RX in NC

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll check out PIAA.com.

It all comes down to how much you value your current free time because if you take this job you're going to have much less of it. Your added annual compensation should cover the added expense of wearing out your selected commuting vehicle (which is probably going to be more significant than you initially realize). So again, how much do you value your free time and your current lifestyle? If the money is more important, a decision to accept the new offer is understandable. If you have a wife and kids, it's probably a different story. Personally, my free time is much more important than a before-tax gain of $24K per year.

Thanks for the advice on PIAA blade refills. Perhaps they're worth checking into although they sound a bit pricey. What stores carry this brand? I'm not interested in ordering them online with the difficulty I've had in properly fitting replacement blades on my wife's RX.

The most important lesson to learn from your circumstances is simply this: never allow purchasing a vehicle to become an emotional experience - period. Do your homework before you ever set foot on a car lot, know your budget limitations and stick to them regardless of what Mr. Salesperson says, and do not allow yourself to be talked into a different vehicle from what you previously decided would best suit your needs. And in your particular case, ensure that you're not heavily medicated prior to heading out to close the deal. Yours is one of the most miserable situations I've heard described, and I hope you will overcome your experience. Good luck.

Yes, I may wind up buying new blade holder assemblies just to get this vehicle to the standard "narrow" refill size. But I really hate wasting money by purchasing new assemblies when my original assemblies are just fine (other than they apparently lock me into the Lexus "custom width" refill ripoff revenue stream). If anyone else out there has found a replacement refill blade that fits the Lexus blade holder channel OTHER than buying your refills from Lexus for about thirty bucks a set, please chime in here....

I appreciate your information but I don't like buying tough-to-fit parts over the net where I can't hold them in my hand and slide them into my blade holders to ensure that they do indeed fit my exact application. I can do this in the store every time by carrying my blade holders inside with me, but I can't do this when attempting to locate the correct refills online. Bosch refills have always performed well for me, but I never ask them to go longer than a year in my particular climate. I typically refresh the wiper blades on all of our vehicles at the beginning of each winter driving season.

Lexus seems to have invented a new wiper blade width for this particular vehicle. At my local NAPA, Pep Boys, AutoZone, etc., the "standard" width refill blade is too wide and the "narrow" width refill blade is too narrow to fit into the channels of my existing wiper blade holders, particularly the driver's side. Even my local Toyota dealership parts guy acknowledges that their Toyota refills don't fit properly when installed into the channels of a Lexus wiper blade holder. Our driver's side takes a 24-inch refill and our passenger's side takes a 21-inch refill. I'll be damned if I'm going to pay my local Lexus parts department thirty dollars or so for a set of blade refills when I should be able to buy two blade refills at any auto parts store for about eight bucks for the pair. I want just the rubber blade refills, not the entire blade holder assembly. In 35 years of driving I've never owned a vehicle, domestic or foreign, that didn't use either the "standard" or "narrow" blade refills that you can purchase at any auto parts store. Even my quirky 1986 Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio used 18-inch "narrow" refills right off the shelf at NAPA. Has anyone come across some refill wiper blades that fit other than going to Lexus and being royally ripped off again? This is ridiculous. Thanks for any assistance you can provide.

A lot of folks with Japanese SUVs report being very happy with the Yokohama Geolander HT-S G051. The best prices currently can be found at tirerack.com. When my wife's OEM Bridgestone Duelers (a marginal tire at best) bite the dust in another couple thousand miles, I'm going with the Yokohamas. I expect them to give us a better bang-for-the-buck than the Michelin options will.

How has the AAMCO transmission worked out for you? How many miles are on it now? Does it run Toyota T-IV transmission fluid? Are you changing your fluid every 30,000 miles in an effort to make your current transmission last longer?

The classic symptom of worn-out CV joints on the front axle is when you hear "clicking" noises from your front end whenever you're turning hard in either direction, particularly at low speeds. This usually happens because the rubber CV boots crack or split and allow all the lubricating grease contained within the CV boot to escape, and at that point your CV joint is operating on metal-to-metal contact without any lubrication. It doesn't take long to wear out once this occurs. Most Japanese vehicles built in the 1990s used CV joint technology on their front axles and I'm assuming that they still do. I'd recommend that you check this out before you spend any more money on your particular problem. If it does indeed turn out to be a CV joint issue, you may have wasted your money by replacing your strut mounts.

Good point. Many vehicles seem to arrive from the factory with far too much fluid according to their dipsticks, and most transmission shops have a tendency to overfill as well when you go in for fluid change. Still another reason to learn to change your own transmission fluid. Proper fluid level is important as is observing, feeling, and smelling the condition of your fluid. Make this a habit every time you check your engine oil level and tire pressure.

Colin Barber, A Lexus mechanic who has proven to be quite accurate with the information he has shared told me earlier this autumn that any RX built before 2003 probably has the original inferior rear oil seal. Unfortunately it appears that the only way you'll know is if you develop a leak.

To answer your question, the lousy rear main seal issue and the engine gelling issue are two completely separate failures with neither having anything to do with the other. In the case of the rear main seal, inferior materials and design were used in the original component. Better components and a stronger design are now in place for the replacement seal. Compare your original seal to the new one that will take its place during your repair and you'll both see and feel the difference. And by the way, I hate UNC (the University with No Chance) much more than you hate Duke. Sounds like someone's a bit jealous of Coach K....

Spend some time perusing this forum and others like it and you'll soon realize that potential pitfalls involve transmission failure, oxygen sensor failure, exhaust manifold cracking, rear oil seal failure, and more rarely the engine oil gelling problem. Be aware that service at a Lexus dealership comes with premium pricing, so finding a good independent mechanic or being a do-it-yourself type of guy will greatly lessen the impact on your wallet if you decide to purchase one. My wife's meticulously-maintained 2000 RX300 has suffered from all of the above problems (all of which were repaired/replaced by the dealer at their expense) with the exception of engine gelling, and we won't be obtaining another one.

Here are several high-quality independent shops to call in the Triangle area if Johnson Lexus will not replace your rear main seal at no charge for you: - Quality Plus Automotive in Raleigh, phone 231-6164. Ask for Randy. - MPG in Raleigh, phone 878-0007. Ask for Steve or Mike. - Happy Jap's in Cary, phone 467-2884. Ask for Rex. Just tell them that you have a leaking rear main oil seal. I think you'll find that all of them will be considerably less than Johnson Lexus. This repair is not rocket science, but your transmission does have to be dropped. That's why it's so expensive from a labor perspective to get to and replace a $20 part. The current redesigned seals are far better than the original seal now in your vehicle. Once done, it is unlikely that you'll suffer this problem again. I had my wife's RX done at about 71,000 miles. Johnson Lexus did it for me at no charge when I approached them with the understanding that this is a very common premature failure in the RX series.

Yes, transmission fluid seems to last far longer and present fewer problems in many domestic vehicles. The three Jeep Grand Cherokees we've had all went well beyond 60,000 miles before the fluid began showing signs of particle accumulation and needed to be changed. I did so without any follow-up problems whatsoever. My 1999 Dodge Ram 1500-series 5.9-litre V-8 pick-up currently has about 37,600 miles on it and the transmission fluid is still sparkling clean. But these Lexus RX300s simply don't retain clean fluid for nearly as long for whatever reason. Perhaps the clutches and bands are too soft. Perhaps the gears aren't as solid. But whatever the reason, there appears to be a much higher number of failures of these transmissions. So if you own an RX and choose to run the factory transmission fluid fill for the life of your vehicle, many of us would say that you're rolling the dice and playing with fire.

The transmission in my wife's 2000 RX300 AWD failed at just over 48,000 miles and was replaced under warranty after I battled with Lexus for about a month during October and November of last year. Lexus Corporate is very aware of our dissatisfaction with the many weaknesses inherent in this vehicle (transmission, oxygen sensors, exhaust manifold, rear oil seal, etc.). Our local Lexus dealership continues to do everything it can to win our trust back, and I have nothing but good things to say about them. This vehicle has endured more than two weeks in the shop and over $8,000 in repair costs since September 2003, and we've never been charged a penny. Our standard Lexus warranty expired last December when we reached 50,000 miles. The vehicle now has about 75,300 miles on it. As long as Lexus continues to cover our service issues and provide my wife with loaner vehicles while hers is being serviced, we'll keep this RX until about 125,000 miles. At that point the depreciation hit suffered by dumping the vehicle will be essentially a wash worth taking and we'll view this as a lesson learned and move on to something other than Lexus.

You simply must change the T-IV fluid on a periodic basis. The transmission cannot survive if you attempt to run it forever on the original factory fluid. Transmission fluid, like motor oil, wears out and breaks down over time, although not nearly as fast. It also accumulates the tiny metal particles created as your gears slowly wear down from normal driving conditions. I changed my wife's vehicle's transmission fluid this past Saturday. The differential drain plug, which has a magnet attached to its underside, did its job by attracting the metal-based "gunk" created by driving. I wiped and polished it to a mirrorlike condition before I replaced it along with the regular transmission pan drain plug and then filled the system with new T-IV fluid. Based on our experiences with this vehicle, I'll do this every 30,000 miles for as long as we keep it. Some folks decide to do this every 15,000 miles. Either way, you have to change your fluid. Don't be fooled into thinking that it lasts for the life of the vehicle. Until gears are created that never wear down, there will be debris and breakdown in all vehicles' transmission fluid.

California has the toughest emissions control laws in the country, which may explain this oxygen sensor being covered to 80,000 miles there. Other states often require that manufactureres cover these sensors up to 70,000 miles. But you must insist to your Lexus service folks that your oxygen sensors are part of your emissions control system. Study your manuals thoroughly and be prepared to stand your ground.

Yep, this is a great little tutorial complete with photographs. Anyone who can read and operate a screwdriver should be able to follow these instructions. Keep those Mass Air Flow Sensors clean out there....

Who changed the transmission fluid? If anything other than Toyota Type T-IV transmission fluid went into your transmission, you're going to be in a world of hurt.

First you must understand that a vehicle's mileage has absolutely nothing to do with its alignment. Some vehicles seem to be able to stay within proper alignment specs for tens of thousands of miles, while other vehicles seem to be very sensitive to actions that can throw them out of alignment and may in fact lose their alignments within several hundred miles or less. Keeping a vehicle in alignment for long periods of time is a combination of skill and luck. It must be properly aligned initially, and believe it or not, not all alignment technicians are capable of doing this from vehicle to vehicle. I've learned through experience that some techs actually get it worse than when you drove in. You have to find an experienced alignment shop with low turnover, and that can admittedly be hard to do. Ask some of your colleagues and friends where they have their vehicles aligned and see if you can identify a common trend. Your driving habits also have a lot to do with maintaining your alignment. Do you avoid potholes or cluelessly plow right through them? Do you constantly run into curbs when you parallel park? Do you slow down to a crawl when you have to pass over speed bumps or just go flying over them instead? All of these situations have a dramatic effect on how long your vehicle will stay in alignment. Most tire cupping is caused by misalignment. Occasionally the failure of suspension components will cause similar tire wear problems, but that is much less likely than simply being out of alignment. Tire manufacturers and dealers generally will not pay up if your tire wear is due to misalignment or failure to rotate properly, and unfortunately for the consumer that is their right. It is your responsibility to keep your vehicle in alignment, and that can be hard to do if you happen to own a vehicle that loses its alignment at the slightest bump or vibration. Better alignment shops will provide a before-and-after printout indicating how far your vehicle was out-of-spec prior to their alignment service and how well-within-spec your vehicle is after the alignment is completed. Did you receive such a printout after your recent alignment by Lexus? If not, you should go elsewhere. Bear in mind that you're paying top dollar prices for alignment services at the Lexus dealership. Find a good shop that specializes in alignments - your vehicle and your checkbook will come out much further ahead. And by the way, $300 for two Bridgestone tires that fit the RX series is extremely pricey. If you opt to replace the two tires out of your own pocket, don't make the mistake of buying them from your Lexus dealership with their horrendous mark-up. Check out tirerack.com on the web for much better deals. You'll have to have them balanced and mounted, but you'll still come out way ahead.

Yep, I agree. I'm going to stick with my original decision made a couple of months ago to get the Yokohamas. We've got about 1,500 to 2,000 miles left on the current Bridgestones, and then they'll be replaced (probably before Christmas). tirerack.com doesn't appear to sell Toyo SUV tires. Let me know if I'm simply missing it on their website. Thanks.

To make a long story short, my wife's 2000 RX300 has been a lemon requiring transmission replacement, exhaust manifold replacement, and mass air flow sensor replacement all while the vehicle was still under warranty. Within the last three months we've also had to have the bank one sensor and rear oil seal replaced, both post-warranty. We've paid for none of this, primarily because of my research and documentation on these common problems that show up in the RX series. My local Lexus general manager and service manager are all too familiar with our extreme disappointment in this vehicle's inability to hold up over time, and they have been gracious enough to use what is known as the "goodwill warranty gesture" for the failures that have taken place after our warranty expired. These folks didn't just hand it to me, however - I had to ask for it. I've found that when you do your homework and document your problems as well as identical problems that other RX owners have suffered, your local Lexus management is much more sympathetic towards rectifying your particular situation. That's what I do, and I steadfastly refuse to accept no for an answer. During the past year my wife's RX has spent more than two weeks in the shop and had more than $8,000 worth of failure repairs done to it by our Lexus service department, and I've yet to pay them a dime. But there are probably only a handful of owners out there who are as focused, documented, and determined as I am, and Lexus realizes that very well....

First, maintain your professional demeanor with your Lexus service manager but be clear and firm in continuing to let them know that you are not satisfied with the situation and you will not be satisfied unless and until the problem is completely resolved and no residual odor is present. Second, educate yourself on the arbitration process in your state. Contact your attorney general's office in the state capital and obtain the documentation pertinent to automobile "lemon laws" as they pertain to you. In many states now, the dealership gets four separate attempts to repair/replace the offending damage. If the vehicle is still not up to standards after the fourth attempt, the laws turn greatly in the favor of the consumer. But you'll need to study the process for your state and ensure that you follow the steps exactly, documenting your actions and results every step of the way. And finally, somewhere in the paperwork that you received when you leased your vehicle is a general brochure pertaining to arbitration that is provided for situations just such as this one. Find it, study it, and let it be your guide along with the material you obtain from your attorney general's office. You may never need this information, but you must be prepared in case you do. Most manufacturers prefer to work directly with the customer to satisfy the situation, particularly when they have already acknowledged that the problem you describe does in fact exist and they've taken steps to rectify it. The good news is that your Lexus dealership is still attempting to work with you in order to get the problem resolved. The bad news is that all traces of the offending smell may never be removed unless all carpets, sub-mats, insulation, fabric, and anything else made of moisture-absorbing fibres are replaced and all surfaces around and underneath them are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.