RX400h

Initially, I would switch from regular during the colder months and mid-grade during the warmer months, but lately, I have been running mid-grade almost exclusively. I find that it provides a very good balance of power and economy. (saves me enough to buy a couple of coffees, too) Keep in mind, though that due to the higher density of intake air during cold Ambient conditions, running regular gas is similar to running premium gas during warmer ambient conditions. Those who live in cold winter climates may be wasting money by buying premium fuel during that time of year.

The only time I experience this is on certain roads that have surface ripples. At first I thought it was the RX but realized it happens only on the same roads. If this is not the case, you might want to ask the dealership to run a check, the next time you bring it in.

Well, now that I received my latest Consumer Reports magazine, I see that Ford vehicles really do NOT have an advantage when it comes to fuel mileage. The Fusion and Camry hybrids acheived the same average mileage (I think it is 36 MPG), so although Ford may have tweaked something to get the EPA numbers up substantially higher (41 city, 36 highway vs Camry's 31 city and 35 highway), the real world (at least via CR's testing) results show that there is no fuel economy advantage to buying a Fusion hybrid vs a Camry hybrid. Looking at the EPA numbers you would think that the Fusion is a much more economical vehicle. Chevrolet pumped up the EPA numbers by designing in a CAGS (Computer-aided gear shifting) feature (Corvettes ad Camaros) that forces the transmission to shift from first to fourth gear after the engine is hot enough. Obviously, Ford isn't the only company to make the EPA numbers look better than what is achievable on the street.

Believe me, our batteries will last much, much longer than our warranties. I do suspect that Ford, who licenses Toyota's hybrid setup, is allowing its batteries to be discharged further in an effort to one-up Toyota hybrids of similar size. A good example is the Fusion hybrid vs the Camry hybrid. The Fusion will go further on battery power alone and will get better fuel mileage. The new Lincoln hybrid is similar in that it gets surprisingly good gas mileage for its weight. Most likely, its battery life, while greater than the car's warranty by quite a bit, is not going to be nearly as stellar as those in Toyota vehicles using the same NiMH batteries.

Have you had the power steering link (EPS) assembly replaced?.

Could I ask you a question? I often see vehicle ads with "moving, must sell" imbedded in the description. Why would moving be a reason for selling unless you are moving overseas? Many years ago, I drove my car 3200 miles when I moved but could've had it transported cross-country for $1000 or so. ....just curious!

I agree with Lemon. You'd be much better off just trading yours for an AWD model.

I believe there are at least 4 of us here who have and love the Parada-Xs. I can't imagine why anyone would not be impressed by them unless they have them on a 500 HP Porsche.

I agree with Rey and have the Yoko Parada-X tires as well. They are super-quiet and handle well. My Alenzas started howling at 30,000 miles and I couldn't wait to replace them. Hopefully, their Ecopias are improved.

The next time you drive it, have the salesperson switch the screen so that the realtime power flow screen is showing. This will show you what is happening as you step on the gas or brake pedal. It really came in handy when I was teaching my kids how to drive; I could tell exactly what they were doing with their feet, just by looking at the screen. Our 2006 has not had one issue in 6 years (purchased in April of 2005). Amazingly, reports show that the 2006 year RX400h was somehow faster than the 2007s - go figure! And while the RX400h may not be quite as fast as a Titan, it does 0-60 in 6.7 seconds and averages about 25 MPG.

Thanks for your thoughts, Lexi; it's just sad that we have to dish out so much for insurance that almost always benefits the insurers. Rey, I remember back in the mid-80s when an uncle who lived near Beverly Hills was paying $1700/year for his Mazda RX7. LA has a higher population density than this area so those living in or commuting to that city may have to pay more than those who live on the outskirts of San Diego. Still, it's worth shopping around as I did many years ago when I grew tired of State Farm's constant rate increases. Speaking of insurance: Someone scraped the passenger rear bumber and fender of our RX, last Sunday. We believe it happened when we were in the gas station concession area. Of course, whoever did it either didn't realize they did it or did but left the scene. In a blink of the eye we are out $500 deductible. Dave

LexiRX, Do you know what the requirements are to self-insure?

Our battery lasted about 5 and a half years, so if I were you, I'd change it at the 5 year mark. The good news is that a the message indicating the shifter was not in Park serves as a warning that the battery is getting weak.

I recall seeing a post a while back by someone who did his own brakes - nothing unusual. We have 59,000 miles on ours and they seem to be doing great.

Join the club! I am guilty of the same procrastination.

We call ours the "Lexus", since it's the only Lexus in our household and it just doesn't sound right, saying "Take the SUV." I can't help you with the music connections; I just burn CDs and use them in the changer. Our commutes aren't so long that we'd go through 6 CDs of music so we never looked further. Heck, my Windows 7 phone syncs directly to Zune but I still haven't used it to buy tunes. I do fully utilize the phone's seamless Outlook connection and built-in Word Excel and Powerpoint - more business and less pleasure, so to speak.

Hey, your RX looks exactly like ours! Congratulations and welcome to club of those who made the smart choice.

My thoughts: 1. If you have an RX400h, you will NOT want more power (0-60 MPH in 6.7 seconds), especially if coming from an RX300. 2. If you want superior gas mileage and sporty handling (but not lots of power), go with the CT200h. 3. The CT200h averages 42 MPG, whereas a typical RX400h averages 24-27 MPG. 4. The HS250h is somewhat in between, with gas mileage of 35 MPG or so and quicker acceleration than the CT200h.

I think most of you know that personal insults like those posted by Bwilliams will not be tolerated around here. I think the majority of us are professionals who not only do not act this way, but who also prefer not to respond to such vulgarity. Carry on! Dave

Congratulations and welcome to the "Hybrid Club".

Of course, if you want a good-handling hybrid, the Ct200h will both handle much better than and get twice the fuel economy of an RX330. However, if you want a silky-smooth ride, power acceleration, tall driving stature, and good gas mileage, the RX hybrids are tough to beat. I do feel sorry for those who must buy diesel fuel here in CA. It is averaging $.30-$.50 per gallon more than regular gas. I've seen it as high as $4.60/gallon. Ouch!

Yes, I have and frankly, I'm not sure why you feel their ride quality is different. Our RX400 rides just as smoothly as the RX330s and 350s I've driven or been driven in.

Rey, we pay $756 per year with Mercury here in San Diego. We've been with them for many years now and I highly recommend them. Dave

We average 24.2-25 MPG. Compared to former coworkers who owned RX330s (averaged 17-18 MPG), I'd say our car's fuel efficiency has already paid off the $3000 premium we paid (after tax credit) and is paying dividends handsomely with the $4.20/gallon fuel prices. I know that many non-hybrid RX owners assumed that gas prices would average somewhere in the vicinity of $2.50/gallon for the life of their ownership but boy, were they sadly mistaken!

Ah, I see. Yes, here in San Diego, I believe dealerships tend to bargain less as fuel prices surge. The situation with Japan is not helping anything, either. In fact, fuel-efficient used car prices are often rediculous. People selling salvage vehicles are asking and getting much more than blue book values.