RX in NC

Thanks to those of you who have replied thus far. I believe the primary purpose for these underbody covers is to discourage do-it-yourself maintenance and drive more service work to the dealerships. There may be some benefits in keeping these covers in place, but at this point those benefits are probably marginal at best. Any more responses out there? So far we have two "keep it" and one "lose it"....

Interesting solution, wwest. Where did you purchase the bulb, can you provide the part number, and did it fit directly into the socket assembly without any modifications? The vehicle is still under warranty and I do not want to do any modifications. I wouldn't be surprised if our 2004 RX330 uses a different back-up bulb style than your 2001 RX300. The Japanese manufacturers tend to use different bulbs for different applications as body styles and lamp assemblies change while the U.S. manufacturers tend to stay with the same bulbs for many years....

My wife complains that the light cast by the back-up bulbs in her 2004 RX330 is nonexistent compared to her former 2000 RX300. Backing the vehicle up myself the other night, I found out that she is absolutely correct. It appears to be a combination of the bulbs being underpowered and the taillight assembly being too high up on the tailgate along with the bulbs being positioned too close to the center of the tailgate. What better back-up bulb solutions have some of you found? I thought about halogen bulbs, but they could generate too much heat and create some serious melting problems in the plastic taillight assemblies. What about LED bulbs? Are they available to fit without any modifications and will they throw substantially more light back there?

I'm not sure when Lexus began installing the thin plastic covers underneath the vehicle which must be removed before you can access anything that might require service such as doing a transmission pan drain-and-fill. Our former 2000 RX300 did not have such a cover but the current 2004 RX330 does. Benefits of these covers may include (notice I said "may include", not "definitely include") keeping the underside of the vehicle somewhat cleaner as well as some potential noise abatement and perhaps a small improvement in streamlining and airflow. Detriments to these covers include increasing the hassle factor anytime you need to access the undercarriage and perhaps helping to retain too much heat in the engine compartment during the hot summer months. For those of you whose vehicles came with these covers in place, have you elected to leave them as is, or have you removed them? I'd really like to take this thing off and get rid of it, but I don't want to make a final decision until some of you folks have chipped in with your pros and cons, particularly if some of you removed your covers years ago and now have regrets. I'd like to understand your reasons. Thanks for your input here. I'm sure it will benefit others who are pondering the same decision....

blake918, To answer your question, my wife's 2004 RX330 AWD has slightly more headroom and about the same legroom as her 2000 RX300 AWD did. My limit in driving that vehicle is about one hour and I refuse to ride in it. If I have to be in it, I'm going to drive. After an hour or so, I'm ready to crawl out of it and blast it with a bazooka.... But seriously, her RX330 drives and rides much more comfortably than her RX300 did. The transmission shifts are smoother as well. The RX330 is unquestionably a better vehicle. I'll never learn to like it, but I'm trying hard to learn to accept it....

Without putting our eyes and hands on the vehicle, none of us can properly advise you, and we certainly won't make your decision for you. What is the Kelley Blue Book value? Is the vehicle in good condition or perhaps only fair condition? Can you lay your hands on the complete service history for this vehicle? If not, then your chances of making a mistake by purchasing this vehicle go up significantly. Service history is key. If the vehicle hasn't had its fluids changed at proper intervals, most of us who know the RX series would stay away from it. Have you looked at every single service ticket to insure that what your seller is telling you is true? I sit down with every potential buyer of my vehicles and explain every single service ticket to them. I also give them copies of every single maintenance item that I've performed myself and show them the mileage and the date when it was performed. Has this guy done that for you? You said in your original post that the brakes were done at 40,000 miles and now at about 70,000 miles they will soon need to be done again. Most of us who drive "normally" (whatever that means) have been able to get anywhere from 70,000 miles to sometimes close to 100,000 miles out of our original RX300 brake pads and rotors. Perhaps the one you're looking at has been "ridden hard and put up wet". I think a thorough independent inspection is indeed in order if you are serious about purchasing this vehicle. Sounds like you have more research to do....

Yep, I received the letter/card. And yep, I filed it with our 2000 RX300 AWD records and gave it to the guy who bought the vehicle from us about a month ago after explaining what it was to him. I also told him to just keep up the oil and filter changes and he probably would be able to avoid the oil gelling issue.... I had our dealership inspect the condition of this engine at no charge in the January 2005 timeframe at around 100,000 miles. No gelling issues were found, as expected....

Glad to hear this. A 1-in-400 failure rate, if true, is monumental. Sure wish that this forum could be privy to the specifics and details behind this incident. Please post more information on this issue if you manage to obtain it. This may finally shut up the skeptics who have been fortunate enough not to experience these problems and continue to criticize those of us who have....

Excellent point about the seat rails, blake 918. As nice a vehicle as the LS series is, I have no legroom or headroom in it. If I wanted a nice sedan, I couldn't even put the LS on my search list. At 6-foot-7, that's one of the many reasons I drive a full-size Ram pickup as my primary vehicle. I have all the legroom and headroom I need....

nc211, Just to make you aware, check the "Camry Input?" thread in the General Discussions category of the forum. You said that your wife had decided on an Infiniti sedan. I've recommended that you call a guy in Cary to find your car for you. He will do you right all the way around. Check that thread out and give him a call. You won't regret it.

First of all, don't beat yourself up about it. What's done is done. Look on the bright side - now that you've found this forum, you know what to look out for and the RX owners here will assist you when you ask for help. I agree with you - you did significantly overpay for your vehicle. But that's typical when buying a used vehicle from a Lexus dealership. Those folks aren't charities! If your vehicle is not all-wheel-drive, you're already ahead of the game. As you've probably already deduced, the transmission horror stories primarily come from 1999 and 2000 AWD models. Check your transmission fluid level and condition frequently and do simple drain-and-fills using Toyota Type T-IV transmission fluid at least every 30,000 miles. Some say that 15,000-mile intervals are better. Just change your fluid regularly and pick the interval you are most comfortable with. Don't tow anything. Towing increases the strain on your transmission and therefore increases your risk factor. That's true to some degree for ANY vehicle, but some vehicles are designed and engineered to tow. The RX is not. So don't tow with it. Change your oil and filter regularly just like you would with any other vehicle. Most owners go with a 5,000 mile interval and I believe that offers plenty of protection unless you are constantly driving on dusty dirt roads or in windy desert conditions. Always change the filter when you change your oil. Some folks change their filters only at every other oil change. Not a good idea in an engine that the manufacturer recognizes could be sludge-prone if not cared for properly. This forum and others like it will offer you much assistance and information. Use it as a resource, learn what signs to watch out for, and ask for help when you need it. There are many RX-knowledgeable members here and they will assist you in attempting to keep your vehicle out of trouble. Good luck to you.

nc211, Call Madsen Motors in Cary (481-0600) and ask for Wayne Madsen. Tell him what you're looking for in terms of model year, mileage, and color. He'll scour the lease auctions and find you the absolute best one on the East Coast for the fairest price you'll find. He deals primarily in Mercedes, BMW, and Porsche, but he also finds near-perfect Volvos, Lexus, and Infinitis as well. He deals only in near-perfect vehicles as you'll see if you drive over and check his stock. It may take him a few weeks but he'll find your car for you. One of the nicest guys you'll ever meet as well. Give him a call - I guarantee you won't regret it. We've purchased two vehicles from him and have three sets of friends whom we've sent to him since 2003. All are delighted with the vehicles they've purchased and the experience of dealing with Wayne. I don't get any kickback or commission from Madsen Motors, but I feel strongly enough about our positive experiences of purchasing vehicles there that I willingly recommend them to other folks in the market for nice, luxury-level vehicles that are in near-perfect condition. Be aware that he doesn't trade, he only sells. So you'll need to either sell your wife's Honda on your own (or as a last resort, sell it to CarMax for probably about $2,000 less than it's really worth). But Wayne will allow you the time you need to sell your current vehicle once he locates and obtains the one you want. Not many places I know of would bother to work with you that way....

Yep, the original transmission in my wife's 2000 RX300 AWD began showing signs of failure at about 48,000 miles. Lexus had changed the Type T-IV transmission fluid as part of the 30,000-mile service that the original owner had them perform.

Like lenore, I've also had good results from Wal-Mart brand batteries. I've also had good results from batteries puchased at Advance Auto Parts as well as NAPA. I believe that the key is to get a battery with at least 550 to 600 cold cranking amps and comes with either a 2-year or 3-year free replacement warranty. If the battery meets all of those requirements, I don't think it really matters whether it has a 5, 6, or 7-year pro-rated replacement warranty. My bottom line is that I stay away from the $30 batteries as well as the $80-and-up batteries. I've never had a $50 to $60 battery quit on me before at least 5 years, and that's just about the right level of value-for-the-money in my book. Let us know what you decide to go with....

There have been a few responses on this forum from folks who have been faced with the oil gelling issue. As you would expect, some of them received immediate recognition and support from their dealerships while others had to battle to obtain warranty resolution. Dealerships' willingness to admit and address warranty problems unfortunately varies so much from place to place. An owner's best approach is always to glean as much information as possible about the issue, fully document your particular problems, and then stay professional yet firm when communicating with the dealership. Go directly to the Service Manager and if necessary, the General Manager. Don't waste your time with Service Advisors. Having to add a quart of oil at 2,500-mile intervals is definitely excessive oil consumption. But that may or may not be an indication of the oil gelling problem. If you have significant mileage on your vehicle (100,000 miles or more), this could be an indication of normal engine wear such as your piston rings beginning to go. There are a number of different causes that could be possible in your case, but you should definitely negotiate with your dealership to pull the valve covers and inspect for oil gelling. I was able to get my local dealership to do that at no charge a couple of years back on my wife's 2000 RX300 when it was in for some other warranty work at the same time. Inform your dealership that you are well aware of the oil gelling issue, you've researched it, you suspect that it may be occuring in your vehicle, and you expect them to address it for you. Good luck and keep us posted.

The only point I would add here is that since you live in Phoenix you already know that you're in one of the toughest climates in the U.S. as far as engine and transmission heat-related wear-and-tear is concerned. So stay diligent with checking and changing your fluids on a very regular basis. Good luck to you.

Spend more time on this forum and others like it and you'll learn that the vast majority of RX300 transmission failures occur in the 1999 and 2000 all-wheel-drive models. Change your oil routinely, change your Type T-IV transmission fluid at least every 30,000 miles, avoid towing anything, and check the conditions of your fluids regularly. With a 2001 front-wheel-drive version, your chances are very good that you'll be okay.

Chris Cincy, I just put a set of Alenzas on my wife's 2004 RX330 AWD a week ago. Having 18-inch wheels, the tire choices in her 235/55R18 size requirement are quite limited. But after doing my research, the Alenzas were by far the best bang for the buck in terms of treadwear warranty, wet traction, light snow traction, and comfort. Even she has noticed the difference (especially in the rain) compared to the brand-new Michelin MXV4 S8 tires that had been installed on the vehicle about two weeks before we purchased it. But if her vehicle had 16-inch or 17-inch wheels instead, I would have put a set of Firestone Destination LE tires on it in a heartbeat. The Destination LE is Firestone's slightly scaled-down version of the Alenza with almost as good a treadwear warranty, great wet traction and snow traction, comfortable ride, and long-lasting with proper care (meaning check your psi weekly and rotate at every oil change). And they are about half the price of the Alenzas. I ran a set of Destination LE tires on my wife's previous 2000 RX300 AWD that had over 52,000 miles on the tires and they were still going strong when we sold the vehicle last month. These tires were the best SUV/light truck tire value I've found in 22 years of owning SUVs and pickups. If you have 16-inch or 17-inch wheels on your RX300 I'd recommend that you research them at tirerack.com and draw your own conclusions. If the Destinations had been available to fit an 18-inch wheel, my wife's RX330 would be riding around on them right now....

I ran a set of Firestone Destination LE tires on my wife's 2000 RX300 AWD for more than 52,000 miles before we sold the vehicle about three weeks ago. Great tire for the money. Fantastic wet traction, comfortable ride, and obviously long treadwear lifespan. They were rated higher than any of the Michelins at tirerack.com and were about half the Michelin price as well. Go to tirerack.com and check out numerous tires that will fit your application. The Yokohama Geolander HT/S G051 tires (mentioned by a poster above) are also highly rated and priced very competitively.

Given the many threads and posts pertaining to RX transmission failures on this forum and others like it, I recommend changing your Type T-IV transmission fluid at least every 30,000 miles regardless of whether you have AWD or FWD. I'll continue my 30,000-mile fluid change interval on my wife's recently-acquired 2004 RX330 AWD even though the owners manual continues to say "no need to change under normal operating conditions" just as it did with our previous 2000 RX300 AWD. Yeah, right.... Why risk it? Changing the fluid is simple to do with 4 to 5 new quarts of Type T-IV purchased at a Toyota parts department, a 10mm hex wrench, a level driveway, a plastic funnel, and a catch basin. Takes maybe an hour, and most of that time is waiting for the last stream of old fluid to run out of the two drain plug holes (don't forget to drain the front differential as well as the transmission pan).

Contact LOC member HuskerfortheSpurs. I believe that he traded his RX recently for a new MDX. He can take you through all the pluses and minuses that you'll need before making a decision whether to pursue.

I couldn't care less what the tires look like, RX330driver. My concern is performance, handling, wet traction, light snow traction, and treadwire lifespan. Safety and longevity are far more important in my book than appearance. And for all of the factors I've listed, the Alenzas put those Michelins to shame. Period. Even my wife noticed the better handling and braking characteristics of the Alenzas after spending much of yesterday in her vehicle. She is now happier with it compared to before. An excellent accomplishment. I don't consider the RX a "sleek" work of art. It's a daily driver that needs to perform in all sorts of weather and traffic conditions in our neck of the woods. Nothing more, nothing less.

Keep in mind, guys, that different eyeballs perceive the light spectrum in different ways. We all see a little bit differently. LexKid630 may actually be realizing a visual improvement that SW03ES and I may not be able to perceive.... Human vision is a complicated and complex subject....

Thanks for the kind words. Much appreciated.... And this is too good of an on-line automotive club to quit just because I decide to dump my wife's RX300 or RX330. Lexusfreak is living proof of that. He's strictly a Subaru family now (a brilliant move, I think) yet he keeps coming back for more....

Bush's supposed 91 IQ has been clandestinely reported by various sources as far back as the mid-1990s. I remember reading about it during the 2000 presidential campaign and thinking "shouldn't the public be made aware of this in case this is true?" I have no idea whether it is factual or myth. It may have resulted from his multiple disastrous attempts to manage private businesses ranging from oil companies to the Texas Rangers baseball club. We've got a guy in the White House who has wound up putting three different businesses into bankruptcy. Those facts are on the record. I've seen and heard enough from this guy to realize that he has no business in the drivers seat of the good ol' US of A. At the rate his administration is free-falling, any Democratic nominee may win the 2008 election by default and that certainly does not bode well based upon some of the frontrunners who are in the mix at this early juncture.... Keep in mind that there are plenty of kids with extremely high IQs who score poorly on SATs or any other type of structured educational test. SATs do not necessarily measure intelligence. To learn more about this concept, research a condition called Asperger's Syndrome that some medical professionals believe is a very high-functioning type of autism. I know some Asperger's kids who are absolutely brilliant with their IQs scoring off the charts, but they cannot function in a typical classroom environment and therefore cannot learn in a traditionally-enough linear way to be able to score highly enough on an SAT test to draw anyone's attention other than to label them as dumb. By the way, don't assume that everyone who flies the friendly (or unfriendly) skies is a mental giant. I have a cousin who flies for one of the major national carriers and he can tell you some stories that would make you question whether you ever want to step onto another aircraft again....