laivindil

Really? I read a review a while back (edmunds I believe, maybe motortrend) that tested a Chevy, Dodge, Ford and Toyota 1/2 ton trucks. The reviewer said that the Tacoma was "questionable" under load and the build quality wasn't all that great compared to the Ford and Chevy. This was before the Titan came on the scene. If you could hook me up with some reading material that'd be great. I'm a noob looking to be educated B)

Mom has a '99 RX300 and I drive a '96 Explorer. Except for the engine problem it's having now I prefer the Ford. Better turning radius, tows more, better off-road capabilities, I can beat it up a little and not have to worry, cargo space is better (considering the RX is only slightly smaller and has half the space that's kind of sad), and my new Kenwood deck can read MP3's and WMAs (the RX only reads audio CDs). There are exceptions. But then again I'm 19, into mountain biking, fly fishing, mountain climbing, hiking and light off-roading (mostly to get to spots I can do the above) and I tow a boat. So take my opinion in context; a lexus isn't for me right now but they are cool, well-thought out and well-constructed cars. That being said the interiours on the TCs I've seen look better, but the quality of my mom's RX interiour is quite good. Take a look at the competetive comparison on the Lexus website. Put both the LS and TC up there and you'll see the Lexus has more luxery and common sense features like full sized spare, bluetooth, etc for roughly the same price. Plus the Lincoln screams "I'm rich and arrogant" while the Lexus line shouts "I might be well-off but I spend my money intelligently". My $.02.

I've been talking with a friend who's blatently pro-domestic SUV/Trucks. His main argument is that domestics have stronger engines and better trannys (Chevy mostly) that make them better for towing compared to the Asian competetors which he thinks have ok or underpowered engines and undersized transmissions (such as Nissan pathfinders and xterras and Toyota 4runners) I was wondering how the GX compares mechanically with SUVs like the Trailblazer and/or Tahoe when it comes to strong drivetrains and powerplants in relation to towing, off-road and cargo hauling. Does it have a "weaker" drivetrain and an engine unsuited for towing? Feel free to give as much detail as possible. I'm a noob when it comes to car mechanicals so learning it wouldn't be a bad thing. Thanks in advance.

I just did this on my mom's RX300. We use a cleaner called "Simple Green" instead of a knife. Worked better and we didn't have to worry about nicking the seatbelt.

Yeah, my parents were smart. One of the first things they did was chuck the firestones that came with the car and slap on some goodyears. That's easy to believe. Drive through any high school parking lot and it's Toyota 4Runners and Honda Civics (most with 1000watt subs that annoy everyone but the driver). Good thing too, my car would win if some nutbag decides to hit me. In some cases I'd just roll right over those lowered Civics like a speed bump ;) ;) ;) jk of course

I've got one for you all: Mom's RX300 ('99) goes to AC when she hits "auto". Even if the cabin is cold it will stay on AC throughout the drive. Is it really blowing AC air? or is it just saying that? Does it need to be fixed?

I'm 18 and am primary driver of a '96 Explorer. My parents (who are gracious enough to pay my insurance) say that my truck is one of th safest cars a teenager can drive according to their agent. Which is odd since the '96 is right in the middle of the years that Explorers were slammed with recalls and rollovers. Funny how insurance companies are like that...

Agreed. I personally drive a '96 Explorer and there have been WAY more mechanical and other issues with that car then probably any Lexus and mine hasn't had any major problems at all (regular maintenance and goodyear tires ;) ). My mom has a '99 RX300 and loves it to death. We shopped around for a while to find the right one and haven't had a single problem with it since we got it. CPO is probably the way to go; I'd trust a Lexus mechanic before a private seller or non-CPO dealership. Have a 3rd party you trust take a look at the car (for us it was the goodyear service station in town - we have a longstanding relationship with them) and have the CPO seller take a final look if you feel so inclined. If you can get some kind of limited warrenty it might or might not be worth it.

My mom's RX300 is the same way. I drive a '96 Explorer and the belts are nice and snug when I drive it, it's a comforting feeling. Is the lightening of the tension a gradual thing or is it sudden? Should I be careful and watch to see if it gets worse on my mom's Lex?

A hard drive is standard equipment on an XBOX. Since the XBOX design is old tech now the hdds are relativly small compared to what you see in even laptops now. You can put a larger drive in there along with other mod options and probably acomplish what SK is talking about.