just a thought.. with the new RX400H coming out and the eventual GS450H due out next year, i can't help but wonder if the use of the electric motor will actually prolong the life of the combustion engines. I would imagine there would be less wear and tear, and that the use of the electric motor could extend the life of the engine for thousands and thousands of miles. With proper maintainance, Lexus engines are already know to last well past 200, 300 thousand miles. It makes me wonder how much longer they will last with the new hybrid systems..

 

They might actually have more wear due to all of the starting and stopping of the engine. But engines are usually the strongest link in a car so it's probably a moot point. Transmissions seem to be the weak link these days, and you'll probably have sensor and other issues long before any issues are seen with the engine.

 

I don't know if the reduced wear and tear will extend the life of the engine to any significant degree but something to think about is the battery pack systems in hybrids.

Although they come with great warrantys, the battery packs are the most expensive and heaviest part of the hybrid powerplant. We haven't had any time to see if they can last over 100k miles but I'd personally worry more about these than the gas engine. I hope they carry the same stellar reliability as other Toyota/Honda parts but only time will tell.

James

 

With the engine starting and stopping regularly...especially in city traffic.....you also have the question of how the fluctuating oil temperature is going to affect engine wear....especially on a cold day when the oil temperature drops much more rapidly after engine shutoff and warms more slowly. Lower temperatures, of course, can also affect both mileage and emissions.

 

I thought, although I could be mistaken, that the hybrids will have some sort of temp sensor that will keep the engine running under a preset cold temp. If it falls below a certain temp the engine will not shut off and run like a normal car. Now, maybe I heard this as a posible solution to the problem you just described in some car chat topic, so I don't know if it actually is in production.

 

I read that 2, guess in colder climates the gas engine stays running, but I'd be more concerned what the battery and electric motor after the 150k warranty runs out.

According to the Hybrid boards, mostly Prius owners the Hybrids are not problem free and gas mileage is not that great if you drive highway

 

Insider info, Toyota is not sitting still The latest is 2009, with help by Panasonic, they wil switch from nickel hydride to lithuim ion batteries, which are smaller, lighter and more fuel efficient.

Toyota is currently working on how much they can maximize out of their batteries, for possible high performance cars.

AS for the engine, I figure it can only help, otherwise Toyota would not do it.

 

that is just in the prius, dont think it is in the others, as i was told

 

Youre right about highway mileage not being that great. Its because the engine is running all the time so it would be a wash. It helps the city driving because of the batteries. I cant imagine using the Prius mainly for long highway driving. You wont see that much of a benefit.

Its kind of spooky at first when you stop at a light and things shuts down.
Hope it never forgets to start up when you release the brake.

 

The RX400h engine maitenance is the same as a regular RX330. The reason for this is that when the engine fires up it goes to 4600 rpm (this is the reason there is no tachometer). The vehicle catches up to the engine speed. The thought is that an engine running at the higher RPMs, although running less frequently will still break down the oil on par with the non-hybrid. As far as longevity, just like any Lexus, maintain it and it will last.

 

Im surprised Lexus has not put those oil change lights in the vehicles like BMW, these hybrids should be interesting to see the how people do long drain intervals