scoobie

Similar question, has anybody seen the tire monitoring system (on any RX) "in action" ? How low must the tire be before it gives you a warning ? How does it work ?

Hey folks, you shouldn't adjust your driving style to fit the car, who's driving who here ? Just drive the way you normally drive and enjoy whatever extra the technology gives you, for some people it may be the "neck snapping" torque, while for some it may be that little extra mpg, and still for others it may just satisfy their urge to have the latest and greatest.

Since we're on the topic of assessing various sites, what's the rational for the one game per day limit in the Arcade area of this site ?

If I recall correctly, it required some legislation to spurred the actions that brought the hybrids to market, I think the technology was there (in the labs), but the manufacturers needed a push to make it widely available and cost effective. Maybe the same thing need to happen to bring about hydrogen-fuel technology. Also, as you had mentioned, hydrogen-fuel has a bigger hurdle because there is no infrastructure to distribute to the consumer (I'm no expert, but I assume regular gas pumps won't be adequate to 'pump' hydrogen fuel).

Never mind the mpg, going to Los Angeles and making it back with vehicle intact is impressive enough :P . But seriously, my (or any) RX330 can can easily get 26-27 mpg on the freeway, however, when you get off the freeway the mileage gets back to the low 20's very quickly, I suppose that's when the hybrid earns its keep. And why are we so concerned with the mpg anyway, honestly, are people buying the 400h in order to make a stand on the environment or similar issues, or is it more for the 'gee-whiz' factor.

So I'm not the only dork who has hit the tailgate on the garage door :( , if you find a way to reduce the door travel please post. Nice pics, too bad there are two clowns standing in front of the car blocking our view (hey, sit back down, it's only a joke) .

I was thinking the same thing, no way you can get $28k from an 03 RX300, especially not when dealers are selling brand new RX330's at or below invoice. At first I was reluctant to post, but since SW had already bursted the bubble ..... :whistles:

If I interpret your signature box correctly, your 03 RX300 has only 65,000 miles on it, how can it be almost dead ? I'd expect a typical recently manufactured car (even an American made) to last well into 100,000 miles. ← It's almost dead! LOL I can't explain it, it's just in bad shape....I take it for all of it's 10k mile serveces, and i even put mid-grade octane in.....Sometimes i'll start it and it'll have trouble. I'll take it to the dealer again and they'll fix it (still under warranty). A few weeks ago the moonroof didn't work, then some sticker fell off the sterio, and it's making some strange noise when i accelerate......I can't say i'm the best driver, so that probably has something to do with it not working alright...... Even though the dealer fixes it for FREE, it's still a pain to not be ablt to start it in the morning, or have preoblems with a 2 year old car.....When you spend 40k on a car, you'd expect it to be problem-free!! ← Why haven't you told us all these problems before now ? :chairshot: I bought my RX330 primarily because of Lexus' reputation for reliability (and because wife twisted my arm very hard), I sure don't want to deal with all those problems 2 years down the road. Please tell me you are partially responsible because you are a self admitted lousy driver and you abuse the car .

I recall someone on this forum mentioned that Toyota engines can last up to 600-700k with proper maintenance, everything else might begin to fall apart before that happens though.

If I interpret your signature box correctly, your 03 RX300 has only 65,000 miles on it, how can it be almost dead ? I'd expect a typical recently manufactured car (even an American made) to last well into 100,000 miles.

Update I got the Sales Agreement faxed to me: Total for all options: $52,703.00 --that includes base price, delivery; ML stereo, heated seats, and dvd. I'm also getting some add-ons! I'll pick up the car on Saturday. It was a smooth transaction -- no deposits, no signatures, etc. And no premium. Ford dealers in the Chicagoland area were asking $5000 above MSRP for the escape. Question: Would you purchase an extended warranty? Thanks for any replies... ← There was a thread on the merits of the extended warranty not too long ago, I think the consensus was that it is not money well spent. Enjoy !

I think age has less to do with car ownership tendencies than position in life and hobbies and interests and such. Let me take the liberty of being not PC and guess what you are like, if you're a single male and driving an RX300, then you may be a political activist, not into the outdoors (otherwise you would have gotten a real SUV like a Jeep), slightly overweight (prefers comfy things), and value conscious. How many of those did I get right ? ....... Before you pass judgement, I'm just having some fun on my lunch hour.

The software market, as in the wireless market, the first TO market usually gets most of the market. Perfection is secondary, and in fact, undesirable; upgrades generate significant cash. Furthermore, the technology changes so quickly in these sectors that "perfection" has no meaning.

That seems to be common practice about 10 years ago, when I bought my Plymouth Laser they had a similar gadget already installed, the ignition would not operate unless/until you insert a chip into a receptacle and you'd remove it when you get out of the car. Lo-tech but effective for most thieves. Anyway, the saleman didn't try to push too hard, he said he was required by the dealership to at least explain the benefits of the gadget and if the buyer didn't want it they would remove it. He then immediately said even if I don't buy it the dealership reserves the right to leave it in (I'm guessing that it costs them more to uninstall it than what its worth). The upshot of the story is that I got the ignition immobilizer for free and though I don't use it, it has saved me on insurance for a number of years. Wait, I'm not done yet, thinking of that salesman, I remember he told me a little bit about himself; he used to work as a stunt man in 60's era surf movies and claims credit to one of the most spectacular wipeouts ever recorded (up to that time). You meet all sorts of people at car dealerships.

What ? They "made" you buy the lo-jack service ? Or you wanted the service but they charged you more for it because it was already installed ? I don't know much about lo-jack, but don't you pay lo-jack directly ? What does the dealer have to do with the monthly service fee ?

Of course the cars coming to CA would be just a tad less "snappy" due to stricter emission control (that is still true, right ?). Even so, it's an awsome combination of performance and economy, at any price. Reliability remains a question mark, however; anybody know how the Prius stands in this regard ?

Actually, $25 for an upgrade is pretty reasonable, relatively speaking, considering you paid a whopping $2000 for it initially. Personally, I think in a few years, NAV's would become standard on all new cars and the prices then should reflect their real cost (few hundred vs 2 grand). Right now, the manufacturers are recouping their nonrecurring engineering costs by overcharging, consider it a "novelty fee".

I'll second that opinion, having the auto headlights go on/off immediately would be infinitely more annoying.

Ok, I admit NAV could be an indispensible tool for people constantly on the go (like real estate agents), and perhaps for people with certain lifestyles (always going somewhere on the whim). When handheld GPS first became popular about 10 years ago, I was among the first on my block to get one (Garmin XL12) and found it a great toy; besides using it on hiking trips, I'd hang it on the rear view mirror and track my progress when I drive, even though I knew exactly where I was going; that got old in a hurry. Of course, the Garmin XL12 didn't have streetmaps and other convenience features now standard on vehicle NAV's. All in all, I think I can warm up to the idea of having NAV built-in when the price becomes more reasonable, it should be at the range of a CD changer ($500) rather than that of a drive train (like AWD, which also cost $2000).

That's a good point, the Highlander don't force buyers to get the AWD and NAV, two overpriced features that are seldom used or needed. Getting AWD in an RX330 or RX400h is like installing spoilers on a skateboard, the Rx is not designed for (and therefore not capable of) off road travel, and I recall some Lexus ads specifically mentioned that (in fine print). And AWD won't prevent hydroplaning, so don't think you're safer in rain either, AWD is maybe useful when going up the mountain for skiing and you have snowtires on. And NAV ? Come on, unless you operate a taxi service, how many times do you actually need it. I said NEED, not use, I'm sure people who have it use it alot, just to play with it, but probably would get lost without it. Just my 2 cents.

Is that review in print or online ? All the information I can find online says 7.3 sec, even from Motor trend's site.

A few comments/questions I have are: What is the logic of removing the fuses before disconnecting the battery ? Would the computer NOT reset if the fuses were left in ? Is this technique of resetting the computer explained somewhere in the owner's manual ? If not, would this affect the warranty ? Do you have a reference to Mickey00's original post ?

Scoobie, could you tell me what So. Cal dealer gave you that deal? Thanks ← Longo Lexus in El Monte, the salesman's name (his business card says "marketing manager", but we found out that everyone who works there is called one sort of manager or another) is Tony Hseih.

I haven't done much research on the RX400h, but I was under the impression that the 400h looks exactly like the RX330, which could be had for as low as around $35,000, I got mine (FWD, no NAV, no DVD, with premium plus pkg) for $35,700, a few hundred bucks below invoice. Anyway, the point is, the 400h is not so "obvious" from afar. It blends in well with the hordes of the much cheaper RX330's out there. So patt you can drive it wihout worrying being thought a snob.

It sounds like the THH has the same power train as the RX400h, and more functionality (able to carry 7 people, though at "a tight squeeze" according to the reviewer); at under $35,000, the THH is a bargain compared to the 400h (even with all the options I don't think the price would top $40k). Also, at 3800 lbs, the THH is lighter than the 400h, so it should be even quicker. Bet ya some folks who couldn't get there hands on the 400h might just wait a little longer and stand in line for the THH.