Lexus Rx400h Lurker

[DJames]

Just wanted to start off this post with a Hello.

I am really considering on purchasing or leasing a Lexus 400H AWD. I have a couple of questions though and i am hoping that all you guys can chime in and help me out on my decision.

1. I plan on getting married this year and plan to have a kid in a year or 2 after our 1 year wedding anniversary. Will this car be more then enough for us?

2. I am looking to get the Navigation / Sunroof Option. I assume its worth it correct?

3. What kind of prices should I be looking for a:

i. Lexus 400H w/ Navigation & Sunroof

4. And what would my monthly payment be if I buy or lease?

i. I have a 740+ Credit Score

ii. I will Put a $5,000 Grand Down Payment if I buy or lease.

5. Overall what rating would you guys give this car?

6. How is the Handling?

7. Is there a good amount of Power?

8. I live in Southern California, Where is the best place to purchase the car hassle free with the best deal?

9. Should I wait until the new Lexus 400H come out to purchase an 2008 for a better price?

Thank you for taking the time reading my post.

[RXREY]

Just wanted to start off this post with a Hello.

I am really considering on purchasing or leasing a Lexus 400H AWD. I have a couple of questions though and i am hoping that all you guys can chime in and help me out on my decision.

1. I plan on getting married this year and plan to have a kid in a year or 2 after our 1 year wedding anniversary. Will this car be more then enough for us?

2. I am looking to get the Navigation / Sunroof Option. I assume its worth it correct?

3. What kind of prices should I be looking for a:

i. Lexus 400H w/ Navigation & Sunroof

4. And what would my monthly payment be if I buy or lease?

i. I have a 740+ Credit Score

ii. I will Put a $5,000 Grand Down Payment if I buy or lease.

5. Overall what rating would you guys give this car?

6. How is the Handling?

7. Is there a good amount of Power?

8. I live in Southern California, Where is the best place to purchase the car hassle free with the best deal?

9. Should I wait until the new Lexus 400H come out to purchase an 2008 for a better price?

Thank you for taking the time reading my post.

DJAMES.....

Response to you from Rey Bustos,Los Angeles....

I live in the L.A. area. I love my 2006 400h and it has a lot of power. Especially impressive is its acceleration on the freeway. I get 26MPGs but many people get around 24 so be aware that it's not going to be 29 or 30. I LOVE my car and am lucky to have it...but I don't owe a dime on it and it is more than I need...well, that's what LUXURY means! It's really fancy for me and I have not always been able to have nice things like some folks, even some in this great forum.... But that's what I love about it. It is a very elegant car, it has all the room that I need, the comfort and beauty of a finely made car. It's from a great company, the list is long as to all of the nifty things that I never had before. The GPS is great...too many things that I love. BUT... but, I wouldn't get it if I were you. If you only have 5K to put down on a luxury car...it IS a LUXURY, if you only have 5K to put down...I wouldn't get a luxury car..truly and honestly I wouldn't. By its meaning luxury implies that you get more than necessary. You pay for a lot of stuff that you might not need. Spend the money on your new wife, trips, home stuff, save for the kid,etc.. I make a nice living but I am also single at this point and can spoil myself more than when I was married (I'm a widower). Think about this decision carefully. With only 5K down you will pay an awful lot in monthly payments and it would be for a LONG time...I hate leasing but that would be the only way to go for you if you really want to have this great car. I love my dealership, Glendale Lexus, and maybe if you decide to buy you can see if you can get an '06 with 35K miles or so.... or like I said, lease. There are too many variables in a person's life so my suggestion is to ask yourself the question that you are asking on this post and do it without the emotional element... be logical. I think that you will see that you may be better off getting something more financially practical now that you will be a husband and soon after, a dad. Your wife and your kid will be the luxuries in your life! Many good wishes and good luck with your decision. Warmly yours, Rey

[GDixon]

RXREY has posted a well-thought out and deep reply. Heeding his advice is highly recommended.

Things will change so much after marriage that it may be wise to wait to buy a new car. There will be enough new things to deal with and heavy car payments a likely to be a burden that will prevent expanding other parts of your life as REY explains. Having a child will completely turn your life upside down and rearrange priorities to an extent not describable.

It may be better to consider a used RX or a lease return in a couple of years for some savings there. The RX350 will also save some cash.

The navigation will require expensive upgrades and is grossly overpriced/oversold in my opinion. My option is to use a Garmin 2720 portable that has more functionality and can be used in several vehicles. It is also far less expensive than the Lexus nav option.

In CA, all the RX models seem to come with a sunroof as a standard. Very likely a special order would be required to not have one.

[DJames]

Thank you for the great replys. I guess I should have re-phrased or should have been more specific on some stuff. My soon to be wife and I have a Good Job (an in $$$$ and environment). I thought $5,000 deposit was a good amount cause usually my family do not put a big down or even at all. Because we lease only. Im just asking if its better to buy the car or to lease it. Or is it better to lease the car and then have the option of buying it out at the end. Thank you.

[DJames]

This is going to be my first SUV I Purchase. The car i drive now is a Turbo G35 Coupe with Heavy Mods. And i am just getting tired of the headache (if your a mod head you understand) and just the hassel from the cops and what not.

[Jim Clark]

The Lexus will not handle anything like your G35. The Lexus is a 4400 lb "luxury" SUV and it handles accordingly, it is actually not very good. It has good power for a 4400 lb SUV but it will not compare to your G35.

The 400h excels in the luxury department. I thought sunroofs were standard. The Nav system is OK but it's expensive. Most dealers order all their 400h's with Nav, It's rare to see a new one without it.

[katzjamr]

the nav screen on the lexus also handles climate, phone, and a much better display of the hybrid system, i would not want to be a person trying to resell a lexus without nav even if you dont use it, it is becoming an important option for car buyers certainly in this price range.

I have only leased trucks for work, and sometimes purchased them anyway, always buying my own vehicle. However leasing may be more attractive with this model. Not only do you pay less up front, you dont pay all the sales tax up front and for that matter i have friends with leases where they can return the car for a different one under the same lease if you dont like it. While this model has been very reliable, and so far the traction batteries have gone the distance, it is our feeling that repairs outside of warranty to the hybrid system are going to be expensive. In short this is technology that you only want to own for three or four years while it is in warranty, and that is about the period when the next generation will be ready for sale.

I agree that the handling will be softer in the 400h, however the power and smoothness of the transmission will keep a smile on your face. There is an intangible benefit that of owning this hybrid. When you are at a stoplight with the engine off using no fuel, or coasting on battery power it brings a calmness and sense of relaxation that cannot be experienced in other vehicles. I did not expect this side benefit as a former leadfoot, however it is a strong antidote to $4.00 premium fuel (its 3.85 for premium in seattle right now).

[RX400h]

While this model has been very reliable, and so far the traction batteries have gone the distance, it is our feeling that repairs outside of warranty to the hybrid system are going to be expensive. In short this is technology that you only want to own for three or four years while it is in warranty, and that is about the period when the next generation will be ready for sale.

I'll have to repectfully dissagree with this statement, based upon Toyota's excellent reputaion with the Prius. The batteries have been proven to last at least 150,000 miles, so unless you drive 30,000 - 40,000 miles or more per year, you should not have any out-of-pocker expenses. This technology is well-proven to be highly reliable for many, many years and there is no guarantee that brand new technology will be as reliable. Lithium batteries have a fairly long history of working well in small packages, but few if any large packages of lithium batteries have the same tried and true reputation.

I plan to keep our RX for at least 10 years, maybe more. I am that much confidence in this technology.

[DJames]

If you guys dont mind me asking how much did you guys pay for your Lexus RX400H? I got quoted $1,000 Over invoice, which came out to be $44,000. But they said they are willing to go a little lower when i get more serious and begin the paper work. This is this with Navigation. And is Sunroof Standard? Cause Every Car I get, i have to get sunroof thats a priority for us.

[Jim Clark]

If you guys dont mind me asking how much did you guys pay for your Lexus RX400H? I got quoted $1,000 Over invoice, which came out to be $44,000. But they said they are willing to go a little lower when i get more serious and begin the paper work. This is this with Navigation. And is Sunroof Standard? Cause Every Car I get, i have to get sunroof thats a priority for us.

That is an excellent deal depending on what options it has.

RX400h's were in high demand in our area when we bought and there wasn't much inventory so they weren't cutting good deals. They were asking $44k for used 2007's with 15-20k miles.

The sunroof is part of he Premium Package and/or Premium Plus Package. I believe nearly EVERY 400h comes with the Premium Plus Package, no dealers order them without it. You definitely want the Premium Plus Package and Nav. Other important options are 18" wheels, towing prep package, and the heated seats/intermittent wipers. Most dealers order 400's pretty loaded, buyers of these cars want them loaded. It's also important for resale.

What was sticker on that car? It would be around $50k if pretty well loaded.

[RXREY]

Yes, there were NO 400hes on the lot without all of the goodies when I bought mine in Jan/2006. The only option that I had was whether I wanted the entertainment system in the back for kids or not. Since I don't have any, I didn't want DVDs in the back. Anyway...I will try to say this respectfully....this original post was so badly written (sorry) that I misunderstood the writer and felt a little foolish for giving my long, drawn out advice. If in fact you make a lot of money, and your future wife as well, why only put 5K down when buying? Anyway, I'm planning on having this great car for at least ten years and there's absolutely no reason why ANYTHING made by Lexus wouldn't hold up for that long. It's not like Toyota/Lexus is experimenting with hybrids, they really know what they are doing. I'm wondering how the American hybrids are going to do. I know that Ford procured the rights form Toyota to use their technology but I figure they would still goof up somehow but we'll see. I don't have much faith in American cars after having a couple of them in the past. Rey

[DJames]

If you guys dont mind me asking how much did you guys pay for your Lexus RX400H? I got quoted $1,000 Over invoice, which came out to be $44,000. But they said they are willing to go a little lower when i get more serious and begin the paper work. This is this with Navigation. And is Sunroof Standard? Cause Every Car I get, i have to get sunroof thats a priority for us.

That is an excellent deal depending on what options it has.

RX400h's were in high demand in our area when we bought and there wasn't much inventory so they weren't cutting good deals. They were asking $44k for used 2007's with 15-20k miles.

The sunroof is part of he Premium Package and/or Premium Plus Package. I believe nearly EVERY 400h comes with the Premium Plus Package, no dealers order them without it. You definitely want the Premium Plus Package and Nav. Other important options are 18" wheels, towing prep package, and the heated seats/intermittent wipers. Most dealers order 400's pretty loaded, buyers of these cars want them loaded. It's also important for resale.

What was sticker on that car? It would be around $50k if pretty well loaded.

The person that quoted me said it came with Navigation and the Tow prep package you just wrote about. The MSRP was like $49-$50K.

[DJames]

Yes, there were NO 400hes on the lot without all of the goodies when I bought mine in Jan/2006. The only option that I had was whether I wanted the entertainment system in the back for kids or not. Since I don't have any, I didn't want DVDs in the back. Anyway...I will try to say this respectfully....this original post was so badly written (sorry) that I misunderstood the writer and felt a little foolish for giving my long, drawn out advice. If in fact you make a lot of money, and your future wife as well, why only put 5K down when buying? Anyway, I'm planning on having this great car for at least ten years and there's absolutely no reason why ANYTHING made by Lexus wouldn't hold up for that long. It's not like Toyota/Lexus is experimenting with hybrids, they really know what they are doing. I'm wondering how the American hybrids are going to do. I know that Ford procured the rights form Toyota to use their technology but I figure they would still goof up somehow but we'll see. I don't have much faith in American cars after having a couple of them in the past. Rey

Hey Rey,

Sorry for the misunderstanding. I apologize. How much would you recommend putting down if i am leasing the car?

[RXREY]

No big woop, I'm just glad that you understood why I was mixed up...anyway, I have never liked leasing but then I have never leased so it would be better to say that I like OWNING. Everyone has a different lifestyle and miles that one drives. I would be a good candidate to lease in that I only drive about 10K a year. But I like owning since I keep my cars for a long time and this great car I am planning on keeping at least ten years. Since you might lease, put as low as you can get away with and just keep the car two or three years and get something else after that. When you say you and your fiance' make a lot of money, all of this may be a moot point. "A lot" of money is relative. I think I make a good living but it may make some of you giggle compared to what some of you make. For me, I prefer to own and especially since I like to modify my cars, make them my own and keep them a long time. I feel like leasing is like renting, I'd rather not. But then some think it works best for their needs, business wise or what not. Again there are so many factors in every person's life to be able to make that opinion count for anything. If you like the new car feel every three years, lease. If you want to own it and keep it for more than 5 years, buy it. It's a Lexus, it'll last a long time! I had my first car, a

1970 Toyota Corona Mark IV, for 13 years and that was a 7 year old car at the time that I bought it! These Toyota/Lexus hybrids will outlast most cars on the planet, don't let people scare you to worrying about them not lasting. You make a lot of money, if that happens in ten years, then buy something else. Toyota/Lexus make cars to last and be relatively trouble free. I have other things to worry about in life but fortunately I have a pretty blessed life so I make sure that I enjoy this time on Earth and why not do it in comfort and luxury. I love my 400h. I just got back from working, a Sunday in the Valley, 25,miles from my home. The one day that I commute, and coming back there is some traffic. I love my car best when I get in a little bit of traffic, when I am in total electric mode and the MPGs go up and I am not polluting one iota! It really takes the frustration out of the sitting and idling that killed my mpgs in anything else in the past. Good luck and congratulations again on your upcoming union! Warmly and respectfully, Rey in L.A.

[Jim Clark]

If you guys dont mind me asking how much did you guys pay for your Lexus RX400H? I got quoted $1,000 Over invoice, which came out to be $44,000. But they said they are willing to go a little lower when i get more serious and begin the paper work. This is this with Navigation. And is Sunroof Standard? Cause Every Car I get, i have to get sunroof thats a priority for us.

That is an excellent deal depending on what options it has.

RX400h's were in high demand in our area when we bought and there wasn't much inventory so they weren't cutting good deals. They were asking $44k for used 2007's with 15-20k miles.

The sunroof is part of he Premium Package and/or Premium Plus Package. I believe nearly EVERY 400h comes with the Premium Plus Package, no dealers order them without it. You definitely want the Premium Plus Package and Nav. Other important options are 18" wheels, towing prep package, and the heated seats/intermittent wipers. Most dealers order 400's pretty loaded, buyers of these cars want them loaded. It's also important for resale.

What was sticker on that car? It would be around $50k if pretty well loaded.

The person that quoted me said it came with Navigation and the Tow prep package you just wrote about. The MSRP was like $49-$50K.

At $49k+ sticker, it probably has all the stuff I mentioned. In that case it is a VERY good deal. As far as buying or leasing, it depends on the deal they're offering. Just figure out what interest rate you're paying. Some manufacturers offer very favorable financing deals. The lease gives you the option of turning the car in at lease end but these cars seem to be holding their value so well you'll probably buy it at lease end.

[NeoN]

This is going to be my first SUV I Purchase. The car i drive now is a Turbo G35 Coupe with Heavy Mods. And i am just getting tired of the headache (if your a mod head you understand) and just the hassel from the cops and what not.

I totally understand, i have a highly modded supra twin turbo. You'll be pleased with the rx400h,but the handling sucks, i would consider buying a used one and dropping some lowering springs on it, then you'd be good

[katzjamr]

RE RX400h: I agree that the batteries and the hybrid systems have been reliable. I also tend to keep my vehicles longer, i think it represents a better value over time. All of us are hoping there will be no repair to the hybrid system over the life of the car, however no one can promise that. So regarding the leasing vs buying question it seemed to me that one thing in favor of leasing is that you always have a vehicle that is under warranty, even if the next generation is not more reliable when you turn it in, at least its on Toyota to keep it running. (btw i am purchasing mine not leasing)

Since this is a person considering a new purchase i thought this would be the time to try to cover all bases. I too was a lurker prior to buying my 400h and this group has always been a welcome resource.

[DJames]

Everyone has been great on this board. I really appreciate everyone taking their time and giving me their input on this car.

What do you guys think about the Audi Q7?

[Jim Clark]

Haven't driven the Audi Q7 but we traded an Audi S6 Avant on the 400h. The Q7 is really a different animal, it's a lot bigger than a regular Avant.

Audis are great cars until out-of-warranty repairs start to hit. Fortunately we never had anything major. They're luxurious and they drive great. The sportier models are a lot of fun to drive. Our S6 had 340 HP and a firm sport suspension, it was a race car disguised as a soccer mom transport. The Quattro AWD system is as good as it gets. The 400h AWD system is a joke.

If you were to consider a Q7 wait until they bring it in with the TDI engine.