lexguynj

What I don't understand is why people are saying, wait until the 3rd model year of this new generation just to reap the benefits of the best reliability possible?

That means you miss out on those 2 great years before, simply because you are worried about reliability issues, that won't be huge.

Enjoy the new RX330 while you can and if you are ready to buy. The only reason you may not want to buy it immediately is due to a better chance to negotiate once it's been on the market for a while.

dchesanek

LexRx,

My comments about the Lexus vs Honda were not directed to you but to "vicpai". Check his post and unless I'm totally confused my post had nothing to do with your comments.

LexRX

dchesanek, if what you say is true, then then your comment to vicpai doubled over as a comment that worked equally for my post. I was explanining relevance where you were against relevance (us both using the word "relevance").

A case of confuision for sure. If your comments weren't directed toward or in relation to mine, 'nuff said

lexguynj

I have to say again I have faith in any first model year vehicle from Lexus. Lexus is not perfect, but it is close to perfect. I definitely don't want to wait, especially if ready to buy the RX330.

On the other hand, as a BMW owner too, I have less faith in a first year production BMW, simply because of it's history and it's no LEXUS in terms of quality.

A good reference is to check out the GX forum and see how our new owners are reporting any quality issues (if any) about their brand spanking new GX, which is even a new design, where as the RX is just a revamp.

LexRX

The quality of the Lexus GX may also me a product of it being from a platform that is not new, only to the North American market. The Toyota Prado (which is what the GX and 4Runner are based on) has been in the overseas market for years. This allows us to see a "new" vehicle with the "bugs" worked out. The IS300 was a similar situation.

vicpai

.......as many thousands of REAL owners of German vehicles will tell you, if you ask them about their ownership experience. All you have to do is just visit some of the BMW and Mercedes enthusiast websites to read about the HORROR STORIES with their beloved German vehicles and your eyes will be opened!

Additionally, I don't give much weight to what JD Powers has to say! First off, they're paid by the manufacturers. Secondly their methodology of obtaining their information is very suspect (especially the "intial build quality survey" - Just to give you one example: they count the number of problems, without accounting for the SEVERITY of the problem. 2 vehicles may have just ONE problem (one has it's engine blow up, the other has a interior trim piece fall off. Are they the same?? I DON'T THINK SO!! )

........JD Powers themselves, have recently begun a "long-term" Vehicle dependability Survey, (which according to them accounts for TYPES OF PROBLEMS as well), which they claim gives a better picture of a vehicle's overall build-quality. PLEASE SEE THE LINK BELOW TO HEAR IT FROM THE HORSES MOUTH

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/...pendable_x.htm

.....The article says in their own words "despite high prices German vehicles don't hold up as well as Japanese ones" It also says "The top five scorers in the long term dependability survey were Japanese" I rest my case!

Consumer Reports (a non-profit organization) on the other hand paints a much better picture of a vehicle's reliability. They score a vehicle on the NUMBER and TYPES of problems......and guess what??....Most German vehicles are "Below average" to "Poor" and the highest any of them have ever been is "Average" . Japanese vehicles OTOH are mostly rated EXCELLENT!

That said, I would'nt buy a German vehicle if they gave it to me for half the price of a Lexus!!

Additionally, A Lexus in it's first year in production is anyday far superior to a German vehicle in it's friggin 10th year in production!!

The discussion on reliability here was to compare Lexus vehicles with OTHER LEXUS VEHICLES.......Yes, "nitpicky" kind of stuff for people like us used to TYPICAL JAPANESE PERFECTION!!

mongrel

Very good points about JD Powers. Auto makers with perception problems (ie, GM, Jaguar) love to quote their "initial quality" ratings. Initial quality means nothing. How does that "quality" stand up over, say 3-5 years? Only Consumer Reports can fairly answer that.

dchesanek

First the JD Powers survey is at least some type of statistical meaurement not some people on message boards complaining about their cars. I hope you don't rely on message boards for investments. If you think JD Powers is paid by the mfg's than you most think the same about every automobile publication because that's another rumor. And for the record I have owned a Porsche 914, (2) 911's (1) 944 (1) 944 Turbo (1) Boxster (2) 928's I cannot count more than 10 minor problems in total from these cars.

This is the statment that was inaccurate from vicpai: and still is

So, as can be seen there is A BIG DIFFERENCE!!......I would go as far as to say that, IMHO, the most unreliable Japanese vehicle is far superior in reliabilty and dependabilty than the most reliable German or American vehicle.

Your not going to tell me a Suzuki is more reliable, short term or long term than a Porsche

I have seen the JD Powers long term reliabity scores. Funny how you believe that information.

I really like the last statement where initial quality is not important. Yea, just what I want is a brand new car that has hundreds of problems in the first two years and than becomes reliable.

Rexus300

iTrader: (1)

Please everyone!!

The Acura MDX is built in Ontario, Canada also! And it has not suffered much quality problems at all in the first year. I have an Acura MDX and a Lexus RX300. BOth of them were bought during the first year, and the only complaint for the MDX was a little rattle and squeak, and no other problems. I love my MDX and my RX300. My brother has an Acura TL, which is built in Ohio, and it has no problems at all and it feels like it was built in Japan.

The new RX330 should not suffer quality issues when built in Canada other that few rattles and squeaks.

Dave

Skulinex

I will just give my input, my dad got a tundra the first year it came out, he actually was in the waiting list for that truck... let me tell you, after 4 years of driving and utility use, it hasnt have any problems whatsoever, very nice vehicle, strong engine, might not be as strong as the other ones but for what he uses it, the power it's just adecuate.. and trust me, that 4.7 engine takes off nice for a darn truck...the fit/quality inside is very good also.. they got a 2002 toyota corolla "beater" back in august also, that one came from california, I was amazed of the interior fit, it's very darn close, as a magazine described it, it has that 'minilexus' feeling inside, and so far no problems and it has almost 10k miles on the odo already.. so I would trust a car made in america coming from toyota.. yes bad stuff has happened with other models in the past but I'm very sure they know this and they will do whatever it will take to make sure the car is a sucess, specially since it will replace one of the best sellers of their lineup

pbm317

Toyota/Lexus has taken many steps to ensure that the new plant can produce vehicles up to the same Lexus standards.

looknow12

Where is the plant located in Canada? Is it west of Toronto?

Gojirra99

In reply to:
Canadian Plant located in Cambridge, Ontario.

looknow12

Ohh, I've driven by that building. It's a good looking building :-).

Can't say much for the quality of it.

tkphua

heard from our local distributor here in Singapore that the RX330 will be in sometime this march/april 2003. will be a 3litre version, tagged as RX300 (www.lexus.com.sg). shipment is from japan though actual specs and options are still unknown.

also available will be a 2.4litre variant (Toyota Harrier) incoming from Japan, thru our local parallel importers.