RX400h

I've found that accenting the last consonant helps with certain commands like "Suspend". If I accent the "d", it works every time. Dave

Our RX400h has been the most reliable vehicle we have ever owned, including a Honda Accord, Nissan Maxima, and various other makes and models. Since we bought our RX400h in April of 2005, we have not had one problem with it. And while coworkers who bought RX330s have averaged 16 MPG in typical heavy San Diego traffic, we've been averaging 24 - 26 MPG. Hybrids really shine in big city environments and payback can be achieved in as little as 4-5 years. We are very glad that we chose a hybrid over a non-hybrid, especially with gas prices being as high as they are and have been over the years. Needless to say, the hysteria about unintended acceleration that was fueled by the media has not adversely affected our opion of Lexus and Toyota vehicles in the least.

Often, the best way to find out all about damage specifics is to take the vehicle to a good auto body shop. Carfax reports don't always reveal whether an accident happened.

Remember, you would not need to go through a full-blown lawsuit. Filing a small claims suit is much easier and does not involve any lawyers. I went through this type of scenario a while back. The defendants (shop owner and his mechanic) took a look at my "evidence book" of pictures, diagrams and testimonials and they quickly settled out-of-court. Treat it like a school project, prepare well, and you will win.

This brings up a funny story....... A rabbit decided to make its home in my son's Honda Cicic engine bay. It would eventually severe his tachometer wire and then the air conditioning wires. Blasting his alarm at 130 decibles did nothing to get the rabbit to leave so I drove it down to Home Depot and chased it away from the car. Up until then, I really thought the perpetrator was a rat. Luckily I popped open the hood at Home Depot and spotted the guy. Apparently, it is very easy for an animal to hop up from underneath the engine.

I'm afraid it's time for small claims court. It will be a good experience for you; just be sure to send the dealership a formal, certified request for restitution which includes a reasonable deadline for replying. Prepare your defense with plenty of pictures and paper trails.

I had a hard time tracking down my IM box! It'll take a while to get used to it, that's for certain.

Check to see what the maximum award is in Small Claims Court. If it is high enough to cover replacement of the damaged parts, then send the dealership a written request for restitution. Make sure they have to sign for the letter and that you have proof. Then download or retrieve personally, the small claims documents to get the ball rolling.

A police report is not necessary unless they body-damaged your car while taking it for a test ride. You should call corporate if your car is not put back the way it was.

I wouldn't start things off by going in with guns blazing (figure of speech, of course), because animosity begets animosity. Start by showing the top dog all the damage and say something like, "I think you'll agree that this is not acceptable and all damaged items need to be replaced." In other words, give them the chance to make it right. If they refuse to offer you an acceptable solution, send them a certified request for reparation, stating specifically what happened and what you want done. You will need this statement if you end up in small claims court. Good luck.

Our year-round gas mileage is similar to yours during your warmer months (24-26 MPG). BTW, 5 miles to work may not be enough distance to allow the engine oil to reach high enough levels to allow moisture to "burn off". However, a more lengthy trip during the weekend might take care of that issue. In any case, you should follow recommended oil change intervals.

I'm sorry to say this, but some people should not be mechanics. The old saying "all thumbs" comes from describing someone who is not very dextrous with his or her hands. Some of that is from lack of experience and perhaps, patience, but some dexterity is there when we are born. Luckily, not many surgeons fall into the "all thumbs" category.

I think this is how the Mazda 3 SHOULD look - no bulging fenders, please. And make no mistake about it; the Lexus gas mileage will be far higher than that of the Mazda 3's.

I would not worry about it. The next time you bring your vehicle in for any kind of service, ask the service advisor to have the technician listen to it. Just make it clear to them that you will not pay $40 for them to just listen to the noise. I've ben hearing something similar for the last year or so; other than the noise, there hasn't been any problem with the brakes.

I'll bet they are somewhere between the Prius and 250h. I am looking forward to reading about the first road test. Dave

Of course, that's what our sophisticated active handling is for! :) Dave

What I meant to say is for most people. Obviously, if you tend to drive your SUV in a similar manner as you do a sportscar, you will feel the difference, but anyone who lives in or near a large city knows that handling characteristics mean nothing when you're cruising along at 30-50 MPH on heavily-congested streets. And being that population density is far greater around large cities, I think it's safe to say that the majority of non-retired owners "see" average speeds of well under 50 MPH. I believe my average speed is 35.

Nice (and should be very efficient)! http://www.lexus.com/fcv/ct200h.html?s_oci...0:Image1:CThFCV

Do you belong to a credit union? Some offer extended warrantees on members' vehicles. But if there's any one brand that does not need an extended warranty, it's Lexus. Our 2006 is almost 5 years old and hasn't had a single thing wrong with it. Now that's a good sign for future reliability.

I believe ours was doing the same thing for a while but no longer makes any noise. I'll have to pay close attention, though, the next time I drive it.

The one thing that is unknown: How quiet are the tires when they have 25-30,000 miles on them? The Alenzas were super-quiet until about 27,000 miles. Since you have a year, perhaps we will find out before you or I need to buy a new set.

Rey, Take a look at this page; it should explain most, if not all: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/tec...e.jsp?techid=33 Dave

Consumer Reports has an independant lab test each tire for tread wear. I'm not sure, but I believe the rating is based upon a comparison to the longest-lasting of the tires, no matter what the speed rating. Keep in mind that many people compare their tires' longevity to that of their OEM tires, which rarely last longer than 30,000 miles. Some OEM tires last less than 20,000 miles, so a set of General Grabbers that last 30,000 miles would seem like they are superior in this regard. By the way, do you know what the speed rating is for the Grabbers?

The General Grabbers do get high marks, but their tread life is worse than average (about the same as the Alenza's tread life).

If the Tours far oulast the HPs and yet still provide decent handling, why not save some money? It would be nice if the Tirerack had compared the two so that they could let us know whether there is a significant steering response difference. I'm not as concerned about the speed rating, but if the steering resposnse slows down noticably, I may stick with H or V-rated tires. Decisions, decisions.......