Lexus RX350

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We also had an '07 for our In Laws to use when they were up North. Absolutely painless to own, and it aged very well, but it was one of if not the least entertaining car I've driven. Novocaine on all season tires. Dead on reliable though.
 
See my signature (2010). Battery, brakes, bulbs, fluid changes, hood supports and tires; That's it! My old highlander had fewer rattles and the ride was firmer though.
 
They run and run and run.
You will love it.
Are you thinking new or used?
I suggest the hybrid; they are AWD and get the mileage of a much smaller car.
 
It's a done deal. Bought a 2016 with exactly 25,000 miles. Navigation, AWD, leather heated/ventilated, heated steering wheel, BSM, backup camera, don't know if the cruise control is adaptive or not, plus other features. Bought it from a big Toyota dealership. Obviously it just came off lease. Dealership put new front and rear brakes and did a Mobil 1 OC. Tires look to be 90%...Lauffen???Also dealer included 100,000 mile/4 year power train warranty(fluff) and there's 10 months balance on the factory warranty. $32,000
I love it so far.
Never thought I'd go the Lexus route but after years of Volvo, Saab, Lincoln.... after driving my wife's 2016 Lexus Es 350 and loving it, thought I'd at least test drive one. Certainly a different ride than a luxury sedan but I like the way it drives. Ordered roof rack crossbars for my surfboards, so I'm good to go.

20191028_104337_HDR.jpg
 
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2019 RX 350 with 6000 miles here.

Likes:
1. Size - perfect - not too little and not too big. I'm 6'5" and fit perfectly in this car.
2. Solid all around. Doors thump like they should. No squeaks or rattles.
3. Comfortable in non-Sport trims. I didn't get the F-Sport because the seats are narrower and very heavily bolstered to the point of pushing my shoulders forward.
4. V-6 has a nice growl and is very smooth.

Dislikes:
1. 8-speed is not the smoothest. I had a TSB applied a few months ago that fixed one problem (harsh downshifts) and replaced it with another (harsh upshifts). In non-F-Sport trims the "manual" mode is useless. Select manual, select a gear and press accelerator 1/4 the way and the transmission still downshifts just as if it's in automatic mode. All manual mode does is select the HIGHEST gear the transmission will be in unless you go to redline where it will upshift automatically. In the above situation when you hit the gas it will downshift into 2nd and when you let off the gas upshift back to 3rd and hang there. With the F-Sport if you select manual mode and select 3rd gear it will hold 3rd gear even with the pedal to the floor.
2. I have no problem with the infotainment but I can understand those who do. 2020 brought touchscreen and an improved infotainment experience.
3. I should've purchased the ML sound system although I hear it's better but still not great. The stock is fine but I like my music and it falls short. Rights door speaker is blown (bass is not turned up and I listen to music at a moderate level) which I'll address next trip to the dealership. None of these systems are easily upgradable with aftermarket hardware as far as I can tell.
4. Boring but competent driving experience.
5. V-6 is very non-linear with acceleration.

I will likely give this vehicle to my wife in the next year or two and I'm waiting to see what the new redesigned Tundra brings. If the redesign is suspect I'll get a 2020 on discount next year and if it looks solid go for a 2021. I won't miss this ride...my wife will think it's perfect.
 
Originally Posted by Toros
It's a done deal. Bought a 2016 with exactly 25,000 miles. Navigation, AWD, leather heated/ventilated, heated steering wheel, BSM, backup camera, don't know if the cruise control is adaptive or not, plus other features. Bought it from a big Toyota dealership. Obviously it just came off lease. Dealership put new front and rear brakes and did a Mobil 1 OC. Tires look to be 90%...Lauffen???Also dealer included 100,000 mile/4 year power train warranty(fluff) and there's 10 months balance on the factory warranty. $32,000
I love it so far.
Never thought I'd go the Lexus route but after years of Volvo, Saab, Lincoln.... after driving my wife's 2016 Lexus Es 350 and loving it, thought I'd at least test drive one. Certainly a different ride than a luxury sedan but I like the way it drives. Ordered roof rack crossbars for my surfboards, so I'm good to go.

Beautiful RX. AWD is the only way to fly.
You will love it.
 
Originally Posted by PWMDMD
2019 RX 350 with 6000 miles here.

Likes:
1. Size - perfect - not too little and not too big. I'm 6'5" and fit perfectly in this car.
2. Solid all around. Doors thump like they should. No squeaks or rattles.
3. Comfortable in non-Sport trims. I didn't get the F-Sport because the seats are narrower and very heavily bolstered to the point of pushing my shoulders forward.
4. V-6 has a nice growl and is very smooth.

Dislikes:
1. 8-speed is not the smoothest. I had a TSB applied a few months ago that fixed one problem (harsh downshifts) and replaced it with another (harsh upshifts). In non-F-Sport trims the "manual" mode is useless. Select manual, select a gear and press accelerator 1/4 the way and the transmission still downshifts just as if it's in automatic mode. All manual mode does is select the HIGHEST gear the transmission will be in unless you go to redline where it will upshift automatically. In the above situation when you hit the gas it will downshift into 2nd and when you let off the gas upshift back to 3rd and hang there. With the F-Sport if you select manual mode and select 3rd gear it will hold 3rd gear even with the pedal to the floor.
2. I have no problem with the infotainment but I can understand those who do. 2020 brought touchscreen and an improved infotainment experience.
3. I should've purchased the ML sound system although I hear it's better but still not great. The stock is fine but I like my music and it falls short. Rights door speaker is blown (bass is not turned up and I listen to music at a moderate level) which I'll address next trip to the dealership. None of these systems are easily upgradable with aftermarket hardware as far as I can tell.
4. Boring but competent driving experience.
5. V-6 is very non-linear with acceleration.

I will likely give this vehicle to my wife in the next year or two and I'm waiting to see what the new redesigned Tundra brings. If the redesign is suspect I'll get a 2020 on discount next year and if it looks solid go for a 2021. I won't miss this ride...my wife will think it's perfect.

Your observations are accurate I think. I'm not experiencing the shifting issues that others complain about, however in Eco mode, it does search for gears...I like Normal or Sport.

Stock sound systems sounds great to me but my gearing took a hit from years of cold water surfing(surfers ear) and shooting from career as a LEO....so 9 speakers with a subwoofer is music nirvana to my ears. Navigation is fine for me.
Adaptive cruise would have been nice. I'm adding roof rack cross bars this week.
I like the idea of 10k oil changes...likely go 8500 though.
 
Originally Posted by JeffKeryk
Originally Posted by Toros
It's a done deal. Bought a 2016 with exactly 25,000 miles. Navigation, AWD, leather heated/ventilated, heated steering wheel, BSM, backup camera, don't know if the cruise control is adaptive or not, plus other features. Bought it from a big Toyota dealership. Obviously it just came off lease. Dealership put new front and rear brakes and did a Mobil 1 OC. Tires look to be 90%...Lauffen???Also dealer included 100,000 mile/4 year power train warranty(fluff) and there's 10 months balance on the factory warranty. $32,000
I love it so far.
Never thought I'd go the Lexus route but after years of Volvo, Saab, Lincoln.... after driving my wife's 2016 Lexus Es 350 and loving it, thought I'd at least test drive one. Certainly a different ride than a luxury sedan but I like the way it drives. Ordered roof rack crossbars for my surfboards, so I'm good to go.

Beautiful RX. AWD is the only way to fly.
You will love it.


Thank you, Sir. Driving my wife's Lexus was like flying business class on a Euro carrier(Lufthansa)...
once you do it, you never want to sit in cattle class again☺
 
Originally Posted by Toros
Thanks. Signed into that one shortly after we bought my wife's ES350.


I still visit CL forum now & again under the same CharBaby.
 
My wife has a 3 year old one. Less legroom than my Subaru outback, I don't like it for that reason alone. At 6-6, I need the legroom desperately. If the two of us go somewhere together, we take my car.
 
Originally Posted by SeaJay
My wife has a 3 year old one. Less legroom than my Subaru outback, I don't like it for that reason alone. At 6-6, I need the legroom desperately. If the two of us go somewhere together, we take my car.

Good luck with that. Outback. Adding oil and a new head gas at 80K is SOP.
Not comparable vehicles.
 
Originally Posted by SeaJay
My wife has a 3 year old one. Less legroom than my Subaru outback, I don't like it for that reason alone. At 6-6, I need the legroom desperately. If the two of us go somewhere together, we take my car.



That's funny...at 6'5" this is the first vehicle where I don't have the seat all the way back....I had to move it up ~2" or I couldn't comfortably reach the steering wheel even with it extended out as far as possible.
 
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Originally Posted by Toros
Originally Posted by SeaJay
My wife has a 3 year old one. Less legroom than my Subaru outback, I don't like it for that reason alone. At 6-6, I need the legroom desperately. If the two of us go somewhere together, we take my car.

Good luck with that. Outback. Adding oil and a new head gas at 80K is SOP.
Not comparable vehicles.


The head gasket issue was resolved with the redesigned engine in gen4, which is what I have. It was a common problem with gen3 Outbacks. 75K miles on my gen4, has not burned any oil despite a half dozen round trips between NY & Florida loaded down inside as well as on top at 80-85MPH most of the way. Did have to replace seat belt sensor.
 
Originally Posted by SeaJay
Originally Posted by Toros
Originally Posted by SeaJay
My wife has a 3 year old one. Less legroom than my Subaru outback, I don't like it for that reason alone. At 6-6, I need the legroom desperately. If the two of us go somewhere together, we take my car.

Good luck with that. Outback. Adding oil and a new head gas at 80K is SOP.
Not comparable vehicles.


The head gasket issue was resolved with the redesigned engine in gen4, which is what I have. It was a common problem with gen3 Outbacks. 75K miles on my gen4, has not burned any oil despite a half dozen round trips between NY & Florida loaded down inside as well as on top at 80-85MPH most of the way. Did have to replace seat belt sensor.

You're a lucky one than. Not so sure the head gasket isdue was resolved as it may be inherent to the design of the boxer engine.
Lot of folks have the oil loss issue.
 
Originally Posted by Toros
Originally Posted by SeaJay
Originally Posted by Toros
Originally Posted by SeaJay
My wife has a 3 year old one. Less legroom than my Subaru outback, I don't like it for that reason alone. At 6-6, I need the legroom desperately. If the two of us go somewhere together, we take my car.

Good luck with that. Outback. Adding oil and a new head gas at 80K is SOP.
Not comparable vehicles.


The head gasket issue was resolved with the redesigned engine in gen4, which is what I have. It was a common problem with gen3 Outbacks. 75K miles on my gen4, has not burned any oil despite a half dozen round trips between NY & Florida loaded down inside as well as on top at 80-85MPH most of the way. Did have to replace seat belt sensor.

You're a lucky one than. Not so sure the head gasket isdue was resolved as it may be inherent to the design of the boxer engine.
Lot of folks have the oil loss issue.

Toyota had sludge issues with 3.0 V6 engine. Does that mean all of them have that issue? There is no issue inherent to boxer design, as Porsche or older Alfa engines might serve as an example.
 
Originally Posted by edyvw

Toyota had sludge issues with 3.0 V6 engine. Does that mean all of them have that issue? There is no issue inherent to boxer design, as Porsche or older Alfa engines might serve as an example.


That problem with sludge was literally 20 years ago....close to a quarter-century ago.
 
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