RX400h

MRC, When was the last time you or your dealership replaced your cabin filter. My filter was fairly filthy at 15,000 miles.

Some would-be thieves routinely walk by vehicles and pull up on the door handle to see if the vehicle is locked. If it is locked, the thief simply walks by and checks the next vehicle. Needless-to-say, having your car locked is a good way to avoid break-ins by this type of person.

Well, let's look at the "big city" version: 10,000 annual miles using premium gas at $3.40/gallon (here in CA) The RX400h, seeing heavy traffic on a daily basis, gets 30 mpg, whereas the 350 manages only 15 MPG The RX400h saves $1133 per year for a total payback period of only 4.1 years. Our RX is 3.5 years old and looks and runs like a new vehicle, so if this is true of others' 400hs, keeping one that long is certainly not painful at all. Obviously, the higher the population (and resulting traffic) density, the higher the chances that payback will be within the average buyer's length of ownership.

It's not just distance traveled; it's the type of driving environment that contributes heavily to whether an RX400h can be justified. I'd bet that a typical big city commuter who encounters traffic bottlenecks on a daily basis would need to accumulate only 8000-10000 miles per year before seeing payback within just a few years. We're talking 27-30 MPG for the 400 vs 15-17 for the 350. Resale values for the 400h are also much better, so overall ownership costs can be quite a bit lower.

We now have about 36,000 miles and have had zero problems. This is certainly the most reliable vehicle we have ever owned.Our average MPG is 24.3.

I have to admit that I listen to a good variety of music, both at low and at high volume and I have not experienced the buzzing to which you refer. Maybe I will try cranking up the bass, this weekend to see if the lurking resonant frequency rears its ugly head. Have you tried bringing your jazz CD to the dealership and playing it in another RX's system?

Congratulations! We've had our RX400h since they started rolling into San Diego, way back in 2005 and we have not had one problem. That is certainly a record for us and a testament to the amazing reliability of Lexus vehicles. Enjoy!

I agree with the others - city mileage is where the RX400h shines. I sent an email to Consumer Reports, recently, explaining that their "analysis" of payback should include a note about driving environment. People who live in areas where high traffic conditions are common can realize payback far faster than those who have a leisurely, uncrowded commute. Here in San Diego, we see jammed highways every afternoon. The RX350, under similar conditions will average 16 MPG, whereas the 400h's mileage approaches 30. Appreciation is another factor - most certainly in favor of the 400h. dave

Simply sitting where others have sat would do the same, IMO. For example, sitting on a park bench, a cafeteria table, or even a bleacher seat can allow your pants to transfer stuff. I wouldn't be too quick to blame it on your Levis.

I use a vegatable brush with leather cleaner and a cotton towel. That combination seems to clean everthing left from jeans/pants, sliding on the leather. Dave

Could the label be causing the jam? I'd take it to a reputable car audio place and ask them if they can do it. My guess is that they've seen it before and have some tricks up their sleeve(s). Dave

Here, I have the perfect shift knob for the discerning female driver..... http://www.conceptualpolymer.com/2008ScionPink.jpg Actually, this picture shows a it in a new Scion Xb, but our shifters are exactly the same.

Unlike Silver, I actually prefer our Lexus NAV over a Garmin Nuvi 660 that I bought for my Dad. I spent at least 3 hours using the Garmin and I was glad to get back to our Lexus NAV. I especially appreciate the brief reminders to stay on a particular highway before another route heads into view. The Garmin didn't seem to give me enough warning when a similar incident occured. What I'm trying to say is - the NAV is a great thing to have even if it doesn't have every feature you could possibly want. I am certainly glad I have mine and I'm sure you will, too. Dave

OUCH! :o DOUBLE OUCH! :o :o

Rey, Have you been changing the air and cabin filters? If so, the only real "service" they would perform at 30K is flushing the brake fluid. Everything else (if your oil air air filters are regularly changed) is check this and check that. At least that's what I gather from reading the owner's manual. Dave

There really is no competition for this car!

Tom, I believe it is, but you might want to check with the manufacturer to be sure. Brake fluid is very strong (can eat through polyurethane paint, from what I understand) stuff. Unfortunately, when my house was being built, the home-type epoxy floor coating kits were not very common and those companies that would do the whole job were asking an arm and leg for payment. Thus, I went with paint. Someday, though............... Dave

I do have plenty of experience, but with a painted garage floor, I am wary of doing any more brake fluid flushes. Time is another issue for me now, as I'd rather not spend an afternoon doing it, myself. But you are correct in that is not difficult as long as you bleed in the correct sequence. Dave

You have to wonder what kind of mechanic would not perform a quick check to make sure there is not a parasitic drain that is causing the battery to die prematurely like that. Even charging and then load-testing the battery makes sense. I would have demanded that they do one or the other. Dave

This tells me that the battery is not accepting the charge, indicating that the battery itself is bad.

A battery tender is not meant to charge a battery from a near-dead condition. You need a minimum of 3 amps (I normally use 6-10 amps) to "kick" it back up to normal charge. If you do not have a regular automatic batetry charger, you can pick one up for about $60. Dave

You probably know this, but once the battery is weak enough so that it can't start the car, that battery needs a complete (full) charge. Normally 3-10 amps for a long enough period is sufficient. If you simply boost-charge a near-dead battery, you may not be able to fully charge it by driving the car. In addition, the car should never be driven when the battery is that low, as the alternator can be damaged by trying to bring the battery up to a healthy state. I hope your alternator is okay, but if it is not, that would explain recent events.

We're still lovin our Alenzas. All four were $600 at the Tirerack - best bang for the buck as far as tires go!

Okay, this topic has had its better days.......enough is enough!

It's really sad that people have to resort to name calling. To those people, there can be no "discussion", only attacks. I can't blame you one bit for banning the guy, Steve! He needs to take a chill pill! Dave