My Rx350 is underwhelming

[klonny]

I had to post it, just had to.

I bought a Rx350 last year, with high miles, but well maintained. 70K. I've had it exactly one year and a 2 weeks and let me tell you the problems I've had.

1) 101k 4 new struts. yes I know they wear out, but these are completely shot, leaking probably should have been done 20K ago. no towing, no off roading.

2) wheel bearing shot. The last time I replaced a wheel bearing was on my 1979 Dodge Aspen.

3) yesterday had a piece of body trim fall off...fall off. I guess that's what they say when they talk about pursuit of perfection.

4) fan/lights/in ability to lock door comes on about 50% of the time when you shut it off...dealer says they can't reproduce the problem. baloney.

5) cost to get a duplicate key? $350. my Benz was $100.

6) nav is next to worthless, can't change it when your driving, not intuitive...takes 3 buttons to get outside temp.

7) AC condensor died...replaced for $700.

8) and probably my favorite is the rattles...you name it...it rattles. T

I am totally amazed when I read that Lexus and this car was runner up for c&d truck of the year and keeps being top rated. this is a nice looking but crappy toyata highlander that I cannot urge anyone who reads this to stay away from it! I thought my S600 maintenaince was bad? it was expensive yes, but nothign like the frequency of this piece of crap. I had a Acura MDX for 3 year...no problems. a acura TL for 7 year...no problems at all. I just can not understand why anyone purchases a Lexus anymore.

Ok, there you go.

Edited September 7, 2016 by RX400h
inappropriate language

[scottq60]

Don't blame you for being frustrated...I've had more than my share of lemons. So yours is a 2007 with 101k miles on it?

My wife's '09 has been virtually flawless in the 3 years we've owned it. We had to take it in once for a recall to replace an oil line...that was it. Of course there's the valve train rattle when cold that they say is "normal"...but it really has been exceptional up to this point. It only has a little more than 30k miles on it, so it certainly hasn't seen the same amount of use as yours. Certainly no regrets thus far. I'd say hers is the best vehicle we've owned to date and we've owned more than 50 vehicles in the last 30 years.

[klonny]

I have to say that's what's so frustrating is I hear people like you (although I wonder if they are paid Toyota operative ;) ) who love it, absolutely love it! and Then mine has been such a complete disappointment. I used to say I won't buy American anymore because of QC issue, but now I have to think it's Toyota. Good to hear yours is still working well.

[cduluk]

Sounds like whoever owned the car before you abused the !Removed! out of it...

Clearly it wasn't "well maintained" if all of those parts deteriorated prematurely. The problems you listed are very unusual for the 07+ Rx350 even with 100k miles. As for the navigation system functionality, you should have made the effort to learn how it worked BEFORE you bought the car. And you can't blame Lexus for the price of a replacement key; if you bought the car new or found a used RX with the 3 or 4 keys it came with, you wouldn't have that problem. The keys are a dime a dozen on eBay and you could have take it to a locksmith to have it cut.

When you buy a used car with 70k miles, you can't make claims that the car must be faulty when you discover it's sustained more wear than you thought.

[klonny]

Ah another true believer that Lexus can do no wrong.

My benz key was $100. my Acura was less than $100 there is no possible reason Lexus should charge that much. I'm not sure where you live, but locksmiths in my part of the world won't touch a lexus key.

Nav? have you used it? are you really going to say the 2007 Lexus Nax is anything but subpar? dear God, it's terrible, read the posts, read what others say, it's not Lexus' finest product.

I posted in the hope..in the sincere hope that a guy like will be searching around for a car..sees a couple reviews and then stumbles across mine that says, Lexus is an overpriced toyota with a nice looking chrome L on the front and thats it. You want reliability? not in a Lexus. True luxury feel? nope. What you will get is a nice looking car for the driveway and pray you don't have to any amount of serious mileage.

There's a great article in NY Times (no link sorry) that talks about the Lexus/Toyota decrease in quality starting in 2007, I thought it was a little media hype, but I believe it. They cut corner way too many. I test drove a 2011 Highlander and the dash (except for the crappy faux wood in the Lexus) was nearly identical, same buttons, steerring wheel, same everything. If you are still a fantatic toyota/Lexus guy at least save the cash and get a Toyota.

Finally, What's funny is the amount of trouble people are having in the RX's the forum is full of comnplaints, noise, rattles, foibles about lights blinking, so I'm guessing it's not just me who's complaining.

[lemon]

I agree the NAV sucks....large. Worn struts/wheel bearing...normal wear and tear on any car. Replacement key? Only $110 were I am, unless you don't have the transponder inside, in which case probably more.

Maybe you have a lemon - bought used, who knows how the previous owner(s) treated it.

I will say, go to any car forum (Mercedes, Acura, any domestic) and all you'll see is complaints. Really, how many people post at forums about how their vehicle has been perfect?

[scottq60]

lemon....you hit the nail squarely on the head on all counts.

klonny - not really fair of you to paint all Lexus' with the same broad stroke...you could have easily just gotten one that was either a lemon or abused. I'm sure Lexus doesn't need my defense of their products, but as I said, it's probably been the best vehicle we've owned with the only return to the dealership being for that oil line recall I mentioned.

I consider that to be fantastic reliability, especially when I bought a brand new Ford Ranger in '98 and it spent 52 days in the shop the first 3 years I had it, and just a few more miles on it in that amount of time than the Lexus. Yet most Ranger owners SWEAR by them. I also maintain ALL my vehicles meticulously, so there was NO abuse involved.

[LEXIRX330]

Sounds like whoever owned the car before you abused the !Removed! out of it...

Clearly it wasn't "well maintained" if all of those parts deteriorated prematurely. The problems you listed are very unusual for the 07+ Rx350 even with 100k miles. As for the navigation system functionality, you should have made the effort to learn how it worked BEFORE you bought the car. And you can't blame Lexus for the price of a replacement key; if you bought the car new or found a used RX with the 3 or 4 keys it came with, you wouldn't have that problem. The keys are a dime a dozen on eBay and you could have take it to a locksmith to have it cut.

When you buy a used car with 70k miles, you can't make claims that the car must be faulty when you discover it's sustained more wear than you thought.

Couldn't have said it better CD!

[mdrx350md]

It seems like the previous owner neglected the maintenance. I have a 08 RX350 with 106,200 miles bought with 7 miles and not a single thing has broken or malfunctioned. However, the struts are totally done and probably has been the last 20K miles. I can hear the rumbling sound from the rear struts bouncing around. I has caused my tires to cup a little. If the nav is bothering you, I believe you can get a hack for it. It involves taking out your head unit which is a little too involved for my taste.

[cduluk]

Ah another true believer that Lexus can do no wrong.

I don't think that at all- read the sticky thread in the Hybrid forum i started after i got my Rx400h. There are a lot of things i don't think the RX does very well.

Nav? have you used it? are you really going to say the 2007 Lexus Nax is anything but subpar? dear God, it's terrible, read the posts, read what others say, it's not Lexus' finest product.

Actually, i like the navigation in the Lexus. The only drawback i find is the inability to use it while driving, but there's a pretty cheap kit you can install to get around this, all for less than the price of an aftermarket nav unit. Every Lexus navigation system since 1998 has this lockout, and the 07-present system is their best. You should have made the effort to learn how it worked BEFORE buying the car.

I posted in the hope..in the sincere hope that a guy like will be searching around for a car..sees a couple reviews and then stumbles across mine that says, Lexus is an overpriced toyota with a nice looking chrome L on the front and thats it.

Your argument doesn't have any integrity. You bought a USED car, from a non-Lexus dealer, one with DOUBLE the average mileage for that model year. All of your complaints (except for the functionality of the nav and price for a key; all knowledge that was available prior to purchase) are based on wear and tear. Your problems are consistent with a car that was abused for 70k miles. You can't claim your issues are due to poor quality on Lexus' part as you have NO proof the car wasn't tortured before you owned it. Only if you were the original owner of the car could you suggest that build quality is the cause of your problems. I don't know why you're having difficulty with the logic...

You want reliability? not in a Lexus. True luxury feel? nope. What you will get is a nice looking car for the driveway and pray you don't have to any amount of serious mileage.

Again, your experiences with your Rx are not such that you can make judgements about the RX as a whole. You don't have the ability to determine that mileage alone is the cause of your RX's problems, as you don't know how those first 70k miles were driven. The average Lexus with 70k-100k miles doesn't experience the same premature failure of the parts you've described. So your accusations that Lexus is to blame for what you're going through is unjustified. No one needs to hear from you that buying a used car with double the average mileage is a stupid idea; we already know that. The risk of buying a car with high mileage is the same for a Lexus as it is for a Buick. It's not the build quality that should be feared with high mileage, but rather the fact that you don't know how the car was treated beforehand.

There's a great article in NY Times (no link sorry) that talks about the Lexus/Toyota decrease in quality starting in 2007, I thought it was a little media hype, but I believe it. They cut corner way too many.

I have news for you; the components you've experienced failure with on your 2007 Rx350 are identical to those on the 2004 Rx330, which was designed in 2001-2002, entering service in April of 2003 as the 2004 model. By 2010 when you bought your RX, you could have very easily done your research on how the RX ages with time and mileage. And i think you will find that even the oldest 2004 Rx NOW, hasn't even experienced the same failures that yours has.

I test drove a 2011 Highlander and the dash (except for the crappy faux wood in the Lexus) was nearly identical, same buttons, steerring wheel, same everything. If you are still a fantatic toyota/Lexus guy at least save the cash and get a Toyota.

Seriously?? I don't know what Highlander you were looking at, but the materials for the dash and steering wheel aren't even close. The Highlander uses hard plastics in the places where the Rx utilizes soft vinyl (glove compartment, center console trim, door panels...) and the steering wheel of the Highlander is vinyl whereas the RX steering wheel is leather and wood- real wood that is, as compared to the plastic "printed" wood in the Toyota. And the leather for the seats is entirely different between the Lexus and Toyota, both in texture and softness. And you show me one entry level Acura, Mercedes or BMW that you think has quality interior materials and i'll show you 5 Lexus' that beat it.

Finally, What's funny is the amount of trouble people are having in the RX's the forum is full of comnplaints, noise, rattles, foibles about lights blinking, so I'm guessing it's not just me who's complaining.

This is a forum where people come to vent and seek help when problems first occur with their Lexus. I don't think there's a single active member on this forum who can say their first thread was anything but a complaint or question about a problem they were experiencing. People don't join and become active members because they want to praise Lexus. So yes, 99% of the threads started on this forum are by new members (such as yourself) that have problems with their Lexus and want help. The majority of Lexus owners do not experience problems, and therefore do not feel the need to post on this site. When you're reading this forum, all you're gonna see are people's problems. But it doesn't mean everyone, or even 1/50th of Lexus owners, are having problems.

People don't go to the hospital to learn how to cure illnesses; they go to the hospital after they have acquired the illness. When you go to a hospital, do you assume everyone in the world is sick just because everyone in the hospital is sick? No, of course not. So it doesn't make sense to think that the Rx is plagued by design just because the majority of the threads started on this forum are about problems with their cars.

Get it now?

[RX in NC]

klonny,

My wife has had two RX models, first a 2000 RX300 AWD and now a 2004 RX330 AWD. The RX300 was hands down the worst vehicle I've owned in more than 40 years of driving. It required more than $9,000 worth of warranty work from Lexus in the first two years we owned it, unbelievable and completely unacceptable given Lexus' reputation for quality and durability. I was glad to sell it off to the first couple who rang our doorbell in January 2007, and did not want another Lexus product in our garage. But my wife still had Lexus Fever, it was her vehicle and her money, and she opted to replace it with her current 2004 RX330. No question that the RX330 is a better vehicle in build quality and durability, granted that isn't saying much compared to her first Lexus with its myriad of well-known problems that have been frequently discussed on this site. I'm meticulous with self-maintenance on all of our vehicles. The RX300 didn't care - its design flaws and shoddy materials failed anyway. The RX330 has responded favorably, however. It's pushing 114,500 miles now and has held up well with just a few relatively minor warranty issues, a couple of recalls, and mostly just good routine maintenance from me....

My view of the RX series after owning and maintaining two of them is that if you need a relatively trouble-free, mid-size AWD or 4WD SUV, there are a number of better choices on the market for significantly less cost than the RX (and have been for years). But I have to say that the RX330 is a much better vehicle than the RX300. Lexus will never admit it, but they indeed learned their lesson from the many flaws and failures that haunted the first few model years of the RX series....

[DEATH_AWAITS_YOU]

I had to post it, just had to.

I bought a Rx350 last year, with high miles, but well maintained. 70K. I've had it exactly one year and a 2 weeks and let me tell you the problems I've had.

1) 101k 4 new struts. yes I know they wear out, but these are completely shot, leaking probably should have been done 20K ago. no towing, no off roading.

2) wheel bearing shot. The last time I replaced a wheel bearing was on my 1979 Dodge Aspen.

3) yesterday had a piece of body trim fall off...fall off. I guess that's what they say when they talk about pursuit of perfection.

4) fan/lights/in ability to lock door comes on about 50% of the time when you shut it off...dealer says they can't reproduce the problem. baloney.

5) cost to get a duplicate key? $350. my Benz was $100.

6) nav is next to worthless, can't change it when your driving, not intuitive...takes 3 buttons to get outside temp.

7) AC condensor died...replaced for $700.

8) and probably my favorite is the rattles...you name it...it rattles. T

I am totally amazed when I read that Lexus and this car was runner up for c&d truck of the year and keeps being top rated. this is a nice looking but crappy toyata highlander that I cannot urge anyone who reads this to stay away from it! I thought my S600 maintenaince was bad? it was expensive yes, but nothign like the frequency of this piece of crap. I had a Acura MDX for 3 year...no problems. a acura TL for 7 year...no problems at all. I just can not understand why anyone purchases a Lexus anymore.

Ok, there you go.

WAAAAAAAH!!! I have 100,000 miles on my car and I have to fix something! ROFLMAO! P.S. The problem with your locks/lights is the ignition lock cylinder. The tumblers start to come loose and it won't trip the micro switch when you take the key out of the ignition-ECU thinks you left the key in the ignition. Get a new one and have it re-keyed to match your existing keys. Seen it a million times.

[otherworldliness]

Wow, interesting, I had no idea that Lexus RX series has such issues. Will keep in mind next time I am out looking for a new / certified pre-owned vehicle.

While my LS400 was in routine service, I had the pleasure to drive a RX350, and I thought it was a pretty nice car for being an SUV. Of course, I am pampered by a LS, so I would pick a LS over RX any day. Still, I didn't experience much cabin noise inside a RX.

Did Lexus find out the cause when you send it in for service?

[aquatrax]

The wonderful Minnesota winters might have something to do with it. I have an 07 that I bought here in Minnesota and so far it is OK but I don't expect it to last as long as say a car purchased in California. I've only been in Minnesota for 2 winters but they were pretty bad.

[BlueRu]

Thank you cduluk for your line by line commentary and for putting this thread into perspective.

A few months ago I bought a pre-owned 2007 Lexus RX 350 with 73,000 miles from a Lexus dealer in Massachusetts. The car looks and rides like a new car and was priced a couple thousand dollars under any other 2007 Lexus RX 350 advertised.

Yesterday, I noticed a rather loud noise and was told by Lexus dealer that both wheel bearings need to be replaced for about $1100. While I have owned other cars that have not had bearings that needed to be replaced till well over 100k, you make an excellent point, that it is a used car with high mileage and one never knows how previous owner treated the vehicle.

I was interested in your comment "there's a pretty cheap kit you can install to get around this, all for less than the price of an aftermarket nav unit." Could you please let me know where I might be able to find that kit?

As a first time Lexus owner, I must say it has been a very positive experience.

Ah another true believer that Lexus can do no wrong.

I don't think that at all- read the sticky thread in the Hybrid forum i started after i got my Rx400h. There are a lot of things i don't think the RX does very well.

Nav? have you used it? are you really going to say the 2007 Lexus Nax is anything but subpar? dear God, it's terrible, read the posts, read what others say, it's not Lexus' finest product.

Actually, i like the navigation in the Lexus. The only drawback i find is the inability to use it while driving, but there's a pretty cheap kit you can install to get around this, all for less than the price of an aftermarket nav unit. Every Lexus navigation system since 1998 has this lockout, and the 07-present system is their best. You should have made the effort to learn how it worked BEFORE buying the car.

I posted in the hope..in the sincere hope that a guy like will be searching around for a car..sees a couple reviews and then stumbles across mine that says, Lexus is an overpriced toyota with a nice looking chrome L on the front and thats it.

Your argument doesn't have any integrity. You bought a USED car, from a non-Lexus dealer, one with DOUBLE the average mileage for that model year. All of your complaints (except for the functionality of the nav and price for a key; all knowledge that was available prior to purchase) are based on wear and tear. Your problems are consistent with a car that was abused for 70k miles. You can't claim your issues are due to poor quality on Lexus' part as you have NO proof the car wasn't tortured before you owned it. Only if you were the original owner of the car could you suggest that build quality is the cause of your problems. I don't know why you're having difficulty with the logic...

You want reliability? not in a Lexus. True luxury feel? nope. What you will get is a nice looking car for the driveway and pray you don't have to any amount of serious mileage.

Again, your experiences with your Rx are not such that you can make judgements about the RX as a whole. You don't have the ability to determine that mileage alone is the cause of your RX's problems, as you don't know how those first 70k miles were driven. The average Lexus with 70k-100k miles doesn't experience the same premature failure of the parts you've described. So your accusations that Lexus is to blame for what you're going through is unjustified. No one needs to hear from you that buying a used car with double the average mileage is a stupid idea; we already know that. The risk of buying a car with high mileage is the same for a Lexus as it is for a Buick. It's not the build quality that should be feared with high mileage, but rather the fact that you don't know how the car was treated beforehand.

There's a great article in NY Times (no link sorry) that talks about the Lexus/Toyota decrease in quality starting in 2007, I thought it was a little media hype, but I believe it. They cut corner way too many.

I have news for you; the components you've experienced failure with on your 2007 Rx350 are identical to those on the 2004 Rx330, which was designed in 2001-2002, entering service in April of 2003 as the 2004 model. By 2010 when you bought your RX, you could have very easily done your research on how the RX ages with time and mileage. And i think you will find that even the oldest 2004 Rx NOW, hasn't even experienced the same failures that yours has.

I test drove a 2011 Highlander and the dash (except for the crappy faux wood in the Lexus) was nearly identical, same buttons, steerring wheel, same everything. If you are still a fantatic toyota/Lexus guy at least save the cash and get a Toyota.

Seriously?? I don't know what Highlander you were looking at, but the materials for the dash and steering wheel aren't even close. The Highlander uses hard plastics in the places where the Rx utilizes soft vinyl (glove compartment, center console trim, door panels...) and the steering wheel of the Highlander is vinyl whereas the RX steering wheel is leather and wood- real wood that is, as compared to the plastic "printed" wood in the Toyota. And the leather for the seats is entirely different between the Lexus and Toyota, both in texture and softness. And you show me one entry level Acura, Mercedes or BMW that you think has quality interior materials and i'll show you 5 Lexus' that beat it.

Finally, What's funny is the amount of trouble people are having in the RX's the forum is full of comnplaints, noise, rattles, foibles about lights blinking, so I'm guessing it's not just me who's complaining.

This is a forum where people come to vent and seek help when problems first occur with their Lexus. I don't think there's a single active member on this forum who can say their first thread was anything but a complaint or question about a problem they were experiencing. People don't join and become active members because they want to praise Lexus. So yes, 99% of the threads started on this forum are by new members (such as yourself) that have problems with their Lexus and want help. The majority of Lexus owners do not experience problems, and therefore do not feel the need to post on this site. When you're reading this forum, all you're gonna see are people's problems. But it doesn't mean everyone, or even 1/50th of Lexus owners, are having problems.

People don't go to the hospital to learn how to cure illnesses; they go to the hospital after they have acquired the illness. When you go to a hospital, do you assume everyone in the world is sick just because everyone in the hospital is sick? No, of course not. So it doesn't make sense to think that the Rx is plagued by design just because the majority of the threads started on this forum are about problems with their cars.

Get it now?

Edited September 23, 2011 by BlueRu

[cduluk]

Thank you cduluk for your line by line commentary and for putting this thread into perspective.

A few months ago I bought a pre-owned 2007 Lexus RX 350 with 73,000 miles from a Lexus dealer in Massachusetts. The car looks and rides like a new car and was priced a couple thousand dollars under any other 2007 Lexus RX 350 advertised.

Yesterday, I noticed a rather loud noise and was told by Lexus dealer that both wheel bearings need to be replaced for about $1100. While I have owned other cars that have not had bearings that needed to be replaced till well over 100k, you make an excellent point, that it is a used car with high mileage and one never knows how previous owner treated the vehicle.

I was interested in your comment "there's a pretty cheap kit you can install to get around this, all for less than the price of an aftermarket nav unit." Could you please let me know where I might be able to find that kit?

As a first time Lexus owner, I must say it has been a very positive experience.

No problem, and I think this should help with the nav lockpick. <_< It's for the Rx400h but your Rx350 uses the same nav system.

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=39896&st=0

[browercreed]

I am on my third Lexus. The first was a ES300 and I liked it but had a hard time getting in and out with my bad back. Traded it for a 2000 RX 300 and was totally in love for over 200,000 miles when the transmission went out. It required very little other than regular maintenance and gas. I just had to have the newer 2008 Brandywine, and have been so

very unhappy with it. Today at 73,000 miles I had to have a wheel bearing replaced. It sounded like a tire out of round but that wasn't the issue. I've had many cars in my 63 years and have never had to replace a wheel bearing!!! There have been several issues with this Lexus, and I feel I have a lemon. BUT, I have a beautiful lemon and I prefer it over any other I could own. Thinking about the newer model and whether I should go for it since I've never been really happy with this one. If I had only had this one and never experienced the other two great ones I owned I'd probably feel the same way and wonder why anybody would buy it.

[bainzey]

Sounds like whoever owned the car before you abused the !Removed! out of it...

my thoughts also... I've got a 04 RX330 bought it new, and no issues what so ever. Just the regular maintenance. Oh and I had to replace the rear door actuator. But that's it. My wife and I both love it. If one is to buy used then there is always risk and a potential case of not knowing the true history. I prefer new for that reason and the piece of mind. But obviously there is a cost associated with it. Having said that there are ways to buy used and be safe. But I do however find it interesting how, someone who buys a USED vehicle, with high mileage, probably with out any service records, can really then say as a matter of fact, "ALL RX330's are crap", for that matter he is probably saying "DON'T EVER BUY A LEXUS, ANY MODEL!!" And the best bit, he's looking for support...

lol

[YotaLVR]

Oh, and I hope you didnt buy it at a luxury car lot. My brother works for mercedes, and they tell him to trash every Lexus that comes on the lot to make people despise them. I hope you bought it at a Toyota or Lexus dealership.

[alex1372]

Hey cduluk - you mentioned nav kit to be able to use it while driving... is it permanent fix? Could you tell me more about it? A link maybe?

Thanks!

[storms71]

I just found this thread and wanted to throw in my two cents... I bought a 2008 RX 350 a little more than two years ago with 69k on it (certified pre-owned from a Lexus dealer). I figured they wouldn't certify a car that has been abused, and I was aparently right. I live in Western NY and put a lot of miles on. I maticulously maintain my RX following the specified maintanance schedule to a "T". My RX is now at 134,000 miles and I have had only two repair issues with it. One was an exaust manifold sensor that was replaced under warranty, and the other was the rear liftgate actuator stopped working which I replaced myself for about 60+ bucks. Other than normal wear items, that's all that has gone wrong with my RX! I absolutely love this vehicle. Unbelievably reliable! I fully expect to get MANY more miles out of this vehicle as it still looks and drives like new. I get many compliments and people are very surpised when they hear the mileage that is on it. You're right, people that don't have problems don't usually post. So I thought I would chime in!

[cduluk]

I just found this thread and wanted to throw in my two cents... I bought a 2008 RX 350 a little more than two years ago with 69k on it (certified pre-owned from a Lexus dealer). I figured they wouldn't certify a car that has been abused, and I was aparently right. I live in Western NY and put a lot of miles on. I maticulously maintain my RX following the specified maintanance schedule to a "T". My RX is now at 134,000 miles and I have had only two repair issues with it. One was an exaust manifold sensor that was replaced under warranty, and the other was the rear liftgate actuator stopped working which I replaced myself for about 60+ bucks. Other than normal wear items, that's all that has gone wrong with my RX! I absolutely love this vehicle. Unbelievably reliable! I fully expect to get MANY more miles out of this vehicle as it still looks and drives like new. I get many compliments and people are very surpised when they hear the mileage that is on it. You're right, people that don't have problems don't usually post. So I thought I would chime in!

Thanks for posting! :) You're right, the RX is indeed very reliable and with proper care hold their age well! Just today i had a guy come up to me in my '08 Rx400h (looks the same as the RX350) and ask, "Is it a '10 or an '11?" He was stunned when i told him it was a 2008!

[zieke]

This is a little off the wall, but before I bought my 2007 RX 350, I heard nothing but the bad things about the BMW SUV, so I went with a used RX. I was fortunate enough to have obtained all the Lexus service records so I believe it will be a fine vehicle.

[satz24]

I have to say I'm also a little disappointed in my 2007 RX350 (Japan built). I bought this off the original owner 2 years ago, and some of the problems have really surprised me. Nothing as major as the OP's (touch wood). Luckily many of them covered under extended warranty, but not all.

VVT mechanism replaced at around 70,000 km

wheel bearing replaced around 70,000km

sunroof deflector rattle - been in 5 times and still no solution (except my own DIY)

various trim rattles (admittedly often as a result of the Lexus service work!)

battery replacement

new front brake pads fitted by Lexus completely worn out within 15,000km

Not quite the reliability I expected from this brand/Toyota. My previous Camry (Australian built) went for 7 years with only a replacement CD player in that time!

This RX seems more akin to my VW GTI's reliability! Well...maybe not that bad

:)

[Digitalflesh]

On 7/21/2011 at 4:51 PM, klonny said:

I had to post it, just had to.

I bought a Rx350 last year, with high miles, but well maintained. 70K. I've had it exactly one year and a 2 weeks and let me tell you the problems I've had.

1) 101k 4 new struts. yes I know they wear out, but these are completely shot, leaking probably should have been done 20K ago. no towing, no off roading.

2) wheel bearing shot. The last time I replaced a wheel bearing was on my 1979 Dodge Aspen.

3) yesterday had a piece of body trim fall off...fall off. I guess that's what they say when they talk about pursuit of perfection.

4) fan/lights/in ability to lock door comes on about 50% of the time when you shut it off...dealer says they can't reproduce the problem. baloney.

5) cost to get a duplicate key? $350. my Benz was $100.

6) nav is next to worthless, can't change it when your driving, not intuitive...takes 3 buttons to get outside temp.

7) AC condensor died...replaced for $700.

8) and probably my favorite is the rattles...you name it...it rattles. T

I am totally amazed when I read that Lexus and this car was runner up for c&d truck of the year and keeps being top rated. this is a nice looking but crappy toyata highlander that I cannot urge anyone who reads this to stay away from it! I thought my S600 maintenaince was bad? it was expensive yes, but nothign like the frequency of this piece of crap. I had a Acura MDX for 3 year...no problems. a acura TL for 7 year...no problems at all. I just can not understand why anyone purchases a Lexus anymore.

Ok, there you go.