corrado_mr2

Yup, they will fit with 235/55/18 tires, same bolt pattern 5x114.3mm No calibration since this is actually a plus two size upgrade that keeps the overall diameter the same (lower profile tires on taller rims vs higher profile tires on lower rims). Comfort, will be slightly decreased (you lose an inch of rubber-cushion all around), unless you had stiff 16in tires. As for 235/55/18 tires, go for the Bridgestone Dueler Alenzas rated the best overall (comfort, traction, treadwear, noice). The stock Michelins are comfortable, but have poor traction in light snow, less so in the rain. The Goodyear Eagle RS-As will last you 20000 miles and are stiff. You can check this out at tirerack.com.

Thanks for your words of caution. That's what I figured. I'll keep my 20 bucks. Anyone installed a high-performance air filter over the stock one, i.e. like a K&N? Any true benefits? I have one on my 91 MR2 (non-Turbo) and it makes a difference, it adds about 5 hp and makes the engine breathe better as well as it making it sound less restricted.

I came across "Velocity Tuner" on Ebay. It claims up to 16% HP increase and 31% improvement in fuel economy. It installs between in the air intake behind the air filter. Anyone tried this or simething similar? I would think most of these items that have claims like this are scams... You can search for "SAVE GAS +16% HP RX300/RX330/GS430/GX470 +31% MPG" as the title of the auction. Thanks

When I disable the Air suspension (press the Off button and the dash displays it) when I'm in Park and car turned on, it re-engages (Off disappears) once I start driving. Sometimes the auto-air suspension re-engages as soon as I put it in Drive, other times it takes a few minutes of driving (irrespective of speed), but the bottom line is that it always turns back on automatically once you start driving. This always happened as I recall. I thought it should stay off and at the height set when you press the Off button... Anyone have this working this way or can clarify this? Thanks

I didn't surpass it since I was the only passenger (180lbs) with the 600lb+ load. However, it was concentrated at the back instead of 300lb front + 300lb back...

I knew about the "Off" button and engaging it when when putting it on a lift, but not about the towing/heavy weight part. Thanks for the tip. Yes, the buzzing sound it makes sounds "cheap" making it emabarrassing/annoying somewhat.

Well, after nearly 120 000km (75K miles), my 04 RX330's wonderful air suspension died on me the other day. The RX was stuck at a certain height and I had the "Off" light flashing on the dash. 1250$Cnd later and it's good again. A few weeks earlier, I had carried two separate loads of cement blocks of at least 600 lbs total in the trunk. I heard the compressor compensating working longer than usual to adjust the level of the ride height for it, but nothing more unusual than when people sit in the car and add weight. Can't say if that was the killer, but I'm sure that contributed to the wear-and-tear. Lesson-learned ! I am a little disappointed with this failure, but I understand it was possibly my fault or that I accelerated the wear and tear. We tend to forget the RX is not a true SUV, instead it's a unibody car-based (Camry) luxury "SUV" not meant for heavy hauling/towing. We need to go to the GX or the Toyota "equivalent", the 4-Runner for more heavy-duty stuff. Anyone else had an issue with their Air Suspension and when?

Found it, thanks. Easy to pull and I replaced it.

Just to clarify it for everyone, I checked the fuse and saw it was burnt (split). Replaced it and the horn is working again. Thanks for all your suggestions.

My 04 RX330 too behaved that way most of the time on descending slopes before the latest tranny ECU software upgrade I did a couple months back. Today, it occurs far less frequently, but when it does, I attribute it to the tranny engaging in engine braking mode hence the higher rpms and the subsequent lack of upshifting. It doesn't always happen though...depends on how much the accelerator is depressed and how fast I'm going. It has never really been a problem or concern to me. To note, it has never happened on a straight. Apart from a few bugs that got dealt with out over time, my RX330 (early Japan-made model) has 116000km (72500 miles) and still going strong.

Trying to pull out the horn fuse to determine what part of my horn system failed. It appears to be stuck or more than likely, I am either afraid of pulling harder to not break something or I have the wrong technique. Any ideas?

Thanks SKPerformance. Any place (online) you suggest to purchase them? How much is it? Easy to install?

After Italy's World Cup win yesterday and gallavanting with my RX then blowing the horn repeatedly for an hour, the horn died. Any ideas? Fuse? Horn? Where to look? Thanks

Simple. I am a Toyota fan ever since my dad had the 87 Camry and 88 MR2 (after owning a dreaded unreliable Ford Mustang) and my dream was to own the elite Toyota brand. Today, I own a 91 MR2 and an 04 RX330 and am exceptionally pleased with both. They both have similar mileage, around 120 000 km and have both been exceptionally reliable. Actually, the MR2 even more so (very few electronics as the possible reason). Considering our Canadian Winters and past ownership of a Toyota RAV4 and Honda CRV, an SUV/4WD vehicle was a no-brainer. Factor in growing kids and extra cargo/interior room that comes along with that, the RX330 was a no-brainer, especially when it's only 4-5G$ Cnd more than an American "lesser" model (Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited, Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer, etc.) Finally, the Americans (and to a lesser degree, the Germans) still don't have the refinement, build quality, and reliability the Japanese have in their vehicles. Would you want to coddle yourself in a cabin straight out of a Chevy/GMC full-size pickup with splashes of tacked on (literally) Zebrano wood in the pre-2007 Cadillac Escalade for $$ more than the RX or even a GX? Unless of course you wait for the 10G$ GM rebates and 0% financing that happens every other month. Even for 10$G cheaper, I wouldn't want it... to stare at a cheap-plastic looking, straight lined and grey-buttoned GM Delco radio found in my uncle's 92 Lumina... the DASH BOARD is straight out of the seventies... Even the steering wheel column and key ignition with its "flaps" (remember those in your father's Oldsmobile where you put the key in and turn the entire flap/key combo to start the car) dates back to prehistoric times. Sad and embarrassing for the 21st century, especially for $70 G Cnd. To their defence, the 2007 Escalade is vastly improved, surpassing the Lincoln Navigator, but still only 80% a Lexus SUV is. Off topic: Yes, go for the IS (350)... smallish, but incredibly refined and powerful!

Funny thing... I also had a Honda CR-V (EX-L) and it had fewer rattles than my 04 RX330. I have the exact rattle which appears to come from beneath the overhead console. :(

Here are some pics, before (235/55/18) and after (255/55/18) shots. Enjoy: http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/corrado_m...g=0&.src=ph

I just wanna let you know that I (finally) made the switch to wider tires, 255/55/18. It wasn't easy figuring out what the largest tire one can put on an RX330/350. After a few garage trips and tire rubbing, trial and error, research, and some luck, here is the setup that finally WORKS: :) HARDWARE: Wheels: stock 18x7in Lexus RX330 wheels Tires: Sumitomo HTR4 Sport H/P 255/55/18 M+S, treadwear 480, 10.0in section width, 29.2in diameter Tires cost: (Tirerack.com) 4x98$ US + 103$ US shipping + 155$ US customs//brokerage (still saved about 200$Cnd had I bought them in Montreal, Canada). Wheel spacer: 5mm thick (5 x 114.3mm) (5 x 4.5in) Wheel spacers cost: 4x12$ Cnd Installation cost: 60$Cnd (cost of mounting 4 tires. No installation for the spacer. it just sits on the disk plate) SPECS: Tire diameter: increased by 22mm (0.9in) Ride height: increased by 11mm Speedometer error: +2.9% at 100km/h (62mph); reading at 100 km/hr, true speed 103 km/hr Tire section width: increased by 18mm Tires/wheels are now about half an inch from within the outer wheel well extremity, compared to about 1.2 in. SUBJECTIVE RATINGS: Ride comfort: decreased by 20% from the Michelin Energy MXV4 S8 due to stiffer (reinforced) sidewall of the tire. Comparable to riding the RX on "Low" suspension setting (Air Suspension) Noise: just a pinch louder than the Michelins, if at all. Dry cornering grip: increased substantially. Tires don't squeal during aggressive city driving tests. Handling: noticeably increased. Fatter tires and increase in track (due to the spacers) improve the handling dynamics of the RX. Handling went from "marshmallowy" to "somewhat crisp". Wet/Snow traction: TBD. The Sumitomos have a tread depth of 14/32 which is one of the deepest you'll find on the market for car/light truck tires for excellent potential wet/snow traction. Look: The extra 22mm in tire diameter increase gives a more complete filled-in wheel-well look. It actually looks a little dropped. From the rear/front, the extra near 18mm in width plus the extra 5mm spacer width gives the RX a much needed meaner, well planted look, close to what an X5 or Cayenne look like. These latter SUVs have 255/55/18s. CONCLUSION: I love the wider-tire look and I'm glad I finally got them safely installed and operational. I would have probably preferred a soter riding tire comparable to the Michelins like the Bridgestone Dueler Alenzas, but at 250$US more a set, the Sumitomos were a no-brainer. Remember. To avoid any rubbing of the front tires in the inner wheel well while performing a complete steering wheel turn, you must install 5mm wheel spacers at a minimum in the front. For the amount they cost, you might as well add them to the rear to give the car a more balanced look and driving feel. The stock lug/studs are long enough to safely compensate for the 5mm loss in protrusion. Any spacer thicker than 5mm should be installed with additional lugs/studs (costly$$). Go for it! You now can buy those 255 sized tires for your stock rims!

Hmmm... did you have to add any wheel spacers to make the tires not rub? I had just bought other 255/55/18s from Tirerack and although they do fit in the wheel well (front/rear) with the stock 18in mags (and height-adjustable air suspension), the front tires rub and press against the inner plastic fender by a few mm when the steering is turned all the way at "Normal" height. Didn't test at "Low" or "High" but don't think it will make a big difference. Needless to say, I had the mechanic remove them before leaving the garage and place back the stock :cries: 235/55/18 Michelins, which are dangerously slippery in wet/snow conditions. I'm now looking at possibly 5mm spacers for the front at 12$ each (and while I'm at it, the rear too) because I love the fatter tire look on the RX and also want to avoid big bucks shipping the tires back for a refund/exchange. I'm not sure if the spacer will be enough to clear the rubbing, though. My challenge is avoiding a larger spacer (8mm and above) since the stock lugs/studs must be replaced for longer costly ones. Anyone has any experience or a solution to this? Update: I installed the 255/55/18 tires with the 5mm spacer. No rubbing! All is good. I will create a new post on this.

The Michelins are smooth, reliatively comfortable and quiet, especially when compared to the Eagle RS-As some other RXs have. However, I bought a luxury SUV for its on-road capabilities strengthened by 4-wheel drive, ABS, and VSC under acceleration and braking. Needless to say, my RX was sliding many times on lightly-snow covered roads under acceleration and worse so, under braking (ABS kicked in many times), especially in its second winter after 20 000kms. My previous SUV, a Honda CRV with 50% tread-Firestone tires and no VSC had far better stability and wet/snow traction than my 70%-tread Michelins. I was able to surpass any sedan even with winter tires from a standing stop. With the AWD RX and Michelins, I can barely keep up with an all-season-tire sedan. My next tire is a 255/55/18 HTR Sport H/P with 14/32nd tread depth by Sumitomo installed on the stock 18in mags. I want the fatter-tire look and deep-tread to attain the wet/snow traction an SUV ought to have. The Michelins have a shallow 9/32nd depth BRAND NEW! I do expect the Sumitomos to be less smooth though (a little harsher and noisier). I'll also have to install spacers to ensure the front tires don't rub on the inside plastic fender when turned, but that's another story. As for stock sized all-season tires (235/55/18), I'd get the Bridgestone Dueler Alenza H/R for the same smoothness and comfort as the Michelins. Actually, it appears they may be even more comfortable/smooth. Finally, they not only have a higher treadwear rating and better wet/snow traction, they're also cheaper by about 35$ per tire. At least on paper, the Alenzas are hard to beat. Just go to www.tirerack.com and you'll see it's the best SUV touring tire today. ;)

Hmmm... did you have to add any wheel spacers to make the tires not rub? I had just bought other 255/55/18s from Tirerack and although they do fit in the wheel well (front/rear) with the stock 18in mags (and height-adjustable air suspension), the front tires rub and press against the inner plastic fender by a few mm when the steering is turned all the way at "Normal" height. Didn't test at "Low" or "High" but don't think it will make a big difference. Needless to say, I had the mechanic remove them before leaving the garage and place back the stock :cries: 235/55/18 Michelins, which are dangerously slippery in wet/snow conditions. I'm now looking at possibly 5mm spacers for the front at 12$ each (and while I'm at it, the rear too) because I love the fatter tire look on the RX and also want to avoid big bucks shipping the tires back for a refund/exchange. I'm not sure if the spacer will be enough to clear the rubbing, though. My challenge is avoiding a larger spacer (8mm and above) since the stock lugs/studs must be replaced for longer costly ones. Anyone has any experience or a solution to this?