RX400h

I guess it's the horrible reliability ratings from Consumer Reports (much worse than average for all years from 98-05, except 03 and 04s which were just average) as well as friends and family who did own Jeeps that have kept me from even going near that vehicle. Chrysler is at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to reliability of its vehicles - this has been published extensively. Believe it or not, I have known many people who love Corvettes and insist that they are reliable vehicles. However, one look at CR's Auto report and many years of personal experience have proved to me that this is just not true. On the other hand, we are approaching 5 years of ownership of our RX400h and it has not had one problem. This is beyond amazing, but while it is possible that this is an isolated case, ask folks on this forum who have owned an RX400h for over 4 years; I'm certain they have had similar experiences. CR's auto issue bears this out as well. Based upon others experiences (here on this forum), that appears to be the case. Whether having the extra traction is worth the cost and effort all depends upon where you live and how critical it is for you to drive in the snow on hilly terrain. To my brother in CT, having a set of snow tires is well worth it. Dave

But it IS a tire issue as well. A true snow tire won't slip nearly as easily as an all-season tire. Once your tire(s) slip, power is drastically reduced to the drive wheels and you go nowhere.

Unfortunately, few people who have owned one of the most reliable vehicles on the planet would buy one of the least reliable vehicles (any Jeep), whether it be good in the snow or not. At least Subarus are average or better when it comes to reliability. Mercedes has a diesel SUV, but it exhibited many problems, including no-starts as a Car & Driver long-term test vehicle. In any other case, fuel mileage suffers quite a bit when comparing non-hybrid SUVs with very good off-road/snow capabilities.

Perhaps, this type of tire would be a good compromise: Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3

Read Consumer Reports' last tire issue and you will likely change your mind about the differences between all-season and winter tires. There really is no comparison. My brother has owned Subarus for many years and he tells me all the time how much better winter tires are when it comes to even light snow. As you know, Subarus are all all-wheel drive. My brother lives in CT, so even though snow is not the norm, snow tires ARE during winter months for a good number of folks who must be on the road during inclement weather.

Based upon previous discussions about the RX400h in snow, the key is having very good snow tires. See the posts listed in the linked post, below: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...8&st=0&

Was the vehicle in PARK? If not, the tailgate may be disabled as a safety precaution.

I see it quite often, but then again, it never gets very cold here in San Diego. In addition, much of the last 3 miles is either down hill or level. Halfway down the hill, I see green.

Yes, this is normal, but doesn't bother me at all. I start the car and then fasten my seat belt, adjust mirrors, etc before backing out of the garage. You shouldn't have to wait more than 20 seconds or so. I keep my tire pressure at 240kpa (35 psi) and that seems to be just about perfect. I think they are a very valuable addition to almost any vehicle.

From what I've heard, a full shop manual runs over $1000 at the dealership. Thus, I'd be quite surprised if anyone does have a set.

Hey, maybe he has a $100,000 "main" vehicle and the RX400h IS his toy! :D I told my son that if he wants to experiment with a computer, don't do it with the one you depend upon - get one of our older ones and play around to your heart's content.

We bought our 2006 RX400h in April of 2005 (one of the first groups of buyers in San Diego). Since then, it has not had any problems at all and ranks as the most reliable vehicle we have ever owned. Over here in the US, the power tailgate is a standard feature. I believe there was one recall about a steering component and a wheel alignment was done afterwards (both, free of charge). One person had an inverter coolant leak, which was noticable after removing the right side engine cover. That's all I can think of for now. Perhaps others will come up with something else, but honestly, these are extremely reliable vehicles.

I guess in Canada, there's no need to be concerned about having a lower viscosity at 100C, but folks who live in very warm climates (Arizona, Nevada) may be better off with a high-temp viscosity that is higher than 9.3 CST. Porsche factory-fills many of their vehicles with 0W-40 synthetic. Perhaps their 6 cylinder engines run hotter than ours, but nonetheless, I am a bit nervous about using a low viscosity oil, even here in San Diego.

Lemon, Do you know what its viscosity is at 100 degrees C in CST? I use Castrol GTX with a viscosity of 10.8 CST at that temperature. Typically, a 5W-20 oil would have a lower viscosity at this temperature and since my manual recommends 5W-30, that's what I use. Thanks, Dave

I hadn't seen that, but this is a bit puzzling: If removing the mats does not solve the problem, then how could shortening the gas pedal be the solution. Personally, I think NHTSA can't prove that something else has caused the runaway acceleration issue. They seem to want people to believe that some weird computer glitch causes the gas pedal to remain "floored", even if the floor mat is not installed. The fact remains that the recent ES350 that crashed had an RX400h carpet in it. My guess is that the solution of shortening the pedal is not necessary if the correct floor mat is secured properly.

Just ask yourself if you'd ever buy an extended warranty on a Whirlpool refrigerator or gas dryer. I wouldn't for the same reason I don't have one on my Lexus. Odds are very good that it wouldn't be needed. Now if I were somehow inclined to buy a Mercedes or Audi, I'd HAVE to get an extended warranty.

I'd stay away from aftermarket extended warranties, as I haven't heard a single good thing about them. Our 06 RX400h is 4.5 years old and we have not had a single thing go bad. My guess is that we won't see any problems for years to come. As far as the mastic, you may have to use rubbing compound, but very carefully. But first, try something like Simple Green (not concentrated). I've cleaned up tar using that, more than once.

You don't have to include "guidance" - just say "Suspend" (while accenting the "d") and the NAV will announce "Guidance suspended".

45,000+ miles, 4.5 years and not a single problem with our RX400h. I am amazed (and very happy)!

I had to laugh at some of those comments that followed the article. One person posted: BMW = Most efficient car company in the world I guess it's not THIS world they're talking about!

All you had to do was ask!

I think that about sums it up. Amen to THAT! Do you know what the nice thing is about all this excitement? We're not talking about mysterious oil leaks, doors that don't lock, gas gauges that have stopped working, etc, etc. Go to any Mercedes, BMW, or Audi forum and you'll feel alot better about our "uneventful" forum. As skyfish pointed out, most criticism of Lexus hybrids is based upon personal preference and perception. If that's all we have to worry about, we are truly lucky (or insightful enough to buy a Lexus) people.

When we are talking about whether people are comparing the Murano to the RX and if you insist they are, then why are so many more peoplen choosing the RXs? Of course, you can't always equate sales to quality, but many sales trends do point to this as being the case. The Honda Civic, Toyota Prius, etc all show very high sales figures, and for good reason.

I think you are confusing "elitist" with loyal when it comes to the Lexus brand. One of the main reasons why Lexus sells so much better than Mercedes is reliability. Here in the US, many of us have owned German and American vehicles and quite frankly have grown tired of their poor reliabilty. Of course, after years of earning accolades, the Lexus name does have a "high-end" aura about it that must irritate the Germans to no end. They can claim "performance" as the best reason for buyers to purchase their vehicles, but here in the US, more and more buyers place that category further down on the list.

Then I invite you to compare sales figures to see just what Americans are buying. I live in a very large city and based upon what I see, I can assure you, they are not buying Muranos. I see 20 RXs to every Murano. Yes, I am viewing just a sample, but I believe my sample is a good indication of what is being purchased among a larger population spread.