ReXus

Just went to the Taste of Lexus in NYC. It was a lot of fun and if you get a chance its worth going. At Belmont Park in LI they had 3 courses set up; one for heavy cars ES, GX, SC (it really is heay), the IS course with a BMW 330i for comparision and the RX-400 course. 

For me it was a blast, where else do you get to really push a car in a safe enviroment. It wasn't autocross and if you hit a cone, they said they would throw you out, but I squeled some tires and the only complaint I got was about almost coming to a stop, because the ES I was driving had almost caught up to the GX-470 that started before me.

The other fun party was that they had golf pros that gave putting lessons inside and videotaped swing analysis outside. The pros really knew what they were doing and they email you a link to a videotape of your swing analysis.  If you play golf its worth it just for this.

If you go you might want to eat before hand. The "taste" part of the "Taste of Lexus" was small hors d'ouevres that when you read the card were "inspired" by great chefs. Lines for food were long and the soda was only slightly chilled, but if you want food go to a restaurant.  The other down side is that there were no Lexus engineers there. The whole thing is run by AMCI and they do a good job and some of the people are professional drivers, but if you are looking for really technical details this is not the place.

Personally, I like driving anything better than waiting so I just hopped in the shortest lines rather than wait an hour to drive a protype of the about to be introduced IS350.  The 400h was actually fairly nimble through the cones, since they had the course set up tight so there was little time for it to develop severe body roll and the electrics really help. I laughed when I looked at the consumption screen, 9.8 mpg for 40 miles. The 5 minute mpg bars looked like a puddle on the bottom of the screen.  Just remember slow hands on the wheel and start setting up your next turn as you enter the present turn.  :D

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Thanks for the post; glad you enjoyed it. How'd you find out about (and get invited to) this? I waited 2 years on a list and dropped 50 large on a Lexus RX400h and they never told me about it.

I'm about to pull the trigger on a purchase of the RX400h.  Does anyone have any regrets or gripes that would cause them to reconsider the purchase if you were able to do it all over again?

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I'd do it again, and after 5,000+ miles overall I'm quite happy with my RX400h.

- Questionable gas mileage (not living up to expectations of some owners)

I'm not thrilled with my mileage, as I do a measly 3 mile commute to work each day. This is the worst case scenario for hybrids, short trips on a cold engine. I'm getting 24-25 instead of 31. But it's a lot better than the 14-15 of my last SUV!

- Un-intended highway acceleration

Never a problem for me.

- Less than quality or luxury materials in and around vehicle (e.g., plastic materials on door interior rather than leather)

No issues here. I find it very luxurious.

- Apparently no gauge reading of miles remaining until gas is empty

Had that in my last few vehicles, and none was anywhere near accurate. I don't miss it because I never trusted it.

- No tire pressure monitoring system (soon a federal government requirement)

Never had it. Don't need it. I check my pressure every so often.

- Air conditioner blowing warm air

No issues here. Mine works great.

- Air conditioner blowing cold air on the passenger side of the vehicle

No issues here.

- No wood on steering wheel (considering the “wood upgrade” dealer option)

Paid extra to get that on my last vehicle. Nice in a way I guess, but really a total waste of money. The "wood" isn't wood, and it's slippery with wet hands which isn't a good quality to have on a steering wheel.

- Trouble getting the vehicle with the Mark Levinson system (I am encountering this)

I was told there are no ML systems in the northeast (I'm in NY). Bummer. I would have liked that. Never heard it, but now I see relatively negative comments on the system. The basic unit is fine, but not spectacular. At least it's not a horrible Bose which was my single biggest gripe with my last SUV.

Please keep in mind that AWD will *not* help you stop or steer in slippery conditions. It will only help you GO. Be very careful not to get overconfident just becasue you can now go faster in slippery conditions.

Good luck with your new ride!

What was the installed cost ?? I think they really look good.

Thanks for replying.

I don't have my receipt handy, but I think it was in the 700 dollar range. I saw them (or something very similar) on ebay for 450 or so, but I'd have to pay shipping and installation. Even at a higher price, I'd rather have the dealer do them; that way they're officially part of the car insurance-wise and I don't have to worry about !Removed! up my brand new vehicle with a bad DIY job.

right click on my picture choose view , it's much larger

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Yup, that's them. I dont' see why you couldn't take them off the 330 and add them to your new 400h. Good luck!

Do yours look like the steps on my rx330?

They are standard issue RX side tubes, I think. I can't see the ones on your 330, but the ones on my 400h kind of angle down towards the front and the back (in contrast to most trucks/suvs that have perfectly straight pipes). I strongly suspect they are the same for the 330 and 400h, but you'd have to ask your dealer.

Has anyone had the tube steps installed on their RX400h?

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I have them and like them. While I'm 6'3" and don't need them, I frequently have elderly passengers with mobility/flexibility issues who are at least a foot shorter than I am. The side steps are the only easy way for them to climb in. Prior to having the steps installed, I had to carry a small step stool in the vehicle to assist them with getting in.

I also think they look quite good with 400h wheels and my silver exterior. They definitely give the RX a much sportier appearance.

Woo Hoo! A "Hybrid" forum! THANK YOU!!!!!!!

Backing in to the garage worked for me,

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Wouldn't backing in to the garage add a lot more carbon monoxide to the indoor air? With the hybrid it would be fine if running only on electric motors, but lots of times the gas engine is also on. I backed in just once with my last (non-hybrid) SUV and realized it was not a very healthy idea.

It does kind of feel like the car stalls at each red light. After a while, you get used to it.

i like my FM radio the way it is.

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Maybe in your city, radio is good but most places I've been, the station choices are:

The top 10 hip hop records repeated ad nauseum between screaming car dealer ads.

All Stairway to Heaven, Freebird, Aqualung, Layla, Lola repeated ad nauseum between screaming car dealer ads.

All divas all the time, repeated ad nauseum between screaming car dealer ads.

Hate-spewing pompous/obnoxious talk shows that are actually worse than all the screaming car dealer ads.

Praise the Lord and send us all your money so we can buy Rolls Royces and more mascara.

NPR.

XM/Sirius provides some relief. CDs/MP3s provide the rest.

I used a wire-tie to attach a big car-wash type sponge to the garage door handle. When the hatch is open in the garage (I open it manually) the rear wiper hub gently touches the big thick sponge and no damage is done. Worked like a charm with my last SUV too. Sure, it's not real classy looking but I'm the only one who ever sees the inside of my garage door and I don't care.

I'd love the hatch to open farther, as I'm 6'3' and no stranger to smacking my head on the open hatch when I'm not thinking. After a good hard smack, I'm usually thinking even less!

The 400h is environmentally cleaner, faster, better looking, and obviously more efficient. Having said that, the Thundercloud Edition is the best looking version, in my opinion. It's purely an appearance package, but a really nice one at that.

Here's what I use. It looks like original equipment from Lexus, it's the perfect height/width/length for the floor behind the center console (I leave mine slid all the way to the front), it has a snap close attached lid (so nobody has to see your bottle caps, fast food wrappers, and used tissues), and is very classy and high quality. If you have the black interior, nobody will ever think it was an aftermarket add-on. It's that perfect.

http://store.yahoo.com/organizeeverything1/autfloorlit.html

If the audio system has ever been "worked on" it's possible that the speakers are mistakenly wired out of phase. That would cancel out any bass on any system, no matter how high you cranked it up.

Buy the RX. If you hate it, sell it at a profit and get a different car. It's a no lose situation; don't blow it.

Speed will kill your mileage. Since getting my RX400h a few weeks ago, I've been alternating between driving like I was trying to set a new high-mileage record, and driving like a reasonable, but calm driver.

Today, I got on the Thruway and took the h up to 95 mph for a short spell and did most of my driving at 80 (with the flow of traffic). Mileage at that speed: 22mpg, easily my worst yet.

But now I've experienced both the Jeckyl and the Hyde of this car. Frugal miser vs Speed demon. Both personalities are lots of fun in their own delightful way.

Squeak free here. This is the first car in a long time that didn't squeak.

I got so used to filling with premium in my last vehicle that I felt guilty using regular in a new $50k vehicle. But I did it anyway and can't tell the difference. The miles per gallon are good, but the miles per dollar is now even better!

Oddly, no. Hyundai has it, Lexus does not. Go figure.

Hi Jerry,

I'll be bringing my RX400h in to install the tube steps next week. The dealer had two different "option sheets," a long one for the 330 and a short one for the 400. The tube steps were on both lists though. The basic body frame and most of the intereior are the same, but that's about it. Engine, tranny, bumpers, electrical system, etc. are all different. The steps should fit both cars.

I am asking if anyone knows for sure if the tube steps and rear wag bar will bolt directly to a Rx400h?

I want to swap the ones from my 330 to a 400.

My salesman was supossed to get back to me, but as usual he did not.

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I financed through the dealer for convenience purposes. I was surprized when they gave me 4.4%, as I was expecting to get 9.9 or something that would be a huge profit center for the dealership. My intent from the beginning was (and still is) to switch over to my credit union (@ 3.70%) right after that, because the credit union will "buy" my loan for $100 cash. So I get a better rate and $100 fun money to boot!

The poll is looking like quite the landslide. Is there any target date for starting the separate RX400h forum? Thanks.

I believe all Lexus dealers fear poor results on the post-purchase Lexus survey sent to all new owners. Bad survey results = bad relations with corporate.

No doubt, you have one of the worst Lexus dealers in the county if they treated so horribly, AND made your car unsafe in the process.

Let Lexus (Toyota) corporate know that, and send a photocopy of your survey to the General Manager (or owner) of the dealership. The squeaky wheel (in this case, quite literally) gets the grease.

Good luck.

Four days and 180 miles after delivery, I'm seeing 23-24 mpg in mixed city/highway driving. Still, it beats 14-16 on my last SUV so I'm happy for now.

It's been a long time since I've gone this long without waiting on line at a gas station. I see in the owner's manual that they recommend 87 octane (or 91 for "better performance"). That'll save me 20 cents a gallon too!

The Acura NAV system lets you do this as well, and it's a great system (unlike BMW).