cduluk

Eeewwww, but you aren't the only odd one out, lol and jk. I've already commented on outdated-Escalade-derived styling of CTS sedan, but at least the coupe is original. The only Audi that I find to have outstanding styling is A5, love it. In terms of mid-sized sport sedans (on topic) I find the styling of the new and highly successful 5 series to be best in class (most other premium car owners would agree with me and the sales numbers support this too). I'm putting the new GS in 2nd place styling-wise. Indeed, the CTS coupe is original for sure; i think that's why i like it! I seem to favor cars that are unique and have nothing else like it... The only thing i'll give Audi is the advent of using LED's as DRL's... I'm not really a "fan" but they're very unique and i like that.

Paragraph beginning with Dave Hermance down the page. http://www.familycar...ts/LexusRX400h/ .... I was referring to the 0-60 time of the Rx400h, which can vary depending on how charged the hybrid battery is. If the battery is "fully charged" the car delivers more power, however if the battery is low, the acceleration is much worse... There really should be two 0-60 times for the Rx400h; full battery which i'd guess is in the 6.7sec range and low battery which is in the 7.6sec range. I'm not even kidding when i say it's that noticeable...

Why don't you want to buy the left and right separately? The odds of finding a pair in the same auction is pretty slim, as most of these come from cars that were in accidents (which usually take out one side of the car and not the other).

My guess is that the bulb is loose in the socket. You know how i mentioned it's easy for that bulb to fall out when taking it out? It doesn't fit very well in the socket... it might be causing the intermittent pattern. you might wanna try "pushing" and "pulling" the socket inwards/out while twisting it counter clockwise to get it out. You don't need to twist counterclockwise that much; just a few degrees. Even when you try to put it back in, you'll question whether it's indeed in all the way; there's no "click" or anything to let you know it's in all the way. It might be that you've twisted it all the way, and just need to yank it out. And if you decide to replace the bulbs with LED's, be VERY cautious as to the ones you buy. About 99% out there aren't durable enough to survive the inconsistent voltage/current supplied to that bulb. I'll look up the ones i've had in there for years (only ones that have lasted) and i'll post back. Here they are. They have built in regulators so the LED's don't heat up beyond their limits. I've tried many many bulbs that claim to have regulators but these were the ONLY ones that last. http://hidconcept.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=69

What headlights did you retrofit? What projectors did you use? And what are you talking about when you say you don't need the auto-leveling motor to move after the retrofit? Why would you disconnect the auto-leveling? Did your design not allow for the projector to still move up and down with the motor? It should be noted that the 01-03 Rx300 low and high beam reflectors are connected, and both reflectors are controlled by an auto-leveling motor which is placed at the top, with the entire reflector assembly hinged at the bottom in two locations (below the "low beam" reflector side and below the "high beam" reflector side). My guess is that during your retrofit, you disconnected the high and low reflectors when installing the projector, which made it impossible for either reflector to hinge properly on its own- that's why you disabled the auto-leveling and that's why you need to constantly readjust them. The valves on the auto-leveling motors will not move on their own... You just need a good hinge- and the low and high reflectors cannot hinge on their own without being connected, and certainly not with a heavy projector weighting the thing down. The extra weight of the projector was not in the headlight design; it might be enough to get that motor rod to move on its own. The 04-09 RX330/350/400h headlights however do not work this way. Only the projector assembly moves (the high beam reflector is independent) being hinged at the top and using the leveling motor at the bottom. The motor simply pushes a rod in and out to raise and lower the beam. Not like this matters to the OP since he won't be modifying the design of the headlight. just google "cduluk" and "retrofit" and rest assured i've been there and could write the book... :whistles:

Damn... i guess i'm just an odd one! It probably doesn't help my case any that i love the design of the 2011+ Cadillac CTS coupe. Everyone else seems to think it's ugly!

How long have they lasted you? Can you take some shots and post them for us?

here are some photos for ya! I've since replaced mine with an LED bulb but you get the idea. ^_^ Just be sure that the bulb is pushed in as much as it can go into the "plug" before you try to put the plug back into the headlight. If the bulb isn't in there tight, it might fall out when you're trying to twist it back into the headlight. :whistles:

yes indeed! You can reach behind the headlight and find the plug sticking out (you can feel it with your fingers). Just twist the plug counterclockwise and pull out. Just be careful when you put it back in, as the bulb might fall out of the socket and fall into the headlight (which will be nearly impossible to remove). I'll take some quick pics of mine and post back :)

nc211, i agree that some cars with LED taillights are WAY too bright. Like you said, the Camry has been the worst for me even though it has the "fewest" number of LED's in each taillight compared to other models. The Rx400h's are pretty bright too, but thankfully i'm in the front! That reminds me... i can't remember the last time i saw an Rx400h on the road... damn.

I still don't know how Mercury survived for as long as it did. Have you ever seen the Mercury Mountaineer and Ford Explorer together in the same place? Seriously, the only difference between the two is the presence of a few double-sided-tape moldings and a different grille- and of course, the badge. The Ford Explorer with all of the options looks identical to the Mountaineer; yet they charged a hell of a lot more. I think Lincoln on the other hand is doing the best it can. Their current models are somewhat aesthetically appealing, the tech isn't that bad, and they are VERY comfortable! It's just that price... for a LINCOLN!

I still don't see how the Audi is in any way aesthetically attractive. I understand looks are subjective, but personally i don't find the Audi to be in any way appealing- except for the fact that it's "known" for being superior as a sports sedan. I just can't relate to the writers of that article when they seem to admire the "roof line" and what not... i just don't see it; just like i don't get how girls find men attractive! So if the general population of sports sedan buyers finds the Audi to be attractive (even with it's "third" window behind the rear passenger windows) and doesn't mind the permanent Olympic games logo on the front grille, then i can see why Lexus needed to make some changes to the GS's design. It must be difficult for a company to compete in a market that's already dominated by several other products. Lexus has always been most successful when they "did their own thing", first with the introduction of the LS which was SO far ahead of it's time (some of the standard features on the 1990 LS still aren't found on cars of today), and then with the Rx300 being the first true luxury SUV. It's hard to believe that today Lexus has to "catch up" to stay in the game...

Haha i agree, these sources are pathetic. I just can't imagine publishing data (even if it was from different people) indicating two different scores for "exterior" and "interior" for cars that look identical. Didn't anyone look at the numbers and say, "Wait... how can that be?" How are we to be expected to use these results when the data has come from different sources and expectations? When doing comparison testing, the standards and requirements should be the same. How else can you compare data?? These people really do need to go back to school...

Yeahh, i think if the model i sat in had the wood trim interior i would have had more of a "positive" reaction to it. It was just so PLAIN- it was hard for me to appreciate it as a Lexus.

It all depends on how energized the hybrid battery is. When the energy monitor indicates the charge to be in the "green" there's a great deal more power than when it's in the low "blue" range. Although very noticeable on the Rx400h, i haven't found there to be any difference with the RX450h's power no matter what battery charge level, nor what driving mode it's set in. It feels like the RX450h's energy distribution is more "controlled" than it is on the Rx400h. Driving the two, you can really feel the "power" bursts with the Rx400h but not so much with the Rx450h. It's obvious Lexus is limiting the power from the engine and electric motors on the new model, most likely in an effort to save more fuel.

Yepp indeed. HIR are incredible but a little more expensive...

lemon, i don't think using aftermarket LED bulbs is ever going to become more of a permanent fix, especially for DRL which are ON for long periods of time. No one's been able to produce a 9005/9006 LED bulb that has any sort of reliability, nor have the intensity to do anything when you really need light from high-beam mode. During the day LED's won't be bright enough for oncoming drivers to see as 1: LED bulbs do not produce enough light at the focal point which filaments are located, so the headlight reflector becomes rather useless for directing the light correctly. 2: the color of white LED bulbs is so "pure" (like HID bulbs) that it's impossible to contrast from the color of daylight. Halogens work well during the day since the yellow tint contrasts well from clear skies and pavement. And LED bulbs will be completely inefficient in high-beam mode (even though they will be brighter than day mode) because they simply aren't bright enough. Halogen headlight reflectors aren't designed to reflect output from the giant stalk of an LED bulb; only the tiny filament of a halogen bulb. I tried them once in the Rx300 but didn't like them enough to pursue the avenue further. Not only was the color "too" pure white/blue to be functional in DRL mode, but they didn't provide any useable light at night in high beam mode. And after a few months time, more that half of the SMD's on the LED bulb stalk were burned out completely and the remaining were all but flickering... After that route, i tried direct halogen replacements called HIR, which are AMAZING! I still use them today. They're much brighter than the standard halogens and the glass is designed to focus light energy back onto the filament to get it to burn hotter. These bulbs are designed to burn hot and i have had great experience with them. Here's the link: http://store.candlep...irlighting.html Believe me, if there was a better solution, i'd be doing it!

for some reason buying sylvania's i (personally) seem to have problems with them after 3-4 months being burnt out. I would have to replace them and its not cheap. Even with aftermarket bulbs with tint of blue, they all seem to die out WTH.. (LOW BEAMS) Oh god, those blue "tinted" halogen bulbs are some of the WORST aftermarket bulbs- both in terms of quality and especially in reliability. The ONLY way a halogen bulb can produce a "whiter" light than the standard is if the glass is tinted with a blue coating, or if the coil is of a different material than what's usually used. However, having blue tinted glass simply "filters" the blue light out which reduces intensity (and not to mention looks ridiculous) and increases the amount of light energy bouncing back onto the filament, causing it to heat up beyond its limits and burn out. In an ordinary bulb, light from the filament goes straight through the clear glass. However the tint in these such "tinted" bulbs causes some of the energy released by the filament to remain trapped inside the bulb causing it to heat up; just like how black cars get hotter in the summer v.s. white ones. Here's an example of such aftermarket tinted bulbs: There are direct halogen replacement bulbs given the name HIR, which use a special coating in the clear glass to reflect light energy back onto the filament to get it to burn hotter and thus brighter. But these manufacturers plan for this and ensure that the filament can take the extra heat. The intensity of these bulbs is outstanding (i use them) however the color is the same as the standard halogen. And i agree with dcfish- headlight bulbs should be replaced often as they do become less efficient over time. Not to mention the fact that bulbs can severely damage the inside of your headlight assemblies if they "burst". There's enough energy in a bursting bulb to chip and melt the chrome and plastic housings!

I'd still take the Rx400h's quicker acceleration and passing power. I've driven the 2010+ Rx450h and it is quite less energetic than the Rx400h, something i wouldn't trade for a few mpg.

Like i said in an earlier post, you won't be able to get the car to use the AFS and auto-leveling functions. The motors just won't be plugged into the car. The "settings" for up and down, and left and right will be STUCK at neutral position so it'll be OK. And if you wish to raise or lower, there are adjustment bolts you can turn on the back of the headlights. You don't need any special equipment to adjust the settings, and they will never "move on their own" unless you adjust them yourself. They won't just rattle as you hit bumps- the motors don't move freely unless electricity is sent to them. The headlights in the links above are of the oem AFS + auto-leveling type (which is the best). From the pictures it appears that the lenses are clear (often if headlights have had condensation issues the inside lens will be foggy) although i would send the seller an e-mail to see if he knows the exact year they were removed from. I also don't know why he says he has 19 available... That's weird. I hope the one he sends you if you decide to buy is the same one he has pictured. I'd definitely send him a contact. I'll do some searching for you too, i'll post back if i find anything good. ^_^ Here's one of the 08 Rx400h blue tinted ones; seller says it was damaged and was repaired; might wanna email him and ask what was fixed. Not a bad price! http://www.ebay.com/...=item3cc1d7c33c Or if you wanna go the standard chrome route, here's a good one! The seller claims it's from a 2007 Rx330 (i'm sure he means rx350) so it's out of the condensation age, and it includes the bulb, ballast and housing covers. I'd definitely get this one, it's a great price for having the ballasts and bulbs too! This is the AFS+auto-leveling type (best). http://www.ebay.com/...=item53eb346d98 And here's one for the right side; it's of the same AFS+auto-leveling type as the one above, and also comes with all the bulbs, ballasts and covers. Seller says a crack was repaired but i wouldn't worry about that. I'd still inquire about the exact year it was removed from though. Pretty good price for including all parts. This will save you from having to buy bulbs and ballasts separately! http://www.ebay.com/...=item20c2278e2e Or here's another one for the right side; AFS+auto-leveling. Seller states it's from a 2007 so it's safe for condensation. Doesn't include bulbs, ballasts or covers so you'd need to buy them separately. http://www.ebay.com/itm/2007-OEM-Lexus-RX350-Headlight-Assembly-Right-Side-/130645501588?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item1e6b142694

The Rx400h doesn't (in real life- not according to the numbers Lexus provides) do any better on the highway than the all-gas version. It's only in the city that it does better as the electric motors give the engine a break more often. At high speeds the electric motors hardly ever kick in (you'll notice this if you look at the energy monitor). So basically on the highway you're running on a 3.3L engine similar to that of the Rx330 yet it's carrying the extra weight of the hybrid components...

Definitely- the advantage of performance hybrids is with the torque from the electric motors, and that energy should be used! I don't know if i feel comfortable calling the 2013 GS450h a performance hybrid as it doesn't really make the best of the electric motors for gaining power. Clearly Lexus is using the electric motors to save fuel, not increase power.

I'd keep an eye on eBay to see if a deal comes around. A few things to look for though: 1. Make sure the headlights are OEM and not aftermarket. Some sellers will try to scam you by "not mentioning" whether it's OEM or not; however if it reads OEM in the auction, it probably is. 2. Try to find headlights from an 07-09 (so RX350 or RX400h) as the 04-06 had some condensation issues which the manufacturer claimed to have fixed for 07+). I would completely avoid any auctions that don't indicate the EXACT year the headlights were removed from. Since it's impossible to visually identify the year, most sellers will leave it out. However if sellers say it was from an 07, or and 08 (if they give a specific year, NOT "range") then you should be good. I would really try to avoid the 04-06 as most of them up on Ebay are on there because the have the condensation issue. 3. Note that the 08 Rx400h headlights, even though identical in fitment, have a "blue" tint to the chrome housing. Everything else is the same though and this was only for the 08 year for the Rx400h hybrid. If you like the blue look (which i really do) then think about getting a pair! Just be sure (if you buy the headlights separately) that one isn't from the 08 Rx400h while the other from the 07-09 Rx350 or 06-07 Rx400h as the chrome won't match. 4. Note that there are two versions of the HID projector headlights like i mentioned earlier (one with AFS and auto-leveling, and the other with auto-leveling only) and you cannot mix and match one side with version A and the other with version B. Although they might "appear" to have the same projectors, they are in fact different. The AFS version projectors are much better and have a different output pattern and cutoff than the projectors used in the non-AFS version. Since your car cannot provide input to either AFS nor auto-leveling, either version headlight will be fine; just make sure both the left and right headlights are of the same type. You will definitely notice the difference in output. Please see this thread that was up here a while ago; i posted some pictures to help identify the two different version HID projector headlights. http://us.lexusowner...showtopic=71681 5. Note that not all headlights from ebay will include the HID bulbs and/or factory "ballasts" which are used to ignite the bulbs. Ballasts and bulbs can be purchased separately, ballasts going for about $100/each and a pair of the factory (DO NOT buy aftermarket HID bulbs no matter what sellers claim) Philips HID bulbs for about $100 for the pair. New or used is fine (they are very reliable) just make sure both the left and right side bulbs are the same age (as HID bulbs change color and intensity over time, and you'll be able to see the difference). The factory bulbs you'll need are in size D2S part number 85122, below is a pair on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/...=item4aabd2681c Depending on what the headlights you choose to get "come with" in terms of ballast, bottom ballast cover, gasket, rear cover, etc, you might want to look into this. This auction comes with the ballast and the rear and bottom covers that some headlight sellers might leave out (it also comes with the AFS motor but you don't need it). This is a factory Denso ballast (these are the ones that Lexus uses in all their headlights; they're literally the best and only ones i'd use): http://www.ebay.com/...=item4600afa666 and here's another auction by the same guy claiming it to be the other side (the sides are symmetrical; inquire to the seller whether he has two lefts, two rights, or one of each which is what you need): http://www.ebay.com/...=item4600cd5b59 6. Some (if not all) used headlights you find on ebay might have several broken tabs as they're very fragile. Just as long as the lower bottom one is there, you're OK. The tab on the top and near the high beam side are quite honestly useless and don't help securing the headlight in place. If they're "repaired" that's OK, Lexus actually sells kits for it. And if they're missing that's OK too... You don't really need them. If you want the "blue tinted" version from the 08 Rx400h (which most likely won't have condensation since they were only available for he 08 year) here's one on ebay. This seller claims to have both sides, so i'd send him an email and inquire as to whether or not he does. http://www.ebay.com/...=item2318d23bbd The hardest part is going to be finding the headlights, as not many sellers indicate the EXACT year they came from. You can gamble, but there's no guarantee an 04-06 won't leak. I know this might all sound confusing (and to some degree it is) but it's easy once you make the decision you want to get them... Step one find the headlights. Then determine what parts (ie: bulbs, ballasts, covers) are missing and look for them elsewhere. Once you get all the parts i'll help you put it all together and get everything wired up; i've done it a million times and know EXACTLY what needs to be done once you've got the parts. ^_^ Good luck and feel free to post anything you find on ebay and i'll try to OK them before you buy!

so your saying is the rx330-rx400h 04-09 will fit the 08 rx350? hmm.. I really am looking for just decent projector headlights for HIDs wihtou AFS nor auto level. The car didnt equip with AFS so no need to get AFS then right? This is what I came across over my searches but its way too pricey. http://jdmautolights...a48c1391989c7cd And this one from ebay but too good to be true. Half off from the link above. but the first one is fancy looking dunno how the output will look. http://www.ebay.com/...ssories&vxp=mtr wondering anyone out there who bought or upgraded willing to help me find decent Projector headlights for my vehicle. greatly appreciated. First of all, the headlights in the first link you posted are NOT oem, they are completely, 100% aftermarket. I've actually been in contact with the manufacturer of these, and unfortunately the performance of the light output is VERY poor (they sent me pictures). These have auto-leveling, HID, but no AFS. It uses a single HID bulb through those smaller projector lenses, which is why the output it so bad. And the price of these is astronomical, i think they quoted me in the $1,500 usd range. And the headlights in the second link you posted are also aftermarket, and the likelihood they wont condensate is very slim- not to mention how faded the lenses will become. And the quality of the projectors is not going to be very good either. And the price isn't special either... I'd suggest you purchase a used pair of oem headlights (in the HID, auto-leveling, no AFS version) from an 04-09 RX330/350/400h as they will 100% be a direct replacement to yours on your 08 Rx350. Lexus never changed the attachment points, not a single bit. And all three versions of the headlights are the same size and have the same attachment points- they are all interchangeable with each other. I suggest this because the quality is the best you'll find. Ebay sells them very often, and you should be able to pick up a pair (or get them separately) for around $100/each. I'll help you with the installation, in any way i can from here! It's actually not that hard once you have the headlights complete with the factory ballasts and bulbs. And i wouldn't suggest a projector "retrofit" mod of your current headlights; i've done many and it's not very easy! Based on what you want, i think the route i described above is the best option.

Ahh you're right about the mpg increase, but where did you find the road performance data from? Lexus doesn't make a 2012 GS450h, as the last GS450h sold was advertised as a 2011. Lexus did the same thing with the Rx400h, releasing the last one as a 2008 even though it was still in dealers in 2009... Lexus likes to confuse us i guess!! Lexus' website indicates that the 07-11 GS450h (which all have identical performance) does 0-60mph in 5.2 seconds at 22/25 MPG, while claiming that the 2013 GS450h does it in 5.6 seconds at 29/34 MPG http://www.lexus.com/cpo/model_library/GSh/2011.html http://www.lexus.com/models/GS/hybrid.html So the 2013 GS450h's gas mileage is indeed 32% better in the city and 36% better on the highway than the 07-11 GS450h- that's not that bad! But i'm not sure how many $65,000 sports sedan buyers (those who compare the GS to the BMW 5-Series, Audi, etc) would be willing to sacrifice a half second knot to 60 (which is actually a pretty big difference) for the better fuel economy. The 07-11 GS450h is the quickest Lexus ever produced, besides the IS-F... There isn't a single other Lexus besides the GS model that has worse acceleration ability than it's outgoing model. Maybe if it was the HS, GX, LX, even the ES or RX... but they shouldn't have done this on what they call their premium "sports sedan". And from reviews i've seen for the 2013 GS, the "handling" still needs work. So pretty much, there really isn't anything that "stands out" with the new GS... I would say reliability but there's really no way to tell.