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?

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.

Does anyone know the speed in MPH at which the CVT is performing at it's highest gear ratio on an RX450h?

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!

Just got them installed, I was hoping my noise was going to go away with the new tires, however looks like i am distined to change wheel bearings.....They seem to drive nice, very different feel from the Toyo Open Country HT tires that were on before....Need to put some miles on them. I reset my mileage guage, and will track how it does...THe old mileage for 8k miles was 23.6 miles per gallon....Oh I love changing bearings, big job on front as they have to be pressed in and it involves removing entire hub assembly.....

Just curious as to how many miles you have on your RX in that the wheel bearing need replacing?

Isn't the idea behind a CVT is it always being in the most efficient ratio based on speed/load etc.?

Yes it is but perhaps my question is not specific enough. What I would like to know is the speed at which my 450h will achieve the most efficient ratio.

Thanks again!

I have a 2011 450h and it has a continously variable transmission. I was curious if anyone knows at what speed it achieves its most efficent ratio?

Thanks!

I saw an article in an automotive magazine that stated the 2012 RX450h is now specified to run on 87 octane. Did anyone else see this stated anywhere and is it true? If true I wonder if the previous years can be converted? Any thoughts?

I HAVE BEEN RUNNING 87 octain in my 2007 rx400h runs great

I am a new 2011 RX450h owner. My first Lexus and my first hybrid. I have seen various posts on this forum about octane requirements. The owners manual says 91 octane is required. I have asked the salesman to ask the service deparment if this is a must with no straight answer. Some say they run 87 with no problem and I respect that experience. What I find frustrating is that I cannot get a straight answer as to the downside of using 87 octane. If 87 is just as good as 91 then why is 91 listed as a requirement and why has the 2012 RX450h required been changed to 87. Any thoughts appreciated! B)

I saw an article in an automotive magazine that stated the 2012 RX450h is now specified to run on 87 octane. Did anyone else see this stated anywhere and is it true? If true I wonder if the previous years can be converted? Any thoughts?

Still learning! Yesterday I needed to move my new RX around my driveway and garage and thought I would try the EV mode as it made no sense to have the engine start. I was only moving from one stall to the other. It would not allow me to turn it on. Any idea why this was the case?

Once you reach about 40 mph (64 kph), the gasoline engine will turn on. The generator suddenly changes speed, causing the planet carrier to turn and start the engine. Once the engine is running, it settles into a constant speed while the generator varies its speed to match the output speed with the electric motor. If you are really accelerating hard, the motor will draw extra power from the batteries. Once you are up to freeway speed, the car will move under a combination of gas and electric power, with all of the electricity coming from the generator.

This quote describes a Prius but our vehicles operate the same way. For more info and a quick videos of how the engine starts (middle of page), see

http://www.howstuffworks.com/hybrid-car.htm/printable

Thanks for the link. I have a better understanding but will have to give it more thought before saying I understand how it works. But it makes sense in that it takes a few moments after pressing the start button before the engine starts. It takes that time for the planetary gear (or whatever it is called) to start spinning to start the engine.

Thanks again!

Hello,

Just picked up RX450h the other day. Really, really nice car. I am looking forward to much enjoyment from this vehicle.

I have a question that is technical in nature. As you know hybrids start "automatically" either by pressing the gas pedal or when the computer tells it to do so. There is no starting motor sound and the start is almost instantanious. My questios is, "What is the mechanism that start the engine?"

Looking forward to your response on this and other question I will most certainly have.

Happy July 4th Holiday!

Bob

Any additonal observations!

IMHO opinion quality starts with an attitude. Yesterday I bought my first Lexus product, a RX450h.

While I'm not qualified to speak on the subject of the quality of this vehicle since I have not taken delivery of it, I am impressed by the attitude and quality of service from the staff at the dealership. One thing that impressed me was a comment made by the salesperson regarding the fact that the hybrid RX was in short supply because of the earthquake in Japan causing a shortage of parts for hybrids. He said a decision was made by Lexus (Toyota) executives that any available parts will go first to service exsiting vehicles. Service is more important than sales. I don't know if that is factual but if it really is the attitude then I'm impressed already!

Yesterday I bought my first Lexus, a matador red RX450h. I have been a die hard BMW owner and after doing much research and test driving (and a bit of nail biting) I pulled the plug and bought the RX. I take delivery on the 29th. I am looking forward to a positive experience and appreciate having a forum to ask questions, get input, etc.

Regards!