Jim Clark

The AWD systems in our 400h's are a joke compared to "real" AWD systems from the likes of Audi, Jeep, and Range Rover. Only the rear electric motor powers the rear wheels, there's no center differential. The computer is supposed to "sense" conditions and apply power accordingly but it gets confused when in the extreme slop an basically shuts down. Some people have had better experience than I just described but they know how to drive in the slop and have dedicated snow tires. If you really need true AWD, get a different car.

Yes Rey, A/S is all season. The reason I put A/S tires on the Bimmer was because I wanted to drive it in winter but not snow. We don't get much snow in VA but it gets pretty cold Dec-Feb. A/S tires use different compounds that can handle the cold weather. Summer tires might get too hard in the cold and their performance would suffer. I think the rule of thumb is not to use summer tires in temps below 40*. The Toyos (Proxes and Versado) are A/S tires. Both are highly thought of at 1010tires. They're also expensive but 1010tires is typically a lot more expensive than Tirerack.

Although I subscribe to Consumer Reports online and appreciate their objectivity, the reviews at Tirerack represent MANY more miles of driving by actual consumers in every kind of vehicle imaginable. The General Exclaim UHP's have over 8 million miles experience in the 1000+ reviews. As previously stated, they are in the WRONG category at Tirerack. They ARE an A/S tire, although not a great snow tire. If you live in the great white north, you probably need dedicated snow tires in winter for the RX400h. If you want an A/S with the best snow performance, that would be the ContiExtremes, we had them on our Audi S6 and their performance in extremely slippery conditions was outstanding. The Audi Quattro AWD system is as good as it gets and that made a big difference, but the ContiExtremes went through conditions with ease as good as any dedicated winter tire. I don't think they come in a size for the 400h. The General Exclaim UHP deserves a look by anyone wanting an A/S tire but doesn't need really good snow performance throughout the winter.

I have a '94 Jeep Grand Cherokee for the slop when I don't drive my BMW convertible. When the conditions are nasty, I just drive more carefully. Even when I drive the Jeep in dry conditions, I would never drive it like the BMW. Our newest car is a RX400h that we love. I also would not drive it like the BMW for obvious reasons.

If you want to save some $$, check out the General Exclaim UHP. They have an aggressive looking tread pattern that looks like it would sipe away water effectively. Tirerack has them INCORRECTLY listed in the Ultra High Performance Summer category where they have excellent ratings. They are an all-season tire with a M+S designation! :chairshot: They are available in our size but none of the reviewers at Tirerack has put them on vehicles like ours because they are in the wrong category. Tirerack = *BLEEP*s! I wanted A/S tires for my BMW and ended up with ContiExtremes and had to go one size up on the rears. Their grip is just OK in the dry and wet. Although they're the best rated A/S for snow, I don't drive the Bimmer in snow. I'd bet the General Exclaim is better in dry/wet cornering and they had the correct size for rears on the BMW. It really *BLEEP*ed me off when I found out the Generals were actually an A/S tire. Check them out.

I just got the manual out and checked the buttons inside the car. The button below the steering column up in the footwell is for resetting tire pressure monitor (TPM). It must be done at cold pressure. That determines the value at which the system works. Tires pressure increases quickly when driving as the tires warm up. So if the light comes on when driving, the pressure has fallen below cold tire pressure so it has dropped a number of pounds, not sure how many pounds the pressure increases when warm, but I bet it's at least 3-4 pounds, maybe more. The second button related to the TPM is for switching from a "main" set of tires to a "2nd" set of tires. This is for people who run summer and winter tires. It is located under the glove box in the footwell. I believe the ID code for the 2nd tire set must be initialized by the dealer. Both those buttons have protection against being accidentally pushed (they are recessed). The third button mentioned is on the left side of the glovebox (must open the glovebox to get to it). That one deactivates the rear power door. The people who mentioned problems were with the spare. Since the system operates at the cold tire pressure level, and the spare doesn't warm up when driving, the spare should probably be inflated to a few pounds above the cold pressure level of the running tires. BTW, the ONLY way to set proper cold pressure level is to have a portable air pump at home and a good accurate tire pressure gauge. Tires will warm up with just a few miles of driving and after reaching running temperature take 3 hours to cool down. I actually have three air pumps. My newest one came from Costco and was inexpensive. It has a very accurate digital pressure gauge, runs off car power, and is compact enough to keep in the car. This is the one I use: http://www.buytheworld.com/prod2015-Bon_Ai...Compressor.html

Well, the new model is, thankfully, not as radical as the concept vehicle. Not too much different then ours which I think is a great looking vehicle and very functional. As I stated earlier, and s10 confirmed, the braking is probably the biggest thing to get used to. It takes a smooth foot to avoid "jerky" stops. We've owned some really nice cars, the 400h replaced an Audi S6 (race car in soccer/hockey mom transport disguise). This may be the nicest car we've ever owned with the possible exception of my 1986 Porsche 944 (that was a great car).

Our 400h gas engine kicks in as soon as you start out from a stop unless you're going very slow in a parking lot. It turns off while coasting or braking and restarts when you get back on the accelerator, the cruising restarts are seamless and almost unnoticeable. You do notice a slight vibration when you start out from a stop and when you really stomp on it, the gas engine does make a fair amount of noise. In normal highway cruising, it's probably the quietest car we've ever owned. I like the CVT tranny as well, very smooth. I've heard the shifts in the 350 tranny are a little "clunky" but I've never driven one. The hybrid does make a slight whining noise when braking and it takes a steady/smooth foot on the brake pedal to avoid "jerky" stops, but you learn to adjust to that quickly. Our primary motive in getting the hybrid was so the wife could use the Virginia HOV lanes in her commute to DC, a big time saver for her. Now that gas prices are back down to reasonable levels, the gas savings payback would be too long to justify it on that alone. Even if we didn't get the HOV lane advantage, we'd probably get another 400h over a 350, but it would be by a slim margin, not a big one. Our friends have had a RX 300 (330?) for a number of years and many miles of repair-free driving (normal maintenance only). They love it. I would guess the handling/ride characteristics would be very similar. One important note, the AWD systems on the two are very different. There's no center differential on the 400h, the only drive to the rear wheels is the rear electric motor which is controlled by the computer. SOME people have experienced problems with this in ice and snow. You cannot be heavy footed and just plow through the slop like you can in a Jeep, Range Rover, or Audi. The manual even says NOT to take the 400h off-road as it could damage the hybrid drive system. If you tend to "muscle" through the slop, a Jeep, Range Rover, or Audi allroad would be a better option. BUT, none of them would have the reliability of a Lexus.

http://www.lexus.com/fcv/RXandRXh.html?s_o...odule1:allnewRX

Sounds like you're doing everything right. You can check for a blown fuse easy enough yourself. They may even have spares in the fuse box.

The car doesn't know it's riding on different size tires, it just thinks it's going a little slower than it actually is. With the larger diameter, when the speedo shows 60 mph, you're actually doing 63 mph. At 1010Tires.com, they warn against going more than 3% larger but cite possible brake failure as the problem, probably due to the heavier weight and greater centrifugal force generated by the larger tire.

From the website, it appears the ONLY option package includes all the stuff mentioned. That means you'd be stuck with the stuff you don't want. Very different in the US: http://www.lexus.com/models/RXh/features/pricing.html The options/packages are much more flexible. Odd that it would be different for Canada. You could go across the border to buy the US version but I've heard bringing a car into Canada is a real PITA at best.

I believe that picture was of a concept vehicle. I don't think they'd ultimately go quite that radical, at least I hope not. I believe our current body style looks better and should have much better visibility.

Living in the great white north and having just weathered the 2nd snowiest winter recorded in NH with an RX400h, I can tell you that the 400h is quite capable. To call it a "joke" without having any experience with it in true winter conditions is misleading at best and is reminiscent of WWest's opines of yore. My previous SUV, a Toyota Sequoia, was extremely capable and I was apprehensive to purchase the 400h but decided to take the risk. After two winters, I've not been disappointed. I've driven it in 12" of snow with no difficulties and have never seen the "Christmas Tree Effect" you imply is common nor can I relay any "horror stories". As with any vehicle driven in winter conditions, dedicated snow tires and driver technique goes a long way. Is the RX as good as my Sequoia, no. But can it be driven safely and effectively in those same winter conditions, yes. I think this forum works best when we all avoid innuendo and stick to our own actual experiences with the car. I believe it says in the manual that the 400h is NOT to be taken off-road as it could damage the hybrid drive system. I'm thinking your dedicated winter tires and driver technique had more to do with your good experience than the 400h AWD system. I grew up in CT and went to VT nearly every weekend to ski. I managed just fine in my RWD Mustang because I knew how to drive in the slop. I have also had two Saab FWD's that would go through nearly anything. But nothing can compare to my '94 Jeep Grand Cherokee (still have it for sloppy days when I don't drive my 330Cic) or the three Audi wagons I've owned. The Jeep will climb trees in low range. Maybe "joke" was a bit strong, but the 400h AWD system can not be compared to "true" AWD systems from the likes of Audi, Jeep, Range Rover, etc. But that rear electric motor does add some kick when you punch it, that's fun.....

Let's look at the numbers. At 15,000 miles per year and 17 mpg, the 350 will use 882 gallons. The 400h at 27 mpg will use 556 gallons. The 326 gallon difference at $3.13 per gallon (premium in this area right now) is $1020 per year. A new 400h (still listed as a 2008 model) is $50,715 typically equipped. A new 350 (2009 model) is $46,065 similarly equipped. The $4,650 difference will take 4.5 years to recover. The 2009 400h will probably have at least a modest price increase. The analysis also does not include the possible earnings on the $4,650. It also does not include discounts from retail, you can probably get more off a new 350 than a new 400h. Used 2007 models rated as "clean retail" on NADA are $39,900 for the 400 and $33,400 for the 350, a difference of $6,500. If we assume a $1,000 price increase for the 2009 400h (2% increase), that brings the price difference for new ones to $5,650. That brings the used price differential to $850 in favor of the 400h. Subtracting the $850 from the assumed $5,650 (new price differential), we end up with $4,800. It will take 4.7 years to recover. Again, no earnings on the differential included. One other factor that would be important to our friends in the great white north or those that like to go off-road is the AWD systems. The 400h AWD system is a joke compared to the likes of Jeeps or the absolute best Audi Quattros. I suspect the 350 uses a traditional differential to distribute power to the four wheels. I've read horror stories of people trying to make use of the 400h AWD on ice or in heavy snow. The dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree and the system basically shut down. Now, all that said, would we choose he 400h over the 350 again? Absolutely. Again, the primary reason for choosing the hybrid was so the wife could use the HOV lanes in her daily commute, the value of that in the DC area is HUGE. We rarely need AWD capabilities (not much snow and never go off-road). The torquey electric motors and CVT are great. Even IF the wife didn't get to use the HOV, after having the 400h for a year now, we'd choose it over the 350 again. The 5 year payback from gas savings is "reasonable". The bottom line is if you need "real" AWD, the scales tip in favor of the 350. If not, the 400h is the choice. One more thing is that us 400h owners are being somewhat kindlier to the environment.

About 12k on our 2008 400 (bought Nov 2007). Only problem was a stress crack in the windshield which they replaced.

Mileage is not enough justification for a 400 over a 350. The payback is too long for the average driver. If you drive a HUGE number of miles per year, you might get a payback. We bought ours so the wife could use the HOV lanes in her commute. That was worth the extra $$$'s.

A very tall friend (6'5"-6'6", long legs) sat in our 400h when we first got it. With the seat all the way back and down, his knees were up against the lower dash. He has that problem with many cars.

Hope it was your wife's earring. If not, just leave it there and hope she never finds it.

Nice write-up by mindmachine. Wonder how he came up with that name? ;) We use 93 octane in our 2008 400h. I also use it in my 2001 BMW 330Cic, it's probably even more critical in that car which gets a lot of performance from a 3.3 liter six. Even at today's gas prices, the price difference isn't THAT great. I just figure it's better for the engine. One relatively minor repair could negate the savings garnered in 100k miles. We've averaged better than 27 mpg with my light-footed wife doing most of the driving. That's pretty darn good for a 4000+ pound SUV that has plenty of power! I'm always impressed when I stomp on the 400h, it delivers the goods. We'll continue to use 93 octane until someone provides tangible evidence that it's a waste of money.

Pardon my ignorance or stupidity. What's an iPod?

Congrats Laura. You'll love the car. The Nav does have route preferences. It should also give you 3 route choices, at least one of those should be mostly highway. Our Nav also doesn't have the I Agree screen, just the warning screen when you first turn it on. The ICE always starts when starting from a stop unless you're in a parking lot going very slow and it's pretty much always on unless you're coasting or braking. I wouldn't sweat trying to eek out every last mpg. Normal light-footed driving should get you 27 mpg. Extreme measures will not improve that much. We have found the 400h to be VERY quiet even at highway speeds, the only exception is under heavy acceleration. We have a 6-disc in-dash CD changer but it's not Mark Levinson, at least I'm pretty sure it's not. Does yours say Mark Levinson on the head unit? If you go to the website, Mark Levinson is no longer offered as an option. The ONLY option packages are three Nav packages, the Premium Plus is now part of the Nav Packages. The three Nav packages are essentially the same, the additional two just add some accessories. Matador Red and Breakwater Blue are on the website. I'm afraid the salesman lied to you so you'd drive out in the Bamboo Pearl he had in his inventory. When we went to the dealer JUST to take a test drive, we saw a Matador Red one out front and immediately loved it. I had originally thought I'd like the Brandywine, but when I saw both in person, it had to be Matador Red, and we ended up driving it home. The Bamboo Pearl is also a very nice color. Please post some pics. I didn't realize Canada was now part of the entire country. ;)

The service manager at our dealer looked at it yesterday. He confirmed it's a stress crack and was not the result of external damage. Their separate collision center does all glass work. The part has been ordered and will be installed early next week. I hope whatever caused this crack is NOT a slightly out-of-spec frame around the window that could cause it again.....

We really like our '08 400h. A loaded Highlander Hybrid is only a few $K less and not as luxurious. Virtually ALL 400h's come loaded, Lexus buyers want that. When you go to re-sell it, the buyer will want a loaded one. The nav system is OK. You shouldn't be entering addresses on the go (unless it's the passenger), it's dangerous. I seriously doubt the ML sound system is worth the price, the standard system sounds fine to us, we are not "audiophiles". We have the Michelins, from what I've heard they are the best, lots of complaints about the Goodyears. If you want an upscale SUV hybrid, there is really no competition for the Lexus.

There are NO rock chips. The crack is worse than I thought. It extends down the driver's side and continues right and up in a weird way and ends near the rear view mirror. Absolutely NO chips on the outside of the glass. This is an obvious defect. It is quite troublesome. This could be a very real hazard.