jashev

I'm not sure where you have heard bad reviews on the RX400h. Consumer reports rates it as one of their top SUV's (hybrid or not). I have both an RX400h and an '06 GX470. I love both cars. My RX400h has 8500 trouble free miles on it. Smooth as silk, quiet, great acceleration, super transmission (CVT) and superior gas mileage for a powerful luxury SUV. My wife however is a BMW lover. We traded in her '04 BMW X5 for the GX470 (the RX400h was my everyday car). Well guess what? I now drive the GX470 and she is driving my RX400h. She has already informed me that we are buying a new X5 next week. (For the record, her old X5 had 22,000 miles on it and had only seen the dealer once at about 13,000 miles for regular service (paid for by BMW). Given the choice between the RX400h and the GX, I have decided to keep the GX, but only because I need the additional seating (I coach youth sports, basketball and baseball, need I say more). So it looks like I will be trading the RX in, but through no fault of the car.

I have on '06 with no clunks.

I did see your profile, I just wasn't sure if this is what you do or if this is a hobby. Can you email me with a phone number where I can reach you and we can hook up. I will also email you my number. Thanks, Jon

Just had my data dots installed on the '06 RX400h two weeks ago. The dealer called me to have me bring it in as part of a Lexus service call.

I figured I would try to do it myself, unless you know someone in NJ who does this stuff. I have a 6000 sq ft heated garage with lifts and all sorts of good stuff. It does whoever sound like you may be the one I should be talking to about getting it installed. I'm a collector of classic US cars from the 50's and 60's so I feel most comfortable in that world.

I just noticed your question about installation. If you are at all handy the installation is a snap. If not, I would venture to say that any car audio place that knows it's stuff would have no problem at all installing the unit. Regarding price, I think the unit is about $400. I got a better deal because I drove up to him and played guinea pig to see if his stuff worked okay so I don't know the exact price. His name is Jon August. jashev, I've already contacted Jon about the RX400h application of the Sirius XM unit and I'm awaiting his response. In the meantime, do you have any photos of the finished product in your 400h (e.g. main unit installation and power wires, antenna pass-through to the interior, connections to radio) so I may know what the install should look like? I am leaving tomorrow and will be out of town until Friday AM, however I would be happy to take some shots then and email them to you. In reality, there is not much to see. The xm unit is located under the rear floor near the right rear tire well, the antenna runs through the hatch and to a low profile antenna mounted behind the GPS antenna. Any help is appreciated. Thanks. - gogetter "Quality is never an accident"

Yea, but the sales manager gave me a credit towards my next vehicle service. Sewell online shows the es 05-06 part for xm as 86100-0W100. Is this the one you are talking about? Thanks again.

FYI - The '06 Landcruiser kit doesn't work in the '06 GX

Does this mean that even though my '06 GX has rear audio controls I should install the es kit (and if so, which es kit (what year)? I just bought my car and told the dealer to install the Landcruiser kit. After 2 hours of labor we discovered that the '06 Landcruiser kit does NOT work in the GX. As always zube, thanks for the email and thanks for the right information. Let me know if you have an xm kit for sale that will fit my GX. I'm there.

I just got an 06 GX470. At my request, the dealer tried to install an XM kit for the LX470 (PN 86100-0W140) and this did not work. Did you ever get an answer to this question? The dealer tells me there is a w120 and a w100 unit also. HELP...

The cost is really unimportant as compared with the bath I will take if I have to get her another X5 and trade/sell one of the '06 Lexus' Since a number of other manufacturers provide heated steering wheels, I don't think there is a technical hurdle. Just whether or not somebody thinks there is a market for such devices.

Hey Zube, Do you have a similar bypass for the GX470. Just bought one for my wife. I found this link on the forum to bypass stuff for a GS300 but don't know if it's the same. http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...99entry157699 Have a Happy New Year!!! jashev

After buying an RX400h last summer, it took a few months of convincing to get my wife to leave her X5 behind for a GX470. Her only issue (so far) is the lack of a heated steering wheel. She has a circulation problem in her hands and can't tolerate a cold steering wheel. This was a key feature on all our BMW's (also available from Mercedes, Audi, etc.). Does anyone know of an aftermarket steering wheel (or product) which could meet this need? Without it, I'm afraid that she'll be back in an X5 in a few months. Thanks....

I've tried different nav screens, trip menu, service menu...nothing. It's like there is an invisable mute button. I'll keep trying, worst case, the dealer will just have to figure it out next week. If you are bold enough, you could try going into the service tech's menu. It's the same menu that's used to overide the navigation system's motion lockout. From memory, I believe that there are a few icons on there which are related to the voice command system. There is also an error log, which if you can read bits and bytes might mean something to you. The instructions for getting into this menu can be found at this link: http://hybridcars.about.com/od/ownership/ss/navigation.htm . Basically, you go to the volume icon (under the nav menu button). When you are in the volume control screen, touch the top left and bottom left corners. Repeat this a second time. You will be presented with the service menu. One of those items says something about voice command. That's the best I can think of unless your phone is stuck in the on position Good luck.