Rx350--different Btw Canada Make And Japan Make?

[neoj]

I thought all Lexus make in Japan, now I found my Rx 350 is made in Canada.... :cries:

I just wonder are they the same thing, or one is better then another? anyone know?

[Jim54]

I thought all Lexus make in Japan, now I found my Rx 350 is made in Canada....:cries:

I just wonder are they the same thing, or one is better then another? anyone know?

I had a 2006 RX330, made in Canada. Fit and finish (particularly in dashboard) in cabin bad. Paint was OK, but orange peel.

I have a 2008 RX350 now (Brandywine Mica) made in Japan........NO COMPARISON! The car is tighter, quieter, and rides like your on rails.

The paint is beautiful, it's been great so far.

[SKperformance]

The biggest difference is the sum of the parts .

Both have the same specs for each part. The difference is one part is being made by a Japanese Toyota lifer . The other cars parts are made by the same plant that also does dodge neons and chevy malibus . The engineering and assembly is there but the people who build the parts to an exact specific is not there. What can you really expect when you are paying someone $56 000 to tighten a few bolts , they have to cut costs somewhere to give the unions.

[CanTex]

The biggest difference is the sum of the parts .

Both have the same specs for each part. The difference is one part is being made by a Japanese Toyota lifer . The other cars parts are made by the same plant that also does dodge neons and chevy malibus . The engineering and assembly is there but the people who build the parts to an exact specific is not there. What can you really expect when you are paying someone $56 000 to tighten a few bolts , they have to cut costs somewhere to give the unions.

Neons & Malibus? Ouch! I did not know Toyota parceled out their parts manufacture like that. Magna? RX350s, of course, are final-assembled alongside Corollas, and Matrixes (Matrices?) at the Toyota plant in Cambridge, ON. Good point about the Japanese lifers. There's another thread about windshield distortion on what is likely a Canadian-built RX - different sourcing again.

(As a Canadian ex-pat, I was initially disappointed that I didn't get a Canadian-built RX here in Texas, but now I'm glad my "baby" is Japanese-built.)

[InTheNorth]

The biggest difference is the sum of the parts .

Both have the same specs for each part. The difference is one part is being made by a Japanese Toyota lifer . The other cars parts are made by the same plant that also does dodge neons and chevy malibus . The engineering and assembly is there but the people who build the parts to an exact specific is not there. What can you really expect when you are paying someone $56 000 to tighten a few bolts , they have to cut costs somewhere to give the unions.

Neons & Malibus? Ouch! I did not know Toyota parceled out their parts manufacture like that. Magna? RX350s, of course, are final-assembled alongside Corollas, and Matrixes (Matrices?) at the Toyota plant in Cambridge, ON. Good point about the Japanese lifers. There's another thread about windshield distortion on what is likely a Canadian-built RX - different sourcing again.

(As a Canadian ex-pat, I was initially disappointed that I didn't get a Canadian-built RX here in Texas, but now I'm glad my "baby" is Japanese-built.)

Hey Everyone,

First post here. Joined the RX3550 club last October with a Japan made touring model coloured (CDN) breakwater blue. Already at 6K on the odometer and ready for for the first oil change. I have noticed a windshield distortion when you move your head through the plane of view when stopped. However it's not noticeable when driving, so its okay with me. The highway travel has cracked the windshield in the outside and inside layers. I have found out that its really important to get the OEM Lexus glass for the superior glass tempering used.

Car is really tight, absolutely no rattles or creaks. So far I've have noticed a wee difference in the hood panel corner where it meets the headlights and bumper. One corner is a little protruded a few millimeters compared to the other side.

No concerned with as its really not noticable unless you look for it.

I like the comment on tightening bolts. Other forums quote a typical light truck has 20 hours of assembly labour. I hope our cars require more time and care. The painting and buffing process is supposed to be more time consuming on Lexus models.

Happy driving...

[SKperformance]

I have been to the assembly plant in Cambridge and it is state of the art. Most of the work is all robotic . Few jobs on the car are manually handled. I wanted a Canadian built one until i did a bit of Toyota research and found the parts look the same side by side but when they are put together by the assembly plant they are not as close in tolerances. Cheaper metals in switches , different sheet metal is my biggest concern .

BTW any vehicle with a multi panel sunroof is from Japan only.

I am looking to buy an 04 RX330 for my wife but it is so hard to find the early 04's from Japan before the plant was at full steam . Otherwise i have to keep looking for the roof to set it out in an ad.

[fbsdmd]

Going tomorrow to trade a 2004 RX330-Thanks for the heads up. Will definitely look at country of origin.

[skywagon]

Going tomorrow to trade a 2004 RX330-Thanks for the heads up. Will definitely look at country of origin.

I think my sticker says Made In China lol!!!!!!!!!

[Lexusfreak]

I think my sticker says Made In China lol!!!!!!!!!

Lol sky! And the Lexus plant tour that SK mentioned is pretty cool. B)

[fbsdmd]

Going tomorrow to trade a 2004 RX330-Thanks for the heads up. Will definitely look at country of origin.

In fact went today and bought a 2008 RX 350. All the 350's they had were assembled in Canada, with the exception of a red one, which had NAV. All 400's on the lot were assembled in Japan. According to the sales folks the only 350's presently available that were assembled in Japan were red. That seems a little strange. I did not wish NAV, so ended up taking one assembled in Canada. Got one of the service technicians, who has been there 13 years, to come out and asked him if he noticed any difference between Japanese and Canadian Lexi, and he said he felt there was no difference in service requirements between the two countries of origin. Of course, he may not be giving a totally independent opinion. Traded in a 2004 RX 330 that also was assembled in Canada. 76,000 miles, no major problems. Sticker was $43K and change. My 330 and $20K for their 350.

[Nebraska99]

When I bought my 350 a few months ago my salesman also said that the Brandywine Mica is solely a Japanese model.

2500 miles and loving it more every day.

[fbsdmd]

When I bought my 350 a few months ago my salesman also said that the Brandywine Mica is solely a Japanese model.

2500 miles and loving it more every day.

As mentioned, this is our second. For a variety of small reasons, it is a really aggravating car, but it is the best over the road vehicle I've driven in about the last 50 years. There are worse things than aggravation.

[Rob F]

I bought my RX 350 while I was l living in Hawaii in 2008.  I moved back to the madland, aka mainland and tried to get a replacement ignition key made but no one can program it using standard directions.  Of course the dealer can but that's over $400 here.  My question is, do cars made in Japan have a different programing sequence than those assembled somewhere else?  Help, my remaining key is about to fall apart.

[1990LS400]

4 hours ago, Rob F said:

I bought my RX 350 while I was l living in Hawaii in 2008.  I moved back to the madland, aka mainland and tried to get a replacement ignition key made but no one can program it using standard directions.  Of course the dealer can but that's over $400 here.  My question is, do cars made in Japan have a different programing sequence than those assembled somewhere else?  Help, my remaining key is about to fall apart.

All bets are off if your RX was designed for Hawaii and originally sold by Servco.  I thought it had mostly ended by 2008 but at one time Lexus vehicles sold in Hawaii were quite different from those sold on the U.S. mainland and had more in common with those sold in Taiwan.

I've bought a number of additional keys over 24 years of Lexus ownership.  The keys have always been somewhat expensive but the programming was always done in a couple of  minutes at no extra charge while I watched.  I hope you didn't buy a key somewhere else and then expected a Lexus dealer to program it.