vwztips

Newbie here. First time buying a Lexus, but have been a multiple Toyota owner for many years. Time to step up for the wife dutifully driving a Sienna for many years. She likes the RX 330 but I would like to at least have the opportunity to obtain better MPG in the warmer climate of SC. I have maintained my Tundra and Sienna myself and plan on doing the same for my next purchase.

Most things in my price range will have 100k miles which isn't a big deal to me. Sorry if this have been hashed out before, but what do I need to be aware of? What are the weak points of these vehicles?

Thanks in advance for your advice and help!

Kendig

We bought a 2007 specifically because the 2006 does not have a tire pressure monitoring system. The nav display is also a bit better than on the 2006, but it can't be programmed while driving (even by the passenger) and a single map update will cost you more than a good TomTom with lifetime traffic and lifetime map updates 4x a year.

Keep in mind that local stop-and-go driving is where you will see better mileage than a non-hybrid. Highway driving won't see much difference.

rcy

The Generation 5 NAV system on the 2007 onwards does look much better than the Gen 4 on the 2006. Not having a tire pressure monitor system actually worked better for me, as I didn't have to buy sensors to put in my winter wheels (or have a yellow warning light on the dash for the entire winter). If cosmetics matter to you, the 2007/08 have the blue L emblem front and rear and the "Hybrid" emblem on the doors (and the hybrid synergy drive emblem I think) which the 2006 didnt' have. Also, blue tinted headlamp lenses, which actually look OK.

Kendig

The hybrid on the doors started in 2007, the blue emblems are only 2008. I've never seen blue tinted lenses, so they must be 2008 also.

I wanted the tpms because the 400h is driven mostly by my wife. A couple months ago it alerted her to a low tire which had picked up a roofing nail somewhere.

About the only time we use the built-in nav is on a long trip, where (when it's in routing mode) it lets us see upcoming rest areassooner than the TomTom does. But the TomTom is pretty good about telling us about upcoming delays on I4 and I95. And with 4 map updates a year, its maps often know about current major construction zones and traffic pattern changes.