RamAirRckt

My wife didn't like the RX till she drove it yesterday, we are trying to decide if spending the extra $ on a RX400h vs RX330 is worth it.

We have a fixed budget, but some wiggle if we need it, and the 400 is just outside of what we WANTED to pay, but if the fuel savings are worth it, in the long run it might be worth it.

Any tips, advice, things you would do again if you had the choice to buy a 400 vs 330?

I have a GS400, and am very new to the RX. So very different vehicles. Mine feels like a brute compared!

Rainbird

Here is a three page thread in the Hybrid Forum discussing the mileage per gallon on the RX400h

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/hyb...ease-help.html

smassey321

I have an 06 400h awd and I have a co worker with an 06 330 2wd. Our commutes are similar and I get 25 mpg on regular gas. They get 20 mpg and need to use premium.

RX330inFL

While the 2006 RX330 states in its Owner's Manual that premium fuel is required, some say they have gotten away with using regular, both the 2004 and 2005 RX330 state the vehicle needs only regular unleaded fuel. The 2006 MY for the RX330 sold here in the US is the only RX330 where premium is preferred.

On the other hand, both the 2007 and 2008 RX400h have in their Owner's Manual a recommendation for premium fuel.

lex_rx

I'd recommend checking cost for replacing batteries on 400 if you plan on keeping it for a while.

About $5,000 in Sewell lexus. Maybe someone can calculate the future value of that 5 mpg difference and determine the number of years to a break-even.

smassey321

While the batteries can go bad it is very rare and there is not a single post on any forum where the owner had to pay any of the cost. A more common expensive failure is a coolant leak in the transmission or inverter. While both are also rare, both can leak and require replacement to fix. The transmission leak is NOT covered under the hybrid warranty whereas the inverter and batteries are.

Two other potential expensive failures that can happen to a 400h in rare cases include the electric ac compressor and the ABS system.

A common expensive failure in the 330 is the hydraulic power steering rack. The 400s rack is electric and all of them were changed under a free recall a few years ago.

RamAirRckt

We are leaning towards a 330 just because it seems harder to find the 400h's around.

What problems show up with the 330 rack?

Anything else I should be looking closely at on a 330 or 400 (if we find one)?