RX400h

Bill, You should have started the quote mark with "Superior technology creates superior value. ..since that began the e-mail message that Lexus sent us. When I first read your post, I thought Lexus was asking you whether you would pay the $1200 for body prep. My Lexus dealer maintains that they will charge MSRP only and will NEVER add a markup. However, I would be upset if they did try to sneak in the $1200.

...from a recent issue of Car & Driver..... "At the rear wheels we find the rear electric motor (MGR), which is hooked directly by gear drive to the rear differential. This one is air- and oil-cooled, since it only functions intermittently (the other MGs are water- and oil-cooled), and it adds another 67 horsepower to the mix. Hermance says this motor cranks over 650 pound-feet of drive-axle torque to the vehicle’s overall tractive effort when it’s energized. We believe him. Nail the RX400h’s throttle from rest, and you might hear front or rear tires chirping, depending on available grip. The V-6 growls with the usual determination when you’re hard on the gas, but the continuously variable transmission pegs its rotational speed somewhere near the torque peak and maximum volumetric efficiency, producing sound effects that are the opposite of a slipping clutch. Instead of a rising engine note as vehicle speed remains constant, the vehicle speed rises as the engine speed remains constant." All-wheel drive is a common solution when torque gets above managable levels in front wheel-drive vehicles. However, this may mean that the 2 wheel-drive Highlanders may be a bit squirrely upon takeoff!

Patt, No. I have not been given a date. We are number 15 on the list, so I expect that the delivery date depends upon the number of those before us who have chosen the same color. We too, may have grandkids within the next 10 years but don't normally think that far in advance! :)

Hey, can I buy the one without the DVD if you decide to wait? :D Seriously, I know how you feel, since I am very happy I have the 12-CD changer in the Corvette. I guess the big difference between the DVD entertainment system and my CD changer is the cost. $2000+ is alot of money for something that would be rarely used (in our case, since we don't often go on 2+ hour trips). If the entertainment system included a satelite-TV feature, it would be much more useful, since most movies on DVD are a minimum of two hours long. At least with a satelite TV, passengers can catch the news or a 1/2-hour comedy during short trips. On the other hand, back when I was a kid, my mother took me to the bicycle shop for my birthday to buy my dream bike. I really wanted a green bike, but that would've required that we return on another day. The only one available was red. Being a typical impatient kid, I took the red bike and regretted it ever-since. So, if your husband REALLY wants that entertainment system and the wait isn't more than something you can stand, then I say - wait. Say, maybe if you're picking the same color as we are, we can trade vehicles! (You get the DVD and we get the lower price.) BTW, my wife has been waiting for 10 years for this vehicle; she's getting anxious as well!

Back in 2001 when I was shopping for the Corvette, I decided that I would get a CD player in the dash and no side molding. I felt that the 12-CD player was overkill. However, when I saw an ad by a dealership in Alabama who had my color coupe on order, but with the 12 CD changer and side molding, I decided to try to bargain the price down to see what they could do. They agreed to a $2500 discount off the MSRP AND a discounted extended warranty. If I couldn't get any discount, then I'd have speacial-ordered the car with only the options I needed to have. My point is that it's always very easy to justify buying more if you are receiving a good or great deal in the process. It is also very tempting to buy more than you intended when quantities are limited and waiting lists, long. Therefore, I wouldn't blame you if you "go to the max" by getting it all, including the DVD system, especially considering the length of time we've been enduring. Heck, I may do the same thing if our color comes in and the vehicle is offered to us that day. I may even take the day off from work!

I agree! :D Where did this info come from?

Patt, you forgot to consider Northeasterly winds that typically can reduce travel from Japan by approximately 2.675 to 8.678 knotts, effectively delaying arrival to California by as much as 2 days, 4 hours, 18 minutes and 21 seconds. Of course, a car carrier is restricted to a maximum speed of 55 mph and the time period required to travel from the dock to the dealerships often overlaps rush hour traffic, which can delay dealership arrival by an average of 2 hours, 3 minutes, and 58 seconds. Hence, I calculate an amended "final destination" length of time to be between 13 days, 6 hours, 22 minutes, and 19 seconds and 16 days, 6 hours, 22 minutes, and 19 seconds. Hey, I had some extra time on my hands tonight!

In a drag race, however, the RX330 would immediately pull ahead of the Jeep 4.0L and leave it far behind in the dust. Ditto when pulling out to pass another vehicle at speed. Small cylinder width, short piston stroke Toyota / Honda double overhead cam valvetrain engine like the RX330 engine love to spin fast and don't really come "alive" until you get up around 3,000 RPM and beyond. This has been a characteristic of most Asian car engines for the past 30+ years. ← Hah! Just imagine how the Rx400h's 650 lbs-ft of torque will feel. The Jeep will think a Ferarri F40 just blasted by it!!

How about here? http://www.andysautosport.com/products.php...20Fiber%20Hoods

This is a bit disturbing, as I have already chosen a color. Could this mean that I might be waiting months for a color that is not even offered? I will call the salesguy immediately to see what he knows....... ....just called the salesguy and he conferred with another salesman before telling me that as far as they know, there will be 7 colors offered. The confusion continues......! As far as the other details, I will post if I hear or read anything interesting.

Mmmmm, an RX300 vs an RX400h at Daytona.....That should be an interesting race and good publicity for Lexus and its hybrid champion! You're ON!

This member's post appears to be right-on: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...ndpost&p=117197 The color mix is unknown at this time, but I was told by my dealer that there will be NO test-drive RX400s as there are test-drive Prius's at Toyota dealerships. The first one you drive will the one that matches your color/option choices. I agree that details are lacking. As far as choices, it's "DVD entertainment or no DVD entertainment?" Everything else (except for wood trim, load leveling, and laser-tracking) will be included at the $50K price. Oh, and any of you 400h owners see WWest on the road in his 300, blast by him and honk, will yah?

Boy, were they way off the mark! $48.5K to start and a minimum of $50K for a while with the only option being rear DVD ($52.5K) As far as I know, there will be no load leveling or wood trim, at least for the time being.

Good question, Bill. Perhaps someone who has a DVD entertainment system can answer that one?

My salesperson told me that he thought no one else (higher-up on the list) picked my color! Now THAT would be convenient. I guess I'll be finding out how well the Mark Levinson stereo sounds and how quickly the heated seats reach the comfort zone. The excitement builds.....

The way I look at it is that I can buy two laptops with headphones and extra batteries for the same cost as the DVD entertainment package. The big advantage of having the laptops for long trips is that you can take them anywhere else as well - hence, my choice of NO entertainment system.

Today I spoke to the salesguy at the Lexus dealership to which we submitted a deposit last April. He explained that at least initially, there will be only two packages available - with the DVD entertainment package and without the package. Everything else is included - meaning Mark Levinson and heated seats, I presume. I asked him if he was going to be getting a test-driver 400h any time soon and he replied that the first 400 we drive will be the one we can buy. The expected number of 400s coming in is 5 per month, but we can conceivably be offered ours a bit early if our color is not selected by anyone else above us in the master list. As a side note, I test-drove a Toyota Prius today and as SW mentioned, it is a great economy car but is NOT a luxury car. Road and engine noise is typical of a lightweight economy car. We also took a look at the Highlander hybrid costs. These will be offered in both 2 and 4-wheel drive options and are $5000 above similarly-equipped Highlanders, although non-hybrid highlanders are not available with GPS. Lower-priced Highlander hybrids will not have the GPS and the most expensive Highlander hybrid will run $43,000. The low-end versions with no GPS can be had for $36,000.

This is how the conversation usually went before I had a radar detector: Officer: "Do you know how fast you were going?" Me: " Uh, about 60?" Officer: "Try 75 in a 55." Me: "I thought I was going with the flow of traffic. What about all those cars passing me?" Officer: "I got YOU - License and registration, please!" Me: "That's IT; I'm buying a RADAR detector!!!!"

I don't think the rx's are loud at all...i do notice that the rx330 is louder than the rx300, only becuase the the size difference. Overall they are the quietest SUV's i have ever driven in. That's why i bought them not another brand. ← Well, you guys gave me a good chuckle tonight. How did saying that my coworker thought her Camry was quieter than the RX330 turn into "the RXs are loud"? I have to admit that I've never driven an RX330, but I'm sure that I would not be disappointed by its sound level. Remember, I drive a Corvette almost every day and believe me, anything is quiet compared to that! Okay, carry on, men!

My neighbor took his BMW in for service recently and returned with a Toyota Camry. He told me that the BMW dealership he uses will loan you a Camry for free, but if you insist on a BMW, you have to pay! When I need to leave my Corvette at the Chevy dealership, I get a giant Silverado pickup or an Impala, along with a bill for $10 to offset the extended warranty "limit". BTW, a coworker leases an RX330 and told me that her previous car, a Toyota Camry was quieter than the 330. I guess it's a good thing that Lexus is adding more sound insulation to the RX400h. Maybe now it'll be as quiet as a Camry!

Gosh, have you EVER driven a vehicle that has 650 lbs-ft of torque? That much torque will pin you to the seatback as if you were in an SR-71 Blackbird climbing to cruise elevation! No, it's not just the green thing that attracts many to the RX400h. It's that all-addictive torque. Once you have it, nothing else will do. My Corvette has 400 lbs-ft of torque and I'm looking forward to that first test drive in the 400h. Then again, it may just spoil me even more.......! BTW, I doubt that it will cost more to insure the 400h. I called my insurance company last year to inquire as to whether there would be a change in rate between our 94 Nissan Quest minivan and the 400h. Since the agent didn't have info on the 400h, she compared rates between the Quest (value=$4000) and the RX330 (value = $40,000). Our cost for insuring the 330 would be the same or slightly less than the insurance for the Quest. Therefore, I have confidence that there will be little change between the cost to insure the Quest and that to insure the 400h.

...but I can guarantee you that it will have nothing close to 650 lbs-ft of torque and 30 MPG city!

I was under the impression that the Prius is considered a mid-size car - with the same amount of room as say, a Camry or Accord. Is it narrower? The RX400h is a 5 passenger vehicle, but isn't the Prius as well? Believe me, I feel that the 400 is perfect, but the way the as-purchased price keeps creeping up, I'll be skipping vacations soon! I really think that Lexus had to make the "out-the-door" price significantly higher than that of the RX330 so that the 330 sales are not siphoned away. Who would buy an RX330 at $38K if a 400h that gets almost twice the milage and generates more than double the torque were selling for $42K? The same will apply to the highlander, I'm sure. I think the key for me and my wife is to drive and compare the cost, milage, comfort, and responsiveness of each vehicle. Of course, I will report my findings after we do.

True, but dang, those Prius's are starting to look better and better at $26K! I will definitely be doing some comparing within the next month.

...great tips by SW and I have to say that I've had a few radar detectors, as well as a laser diffuser that actively scrambles police laser. There are three "top-of-the-heap" radar detectors on the market. In order of cost, (least to most expensive) they are: BEL 995 Escort 8500 Valentine 1 All are very capable radar detectors and although they all have laser detection, this feature is passive and typically won't give you enough warning when police fire a laser beam at your front license plate. The best protection against laser is an active laser diffuser that sends out the correct wavelength of light to render police laser useless for a few seconds (enough for you to slow down). The Laser Echo (www.lidatek.com) and the K40 (not sure of the website) are very effective laser countermeasures. I have a BEL 985 (a couple years old) and it has a wide variety of features, such as a voice that announces the signal type (Ka band, etc) or highway emergency (rarely happens but is nice to have). It can also display your battery voltage and you can even have it flip the display readout if you need to mount the unit upside down. I think I paid $200 for it - well worth the money, IMO. Another thing you might consider is a remote setup. I believe all three offer this setup. The advantage is that the officer, if for some reason pulls you over, will not be negatively influenced by a detector in plain view. Hey, there ARE plenty of speed traps out there and it takes only one to drain more than the price of a detector from your pocket.