RX400h

Toyota's upcoming pickup: http://www.motortrend.com/future/concept_c...ruck/index.html

By the way, I DO see hydrogen-powered buses all the time!

When it comes to my family, our vehicles will get smaller, not larger. I know the norm for manufacturers is to constantly increase the size of each model, but I think this trend will slow down or stop, now that gas is expected to be at the $6.00 mark by next year. Let's bring back the small pickup - that hybrid prototype would be in a class all its own. Bring it on! Dave

You've probably noticed that Toyota is diversifying its research resources, just as most of us do when it comes to the stock market. Why would they put all their eggs in one basket? By pushing the boundaries of technology in each of many areas, they will be ready to provide high-quality and resulting reliability for any one of those areas. Other manufacturers are doing something similar, but it looks like Toyota is at least one step ahead.

Toyota develops improved fuel-cell hybrid. The AP (6/7) reported that "Toyota has developed a new fuel cell hybrid, a green car powered by hydrogen and electricity, that can travel more than twice the distance of its predecessor model without filling up, the automaker said Friday." In a statement Toyota said that "[t]he improved model's maximum cruising range is 516 miles compared with 205 miles for Toyota's previous fuel cell model." The AP noted, "The FCHV-adv model, which received Japanese government approval Tuesday, will be available for leasing in Japan later this year." Toyota Motor Corp. spokeswoman Kayo Doi added that "[p]ricing and other details weren't available, and overseas plans were still undecided." The AFP (6/9) added that the "new zero-emission fuel-cell vehicle...can operate in freezing temperatures." Japanese automakers "have been working to create a viable zero-emission car running on fuel cells, which produce electricity through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, leaving water as the only by-product." Toyota engineers succeeded in controlling "the amount of water produced inside the fuel-cell system, which previously interfered with electrical generation at low temperatures."

Hello, Burkhard, As far as I can see, only two people in this section of the forum have had battery problems that were not related to leaving the door ajar or interior light on. I know quite a few people with RX400hs and not one has had a battery issue over the last 2-3 years. Ours has been perfect and it is one of the first to arrive in this city in 2005.

Sorry, Neon, Thanks for the pics, but you cannot include rude gestures and abbreviated curse words in your posts. There's no need to that here. Thanks, Dave

There are certain things that I won't have anyone else do to my RX besides the dealership and this is one. I figure that if it is something that doesn't have to be repeated every 6 months, then the $50 extra I spend at the dealership is no big deal. This is especially true if the model is fairly new.

Nice pics-thanks!

I strongly suggest that you take your car elsewhere. After having an alignment at 18,000 miles, our RX now has 32,000 and our Bridgestone Alenzas barely show any wear.

My guess is that most people shouldn't do this. I believe your requirement is somewhat unique, but I'm thankful when the chimes let me know that one of my passengers did not buckle up. After all, as the driver, I am responsible!

....and it relieves me of all that foul language-correcting! Dave

You must be referring to a deep-discharge battery. Yellow top batteries were designed for deep discharge applications, such as for high-amp stereo equipment. As such they do not normally last as long as a standard lead-acid in less-demanding applications. Typical vehicles with no heavy-drain aftermarket equipment do not need a Yellow Top or other Marine-type battery.

It's good that you picked tires that improved handling. I feel the same way about my Bridgestone Alenzas - excellent traction, dry and wet, and at $600 a set, certainly one of the best bangs for the buck out there! Highly recommended!

Thank You Dave ! I really appreciate your hints. Can You tell me also something about having a stock battery or a charger as "Stateman" suggested? By the way we will be driving this summer to the Tyrolean Alps, hopefully not traversing any snow storm ! Laura Laura, It could be that Statman's battery was a clunker, as I have not read of mass failures in this forum. My ancestors are from Italy/Sicily, so I hope to take my family there some day. Enjoy the Alps! Dave

BD, no offense taken! My opinions are based upon my reading hundreds of posts in many different forums. It is the AGMs that require sufficient "topping off" of charge by trickle charging or often and long enough driving cycles. It has been reported by many Mazda Miata owners that they have benefited from 8 year-old AGMs, but this may be bacause of that batteries distance from the engine (heat source). Much more typical is a 5 year or less life of AGM batteries in vehicles such as C5 Corvettes. AC Delco abandoned its AGM batteries because of many premature failures - primarily because of driving habits of their owners (based upon what I've read). Perhaps Sears has corrected any weaknesses that are inherent to AGMs, but only time will tell. Dave Neon, I once owned a 68 Corvette for almost 22 years, but I grew tired of replacing the brake light switch every two years!

Neon, Yes, we average 10 years of vehicle ownership, regardless of how often "bigger and better" models are introduced. With two teens who are going to college, buying new every few years is out of the question. BD Mobile. This may be true if you're talking about deep cycles and AGM vs non-AGM, but not when you're talking about simply more starting cycles out of the same batteries. A standard (non-deep-cycle) AGM can last just as long as a non-AGM if the AGM is kept fully to near-fully charged. Still, the best bang-for-buck batteries out there are not AGMs, since the average cost of a good AGM is close to $150. (The new Sears Platinum AGM retails for a whopping $180.)

Hello and welcome, Laura! Seeing that you are from Italy, have you any plans to tour the Tyrolean Alps? Regarding snow traversing, you might want to peruse these posts: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...ighlite=%2Bsnow Best regards, Dave

Really, though, you are comparing apples to oranges. You have a deep-cycle battery, whereas factory batteries are not. Deep cycle batteries do not generally last as long as factory batteries if starting and stopping is the biggest drain involved. If you like to leave the stereo on for hours and not permanently damage your battery, then a deep cycle is the way to go. However, for most of us, the longest-lasting battery will be an OEM-type non-AGM. They typically provide close to 7 years or more of service - something few Yellow top Optimas can match.

I would be so bold as to guess that the average Luxus RX400h battery will last 5-7 years. In fact, most OEM batteries last over 5 years. Besides, of all the RX400h owners who post here, only a tiny percentage have had a permanent battery failure. Now add in the fact that edhLexus has had two batteries fail tells me that chances are good that something else is causing the problem. The shotgun approach (throw in another battery) to solving a problem like this is risky at best. Neon has high current draw from his stereo equipment, so his solved issue does not seem to match that of edhLexus. What we DON'T need is a massive argument over which battery is best. Dave

But when their own mods post worse threads, I have PDF'd them, whatever..I do not have time for this double edge BS!...oppps! Kicker is I have more time on this thread thensome of their mods here...WTF It is as bad as some mods post BSing on oil when they are flat-out wrong and I got them in a corner...Opps again That's like getting pulled over for doing 90 and saying, "I saw a different cop doing 100 just the other day!" Quite frankly, that's not my problem. Keep the language civilized or suffer the consequences. Everyone is entitled to discuss his or her point of view; there's no need to get so upset that you have to use unprofessional-like words or phrases. Now, let's try to solve the problem!

mburnickas, We are not high schoolers here, so please adjust your language (I took the liberty to do it this time). Optima batteries have their place as Absorbent Glass Mat types. In my experience, AGM batteries in general require the use of a battery tender when a modern vehicle in which it resides is not driven for more than a couple of weeks at a time. The Yellow top is a deep-cycle battery that can take heavy drains and recharges (like a marine battery) without suffering permanent damage. However, deep-cycle batteries don't normally last as long as a normal battery if the normal battery is charged regularly. edhlexusguy, I suspect that there is a loose ground or other connection, so don't accept a simple battery change. More investigation is necessary.

No-not in that vehicle!

We received our 06 in April of 05, so yes, ours must've been built in 05.

My Corvette has an oil life monitor; its algorythm determines when the oil should be changed based upon driving habits and conditions. The manual states that I should go by this monitor's recommendation or 1 year, whichever occurs first. Since our Lexus doesn't have this feature, and to stay within its warranty requirements, I change my oil every 5000 miles or 5 months. Even tough you can wait longer, you risk having warranty issues, should Lexus question you about this for something that is related to oil. That being said, I should mention that the only way for you to know without a doubt whether your oil is okay is to have it analyzed.