RX400h

After supper, my son announced that there were tires outside my front door. "My God, they're finally here!" I announced as I sprinted for the door. Yes, they do look great and I can't wait to try em out. It may be a little while, however, but not longer than a week. All I can say is "Yeeeehaw! Dave

I was just told by Tirerack that the Bridgestones will be in this week. Where did you get your info?

I will look for it - thanks!

The first generation Prius still fetches a decent price as a used vehicle and you may want to check prices of used RX400hs. The batteries should last 150,000 miles, according to Toyota test results and long-term hybrids in Japan. Therefore, if you don't pile on the mileage, resale value should be good, IMO. Still, you may want to discuss this with your accountant, as well. Dave

Then there's the safety issue. Last year, Sony (SNE ) took a $430 million charge after li-ion powered laptops caught fire (see BusinessWeek.com, 9/20/06, "Battery Woes Spark Few Concerns Among Auto Makers"). In cars, where the risks are greater, avoiding fires is even more important. "We're making sure that the problem can be avoided." says Watanabe. "These difficulties must be reflected in the design. Yes, indeed!

Hopefully, that doesn't mean that if you're offered a drink, you have 10 more! :P

Well, I haven't had a non-fixable flat in 30 years, so I did not get the road hazard warranty. I just get so tired of paying insurance for everything, I now go with the odds that are based upon personal experience. Dave

Yes, I am getting the Alenzas (stock - 235/55/18 size). Apparently, the larger tires do fit, according to another member. The only advantage I can see with getting tires of that size is that there are more choices of tire manufacturers. However, since the Bridgestones are both rated highly and sell for a very decent price, I went with them to replace my OEM Goodyears. Dave

Well, I can honestly say that anyone who doesn't see that your RX is a hybrid vehicle needs to get his eyes examined, ASAP!

I agree with your sarcasm 100%. I would love to continue to buy the 5-gallon container of Castrol anti-sludge formula 5W-30 oil, but try as I may, I could not pour without spillage, the oil from the large container into a filler funnel. You almost HAVE to buy quart containers to fill the crankcase cleanly. Dave

I believe 34-37 psi is optimal, although since the outsides of my tires are all worn out (at 18,000 miles), I've boosted the pressure to 40 until I get the Bridgestones. I called the Tirerack yesterday and they told me that my tires will be in next week. I've been waiting for almost two months now. $150 each is a great price, IMO.

I can almost guarantee you that if you regularly drive around with your tires inflated to "MAX Pressure", those tires WILL wear out in the center and traction will be compromised. I've done this experiment before and while there is a "sweet spot" of the perct pressure, it is never at the max pressure that is listed on the tires' sidewalls. In the case of the RX400h, I'd have to say that 34-36 PSI is the sweet spot with the OEM tires. This is the pressure with which I will start when I get the Bridgestone tires.

We average about 25 MPG with both city and highway (more highway during the weekends and less during the week). I tend to be a more aggressive driver than my wife is and the result is that 25 number that is very consistent over many thousands of miles. By contrast, the three people I know who have RX330s are averaging about 16-17, city and highway. I got a kick out of a recent Car & Driver test of the latest Mercedes Benze SUV. The writer complimented MB from improving the GL-class with the new GL-450. He went on to say, "As a result, the GL's 4.7-liter V-8-one of the smaller engines in the category - delivers fine performance and economy." The hilarious thing is that Car & Driver averaged only 14 MPG. If this is what they call "fine economy", I'd hate to see what horrible economy is!

I think at this point it is only an inquiry and I would have to answer - yes, especially after the warranty period has expired. Dave

Congratulations and welcome to the hybrid club! You and your wife will thoughly enjoy the Rx400h, especially after having the X5! :)

Great results - thanks! I'm still waiting for the Alenzas, but the good news is that my OEM tires have a ways to go before they are worn out completely. Dave

I fill my tank up every two weeks and have never had this problem. However, I HAVE had this problem while fueling other vehicles and have found that the gas pump handle was at fault - never the car. Have you tried different gas stations?

What is the problem?

We get 25 MPG with about 50/50 city/highway.

Keep in mind that 1) Tire wear numbers are good to know only if comparing tires from the same manufacturer 2) Larger diameter tires will affect your displayed speed so that it is below the actual vehicle speed. 3) Wider tires may decrease fuel mileage and may not provide more contact area, depending upon the wheel width. 4) Larger diameter tires may rub against suspension components when the vehicle's steering wheel is near full-lock.

That's Tirerack's normal price. Dave

Unfortunately, the top-rated Goodyear Tripletread is not available in our tire sizes. Still, the Bridgestones appear to be excellent tires. My set of four is still back-ordered after one month.

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=34555

I'm not sure about your area, but here in Southern California, diesel fuel is 20 cents per gallon MORE expensive than premium fuel. Compare diesel cost to regular gas costs and it becomes very difficult to justify buying a diesel-powered vehicle. I, for one, am glad that my RX400h runs very well on regular gas.

Surprisingly, there are quite a few wheel and tire choices here: http://www.tirerack.com/upgrade_garage/Whe...mp;autoModClar= Still, I'm going with the Bridgestone Alenzas (if they EVER) come in! (still waiting). Dave