PCW

Here it is July 24 and since the hot weather hit the east coast earlier this month the gas mileage on my 2013 RX450h has dropped to 22-24 MPG from 28-29 MPG. I spoke to my Lexus dealer and they advised me to start tracking the RX calculated mileage the old way by tracking how many miles I drove divided by how many gallons the RX took to fill up and let them know in a month or so what the results are. So far I have got some interesting statistics. The RX calculated mileage on the computer ranged from +2 MPG to -3 MPG for each fill-up so far this month vs the manual calculation . So the RX computer's calculations are not an actual indicator of the gas mileage but an approximation of it! Also the highest RX calculated MPG I have achieved is 24.8 which turned out to be 26.4 doing the manual calculation. This is still better than my 2006 RX400h but not what I was achieving before the hot weather. I don't understand why the mileage has dropped and why the computer is not accurate. In Northern VA, where I live, we started getting the 10% Ethanol gasoline additive in May and I always use the same gas station and get the 91 octane gas. I'm going to keep tracking this for another few weeks and then take the results to my Lexus dealer. I am good friends with the service Mgr and have been using the same Tech for many years. Hopefully they will be able to ascertain what the problem is.

I had the same problem when I owned the 2006 RX400h. The Tech at my local Lexus dealer lubed the steering shaft and that corrected the squeak. My 2006 did not have knee airbags.

So I've had the 2013 RX450h for a month now. Very minor complaints: (1) I removed the shelf in the glovebox as was just something to take up space without being useful. Everything just slides off it when you open the glovebox. (2) I removed the little cell phone holder in the console glovebox as I also thought that was useless. (3) It's more difficult to raise the rear hatch manually then it was with my 2006 RX400h. It has no lever, just a button you push. But that's about it. On the positive side this RX handles much more solid and is quieter and more elegant inside. Also I was averaging 22-23 MPG in my 2006 and my 2013 is averaging 28-29 MPG. That's doing the same driving as before: approx 90% city and 10% highway. That's a nice increase for a heavier SUV by almost 300 lbs (according to Edmunds) and more horsepower. One new optional safety feature I really like is the Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) system. Not that I abruptly change lanes without warning, but I had no idea of how many people driving next to me just sit on my left rear quarter panel and cannot be seen in the mirrors. Also if you put on your turn signal to change lanes while someone is sitting in your blind spot the BSM symbol in the mirror flashes repeatedly so you know not to move over. It's a great feature and should be standard just like airbags.

Funny but I have just bought a RX400H rather than a 450H for exactly the reasons you quote above. All I can say is there must be a big improvement on the 450H between 2010 and 2013, because I found the 2010 450 very noisy, never running on battery, and with awful pitch and choppy oscillations (roll was controlled brilliantly though). I first tried the SE version with springs and thought there must be something wrong. The luxury version with the air suspension was better and I was almost tempted but after I took it down a country road I realised that the ride would constantly annoy me. Then I tried a 2009 400H (springs) and found it acceptable. I think from other posts the problem may be the low profile tyres fitted to both 450's that I drove. I asked about swapping the wheels and tyres but it was very expensive. I found the transitions fine on all models but the engine on the 450 noisier than the 400 This combined with bad road noise from the back (probably those tyres again) and persistent rattles from both front doors, helped me make the decision. I agree with you though that the 450 feels more substantial (too substantial for me :D ) And I am going to miss all the tech things like smart start, cooled seats, wafting aircon, soft close doors, massage seats, electric blinds, fridge etc ..... strange .... as these were all available in my 13 year old LS430 that has just bitten the dust. Mike A friend has the 2010 450h and the 2013 version handles very differently: more solid, less truck-like, absorbs bumps better, and less choppy transition from motor to electric. Also the CVT Trans has a "sport" mode for quicker response. I have no idea how that was accomplished but it works. Also my gas mileage has gone from 22-23 to 26-28 all around. That's a nice increase.

I took delivery this week of a new 2013 RX450h after having the original RX400h since April 2005. Since it's been 7 model years of advancements I expected the new 450h to be more technically advanced then my 400h (it truly is), but I am amazed how much better it is overall. The 2013 handles much better, is quieter, and the transitions from no engine to having the engine cut on are not noticeable like they were on the 400h; especially at traffic lights. The 2013 feels much more substantial and you really don't hear the road noise or the loud engine go-cart like sounds that I could hear when I accelerated with the 400h. I special ordered this 450h as I wanted the luxury package, the Mark Levinson audio system and Remote Start; not something that the Washington, DC Lexus dealers ever have in stock orders. My thoughts were that I wanted the options that I did not get or were not even available back on the 2006 model and I was willing to wait for my exact vehicle. It took 3 months but well worth the wait. I also had the Parts Dept order the Sport Appearance Package wheels (F-Sport wheels that are not dark graphite) which were switched out after my RXh arrived. The Luxury Package semi-aniline leather is very rich looking and the LED headlights (comes on the AWD version of the Luxury Pkg) are amazing at night and very contemporary looking during the daytime. I selected the Stargazer Black exterior with the new Saddle interior. It was a good choice as the metallic in the exterior color is brought out more by the saddle leather. The only negative that I have on the 2013 is that Lexus relocated the spare tire inside the rear compartment as well as the 12 volt battery from under the hood and therefore eliminated the storage compartments that were under the rear cover on the 400h. But otherwise this new 450h is truly elegant and a pleasure to drive.

If you can get this SUV as a CPO (certified pre-owned) vehicle Lexus will put a 3 year (from your date of purchase) 100k total vehicle miles warranty on it. You can also extend the 3 yr to 6 years but the total vehicle miles stays at 100K, for a price. I have owned Lexus cars and SUVs since 1993 and this is the way I would go.

Today I finally saw and test drove the new RX F-Sport at my local Northern Virginia dealer. I have been waiting for months to see one and I finally received a call that one was in. The model I saw was painted the new Silver Lining Metallic. My first impression was that the graphite-finished wheels looked too dark against the silver RX, but the front end looked very appealing and not overly aggressive. I believe that is a result of the body color painted bar that horizontally separates the upper and lower grill. It's a nice touch. But the more I looked at the wheels the more they started to grow on me as they are totally different than what I'm used to seeing on an RX. As everyone knows Lexus has had some very non-interesting wheels on all but the RX hybrids and this is a change in a total opposite direction. The interior was spectacular as the black leather seats with the white stitching around them, the dash and door panels and the white seat perforations all looked great together accented with the black-toned wood. Additionally the entire headliner is all black so it makes the entire interior look very dramatic and more upscale then previous RX models. The seats were very comfortable and the lumbar was superior to that of my 2006 RX400h driver's seat. My current passenger seat has no lumbar so anything is an improvement but this lumbar came well into my lower back. Once I started driving it I really started to like the paddle shift feature and having 8 speeds to shift through gave a sense of enjoyment in driving an RX with a sporty nature to it. Also the suspension, while sport-tuned, was not a rough ride at all. I specifically went over some rough roads to see how it handled. It corned extremely well for an SUV and was not at all strained going into a highway exit ramp at 75 miles an hour. I will go back in the next weeks to keep looking at the wheels as this may be the upgrade many folks have been waiting for, including me. I know that Lexus is offering an Appearance package on the 2013 RX Hybrid FWD version that includes the bottom of the F-Sport grill along with these new wheels refinished in Superchrome. So just maybe Lexus will make it an option to get either the dark graphite or superchrome versions of these beautiful wheels. Time will tell.

I own a 2001 LS430 with the ML system. The car isn't driven much and has only 65K miles. Yesterday my sub finally developed cracks around the edge as so many owners have reported. I decided to go the silicone route instead of hot glue. Yesterday evening I went to my local hardware store and for $4.99 + tax I purchased a small tube of silicone sealer. I applied it to the entire edge of the sub where it meets the metal. It wasn't easy getting my head into the space to see the part that was closest to me so I used a small mirror to assist me. I made sure there was total coverage with no gaps in the caulk. This morning approx. 15 hours after the application I put on the Eagles Hotel California disk and played the title song which has lots of bass once the song gets going. I am amazed as to how good the sub now sounds! No crackling or rattling, just good solid bass. I am impressed with the results. Thanks to all of you.

Here's the link for the sub-woofer repair: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=46353&mode=threaded&pid=366339. Hope this helps.

Thanks RDM.

Does anyone know how the old moulding is removed and the new applied without damaging the paint? Is it clipped in or glued? Thanks.

ravig292, There's a large thread on this. Go to: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...&pid=366339 :)

Wow! That was fast. Thank you very much for the photos. I wish there was that much clearance between the inside of the rims and the brake calipers on my 16" wheels. Looks like it wasn't necessary to use low profile stick-on balancing weights on your 17" wheels. I noticed as I was buying my tires in Costco that someone was buying a set of 245/50-17 Michelin Pilots. They would make a perfect "plus zero" on your 17" wheels to replace your 225/55-17 tires and would keep your speedometer accurate --- but gosh were those Pilots in that size expensive. They would likely make for a bit bumpier ride but might improve handling/brake performance a bit. But I would wonder how much the unspung weight would increase -- particular on heavier chrome wheels like you have. Attached is a comparison between the standard 16" tire size, your 17" inch tire size and the "plus zero" 245 set up I'm talking about. 1990LS400 Interesting comparison. I have enjoyed the Primacy MXV4's. Very smooth and quiet. Pohanka Lexus' Parts Dept. has a sign that they will match all Costco tire price. I think that's a result of having a Costco within a mile of this location.

Very interesting. There were two chrome wheel options for the 2001 LS430: 16" chrome wheels like I have on my 2000 LS400 and 17" chrome wheels of a different style. The 2001 LS430 17" chrome wheel option has plenty of clearance to use stick-on balancing weights inside the wheel rim while doing a dynamic balance. The 2001 LS430 16" chrome wheel option like I have does not have enough clearance for even the thinest stick-on balancing weights that anyone has tried. The Lexus dealer instead uses chrome plated hammer-on metal balancing weights on the outside rim lip to achieve a dynamic balance. So, PCW ... my questions are: 1) Do you have the 16" chrome wheels like mine? (shown in a photo above.) 2) If you do, is the Lexus dealer doing a dynamic balance that requires that the stick-on weights fit between the inner wheel rim and the brake calipers? If your answer is "Yes" to these questions, I'd love to have a closeup photo of one of your wheels mounted on your car. Could you upload one to this thread? I could take it to my local Lexus dealer. And could you tell me which Lexus dealer is balancing your wheels so I can call them to find where they are buying super-thin stick-on balancing weights? Your help would be appreciated! 1990LS400; I have the 17" wheels, but have included photos of one of the wheels and a closeup of the weights within the wheel. My dealer is Pohanka Lexus in Chantilly, Virginia. The service Dept number is 703-502-3722. I hope this is helpful as these weights are very thin.

I also have chrome wheels on my LS430 and have my Lexus dealer re-balance them every 10K miles. They use stick-on weights that go inside the wheel so I have no ugly weights showing. They also have special rubber adapters they put on the machine so the wheels are protected when the tire is being installed on the chrome wheel.