Hello. I am thinking of getting a CPO 09 or 10 RX. I am not sure which one to get. I would be glad to get recommendations from board members.

I am concerned about maintenance cost, timing belt, tires etc. I have been looking at CPO's on the Lexus website and they seem to have some nice 09's in the $30K range.

Any significant advantages of the '10 model year as opposed to the '09?

Thanks for your input. I will be looking forward to your responses.

Pierre

 

Big changes in the 2010. Most significant to me is the rear suspension redesign. It increases the interior space and improves (in my opinion) the handling significantly. The interior and options changed as well. The engines are basically the same. I believe the transmissions are, as well. Others will clarify, I'm sure.

The 09 (second generation) is a great car, but I believe the '10 (third Gen) is a clear improvement. As always, personal preferences make all the difference in the world. I would recommend you do a bit of "in person" comparison shopping before you decide! Depending on the warranty status, I might recommend you look at extended warranties, although the RX seems to be exceptionally reliable and durable.

Full disclosure, my mom has a 2nd gen ('07) that I've put a few miles on over the years, and we had a 3rd gen ('10). We now have a '13 (still 3rd gen). My impressions may be a bit biased, but I really like the changes the 3rd gen brought.

 

Actually I think the third generation now has its own frame whereas the second gen. used the ES frame. I've had the 2010 and can only speak for it, but it is definitely larger than the 09. I just traded off the 2010 for a 2013 because we wanted the nav system and the BSM system. The 2013(or at least mine) rides and drives better than the 2010. A salesman told me that the CPO adds 2K to the price of a used Lexus. Something to consider while shopping.

 

I went through the same debate this past January. My wife and I were set on an '08 or '09 RX350 and were just waiting for the right time to buy one. We've probably test driven 25 2nd gen RX's, so we're very familiar with them. We saw a CPO '10 in a dealer showroom and looked inside. I had never liked the 3rd generation body, and in fact said I would not buy one because I liked the looks of the 2nd gen better, but the larger interior and better trunk space piqued my interest. We drove a couple of 2010's and I found that I liked the driving dynamics better too. We ended up finding a 2010 sold by the original owner on Craigslist and we've never looked back. We are a family of 5 so the new rear suspension design allowing more trunk space makes a big difference when packing for vacation. We're so happy with our 3rd gen that every time we see a 2nd gen on the road we still remark that we're glad we went with the new body style.

The RX has not had a timing belt since the 3.5 liter engine was introduced in 2007. The engine is essentially the same from 2007-2013, with a few programming adjsutments. Tires will cost more to replace on the 2010 than the 2009, but they are cheaper on the 5-spoke 18" wheels than the 7-spoke 19" wheels. The 2009 has a 5-speed automatic transmission where the 2010 has a 6-speed. Good luck in your search.