RX400h

We still love our Alenzas after 4000 miles! Regarding wheel well gap: I lowered my Corvette because I felt that a large gap is for SUVs and trucks. With the RX, I don't mind the gap because it is an all wheel drive SUV, after all! RXREY, I'm just joking with you. Everyone has his or her preference regarding the "look" of an SUV.

Silver, I agree, although conceivably, someone can overdo it and keep switching it on enough so the battery charge falls below 60%, which would decrease battery life. Sky, In order to achieve the 100 MPG that the plug-in people seek to achieve, I can see people running to a store that is 6 miles away and using electric power all the up and halfway back. I think that either the car is all electric, or just as it is. I just don't think there is a good middle ground without extra cost for batteries and more frequent oil changes that eat up any additional gas mileage savings. As you know, every design must compromise in one way or the other. I believe that Toyota engineers went through many design scenarios before coming up with what is offered today. Dave

It's not that part of the infrequent startups I'd worry about - it's the inability of the oil to rid itself of moisture. It really needs to heat up to somewhere around 200 degrees F. If the ICE started and ran for only a few minutes and on a regular basis, sludge would form, inevitably. This why I believe that people who advocate converting a Prius to a plug-in vehicle aren't thinking it through, completely. Not only will batteries need to be replaced more often (unless more batteries are added), but oil issues are bound to surface for some people. Dave

Katzjamr, I believe Louis questioned only the reserve fuel indicator. The other comments were posted by the originator.

You might want to peruse the owner's manual. I haven't heard anything like that, yet.

This is one of the reasons why a plug-in hybrid is a bad idea. Can you imagine driving 10 miles before the ICE comes to life? Heavy sludge as oil would be inevitable. The engine really needs to stay somewhat warm/hot to keep the oil flowing readily and to burn off" water in the oil. You are correct in that most engine wear occurs during a cold startup. Keeping the oil warm enough is Toyota's key tool for ensuring that its engines have a long life. The other thing that helps in this regard is the low-rpm running of the engine, due to electric motor assistance. There is no need to "race" the ICE to extract passing power. Dave

Steve, I find that I have to remove approx. 6 screws from a bottom panel so that I can reach up and grab/get a wrench on the filter. It is literally out-of-sight. When I DO loosen it, the oil drips everywhere. I have to spend an extra 10 minutes to try to clean all the oil from various parts of the car. Using a K&N filter helps because it has a welded-on nut that makes rotating the filter much easier. Dave

Actually, the days of running straight 30W are long gone, even for temperate climates. This is especially true when it comes to synthetic oil. A 5W-30 covers just about any climate swing here in the US. Synthetic Mobil 1 5W-30 is easily good for 12,000 miles or 1 year. I change my own oil and the RX400h is not an easy vehicle when it comes to doing this. This is why I can see Tim's point about extending the frequency of changes with synthetic oil. Even going to the dealership consumes quite a bit of time. Tim, That sounds like a plan; we're probably neighbors here in Sorrento Valley during the day! Dave

Hello, Neighbor Tim! I worked in Scripps Ranch for more than 16 years, but now work in Sorrento Valley. Even so, you may see our RX in Scripps Ranch, as my wife works in that area. We live in Penesquitos - not too far from you. Regarding oil, I can't figure out why Lexus is still using dino oil, either. I use it in my Mazda MX6 GT turbo as well. Dave Steve (SW), from what I understand about the oil change intervals, if 5 months rolls around and your Lexus has only (let's say) 3000 miles on it since the last change, the oil should be changed (according to Lexus) - correct? I don't think this is necessary, but a warranty is a warranty.......

I agree. I would not change the viscosity or interval until the warranty is up. Many of Toyota's sludge issues were due to customers' extending of their oil change intervals. I don't think that there is danger in using synthetic oil; it's just that if anything engine-related should happen, your telling the Lexus dealership that you changed the oil every year will probably not go over well when it comes to their deciding what they will pay for. I change the oil in my Corvette (Mobil 1 5W-30, but soon to be Royal Purple) once per year, but the Lexus gets anti-sludge Castrol 5W-30 every 5 months.

Sky, That last link doesn't work.

Regarding tire comparisons for the RX400h, see http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyresult...;speed_rating=Y Not all of these tires are available in the stock RX400h size, but I thnink you'll agree that when it comes time to replace the quick-wearing OEM mMichelins or Goodyears, the Bridgestone Alenzas are right there on top. I have them and highly recommend them.

I hear you. I had a 68 convertible for almost 22 years. The only option it had was the 327-350 HP engine and removable hardtop. So in reverse of what you did, I went from nothing to everything when I bought my 01 coupe. However, when it was time to get my son a car, I bought a simple, 97 Civic CX with manual windows and steering. Its only option is AC. Maybe he'll appreciate luxuries when he buys his own car, some day!

The good news is that I don't have to worry about this potential irritation. I guess not having any other vehicle with keyless ignition means I don't miss it in the RX. However, I can make a large list of things I think the "perfect" vehicle should have, including Heads Up Display, which I have in my Corvette. Very few vehicles have this feature, yet I love it. In fact, every time I drive the RX, I keep looking for speed, oil level, etc displayed 20 feet above the road in front of me. So you see, we can all submit lists of things the RX doesn't have; hopefully, some of them will be included in future Lexus RXs. However, I for one, would still buy another RX without my beloved HUD. The other high-tech features more than make up for its absence, IMO.

I've tried many, many polishes, waxes, combos, etc. and I cannot say enough about ReJex. It was originally created for the military, but boy, am I glad it is sold to us common folks. The stuff I used before this was Zaino and here's how they compare: Life: About the same - both last more than two months. Ease of use: ReJex gets the nod here; With Zaino, a base "primer" is required the first time you use it. This is not required when using ReJex. Another advantage that Rejex has over Zaino is that you can see where you've applied ReJex, yet it won't leave yellow or white remnants in gaps. Zaino is invisible, making it likely that you either apply too much or not enough. Non-sticktoedness (yes, I just made that up): ReJex: ReJex's claim to fame is its uncanny ability to act like Teflon - NOTHING sticks. Often, I simply hose down my car and everything (bug splatters, bird droppings, etc) just glide off with the water - incredible. Here's something else that I find amazing: If my car is caught in a sudden downpour and then sits for a while with many large drops on it, all I need to do is drive on the highway - all the water flies off - no water marks - nothing. When I get home, the car looks like it had never seen rain. Smell: I have to give that to Zaino; it smells sweet. Of course, I still use and highly recommend Zaino leather-in-a-bottle. It smells exactly like leather and does a great job of preserving fine leather. Use it for wallets and purses as well! But for car protectant - ReJex is my hero! Link: http://www.x-autoproducts.com/pages/product_rejex.htm Dave

If you are like the majority of Mecedes SUV owners, you'd surely come to regret THAT decision. MB vehicles have some of worst reliability ratings of all the manufacturers. You couldn't pay me enough to own any one of their vehicles, based upon not only Consumer Reports' findings, but also upon many acquantences' personal experiences.

The good news is that we don't have smart keys for our 400hs!

That's good news - may come in handy one of these days. Thanks for the tip!

Congratulations and welcome to the club! Our commutes to work are so brief that satellite radio is not necessary at this time. Regarding your installation, I would bet that a factory service manual would come in handy for a job like that. Did you buy one or did you just figure everything out, yourself?

I used my father's Garmin NUVI 660, about a month ago and I prefer the Lexus Nav system, primarily because it provides more verbal info and thus, allows more time to change lanes, make corrections, etc. The Garmin has some good features as well, but as far as the info coming from the woman's voice guidance, the Lexus wins by a good margin, IMO.

Michelins are notoriously expensive and certainly not always best when it comes to handling. This is why I chose the Bridgestones - excellent handling, great wear characteristics at a great price. I really can't ask for anything more for my RX400h.

Howard Stern? :chairshot:

Yes, but for all we know, he could be an elderly person who doesn't know what "lol" means. We don't even know if he took it seriously, since he never repled. See, you scared the guy off! ....just kidding around, myself....

C'mon, RX - let's be nice. Not everyone whips up a press release the day they get their Road & Track magazine! Regarding the car: I think there will always be plenty of customers who must have the best Lexus, even if its cost is much higher than any other model. Dave

We have approx 3000 miles on our Alenzas and they are as quiet as ever. So far, I stand by my recommendation of these tires - highly recommended! Dave