tfischer

I agree with the wase rookie. Our minds are closed. We want no thoughts, observations, insight or stories of your experiences unless they are "pro-lexus," whatever that is. So please keep anything that would enlighten us or enlarge our perspective relating to our cars to yourself, as it would surely make us feel bad about our purchasing decisions, and nobody wants to feel like that.

wase4711

you should re-read his post then; he just came her to ***** about his mistake..I dont think many folks want to read that here...that's Facebook/Twitter fodder, not what peeps on an enthusiast forum want to read..

and, BTW, even though I have "rookie" status here, I have had 41 new cars in my life, have had 6 Lexus, and spent 30+ years in the automotive industry...

kitlz

OK, time to get back on track before this thread totally derails over one negative post. Please.

wase4711

sorry, 20 below zero makes your mind a little tight!

TechNut

My wife and I really enjoy our second RX and I consider myself a lexus enthusiast. However, the individual that posed the question was asking for opinions of current owners. So he/she got a negative opinion - that is fair enough. A certain percentage of people may not be satisfied and may be monitoring this board to seek solutions to those things that irritate them. I have owned an Audi product before and I just refer people to consumer reports when they ask my opinion of that brand. I think that says it all and it can be far more objective than I can.

Without a doubt there are going to be disappointments with any vehicle. I too am disappointed that many of the little touches from my 04 are no longer available or standard equipment. For example, why were the illuminated door sills removed from the premium package, and the illuminated door pulls. This 13 is a very different vehicle with a few disappointments and many delights. We love it and would buy another in a heartbeat, but it won't be the right vehicle for everyone.

We must remember, Tin369 posed the question to research the vehicle before they buy, so they don't end up like HDD, disappointed with their purchase, whatever that ultimate choice might be. Hopefully they posed the same question on Audi boards and hopefully they check consumer reports. This seems like smart research to me.

Doug

corradoMR2

Well said. No vehicle is a 100% perfect fit for any owner regardless of cost, however in doing one's due diligence before dishing out $50K whether it's in researching, test driving, or a combination, one can mitigate disappointment and meet (or even exceed) expectations overall.

Wish Gen 3 had the under-floor storage in the trunk, the illuminated door sills, height adjustable suspension, and the more comfy ride, but I knew these shortcomings prior to signing on the Gen 3 and was fine with it since styling, quieter ride, better fit + finish, trunk space, and handling more than make up for the shortcomings (for me of course).

GoGiantsNJ

Tin welcome to CL. I have a 2012 RX. I opted for the 19" tires and wheels when I bought it new. I did have the Dealer swap out the Dunlops for Michelins. I think a good compromise is to get the 19" tires/wheel package without having to buy the F. The ride seems a bit more planted with that tire option.
I also test drove almost every Lux Suv you can think of. I deemed the rides on the others as too firm and jarring over our not so smooth roads here in South Jersey and especially bad in Philly.
You can't go wrong with the RX. Good luck with your purchase. The end of the month is a great time to deal on the RX. You should easily get over 10% off MSRP.

vlad_a

Each time I see a tow truck leave the BMW dealership next door to the Lexus one, I'm reminded of why I bought yet another Toyota vehicle. I call our RX, the couch on wheels. And that's exactly what its purpose is. I have the IS as the fun car. The IS might get replaced with a German product, but not just yet.

tin369

Thanks for the comments and responses. Yes, I always like to research before buying and sometimes its more than required.

We do have 3 series sedan and that's why trying to not go for the X3, also the fact that with lexus I think you get more for the money. The seats are nice, the crago space is more, the back seats space is more, with flat floor, which makes 3 adults sit vs. 2 in more other suv's The back seats recline. Am I just trying to talk myself into buying one. I do however, like the f-sport grill. is there was way to get that?

also, is the 18-19 wheel more comfortable?

I have a rav4 with runflats and the ride is bumpy and rough on bad roads, so don't want the same with the next car.

vlad_a

I have 19" rims as my summer set and 18" for winters. Both are plenty comfortable. This is 450h, though, which is heavier. I bumped the tire pressure in 18s a tad to relief some of the cushionness.

RX330inFL

Even the BMW folks with run-flats complain about them.

viperdoc

I purchased my F sport about 8 months ago. I am very happy with it overall. I purchased mine because of similar reasons that others have mentioned. I prefered the styling- front end, steering wheel (I hate the wood steering wheel), and wheels. I also GREATLY preferred the 8 speed transmission, which I thought made a huge difference in how the car drove. I think I would have been happy enough with the suspension setup on the base RX, which is (in my estimation) about 20% softer than the F sport. But the other attributes of the F sport won out. I live in colorado and there is only one road that I drive on that is rough enough to feel the firmer suspension....so I don't drive on that one road. Otherwise, everyone else who had driven in my car loves the ride...even the mother in law

I will say that I do think the 19 inch wheels are overkill. Not only do they worsen acceleration and gas mileage over 18s, but they make the ride worse over road imperfections (you sacrifice about 10-13% of sidewall height). Plus, there is still a lot of argument (from what I have read) in the auto industry as to wether they actually enhance handling. So really, the 19s are just for looks.

I am debating switching out my F sport wheels for aftermarket 18s when it is time to replace the tires. Not only would this give a better ride, but it would open a larger variety of tire choices as well -most of which are significantly cheaper in an 18 size than 19. It wouldn't totally offset the cost of new wheels, but it would help. It is a shame to have to do this to a $52k car, but I think that change would make the F sport ride perfect (for me), because there are times when I wished the ride was just a TAD softer. Not as soft as the base RX though.

Lastly, I do believe you can opt for just the appearance package. I keep seeing another F sport looking RX around town but it isn't an F sport. It has the 18 inch wheels, which are silver, no F sport emblems, a light interior with a wooden steering wheel, but it has the F sport front grill. Ask the dealer. And the next time you go back, drive both base RX and F sport back to back (to back if need be), over the roughest road you can find. YOu will know immediately which one is better for you.

viperdoc

I will also say that I think lexus got the user interface with the infotainment system perfect. There are very few buttons, but amazingly everything is within easy reach whether it is music off your iphone, the navigation system, seat heaters, etc. I think the voice command feature works very well. I use it often. My ONLY gripe is that there isn't a button on the dashboard to directly turn the A/C on or off....you have to go into the climate control screen. We are getting a 2014 acura MDX soon to replace our minivan, and the infotainment system in that car is not very well done. Very confusing and hard to use.

JDR76

Just as a point of clarification, non F Sport RXs are available with the full leather, non-wood steering wheel.

I really do recommend driving both the F Sport and non F Sport versions and see which feels better for you. For yours is truly the only review that matters when it comes to deciding what to drive every day.

HDD

He asked for advice. I gave him my honest opinion. And yes, there are better options out in the auto industry.