Rx350 Or Rx450 - Help Me Decide

[smokey0066]

Alright guys/gals. My wife and I are shopping for a "new" gently used car. We went shopping today and came back with a few options.

2010 RX450H - pretty much loaded to the gills ~40k

2010 RX350 cpo - not many options, no nav but we don't care about nav ~36k

The 450H is a fixed non-negotiable price whereas the 36k probably has some room to work with since it is from a lexus dealership. I'm leaning towards the 450H right now. I'm thinking even if I can get the difference between the two vehicles up to 6k it would take around 5yrs to recoup the premium for the 450H based on fuel savings calculators online. We keep our cars for a long time so we might get a ROI on the 450H?

We did notice the 450H drives way different. It feels like there is a lag in it but we think we can live with it. We really enjoy the dead quiet idle during stop lights and are looking forward to a fuel savings.

What do you think? Anything else we should consider? The Lexus market is pretty tight here, Only 2 dealerships owned by the same company so the prices are somewhat higher than other regions.

[RX400h]

You might want to include your location in your member profile. That often helps others to answer questions that are related to not only country, but also state and even, city.

We went through the same calculations before we ordered our new 400h. Our payback was a bit shorter than yours, as the federal tax break for hybrids was still active at the time. And like you, we tend to keep our vehicles at least 8-10 years.

So yes, I agree that the 450h is the better choice, especially if you live in a populated area that produces medium to heavy traffic on a regular basis. Gas prices in the $2-$3 range are long gone, making many hybrids smart choices.

[Bearbrooke]

Just bought an RX450H 2013 last week. Already averaging 29.8 miles per gallon. Love the quiet ride and the luxurious feel of this auto. Also enjoyed using regular unleaded gas this morning vs. premium which was 30 cents more!! If you plan on holding on to your auto for awhile I think this is the way of the future, plus the satisfaction of going a little green.

[hansrobert]

We were faced with the same issue when we were trying to decide between a new 2011 RX450 and a RX350. There was a premium price of $5000 for the RX450 because of being a hybrid. After much deliberation we decided on the hybrid and since then we have absolutely no regrets. After almost 15k mikes we are averaging 30 MPG in all driving conditions and types. It was the right decision for us!

[clipper100]

2013 RX450h: I have 1,700 miles.

My average is only 27.6 (by computer... which lies by 1.5% due to speedometer built in error for all cars)

What are you guys smoking with claims of 30 mpg?

[riwyle]

Never believe a man when it comes to the size of the fish he caught or the gas mileage he obtains. I just laugh at some of these claims.

[clipper100]

Well.... I just learned I have been driving my hybrids incorrectly...

On my Toyota Camry hybrids ... I repeatedly down shifted to "B" to save my brakes and have the 'engine' slow me down.

Lexus tech told me NOT SO for this rx 450h

[maseace]

'B' mode on Toyota/Lexus hybrids is only meant for steep downhill driving where you would need to downshift on a regular car. The hybrids already use the motor-generators for coasting and braking. Under normal braking, your regular friction brake pads aren't used, except in very hard braking or when under 9 mph. That's what's meant by 'regenerative' braking. The motors act as generators to charge the battery, while helping slow the car down.

[hansrobert]

Never believe a man when it comes to the size of the fish he caught or the gas mileage he obtains. I just laugh at some of these claims.

I cannot speak for others but I would be glad to explain how I average 30.0 mpg in 15000 miles. The best I've ever done on one tank was about 32.5 mpg. A few tips for those who are interested, it helps when the weather is warm. It also helps when you have some town driving to make full use of of the battery power. I drive in Eco mode and keep in that range and am light on the gas pedal. I turn off A/C when it is not needed. So that's how I get an average of 30.0 mpg based on the on-board computer (actual mpg may be different as I never did the calculations). That's also why I'm happy that I bought the 450h instead of the 350.

[hansrobert]

Alright guys/gals. My wife and I are shopping for a "new" gently used car. We went shopping today and came back with a few options.

2010 RX450H - pretty much loaded to the gills ~40k

2010 RX350 cpo - not many options, no nav but we don't care about nav ~36k

The 450H is a fixed non-negotiable price whereas the 36k probably has some room to work with since it is from a lexus dealership. I'm leaning towards the 450H right now. I'm thinking even if I can get the difference between the two vehicles up to 6k it would take around 5yrs to recoup the premium for the 450H based on fuel savings calculators online. We keep our cars for a long time so we might get a ROI on the 450H?

We did notice the 450H drives way different. It feels like there is a lag in it but we think we can live with it. We really enjoy the dead quiet idle during stop lights and are looking forward to a fuel savings.

What do you think? Anything else we should consider? The Lexus market is pretty tight here, Only 2 dealerships owned by the same company so the prices are somewhat higher than other regions.

Just curious, what decision did you make?

[smokey0066]

well we were all ready to purchase the 450h. The day before we were planning to go into the dealership someone snatched it up from us so we're on the hunt again for another white 450h. Its too bad they're so hard to find on the pre-owned market. It really was a nice automobile.