RX400h

thanks for your reply. I will try to do what you advised. what about my twice a month 175 mile trips. I suppose they would help too? What should I do with the results of the oil moisture content? Does that mean I should change oil more often? My guess (and as Katz suggested as well) is that your long trips would help but just to be on the safe side, I would have the oil analyzed for excessive moisture content. The important thing to know, of course, is what acceptable moisture levels are. Blackstone labs is a well-known oil testing company.Here's their link: http://www.blackstone-labs.com/gas_engines.html If the moisture level is too high after a couple of months of your driving routine, then more frequent oil changes or a switch to synthetic oil would be recommended.

I would strongly recommend that you have your oil tested at the first or second oil change. Almost definitely, there will be excessive moisture in it. The weekend drives should help, but I doubt it will remove all built up moisture. I knew a guy who drove his Toyota truck 1-1.5 miles to work every day. By 40,000 miles or less, his engine had seized from sludge buildup. He would've been a good candidate for an all-electric vehicle and you fall into the same category as well. But for now you should monitor your oil's moisture content. Synthetic oil will certainly be more resistant to sludge formation, but is not a cure-all. Dave

You might want to take a look at this thread: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=53047

Even if you could, you'd be looking at a much harsher ride, slower acceleration, longer braking distances, and a greater propensity to get flat tires. Don't do it!

Have you tried looking up asking prices for other 400hs by private sellers? The market for high-end vehicles is a bit soft right now for obvious reasons.

I believe there is no difference in maintenence cost, so that shouldn't be a factor. The big factors are the superior fuel mileage of the 400h (averages 25 vs 18 MPG) and the CVT transmission, which is amazing in of itself. We've had ours for just about four years now and we have not had one issue that required warranty work. This is without a doubt the most reliable vehicle we have ever owned. Dave

Is "green SUV" an oxymoron? Test-driving the new Lexus SUV By Jim Motavalli Posted Wed Feb 25, 2009 2:37pm PST Related topics: Hybrids, Cars More from Driving Directions blog 2 votes Buzz up! (Photo: Jim Motavalli) A reader named Bruce wrote The Daily Green to say he'd just received an unsolicited brochure for the Ford Flex. "Now this was an expensive brochure," he wrote. "But the mileage was listed in very small print and only 24 miles per gallon. The brochure concentrated on the sunroofs, interior trim, navigation, sound and lighting, but that's not why I pick a car. I'm into mileage, performance, ergonomics, space, stopping distances, and service cost." Automakers can't sell just the sizzle anymore. These days, consumers want something more from their SUVs, and great mileage is part of the equation. So here's a new model that's big, and even bigger after it was redesigned for 2010. It weighs a really daunting 4,000 pounds. It's an SUV. And it's actually ... kind of green? No, I haven't been taking illicit substances — the new Lexus RX 450h does have some real environmental credentials. Despite having 20 more horsepower than its non-hybrid RX 350 cousin, the 450h gets 30 miles per gallon in the city and 27 on the highway. It's also a Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle, one of the cleanest of the California designations. Last year, Lexus sold 80,000 RX vehicles in the U.S., 15,000 of them hybrids. Paul Santulli, area training manager for Lexus, said at a Georgia press conference last week that the company expects to see the hybrid RX share increase with the release of the new model. My feelings about the 450h are complicated. The car is a technical tour de force, using every engineering trick to wring excellent fuel economy and low emissions from a big and heavy SUV. But it's also a big and heavy SUV, whose "hybrid" badges allow prospective owners to claim green credentials while sacrificing nothing. Why not a hybrid Yaris instead? Still, there's a lot of cool technology to admire on board the 2010 450h. I liked the innovative exhaust heat recovery system that warms up engine coolant (so your car reaches operating temperatures more quickly). Heat is also diverted to the catalytic converter, which does most of its serious polluting when it's cold. The 3.5-liter V-6 has been massaged to work on an Atkinson Cycle, a 19th century concept with a longer power stroke that increases fuel economy (at the expense of power) and reduces emissions and pumping losses. Teflon-coated oil seals cut friction. Of course, I also drove the new 450h, which will be in show rooms in about three months, around Georgia's gorgeous barrier islands. During the slave era, many of these islands were dominated by massive cotton plantations that became impossible to maintain without free labor. The ruins of this economy are still visible, and properly entombed with historical markers. Large and luxurious SUVs are probably anachronisms, too. We'll be thinking small in the 21st century. But for a big boat, the 450h is impressively smooth, powerful, and quiet; in fact, it drives very much like the 350. You don't sacrifice much — or anything at all — for almost double the city fuel-efficiency. A big question for the 450h is how much it will cost. The 2010 350 will be $36,800 in front-wheel-drive form. If the 450h, whose price is yet unannounced, requires a big premium ($5,000 or more) it probably won't set any sales records. Which would be a shame, because Lexus really has set a new standard for what can be done with big SUVs.

I have a strong feeling that they didn't do something (related to the steering, of course) correctly. I will be taking our RX in, soon and will probably have them perform the recall work. Needless-to-say, my ears will be tuned, afterward! Dave

Some moisture certainly does come from blowby. I have a glass "catch can" in my Corvette and primarily during the Winter months, it will catch a mixture of water and oil, a majority being water. During the rest of the year, its content is comprised of mostly oil. I do think that air contained in the oil pan contains moisture, so changes in temperature will encourage that moisture to condense into the oil. That rotary Atkinson engine sounds interesting. I've always been a fan of the Wankel, but not its parent vehicle's fuel mileage.

I had to chuckle when I read your last post because something similar happened to my car, many years ago on a snowy afternoon..... I had been heading home in my Mazda RX4 and had just rounded a corner when the car slid sideways into an embankment of snow. I couldn't get the car out, so I started to shovel away some of the snow. As I was doing so, a woman tried to negotiate the same curve and of course, slid into my car. She and her daughter immediately exited their car and proceeded to help us remove snow from in front of her tires. After a short while we pushed her car out as she gently applied the gas. She told us she was going to move her car out of the street to take a look at the damage and them promptly drove off. Little did she know that my neighbor had memorized her license place number. The police notified her that she was liable for the damage (a whopping $30 to pull and paint a small dent) and that she was lucky I didn't press charges. Dave

Based upon hundreds of oil analysis reports over the many years that GM has been filling its Corvettes with synthetic oil, it is common knowlege that anyone who runs an ICE for less than 5 miles on a regular basis will end up with excessive moisture contamination in their oil. While it may be true that sludge will not form as easily as it would in non-synthetic oil, the moisture can easily harm other components over time. In fact, oil reports that I've seen do point out above-average water content in oil because it should not be there. Until someone can show me proof that excessive moisture in engine oil is harmless, I will continue to advise against buying a hybrid that contain an ICE that runs only after 40 miles or so, UNLESS there is some other feature that effectively removes moisture from the engine oil. This should not be considered a trivial "challenge" as to my knowledge, there is no adequate solution out there.

If our 4600 lb SUVs are "rather tinny", I'd hate to think of how much a "solid" vehicle would weigh! I guess the 6700 lb H2 is solid, but hey, it averages only 10 MPG! Seriously, I've never seen or heard anyone describing a Lexus as "tinny". In fact, Lexus vehicles are well known as being some of the safest in the world. But as was mentioned, it is far better for some a vehcle to crumple than it would be to transfer all of the impact force to the driver and passengers. I'd rather have the front of my car fold up like an accordian than have it behave like a solid chunk of steel. Yes, the steel chunk wouldn't be damaged but I'd be sent flying through the windshield or have the seatbelt tear my torso in half. Dave

earlier........... I would venture to say that if a relatively new vehicle erupts in a large explosion upon startup, foul play should be the first thing that comes to mind! That's akin to someone starting his electric leaf blower only to have it blast a 6-foot hole in his yard and having the police say that they do not believe foul play is involved. Incredible....... Sorry, Steve, I couldn't help myself..............

http://www.kbb.com/kbb/UsedCars/Specificat...p;Mileage=45000

.....or equivalent.....

The $4.00+/gallon gas prices are still fresh in most people's minds and few are foolish enough to think that $2.00/gallon prices are here to stay. That being the case, I am not surprised that RX350s, with their 16-18 average MPG are selling at tremendous discounts.

First of all, if your battery is too weak to start the vehicle, you should not simply jump the battery and expect that the alternator will fully charge it. That's okay to get home, but inevitably you will need to have the battery fully-charged. If you don't have a charger, you will need to remove the battery and take it to the dealership or auto parts store. Once the battery is fully charged, I would think that you can reinstall it without issue. Dave

My Bridgestone Alenzas seem to like 35 psi, so I recommend that you keep an eye on center wear. 38 may be a bit high, especially in warm environments.

....not unless changes are made to its operating system. The batteries need to be charged at a minimum level or their longevity will be adversely affected, so forcing the vehicle to run on batteries alone for more than a short period of time is not wise unless more batteries are added. Of course, this may mean that the engine oil is not heated up sufficiently to "burn off" moisture. You see, it's not a simple answer. Dave

That could be because of the ambient temperature change, not because of having a new relay installed. Really, unless you've had other manufacturer's vehicles, you may not realize how reliable Lexus is as a brand. My Corvette required at least 5 or 6 non-maintenence trips to the dealership within the first 4 years. My RX400h has required none. In fact, our Lexus is the most reliable vehicle my wife or I has ever owned and we've been driving for more than 34 years. I wouldn't worry about one issue. dave

Can you imagine what the cost would be to replace all of those batteries? Also, what are the chances that a little-used engine will not succumb to oil sludge if its oil is not changed every thousand miles or so? I think I'll pass on that mod!

It is true that excellent dealer service can coerce people into forgetting about all the problems they have with the vehicles. I recall a coworker (a few years ago) who was looking at SUVs. Her Mercedes sedan was taken to the dealership every other month for one thing or another and being out of warranty, the financial drain was getting to be too much. I, of course, suggested she look at the RX400h, but much to my surprise, she purchased the Mercedes ML320 which promply consumed exactly double the fuel the RX400h would've consumed. When I asked her why she would buy another Mercedes, she replied that she loves being treated like a queen at the dealership. The last I heard from her was that she was looking to buy a small economical car to drive to work during the week; evidently, he ML was killing her, financially with its 13-16 MPG average fuel consumption. Some people like to be "punished"..........

I guess I'm glad I have an 06 then!

Again, I'd like to remind everyone that the 2006 and perhaps the 2007 owner's manual clearly states that regular fuel is acceptable. Also, as I mentioned previously the intake air temperature makes a noticable difference as to how well the engine will perform with the particular grade gasolene used. Using regular gas when the ambient temperature is 40 degrees F can easily produce the same performance when ambient temperatures are 90 degrees F and premium fuel is used.