Rx450h W/ Precollision System?

[utexas2001]

Hi!

I am going to get the new 450h and am trying to figure out exactly which options to get. This car is mainly for me to drive around town with the kids in the backseat, so safety is one of my main concerns. I have been told that to get the pre-collision is special-order only, and also requires that I get the navigation system. Since the other cars I was considering didn't even offer the pre-collision, I am wondering if it's worth the extra money... would it really be a useful safety option? Also, does anyone have a 450h w/o the nav. system? It's a feature I don't think I wouldn't get very much use out of (and the backup camera can still be installed with a screen on the rearview mirror), but everyone seems to get it anyway. I'd really appreciate any opinions on these topics.

Melissa

[thelazydogsback]

I would say to save your money on the NAV.

I was pretty excited to get an integrated nav, but they're always years behind the state-of-the-art of a 3rd party one.

If you happen to need one in the future, grab a Garmin Nuvi (or whatever) and you'll be better off and have lot's more money in your pocket.

Have fun w/the 450!

Hi!

I am going to get the new 450h and am trying to figure out exactly which options to get. This car is mainly for me to drive around town with the kids in the backseat, so safety is one of my main concerns. I have been told that to get the pre-collision is special-order only, and also requires that I get the navigation system. Since the other cars I was considering didn't even offer the pre-collision, I am wondering if it's worth the extra money... would it really be a useful safety option? Also, does anyone have a 450h w/o the nav. system? It's a feature I don't think I wouldn't get very much use out of (and the backup camera can still be installed with a screen on the rearview mirror), but everyone seems to get it anyway. I'd really appreciate any opinions on these topics.

Melissa

[ABV4EVER]

THEY ARE AVAILABLE WITHOUT NAVIGATION SYSTEM BUT MOSTLY SPECIAL ORDER AND CAN TAKE A FEW MONTHS TO GET

[katzjamr]

i never thought i would use the nav, and i find it the most useful feature on the car, and mine works flawlessly for four years, also you get a much more useable screen with the nav for climate, hybrid system monitoring and many other systems on the 450h. mostly i would think that come time to trade it in most people are going to want nav in a car. especially a 'luxury' vehicle

[Eldor]

I've had my Rx450h (Ultra Premium) since June and it was only a few days ago that I experienced the pre-collision system for the first time. Someone came out of a side street and I hit the brakes and suddenly my seat belt got extra tight (pulled me right back in my seat!) and it felt like the brakes were being applied a lot harder than I myself was applying them. It was quite a surprise let me tell you. And the seat belt held me tight for several seconds after coming to a stop.

I guess that's a good thing but I hope I never really need it. I have no idea if the seat belt thing works on the back seats as well as the front and you might confirm if it does before you spring for it.

As far as the navagation system goes, at least for me, it is a HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT. I've had nav systems for years (having owned various Magellan, TomTom and Garmin units) and as far as I'm concerned, the system in the Lexus is brain-dead. It doesn't know where you can or cannot make a left turn for example (the Garmin DOES know) and it tries to route me around roads that have existed for the last 15 years instead of taking the direct (shorter AND faster) route. The system is so bad in fact, that I am no longer using it and wish I hadn't paid extra for it. I've now got my Garmin unit sitting on the dash and it's 100 times better.

Would it help resale value? Maybe. At least if the buyer expects the nav system to be comparable to what other manufacturers offer. Even so, I don't think it would help resale value enough to offset the inital purchase price.

Other than that, the Hybrid is really nice.

[katzjamr]

have you fine tuned the nav system with the preferences that you would like, so it selects those first?, you can ask it to do freeway preferred, or pick shortest distance, or shortest time to destination. my four year old system knows where i can and cannot make a legal turn, it seems to me that many dealers do not take the time to teach people about the nav, and not all of them are being used to their capability, just my two cents.