This question is for all the RX330 owners out there that have had their RX for at least a year or two. I'm trying to figure out if someone would need the AWD or if the 2WD is just fine. Living in the DFW area and we don't get snow that often, I'm thinking the standard VSC on the RX would do fine to keep me straight on those wet roads and slippery turns. Taking opinions. Is the extra $$$ worth it????

**Edit: use lower case please, CAPS is considered yelling.

 

I would say you should be fine. Even here in Minnesota, there are many RWD and FWD-only vehicles, and they somehow manage to make it through winter each year. The local Lexus dealers, however, order ALL of their RX's in AWD, as most people here who buy a SUV would not be interested in anything other than AWD, plus the resale would be much lower. Out of the snowbelt, however, the FWD would probably make more sense - it's a little lighter, a little quicker, and it gets a little better mileage. You might want to drive both and see if you like the handling of the FWD - there may be a little torque steer and a little more understeer, but I can't say because I've never driven one.

 

Keep in mind the complete picture when you consider the extra $$

Extra $: Upfront cost, higher maintenance cost, lower mpg

Cost recovered: Higher resale

Driveability: Confidence factor (2 wheels vs 4 wheels driven). I am not sure about RX330, but FWD RX300 was a tad faster than the AWD.

Winter driving: When roads ice over in North and central Texas there is hardly any difference. In patchy ice, AWD will perform better. Loose traction condition (soft dirt like) the AWD will shine.

Salim

 

jcstms, I'm sorta down your way (Ark) and the 330 is the second RX for us. Both have had AWD (and the 300 also had the temporarily available rear LSD). Yes, AWD is a bit heavier and extracts a performance penalty (less so in the 330 according to published specs). And salimshah did a great job with the pros and cons in his post.

We don't see much frozen stuff but we get ave. 50" rain/year. The AWD tracks as if on RAILS in the wet; the FWD with VSC can't touch how that feels, so much so that my wife hates to drive the RX loaners when she's had service. Plus, no torque steer. No VSC (Lexus' version is way too aggressive in this regard, imho) chopping power drastically at the slightest sign of wheelspin.

After my experience with our '99, I'll NEVER be without one car in the family that has AWD.

 

right now, I have both the 2WD version and the 4WD version. My best bet for you is to recommend that you get 2WD but insist on getting one with Traction control. for RX300s', traction control was a separete, stand alone option (has nothing to do with VSC - I hate this things but more on that later). So it makes sense to check the bottom of the dash to see if there is button that disables the traction control system. Then, you'll know that the car has traction control.

Living in CA, 4WD has too many disadvantages: more fuel, slower car, higher engine noise (did you know that 4WD versions run about 200 RPM higher than the 2WD version when going 60 mph because the gearing is a bit shorter?) and higher drive line noise (viscous coupling/limited slip differential makes noise - you will only notice it when you are going slow, however).

Don' get the 4WD.

 

My wife and I live in Fresno, CA and we will never see snow in where we live. However, we like to go up to Yosemite and Sierra many times in winters. Without AWD, sometime we need to put on the chains and it is pain in the butt.

If the way you use the car don't require you to put on the chains, I suggest you just get a FWD and save the money.

Keep in mind AWD handles better than FWD so it is safer in heavy rain (assume all things are equal)

 

Me just being me, if I didn't know anything about cars, I'd buy a AWD SUV over a FWD SUV, since ain't that 1/2 the point of buying it? Maybe it's just me? I find it hilarious (when it ices here rarely) seeing SUVs stuck in the ice or snow. I can't understand why NOT to get AWD/4WD. If I want RWD or FWD, I'd just buy a car or wagon.....

That being said, when I bought the RX for my mother, AWD was the first option needed, 2nd was color (pearl).I agree 100%. The new GS is supposed to have VSD or something like that (acrynoms ) that is less intrusive than VSC. I am sure this will trickle down.

One last plus to AWD is higher re-sale value.Yes it will, unless your going to fast for the corner. VSC kicks in when wheelspin is detected. I noticed it only really is used going slowly when you hit the gas. Whoops, just saw that....

 

jcstms"

I have definitely found having AWD worth it in Texas. For one thing, as noted earlier, the AWD exhibits no torque steer. The font drive RX300s I have driven do show torque steer. I think the one RX330 I have driven showed it too, but not as bad. (Not that its that bad, anyway.)

When there is a light rain falling on dirty streets, things can get very slippery, as you know. MY RX300 has always been sure-footed under such conditions. I have driven a traction control/front drive RX300 in light rain and found it to be much less pleasant.

 

VSC is toyota's system for controlling oversteer or understeer. It doesn't activate below about 10MPH.

Traction control will activate, brake the spinning wheel, the instant tire slippage is detected. Some traction systems cut engine output to prevent brake pad and rotor overheating.

How does the RX330 overcome torque steer??

 

To answer the original poster's question, I live in Addison (just north of the LBJ) and I have had no problems with my FWD 2001 RX300. It rained all day today and I made numerous trips--no slipping or trouble of any kind. It does help if you buy good tires (Michelin Cross Terrains) and rotate them on a regular schedule. I also get a mile or two more per gallon fuel economy than an AWD RX300. Either way, you wil get a great car.

 

just to reiterate the pros of all the replies, the AWD is awsome. I'm not 'performace oriented' as much as I want safety & ease of use & convenience. I just love the safe feeling of the AWD.


Cheers,

Sheldon.

 

Anybody really think very deeply about what traction control does and why it's needed?

Anybody object if I say it's simply a teaching tool to teach many modern day drivers to modulate, feather, the throttle when driving on the slippery stuff?.

And will they learn?

 

Ah, the perennial question... To AWD or not AWD...

My two cents...

I live in California and I just don't see why we would need a AWD RX300.
Yes, we go up to Tahoe and Yosemite pretty often in the winters. I always
carry chains.
Yes, it is pain in the rear end to spend 10 minutes (on wet dirty road) to put on the darn chains.
However, chains beat AWD on the snow anyday, imho.
(we were in Yosemite a few years ago and saw this gentleman crashed his
brand new AWD LX470 into the side of the mountain - poor guy).
Also, given the current geo-political situation in the middle-east, just can't
justify giving up 7-8 miles per gallon for some convenience that i may need 4-5 times
a year - that's just my opinion.

However, i can understand the guys living in places like Montana where AWD
would probably be very useful day to day.

 

Living in southern arizona, we also have a FWD model.

Dumb Question: If driving into snow country with a FWD RX300/RX330, such as described by the previous poster from California, is it only necessary to put chains on the front tires? The reason I ask is that I read that chains provide a more controlled braking response when applied to the rear tires. It makes me wonder if chains should be applied to all 4 tires when used with FWD vehicles?

Hey, like I said, I'm ignorant on this. We hardly ever see any rain, let alone snow!

 

go with FWD ur like the added power, just get 245's all arond when u need new tires and ur be fine,
"If you feel in control, your not going fast enough." - Mario Andretti