K, residual of $24K, no cash upfront other than Lexus $500 loyalty coupon, money factor of 7.85%, payments of $513/mo plus sales tax.
Your RX stickered for $600 more than ours; based on a 50% residual value, you should pay $300 more plus interest over the 36 months or about $15 more than the $513 plus your local sales tax percent.
I am new to Lexus. Your board has been Great. I would like to know if I got a good deal on My new one I leased yesterday. The main option is the whole package my Sticker says 41,576 + 545 - msrp discount of 1500 total sticker 40621.00. Did I get a good deal or did I get Savaged
Also, my first Major gripe (there is always one) is why you cannot get the interior light to come on when you open the doors.There is no button for Door
I paid 38000.00 even on the deal before taxes and stuff. My lease will be 3yrs $663 a mth Thanks all.
jeffmust2 Thanks My math is not great here are the #s Adj Cap Cost 38571.50 MTH of 613.18 *35 = 23874.48 Total Payments 1163.18 due at Signing Pay off 24372.60 12k per year. Add Sales tax to Mth makes it 663.18 We have 9% sales tax Thanks.
I agree the Lexus services are expensive. I just had the 15K service done. I paid $289 (chicagoland). I must say that these prices vary from dealers to dealers. I was quoted $450 at a different dealer. I would recc calling to check prices prior to having it done.
Lexus services at Toyota: I would feel comfortable getting minor services such as oil changes done at Toyota dealership, something more involved, I would have to think twice.
Doing lease math is kinda boring for other posters so if you want to know what numbers go where, send me a direct email at jeffmust@aol.com.
All in all, your pay-off ("residual") is OK at $24K or 63%, the money factor/interest rate I believe is around 8.0% which is OK, and so on.
The part of your deal that could have been better is the discount on cap price, from $41.6k down to $38.6k or about -7%. A lot of Lexus dealers (but perhaps not in your area) are doing 12% off MSRP or even better, so the cap price could get closer to the $35-36k area. For example, if your RX had a cap price of $36.0k, the lease payment would be $526 plus $47 tax, a total of $573/mo, about $90 less than you're paying.
By the way, your $1163 up front cash paid for payment #1 along with DMV fees, so there are 36 payments involved.
Don't feel bad; it's a great vehicle and it's likely that at end-of-lease you can sell it for more than the $24k pay off.
Next time, don't tell the dealer (any dealer) that you will be leasing the vehicle - always negotiate as if you will be buying for cash. Get the lowest possible out-the-door price - THEN say, "Hey, you know what, what's your best 'captive' leasing company deal?"
"Captive" means they have to quote the factory's finance company, in this case Lexus Financial Services. With other leasing deals like Citibank, World, etc., dealers can play with the residuals and money factors to their heart's content, making it tough to compare one deal to another.
I just noticed the finish (paint?) is coming off two of the standard wheels that came with my 4 month old RX. Has anyone else had this problem? Should this be covered by the warranty? I did not notice any dents or signs of chips in the wheels or anywhere else on the car, so I doubt this is from any road chips.
I have noticed that several owners have installed or are considering the installation of 17 or 18 inch wheels. What is the speedometer effect, if any, when the new wheels and tires are installed and does anyone have a method to correct for any radius changes?
Lexus dealers in NJ want $700 installed. Lexus parts dept gets $400 for the hitch. Irontoad.com sells it for $379 and Autonet Performance for $350. (plus shipping). U-Haul quoted $169 installed but they use one made by Valley Industries which requires some drilling to mount it. Draw-Tite makes one to fit the RX(no drilling). Dealers quoted $229 to $269 installed. 1800hitch.com sells it for about $150 plus shipping. In my opinion the best hitch is actually the cheapest. Bageco.com sells one made by HiddenHitch for the Toyota Highlander for $109.56 plus s&h. It fits and looks at least as good as the factory hitch. It is a quality unit, exceeds the towing capacity of the RX and very easy to install. It took me 20 minutes to install. No drilling,6 bolts, it fits factory mounting holes perfectly. 1800hitch.com also sells it for about $130. I am sure they will start charging more once they realize it fits the RX.
Tonight we purchased a 2001 AWD RX300 with all the trimmings (except NAV system) for about $300 over invoice. We followed the strategy someone had suggested in this Town Hall: sent an e-mail to every dealer in the local Baltimore-Washington area listing the invoice prices, the MSRP prices and a fair profit of about $1000. Most of the respondents sneered at our offer, but one dealer, who happens to be the closest one to our house, met our price and spent the evening working through the transaction. This was the last day of their accounting period, so there was a big incentive for them to move as many vehicles off their inventory as they could, so their needs and ours coincided. They insisted that we come this evening, so we did, and we came home with a beautiful new SUV. The experience, by the way, was outstanding.
Persistence pays, and if you have a sense of what you want and what you should pay, you shouldn't take, "I'm afraid you have to go far from this area to get that price" for an answer. (a response e-mail) We wrote him back and told him not to be afraid!
Can anyone tell me for certain that the RX 2001 already has the aux oil cooler installed from the factory? I want to add a tow hitch but I will only do it myself if the oil cooler is already installed and the electric is easy to do. I guess it would be ideal for Lexus to have pre-wired the hitch harness and simply tuck it up in the frame...
There are many quality bike racks available to fit a 2" receiver hitch in a wide range of prices. The Roc-N-Gate by Yakima (www.yakima.com) received high praise in previous posts and looked like the best to me. It is also the most expensive at $459. from just about everyone. I did a search and found www.rack-n-roll had it listed for $399. I called to make sure they had it in stock and they quoted $459. They said their web site just wasn't updated with the new price but ended up selling it to me for $399. The Roc-N-Gate has many features like built in locks, swings out of the way to open rear hatch, super heavy duty, plus others. Other Yakima models and other manufactures make models that tilt down for opening the rear hatch but you first have remove the bikes before tilting down the rack (yes, it's correct I checked with their tech support). I think Thule makes a tilt down model with a piston on it that you don't have to remove bikes. Maybe others do to. Something else to remember, if your bike does not have a top tube (mens) with most rear racks you need some type of adapter to make it fit nice. I used the Yakima and also an older Thule without the adapter but you get a much better fit with it.
Towing Prep Pkg/with transmission oil cooler is standard. It's on your window sticker. For hitch info see post 2274. For electric get plug in harness (part Q14467) from www.toyotaguys.com for Toyota Highlander ($24).
Mikey00, thanks for the info, I found your post regarding the hitch and I was very pleased with the pricing and ease of installation (factory mounting). I called my Lexus dealer today (Lexus of Alexandria, Alexandria, VA) to be told Lexus does NOT offer a hitch for the 2001 RX 300. They offer it installed at the port but do not offer it through the dealer. I mentioned that I was pretty sure others have had it done or at least priced through Lexus and she assured me Lexus will not sell the parts for the 2001 model.
I must say, I am very dissapointed that an SUV that comes with the necessary oil cooler and pre-wiring for a hitch can't be done at a dealer if that's what I want. I guess I'll buy the $105.00 hitch and the $24.00 harness and do it myself. This just makes me think about skipping Lexus service altogether and have the work done at Toyota as others have. She basically said "go to -haul for a hitch" which is something I would really think Lexus would want to ensure was done correctly and in line with their warranty (ie; no class III hitch since it is rated for class II, etc)...
Your dealer is wrong, please do not generalize that all Lexus dealers or Lexus Corporate is like your dealer.
I just called my dealer and they said they could order it, no problem. Plus, IronToad.com (an authorized dealer parts department) sells it online here: http://www.irontoad.com/l_associated.htm
Bottomline, you need to find another dealer to service your Lexus.
Sorry if you were offended, it was not my intention to slam all Lexus dealers. Are you in fact a Lexus salesman, service technician or dealership-owner?
Please do me a favor and give me the name of your dealer, I would like to give them a call and find out the price to install it...
Not offended, just trying to keep the info accurate here, unlike the other forums here on Edmunds ;-)
Call Ray Catena Lexus in NJ at (732) 493-2100 I'm not sure if parts will quote you a labor charge, usually they have to find a SA to do that. I've had them install Lexus parts I bought elsewhere and there without a problem.
Well, I took Mike00's advice and just ordered the Toyota highlander hitch from Bageco (tube-type hitch at $109.45'ish). I made the mistake and ordered the square tubing hitch made for the Lexus before re-reading his post and seeing that he in fact used the new tubular hitch designed for the Highlander. I also ordered the Toyota wiring harness from toyotaguys.com.
Thanks again Mike00
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"In my opinion the best hitch is actually the cheapest. Bageco.com sells one made by HiddenHitch for the Toyota Highlander for $109.56 plus s&h. It fits and looks at least as good as the factory hitch. It is a quality unit, exceeds the towing capacity of the RX and very easy to install."
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BTW, I decided to skip altogether trying to call Lexus again. Even if they offer it through the dealer at $375 + installation, it seems like they might be making a bit too much to bolt a hitch on and run a wiring harness from the factory harness plug. I am still confused as to why my dealer is so positive this is NOT available yet obviously others have not had the same response...
Jack, glad you found a good alternative. Actually, I'm really glad you did because I do mountain biking and would love to get a hitch for my Rex also. I have no desire to overpay for something if I can get something just as good for less.
As to your dealer, well, he is a rarity in the world of Lexus dealers. If you ask most owners, they will tell you that their dealers will go out of their way to be helpful. They don't do this out of the goodness of their hearts, they know that excellent customer service means more $$$ in their pockets.
Good luck on the hitch, would be great if you could post some photos once you get it installed.
I just bought a new 2001 silversport rx300. I had to come back to Edmunds and post what I finally paid for it. The listed price was $37,433 and I paid $33,500. Tax, tag and title $35,710. Well, worth all of my research. This car is worth that and I felt it was a fare price. Edmunds said $34,100 was a TV price and I was under that price. I ended up having to play the dealers against each other, but if I was to do it again, I would fax in three days before the end of the month, to all dealers within driving distance and say this is what I want and this is what I will pay, the first one to get back to me I will be in to pick it up. Then, I would go to my local dealer and give him the chance to match it or beat it. If he does not, then make the drive. It is worth the savings. Good luck everyone!
I'm in the process of doing the same. Any reason you chose the tubular vs. square. Mikey00- How difficult was it to install the wiring harness, since the instructions were for a Toyota SUV.
Malhokc - I purchased the tubular hitch because I wanted to get the exact hitch Mikey00 purchased. Turns out they don't make a square tubing hitch (at least the manufacturer Mikey00 suggested) so that made the choice easy. Besides, I think the tubular hitch is more attractive than square tubing, just personal choice I suppose.
Confused/hard-nosed dealers by tonychrys - I will absolutely update you all on the install and take a few shots so folks can get an idea what it looks like. This forum has been most helpful to me so I will be sure and return the favor...
Like Jack, I also found the tubular hitch more attractive than square tubing (personal choice). Before I purchased it I did a lot of comparision between the HL and RX measuring bumper heights, mounting holes, etc and checking electrical wiring. The tow prep package is optional on the HL but once it's there it looks 100% identical to the tow prep package on the RX which is standard. The hitch is a 20 minute install and the directions with it are for the HL but exactly the same for the RX. I expect the wiring harness directions to be the same. I did not install the wiring harness yet and may never install it because I only use my hitch for a bike rack.
Someone posted asking about this problem. I've been curious about this too as one of the salesmen I've spoken to said they just chrome the alloy wheels. This sounds like a recipe for disaster down the road. Are all Lexus chrome wheels simply painted versions of the alloys, or can you get an honest to goodness chrome wheel from the deal?
Also, I got a kick out of the salesman trying to steer me towards those uglee Goodyear tires. He was trying to lump Bridgestone quality in with Firestone quality. My current car, a Toyota, has the Bridgestone Duelers and they're made in Japan. Good enough for me. 'Sides, the chrome option lists the Duelers as part of the deal.
For those of you shopping for the upgraded wheel & tire pkg, use this simple trick to get them to knock a big chunk off of MSRP: tell them you want a refund for the tires and wheels they're removing from the vehicle you've just purchased. Otherwise, you're paying for 2 complete sets of wheels!
What is that thing that would go on the front of the car and would deflect bugs and other small road debris from hitting your windshield. My dealer just got some in today and the price is surprisingly cheap but of course they didn't know what the installation charge would be. They will get back to me later. (not a lexus product) BTW, I did get my 15K service at a toyota dealer today, saved $400 bucks. I was in and out in 1.5 hours. They appeared to do the service correctly, I think.
I'm quite confident that the "mechanical" aspects of the RX300 AWD system have been the same since 99. I traded up from a 2000 to a 2001 RX with VSC and Trac becuase I felt that would give me a substantially better survival rate in pacific northwest winters.
70/30...Think of the RX setup, solid torque coupling to the front axle and viscous coupling to the rear axle, like towing a trailer wherein tongue compression applies the trailer brakes. The trailer braking will never "drag" the towing vehicle. Same with RX AWD, the rear axle "drive" can/will never "push" the front.
The pre-'01 RX300s did have a viscous coupling centre differential and a Torsen limited slip rear differential (optional), at least that's what my brochures and magazines say. Perhaps that's why the torque split ratio was different. I suspect that they may have changed it for the '01 model to accomodate VSC. Does your service manual make any references to the model years that it's applicable for?
Drew Host Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
Mine is for my 2000 that I traded in. Did I say something that implied that any RX did not have a viscous coupling?
The manual shows a "solid" connection between the transmission output and the front axle, and then a viscous coupling from the transmission output to the rear axle. The "coupling" to the rear will not "firm up" unless there is enough differential turning rate between the driven clutch plates and the output clutch plates to create turbulence in the viscous fluid thus heating it and raising its viscosity.
Once the increased torque brings the rear axle up to the same turning rate as the front the fluid will cool and you will be left with only the "latent" viscosity (30%) to drive the rear axle.
Your owners manual dictates chains only on the front wheels which should also be a rather good indicator of where the primary drive is routed.
I mentioned a couple of months ago that I would be taking my 2001 RX and trailer to the south west corner of France in the Basque region close to the Pyrenees mountains. The 5-week vacation is now over and I had no problems with the RX at all. I took a photo in northern Spain when we had a short rest as it was getting hot (for us Brits anyway 90F). http://www.btinternet.com/~harryrogers/Basquerx.jpg
Okay let me get this straight. So it appears that all of the RX's (even the '01s) still have a viscous coupling centre differential. Right? It makes me wonder why this is so though, other than for cost reasons for developing a new system, because if the front wheels start slipping faster than the rears, VSC should notice the wheel speed differential and then start reducing torque and or braking the slipping wheels. Unless the four wheel traction control component of VSC is designed not to activate until there is significant slippage either set of wheels. Any thoughts?
The 70/30 torque split sounds to me like they're trying match (well somewhat) the RX300's weight distribution. Drew Host Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accesories message boards
"Real Four-Wheel Drive, Made Easy: The transmission in the four-wheel drive RX 300 features an integrated transfer case and a viscous center differential that provides a 50/50 front-to-rear power split. The system requires no activation by the driver. If slippage occurs at the front or the rear, the viscous center differential automatically and transparently directs power to the wheels with the most traction. Customers can choose the RX 300 with the optional Vehicle Skid Control (VSC) system that helps control lateral skids by detecting and correcting understeer (front-wheel slide) and oversteer (rear-wheel swerve). "
The info I posted was for the 2001 model. Since changes do happen from year to year, I won't comment on the '99 model since I don't have any official information on that year. Sorry.
If you call your local Lexus dealer I'm sure a savvy SA or lead mechanic can answer your questions. That's what I usually do, and if they don't know they usually call Lexus corporate for the answer.
Talk about being confused, eh?! According to my Car & Driver, Motor Trend, and Popular Science magazines that have road tests of the MY1999 and MY2000 RX's, the split is also 50/50.
Edmunds' road test also mentions a 50/50 torque split ratio for the pre-'01 models:
Comments
I really like the look of the spoiler, but the dealership actually suggested against getting it due to the increase in wind noise.
My questions
(1) Anyone out there have experience with the spoiler on the 2001 and the increase in wind noise?
(2) After hearing all of the opinions on the tires, what tires should I upgrade to, what should I expect the cost to upgrade the tires to be and should the dealership do it for me?
Thanks in advance.
Bird
1) The rear spoiler does not add noise. In fact, it was the old, ugly "wind deflector" on the '99s that added noise. That's why Lexus changed to a "spoiler" on the 2000's and up. I suspect your sales person is trying to talk you out of it because he has a model in stock without the spoiler, these are usually port installed or from the factory. If he has to install it he has to eat the labor charge.
2) Tires. The 2001 RX AWD can come with either the Goodyear's or Bridgestones from the factory. Tell your dealer you want the Bridgestones, they will usually swap off of another vehicle if necessary. No charge. If you want something else (like Michelins) there will be a nominal charge.
The main option is the whole package my Sticker says 41,576 + 545 - msrp discount of 1500 total sticker 40621.00.
Did I get a good deal or did I get Savaged
Also, my first Major gripe (there is always one) is why you cannot get the interior light to come on when you open the doors.There is no button for Door
I paid 38000.00 even on the deal before taxes and stuff.
My lease will be 3yrs $663 a mth
Thanks all.
Thanks again.
1. Interior light: When all else fails, read the manual. There's a center-mounted switch near the moonroof control that will automate the interior light coming on with a door open (unlike the Santa Fe, where Hyundai supplies a bulb, wires, and a carbon zinc battery and their 10-year warranty coverage, except for the bulb and battery).
2. Good lease deal: When a prospective buyer tells a dealer they want to lease and it's painfully obvious that they haven't got a clue as to how to do the calculations on their own, that salesman must feel like he just won the lotto. You might want to do your homework before leasing a car, perhaps by going to Edmunds "Leasing" boards and learning how to do the math.
When you purchase outright, it's easy to see how the deal works: Your final price out-the-door or your monthly payments multiplied by number of contract months.
On a lease, there are many more factors. You don't list how many miles per year your contract calls for, how much cash up front (if any), the residual amount, the money (finance) factor, the pay-off amount at end-of-lease, etc.
Example: Our 2001 RX is on a 36-mo lease, 15k miles/year, 15 cents a mile over 45k miles at end--of-lease, sticker of $41K, capitalization cost of $36K, residual of $24K, no cash upfront other than Lexus $500 loyalty coupon, money factor of 7.85%, payments of $513/mo plus sales tax.
Your RX stickered for $600 more than ours; based on a 50% residual value, you should pay $300 more plus interest over the 36 months or about $15 more than the $513 plus your local sales tax percent.
The main option is the whole package my Sticker says 41,576 + 545 - msrp discount of 1500 total sticker 40621.00.
Did I get a good deal or did I get Savaged
Also, my first Major gripe (there is always one) is why you cannot get the interior light to come on when you open the doors.There is no button for Door
I paid 38000.00 even on the deal before taxes and stuff.
My lease will be 3yrs $663 a mth
Thanks all.
Thanks
My math is not great here are the #s
Adj Cap Cost 38571.50
MTH of 613.18 *35 = 23874.48 Total Payments
1163.18 due at Signing
Pay off 24372.60
12k per year.
Add Sales tax to Mth makes it 663.18
We have 9% sales tax
Thanks.
I was thinking the front overhead light should come on. There is no switch for that one
Lexus services at Toyota: I would feel comfortable getting minor services such as oil changes done at Toyota dealership, something more involved, I would have to think twice.
Doing lease math is kinda boring for other posters so if you want to know what numbers go where, send me a direct email at jeffmust@aol.com.
All in all, your pay-off ("residual") is OK at $24K or 63%, the money factor/interest rate I believe is around 8.0% which is OK, and so on.
The part of your deal that could have been better is the discount on cap price, from $41.6k down to $38.6k or about -7%. A lot of Lexus dealers (but perhaps not in your area) are doing 12% off MSRP or even better, so the cap price could get closer to the $35-36k area. For example, if your RX had a cap price of $36.0k, the lease payment would be $526 plus $47 tax, a total of $573/mo, about $90 less than you're paying.
By the way, your $1163 up front cash paid for payment #1 along with DMV fees, so there are 36 payments involved.
Don't feel bad; it's a great vehicle and it's likely that at end-of-lease you can sell it for more than the $24k pay off.
Next time, don't tell the dealer (any dealer) that you will be leasing the vehicle - always negotiate as if you will be buying for cash. Get the lowest possible out-the-door price - THEN say, "Hey, you know what, what's your best 'captive' leasing company deal?"
"Captive" means they have to quote the factory's finance company, in this case Lexus Financial Services. With other leasing deals like Citibank, World, etc., dealers can play with the residuals and money factors to their heart's content, making it tough to compare one deal to another.
Anyway, end of Leasing 101 for today.
thanks
Thanks
http://www.toyo.com/tire_basics/plus.html
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/plusone.htm
http://web.wt.net/~tbelcher/civictire.htm
When done properly, no adverse effect to the speedo, etc.
That's very useful info on the "plus sizing"!
U-Haul quoted $169 installed but they use one made by Valley Industries which requires some drilling to mount it.
Draw-Tite makes one to fit the RX(no drilling). Dealers quoted $229 to $269 installed. 1800hitch.com sells it for about $150 plus shipping.
In my opinion the best hitch is actually the cheapest. Bageco.com sells one made by HiddenHitch for the Toyota Highlander for $109.56 plus s&h. It fits and looks at least as good as the factory hitch. It is a quality unit, exceeds the towing capacity of the RX and very easy to install. It took me 20 minutes to install. No drilling,6 bolts, it fits factory mounting holes perfectly. 1800hitch.com also sells it for about $130. I am sure they will start charging more once they realize it fits the RX.
Could someone recommend a good bike rack that would fit that hitch (3 bikes)?
Thanks.
Persistence pays, and if you have a sense of what you want and what you should pay, you shouldn't take, "I'm afraid you have to go far from this area to get that price" for an answer. (a response e-mail) We wrote him back and told him not to be afraid!
Enjoy the miles!
Anyone???
Jack Fetter
Other Yakima models and other manufactures make models that tilt down for opening the rear hatch but you first have remove the bikes before tilting down the rack (yes, it's correct I checked with their tech support). I think Thule makes a tilt down model with a piston on it that you don't have to remove bikes. Maybe others do to.
Something else to remember, if your bike does not have a top tube (mens) with most rear racks you need some type of adapter to make it fit nice. I used the Yakima and also an older Thule without the adapter but you get a much better fit with it.
For hitch info see post 2274. For electric get plug in harness (part Q14467) from www.toyotaguys.com for Toyota Highlander ($24).
I must say, I am very dissapointed that an SUV that comes with the necessary oil cooler and pre-wiring for a hitch can't be done at a dealer if that's what I want. I guess I'll buy the $105.00 hitch and the $24.00 harness and do it myself. This just makes me think about skipping Lexus service altogether and have the work done at Toyota as others have. She basically said "go to -haul for a hitch" which is something I would really think Lexus would want to ensure was done correctly and in line with their warranty (ie; no class III hitch since it is rated for class II, etc)...
Jack
I just called my dealer and they said they could order it, no problem. Plus, IronToad.com (an authorized dealer parts department) sells it online here: http://www.irontoad.com/l_associated.htm
Bottomline, you need to find another dealer to service your Lexus.
Please do me a favor and give me the name of your dealer, I would like to give them a call and find out the price to install it...
Thanks,
Jack
Call Ray Catena Lexus in NJ at (732) 493-2100
I'm not sure if parts will quote you a labor charge, usually they have to find a SA to do that. I've had them install Lexus parts I bought elsewhere and there without a problem.
Thanks again Mike00
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"In my opinion the best hitch is actually the cheapest. Bageco.com sells one made by HiddenHitch for the Toyota Highlander for $109.56 plus s&h. It fits and looks at least as good as the factory hitch. It is a quality unit, exceeds the towing capacity of the RX and very easy to install."
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BTW, I decided to skip altogether trying to call Lexus again. Even if they offer it through the dealer at $375 + installation, it seems like they might be making a bit too much to bolt a hitch on and run a wiring harness from the factory harness plug. I am still confused as to why my dealer is so positive this is NOT available yet obviously others have not had the same response...
Jack
As to your dealer, well, he is a rarity in the world of Lexus dealers. If you ask most owners, they will tell you that their dealers will go out of their way to be helpful. They don't do this out of the goodness of their hearts, they know that excellent customer service means more $$$ in their pockets.
Good luck on the hitch, would be great if you could post some photos once you get it installed.
I'm in the process of doing the same.
Any reason you chose the tubular vs. square.
Mikey00- How difficult was it to install the wiring harness, since the instructions were for a Toyota SUV.
Thanks!
Confused/hard-nosed dealers by tonychrys - I will absolutely update you all on the install and take a few shots so folks can get an idea what it looks like. This forum has been most helpful to me so I will be sure and return the favor...
Jack
The hitch is a 20 minute install and the directions with it are for the HL but exactly the same for the RX. I expect the wiring harness directions to be the same. I did not install the wiring harness yet and may never install it because I only use my hitch for a bike rack.
Also, I got a kick out of the salesman trying to steer me towards those uglee Goodyear tires. He was trying to lump Bridgestone quality in with Firestone quality. My current car, a Toyota, has the Bridgestone Duelers and they're made in Japan. Good enough for me. 'Sides, the chrome option lists the Duelers as part of the deal.
For those of you shopping for the upgraded wheel & tire pkg, use this simple trick to get them to knock a big chunk off of MSRP: tell them you want a refund for the tires and wheels they're removing from the vehicle you've just purchased. Otherwise, you're paying for 2 complete sets of wheels!
BTW, I did get my 15K service at a toyota dealer today, saved $400 bucks. I was in and out in 1.5 hours. They appeared to do the service correctly, I think.
70/30...Think of the RX setup, solid torque coupling to the front axle and viscous coupling to the rear axle, like towing a trailer wherein tongue compression applies the trailer brakes. The trailer braking will never "drag" the towing vehicle. Same with RX AWD, the rear axle "drive" can/will never "push" the front.
Drew
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The manual shows a "solid" connection between the transmission output and the front axle, and then a viscous coupling from the transmission output to the rear axle. The "coupling" to the rear will not "firm up" unless there is enough differential turning rate between the driven clutch plates and the output clutch plates to create turbulence in the viscous fluid thus heating it and raising its viscosity.
Once the increased torque brings the rear axle up to the same turning rate as the front the fluid will cool and you will be left with only the "latent" viscosity (30%) to drive the rear axle.
Your owners manual dictates chains only on the front wheels which should also be a rather good indicator of where the primary drive is routed.
I mentioned a couple of months ago that I would be taking my 2001 RX and trailer to the south west corner of France in the Basque region close to the Pyrenees mountains. The 5-week vacation is now over and I had no problems with the RX at all. I took a photo in northern Spain when we had a short rest as it was getting hot (for us Brits anyway 90F). http://www.btinternet.com/~harryrogers/Basquerx.jpg
Then we had to put up with crowded beaches just a few miles north of Biarritz http://www.btinternet.com/~harryrogers/beach.jpg
Boy its a hard life.
Regards
Harry
Okay let me get this straight. So it appears that all of the RX's (even the '01s) still have a viscous coupling centre differential. Right? It makes me wonder why this is so though, other than for cost reasons for developing a new system, because if the front wheels start slipping faster than the rears, VSC should notice the wheel speed differential and then start reducing torque and or braking the slipping wheels. Unless the four wheel traction control component of VSC is designed not to activate until there is significant slippage either set of wheels. Any thoughts?
The 70/30 torque split sounds to me like they're trying match (well somewhat) the RX300's weight distribution.
Drew
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"Real Four-Wheel Drive, Made Easy: The transmission in the four-wheel drive RX 300 features an integrated transfer case and a viscous center differential that provides a 50/50 front-to-rear power split. The system requires no activation by the driver. If slippage occurs at the front or the rear, the viscous center differential automatically and transparently directs power to the wheels with the most traction. Customers can choose the RX 300 with the optional Vehicle Skid Control (VSC) system that helps control lateral skids by detecting and correcting understeer (front-wheel slide) and oversteer (rear-wheel swerve). "
If you call your local Lexus dealer I'm sure a savvy SA or lead mechanic can answer your questions. That's what I usually do, and if they don't know they usually call Lexus corporate for the answer.
Edmunds' road test also mentions a 50/50 torque split ratio for the pre-'01 models:
http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/roadtests/roadtest/45022/article.html
Tthe RX300's weight distribution is 57% front, 43% rear. Very similar to the Toyota Camry's:
http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/roadtests/roadtest/44312/article.html
Drew
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