gregav

I first asked the dealer I bought my '10 RX350 from to make the change and shut off the chime. He said they couldn't do it. I later called another dealer and he said they could but I'd already used up my "free" settings change visit. The service manager suggested I ask to have it done if I have something else needed that will access the computer. I've found a problem that should be under warranty and I'll ask for the seat belt reset at the same time. A lot to go through for a simple thing . . .

I think you have answer your own question, the key word here is "car". The RX350 is not a car, it s SUV. There is no question in my mind that the suspension in the RX can be better. Then again, the Japanese is not known for their suspension technology, leave that to the Germans, a Lexus is know for its customer service and relaibility. If someone can make a high quality reliable car with a sporty suspension and yet ride comfortably, that would be the perfect car. As far as I know, no one have been able to do that yet. Yes the Germans make amazing suspensions. The Japanese are no slouches, however. I drive a Honda S2000 and an Acura TSX, both of which have excellent suspensions. The RX300 I didn't consider overly soft. I'm an avid autocrosser and appreciate a firm ride, but given that the RX350 is more driven to the soccer field than off road, a better compromise could have been made. The Jeep Grand Cherokee I used to have had a better ride vs stiffness solution than this RX. I've read that Lexus is trying to move to more performance oriented cars with BMW mentioned as a make to emulate. I believe they will get there, but this RX hasn't done it. (IMHO)

I agree 100%. The harshness is slightly better. I did bring the car to the dealer who took a test drive and said it was just like all of the other 350's he'd driven, but then found there was a defective shock. I can't say the replaced shock made much difference. I'm thinking of trying after market shocks, but I suspect the side-to-side rocking problem won't be cured with that. I think it's a design issue with spring rates, shocks and sway bars. I recently drove the 2000 RX300 we sold to our daughter and was reminded what a great ride it had, in spite of being a little soft.

I don't know if I'm "seriously in the business", but I did see a difference and I believe a slightly lower pressure can reduce some of the harshness. That being said, however, the ride is still too harsh. There are certainly luxury cars that have a firm ride and good handling without the harshness. I don't think Lexus has achieved this balance with this car. I don't expect a sport sedan handling but do expect a more comfortable ride. Suspension tuning includes tires, springs, shocks and sway bars. We now have front and rear sway bars in the car, but the other components fall short, in my opinion.

Tommy- Is your RX350 a 2010 model? My dealership's service department says the chime can't be disabled on the 2010 models. Would be nice to go back and tell them that it can be done... I just had my 2010 RX 450h in today specifically for this - in and out service, I was at the dealer for 25 minutes. Disabled chime for front driver, passenger and rear seats. Good luck I tried this sequence on my '10 RX350, but it doesn't seem to work. I tried it twice but no luck. Anyone else had success?

Lexus climate control systems automatically switch into "cooling" mode, dash outlet airflow, on the coldest darkest night in the dead of winter (Damn discomforting, that!) once the cabin atmosphere rises to nearby your temperature setpoint. You can defeat this via having the dealer set a c-best option to other than the factory default. I recently brought my '10 into the dealer and asked him about changing the default for the climate control so as not get cold air from the dash vents on cold days. He said they couldn't do anything. I mentioned "c best" and he just said those are the programmable things that are in the car, but this wasn't one. Has anyone actually had a dealer make this change and if so, what exactly did they do?

I too noticed a particularly harsh ride in our '10 350 after we bought it. Certainly noticable when compared to our '00 300. My other cars have sporty suspension, but there is a difference between sporty and just too stiff. I happen to read a comment about this by Road and Track magazine. Their suggestion was to lower the tire pressure by 10 to 15% below factory setting. Most tire manufacturers feel this change wouldn't adversely affect gas mileage or tire heat. I lowered mine to 28 vs the 32 factory number. The ride is noticably improved. I see no affect on handling. Just a suggestion.