Quantum501

My 2020 is just about at the 3 year point and I wanted to give an update.

So far the vehicle has been everything that I had hoped it would be. I came to Lexus after 30 years driving Acuras. I loved my Acuras but they had lost their way recently so I was looking for something different. Reliability is my number one priority. We have owned Hondas, Acuras, Toyotas, but this is our first Lexus.

I made the purchase in Feb 2020 right before the pandemic hit the fan. I was ready to purchase a Highlander but the dealer tried a bait and switch so I walked. I worked with a Lexus dealer purely on the internet via email and got 12% off of MSRP plus a couple of items tossed in. Simple transaction just in time with a very good price.

Over the 3 years I have put 55,164 miles on the vehicle. I just did the 55k service about 10 minutes ago and the vehicle has been perfect so far.

Pros:
No maintenance issues at all. I have done all of the listed maintenance in the service manual at or before the Lexus recommendations.
Average about 22 mpg on 89 octane with mixed driving. I do about 100 miles per day, so mileage and Regular gas really help with cost.
V6 is smooth and has enough power and torque. I did not want a turbo 4.
Dual injector system eliminates any carbon build up issues.
Transmission is very smooth. None of the gear hunting that others had reported when the 8 speed was newer. 8 gears is probably 2 more than I would prefer, but I know that it helps with mileage.
Ride is very comfortable, esp on highway.
Very quiet. The first time I blew the horn at someone I did not realize it was me since I could barely hear the horn from inside.
Apple CarPlay with the touchscreen was one of the items that I was waiting for. Did not want the trackpad. Hate them on computers, and Acura has their version that I did not really like.
I do my own maintenance and parts/fluids are cheap and easy to get. Maintenance is easy to do and TIS provides all the information you need beyond the numerous YouTube guys like CCN and of course Viktor who is great!

Cons:
The stock tires were garbage. I normally love Michelin, but the Premium LTX were wearing away early and were toast by 30,000 miles. Replaced with GoodYear Assurance MaxLife and after 20,000 miles they show virtually no wear. They are quiet and have very good traction....and cheaper. Highly recommend the Goodyear ML.
Dashboard material is very easy to mark with even gentle pressure. I was wiping down with a damp cloth per manual and streaks now on dash. Not a big deal, but unique to this vehicle. (If anyone has an idea of how to carefully restore please let me know).
Headlights are a little underwhelming. I have stock headlights so the upgraded beams would be nice.
I have a very rare rattle in dash in front of driver on very cold days. I could add some "hockey" tape to gap as someone suggested but only happens couple times a year on cold days on very rough roads.

Mods: very minimal
I added a front and rear dash cam and followed the thread here to tap into the power at fuse. Installation was a little rough accessing the fuse box under dash....give it a try some day. Very awkward position. Cam works great.
Added illuminated door sills. Bought online for like $100 for the pair. Took about 1 minute total to install.
Added metal oil filter canister housing to replace plastic. Peace of mind and very cheap.

Overall it has been a great vehicle. I retire in a couple of months so the 100 miles/day will hopefully drop to 100/week. Plan on keeping the RX for 10 more years or so. Very happy with the purchase.
I am sure that I forgot a thing or two, so will probably edit soon.

Big thanks to everyone here who posts useful and interesting information. I love coming to the forum to get answers and try to help others out with questions. Great online community!

testerab62

could u/fellow members help point to the self service resources? U mentioned TIS, not sure what that stands for.

About oil change, do we really need to put Rx on jacks? I am wondering cuz it seems to have enough height with 20 inch tires.

Any suggestion is welcome.

Quantum501

TIS is the Technical Information System for Toyota/Lexus. It is the dealer system for maintaining your vehicle. Has all of the procedures and specs to work on car. The annual membership is $$$ but you can do a 2 day membership for like $30 or something like that and download and print all of the files that you want. I printed out every possible thing that I would do myself and keep in a binder. Torque specs alone are awesome.
techinfo.toyota.com I tried posting link but it is about 700 characters long.

Two great resources on YouTube are Viktor who posts here but has a Lexus Maintenance Channel. He is a Lexus tech and has videos of almost every DIY that anyone would want. Shows all parts and procedure for the job.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiJ...pgHvv9WgNk3pVQ

The other good YouTube guy is Car Care Nut: Toyota tech but does Lexus videos also and is very informative.
https://www.youtube.com/@TheCarCareNut/videos

Finally I have attached a blank maintenance schedule that I create whenever I purchase a car. Based upon the service manual. I have a base AWD (18" tires) so some of the part numbers listed may not be identical to yours but I bet most if not all are the same.

I put mine on jack stands since I rotate tires at the same time and check brakes/suspension etc while I have the car up. I guess that you might be able to do without jacking it up, but that would be pretty tight.

Chiefsfan

Think I may get this for a Cam...https://fitcamx.com/collections/fitc...40409277923500

GS4_Fiend

iTrader: (22)

Glad you are enjoying your RX.

Few things I would like to point out. The Goodyear ML is rated at 85k miles and the starting tread is 12/10. It is thick starting out. This is why it should last longer. For me, I am going to go with the Michelin Crossclimate 2, it is a Grand Touring Tire, vs a Standard Touring. Next would be the headlight. The regular Bi-LEDs has a better throw in terms of light. You can see much further down the road. While the Triple Beams are nice, they do not project the light as far as the regular Bi-LEDs. However, they do have a wider spread so pick your poison.

I find with the Auto High Beam enabled, I am able to drive through the rural areas that are not luminated with street lights, without any problems. So, I wouldn't consider them underwhelming. Also, according to IIHS, they confirm it to be "Good".

Have you done a drain and refill on the Transaxle? If so, did you had to use an extension to break off the fill plug?

You are reaching 60k miles soon, the vacuum pump and spark plugs are recommended by the schedule maintenance to be replaced. Are you planning to tackle it yourself?

Freds430

Have a 2017 RX 450h with 80,000 miles and original owner. Not one problem. The J D Power dependability 2023 study was just released. Lexus was #1 again. The RX again was the most dependable SUV in the midsize premium class. It gets better because the RX was the most reliable of all the vehicles. It is the #1 selling luxury SUV by far. #2 is the X3 selling 35% less units.

Quantum501

Thank you.

I realize that the ML have more tread and last longer. That was my point in the purchase. I typically in a non-covid year was putting on about 30,000 miles per year, and at that pace the Michelin Premiers would last about a year. The reviews online are horrible for the same reason. A tire has to last somewhere near its rated tread life. I have had many sets of Michelins in the past that were great and long lasting....just not these Premiers. I have had good luck with Continental and even Yokohama with wife's 4Runner (they got about 80k with no problem). The Goodyear Assurance MaxLife were cheaper, quieter, and have no downside compared to the Premiers. I think that in 20,000 miles I am down about 2/32 from new.

The headlights may be OK. I am just constantly reaching to engage the high beams and find that they are already engaged. Maybe just not as bright or distant as my previous Acura beams. IIHS lists mine as "Acceptable"

I did need an extension to reach the fill plug on the transfer case....this was indicated in the ViktorG video so I was expecting it. No problem. Love his videos.

I do plan on doing the plugs. Both CCN and ViktorG did videos showing that is not as difficult with the FKS. Not sure why they really need to be done at 60k since I believe other versions of this engine list 120k...I could be wrong but I heard that it is an emissions compliance statement vs performance issue.

My service schedule does not show the vacuum pump replacement at 60k.
Thanks

GS4_Fiend

iTrader: (22)

Maybe your headlights need to be adjusted higher? Do you live in a rural area? I find it lits up pretty well.

What was the year, make and model of the Acura you had? I want to compare the specs on IIHS.

Usually - Left headlight 50 Meters and Right headlight 100 Meters is consider Good, anything less would be poor IMHO. Left headlight 60 Meters and Right headlight 120 Meters I would consider BEST (you would not have trouble seeing at night for sure lol). This would be the RX350 with Triple Beam WITH Adaptive Lighting.

dibl

No, not with the 20 inch wheels, unless you are a very stocky giant. Here's my unapproved, unofficial method:

Find or make a pair of 15" 2x10 inch lumber pieces. On a level floor or driveway, lay them in front of the front tires and pull the car forward onto them, which raises the front end about 1.5". Now the oil pan and drain plug have a slight downward angle, compared to perfectly level, and you'll get a faster and more complete drain of the used oil. Also, there's just a little more space for you to remove, clean, and replace the filter cap with a new cartridge and O-rings. After you've replaced the drain plug and a new crush washer, add the exact correct amount of new oil. With a tow package, mine needs 5.8 quarts, that's 5 quarts and 26 ounces from the sixth quart. As soon as it's convenient, with the car on level ground, you can use the dipstick to confirm it's correct, and it will be.

F3Woody

"I came to Lexus after 30 years driving Acuras. I loved my Acuras but they had lost their way recently so I was looking for something different"

YESS! Same here. My last one, a 2018 TLX was a lot of fun to drive but the interior aesthetic was far too 'busy', cheap plastic painted silver, hated the touch screen... and don't get me started on the transmission problems!
I wanted to fall in love again with the 2021 redesign, was certain I was going to buy one... until I drove it. That turbocharged 4 cylinder was just horrendously loud. So sad.

Now, for the easily marred interior - this has been a hot topic with the ES350 owners and I took one suggestion to use Adam's Interior Detailer spray. Sprayed onto a microfiber towel and wiped very gently, a couple coats made my dash scuff marks disappear by about 90%.

Thanks for the 3 year write up!

Quantum501

My last Acura was an 07 TL. I ran that to 305,000 miles and sold it to a guy who drove to CT from Ohio to pick it up. Loved that car and would have kept it if my daily commute was local. Even easier to do maintenance on that car...even has a dipstick for transmission fluid (and a cassette player!). IIHS does not appear to have any data on headlights since it is so old. I do run my cars forever.
I might look into beam adjustment. Again, they are not bad, just noticed that I am reaching for the high beams and I am already there.

bamalam

I drive my RX on front wheel ramps to perform the oil change, then make it level again to the do the final fill and check.

SCANDAL

So the 4th gen RX350 comes with plastic oil filter canister housing? Will it crack easily?
Do you have the part number for the metal oil filter canister housing? Thanks

dibl

Not unless you over-torque it, which is totally uncalled for since it is sealed by the O-ring on it, not by the torque on the threads.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...l#post10704977

mikemu30

With regard to the tires, it was the same for my wife's 2017 RX - the OEM Michelins did not wear well. I went with those same Goodyears and love them so much, I put a set on my ES FSport as well.