davezaristo

The build quality for on 12 rx is definitely subpar compare to my 01 gs430..the door panel does not align perfectly and the material used is definitely cheaper..

Paul B

Hi Dave,

Something for you to consider is to bring the car back to the dealer and ask them to realign the door panel so it fits properly, while it's still under warranty.

As for materials quality, I also have a 2012 RX 350 and haven't noticed any degradation in overall quality compared to my 2005 LS 430 or 2000 LX 470.

davezaristo

Yeah I will plan on doing that on my 5k service..the fact that my car is made in US rather than Japan is giving me a bad feeling..

Cruiter

If it wasn't made in Japan, then it was made in Canada for all cars (Lexus) sold in North America.

markrivers

it's either Japan or Canada...if you got a US made RX 350, that's a knock off.
compared to my our previous Lexus GX 470, i don't agree that the materials are subpar.
I'd like to point out though, that there are some cost cutting.. on the top of my head right now.. the sun glass holder.

HAWAI'I

UNION workers are causing our beloved Lexus' quality to go down

Cruiter

Not sure about that. Is the Canadian plant union? Don't think they even have them in Japan. If I'm wrong then someone correct me please.

davezaristo

I took a quick glance at my sticker quickly when I took delivery and it said Detroit, Michigan so I assume it was made in the US..so my bad.....i thought it would say a city or province in Canada instead...

Paul B

Detroit is the US Port of Entry for the Toronto, Canada area, where the RX's are assembled.

BCRCornet

@davezaristo:
You might find this page of some interest:
http://www.lexus.com/about/corporate/manufacturing.html

It's my understanding that "most" 3rd generation RX 350s for the North American market are made in Cambridge, Ontario. RX 350s with some high-end options (e.g., HUD, or VDIM), and all RX 450s, are made in Kyushu, Japan.

davezaristo

well, regardless where it is made in, i am now hearing some rattling coming from the rear seat or trunk area and my car is under 200 miles...I have never heard any of that in m 91 LS400 or 01 GS430...I guess time for a dealer visiting for the rattling and mis-aligned door panel issue...this is rather disappointing on Lexus quality and I am afraid that fact that it was not made in japan had something to do with it...

whazzup

I will add to the fact that I feel the quality of my 11 RX350 has changed compared to my 04 GX470. There are rattles I never had with the prior vehicle. The build quality has deteriorated -- very un-Lexus like.

kwbuggy

I can assure the "anti-union" poster that the Cambridge, Ontario Lexus plant is definitely NON UNION. The Autoworkers' Union has tried to organize the plant at least three times and a couple of other unions also tried but none of them are able to get 50% of the employees to vote for a union shop. On the other hand, all Japanese Lexus and Toyota plants are unionized and have been for at least forty years.
I am somewhat biased but do not agree at all that the Canadian made product is inferior in any way to the Japanese product. JD Power has consistently rated the Cambridge plant one of the best in the world, attached is their 2011 ranking:

Assembly Plant Awards
Three assembly plants receive Platinum Plant Quality Awards (in a three-way tie) for producing models yielding the fewest defects and malfunctions: the Toyota Motor Corporation Cambridge South, Ontario, Canada, plant (which produces the Lexus RX); the Toyota Motor Corporation Kyushu 2, Japan, plant (which produces the Lexus ES, IS and RX); and the Honda Motor Company plant in Greensburg, Ind. (which produces the Civic). These plants average just 24 PP100. Plant awards are based solely on average levels of defects and malfunctions and exclude design-related problems.

and the 2012 ranking:

Plant Assembly Line Quality Awards

Honda Motor Company's Suzuka 3, Mie (Sss) plant in Japan, which produces the Honda CR-Z and Fit, receives the Platinum Plant Assembly Line Quality Award for producing models yielding the fewest defects or malfunctions. Plant awards are based solely on average levels of defects and malfunctions and exclude design-related problems.

Among plants in the North/South Americas region, Toyota's Cambridge (Ontario) South plant, which produces the Lexus RX, receives a Gold Plant Assembly Line Quality Award.

In the Europe and Africa region, Volvo receives a Gold Plant Assembly Line Quality Award for the Uddevalla, Sweden, plant, which produces the Volvo C70 in a joint venture with Pininfarina.
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Not trying to be quarrelsome but I do get sick of people making generalizations based on faulty information and a sample of one vehicle! There are over 200,000 3rd generation RX's out on the roads of North America and JD Power surveys a lot more of the owners than this forum does.

kwbuggy

Here is the link to the Japanese Autoworkers Union, formed in 1972. It currently represents 770,000 employees in Japan.

http://www.jaw.or.jp/e/

dctex99

Personally I commend the plant for being NON UNION; it means they provide similar benefits and pay without having yet another string of people bleeding people's pay!! Their awards for quality prove that unionizing does not mean better quality; I will take my RX from the Canada plant....Not one problem, and I and 2 neighbors love our RX's!!