Has anyone removed their RX roof racks to see if they get any better highway gas mileage? I know the difference may be very small, but over long highway trips maybe it would make a little but worthwhile difference? Thanks.

 

I thought about doing that since I have a 90-mile round-trip highway commute. I eventually decided against it because the RX300 just looks so much nicer with the racks on. Especially from my office window.

Besides, if I worry about gas money, I probably shouldn't drive a Lexus SUV.

 

I recommend you to take it off if you never plan to use it. I have seen a 99 RX with paint starting to peel off those aluminum bars. Aluminum is great looking (Porsche Cayenne), all black is OK, but spotty black on aluminum is bad. w/o roofrack will help to reduce drag coefficient. The energy used to overcome additional drag can be saved or used to push the car forward. If you have doubt, just watch those flaps when a jumbo plane is trying to land - they extend upward/downward to slow the airplane down.

 

I took my roof racks off the first day I had my RX. So I dont what difference it makes on gas Mileage. I took them off and put a spoiler on. And it looks much better. Another benefit was I sold them on eBay. And the money I recieved made my first payment.

 

Dump them if you are not going to use them. They are quite easy to take off and the RX will have much better looking lines. It might make only 1 MPG difference. I started drag racing my RX about 5 months after I took them off so I would not even know the effect on drag in 1/4 mile times.

 

Thanks for the replies. I think I'm going to take them off and see how it looks. Is it necessary to completely remove the thumb screws? Or, do you just loosen them and slide the entire rack assembly towards the rear and lift it up from the rails?

 

One rack at a time, unscrew counter clockwise the thumb screws fully on each side. They are retained to and in the rack with a C-clip. Lift off the rack, marking on a piece of tape which is the rear or front rack and the front installed edge of both. Slide the rail clips to the rear and "replace the clip on the thumb screws retained in each rack". Bag up the racks in plastic trash bags, tape each to seal. Mark the outside as to which is the front or rear rails.

 

Thanks for the detailed explanation Tammy!

 

You can also help yourself on gas by dumping the mudflaps around the wheel wells, thus smoothing the aerodynamics even further. Easy to come off and the paint is the same underneath.

 

 

Now that I am reading this thread, I am thinking I will take them off our 02. The challenge is storing them securely. The paint peeled off the ones on our 2000. I had to repaint it before selling, because I am sure it would have detracted from the sale price. We park in a garage, and it still peeled.

I think you can just loosen and lift.

 

I took the racks off today and it was very easy. I like the look of the RX better without the racks. It looks a little more streamlined and car-like.

 

i took my roof rack off more than once trying to love it without. I have to see it. Howver it looks better than fixed applications. i LOVE to c the roof rails on the rx330. If they had for the 300, i would get it in an instant

 

I figured I'd post some photos of my RX300 without the roof racks. I took them off yesterday when I put a coat of wax of the car. I like the look and it was easy to remove. My wife wants them back on, but I'll let her drive around town for a few weeks and ask her what she thinks.

What do you all think about this look?

 

Photo 2 of no roof racks.