RX in NC Posted February 28, 2005 Posted February 28, 2005 Power and acceleration are critical requirements in highway driving situations that we all encounter every day. Accelerating from an on-ramp, passing a semi, and merging into ongoing traffic are all accomplished more safely when there is horsepower to spare under the hood. The other side of this coin is that the driver must be experienced and intelligent as far as knowing when to use that horsepower is concerned. I never race anyone on the highways, but when I ask my Ram's 5.9 litre V8 to get going so I can merge or pass safely, it always does so, smoothly, quickly, and without fail. Sadly, that's not the case with my wife's RX300. It takes more planning and more time to accomplish a merge or a pass. As a result, in those situations it's far more preferable (and probably much safer) to be in my Ram as opposed to her RX300. Horsepower always has and always will kill idiot drivers (and unfortunately their passengers and victims as well), but horsepower in the hands of an accomplished and intelligent driver can actually save lives and improve the merging and passing process. Perhaps a lengthy, clean driving record should be a requirement for owning any vehicle rated over 300 hp (or even 250 hp). Such a law would definitely cut down on the number of stupid morons who kill themselves and others every day through their foolish behavior on our streets and highways.
RX400h Posted March 1, 2005 Posted March 1, 2005 I agree. The starting point for power in this segment is approx. 260. Even the Honda Odyssey van has more horsepower than the RX330. The Acura MDX has had more for a while now, but Lexus gets the last laugh with faster acceleration AND significantly better fuel milage. Yes, the competition is fierce, but the consumer is the winner in almost all cases.
wwest Posted March 2, 2005 Posted March 2, 2005 Funny.... When I drive my AWD 996 Porsche GT3 I feel quite comfortable with its level of HP/torque but I also find myself with the same level of comfort in my AWD RX300 or even in my 92 LS400. I guess some of us have more adaptive minds than others. Now, my 93 Ford Ranger with 2.3L manual does take some getting used to, adjusting to.
wwest Posted March 2, 2005 Posted March 2, 2005 "upgraded power explorers..." etc, etc. None that you have mentioned involved hybrid technology. Seems to me that going to the effort to design a hybrid system and then using it to tout HP is like the farmer saving rain water from the roof and then letting some of it just evaporate away.
LexRexBlue Posted March 2, 2005 Posted March 2, 2005 "upgraded power explorers..." etc, etc.None that you have mentioned involved hybrid technology. Seems to me that going to the effort to design a hybrid system and then using it to tout HP is like the farmer saving rain water from the roof and then letting some of it just evaporate away. ← I disagree with you. Try carrying 4 high school baseball players and myself in an RX merging on to and then going uphill on the busy highway. It's a scary experience. I've been waiting for Lexus to improve their performance. Yes, I care about the environment, too, so a 400h will be a great car for me. I can't wait for my new one to arrive. By the way, I'm not giving up my original RX. It has been a is staying in the family. It is a terrific car and works well for the climate of NJ.
SW03ES Posted March 2, 2005 Posted March 2, 2005 "upgraded power explorers..." etc, etc.None that you have mentioned involved hybrid technology. Seems to me that going to the effort to design a hybrid system and then using it to tout HP is like the farmer saving rain water from the roof and then letting some of it just evaporate away. ← LOL not at all, its simply a better way to facilitate the power needs with fewer drawbacks (like the lower economy that comes with V8s). Pretend its a V8, because thats what its meant to be an alternative to a V8 without the gas needs. Theres no law that says hybrid systems must ONLY be used to be as gas frugal as possible, they have many applications and uses. Get used to this because Toyota is coming out with many high performance hybrids including V8 hybrids for the GS and LS sedans.
SW03ES Posted March 2, 2005 Posted March 2, 2005 Lexus is working to change that, with the number of pre-orders and the chatter it gets around, I think they're doing that. Gotta face it, some people want power, some want economy, this makes the hybrid system much more legitimate as a future engine setup choice as it can go both ways.
RX400h Posted March 2, 2005 Posted March 2, 2005 It's kinda like changing all of the high-fat meals at McDonalds to salad mixes. This would be a disastrous move as the majority of people going there want a choice of low fat and high-taste foods. The real hits, however, are the high-taste and low fat foods (like breaded, spicy chicken breast). Notice that I didn't say high-taste and non-fat foods, as this, like a hybrid with super-high performance and the gas milage of a Prius, is not yet possible. In the meantime, the chicken breast sandwiches are selling fast!
SW03ES Posted March 2, 2005 Posted March 2, 2005 If hybrid technology is going to viably be the "drive technology of the future" like Toyota thinks it will be then they HAVE to give people choices. Think about your Porsche ww, Toyota is betting one day your Porsche will have a hybrid powertrain. It needs to be high performance right? Toyota needs to show people its possible.
hybev1 Posted March 19, 2005 Posted March 19, 2005 [<Unlisted,Feb 24 2005, 12:37 PM] I have 2 in the family one Japanese and one Canadian...both run great.> I have a 99 RX and am looking at the 05's. Did you have to buy in Canada for that one? If so was it cheaper to do it that way? Were there any fees to bring it into the US? I'm in MA and wouldn't mind the trip to save lots of money.
SW03ES Posted March 20, 2005 Posted March 20, 2005 Noooo, cars cost MORE in Canada than in the US. Far, far more. He means Japanese and Canadian BUILD.
rx330girl Posted March 28, 2005 Posted March 28, 2005 Hi, Just joined the forum and noticed this post, the problem you are talking about has the with the new drive by wire system in the car, it is happening in alot of toyotas and lexus's. It happens in my husband's 2004 Solara, Toyota is working on a fix for this, which will to be reporgram the ECU. So sit tight a fix is coming.
wwest Posted March 29, 2005 Posted March 29, 2005 A fix is coming... and coming... ...and coming... ......soon...... coming soon.............
Booyah Posted March 29, 2005 Posted March 29, 2005 A fix is coming...and coming... ...and coming... ......soon...... coming soon............. ← Hey WWest, you mean they are finally coming out with a reflash for the 330's?? More detailed info please
wwest Posted April 2, 2005 Posted April 2, 2005 Sorry, my .....coming soon.............post was intended as a pun.
Guest jazz Posted May 15, 2005 Posted May 15, 2005 My wife wants a RX330. After our 2 VW (passat, new beetle), we're giving up on european cars and going back to japanese. too much quality problems. tow companies know us by first name. i have clients with bmw, mb, jag, land rover, and have disappointing stories of reliability as well. the only kudos i would give vw, would be safety and security, but i haven't been in a crash, and no one has tried to break in, so i can't really say first hand... She test drove the RX330, and did not notice a hesitation, but i wasn't looking for it or driving it to see if it exists, so i have to go try it again to confirm. I have been googling, but cannot find any info on what the 2006 RX330 will be like. We also test drove the GS300, and noticed the significant difference in electronics (keyless entry, start/stop ignition button, navigation LCD, bluetooth, etc.) that the 2005 RX330 sorely lacks. We dont even have a bluetooth cell phone right now, but hey, we expect to have the car for 4+ years, so we probably well. plus, if bluetooth becomes a standard in luxury vehicles, like its quickly becoming, our resale value will probably be affected if and when we unload the 2005 down the road (excuse the pun). So I'm expecting that the 2006 RX330 will also have the upgraded electronics, and I'd hate to have bought the 'legacy' 2005 model. Is this why they're keeping a secret the 2006 details? so as to not hurt current sales? I mean, really, its a no brainer, as we already see this stuff in the RX400h, so its already here, so i'm probably being stupid asking this, but confirmation from a news source is always reassuring... Anyone got a link? Thanks. :whistles:
techman36 Posted May 15, 2005 Posted May 15, 2005 Not sure what your really talking about about not having the options. I just put a deposit on a 2005 rx330 that has navigation, keyless entry, and bluetooth. ???
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