RX - 1st Gen (1999-2003) Discussion topics related to the 1999 -2003 RX300 models

Buying our next RX (glad I found you folks)

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Old 03-29-02, 03:08 PM
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blackjack
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Default Buying our next RX (glad I found you folks)

We have a 1999 RX Fwd. My wife absofreakinlootely adores the car. Her lease is up in July and she wants another one. She took a cursory look at other SUV's and wants another RX.

The car has been nearly flawless. Nitpicks include a glovebox that won't close without slamming and has been adjusted multiple times by the wonderful folks at Lexus of Jacksonville. And the rear cupholders (between the front seats) keep breaking. Breaking, as in the little plastic nubs that hold it in the slider break.

Hubby nitpicks include: the car was designed for women, obviously. I see some of you have really manlied yours up and I applaud you. But I hate the fact that there is just hard plastic where my knees rest when driving. A woman wouldn't probably spread her legs when driving. You see my point? And the seating position is bad for me on long trips. I am 5'10 250 lbs. The other big nit is the turning radius. I have a friend with a GM Dually pickup that can turn around with less space.

Anyway, that was just stuff I always wanted to talk about with other RX enthusiasts.

My question is this (these): What changes have been made to the car since the 1999 model year? We are thinking about buying this one at lease end since the residual is lower than used ones sell for. I know VSC was added. I heard rumors that the turning radius issue was addressed and that the suspension is a little stiffer. The protective pad on the top of the rear bumper also seems standard now.

Before we spend the money on a new one I'd like to know if it's really worth it as there is nothing wrong with this one. Boy I love being able to say that after 3 years and 25K milees. Being a Lexus owned is good times.

Thank you very much.

Ivan
Old 03-29-02, 06:05 PM
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LexRX
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Alright, I think I can handle this one. Get ready, I'm going to get real specific The differences are going to be generally between a '99 vs. '02. The steering radius has not changed since '99. But the RX's cousin (shares it's platform), the Highlander has a tighter steering radius. The stiffer suspension was only offered on the limited edition, SilverSport edition, which isn't offered anymore.

Outside: ---------------------

The headlights are now full chrome styled instead of chrome lenses with dark/charcoal colored housing.

Tail lights are also full chrome - slightly different look, but same shape.

The grill has a different (slight) design with a bigger "L" logo and more chrome.

OEM trailer hitch looks different - it's tubular instead of square.

Fuel tank size is increased from just over 17gal to 19.8 gal.

The accessory rear spoiler design changed from '99 to '00 and remains the same for '02.

The crossbar (roofrack) design changed in 2000 and currently remains the same.

New colors. I don't know the specifics on that, but the Desert Bronze metallic from '99 was replaced by Woodland Pearl (dark green) in '00. And other new colors like Vapor Blue Metallic have been introduced. There is also, recently, a new Coach edition available that is monochromatic.

I think Lexus' EBD (electronic brakeforce distribution) is now used on the RX.


Inside: ---------------------

HID's are an option as is a DVD based navigation system. The Nav. is in the area where you have the blue LCD screen. Also, some buttons on the radio area are a little different. If you get the Nav. you'll have and green LCD clock located just below the Nav. screen.

"Available Lexus Navigation System is upgraded with a faster computer for faster route calculations, expanded map database and two languages."
-Quoted from Carpoint.com

The interior door handles are chrome instead of tan or grey. Also, there is a bit of chrome on the front passenger a/c vents.

The full-size spare is the same alloy wheel as the other four, not the black wheel.

Steering wheel/airbag design is different and includes a chrome, instead of embossed, logo on the airbag. An absolutely beautiful, luscious, unbelieva...ahem...excuse me. A nice wood/leather steering wheel is optional. I believe it becomes standard in '03.

A wood/leather shifter is also optional w/ the wood wheel.

The door sills have a nice black Lexus kick plate with a chrome strip with the Lexus logo.

A fifth cupholder is added. It is on the rear seat in the middle - it folds down.

Small hooks are located on the backs of the rear seat. They are for child seats...I think.

The heated seats went from L-LR in '99 to individual left and right buttons in '00 to individual L/R buttons in 2001 with high/low settings.

As you mentioned the Lexus VSC (vehicle skid control) is now standard, and wasn't for '99-'00. VSC replaces the viscous coupling rear differential in the AWD model.

The ECT power/snow mode button now only includes snow mode.

Black leather is available instead of grey.

The toneau cover for the cargo area is essentially the same but now has a handle.

The washer nozzle on the rear hatch, I believe, has been improved to acutually spray and not "pee" onto the rear glass.

The rearview mirror can now include a compass.

That should be about all - It's a lot of little things. If anyone can think of anything else, just let us know.

-Nick

Last edited by LexRX; 03-29-02 at 06:23 PM.
Old 03-29-02, 07:20 PM
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MrSypher
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There you go Nick.... Gotta love this guy.... I think you got it covered. Personally I had a "99" RX, then I got an "00", and now I have a "01"... IMO they have gotten better as years go bye, You have a "99", get the "02" w/ the Navi Pkg.... Great car you'll love it.... Like Nick said "alot of little things" were added and changed.... Or you can go the route that a few members here did, they changed there 99-00 RX's to look like new 02's.. And they look good.,....,,.,.,.,.
Old 03-29-02, 07:21 PM
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MrSypher
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I don't know why I always forget.... BlkJak Hello and Welcome.
Old 03-29-02, 08:24 PM
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blackjack
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Talking

WOW

That post is like something I would write on Audiworld. You are obviously a freak for the RX, and that is a compliment coming from a TT freak. (I teach the dealer all the time, but who doesn't right?) Much appreciated. Printed to show my wife.

And thanks for the warm welcome Mr Sypher. I see that is your official duty around here and I appreciate it.

My next question is going to be about how to find out Lexus' current lease rates. I'll start another thread or find a current one.

Again, thank you all.

Ivan
Old 03-29-02, 09:09 PM
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Goncookoo
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damn... now i want a new rx.

i too have a '99. sigh... maybe ill upgrade.

most notible advances that i would like in my '99.

the spray on the rear windshield. man that pee thing really got me worried that my car was f'ed up when i first got it. it wasnt until i saw that other ones did it too.

the new tank size is awesome! driving long distances with the 17.x gallon tank really sucked! I hated stopping so many times.

sigh... im getting jealous now.

goncookoo
Old 03-29-02, 10:06 PM
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wwest
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Default and now the REALLY bad news...

I had an 00 AWD RX300 and was dissatisfied with the AWD performance. Salesman told me the normal F/R torque ratio was 70/30 and it turns out that its normally about 90/10 and will get up to 70/30 under really severe roadbed conditions. Lots of torque steer in the meantime.

I traded up to the 01 AWD RX300 to get VSC/TRAC/ABS and HID. I'm very pleased with the VSC, ABS, and especially the HID. It turns out that the TRAC doesn't function anything like the one in the new Sequoia, something else I was mistakenly led to believe.

I got the GPS/Nav system only becuase it was part of the "package" and I would not recommend it to anyone. It has the following faults.

Most of the icons are too small and of too low a contrast to be able to read readily without leaning over toward the screen. The base LCD screen in my 00 was imminently easier to see plus the icons didn't disappear. With the Nav many of the icons needed for various control functions disappear in favor of bringing the useless nav screen back up even if you aren't even using the idiot thing. You can solve some of this by simply opening the DVD door.

The nav seemingly will successfully plot a route only to notify you later somewhere along the way that it doesn't have roadbed resolution in an intermediate zone. It bails and you're own your own.

On the way to your destination it will sometimes guide you to a roadbed paralleling another and then get confused and "jump" to the adjacent roadbed.

Its shortest time vs shortest distance computation is flawed. I have had it try to send me along a "shortest time route" which was actually a longer distance by more than an hour.

Lexus has been promising DVD updates since long before I bought my 01 and no one has one even yet. A update will only be map information, Lexus has given no indication that they will address the known firmware "bugs" (apologies to Grace Hopper).

For the following reasons my suggestion would be to wait.

Oil sludge problem.. Lexus has not informed anyone of the causative nature of this problem and until they do we should all assume our RXes are subjst to this failure.

VSC/TRAC. The Sequoia system is head and shoulders above the RX and I would not be at all surprised to see Lexus "backfit" the Sequoia VSC/TRAC firmware to the AWD RX and just ignore the existence of the VC, or eliminate it completely.

The Lexus climate control has several MAJOR flaws. Living in Fl You have likely already experienced the horrid, musty, mildewy odor from the A/C system. Those of us in the northern reaches must endure the constant danger of sudden and unexpected windshield fogging.

If you need to defog the windshield or windows you must "know" to manually turn up the temperature setpoint before you activate defog(demist).

You must remember to thoroughly "air out" (dry out the excess moisture in the A/C evaporator accumulated during the previsous day's operation) the vehicle after each day's use of the A/C, otherwise in warmer climates the leftover excess moisture in the A/C evaporator will promote the growth of bacterial spores. In cooler climates it will oftentime "welcome" you with a fully fogged over windshield about five miles into your morning drive.

Lexus engineers apparently haven't a clue about radient heating/cooling affects on the human body and so the climate control will oftentimes automatically switch to cooling mode when your body is in need of heat due to wintertime radient cooling effects.

Very soon I expect to see a MY20xx AWD RX300 with:

1. A newly designed engine that is not subject to oil sludging.

2. A newly designed Nav system with more readiable, larger and higher contrast, icons and the ability to supress the nav map in favor of continuously displaying control icons.

3. Sequoia's VSC/TRAC/ABS firmware and NO VC.

4. A newly designed rear suspension system that allows the use of snowchains on an "SUV"

5. An airflow "extraction" blower/fan so stale or stagnant and HUMID air can be quickly removed from the passenger cabin.

6. A newly designed climate control system that will:

A. Automatically run that same extraction blower/fan once the vehicle has been shut down long enough for the A/C evaporator temperature to rise to within 10 degrees of ambient.

B. Always raise, sometimes dramatically so (as a function of lowering or declining OAT), the system outlet temperature and blower speed in defog(demist) mode.

C. Not run the A/C compressor below 55F unless the humidity is high enough for it to be functional for dehumidifying the incoming airflow.

D. Use a deterministic method for knowing the effects of radient cooling/heating on the human body and therefore not unduly discomfort the vehicle's passengers by switching to cooling mode when it is clearly inappropreate to do so.

Can anyone think of something I have missed?
Old 03-29-02, 10:42 PM
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01VaporBlueRX
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oooh wait i got something to add to all that. the rx is now offered with a grey interior along with the already offered tan and black. its a similar lightish gray to whats already offered in the gs, ls, es, etc. lighter than the gray previously offered on the rx.
Old 03-30-02, 02:42 AM
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spinteews
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and dont forget... the coach edition is here also... has the silversport front badging but the coach gets the nice wood steering wheel... also the wifey can get the coach bag that it comes with hahah... win win situation for the wifey makes you and her happy =P
Old 03-30-02, 06:03 AM
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blackjack
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WE got a letter from Lexus about the oil sludging problem just Thursday. I have had 4 recalls on my TT and I must say that Lexus has much better lawyers. I couldn't figure out what the hell they were talking about the first 3 reads.

As far as the negative comments, I find those useful as well. I have yet to find a NAV system that pleases me as much as my Garmin GPS eMap. Even if it doesn't talk. INternet forums always bring out the folks with the bad cars. Hell I am on of those on Audiworld.

Here in Florida we have no interest in AWD for our RX. As an Audi lover, every AWD application is inferior to quattro anyway so why bother! j/k OK, I'm not really kidding about quattro even tho my Audi is Fwd.

WWest's comments about comparing the AWD system in the Sequoia to the RX are meaningless to me. THe S is a real off roader the RX is ... well... it is not.

The larger gas tank is a big plus, now do somethign about city MPG! we get 16.5 consistently. I assume HID's means Xenons? If so, great. I am never going back to halogen headlamps. Xenons are just safer. The LATCH child seat system is nice since we have to buy a new seat soon and I intend to buy a LATCH compatible.

Actually our '99 has individual one setting heated seat buttons. I think we have a 99.5 and were told so at purchase. We bought it in April 1999. VSC is like Audi ESP, right? Corrects severe over and understeer in corners?

Thank you all again, and keep em coming if you think of anything else.
Old 03-30-02, 08:15 AM
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LexRX
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I'm now a freak...yeah!! I was just a plain 'ol geek before I know geek is sheek, but freaky is awesome

You're correct, the HID's are xenon's and VSC is Lexus's stability control system like Audi's ESP. It includes the yaw sensors and such to keep you from sliding around.

I think wwest was just trying to upstage me by having a longer post He'll bring up the AWD, HVAC system, and even the Nav. all the time.

Is your TT a coupe? I really like the TT styling and the coupe is my favorite - silver of course. I don't find many vehicles I don't like in some way
Old 03-30-02, 08:33 AM
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wwest
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Default Off-road???

Why does this subject keep coming up?

I didn't buy either of my RXes to go off-road nor do I ever plan to.

I live in the Seattle area, we don't need to go off-road to encounter slippery, slick roadbed conditions. We don't often get snow here in the immediate area, but many of us snow ski, and even more have need to travel over our numerous mountain passes in the wintertime. And then, as all of you well know, we have RAIN. Nothing makes a street slipperier than a good rain on slightly oil covered roadbeds after weeks without.

And speaking of Florida, a few years ago I drove form Memphis to Tampa and back in an AWD T&C. On our return trip north of Tampa we drove, for hours it seemed, through the worse downpour I have experienced since my days in the USAF at Biloxi in '57.

I would guess that if we had counted there would have been hundreds of cars and trucks spun out and spinning out into the median and borrow pit. I can't really credit the AWD for "saving" me from the same fate, more like my own conservative driving style or skill learned in Montana and ND winters. But being "invisible", I'll never know if it, the T&C AWD, contributed to my save passage or not.

The only cost difference bewteen the Sequoia AWD*TRAC system and the RX is the ECU firmware, the RX does have the added expense of the VC but since that would be (IS) useless it could be discarded or ignored.

Last edited by wwest; 03-30-02 at 08:37 AM.
Old 03-30-02, 04:29 PM
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LexRX
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I just thought of something I forgot to list. That's right, there's more

The RX now has water repellent glass on the side windows.
Old 03-30-02, 06:03 PM
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blackjack
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Water repellent glass? Now that's a technology I never heard of. Are you pulling my leg? And even more importantly, how does it work?
Old 03-30-02, 07:04 PM
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LexRX
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No, no, I'm serious. You've already pegged as sarcastic huh? It's true - both me being sarcastic and the rain repellent thing. It is kind of like rain-x treated glass from the factory. I think it will eventually wear off, but it improves visibility on the side glass during rain. It is only on the front door glass.

Click here to verify with lexus.com I have amazing credibility

Last edited by LexRX; 03-30-02 at 07:18 PM.


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