Hi,

First I'm new to the club. I've been watching it a while and just joined.

I've decided to purchase my first rx300. I'm looking at used ones '99-01.
Although I don't have many requirements, the couple I do have are somewhat mutually exclusive.

1. 4x2 (2wd)
2. heated seats
3. no spoiler (preferred - wind noise)

I live in Ohio where it gets cold in the winter and the heated seats are worth their weight in gold. :-)
But the 4x2s are generally found in the southern states without heated seats.
Although the options I'm after exist in rx300s, I'm wondering if I'm being too finicky.

Does it make sense to get a 2wd without heated seats and add them later?
Is that possible, is it worth it, can I do the work myself? Is the heated seat completely different or is the warmer something that can be added to the bottom of the seat and plugged in? (wishful thinking I'm sure. :-)

Thanks for your time.

 

Welcome to CL, OKmechanic! We hope you will enjoy your time here and can profit by the experience of our members!

My beloved '00 AWD had the heated seats, and I'll agree, even down here in the Texas tropics, they proved themselves indispensable. They are not a simple option to add, however, although it is possible. As I recall, you can purchase the parts, heating elements, wiring, and controls from a dealer. The '99 had a single right-left-both switch, while the '00 had two separate rocker switches, on-off. Not sure about the '01, but it may have had a thermostat, which would be nice - to avoid that wide temperature swing that either chilled or sizzled your backside, especially when wearing light clothing. Hey, down here that's all we own - year 'round!

I believe one of our members actually accomplished the feat of adding seat heaters to his 300. He did a nice job and benefited from the thermostat that was part of the kit. My hat's off to anyone who attempts it.

My '00 was one of the few that did not have the spoiler, but I'm not sure it made a great deal of difference in wind noise. That concern should be minimal.

As to the FWD vs. AWD selection, the FWD will cost less initially and will have marginally improved acceleration and fuel efficiency over the AWD - however - and here we get into personal preferences, there are significant differences.

I now have a '04 RX 330 FWD, as no AWDs were being allocated in the Sunbelt in early '03. I accepted the compromise reluctantly. The differences are clear: while acceleration is improved, torque steer, totally absent on the AWD is a little disconcerting on the FWD, especially in low-traction situations where the TRAC control steps in to try to help. I don't believe that option was available on the '99 or '00 FWD, so that may ease that problem somewhat.

The AWD's fuel penalty was minimal - only about 1 mpg on the highway or city cycle. Most significantly, the AWD was smoother, more sure-footed, and was totally immune to the vagaries of traction in most situations. The difference was that the AWD enjoyed a more "Lexus-like" relationship - smooth, unruffled, and controlled - with mother earth than my current FWD. Not to say that the FWD isn't a great vehicle, but my next RX will be another AWD - if I have to drive to Alaska to pick it up!

 

It's strange, I've read in several places now of owners who have said the '99 RX only had a single heated seat switch that controls both driver's and passengar's seats. I have a '99 and I have two switches. One controls the driver's and the other the passengar's seat, independently. I don't know if this was a late '99 change, or if my car is actually a '00 without my knowledge. VIN says '99 though.

Since you live in Ohio, what are your reasons for getting a 4x2? The fuel savings is minimal. I believe you'll get 1 or 2 extra mpg on highway, with probably no gain for local driving. Don't you get snow out there in Ohio? We get enough in NJ that I don't think would want a SUV with no AWD.

The first generation RX's have VSC on 4x2 model, which was traction control at low speed. Never drove a 2wd, so can't really tell you how it handles relative to my AWD. I can tell you though, one year got 16" of snow, didn't get stuck with my AWD.

Anyway, hope you find what you're looking for and good luck.

 

The very first '99's had a single switch for the heaters. There was a production change to a couple of small details after about the first 30K units. One of those changes was to go with ttwo rocker switches, one for the driver and one for the passenger. The switches provide only On and Off settings.

In '01 they went to a three position switch, so each seat had a High, Low, and Off setting.

 

I had aftermarket seat heaters added to my '03 Honda Pilot for $350, at a place that specializes in aftermarket sunroofs and upholstery. In this picture you can see where they placed the rocker switch on the console.

 

Thanks for all your replies.

As for the heated seats, it looks like there is a kit avail. to do it yourself, although it may be a bit of work. I should look for a shop that does aftermarket customizations like the one done on the Pilot posted.

As for the 2wd vs 4wd, I realize the MPG diff. is minimal. I just don't see the value in it. I drive a 2wd (rear wheel) clunker and never have problems in the snow. We get a big storm once or twice a year but wait a day or two and the streets are good enough to drive on.

But more importantly, I'm thinking maintenance. I expect to own this car for 10+ years and don't want to have differential problems down the road. If I can simply get 2wd and deal with CV boots and joints, then that's it. I guess I'd like to keep the car simple; in fact no sunroof is ok too since that's one more thing that will (most likely) fail in the future.

Nevertheless, you've convinced me that I should keep my eyes open for AWD and not exclude them.

Now I have to go find a rx300!

 

When I was shopping for my RX, I, too, was initially looking for FWD. I was told by the Lexus dealer that I might want to reconsider because the AWD maintains a much higher resale value. And the MPG trade-off is minimal, as Lil4X said.

I'm no expert, but your concerns about the failure of the sunroof and the components of the AWD system are rarely mentioned in this forum, which would lead me to believe that they rarely fail before they should. You should be more concerned with maintenance history as to avoid transmission problems, and most notibly, engine sludge/oil gelling. For more info on those, do a search.

Whatever your decision...GOOD LUCK!!!

 

Some early "1999 models" had a single switch. These were actually 1998 models of the re-badged Toyota Harrier, but sold in the U.S. as 1999 model Lexus RX300. The real 1999 model production changed it.

 

We had one of the early 99 RX300s with the single rocker switch. Would that we had waited........but SHE saw one of my car mags and loved it, so I bought one of the first RX3s in our locale.

However, my .02 re AWD vs FWD: Lil4X and I are in complete agreement. The RX300 I bought wifey was AWD, not because we get much snow here in Arkansas but because we do get RAIN. Our dealership usually used FWD RX3s for loaners back then, so comparisons were inevitable. The FWD def felt quicker (it should since it was several hundred pounds lighter) but torque steer was annoying and VSC/TRAC was no substitute for the absolute "on rails" feel that the (transparent) AWD provided. Even SHE really didn't like driving the loaners because of those differences (plus, most had those dam Goodyear Zero-Integrity tires and I had replaced them with Michelin CTXs, highly rec'd.). Since that vehicle transported my wife and two boys, I was greatly pleased with that feel. During the time we had the first RX (and notice what replaced it in my sig), I owned or had as loaners: SC300 5spd (no TRAC, odd since Toyota offered it on manual Supras), GS430, LS400, LS430, RX300 FWD, ES300 (with VSC). NONE of them felt as planted in the rain as the RX with AWD. The same applies to the RX330, of course, but I think my experience with the 300 is germane to your situation.

As far as tranny failures, they just don't seem to be a blip on the radar. And the sunroofs appear to be bulletproof. I might add that I sold the RX300 to an employee at my clinic so I still have history on the car and still no probs from a car bought in September, 1998. To all intents and purposes, they appear to be tanks.

Good luck!

 

Only the seat bottoms (not the backs) are heated in the factory heated seat option so the aftermarket solution would seem to be the way to go.