jimxo

The 01 RX we have is a solid well built car.

The turning radius sucks but not a everyday issue. The new RX feels a little cheaper. The door handle I noticed felt weak and light to the touch. Maybe thats better lighter is better right?

The leather is softer in the new RX but feels as if it will not last as long.

I need 330 owners to respond.

I guess i should ad the wife and I were thinking of a new RX is there any difference to the 07 from the 06 years?

Thanks.

rxdriver

I'd say the RX is generally a very well-made car.

The 2004 RX 330 had a number of little first-model-year bugs. The '05 and '06 had a lot fewer issues, but they all share a learning transmission that's biased toward fuel economy. That tends to make the trans seem hesitant in certain driving conditions.

The 2007 RX 350 has a different powertrain based on a 3.5L V6. Otherwise, it's very similar to the RX 330 (a 3.3L V6). The bigger engine certainly solves the hesitation issue!

They did fix the turning radius in the 330/350!

DaveJ

We just traded-in our 2000 RX300, also built very well, for a pre-owned 2005 RX330. We've only had it for several days now, but my initial impression of the RX330 build quality is very good and comparable to the RX300. I think the leather quality is better than on the 2000. I checked with the dealer about recalls on the 2005 and the service advisor said there were none, unlike the 2004 which I believe had 3 recalls. The RX330 is very quiet and rides very well. At 103K miles, our RX300 rode like a truck in comparison to the RX330. And the turning radius of the RX330 is much improved over the RX300. Performance is better, but not by a huge amount.

dhamaka127

Would you happend to know what are the recalls for the 2004 RX330?

DaveJ

I found the recalls mentioned on this forum by using search, but I didn't pay much attention because they referred to the 2004 which I don't own. Do a search here on "2004 RX330 recall" and you'll find lots of posts.

Two notices I found were #4LF for 7 year radiator extension (not a recall), and #5LA for brake booster replacement. There was also something about an interior clip becoming loose.

rxdriver

#3LE was a recall for the first few thousand units made in Japan in early 2003 to change the catalytic converter.

#4LF actually was a recall for the first few thousand units made at the Canada plant. But eventually, Lexus extended the warranty on the radiator for all 2004 RX330's. I also heard from a friend that the same thing happened with the 2004 Sienna.

#4LH was for the switch on the brake pedal on many 2004 RX 330's from both plants, and also for the Toyota Prius.

#5LA was for the brake booster, again affecting the first several thousand Candian-built units. Some bad lots were discovered, so the dealers checked the lot # on the part as well as the VIN before replacing it.

The most recent one (just a couple of months ago; I don't have the number) was for a clip that could come loose on the plastic trim located near the gas pedal. If the clip does break loose, the trim could stick out and interfere with operation of the gas pedal.

lexuslover

i traded in my 01 RX for the 04 330 at launch. i had one of the very first batches produced in Feb 2003 in Japan. i have been quite lucky in that the rattles and such do not exist in my car. i did however have a few transmission complaints, none of which were dangerous or limited my driving style, but more just design flaws which cause jerky shifting and groaning. but again, all liveable complaints. i have implemented at least 6-8 TSB's that have come out on my RX, and now it is out of warranty and still running great.

my initial impression when i got the 04 (and it's posted on CL's archive forum somewhere) was the interior quality had gone up about 500%. french stitching, nicer inserts, seat back magazine holders, dashboard design/material, cupholders etc etc. it was like night and day. i couldn't believe how far it had come in one generation.

driving wise, it was not as big an improvement, and in fact the 330 is much louder than the 300. at first i was a little annoyed by it, but after a while you get used to the less-lexus-quiet factor and treat it more like a utility car. that said, it's still nice, just not total-isolation-lexus-quiet. in any case, the 330 still is fun to drive. we've driven ours on countless road trips, thru the desert, snow, etc. i have not once felt that it was underpowered or incapable of handling anything i ask it to do. sure extra power is always nice, but i've never had any problems gunning it on the freeway when i need to pass someone going 70 (which in some instances is too slow ).