tkrussell

Maybe someone has an individual car issue with the vents.
My 2 cents opinion:

I have had a 2006 RX330 since October last year (Japan build)
NO squeaks from the dash vents or anywhere else.
Temps as low as 18F this last winter. (Granted, not Canada winters)
I have 245/45 Tires and the Euro Springs also,
which should make any rattles and squeaks worse.
NONE whatsoever.

The RX is surely not perfect, and there are several amenities from the LS series I would love to see incorporated (Keyless entry, Proximity sensors on bumpers, Availability of the Levinson Audo without the backseat DVD option, Driver selectable engine/transmission/shock settings for cruise and sport).
Nontheless, the RX is a great SUV and a near ideal vehicle if you do not need lots of kid or gear space. The 350 is more so than the 330 (gas mileage, HP, quiet)

The ORIGINAL topic of this thread was differences between the 330 and 350.
Maybe we can stay on topic now.
Respectfully

32kcolors

The RX350 sits 2.2 inches higher than the RX330!

Threxx

Some people are more sensetive to rattles than others. I've never once ridden in a car that didn't have SOME kind of extraneous noise when going over bumps that came from something other than the passengers riding in it or things laying in the car.

Granted Lexus by FAR has the fewest on average - my Audi has a TON and it hasn't even quite hit 10k miles - thank god it's a lease or I'd actually be driven crazy by these rattles. Since it's a lease... I really don't care!

The canadian built RX loaners I've had have had worst build quality of any new Lexus I've driven to date..

What I wanted to ask you though is how would you compare the quietness of your LS to your RX? No comparison, I'd assume, right? Any rattles that you can hear in the LS?

tkrussell

Both RX and LS have Euro Suspension and identical 245/45-18 Michelin Pilot Sport A/S tires.
These tires have somewhat more tread noise than Bridgestones, but much better grip.

Noise differences:
Wind Noise- Immensely better on the LS as highway speeds. Deathly quiet. The Cd (Drag Coefficient) of the LS is a lot lower, so Lexus obviously did some major wind tunnel work here.

Engine Noise- Again much better in the LS. Not a cliche- I have tried to restart the car at ide, it was so quiet.

Road/Tire Noise- Here the difference is least. The LS is quieter, and on smoother roads is ghostly. On rougher pavement, the Michelins can be heard.

Still, major noise factor in the RX is wind noise at highway speeds. The new RX 350 is said to be better. Major noise factor in the RX in town is engine noise. In the LS this is nonexistant.
You can hear quietest passages of a CD easily.

I could not pry my wife out of the LS with dynamite. She loves that car, and it is a superb highway cruiser. Of course it is twice the price of the RX.

I know what you mean by rattles and car noises. I owned a Vette. On a smooth road it talked to me, and on a rough road it sounded like someone left a loose bolt or two in the dash. CD's were best heard at high volume over the exhaust note.

On a different note,
Something you said struck me. My Lexi are both Japan build.
Is there a quality difference with Canada build cars?

That might explain a lot.

tfischer

With respect to TKRUSSEL's notes about what he would like to see, I offer the following comments.

First, see the thread in this forum about the rear camera that is a part of the NAV system.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=225490

There are several comments about how unsatisfied people are with the "radar" backup sensors; the rear view camera is quite a bit better and, with one exception (see first post in the above thread) everybody likes it a lot.

Secondly, the ML audio system is available without the RSES (Rear Seat Entertainment System). They are quite different and although some areas of the country report difficulty in finding RXs with ML at this time for some reason, the RSES is quite rare because of the limited target market and the high price. My RX has the ML and no RSES. When shopping for used RXs, my dealer mentioned that if I wanted it, he could put it into any new or used RX I would buy, as it can be installed by the dealer. I have seen both the '04 and the '07 RX brochure, and it is clear that these two options are not linked together as a package in any way.

Finally, I doubt we will see a "sport" setting available, as few RX drivers would want or use that -- it's just not that type of a car.

tkrussell

You are probably right on all counts from a marketing view.

In the Dallas area, the dealers order the ML and RSES as a bundle only.
So you get all or none.
Why? Beats me. I'd think they would sell more separately.

I appreciate your comment about the retrofit of the ML. I will ask my dealer about it.
Does your dealer quote a price for the retrofit?
I understand from the specs that more speakers and a subwoofer are added as well as more amplifier power. Is the Dash unit the same?

With respect to the proximity sensors, my LS has them, and they are imvaluable for parking and backing in tight quarters. The LS has had no problems with them. The camera and the sensors are complementary to each other. On the RX, sensors in the front would help deliniate the nose of the car, which is hard to appreciate due to the sloping hood/grille.

Lastly, I tend to agree with a previous writer who noted that the S in SUV stands for Sport, and I look forward to the 350's additional HP. I realize I am in the minority.

Great car in that it appeals to so many different views.

tfischer

I did not get a price for a retrofit on the RSES because I had no interest in buying one -- no kids at home any more. He did mention that he could install one with a fold down screen or one with two smaller screens in the rear of the front headrests.

I believe that the ML has two more speakers than the standard audio system and a larger amp. The Amp makes most of the difference in the quality of the sound, I would think. As for the dash unit, I have read reports that in the 350, the standard audio does not have a cassette player although the ML does. (Having NAV or not may also make a difference, I forget.) In 330s, all cars have the cassette player.

I don't know anything about proximity sensors, as I have never had a car with them, or been in a car using them. All I know is that I like the backup camera a lot.

Finally, I thought the S stands for surburban these days. If there is any "Sport" in my RX, I have yet to find it.

32kcolors

The cassette deck is standard on all RX350s with NAV, whether or not they have ML.

tfischer

. . . but I think I heard that if you have no NAV and no ML, then there is no cassette deck.

Check the previous threads here when you get a chance.

32kcolors

That's what I meant by the cassette deck being standard on all RX350s with NAV.

32kcolors

Found this on the net:

The RX 350 will also feature an updated DVD navigation system with better graphics, voice controlled destination inputs, and a new device called "bread crumbs". Bread crumbs will enable drivers to retrace their steps.

This "bread crumbs" must be the Route trace as explained on pg. 61 in the nav manual.

bigL

iTrader: (3)

I hope youre kidding since the suspensions are identical.

32kcolors

I thought it was a joke too until a poster provided the following links:

http://www.lexus.ca/lexus/ebrochures/en/HA31UP2007.pdf
compare it with: http://www.lexus.ca/lexus/ebrochures/en/HA31UP2006.pdf

The same poster parked his RX350 next to a RX330 and could very clearly see the height difference. Now why this is I don't know.

bigL

iTrader: (3)

What am I supposed to be comparing I dont see anything about suspension heigths.And I just got through parking a brand new 350 next to a 330 and could see no difference.Can you find the pic youre talking about?

32kcolors

No pics. Look at the height dimensions found in the links.