RX400h

Now that would also be nice. Have patience; it will come sooner or later.

Perhaps the Highlander Hybrid would be a better choice, then. I hear it is available with a third-row seat option. And certainly, the one MB you've had may have been reliable, but odds are very much against you if you buy another and expect to keep it more than one or two years.

Still, MB has the distinction of being the most unreliable luxury vehicle manufacturer (large manufacturers, so skip Range Rovers) here in the US, as evidenced by Consumer Reports. Even if the R350 were a hybrid that was able to achieve 30 MPG, I would not buy one. I hear nothing but horrow stories from MB owners and former owners. If I were you, I'd wait; something larger than the RX as a hybrid is sure to be introduced, eventually.

I read recently that Lexus will be introducing a 35+ MPG sedan - probably an ES-sized car that has a similar powertrain setup as the Camry Hybrid. That should sell well as long as it has options that are unavailable in the Camry.

Without a doubt, no one vehicle has the best of everything, but to me, the RX400h makes up for its inadequacies in other ways. It's transmission, for instance is a step above almost every other luxury SUVs, I've sampled. Yes, it'd be nice to take the best feature of each and combine them into one, but I'm afraid that is not possible. Otherwise, I'd be installing a HUD unit ( like the one in my Corvette), oil temperature sensor, and tire pressure sensors in our RX!

Not getting excessive center-wear at 47 psi is defying the laws of physics! Certainly, the factory was off the mark by recommending 30 psi in each tire, but 47 is so far beyond that, I'd be really concerned about not only wearing out the center of the tires prematurely, but also with the reduction of handling, due to the reduced contact area. I run our Alenzas at 35 psi and they are wearing very evenly. Remember, too, that the higher the pressure, the harsher the ride. When the goodyears were inflated to 30, the ride was heavenly smooth. At 35, the ride is definitely a bit harsher, but bearable. I can't imagine what 47 psi would feel like!

Well, that's a better deal than the one I received. Count your blessings!

I've found that 35 psi works well with my Alenzas.

I'd say that's a big improvement over the 17-18 MPG that the RX350 owners are getting!

Dave, Looking for a hitch, can you tell me where you got it? Thanks Victor I purchased and had my hitch installed at the dealership and then bought an Allen rack here: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=s...ords=bike+hitch I am VERY impressed by this bike rack. I bought the 4-bike version and it is very well designed and fabricated. dave

UCLA, I had the Tirerack ship me the Alenzas and the dealership installed and balanced them for free (since my Goodyears wore out prematurely). My dealership is Bob Baker - not as huge as KM Lexus, but BB has been good to me (We bought our RX there and that helps.) Larger tires = greater rotational mass and more unsprung weight. This is why I stayed with the stock size. Rey likes his and that's all that's important - customer satisfaction! Dave

http://www.juicedhybrid.com/Lexus_Hybrid_W...pt747-00070.htm

Did you also compare fuel mileage? I would think that this is where the RX400h would really differentiate itself - that and acceleration with the RX400h being the fastest of the bunch with the RDX fairly close.

A VW bug (turbo) averages 23 MPG and a Mazda MX5 Miata, about 27 MPG. In my book, if we can average 23+ MPG and yet be capable of a 0-60 time of 6.6 seconds, that is nothing to complain about. Remember, we're hauling around 4600 lbs of weight. As far as highway mileage, an SUV, whether it be hybrid or ICE-only, will never achieve stellar MPGs; the coeffient of drag not being a strong point!

...from my 2006 RX400h owner's manual: As you can see, 87 octane is perfectly acceptable (for a 2006) if "improved vehicle performance" is not necessary.

Which is why I stated: I am not familiar with the requirements on a 2006 RX400, but if you say it recommends 87 octane, then your ok, as using a higher octane then what is required is useless also. Only engines that need higher octane, or have knock issues, need to use higher octane. As for the fuel mileage, I would attribute the difference in MPG's to the way you drive during the summer vs. the way you drive in the winter as the major contributing factor. The manual doesn't "recommend" regular fuel, but it does state that 87 octane may be used. It goes on to state that higher performance will be available if higher octane fuel is used. The reason why I bring this up is that it is unlikely that following the manual would result in damage to the engine. Certainly, if no mention of 87 or 89 octane is included in the manual, but a specific requirement that 91 octane fuel be used, is, then pumping in lower octane fuel is asking for trouble.

A couple of additional thoughts.... From what I've read, the RX400h engine compression ratio has been lowered, since the electric "boost" is substantial enough so that the ICE doesn't need to be as powerful as the pre-hybrid engine. That being the case, the requirement for premium fuel is not nearly as urgent - hence our (2006) manual's statement that regular fuel is acceptable. Also, the engine's computer has the ability to make changes (due to differences in fuel octane) very, very quickly. I have a 1989 Mazda MX6 GT Turbo that can use any grade of gasolene from 87-93 (according to the owner's manual). I have used premium and midgrade for more than 11 years now (more than half of those years using mid-grade) and the engine is still passing all smog tests with flying colors (low HCs). As far as I can tell, the engine will suffer no damage that is even remotely discernable during the life of the vehicle. That tends to be proof enough to me that if a 1989 engine can use varying grades of fuel without issue, in all likelyhood, so can my 2006 RX400h. Dave

Many years ago, premium fuel was indeed special in the sense that it did have ingredients that ensured the engine was better "cleaned". However, today, you'd be hard-pressed to be able to prove that an engine that uses premium lasts longer or requires fewer fuel filter changes. Many of you may have read articles about habits of the very rich - especially those who worked very hard to make it "big". Almost all question every sales pitch with suspicion and subsequently, do not buy something just because it has a "name" and is supposed to be better. The common misconception about the rich is that they frivolously buy anything without much thought. I've found that the exact opposite is true. To this day, I tell people who drive their Corvettes very leisurely that almost any tires will do. But if the owner is someone who pushes the car to its limit, paying more for tires can be very advantageous. I think the same can be said about fuel. If your owner's manual states that using regular fuel is acceptable, and you aren't the type of person who occasionally races X5s, then spending an extra 2 or 3 dollars may be equivelent to throwing it away - something few of the hard-working rich would dare do.

I'd like to again mention that ambient temperature plays a large part in how an engine performs with a given grade of gasolene. For example, driving almost any vehicle when the ambient temperature is say, 35F and you will notice a significant difference in power output compared to driving the same vehicle on a 95F day. To some extent, the same analogy can be presented when it comes to the viscosity of oil that is used. Consumer Reports often advises consumers that they can save money by using regular fuel IF the vehicle's owner's manual states that this is acceptable. This is especially true if the driver does not often "push" the vehicle and if normal ambient temps are not very high. I have to laugh every time I read that the tiny Smartfortwo requires premium gas. For the same amount of money, anyone can buy a Yaris that has a backseat, proven reliability, and runs on regular gas - negating any small advantage in fuel economy the the Smartfortwo offers.

Carefully read your manual. It should say that while regular (87 octane) is acceptable, the RX400h will provide higher performance if higher octane grades are used. That being the case, you should determine what is more important to you - having a bit more power when you slam on the gas or spending less on fuel. Incidently, according to many here, using premium will not guarantee higher mileage. I use mid-grade during the Summer months and regular when the weather cools down. Of course, if I should take a trip to Las Vegas or Arizona, I'd use premium during the time I was there. Dave

I would guess that sunny days are somewhat necessary for the fans to work, unless they have rechargeable batteries? Here is the window vent and cost: http://www.weathertech.com/store/mvproduct...7&Year=2007 Dave

I'll take care of that reply. By the way, Barnette, you didn't mention what fuel mileage you've been getting. We continue to average 24-26 MPG with our 06.

I noticed no mention was made of motorcycles. What you think about headlights always being on? Personally, I do not find driving lights in my Corvette and RX400h to be too bright or irritating to other people (so far).

The comments in the link included this: Still, aluminum can corrode if it had not been treated or had been insufficiently treated. Also, I'm not certain if the brake lines are stainless steel. I've never seen any corrode enough to leak, even in Connecticut. I may have my brake fluid replaced once during the warranty period, primarily as added insurance.

Thanks for the info!