RX400h

From what I understand, our hybrid-related hardware and software is very similar to that of the Prius and as we all know, they are extremely reliable, even with 150,000+ miles on them. The other thing to consider is the ultra-poor reliability of many German vehicles. You could certainly be far worse off by jumping ship to a German diesel-powered vehicle.

I know what you mean. I drove through Connecticut winters for 11 years. That's why I "fled" to San Diego. When I did live on the East coast, I always had two cars - one for the salty, slushy days of winter and one for sunny, warmer days. (maybe 2 or 3 times a week in the Spring if you're lucky)

Now if I heard you pull away from a stop light with tires screeching, I'd probably say to myself, "That kid wants to race!" Of course, if I were in the Corvette, I'd have to accelerate past you, just to teach you a lesson..... Seriously, though, you should be aware that as tires age they lose plasticizers. Incorporation of oils and plasticizers in tires lowers viscosity, improves processing and extrusion properties, lowers hardness, improves low temperature flexibility, and lowers cost. However, as time goes by, tire compounds become harder (due to the plasticizer loss)and more slippery. I believe every tire has a date code on it, most often on the inside sidewall. Click here for more info regarding deciphering this code: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=11 If your tires are more than 6 years old, you should replace them. Even if they are not, they are already a bit dangerous, so I recommend that you replace them, anyway. dave

Jim, I'm glad you chose the Paradas. We know that Gryphon stills loves them after 6000 miles, so chances are, you and I will as well.I would recommend rotating them before 5000 miles to make sure a non-reversible wear pattern doesn't produce constant humming like my Alenzas do.

I'm convinced, I'm going with the Paradas. My local mechanic just through a wrench in the works. I mentioned I was considering the Paradas and DWS's. He said that he would take the DWS's over the Paradas hands down. He did say to make sure whatever tires I got had a XL rating for eXtra Load vs. a SL rating for Standard Load. He said the XL's have stiffer sidewalls to handle the extra weight. Also, the DWS's totally kicked butt in the UHP A/S winter driving test done by Tirerack. I realize a SUV probably does not need UHP tires. But what can it hurt? The price difference is minimal. Looks like it's the DWS's. I think your mechanic should stick to mechanics, not tires. According to the Tirerack website, the Yokohama Paradas have exactly the same load rating as the Continentals DWS tires. Both have a higher load rating than the OEM Michelin and Goodyear tires (1764 lbs per tire vs. 1709, OEM). The only difference is that the Paradas have the same speed rating as the OEM tires (V, which is good to 149 MPH), whereas the DWSs have a "W" rating, which is 168 MPH. What this means is that the DWSs will produce a stiffer, more punishing ride than will the Paradas. Is that what you want? As I mentioned earlier, this stiffer-sidewall-based tire may be perfect for an all-out handling SUV such as the twin-turbo Cayenne, but just doesn't make sense for a ride-based luxury SUV like the RX400h. Dave

Nice info as well! I did a Bing search to find the AAA site.

Here's more info regarding how the RX should be jacked up, towed, fueled, etc: http://partner.aaa.biz/portal/binary/com.epicentric.contentmanagement.servlet.ContentDeliveryServlet/AAABiz/auto/files/rx400h_guide.pdf Most, if not all of this is in the manual but it's good to review every once in a while.

Because I was too lazy to check my manual, I found this on a AAA site: By the way, when your 12V battery is getting weak, you will probably see a message telling you to shift the gear shift selector into Park. This is most likely to happen in the morning when it is cool/cold in the garage or outside. When you see this message, you should plan on buying a new battery sooner, rather than later.

....another reason why it is never a good idea to hose down a modern engine! (I realize you bought your car, used, so most likely the previous owner is the culprit.)

My guess, then would be the switch in the steering wheel. However, you must really know what you're doing when disassembling a steering wheel with airbag inside. I would leave that to professionals.

The Yokohama Parada Spec-X, which are highly recommended by Tirerack.com, cost about $752, including rebate, shipping, valve stems, and mounting/balancing. I'll be ordering mine within the next month or so.

The Continental's are way-overkill for a comfort-based SUV like the RX400h or RX450h. Those tires would be great on a Porsche Cayenne twin-turbo but would most likely result in a choppier ride than would the Yokos. I have the Conti Summer versions of the Extremes on my Mazda MX6 GT, but that is a 2700-lb car that is lowered on Eibach springs. A luxury SUV cannot effectively utilize ultra-high performance tires - why spend the extra money? Well, you asked for my opinion!

I believe there is a tow hook in the front and if I can recall correctly, I place the floor jack cradle just behind or under it. I'm talking about a large jack that can lift almost 20 inches. I can double-check, tonight. I almost never jack up just a corner, since I'm rotating the tires, anyway. Correction: If you look under the front, you will see a label that indicates the jacking position. As far as the rear, I jack under the trailer hitch bar center. I'm not sure where you would place the jack if you don't have a trailer hitch. I did notice that the left (driver's side) rear scissors jack longitudinal plate was bent a bit - most likely by the dealership at one time or another.

You are correct. However, the C6 Corvettes are no better than the C5s when it comes to reliabilty, so while I think they may be improving, it is not nearly to the level of a Lexus, Acura, or Infiniti. I did hear that the direct injection engines (including VW) are allowing far too much blowby oil to enter their intakes. The Cadillac CTS variety have dismal repair histories, so it is unlikely they are miraculously improved. My advice to those who buy GM, Chrysler, Mercedes, BMW, Audi, VW, and Range Rover vehicles is this: If you plan to keep the vehicle beyond the warranty, get an extended warranty or you WILL most likely be sorry.

According to Consumer Reports, problem areas with the Equinox have included Drive System, Fuel System, Electrical, Suspension, Brakes, Paint/Trim, Body Integrity, Power Equipment and Audio System. It seems these problems tend to surface after 2-3 years of ownership. Perhaps that means GM's quality is getting better; my Corvette started having "issues" after only 1 year.

As a Chevy owner, I'll have to chastise you for making such a suggestion! :chairshot:

When we had our garage door springs replaced, we asked the installer to adjust the door upward a couple of inches. Now our RX400h rear hatch clears the garage door by about 1/2 inch.

Consumer Reports tire ratings includes a rating for rolling resistance. Unfortunately, it appears that they did not test the Parada Spec-X so I could not compare. I did mention this before but it's worth repeating. Take owner's "reviews" with a grain of salt. Many have limited experience with a wide range of tires for the particular vehicles they are driving. Often, they compare a new tire with the OEM tire that has 40,000 miles on it. A better way to compare tires is to read Consumer Reports' ratings, as well as tire test results by Tirerack, Car & Driver, and Road & Track (the last two for primarily Summer tires).

These are the tires (in 18-inch size) I will be buying for my RX400h, soon. The howling Alenzas are starting to irritate me. (Note: It may be my own fault that the Alenzas howl, since I may have waited too long before rotating them at some point). The Tirerack salesguy to whom I spoke highly recommended the Yokos.

I agree. You might want to have the dealership test the 12V battery. This is the time of year when a weak battery will show signs of immenent failure.

Then again, who else parks and sits in their RX400h with the gear shift selector in neutral? :)

I believe Costco doesn't do battery installs; I brought the new battery home and installed it in about 15 minutes, even after vacuuming and cleaning out the battery tray, abrading the terminals and cable ring connectors, and wiping down the battery cover and surrounding plastic covers. There is a $9.00 battery return fee that is given when the old battery is submitted. Since I didn't have the old battery with me, I will return it and the new battery's receipt the next time I go to Costco. So the total cost without returning the old battery was $71.76, which includes CA tax of $5.77. I did not reset the ISC and will monitor fuel mileage to see if it changes. I also did not reset the windows but will check them, this weekend. My wife drove the RX to work and so far - no complaints! Dave

Ah, it looks like you have just a few more thousand miles on your RX than we do on ours. I just got back from Costco and installed a fresh Kirkland battery ($58.00). I fully expect to not have to do this again for another 5-6 years. (Our RX is now 5 and a half years old.)

Well, it turns out that my wife had been seeing this message but she never mentioned it to me. i guess it's time to pay a visit to Costco for a new battery.

Rey, how many miles are on your RX? I may be proactive and change our battery if it turns out yours is toast. Thanks, Dave