bsekf

We are replacing our 06 Murano and are looking at New Murano, Venza, Forester, Pathfinder, etc and Used Lexus RX350. Looking for guidance, don't want to shoot myself in the foot ....again!

We are at that point where this could be our last car and we would like a "nice" one.

Thanks.

Bill

Kyle76

First of all, how used? Second, how did you shoot yourself in the foot before? To me, there's no comparison between a fairly new 350 and the models you mentioned.

fastnoypi

how much of a depreciation can you stand? That should answer if you want to buy new or used.

How old would the used RX350 would you consider?

markrivers

If you're coming from a Murano, comsider the new NX.

SteveCraig

Slightly used RX can be had for very reasonable prices. Take the time to shop & shop some more. Best deal will show just after you buy if you are in a rush.
We bought a 2 year old example in '12 with about 16K miles on it. Scuffed bumper needed a repaint & we negotiated from there.
Drove another '10 or '11 RX350 at the dealer 2-3 times, tried '12 Ford Edge-found very rough ride. Tried the new '12 Murano. Not a bad car but what turned us off was the rear seat centre headrest blocking the rear view.

Wife is the primary driver & quite happy with it. She prefers, however, a smoother ride on local roads. RX is higher & slightly shorter than the Accord we were replacing. Next time we'll go to an ES or IS sedan.

bsekf

Looking at a 2011 RX 30K miles. My question, The new cars I listed are within $5K of the used price of the Lexus. Is the Lexus that much better? Can I expect a Lexus with 100K miles to still be a better car than any of the listed at 70K miles? Is the Lexus RX 350 really that good and worth that much money? How many RX 350 are there out there with 200K mails and no repairs? I am trying to justify paying as much for a 3 year old car as some pretty nice new cars cost.

Markrivers, what is a NX?

JDR76

For me, it was worth it to buy an RX, though I bought ours new. It is the highest rated vehicle, in any category, for reliability.

http://www.prleap.com/pr/199421/

The NX is Lexus' new SUV. It's slightly smaller and less expensive than an RX. Should run in the $35k and up price range, or thereabouts. It's due out this fall.

http://www.lexus.com/concept/NX/

kitlz

Welcome to CL, bskef. Just looking on the road should tell you about Lexus' longevity. I see them on the road every day, from brand new to 20+ years old. You can also read about members' experience in the other RX forums. With routine maintenance, yes, they last. It's not to say things don't break or require replacement. It's realistic with any high mileage vehicle. The difference will be you can easily hit the 200K mark and beyond in the RX. That's been well established and makes paying more upfront worth it IMO.

Have you driven the other vehicles you listed and the RX? It might also help to know what's most important to you. And I see the NX question has been answered. That's a viable option if you wan't something smaller.

SteveCraig

The V6 & associated drive train configurations used in the RX are Toyota's workhorse set-ups. Found in anything from a pick-up to a sedan to an SUV. Literally bullet-proof design, tweaked this way & that depending on the application. The RX platform is a little more up-scale than a few others.
We were impressed by the seats, the ride & the general fit & finish. The interior layout is rather nice too. Took it for a spin & the engine really impressed us. Don't know the torque numbers or the gear sets but it's a great combination looking at the weight of the car.
That said, every machine breaks occasionally. Regular maintenance will reduce the frequency.
We were loyal Honda buyers(28 years) until Honda Canada walked from an issue we had.
Brought the RX home, wondered why we didn't switch brands much earlier.
About a week prior we almost pulled the trigger on a new '12 V6 Accord EXL. We made the better choice.

bsekf

Thanks, the NX will be small, the Infinity FX37 is too small, I think the RX350 will be OK and the Murano is big enough too. Don't know about the Acura RDX, will try the "fit" test Friday when we look at the RX350, RDX and the Venza. The Murano was the first used car we had bought in many years and we have had good luck with it, I always worry about buying somebody else's troubles. I am a retired Rural Letter Carrier......I have destroyed more cars than most people ever own.

Bill

RX330inFL

The NX is bigger than you might think.

The Murano, even using the CVT transmission, gets only average gas mileage. Not worth the tradeoff, IMO. The Murano is being redesigned for the 2015 model year. Might be worth a wait.

Perhaps you meant to say EX37 and not FX37. The FX is the larger of the two. Though, even the FX does not have the most efficient packaging design for internal space.

Infiniti, not Infinity. Infinity is a number and a sound system.

In addition to considering size, you have not talked about the weather conditions in your area. The AWD systems in all those vehicles is a bit different. Some are better than others in the worst of conditions.

Finally, as much as you might like any particular vehicle having a dealer close-by is important. You do not want to be traveling across town to get a warranty item addressed. Also, the quality and services of the service department will be of importance. Do you get a loaner vehicle if you take yours into the shop for service? Or, do they have a quick lube service for most of what you need which is just oil changes and tire rotations. A bad service department can make the best of vehicles a bad investment.

Mors

For what it's worth, I'm still driving a 2002 RX300 with 110,000 miles on it. Regularly maintained by the local Toyota dealer and it's still going strong...very strong. I still love the car, just waiting on my new RX to get here. The only thing out of the ordinary that I've had replaced was the starter, and that was my fault. I remember being extremely nervous to spend the $24,000 or so on a used 2002 RX back in '05, as that was a ton of money to me, but it has treated me well.

I've bought other used cars for my kids and they die within a year. Thanks, but I think i'll stick with Toyota/Lexus from now on.

rx300mm

Agree. I bought 3yr old 2001 RX300, drove it until 2012. No major issues with it. Having been driving 2007 ES350 for several years, last year bought 2010 RX350 for my wife. Very happy with Lexus nothing to complain about.

nipponbird

The RX350 is about the only vehicle you can take a chance on buying used. Mostly driven by people who can't be classified as asphalt cowboys. Some background on the previous owner can in anyway mean more than a lot of other stuff. No comparison between the vehicles you mention and the RX in size and capability except maybe the Pathfinder, but the Pathy leans more to the old school SUV, despite that it has lost its hard core underpinnings in your market. Simply, you cannot compare those vehicles with an RX, its like comparing a new 500cc Honda with a good used Harley. Of course even a new Renault Duster will be better than a used RX which has been thoroughly enjoyed by a hooligan.

sandy14

Just my opinion, once you own a Lexus nothing else compares.
I would take a used RX over anything else out there.