Paul Calderon

My 2004 RX 330 (45,000 miles) runs great with regular 5W-30 oil and regular changes at 3,000 miles. With so many good reports on Synthetic oil , I may change to a Synthetic oil like Mobil 1 on the next oil change and keep the vehicle using a synthetic oil for the future. Has any one done this and are there any advantages besides longer change intervals. I know the cost per quart will be considerably higher.

I have used Mobil 1 5w30 for two years. I get 1-2mpg better mileage, and change the oil every 5k miles. I buy a 5 qt. container at Walmart for +- $22. Cheaper than Costco. Since I live in a colder climate I think it just works better from startup too.

'04 LS 430, ~40K miles. I have had the car back to the dealer several times for slow leaks, and been told the wheels are pitted and I will soon need to buy new wheels. Bought new tires (from the dealer) and they said they polished the wheels prior to mounting tires, problem remains. Doesn't seem wheels with 40K miles, 5 years old, should need to be replaced, especially on a Lexus. Anyone seen problem and/or solution?

Yes, I have on my '05 RX330 with chrome wheels. The tire shop (Discount Tires and Costco) has a rubberized (neon greenish)compound they coat the inside of the rim with that touches the mounting bead on the tire. That cured it for me. Good luck!!

I likes Michelin... Brakes, tires. Safety....

The Michelin tires for the 18" RX wheels are not good. Tread life is under 35K, tread pattern is unimpressive, tires are soft, noisy and with soft sidewalls cornering is mushy. I have gone through two sets of them, and just switched to Yokohama 520's from Discount tire. I like them, despite a slightly stiffer ride, which is good because sidewalls are stiffer and the car corners much better, the tread is more aggressive in case I get caught in slippery or snow conditions and they have a 60k mile warranty. We'll see, but after about 4k, I like them better than the Michelins. Another factor is cost. They are about $50 less per tire than the Michelins and are also V rated.

I have a 2005 RX330 with verion 4.2 Nav DVD in it that is seriously outdated. I don't want to buy an update dvd that is not compatible. I believe I should be looking for a version 6.1 Gen4, but don't know how to read the codes on the DVD to make sure it is the right one. Can anyone help? Does anyone have one for sale?Nav DVD for Gen4 RX330

PS: $350 from the dealer is outrageous.

Thanks, Paul