wstr75

We're happy 400h owners. My wife loves the quietness and the cool factor. I like the gas mileage and technology. I'm happy to be getting 10 mpg better gas mileage than my former 2002 Yukon. I'm also happy to have the fastest car I've ever owned. On an Interstate this baby jumps from 55 to 70 pretty doggoned fast. Stuck in the middle lane behind grandpa and only a have short of window of opportunity opening-up in the left lane? No problem go from 55 to 70 and jump around grandpa in a flash. I wish an ES 350 hybrid was available. I'd be trading our gas sucking (18.5 mpg average) 2002 RL. Recently drove a hybrid Camry and am seriously considering purchasing it with Navigation and leather (that's about the extent of what can be added to a hybrid Camry).

Thanks for sharing your experience. Makes me feel better. I agree with your logic regarding the shop not being able to find something that only happens periodically.

Mehullica, thanks for your comments. The state of charge was 3 blue bars. The battery temperature should have been normal. Yes, it was a 90 degree day here in NC but there will be lots of 90 degree days over the next four months, so you got to think Toyota planned for 90 degree days as being normal operating conditions. So why the no-blue blues? I forgot to respond to your third comment about braking speed. I tried it at all speeds and the indicator went to the bottom of white but never into the blue, yet it showed regeneration symbols on the consumption display. The brakes felt normal. I may try driving over a bumpy road while braking to see if I get the brake release and re-engage feeling that occurs when the car suddenly moves from regeneration braking to pad braking as the car jogs over a sizeable bump in the road.

Our neighborhood is on a high hill. The battery usually gets to green after going down the hill. Yesterday noticed it did not appear to go into brake regenerating mode while going down the hill. I repeatedly got off the accelerator, waited a while and then applied the brakes and still no blue. On the way home after driving through town the consumption record showed the green 50W symbols which relate to brake regeneration. Something is amiss and a call to the dealer is necessary. Anyone else experience the no-blue, blues?

AMF, what kind of gas mileage are you seeing thus far? The professional reviews speak of the ES350 being essentially the same size as the original LS400. The original LS 400 was a sweet size. Do you feel the ES 350 is the LS 400 for this decade? I'm debating buying either a three or four year old LS 430 or buying a new ES 350.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/04/30/bus....0430toyota.php Love my 400h but find it interesting how these folks say Toyota's transmission and electric motor set-up is less efficient at highway speeds than their design. Competition is good, eh?

We own a small business. I think buying two new Lexus vehicles within four months would definitely raise questions from suppliers, employees, community, etc. Got to stay just far enough under the radar as to not cause too much commotion. Besides, 90% of the vehicles I've bought since age 16 have been used. I'd be buying used hybrids but there aren't any! I guess to stay under the radar we'll have to just keep the RL and put up with the not so good gas mileage. The thought about buying a Camry was a means of having the proverbial cake (new car and hybrid to boot) and eating it, too (Camry having lower luxury - under the economic sensitivity profile than a Lexus GS hybrid).

Thanks for getting out there on the road and doing the rpm to speed test!! Looking at your address line I can't help but think of the The Band song titled "Up On Cripple Creek" and the line "In Lake Charles Louisiana I've a Bessie Girl I Once Knew". At any rate, there's another thread started today regarding LS 400 owners getting some truly outstanding gas mileage from their cars. There's no hope for getting better gas mileage from our RL and tonight I'm thinking about getting on area dealers waiting lists for a Camry Hybrid. We love our RX 400h and are getting 25 mpg and its only going to get better as summer weather and more miles are put on the car. Speaking of Lake Charles, you folks truly had it tough last year. Did you have storm damage?

I disagree, in part. You are correct about it being a surprisingly heavy car. The motor is plenty strong for the car. However, the power band to final drive ratio relationship may be the problem. The motor turns appreciable revs getting up to speed and even while running at Interstate speeds. You are not aware of the motor speed and there is no shortage of power, but you look down at the tach and see the motor is turning up considerable rpm. What rpm does an early (five speed) LS 430 turn at 70 mph? Same question but for a late model (six speed) LS 430?

Jainia, thanks for the reply. Yep, we're in 4th gear setting when driving (the proper detent for transmission lever setting). The RL is just simply sucks gas down and it does not matter too much how we drive it. Granted, running stop light to stop light races would make matters worse, but going to work, church, grocery store, Interstate travels, etc. all add up to significantly worse gas mileage than our previous Park Avenue Ultra. Now, on the other hand, the RL has not had any breakdowns or serious service work needs. The Park Avenue was the worst car I've ever had for service work. Folks on the Acura RL forum all say the same thing regarding poor gas mileage. Hard to believe a Honda product would be such a dog on gas mileage, huh? Nonetheless, it runs good and flat out handles curves like it is glued to the road. However, glued to the road ain't going to get it with oil now fetching more than $72/barrel. I'm itching to buy a good used LS 430. The other car I'm considering is a 3.0 liter Outback wagon. I know, LS 430 and a 2005 Outback 3.0 are like comparing Moet de Chandon and Mad Dog 20/20. You see, my wife really enjoys driving our (currently my) new RX 400h. I like having space for hauling around occassional product (I do some sales work). The Outback is a sweet car and while the 2.5 liter gets better gas mileage, the 3.0 hauls the proverbial groceries better and still gets 25 mpg on the road. All things considered, a three year old LS 430 would probably suit my needs better for the next five or six years. What I'm trying to nail down is the Interstate mpg for five speed (early 430s) and six speed (late 430s) that forum owners here are averaging. 70% of my driving will be Interstate.

My RL gets around 16 in town. It doesn't seem to ever get above 21 on the road. It has a four speed tranny. It has the variable valve timing engine. It starts getting happy at 80 mph and really wants to run. That's why the Honda hot rodders want that particular 3.5 liter engine. What's interesting is I had a 1997 Park Avenue Ultra that would run all day at 75 at 25 mpg and would get close to 30 at 65 mph. On a tractor site (of all places!) someone posted a comment about American cast iron engines having fuel management running to the lean side for economy while Japanese aluminum engines having fuel management running to the rich side for engine longevity (cast iron able to handle higher combustion temps versus aluminum) as an explanation why today's American cars have better gas mileage than similarly size/weight Japanese cars. The fuel richness asssumption could be bs, but that big ole Park Avenue sure was good on gas and not too bad on acceleration up to 60 either. Couple of questions: 1) Much difference in fuel economy for six speed LS 430 versus five speed? 2) I keep hearing about early 400s getting 25 mpg highway. Do the 430s have similar mpg to the 400s or not?

Currently have 2002 Acura RL that is a sweet car but is hard on gas. Driving 70 mph it gets around 20.5 mpg. Around town is much less. Early LS 400 owners say their cars get 25 mpg at 70 mph. Searched this site and did not turn up much info on LS 430 gas mileage. Would appreciate hearing what gas mileage LS 430 owners are seeing in highway and city driving. I'm thinking about getting a 2001 - 2003 era LS 430 and better gas mileage is a consideration.

Light came on today and it took 13.6 gallons.

Love my 400h. Have logged 6000 miles. Drove back from D.C. to central N.C. today. There were numerous times when I accelerated from 65 mph to 85 mph in order to zip around a slow car in the middle lane. It's the fastest car I've had for accelerating in the 65 to 80 mph range. For the last 2000 miles it has averaged 24.3 mpg with most of the miles at 75 mph.

Speaking of oil changes, how many miles are you going between changes and is there any advantage to using a synthetic oil like Mobil 1 in the 400h. I've put synthetic in my previous cars and will be taking the 400h in for its 5000 mile initial service soon.