Hello all,

It is soon going to be time to replace the 2008 Rx 350 ultrapremium (Canadian) with something new and the 2011 AWD are very nice and the price south of the border is tempting. I have a question about de VDIM though. It seems that certain models come with VDIM and others with just the standard Trac and VSC.

What is the difference between the two? Is a cutoff switch present in all vehicles (ie. you can turn trac and VSC off) on only in the ones with VDIM?

PS: I am looking at an AWD Rx 350 with package C at Ira Manchester Lexus that includes navigation and premium audio without rear seat entertainment but it doesn't say if it has VDIM or not...

 

VDIM is standard on the hybrid. The only way to get it on the 350 is with the sport package and I believe they don't offer that anymore. The Lexus web site shows the sport package but I understand trying to get one is a different story.

 

Like MEP said, VDIM is sport package only, which may be limited and will require a special order. it is possible to turn off the TRAC or to turn off both TRAC and VSC. I almost want to say VDIM is a marketing gimmick because it is supposed to "integrate" all the vehicle systems to prevent and fix skidding, but isnt that what VSC is? I would not base your purchasing decision on VDIM alone

 

I have VDIM on my (h) of course and once I thought I felt it working. It wasn't fast and was a downhill situation on a long and very steep driveway with some frost and plenty of leaves (pavement not visible).

My guess is most times you won't even know when it's working, it just does in the background.

In reading up on it (you can do it online) it indicates the system can actually anticipate a loss of control before the normal anti skid system does and takes measures to prevent it.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5Am6CgK1dc

great video. Perhaps I was too rash to say that VDIM is a gimmick because this video shows on a wet road the difference between just VSC and VDIM at a toyota safety learning course. There seems to be a big difference between the reaction time of the car and the ability to keep the car straight between the two systems

 

That video was pretty cool. I guess VDIM is definitely worth having. But I'm not going to try it out like these guys did, LOL.

 

Probably I am lucky as I've just got a RX350 with sport package delivered near the end of March. Yes, it is very rare and my dealership only had one with a different color at that time but was good enough to source the color I want from another dealership.

In Canada, not only the 2011 RX350 with sport package has VDIM. The other upper packages -- Ultra Premium One and Ultra Premium Two have it as well.

For the OP, since you don't want rear seat DVD, your choices are Sport package or Ultra Premium One.

I, for one, would opt for Sport package because of VDIM alone.

My speculation for the absence of VDIM in other packages because the Canadian Cambridge plant does not have the facility for making VDIM yet.

For some other countries such as Japan where the RX is made in Japan, VDIM is standard across all packages/versions, except RX270 (not available in NA) where it comes with S-VSC (S- steering-assisted ---- HS250, CT200h have this safety system as well)