RX400h

I think you mean smog check, but that's a good question. Hopefully, it is exempt. Maybe SW can answer this one since he has a Prius.

NEWSFLASH! Oil prices have surpassed $61 per barrel and fuel prices continue to skyrocket, silencing naysayers of the whole hybrid phenomenon in which Toyota has invested so much. Our payoff time continues to drop!

I don't believe so, but the controls on the steering wheel are VERY convenient. You can even change mode settings, such as bass, treble, fade, etc. I like the fact that you can also switch between FM and the CD changer by using these buttons. Speaking of direct frequency entry, it seems that this feature is rarely a "given" when buying a stereo. My vintage Sony digital receiver from 1983 (which now resides in my garage) has direct entry via the keypad, but I have yet to see a car stereo with this ability.

To some it appears superfluous, but I really enjoy mine. Here's a pic and interesting article: http://www.dupont.com/safetyglass/lgn/stories/1004.html

...not as far as I've seen, although I haven't played with ALL the features yet. FYI, BEL radar detectors can display system voltage if desired. I am really spoiled in my Corvette. Not only are there analog gages for water temp, oil pressure, voltage and fuel, but you can cycle through digital readouts of water temp, oil temp, oil pressure, voltage, individual tire pressure, percentage of oil life, instantaneous fuel mileage, miles to empty, average fuel mileage, etc. In addition, the Heads Up Display can show digital speed, engine speed (bar graph), fuel level, oil pressure, and turn signals. Now you why I believe too much info is better than not having enough!

Yes, the KW gage is like a boost gage in super or turbo-charged vehicles. I can think of a few that would be more useful - battery voltage, oil pressure, oil temperature, etc.

I also have a 1989 Mazda MX6 GT turbo that I bought over 5 years ago. I knew that there were two issues that I should be concerned with regarding this vehicle. The first one is that turbo-charged engines require a 30-second or more iddle period after the turbo was spooled up, before engine shutdown is completed. This is because if the engine is shut down while the turbo is spinning, coking of the turbo bearing oil lubricant may occur, causing premature failure of the turbo. Yes, the driver IS told to allow idle time after the turbo is used, but not many owners know definitively when the turbo is spinning (There is no boost gage). Therefore, I ALWAYS use synthetic oil. It is much less prone to "coking". The second issue with this car is the automatic transmission. It is prone to early failure so I do change it every two years (6000 miles) or so. As you can see, I agree that either method (better fluid or shorter maintenance intervals) is appropriate.

The following vehicles/engines are more prone to developing sludge when compared to any other vehicle/engine: Audi/Volkswagen 1.8L 4 turbo 1997-2004 Audi A4, Volkswagen Passat Chrysler/Dodge 2.7L V-6 1998-2002 Chrysler Concorde, Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Intrepid, Dodge Stratus Lexus/Toyota 3.0L V-6 1997-2001 Lexus ES300, Toyota Camry, Toyota Avalon. Toyota Sienna, 1999-2001 Lexus RX300, Toyota Camry Solara, 2001 Toyota Hghlander. 2.2L 4 1997-2001 Toyota Camry, 1996-99 Toyota Celica, 1999-2001 Toyota Camry Solara Saab 2.0L 4 turbo 2000-02 9-3 hatchback, 2000-03 9-3 convertible 2.3L 4 turbo 1999-2003 Saab 9-5, 1999 9-3 Viggen Again, these engines are more prone to sludge buildup because of their design. Hot and cold areas within the engine (pointing to engine design) are said to contribute to aggravating sludge buildup. Consumer advocates complain that automakers are not taking their share of the blame. If it were simply a matter of poor maintenance, engines from ALL manufacturers would be failing, not specific engine families from certain manufacturers. I do believe that if your engine is listed above, you really should either use synthetic oil or change your oil every 3-5 months or 3-5000 miles, whichever occurs first.

Congratulations, Mike and welcome to the club. We were considering the Highlander hybrid as well, but were turned off by the local manager's attitude (especially after he dissolved a waiting list on which we were #2). You will definitely enjoy your 400, especially during the conditions you must endure. This is where the hybrids really shine - city driving. I know that there is a tutorial on-line in the Lexus web site that shows you most of the NAV features (but not voice recognition stuff), but I have not heard of a PDF owner's manual yet. Remember to check your tires' pressure or ask your dealership to refrain from pumping them up into the stratosphere. I believe 32 psi is correct. Mine were close to 40 psi. Good luck! Dave

I'm surprise that short trips hurt the gas mileage, I had the impression that hybrids do real good (mpg-wise) on short trips because of all the stop & go's. ← Hybrids do really on very slow (city-type) trips, not short as in a quick 2-mile trip to the grocery store-trips. There is a difference in that the slow trip beyond a certain distance ensures that the oil is fully heated (less viscous = more horsepower).

Someone I know recently experienced a transmission breakdown in Las Vegas. Instead of having the local yokel try to fix it there for $3000, he had his van towed back to San Diego. The thing I'm getting at is that many local garage mechanics would be helpless if diagnosing almost any vehicle's computer-based problems. Tires, hoses, belts, and radiators are things they are more likely to be able to handle, but I would not trust just anyone to fix anything more complicated than that. Thus, I think the chances of this happening are slim enough that you shouldn't worry.

I agree. There's a feature in Photoshop (and possibly other photo-editing software) that allows you to create a macro view with a tail that points to the feature inside of a zoomed-out view. This is very helpful when showing the general and exact location of the part/feature in question. Unfortunately, the scarcity of zoomed out views is fairly common in shop manuals.

Unfortunately, by the time we exchanged information, all of the cars who were either pumping gas or waiting, had left the scene. My claims adjuster told me that in almost every case where one vehicle is backing up and hits another vehicle, the vehicle that is moving is at fault. The only exception may be if the stationary vehicle is illegally parked. SW, We're hoping this is the case. I will be talking to the other guy's claim adjuster tomorrow and should be able to tell whether she actually believes the inaccurate version the other driver had given her.

This can get really expensive if you are using synthetic oil. Most synthetics can handle 12,000+ miles without breaking down significantly. However, you should never violate the recommendations contained in your owner's manual, even with synthetics. Certainly, if you insist on using dino-oil in your RX300, then 3000 mile change intervals may be good insurance. In vehicles with engines that are not prone to sludge buildup, changing oil every 3000 miles is a waste of money, IMO.

At first, my wife said she missed the cargo net we had in our van. However, we buy enough groceries so that they pretty much keep themselves from moving around. Come to think of it, you really shouldn't go far with frozen stuff in the back anyway, so the trip home is completed in a gentle manner. Still, I agree that a net should be standard equipment.

Just about one year ago, we picked up a huge nail in our van's front tire. Luckily though, we haven't had a flat in 8 years. Regarding the gas station camera - would they simply send us a copy of the footage? I would guess that only the police could get ahold of this but it probably wouldn't hurt to try. I'll give the gas station a call tomorrow. I do have pictures, but with Photoshop and other powerful programs, there may be questions by the other inserance adjuster as to whether they are unaltered. Thanks for the advice!

I wouldn't have mounted one :D Yes, legally I know we are supposed to have a license plate in the front too, but I find it to be somewhat ugly and unaerodynamic. And maybe it blocks smooth airflow into the vechicle. My BMW doesn't have a license plate mounted in front either. And I notice that quite a few vehicles on the road don't have one either. I don't think the police care very much about it, they have other priorities. ← I know a couple of guys who were ordered to install front plates. Generally, if you are over 40, you are less likely to be pulled over for something as silly as a missing front plate.

Maybe that's a good thing - our 400's value goes up!

The Toyota collision center quoted us $1100 vs. $669 from the Mercedes collision center. The main difference is that the Mercedes center doesn't think we need a new fog light. I tend to agree, but I'll let the claims adjuster discuss that with the Toyota guy who gave us the quote. In the meantime, the owner of the truck that hit us is claiming that somehow it was my fault!

Full synthetic may be changed over to petroleum-based at any time.

Our dealership did this service for us before we picked up our RX. Shame on your dealership for not doing this in a state in which it is required.

There are two versions of Lojack. The cheaper ($600-$700) requires that you notify the police before it can be activated and tracked. The second, at $900-$1000 senses when the vehicle is moved without the ignition key being in the vicinity and is automatically activated immediately. There is also another tracking device that allows you to not only track your vehicle online, but you can also disable your vehicle after it is shut down (can't be started again). This device is about $1000.

That's nothing - I had to replace my Corvette's rear tires at 16,000 miles. I also replaced the fronts, all four for a cool $1100. High performance tires don't wear well, but the DO stick well and that's the tradeoff that most high-end vehicle owners must accept to some degree.

When the dealer does the FREE 5,000 mile service, what oil will they use?? Toyota sythetic?? Toyota dino?? Who knows?? Bring your own synthetic, e.g. Mobil 1?? ← I will make sure that they use only what is recommended in the owner's manual. I doubt that Toyota would think kindly of any dealership that violates the Toyota's own requirements, especially those relating to potential warranty issues. BTW, I posted a warning to RX300 owners that they should use synthetic oil to prevent sludge buildup in their engines. However, as far as I know, this has not been an issue in RX330s (with essentially the same engine as is in our 400hs). I haven't decided on the oil I will use when I change it myself. (probably at around 10,000 miles - we'll see).

Our Bamboo Pearl's Goodyears provide an excellent ride as well. In fact, my Corvette runs Goodyear GSD3 tires and I am very happy with the ride and handling they provide.