Cargo Capacity of a RX300??? ???? ????
09-30-04, 07:02 AM
#1
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
Cargo Capacity of a RX300??? ???? ????
I am strongly considering a 99 RX300 for a work vehicle ( mainly transporting myself and a 4ft ladder, small boxes around ). What I haven't been able to do as of yet is determine how much room this vehicle offers when the rear seats fold down ( assuming that they do ). Does anyone have any pics of their interior when prepared to carry large items around.
Also,....I've been sifting through this forum.... is the general consensus that this vehicle is very reliable or slightly problem prone when compared to it's other lexus siblings, and or other mid sized SUV's? I currently have a 97 SC400 and have had no mechanical problems with the car and it currently has 171K miles on it ( thank God ).
I am lookin' to buy one in the next week or so,...any input is appreciated.
Also,....I've been sifting through this forum.... is the general consensus that this vehicle is very reliable or slightly problem prone when compared to it's other lexus siblings, and or other mid sized SUV's? I currently have a 97 SC400 and have had no mechanical problems with the car and it currently has 171K miles on it ( thank God ).
I am lookin' to buy one in the next week or so,...any input is appreciated.
09-30-04, 07:46 AM
#2
Re: Cargo Capacity of a RX300??? ???? ????
A 4' ladder and small boxes are no problem at all. The RX300 has a split back to the rear seat and easily folds down flat. Also, another great thing is the lack of drop off from the rear hatch opening to the rear floor. I'd recommend getting the black rubber rear bumper-top protector that was standard on the '01-'03 models, if you get a "99 model that doesn't have it already.
Why not look at a used one at you local Lexus dealer? I would think actually seeing it is better than looking at pictures.
I'd look to be sure you get one that has a record of regular oil changes by the dealer, not Jiffylube-type places. The engine used in the RX300 is suseptable to oil gelling if oil changing has been severely neglected. My understanding is that Lexus has an extended warranty for oil gelling, but why ask for problems.
I would think that the RX300 would be as reliable as any other Lexus. A downer is the turning radius. Don't try making a U-turn on a 4-lane road (2 lanes each way). You learn to live with it though. Another downer is the limited rear visibility , but I think this is probably inherent in SUV's/vans
Why not look at a used one at you local Lexus dealer? I would think actually seeing it is better than looking at pictures.
I'd look to be sure you get one that has a record of regular oil changes by the dealer, not Jiffylube-type places. The engine used in the RX300 is suseptable to oil gelling if oil changing has been severely neglected. My understanding is that Lexus has an extended warranty for oil gelling, but why ask for problems.
I would think that the RX300 would be as reliable as any other Lexus. A downer is the turning radius. Don't try making a U-turn on a 4-lane road (2 lanes each way). You learn to live with it though. Another downer is the limited rear visibility , but I think this is probably inherent in SUV's/vans
09-30-04, 09:55 AM
#3
Out of Warranty
Corporate Jet - and more!
I used my '00 RX 300 and my current RX 330 to haul equipment around town and on extended road trips. It is really amazing just how much cargo space this smallish vehicle has. I carried a full professional video rig - a big camera, tripod, monitor, and toolkit plus my luggage (2 sports bags, 2 garment bags), a cooler and a few groceries for the road - on a 6800 mile, 3 week road trip in my brand-new 300.
All of that gear, except for a jacket and hat fit in the cargo area (both back seats remained up), and under the "window shade" cover. Go to your local dealer and try several combinations of seat placement. Remember that the rear seat slides to allow you to stretch that cargo bay a few inches when needed, without having to fold the seats. I'm not fond of having those back seats down unless I just can't avoid it because in an SUV you soon learn that all cargo will migrate forward under braking. When you reach your destination, you may have a long way to crawl to get to what you want! Pack snugly, but not tight.
What I particularly appreciated was the load floor that was almost perfectly flat, allowing me to slide large pieces in and out easily, while providing a convenient work area under the raised hatch. As a bonus, my wife and I have found that cargo area to be great seating for fireworks shows, races, parades - or a light picnic. While the open hatch protects against a sudden summer shower, a few CD's make for a intimate dinner for two.
For work, you do have to be careful about scratching the sill trim at the bottom of the opening - and that bumper. To protect the sill area, just buy a small scrap of appropriately colored carpet - a thin commercial grade will do fine. Tuck it under your cargo mat, leaving a couple inches to flip over the sill and bumper when you load the big stuff.
bob2200 is right, installing that black pad from the '01 and later models would be a good idea. It will protect the top of the bumper, but not the edge. Because no such solution was available in '00, I got a piece of that "clear bra" 3M material from Stongard or Xpel that was cut to fit the upper surface of the bumper. I cheated the installation a little to pull it back and let it wrap down over the bumper to prevent damage from people leaning things against the edge of that soft plastic. It took a little fitting, but now I know if you put that stuff on in warm weather using a hair dryer to warm it up a little, it will conform to almost any curve. After a month or so to cure and reach its final shape (I installed on a chilly early spring evening) the fit was perfect and the film was completely invisible. After three years of use, there were a couple of tiny scuffs on the film, but no damage to the bumper beneath.
The turning radius of the 300 was pretty wide, requiring you to make a second pass at a tight u-turn - or making you think twice before swinging into that parking space at the mall. It didn't bother me too much, coming out of a Suburban, just odd that a smaller vehicle required so much space to make a turn. Not a problem, just something to be aware of. The 330 fixed all that.
As far as problems were concerned, in nearly 65K I went through one O2 sensor and a set of tires. Within another 15-20K I would probably be looking at brake pads and later maybe another set of tires. My RX 300 was absolutely reliable and never missed a beat in all those miles. Check on the availability of a CPO vehicle - while the price will be a little higher thanks to the extended coverage, you will have the confidence of a thorough inspection (they won't warrant an iffy vehicle, it costs them money), and an extended warranty to cover major problems.
As a business conveyance the RX can't be beat - it's relatively small and maneuverable, smooth, quiet, and luxurious for an SUV, and you can carry a client in impressive, comfortable, but not opulent style. For the occasional weekend getaway or an extended road trip, we still call it the "Corporate Jet".
All of that gear, except for a jacket and hat fit in the cargo area (both back seats remained up), and under the "window shade" cover. Go to your local dealer and try several combinations of seat placement. Remember that the rear seat slides to allow you to stretch that cargo bay a few inches when needed, without having to fold the seats. I'm not fond of having those back seats down unless I just can't avoid it because in an SUV you soon learn that all cargo will migrate forward under braking. When you reach your destination, you may have a long way to crawl to get to what you want! Pack snugly, but not tight.
What I particularly appreciated was the load floor that was almost perfectly flat, allowing me to slide large pieces in and out easily, while providing a convenient work area under the raised hatch. As a bonus, my wife and I have found that cargo area to be great seating for fireworks shows, races, parades - or a light picnic. While the open hatch protects against a sudden summer shower, a few CD's make for a intimate dinner for two.
For work, you do have to be careful about scratching the sill trim at the bottom of the opening - and that bumper. To protect the sill area, just buy a small scrap of appropriately colored carpet - a thin commercial grade will do fine. Tuck it under your cargo mat, leaving a couple inches to flip over the sill and bumper when you load the big stuff.
bob2200 is right, installing that black pad from the '01 and later models would be a good idea. It will protect the top of the bumper, but not the edge. Because no such solution was available in '00, I got a piece of that "clear bra" 3M material from Stongard or Xpel that was cut to fit the upper surface of the bumper. I cheated the installation a little to pull it back and let it wrap down over the bumper to prevent damage from people leaning things against the edge of that soft plastic. It took a little fitting, but now I know if you put that stuff on in warm weather using a hair dryer to warm it up a little, it will conform to almost any curve. After a month or so to cure and reach its final shape (I installed on a chilly early spring evening) the fit was perfect and the film was completely invisible. After three years of use, there were a couple of tiny scuffs on the film, but no damage to the bumper beneath.
The turning radius of the 300 was pretty wide, requiring you to make a second pass at a tight u-turn - or making you think twice before swinging into that parking space at the mall. It didn't bother me too much, coming out of a Suburban, just odd that a smaller vehicle required so much space to make a turn. Not a problem, just something to be aware of. The 330 fixed all that.
As far as problems were concerned, in nearly 65K I went through one O2 sensor and a set of tires. Within another 15-20K I would probably be looking at brake pads and later maybe another set of tires. My RX 300 was absolutely reliable and never missed a beat in all those miles. Check on the availability of a CPO vehicle - while the price will be a little higher thanks to the extended coverage, you will have the confidence of a thorough inspection (they won't warrant an iffy vehicle, it costs them money), and an extended warranty to cover major problems.
As a business conveyance the RX can't be beat - it's relatively small and maneuverable, smooth, quiet, and luxurious for an SUV, and you can carry a client in impressive, comfortable, but not opulent style. For the occasional weekend getaway or an extended road trip, we still call it the "Corporate Jet".
Last edited by Lil4X; 09-30-04 at 10:53 AM.
10-01-04, 06:44 PM
#4
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Raw Deal
I don't think you're going to get proper perception with pictures. I have a '99 and here are the raw numbers:
Depending on how far you move the front seats forward, you can get as much as 66" inches from front seat back to tailgate.
Maximum width is at rear seats from door handle to handle, which is 54", but real total width if you have a wide object and resting on the floor is 40". There are two large rear wheel wells that take up a lot of space back there.
Height is minimum at tailgate with 33" but inside max at 37"
I've had mine since Dec. '99 and it's got 67K on it now. Nothing has needed replacement yet (knock on wood) except the front brake pads at 56K. Rears are still running strong, but look like they'll probably go in another 5000 miles or so.
We also have a '03 MDX and there is no comparing the two with rear seats up. The MDX has so much more room back there. With that said, we do find ourselves using the RX for the better ride.
Good luck RX hunting. It's a great SUV.
Depending on how far you move the front seats forward, you can get as much as 66" inches from front seat back to tailgate.
Maximum width is at rear seats from door handle to handle, which is 54", but real total width if you have a wide object and resting on the floor is 40". There are two large rear wheel wells that take up a lot of space back there.
Height is minimum at tailgate with 33" but inside max at 37"
I've had mine since Dec. '99 and it's got 67K on it now. Nothing has needed replacement yet (knock on wood) except the front brake pads at 56K. Rears are still running strong, but look like they'll probably go in another 5000 miles or so.
We also have a '03 MDX and there is no comparing the two with rear seats up. The MDX has so much more room back there. With that said, we do find ourselves using the RX for the better ride.
Good luck RX hunting. It's a great SUV.
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