RX400h

I am considering ordering silicone wiper blades and am wondering if any of you has tried them. Technically, they should last longer by not degrading from ultraviolet rays, although I'm not sure what kind of wear rate they will have. Thoughts?

Jim, do you know if any major tire stores have this equipment?

Isn't there an aftermarket part that will allow the override?

Many "Long life" oil filters have 40-70% more dirt/contaminent-holding capacity. Some of those long-life filters (like Fram Extended Guard) claim that they can last up to 10,000 miles. Now, if that filter can hold 70% more than the average filter, you may be pushing your luck if you think an average oil filter can last 10,000 miles. I suggest that if you do go 10,000 miles between oil changes that you make sure the oil filter you use is at least advertised as a long-life filter.

That's good to know about the extended life filters. My Corvette has an oil life monitor which is much more sophisticated than a miles driven setup. The Corvette's monitor algorythm takes into consideration engine operation length of time, oil temperature data, and other factors. Of course, it assumes all OEM air and oil filters are used. The maximum length of time between oil changes, regardless of the monitor's oil life remaining percentage is 12 months. But I agree that synthetic oil may not be finacially justified if changed every 5 months or 5000 miles (in our Lexus vehicles).

Correct me if I'm wrong but most oil filters, if overloaded with contaminants, will allow oil to bypass filtration to avoid overpressure conditions. If this happens, the oil will indeed contain significantly large particles that could accelerate engine wear.This would certainly be evident in oil testing data.

Don't forget the oil filter. Most oil filters are not designed to hold 10,000+ miles of dirt in them. That is why I'm sticking to a 5000 mile interval, even with synthetic oil. The only way to know for certain whether your filter can go the distance is to have an oil analysis done.

I,too have a local shop but I would not take a sophisticated vehicle like the RX or the Corvette in for "involved" repairs. I feel for those tasks, the dealership is most qualified (in many cases).

I'm a bit surprised your water pump failed at 77,000 miles. Then again, many people have their water pump replaced at 60,000 or 90,000 miles when their timing belts are being replaced. My CD player is back in the "ERROR" mode so I guess it will have to be replaced one of these days.

Horsepower from the ICE dominates acceleration at the upper end of the rev range. The electric motors produce greatest torque at 0 RPM, so while the level battery charge does make a difference in acceleration, octane rating and ambient temperature also play a role that can be felt when the throttle is held wide open.

Actually, it does affect performance. However, your style of driving will determine whether it makes a significant difference to you. If you decide to race a Porsche Cayenne or BMW X5, then yes, you will appreciate premium fuel in the tank. :)

My guess is that your 2011's rated horsepower requires the use of premium fuel. The 2012 may be rated (horsepower, torque, and fuel economy) using regular fuel, which makes sense since most hybrids are rated to run on regular grade fuel. Most higher-end vehicles made since the late 80s incorporate electronic knock sensors that will instruct the engine's ECU to !Removed! timing if knocking/pinging is detected. It is because of these sensors that many vehicles can run on lower octain fuel than is recommended by the manufacturer.

Are you sure this is not happening on the same stretch of road? I feel the same thing on a certain stretch of road in our neighborhood. It dissappears 2 miles down the road.

How many miles are on the odometer?

If you look at the end result of my calculations, you can see that Rey's 255/55/18 tires are in fact, taller by a noticeable 0.86 inches. If the aspect ratio and wheel diameter remain the same, as width increases, so does the tire height (diameter). Of course, the tire width increases as well, so at some point the tire will interfere with a suspension component unless wheel spacers are added. Keep in mind, too, that larger tires are heavier tires and that extra weight may be centered further out towards the circumference - undesireable for a number of reasons.

Here's how you calculate tire height: (Tire width*aspect ratio*2 + wheel diameter (in milimeters) then divide by 25.4 to obtain the height (diameter) in inches thus, 235/55/18 tires = 28.18 inches 255/55/18 tires = 29.04 inches Note: use .55 when multiplying the tire width by aspect ratio

You can get away with lower octane gas when the weather is colder and intake air is more dense. Combustion cannot happen without both fuel and air with air making up a much higher percentage of volume.

Bob, Most tires "feel" good, initially. The real test comes after they have 10,000 or more miles on them.We'll be standing by. Dave

Did the dealership service advisor mention what caused the blockage?

Torrents?

I agree that the updates should be no more than $50. $200 is rediculous; that's why I've waited this long.

Dang, I never knew that a $100 Garmin accepts voice commands! My $100 Garmin cannot listen - only speak and I still think the Lexus NAV is better that even my Dad's $800 Garmin. Thus far I have used Tom Tom, Garmin and Lexus and I'll take the Lexus over them all. ...my opinion, of course.

....spoken by a guy with experience! This is why I normally have factory service manuals. I can gauge how long something should take, whether special tools are needs, etc before I decide to do the task. The older I get, the shorter the task-time needs to be before I have someone else do it or just cancel/delay the project. Perhaps that will change when I retire and have more free time.

Don't feel so bad; my neighbor forgot that his Jeep Commander hatch was up when he hit the garage door button near the garage entry to the house. The garage door caused the Jeep's hatch glass to explode, leaving cubes of glass everywhere. That was a somewhat costly mistake.