JLeffler

Getting a quick checkup at the dealership tomorrow morning as well as oil and tire rotation. Then, taking our RX330 on a road trip through the desert. It's been years since we've gone anywhere like this and our first trip in the RX since we got it. Can't wait to see how she fairs.

Got the front windows tinted last week too, in preparation. The place used a color match and now the tint matches all the way around. Looking forward to it!

stevek1

Have a great trip.we just finished a Seattle to Grand Canyon round trip and couldn't have been more pleased with the ride and comfort of our '07 rx350

Super Blue

Don't forget to keep a lot of water in the car and lots of snacks. For long trips I always keep a tire puncture repair kit, good air compressor, quart of oil, as a small took kit. There is a great emergency vehicle kit available at Costco, highly recommended. Make sure you have a lot of tunes as well.

A few years back I did a trip across Canada in my Corolla and had the scangauge plugged in so I knew the exact amount of fuel in the car and could fill up as little as possible. I would fill up only when absolutely necessary and only when it was almost empty. Now I look back and think that was a very dumb idea because it's impossible to account for road closures and detours at night and gas stations being closed and even the pay at the pump being closed. You don't want the gas needle to venture past 1/4 to be safe. The car had a 52 liter tank and one of my fill-ups was 51.8 liters.

JLeffler

Excellent suggestion. I actually have an air compressor I keep in the car. My last car had a perpetual slow leak from a slight dent in the rim. I just got in the habit of carrying it with me as weather always played a role with how bad the leak was. We made this trip several years ago, in our Saturn. This will be far more luxurious.

Also, since we bought the car preowned from an Audi dealership, we aren't necessarily guaranteed the oil was changed before the car was sold, hence the trip to Kuni Lexus tomorrow...just to cross our t's and dot our i's.... At any rate, we are very very excited !!!

hypervish

You will love taking the RX on the trip, it will be incredibly comfortable.

We take our RX300 on 2400 mile road trips every other month, and it's extremely comfortable. No fatigue after driving for hours on end. Great road trip car, I'd imagine the RX330 is the same just with better fuel economy!

Adamjeeps

Make sure your tires are inflated properly (they should when they rotate them).

Carver

Hey Hypervish, you know how much I loved my RX300 but the comfort level in my 330 is so much greater. I take the same trip to visit my sis each year and it's about 7 hours to get there.

In the 300 I would arrive tired, beat and aching. The stiffer ride, road noise (same exact wheels and tires on both) and more sensitive steering wore me out. It seems the seats are shorter in the 300 as well.

I can do the 7 hours in the 330 with no ill effects at all, it's truly amazing.

Has anyone else logged long hours in each?

My sweet 300!

JLeffler

Had all the work done and got a pre trip inspection. All systems are a go. We are ready to go! I do remember the last time we made this trip, we were in our Saturn Vue. It was so windy, the ride was so stiff, my hands ached from holding the wheel so tight. Even my neck and back ached because I was so tense. I notice in the RX it even feels heavier and barely blows in the wind. I'm betting I won't even notice it....that would be awesome.

diverchris

I've never been in a RX300; but we drive from Key Largo to Toronto in one shot never an uncomfortable moment aside from 23 hours in a car. However I wish the RX had the same seats as my IS that would be remarkable

1sWt2GS

iTrader: (6)

make sure you masking tape your front bumper!

JLeffler

So we are half way into our trip as of today. No major issues, but two things have come up. In AZ and it has been about 100 degrees for the last two days. With the AC all the way up, as we are driving, I notice for a brief second, the air is not chill, it's just warm, then comes back to full cold. The airflow doesn't change speed, the temp just seems to drop and only for a second. It does it quite a bit. Maybe it has always done this but the sheer heat outside makes it more noticeable. Just lightly worried it could be leading to a failure and hoping it waits until we get home. Is this normal?

Also, the drivers side mirror has seized. Noticed it didn't move down in reverse yesterday and wouldn't adjust left or right at all. This morning it moved down in reverse every time but didn't move left or right. Not sure what that's about. Ought if the motor was out it wouldn't move at all.... Is the heat affecting it some now? Bummed about this because my wife and I switch back and forth a lot and moving the mirrors manually is not convinent and I don't want to damage the mirror by force. Thoughts?

joejay

I've noticed the same thing with my ac here in Western Colorado now that it's finally getting hot outside! DO NOT use the ac in a can as toyota/lexus do not use the ambient air temp method of adding freon! From what I can tell Lexus ac runs between 25-40 psi. All that to say your ac is probably fine. Either hit the recycle button or just arrow down the auto temp switches and let the system catch up.
It took me a while to get the hang of using these mirrors. In my 05 rx330 if the mirror switch is set in the neutral position the mirrors do not go down when shifting into reverse. It has to be set to one side or the other. Not sure why yours is not adjusting but I had a similar problem in my 03 Avalon and I had to replace the switch. Pulling the switch was easy but the part from the Toyota Dealer was $135!
Hope you have a great trip!

JLeffler

Good to know on the AC. Figured it was catching up.mor at least trying to keep up.

Mirrors, still a mystery. I do know about the neutral setting not a,lowing movement down. This however only affects the driver mirror. Moves up and down just not left and right.

Won't let it ruin my trip, but might take it in when I get home.

RX330inFL

Time and grime could be the only issues with the side mirrors. Would try the following:

* Using the control move the mirror on the driver's side as far left and the back to the center as best as you can get it.

* Next, gently press in the lower lefthand corner of the mirror such that it clicks a few times in adjustment. If it does not give do not press too hard.

* Now, gently do the same for the lower righthand corner. See if it will adjust a few clicks for you.

* Finally, do the same with each of the upper corners.

Test the controls once again. Any ability to adjust in the vertical direction now? Horizontal adjustment still working? If so, when you get a chance try spraying some WD-40 in behind the mirror to lubricate and clean things up a bit in there. May be all that it needs. Also, keep in mind that the motor has a center point for adjustment. If it gets forced over to one side and the adjustment is all the way that direction then there will be no adjustment in that direction possible. Keep in mind the parts inside are plastic.

JLeffler

It works! Great idea... It has full motion again! However, question....doesn't WD40 just attract more dirt?