rvanwart

I have had my RX 2008 for 1 month , not totaly thrilled with it due that I should have purchased the Toyota 4-Runner Limited , but that's another story.Why do you dislike the RX so much ?

salimshah

Although the question is for AM1, here are my 2c

Expectations and personal experience ... Both of these are some what universal .. not necessarily only applicable to Lexus or RX.

If you expect too much, you will most probably be disappointed. This is typically a let down.

The personal experience starts from the time you are looking for a vehicle, then buying, financing (what ever) and then the long tail of ownership. Somewhere in there is also the buyers remorse and paranoia [the major paranoia with RX is the transmission].

I will cite you two examples ..

1. Some one bought an RX and in first couple of months had flat tires due to nails [not leaks]. The person was inquiring if the RX is a nail magnet. [Cant blame him as he does not get flats driving the same roads in another vehicle]. If you detach yourself and you will come to the conclusion that it was just bad luck.

2. A fellow member was experiencing jerky engagement of drive gear. [from park or reverse]. After getting that fixed he experienced main seal leak. Talk to him now, he has every reason to be un-happy, but his views are still balanced.

At the end the diversity of views brings interest and debate. Fortunately we have been civil about it. So all views are welcome.

Salim

RXSF

is this an RX bashing thread? lol

I think there are two possible reasons why he hates it

1) He just totally got a lemon and his limit is reached and is beyond on problems
2) He actually doesnt have that many problems and is just like all of us except he has a very low threshold that he is willing to take.

lol

now since im not a psychologist, nor been through what he has, i cant say much else. its just not his type of car is all.

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

Don't know why AM1 doesn't like his RX, but I can tell you from my eperience with my 04 that it wasn't a bad car at all, but it really has been the least "Lexus" like of the Lexus cars I've owned. One problem is when you talk to Lexus owners they hype the brand so much that you think you will never have any problems. While it is true that Lexus on a whole is one of the most reliable brand out there, often owners talk the brand up so much and neglect to talk about the things that do go wrong. When a new owner to Lexus buys a $45K RX350 for example, and the tranny shifts funny, the paint chips easy, you have to go through a few TSIBs and recalls, and general fit and finish is not where Lexus cars used to be, one can be a little dissapointed in the car.

Often people make fun of BMW and Mercedes claiming those cars will be at the dealer for repairs often. Problem is, the amount of recalls and TSIBs the 04 (The year I owned) had was a lot and even my RX330 spent a lot of time at the dealership more than my old BMW. Anyway, the RX is a good car and one of the best in its class, just not the best choice all the time for everyone.

I'm a believer that every car is a compromise and simply can't please everyone. When I buy a car, I will never find a car that pleases me 100% in all areas unless I am able to design and build the car myself. Therefore, I buy a car with the least amount of compromises and those that I can live with.

RXSF

this is so funny that you point out that the RX is the least liked of your owned lexus cars. These are the cars ive owned in my life.

1994 C280 Mercedes
1999 RX300 AWD
2002 IS300
2004 RX330 AWD
2004 Sienna Toyota
(note: All my Lexus cars have been serviced religiously every 5K miles at a lexus dealership)

I must say, the RX series, both the RX300 and the RX330 have been the best cars i have ever owned. I loved the RX300 so much that when the lease was up, i bought the newer version and i like it even better than the old. I dont know about you, but ive had two recalls and no TSBs done to my car. Its broken down once on me and it was a dead battery, which lexus sent a tow truck for free. Im at 68,000 miles right now, and i plan to by the new RX### when that comes out.

Perhaps im just lucky. With a first year model, it has been very problem free. Perhaps its also because its built in Japan and most of the user's cars here are built in Canada?

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

I never said the RX was the least liked of my Lexus cars. That prize goes to my 93 SC400. What I said was the RX is the least "Lexus" like car of all the Lexus cars I've owned thus far. What I'm saying is the build qaulity and fit and finish is nowhere near how the older Lexus cars where built. The RX also has one of the more noisy interiors and louder engines compared to other Lexus cars. Now, I personally don't mind those things at all and in fact I like to hear engine and exhausts noises myself, but the majority of Lexus buyers don't care for that sort of thing. They usually like the ultra plush, ultra quiet cars.

As for the recalls and TSIBs I've had, I posted it before but here it is.

My car was a 04 bought new in April of 2003 with a build date of March 2003 I believe from Japan.

Brake light sensor recall.
Emmisions related recall. (Not sure what that changed though)
Potential plastic clip affecting accelerator recall. (This one I had no symtoms, but a recall is a recall so I had it done)
Electronic lift gate changed under TSIB campaign.
Oil coolant hose TSIB
Clunking noise in trans area TSIB
Dash rattle TSIB (I chose not to have this one done)
Warped rotor TSIB (I chose not to have this one done as well)
Vanity mirror TSIB campain.
Rear windshield wiper replace under TSIB campain
Went through two transmission TSIB reflash updates and it still didn't fix the odd shifting in the tranny

Both headlights replace under warranty due to condensation

Other than that the car served me well for 60K miles. I enjoyed it for what it was, but it was far from the best car I've ever owned, but it still is among the better ones I've owned.


If I posted that very same list for a BMW or Infiniti people here would laugh at me and say I should have gotten a Lexus

Off topic, but if you want to know the order of my best cars here it is.

1) 92 Acura NSX
2) 93 Acura Legend Coupe 6-Speed
3) 99 Lexus LS400
4) 95 Acura Legend Coupe automatic
5) 04 RX330
6) 91 Acura Integra LS
7) 95 BMW 325i
8) 94 ES300
9) 93 SC400

The other cars where just various economy cars that are not worth mentioning.

The other cars where just

AM1

iTrader: (6)

funny that someone has asked this question, because i was thinking recently to make a post to review owning the rx330. well anyways ill keep it short. This is my second lexus ive owned the first being an rx300 before that i owned 3 toyotas. There are many problems that the Rx330-350 has. Lexus i think rides on their reputation for build quality and up until i got this rx330 they have delivered. My old rx300 had its share of problems but nothing until the car was very old before i sold it at 96K. What drives me absoultely insane about the rx330 is the amount of service bulletins and problems that need fixing the rx330 has had ever since ive had this car. ive never been to the dealer so many times to fix things that IMO should not be happening especially on a car that costs so much. My biggest issue is the transmission which shifts however it feels like, not only is the transmission bad the dealers have no fix for it. They know there is no fix and tried to BS me saying that is how it is. Really though the biggest thing is that lexus HQ itself does not care enough to fix this problem and the dealers admitted that after i prodded them about it. I could make another post just on the stuff that has gone wrong with my RX330 plus other problems other rx330 owners i know have had with their cars. So my bottom line is that with the reputation lexus has for building high quality cars and such that the RX would be a much better made car and not have so many problems. The RX is the most popular car they sell and they have this many problems?

harleydjce

Interesting. I am on my 3rd Lexus. I traded my RX330 for an RX350 earlier this year. My RX330 was one of the earlier builds of the first series here in Oz and I had absolutely no problems with it. No Recalls, TSB's or otherwise. Just scheduled servicing. Mine was made in Japan but had the same engine, transmission etc as US models. It was,in short, bulletproof. Prior to the RX330 I had an IS200 (same as the IS300 but with a smaller inline 6 cylinder motor), again, there was one recall, handled with aplomb by Lexus. The quality, or lack of it based on these forums, of Lexus Dealers in the US astounds me. The only time that I see the inside of a dealership is when I am trading my vehicles. Lexus collect my car, provide me with the same model as a loaner, service it, details it and then return it to me along with an Invoice for what I consider to be a fair price

mandyfig

You are lucky you got it made! There's a certain way we do it here in the US, everybody wants a piece of the pie and some of them are not willing to work for it.

harleydjce

I find this truly amazing in a place where there is so much competition and the prices for most things are soooo cheap (compared to OZ)( My Rx350 cost the equivalent of US$79K).

mandyfig

Wow, that is freeking steep! $79k? That's why you get the "service."

RXSF

err harley pretty much described my lexus experience for the past 8 years.

platinumLS

iF the vin# on ur rx begins with a 2 ur rx was made in canada and if it begins with a j it was built in japan ..the rx built in canada for so reason or the ones with the problems

AM1

iTrader: (6)

uh not always. mine came from japan and its has problems galore