Replacing my Lexus RX 330

[harllee]

I own a 2006 Lexus RX 330. I LOVE the car, just the right size for me, comfortable, fun to drive, has been reliable, etc. I want a newer one just like it. The car has over 200,000 and a few things are starting to break (recently some hoses started to leak and the automatic steering has been balky) and I just don't feel like the car is as reliable with that many miles. I am thinking of getting a newer RX 350 with lower mileage and the newer safety features like a back up camera. I don't like the new front grill so I am looking at models before the new front which is I think around 2016. Ideally I would like a 2016 with under 50,000 miles with a back up camera and other safety features.

I bought my present Lexus when it was a couple of years old from the local Lexus dealer and it was Certified. I negotiated the price over the internet and felt pretty good about the deal I got. I was thinking about doing the same thing for the newer Lexus--get a certified car from the dealer, negotiate the price online.

Is there a better way to by a used Lexus? Would Carmax be better? i have looked for private sales in my area and have not found any that are the year/mileage I want.

Also, what should I do with the old 2006 Lexus 330 with 200,000 plus miles? it is in pretty good condition but it has a lot of miles. I will probably try to sell it myself on Craigslist, maybe could get $5000 or so or maybe I will give it to a poor family member who needs a decent car.

 

[Aerides]

For your current car: Get a quote from Carmax when you are ready to buy new, they will give you a free quote and most any dealer will match it and take the car when you are getting a new one, even a CPO.

Search dealer inventories for CPO's and find the one you like, negotiate a little over email if you can. But most negotiating will be done in person.

You're in a good spot of not needing to rush, and can wait until you see the exact one you want show up. That's what I did for my recent buy, as I couldn't find the color/features I wanted in the current year model, but got a one year old CPO and saved a few grand, and ended up with more warranty that had I bought new.

 

[harllee]

OP here. I just did an online search and it looks like the body style changed in 2016 so it looks like I will be shopping for a 2015, which is more in line with my budget anyway and still will seem like a new car to me.

My mechanic says he thinks I should keep my car and that I could easily get another 100,000 miles out of it but I am just not feeling comfortable taking it on long trips. Sometimes a person can be too frugal.

 

[Another Reader]

I have a 2015 and I would probably not buy another one at this point. At less than 40k miles, the radio tuner virtual buttons broke and the car has intermittent electric issues. The oddest one is that in almost four years, I have gone out five times to find the windows rolled down a third of the way and the sunroof partly open. No one at the dealer has a clue why this might happen. The paint is very soft and dings easily. The leather driver's seat is showing a lot of wear as well. However, it is a very comfortable car, even on long trips.

The newer models are not only ugly, but you have to pay extra to get leather seats. Huh? This is an expensive luxury car, it should come with leather seats. The Lexus market now seems to be full of poseurs that lease the car for the image. In my case, I wanted a well-made comfortable car that would go 200,000 miles with no problems. I hope it works out that way, but I'm not confident it will.

 

[TrvlBug]

Lexus is not as good as some of the others wrt safety features...they seem to be a bit behind the times which is the reason we bought 2016 Acura rather than Lexus SUV. This comment comes from the sales person...actually he said Lexus spends more time and research on the safety features and that's why they are implemented later than other mfg...yeah, right. They seem to have caught up in 2017 however, some safety features such as blind spot are visual only, not audible. We recently bought a 2017 ES 350, replacing a 2009 ES 350 and don't ask me how much I hate it, let me count the ways.

Sorry, I just really, really hate our (DH's) new car and couldn't resist with the rant.

 

[Texas Proud]

I have a 2015 and I would probably not buy another one at this point. At less than 40k miles, the radio tuner virtual buttons broke and the car has intermittent electric issues. The oddest one is that in almost four years, I have gone out five times to find the windows rolled down a third of the way and the sunroof partly open. No one at the dealer has a clue why this might happen. The paint is very soft and dings easily. The leather driver's seat is showing a lot of wear as well. However, it is a very comfortable car, even on long trips.

The newer models are not only ugly, but you have to pay extra to get leather seats. Huh? This is an expensive luxury car, it should come with leather seats. The Lexus market now seems to be full of poseurs that lease the car for the image. In my case, I wanted a well-made comfortable car that would go 200,000 miles with no problems. I hope it works out that way, but I'm not confident it will.

Does your car have a window open option? It is starting to be common now...


You are probably opening them yourself and are not aware that you are doing it...


https://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-instantly-lower-your-car-windows-with-the-key-remote/

 

[aja8888]

I have a 2015 and I would probably not buy another one at this point. At less than 40k miles, the radio tuner virtual buttons broke and the car has intermittent electric issues. The oddest one is that in almost four years, I have gone out five times to find the windows rolled down a third of the way and the sunroof partly open. No one at the dealer has a clue why this might happen. The paint is very soft and dings easily. The leather driver's seat is showing a lot of wear as well. However, it is a very comfortable car, even on long trips.

The newer models are not only ugly, but you have to pay extra to get leather seats. Huh? This is an expensive luxury car, it should come with leather seats. The Lexus market now seems to be full of poseurs that lease the car for the image. In my case, I wanted a well-made comfortable car that would go 200,000 miles with no problems. I hope it works out that way, but I'm not confident it will.

Sounds like your 2015 was assembled on a Monday morning when the assembly line dodo's were suffering from the weekend generated hangover.

 

[TrvlBug]

The paint is very soft and dings easily. /QUOTE]

Yep, I can't believe the scratches in our new 2017. All from brushing against foliage. None of our other cars have had this issue and we've lived here for 20+ years.

 

[harllee]

OP here, gosh I can't believe these problems with the newer Lexus RXs. We have had hardly any problems with our 2006 and the paint still looks great. I have loved this car. Maybe we should just replace the hoses, fix the power steering and keep going another 100,000 miles. I really would like the rearview camera, maybe get an aftermarket camera installed?

 

[LOL!]

I have owned an RX-300 and an RX-350. Still have the 350, but I bought new Outback Limited. It has all the luxury features of the RX-350 and more. And the new ones are much cheaper than the Lexus. The outback and lexus are about the same size parked right next to each other, too. Since both are Japanese cars, the controls are practically all the same, too.

 

[Another Reader]

Does your car have a window open option? It is starting to be common now...


You are probably opening them yourself and are not aware that you are doing it...


https://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-instantly-lower-your-car-windows-with-the-key-remote/

OMG you are exactly right! I went right out and tested it. The dealer was perplexed as well and never mentioned this. I don't recall seeing it in the manual, either. Thank you!

 

[mystang52]

I love my Audi Q5. The 2018 model year is revamped with lots of safety features. DW is considering the RX to replace her current ES. The RX is bigger than the Audi Q5. FWIW my close friend has a 2016 RX and loves it, and has not had any mechanical or paint problems.

 

[Another Reader]

Sounds like your 2015 was assembled on a Monday morning when the assembly line dodo's were suffering from the weekend generated hangover.

I thought that wasn't a problem in Japan.... This is a J-car...

 

[RE2Boys]

I thought that wasn't a problem in Japan.... This is a J-car...

RX350 assembled in Ontario, Canada

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexu

 

[Bamaman]

Lexus of Memphis has three 2015s showing online in the 30s on miles. I bought my 2008 IS from them, and they are undoubtedly the finest car dealership of any brand that I have ever seen.

My car has 114k miles and has never seen the shop--other than brakes.

 

[aja8888]

I thought that wasn't a problem in Japan.... This is a J-car...

The discussion was on the RX. You said you had a 2015 which was assembled in Canada.

 

[Another Reader]

The discussion was on the RX. You said you had a 2015 which was assembled in Canada.

No, I did not say it was assembled in Canada. The car was assembled in Japan, per the serial number, the window sticker, and the plate on the frame by the driver's door. Lexus was transitioning to the US factory at the time I bought the car. I would NEVER buy an SUV from the truck plant after the disaster that was the 2010 Highlander.

 

[aja8888]

No, I did not say it was assembled in Canada. The car was assembled in Japan, per the serial number, the window sticker, and the plate on the frame by the driver's door. Lexus was transitioning to the US factory at the time I bought the car. I would NEVER buy an SUV from the truck plant after the disaster that was the 2010 Highlander.

Well, now we know the details you left out. Thanks.

 

[Another Reader]

I said it was a Japanese manufactured car in post #13. Supposedly car assembly workers in Japan don't have the attitude issues associated with workers in American car company plants. A Monday or Friday car is no worse than a Wednesday car. The Japanese attitude was allegedly instilled in the American employees of Japanese manufacturers. Having been on the floor at NUMMI and indirectly known some of the employees there, I'm not completely convinced.

 

[Scuba]

Lexus is not as good as some of the others wrt safety features...they seem to be a bit behind the times which is the reason we bought 2016 Acura rather than Lexus SUV. This comment comes from the sales person...actually he said Lexus spends more time and research on the safety features and that's why they are implemented later than other mfg...yeah, right. They seem to have caught up in 2017 however, some safety features such as blind spot are visual only, not audible. We recently bought a 2017 ES 350, replacing a 2009 ES 350 and don't ask me how much I hate it, let me count the ways.

Sorry, I just really, really hate our (DH's) new car and couldn't resist with the rant.

Please elaborate. I have a 2007 ES 350 and love it. It has 160K miles and seems to have no problems so plan to keep it as long as I can. But I’m interested in hearing what you don’t like about the 2017.

 

[SecondCor521]

OP here, gosh I can't believe these problems with the newer Lexus RXs. We have had hardly any problems with our 2006 and the paint still looks great. I have loved this car. Maybe we should just replace the hoses, fix the power steering and keep going another 100,000 miles. I really would like the rearview camera, maybe get an aftermarket camera installed?

This is what I would do. I'm driving a 1993 Lexus GS300 with ~164K miles and after next week I'll have driven it on about 60 hours of road trips across six western states this summer. It is showing some wear and tear but I still consider it trustworthy for long trips.

Also, I would consider hoses to be a maintenance item just like windshield wipers, tires, brakes, batteries, etc. Once you replace them that part of the car will work just as well as a new car, probably for that additional 100K miles you're hoping for.

Whenever I have something done on my car, I ask if the thing lasted as long as it should have and if there is anything maintenance-wise I could have done to extend it. So far with the Lexus (and the Toyota before it), the answers are "Yes" and "Nothing".

In the first four years I've owned this car, I've spent $2,790 on repairs. Of that amount, $1,733 is from stupid mistakes I've made that were not the car's fault. So basically $250 a year in repairs, which I consider very reasonable for a car that is 25 years old this year.

 

[Texas Proud]

This is what I would do. I'm driving a 1993 Lexus GS300 with ~164K miles and after next week I'll have driven it on about 60 hours of road trips across six western states this summer. It is showing some wear and tear but I still consider it trustworthy for long trips.

Also, I would consider hoses to be a maintenance item just like windshield wipers, tires, brakes, batteries, etc. Once you replace them that part of the car will work just as well as a new car, probably for that additional 100K miles you're hoping for.

Whenever I have something done on my car, I ask if the thing lasted as long as it should have and if there is anything maintenance-wise I could have done to extend it. So far with the Lexus (and the Toyota before it), the answers are "Yes" and "Nothing".

In the first four years I've owned this car, I've spent $2,790 on repairs. Of that amount, $1,733 is from stupid mistakes I've made that were not the car's fault. So basically $250 a year in repairs, which I consider very reasonable for a car that is 25 years old this year.

Yes, hoses are a maintenance item.... I have taken in a couple of cars and had all hoses replaced... around 100K.... I do not want to lose a hose, get it replaced, lose another in a month or so, repeat...


BTW, I was really pissed once when I did this.... I was driving to the airport and I got a busted hose!!! REALLY, I just paid to have them all replaced 6 months earlier... well, the guy did NOT change one small hose that was a bit hard to get to and that was the one that blew... when I say ALL, I mean ALL....

 

[TrvlBug]

Please elaborate. I have a 2007 ES 350 and love it. It has 160K miles and seems to have no problems so plan to keep it as long as I can. But I’m interested in hearing what you don’t like about the 2017.

We also loved our 2009. It was at the point of needing ~$1.5K in work and since it only had a backup camera, we decided to upgrade to a current model with all the safety features. What I don't like:

1. Scratches all over the car. Clearly a sub-par paint job.

2. Blind spot warning is visual only and no way to get an audible warning.

3. Will not recognize when you are in reverse and a person walks behind your car. Yes, I know I really need to look and not rely on technology. Lexus says this is normal.

4. The redundant joystick that takes away from any additional small areas on the console for your stuff. It's hard enough to remember how to access what I don't access on a regular basis so give me that OR the joystick...I don't need both.

5. Coffee cupholder area sucks. Give me a place, with easy access, to stow my kleenex.

6. Whoever designed the seats (a former airline seat designer ) has a special place in h**l. They are 1" thinner than our 2009 and have 3 seams instead of the 'usual 2'. As a result, due to my ongoing hip bursitis, I am unable to drive this car w/o excruciating pain. Unfortunately, the hip pain manifested itself a few weeks after we bought the car . DH also finds the seats not as comfortable as the 2009 or our 2016 Acura RDX. Neither of us are obese, however, the seats were designed for a size 2 person weighing 120 lbs. Obviously this issue is not the fault of Lexus, but if I have to live with the hip pain (other medical issues are causing it and I may have to live with a certain level of pain), we'll be getting rid of the car.

I have never hated a car as much as this one. You asked .

 

[CountryGal]

Interested in this discussion! I have a 2005 RX 330, that I love. Not sure what I would do if something happened to it. The new ones are too BIG!

 

[bloom2708]

2001 to 2006 was the "prime" engineering years for Lexus. I think they are coming back, but there was a dip in quality.

We still drive a 2001 and 2004 LS 430. Hard to find nicer riding/better built cars. Just beautiful cars. The 04 has 72k miles now.

I would put $1,000 into some repairs and keep driving the RX 330. $1,000 or $2,000 pales in comparison to paying $30k+ for a new/used one that may have issues too.

My kids drive an 05 ES 330 and 07 ES 350. I think the 05 is a better car. The 07 has a different design and some different features, but the build quality doesn't feel as good.