Would You Buy Another Rx?

[patt]

A little balance here

Over a year ago when we decided we were interested in the Rx400, more than half of the dealers were not taking a list with deposits (some were taking names for future contact but not taking deposits and giving them your name didn't get you a particular place). Neither Sacramento dealer was taking a deposits. The 18,000 number was, in my understanding, the number of people with deposits down. In some ways it is a pretty soft number - the deposits were refundable and I know some people were on the list more than once (deposits at multiple dealers). On the other hand, it doesn't count all those who left their names with dealers not taking deposits.

For the last few weeks, the dealers that didn't take early orders have been taking them - that is the dealers offering "first come first serve". One of the Sacramento dealers did that - a couple of weeks ago, they started accepting orders and formed a list first come first serve. They seem to have gotten plenty of interest. The other dealer started working down their list of interested people taking deposits now maintaining the order for those willing to make the deposit now. We were well down that list and according to the dealer they are getting a good response so it would be a while before we could get a car from them. Fortunately we were able to get a good position on the other dealer's list so our car will be in their first delivery.

There are a number of people attempting to sell their spots on EBay. One appears to have a bid for $5000 but of course you never know - it is always possible that the bid is not real. The others weren't doing as well. Selling a spot in line seems kind of flaky to me. Also, there is no guarantee that the dealer will honor the attempt to transfer the spot. There also appears to be one actual Rx400 being offered by a dealer on EBay.

[patt]

A salesman at one of the dealerships (not the one with my car - a back-up choice), told me that the most recent delays were caused by a fit and finish problem in the front dash. They are now ready to ship in Japan, but the delays have created logistical problems in getting them over here especially with fuel prices driving up costs on some of the shipping. That dealership is expecting one demo car around the 18th, but the first shipment they will sell at the end of April beginning of May.

The first part is believable to me - the annoying relatively minor bug that has to be fixed before shipping. I'm less sure about the last part. Moving all those cars has to take a lot of logistics, but one would think they would have been working on lining up the shipping when they knew there was a delay.

[SW03ES]

Also remember Lexus has had a few rush to market problems with the GX470, they want to make sure the RX400h is PERFECT to maintain confidence in the hybrid technology.

[wwest]

Maintaining confidence in hybrid technology cannot be accomplished by building GAS HOGS.

[patt]

Maintaining confidence in hybrid technology cannot be accomplished by building GAS HOGS.

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I don't think one can call an SUV getting 27 mpg highway and 31 mpg city a gas hog. In any case, that is better mpg than any of the vehicles you list as yours. From the looks of that list, you like some performance in your cars too.

Doing a hybrid with pokey performance wouldn't be good for Lexus or for the reputation of hybrids in general. Some have said they would have preferred a hybrid Rx that gave up some performance in favor of mpg. However, this is a fairly heavy car. The engine in a hybrid has to produce enough power for any sustained condition - the batteries are great for getting a boost for passing and other acceleration and for running in the city where the gas engine would be at a poor performance point. But they don't store enough for things like maintaing speed climbing the long grades in the Sierra. The gas engine has to produce the power for that. I have spoken to someone who drove a Prius under that condition and after a while they had to drop speed. The engine just didn't put out enough to keep up speed on the grade with the load they had that day. The Rx has to be able to do it reasonably even if it is towing a load with the ML stereo going in the front seat and the kids watching a DVD with the wireless headphones in the rear seat on a hot day with the AC on or a cold night with the head lights and seat heaters on.

[wwest]

As you can see I have an AWD RX300. This one now has 45,000 miles. I traded up from a 2000 AWD RX300 but I don't remember the mileage it had. So lets assume I have driven an AWD RX300, the 3.0L one no less, for at least 55,000 miles altogether.

Seattle area, summer and wintertime trips to North central MT, trips all over the pacific NW. I have yet to encounter a circumstance wherein I wished for more HP or torque. Now I suppose that if I wanted to tow something heavy it would be otherwise.

But in all of my travels I can't remember ever seeing an RX towing even a small boat. Not saying, by any means, that it doesn't happen, just that in my experience and personal opinion towing will be very low on the totem pole for most buyers of the RX series. Probably lower for the hybrid RX.

So, why not a smaller engine that still yeilds enough torque for highway cruising and the batteries as a "supercharger" backup for acceleration, with the "net" being overall performance equal to the current 3.3L V6.

And while you analyze all that please keep in mind that the HL, approximately equal weight, size, etc, can be purchased with a small I4 and there are some forum posters who own them and claim they're just fine for towing.

Just what is the displacement, HP/torque, and fuel economy ratings of the 4 cylinder HL anyway?

[RX400h]

CITY | HIGHWAY

2004 Toyota RAV4

2WD Manual Transmission: 24 | 30

2WD Automatic Transmission: 24 | 38

4WD Manual Transmission: 21 | 26

4WD Automatic Transmission: 22 | 27

2004 Toyota Highlander & Highlander Limited

4-cylinder 2WD: 22 | 27

4-cylincer 4WD: 21 | 25

V6 2WD: 19 | 25

V6 4WD: 18 | 24

2004 Toyota 4Runner

V6 2WD: 18 | 21

V6 4WD: 17 | 21

V8 2WD: 16 | 20

V8 4WD: 15 | 19

2004 Sequoia SR5 and Limited

V8 2WD: 14 | 18

V8 4WD: 14 | 17

2004 Toyota Land Cruiser

V8 4WD: 13 | 16

I don't have the HP/torque ratings, but I can assure you that they are miniscule compared to that of the RX400H's 650 lbs-ft of torque.

[SW03ES]

I think this circular argument has run its course. Its obvious that some love the idea of the RX400h and some hate it, nothing more will be served in continuing to beat it to death.