HarrierAWD

Remember, most of the parts in the RX330 "chuckwagon" edition actually came from us (the U.S. of A.) For example, the engine and tranny came from West Virginia. Many of its U.S.-sourced parts have lowered the quality and the reliability. Toyota cannot check every part.

For example, I believe the RX330 from Japan uses battery made by Matsushi-ta (better known as Panasonic here.) The chuckwagon RX330 uses Delphi Freedom battery. Let me tell you that NONE of my four AC/Delco Freedom batteries ever lasted more than 3 years. And they die suddenly without warning - The freedom to get strained anywhere and anytime. (At least I get free replacements every time from my GM PoS dealer.)

On the other hand, I read about RX300 battery problems here only from some 1999 model owners. That's 5-6 years old. And these batteries didn't die suddenly. The owners usually report strange electrical problems with on-dash clock or blank-out LCD screen before the battery eventually died. That's excellent reliability to me.

Threxx

Well it was said earlier that they were kind of forced into moving production over due to the scare of high trade tarrifs from the US government. I guess they don't want to have all their eggs in one basket just in case this happens.

Nissan's quality control went to absolute CRAP a few years ago when they started building and even designing/engineering some of their models from the ground up entirely in the US.

Japanese workers just tend to be more meticulous about things like this. Plus it's harder for Lexus, I'm sure, to keep tabs on their canadian plant operations than their japanese plants.

Threxx

That's good to hear... our 05 4Runner (built in Japan) came with a Panasonic battery.

The battery on my GS4 was already replaced with an Interstate battery when I bought it. Then again the car was 4 years old with only 30k miles on it when I got it and the owner tended to store it for long periods of time without driving it... which isn't exactly something car batteries tend to appreciate.

Rx900

well if that's the case, i think we should give the Canada factory some time and maybe they'll improve the quality in the Lexus vehicles someday.

Threxx

Well I turned it back in to the dealer yesterday... two new BAD rattles I discovered when I closed the cup holder and moved the right side door pocket back in to where it was flush with the door (they were both 'open' when I got the RX from the dealer and so I never noticed the rattles until I moved them back.

Also, the driver's side door speaker generated a LOUD bass tone - freaked me out - I thought it was getting ready to explode or something. Turned out it did it every time somebody called my cell phone - interferance. My fiancee's phone does this with her computer speakers... but I've never seen or heard of a phone doing this with car speakers.

FlintRX

I think it's funny that you're complaining about a loaner car.... Maybe next time you should buy a Toyota, then you won't have a loaner car to complain about - we can hear all about the rattles and squeaks from the shuttle van.

Threxx

It's obvious your reply was only made out of spite for me saying this about an RX.

I didn't and never have complained about the service I receive at Lexus. I don't care that my loaner car rattles, either.

It's just that this car didn't roll off the assembly line marked 'loaner'... it just as easily could have ended up being somebody's personal car that they paid 40k+ dollars for... and if I was that person and had to deal with that many rattles, I would be pissed.

It's also a measure of Lexus' quality control attempts in Canada.

Quit being a blind Lexus fanboy and realize this had nothing to do with my service experience and everything to do with my observations of a Lexus vehicle in general.

FlintRX

I have no blind love for RX cars, or for Lexus for that matter. I also don't live in Utopia. Mass-produced cars are not all perfect, all of the time. Variances exist in spite of the best quality control measures. Everyone on this board is aware of that the RX300 and RX330 have their issues like any other car, as disappointing as it may be. But blasting Lexus, Canada, etc is pointless because the RX is not a perfect car, and we don't live in a perfect world.

Threxx

Good grief.

I was being honest. Telling it as I saw it. The two Canadian built RXs I've driven in rattled from more places than I could even begin to count. Far more than any other Lexus I've ridden in and that's including even the USED ones including my own and even LS400s with 150k miles on them.

And from what the service manager told me they get more rattle complaints for the RX330s than almost all their other late model Lexuses combined.

That's not a variance... that's a flaw in the design and/or build of the car.

People buy Lexus models for build quality, serenity, and reliability. And they expect to get what they paid for. If I bought a Corvette and it only did 0-60 in 8 seconds then I'd probably mention that on a Corvette forum. I doubt that any but the most hardcore fanboy would blame me for expecting better.

Rx900

sometimes it's better to just get a cheap toyota or honda, so in that way we don't complain at all about rattles or squeaks because we EXPECT it normally from them. lol

HarrierAWD

While no one should expect Lexus to be perfect, there are things one can expect from a $40,000 vehicle. Rattles and squeaks may be OK for economy cars or very old cars, but not for new Lexus.

Like another poster said about Corvette, I'd blow my steam cap off if my Vette does 0-60 in 8 seconds flat. Had my RX300 done that, I would not complain one bit.

parula

From what I have seen on several fixes for these rattles I am really dissappointed that they exist on these later model vehicles, mine still has several I need to get repaired.