Considering Rx300

[lexusonthelake]

I am considering buying a 2001-2002 RX300 and am curious if my fellow LOC members would recommend and buy again if you were in the market. I have finally decided to sell my 94 LS400 and am seriously considering the RX; however, would like to hear from the experts!

Thanks for any advice.

Lexusonthelake

[cruznroadking]

I've owned a 99, 01 RX300 & now own a 04 RX330. My next one will be a the Hybrid. Love these cars.

[RX in NC]

Your LS is a much, much better vehicle than any RX. Keep it or you'll regret it.

[VGR]

The RX300 engine and transmission are very durable, but more sensitive to the consquences of maintenance neglect than the LS400 engine and transmission. So when shopping for a used RX300, it is very important to review service records.

Buying a "Lexus certified" model is no substitute for personally verifying

that oil changes were never extended beyond 5000 miles and that the transmission fluid was changed at least every 30,000 miles. All wheel drive models need even more frequent transmission fluid changes.

Some non-mechanically inclined owners wrongly assume that a Toyota that is sensitive to the consquences of maintenance neglect is "weakly engineered" and should be avoided. Due to their lack of mechanical experience with Toyotas, these owners are not aware of the stunning durability capabilities of Toyota mechanical components always bathed in clean lubricants and coolants http://www.saber.net/~monarch/460k.jpg

Also due to their lack of mechanical experience, these same owners are not aware of how American car mechanical components are intentionally designed to wear out rather quickly no matter how clean the lubes and coolants. So Toyota / Lexus owners who switch to an American brand end up being dissappointed again. Basically these owners are caught up in a revolving circle of automotive poverty and they will not break out of it until they switch back to an Asian brand and change the drivetrain lubes and filters regularly and more frequently than the intervals suggested in the Maintenance Guide since those intervals are merely MINIMUM ALLOWABLE intervals, not intervals condusive to obtainsing hundreds of thousands of miles of troublefree service.

[LexKid630]

In 1999 i bought an rx300. In 2003 (79,000 miles) the transmission went. I fixed it for $4400, and sold it for five thousand less that what i would cost w/o the problem.

Stupid me, i bought a 2003 rx300 to replace it. I sold it 2 months ago (66,000 miles) because of all the problems.

Just last week i bought another 03 rx300 for my daughter though. Hopefuly this one will be better.

If you want an rx300, stick with VERY low mileage, less than 30,000 miles. Make sure it had all services and has no accident history. Good luck

[mikey00]

I been the owner of a 2000 RX and replaced that with a 2001 RX. Both have been extremely realiable and served their purpose well. But to answer your question there are many reasons why I would not buy another.

First is Lexus really overcharges for both parts and service. I have found many ways around this over the years: do it yourself, local mechanics, Toyota service, aftermarket parts, OEM internet parts. etc. But sooner or later you may need a dealer and/or part and that's when Lexus will get you. It may be as simple as a sun visor that won't stay up (as many RX visors won't) and Lexus is the only game in town for the part and it cost $200. Or it may be as complex as a $4400. transmission replacement. I read posts on this and other RX forums about services recommened by Lexus service advisors and prices paid and I consider it border line fraud.

Second reason is the sludge issue. It is a known fact that if you don't change your oil on a reasonable schedule your RX engine has a very good chance of sludge. But there are also many cases of well maintained RX engines having the sludge issue. Lexus has been great in stepping up to the plate here and providing the 8 year warranty against sludge. But I wouldn't get caught owning this car after 8 years. My oil gets changed every 5K with Quaker State synthetic blend but I still fear it will sludge sooner or later.

Next reason is the RX transmission failure rate and failure of Lexus to address this issue. Lexus claims the fluid is lifetime fluid for normal use. Not only is this not true but there are cases where fluid has been changed and in fact the RX maintained every 5K by Lexus and the transmission still failed. I am changing my fluid (DIY) at least every 30k and keeping my fingers crossed.

Again this is a great car with many fine points (I have never had brake pads last this long) but there are a few glaring issues.

Just my 2 cents.

[lexusonthelake]

Excellent feedback everyone! I still want to hear from more RX owners. I am specifically looking at a 2002 RX300 AWD.

LOC Rocks again! :D

I been the owner of a 2000 RX and replaced that with a 2001 RX. Both have been extremely realiable and served their purpose well. But to answer your question there are many reasons why I would not buy another.

First is Lexus really overcharges for both parts and service. I have found many ways around this over the years: do it yourself, local mechanics, Toyota service, aftermarket parts, OEM internet parts. etc. But sooner or later you may need a dealer and/or part and that's when Lexus will get you. It may be as simple as a sun visor that won't stay up (as many RX visors won't) and Lexus is the only game in town for the part and it cost $200. Or it may be as complex as a $4400. transmission replacement. I read posts on this and other RX forums about services recommened by Lexus service advisors and prices paid and I consider it border line fraud.

Second reason is the sludge issue. It is a known fact that if you don't change your oil on a reasonable schedule your RX engine has a very good chance of sludge. But there are also many cases of well maintained RX engines having the sludge issue. Lexus has been great in stepping up to the plate here and providing the 8 year warranty against sludge. But I wouldn't get caught owning this car after 8 years. My oil gets changed every 5K with Quaker State synthetic blend but I still fear it will sludge sooner or later.

Next reason is the RX transmission failure rate and failure of Lexus to address this issue. Lexus claims the fluid is lifetime fluid for normal use. Not only is this not true but there are  cases where fluid has been changed and in fact the RX maintained every 5K by Lexus and the transmission still failed. I am changing my fluid (DIY) at least every 30k and keeping my fingers crossed.

Again this is a great car with many fine points (I have never had brake pads last this long) but there are a few glaring issues.

Just my 2 cents.

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[LexKid630]

This is the best time to look for 2002 rx's at lexus dealers because people are just getting off their 3 year leases. The average 02 will have around 35-40k miles on them; not bad if it was taken care of correctly. A lexus dealer wil give you a 3 year/100k mile warranty b/c it's certified as they call it. I would also suggest getting an extra 2 year added to that for around $1400. It's worth it. It will be 9 years old, and still under warranty!! wow that's good....Just my sugggestion..

And unfortunately it seems that the AWD versions have the worst transmissions. But it's mostly luck; some may be perfect, and others may be bad. Who knows...

[VGR]

I don't believe internet forums like this one represent a good cross section of RX owners, because of the hundreds of RX owners that have filled out the Consumer Reports owner surveys, very few have reported engine or transmission problems and most report an excellent level of ownership satisfaction. Based on Consumer Reports and JD Powers owner surveys, the RX300 is indisbutably the most reliable / durable luxury SUV on the market and the SUV with the highest level of owner satisfaction. Check out the April 2005 issue of Consumer Reports if you want to see this data.

[SW03ES]

Also call up an AAMCO and see how many transmissions they do on RX300s. A lot.

I used to be in the "this can't be widespread" camp, as RX in NC knows he and I had several knock down dragouts over this issue. BUT after doing some research on my own, talking with owners here and not here, talking with dealers and talking with transmission mechanics it is ver apparent that there is a widespread problem with the transmissions on AWD RX300s.

Would I buy one? Probably not. Coupled with the sludging issue on that era V6 I think there are better options.

[Dave_02RX300]

Yep - the 2002's are coming due at dealers like it was said above, because of the 30k lease mileage.

I've owned my CPO 2002 RX300 (FWD) for about 6 weeks now (has 32k miles) - it's perfect! It's like a new car with an old odometer. I checked this thing out stem to stern. I am VERY happy with it - in fact, it's the most pleased I've been with a car. Wish I could afford the 330 or 400h. We'll see what those options do this year and next.

-Dave

[lenore]

Yep - the 2002's are coming due at dealers like it was said above, because of the 30k lease mileage.

I've owned my CPO 2002 RX300 (FWD) for about 6 weeks now (has 32k miles) - it's perfect!  It's like a new car with an old odometer.  I checked this thing out stem to stern.  I am VERY happy with it - in fact, it's the most pleased I've been with a car.  Wish I could afford the 330 or 400h.  We'll see what those options do this year and next.

-Dave

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I have the 1999 RX300 with AWD. I am on my third transmission, have had front shock support issues, and electrical problems in the door locks. The rest of the car has been great. However high end vehicles should not have transmission failures with fluid changed at 30k miles. I am extremely dissappointed and would never recommend this vehicle. Lexus of America as well as the dealer (Roseville, CA) have been absolutely the worst experience in my forty years of driving. I do believe the Toyota product is good however. but something went wrong with the support that Lexus provides. I would have at least expected some kick back on the $4600 that I had to spend on the transmission. So I would never buy this product again. Parts are too expensive, Service is terrible, and I could better service this vehicle than Lexus could.

[pushatam]

nope, gas on my 2001 rx300 is killing me....:(

i wanna get a small/economic car next time around

[lexusonthelake]

Thanks again for the info. Does there seem to be as evident of an issue with the 2WD/4WD RX300 transmission vs. the AWD?

I don't believe internet forums like this one represent a good cross section of RX owners, because of the hundreds of RX owners that have filled out the Consumer Reports owner surveys, very few have reported engine or transmission problems and most report an excellent level of ownership satisfaction.  Based on Consumer Reports and JD Powers owner surveys, the  RX300 is indisbutably the most reliable / durable luxury SUV on the market and the SUV with the highest level of owner satisfaction.  Check out the April 2005 issue of Consumer Reports if you want to see this data.

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[RX in NC]

SW03ES,

I've noticed that you've become more open-minded concerning the RX300 AWD transmission issues during 2005, and I'm glad to see that you've taken the time to do the research on your own and admit that your conclusion also points to a problem. I believe that most folks who spend enough time studying the early failure history will eventually reach a similar conclusion.

Now if Lexus Corporate would follow the same course, they may salvage quite a few owners like myself who've sworn that once we kick these RX models out of our garages we're done with the brand. But it may be a bit too late for many of us.

In the meantime, you and I have had our come-to-blows differences in the past but we've apparently worked through them. So I'll raise a glass to you right now with my beverage of choice (which this morning happens to be orange juice)....

[monarch]

Lexus has already told owners that frequent oil changes are the key if you want your engines and transmissions to last. Instead of embracing this advice, some owners consider the frequent servicing recommendation to be a rip off. So Lexus is caught between a rock and a hard place and will never be able to satisfy a certain percentage of owners with uncompromising attitudes.

This situation is nothing new. Historically, the luxury models of Toyota have been more sensitive to the consequences of maintenance neglect than it's plain Jane models. Examples: early 80's Cressidas suffered premature valvetrain wear if certain oil holes became plugged due to infrequent oil changes. Late 80's Cressidas suffered from cylinder head gasket failures if the owner didn't use Toyota brand coolant and distilled water at coolant replacement time. Yet in spite of losing some customers over these sensitivity to maintenance neglect issues, sales growth of Toyota / Lexus luxury models has been stellar. And overall, no other major car company has better brand loyalty. My guess is Toyota / Lexus considers the small percentage of owners with uncompromising attitudes to be, in a word, expendible.

[LexKid630]

Thanks again for the info.  Does there seem to be as evident of an issue with the 2WD/4WD RX300 transmission vs. the AWD?

I don't believe internet forums like this one represent a good cross section of RX owners, because of the hundreds of RX owners that have filled out the Consumer Reports owner surveys, very few have reported engine or transmission problems and most report an excellent level of ownership satisfaction.  Based on Consumer Reports and JD Powers owner surveys, the  RX300 is indisbutably the most reliable / durable luxury SUV on the market and the SUV with the highest level of owner satisfaction.  Check out the April 2005 issue of Consumer Reports if you want to see this data.

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what i have just recently found out is that the 4wd and awd are the same thing. just called different things.

There are two transmissions on the rx300;s. A front wheel drive, and an All wheel drive. The all wheel drive has "full-time four wheel drive". This just converts power to each wheel for better traction etc. This is the problemed transmission.

The front wheel drive just gives power to the front wheels. It has less problems, if not none than the all wheel drive.

Again, some people have a AWD 99 rx300 w/ over 150k miles and no trouble. Others have a AWD 03 rx300 w/ 15k miles and do have problems. Itt's all chance.

If you are able to spend over $4500 for a transmission or two in the next few years, then go for the rx300. It's not my best choice.

[RX in NC]

monarch,

A number of RX300 AWD owners who change their fluids regularly, including their Type T-IV transmission fluid, continue to suffer from premature transmission failure. There is simply no denying this fact. You and VGR can drone on and on about routine maintenance neglect until you're blue in the face, but quite a few of us who DO take meticulous care of our vehicles and keep the fluids fresh have still been forced to deal with dying transmissions at relatively low mileages (in our particular case it was at about 48,000 miles).

I'm not sure why you continue to categorize every Toyota/Lexus component failure as "neglected maintenance". Perhaps it's a classic case of rose-colored glasses or maybe you just don't read very thoroughly. Either way, you're still dead wrong.

[LexKid630]

monarch,

A number of RX300 AWD owners who change their fluids regularly, including their Type T-IV transmission fluid, continue to suffer from premature transmission failure.  There is simply no denying this fact.  You and VGR can drone on and on about routine maintenance neglect until you're blue in the face, but quite a few of us who DO take meticulous care of our vehicles and keep the fluids fresh have still been forced to deal with dying transmissions at relatively low mileages (in our particular case it was at about 48,000 miles).

I'm not sure why you continue to categorize every Toyoto/Lexus component failure as "neglected maintenance".  Perhaps it's a classic case of rose-colored glasses or maybe you just don't read very thoroughly.  Either way, you're still dead wrong.

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I agree; it's not us, it's the product. i had my 99 rx in for every service, and everything in the manual was done at the time "lexus" reccomended. The cars transmission is just bad!! I don't care what fluid, or oil you use, it will still be bad. It will only cause it to break later than sooner.

[mikey00]

I don't believe internet forums like this one represent a good cross section of RX owners, because of the hundreds of RX owners that have filled out the Consumer Reports owner surveys, very few have reported engine or transmission problems and most report an excellent level of ownership satisfaction.  Based on Consumer Reports and JD Powers owner surveys, the  RX300 is indisbutably the most reliable / durable luxury SUV on the market and the SUV with the highest level of owner satisfaction.  Check out the April 2005 issue of Consumer Reports if you want to see this data.

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I believe the Consumer Reports data will in time catch up with what is currently being reported on Lexus Owners Club and other real time message boards. I wouldn't be suprised if the RX makes their list of used cars to avoid someday.

[DesertRat]

My wife loves her 2001 RX300 2WD (CPO) purchased 1 year ago w/ 23k miles. Vehicle currently has 31k miles. No problems so far (crossing fingers), just oil changes every 3k miles and a recent dump/fill of tranny fluid.

Based on research and input from this forum, you might think about avoiding the AWD model due to tranny probs.

[LexKid630]

My wife loves her 2001 RX300 2WD (CPO) purchased 1 year ago w/ 23k miles.  Vehicle currently has 31k miles.  No problems so far (crossing fingers), just oil changes every 3k miles and a recent dump/fill of tranny fluid.

Based on research and input from this forum, you might think about avoiding the AWD model due to tranny probs.

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Yeah, the two wheel models don't have many problems..wait do they have any???why would they?

[lexusonthelake]

Thanks for the honest feedback. Based on additional research and the comments of my fellow LOC's experts, I am staying AWAY from the AWD. I am not used to even discussing transmission failures after owning a LS400 and don't want to start. If I decide to purchase the RX300, I will go with the front wheel drive - or maybe I will buy another LS, that is if I win the lottery!!

[Rollingstone]

:cries: I loved my '99 RX300 AWD. It is just the size and class of car I want with all the features (AWD). BUT the tranny just quit!!!!!!

The transmission quit just as I pulled through an intersection. Just turned over 200K kms (120 K mi), bought 4 new Michelin tires. I had the transmission fluid changed 6 months ago with the proper Toyota fluid by a reputable Toyota mechanic.

Rebuilt tranny installed is going to run about $5000 CDN . Now throw in a timing belt change and water pump - no I cannot recommend this vehicle to anyone. I believe it is intended only as a lease vehicle by companies that need a large tax writetoff and Lexus can then sell them as used and bleed the new owner.

It really is a status car - it's not the initial cost that should impress people it's the money it takes to keep one operating. I have no option but to replace the tranny and I'll just have to pray that the sludge dosen't take out the engine.

It's unfortunate, Toyota has a great concept - it's just too technically sensitive to keep running - unless one has loads of money. Don't let emotion overpower practicality and common sense...

[LexKid630]

:cries: I loved my '99 RX300 AWD. It is just the size and class of car I want with all the features (AWD).  BUT the tranny just quit!!!!!!

The transmission quit just as I pulled through an intersection.  Just turned over 200K kms (120 K mi),  bought 4 new Michelin tires. I had the transmission fluid changed 6 months ago with the proper Toyota fluid by a reputable Toyota mechanic.

Rebuilt tranny installed is going to run about $5000 CDN .  Now throw in a timing belt change and water pump - no I cannot recommend this vehicle to anyone.  I believe it is intended only as a lease vehicle by companies that need a large tax writetoff and Lexus can then sell them as used and bleed the new owner.

It really is a status car - it's not the initial cost that should impress people it's the money it takes to keep one operating.  I have no option but to replace the tranny and I'll just have to pray that the sludge dosen't take out the engine.

It's unfortunate, Toyota has a great concept - it's just too technically sensitive to keep running - unless one has loads of money.  Don't let emotion overpower practicality and common sense...

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Very true. I know that my daughter is in LOVE with the Rx300 and that's the only car she will drive. I told her it's not the right choice, but you try to tell that to a teenager!!! It does look very attractive to some, and may fit everyone's needs and size, but it's just not good for long lasting quality!!!

The front wheel drive is the way to go if you NEED to have an rx300. It's too bad because the rx300 looks and has the "lexus" title. It's just not what it seems to be.