New to THIS forum & buying a 2002 RX300 AWD this week
#1
Driver
Thread Starter
New to THIS forum & bought a 2002 RX300 AWD on 01/14/14
Hello, I'm Jim and I'm new to this particular Lexus forum.
I bought a 2001 RX300 - 74k for my daughter in 2008 and joined another Lexus forum to help me through that process. I learned a lot then about this vehicle and it's still going strong for my daughter with 125k miles now. I replaced the starter contact and plunger the first week I had it, and other than tires and oil changes it's been great. It recently started having an issue with the rear door not locking with the remote. I love driving this vehicle when I get a chance.
I drive a 2007 Honda Civic EX sedan I bought new and it has been nearly trouble free. No major problems with it at all, but I got tired of sitting so low and wanted something that could pull a very small boat I recently bought. I looked at an Acura RDX with the four cylinder turbo, and it drove very sporty. I looked at Grand Cherokees, Acura MDX, Honda Pilots & CRVs, Toyota 4Runners, Highlanders & RAV4s. All the time I kept thinking how nice my daughter's Lexus RX300 was to drive and it had been dependable.
So, this week while on a vacation break from work I found a 2002 RX300 AWD - 88k with tow package and a pretty good maintenance record at Hennessy Lexus in Atlanta. I made a deal on it Tuesday and will be headed down to pick it up Monday (hopefully) after they finish with a 90,000 mile service (timing belt), fix a leak in rear transfer case seal, fix the noisy spiral steering cable, replace wiper blades, and replace starter contacts and plunger (paranoid after my 2001 RX300) experience.
Wish me luck on my family's second first generation RX300. Reading this forum has helped me through the worrying and waiting process these last few days.
Thanks, Jim
I bought a 2001 RX300 - 74k for my daughter in 2008 and joined another Lexus forum to help me through that process. I learned a lot then about this vehicle and it's still going strong for my daughter with 125k miles now. I replaced the starter contact and plunger the first week I had it, and other than tires and oil changes it's been great. It recently started having an issue with the rear door not locking with the remote. I love driving this vehicle when I get a chance.
I drive a 2007 Honda Civic EX sedan I bought new and it has been nearly trouble free. No major problems with it at all, but I got tired of sitting so low and wanted something that could pull a very small boat I recently bought. I looked at an Acura RDX with the four cylinder turbo, and it drove very sporty. I looked at Grand Cherokees, Acura MDX, Honda Pilots & CRVs, Toyota 4Runners, Highlanders & RAV4s. All the time I kept thinking how nice my daughter's Lexus RX300 was to drive and it had been dependable.
So, this week while on a vacation break from work I found a 2002 RX300 AWD - 88k with tow package and a pretty good maintenance record at Hennessy Lexus in Atlanta. I made a deal on it Tuesday and will be headed down to pick it up Monday (hopefully) after they finish with a 90,000 mile service (timing belt), fix a leak in rear transfer case seal, fix the noisy spiral steering cable, replace wiper blades, and replace starter contacts and plunger (paranoid after my 2001 RX300) experience.
Wish me luck on my family's second first generation RX300. Reading this forum has helped me through the worrying and waiting process these last few days.
Thanks, Jim
Last edited by jimbug; 02-23-14 at 10:54 AM.
#2
Lexus Test Driver
Welcome to Club Lexus!
These RX's are addicting!
Congrats on the purchase! Be sure to post pictures!
There is a great DIY on here to fix the rear lock actuator for cheap!
How heavy is the boat you are planning on towing?
These RX's are addicting!
Congrats on the purchase! Be sure to post pictures!
There is a great DIY on here to fix the rear lock actuator for cheap!
How heavy is the boat you are planning on towing?
#3
Driver
Thread Starter
Thanks for the welcome. I like it here. There are lots of answers & DIY photos.
I read that DIY post on fixing the actuator and found it to be a very interesting solution.
The boat (457lb), motor (117lb), trailer (400lb), and gear weigh less than 1500lbs total.
The first forum I joined back in 2008 was the lexusownersclubdotcom and I got a lot of good information there on the MAF sensor - how to get to it and clean it. I forgot that I had that check engine light for the MAF sensor and cleaned it when I was replacing the starter contacts and plunger. I had a guy at a technology school do these for me so it only cost the price of those starter parts - less than $20 & and he used some carb cleaner to clean the MAF sensor. The use of photos on these forums is especially helpful to me in doing minor maintenance and fixes.
I'm going to try to post photos now, just to see how it works here.
Thanks again, Jim
Here's the boat:
[IMG][/IMG]
Here is the 2002 RX AWD:
Last edited by jimbug; 01-17-14 at 01:32 PM. Reason: Post photos
#4
Moderator
Welcome to the club! Good looking RX...
#5
Driver
Thread Starter
Trending Topics
#9
Driver
Thread Starter
My daughter's is black which I also like, but this color is Vapor Blue Metallic which I had never heard of and thought it was silver. I'm kinda hoping we will get just a little snow here so I can test the AWD.
#12
Lexus Test Driver
Thanks for the welcome. I like it here. There are lots of answers & DIY photos.
I read that DIY post on fixing the actuator and found it to be a very interesting solution.
The boat (457lb), motor (117lb), trailer (400lb), and gear weigh less than 1500lbs total.
The first forum I joined back in 2008 was the lexusownersclubdotcom and I got a lot of good information there on the MAF sensor - how to get to it and clean it. I forgot that I had that check engine light for the MAF sensor and cleaned it when I was replacing the starter contacts and plunger. I had a guy at a technology school do these for me so it only cost the price of those starter parts - less than $20 & and he used some carb cleaner to clean the MAF sensor. The use of photos on these forums is especially helpful to me in doing minor maintenance and fixes.
I'm going to try to post photos now, just to see how it works here.
Thanks again, Jim
]
I read that DIY post on fixing the actuator and found it to be a very interesting solution.
The boat (457lb), motor (117lb), trailer (400lb), and gear weigh less than 1500lbs total.
The first forum I joined back in 2008 was the lexusownersclubdotcom and I got a lot of good information there on the MAF sensor - how to get to it and clean it. I forgot that I had that check engine light for the MAF sensor and cleaned it when I was replacing the starter contacts and plunger. I had a guy at a technology school do these for me so it only cost the price of those starter parts - less than $20 & and he used some carb cleaner to clean the MAF sensor. The use of photos on these forums is especially helpful to me in doing minor maintenance and fixes.
I'm going to try to post photos now, just to see how it works here.
Thanks again, Jim
]
You are well within' the limits for towing so you're all set there!
Be sure to change out the transmission fluid regularly, as I'm sure you've heard many times before on the other forum.
#13
Driver
Thread Starter
Thanks hypervish. I do plan on babying this transmission. One very concerning difference between this vehicle's service history and my daughter's is there is no mention of a transmission fluid change from the Lexus dealer service record. My daughter's RX had tranny fluid changed at 60,000 miles in the Lexus record. I hate that even to this day Lexus and Toyota think of this as having All World transmission fluid that only needs changing at 100,000 miles. I'm hoping that the improvements that I've read about here in the 2002 will protect it to this point in time. I'm keeping my fingers crossed until I can get that fluid changed.
I'm loving this forum.
I'm loving this forum.