Hello everyone,
Need a bit of help from current owners here....

I'm currently looking at used RX350s from 2013/2014, and most of them have around 80,00km to 90,000km on the clock within my budget range. I am only looking at options from Lexus Dealerships at this point. I plan to keep the vehicle for 5 years and will be putting on about 30,000km per year.

1. Is this going to be a good idea, meaning will this turn into a major money pit in the next 2/3 years? I will obviously look for units with full service history and have my mechanic do a PPI, but some of these might not be Lexus CPO.

2. I am looking for something that is REALLLLLLLLLY quiet and smooth, will this fit the bill? I've looked at a TON of options and just can't seem to find the perfect option. Some days I have no choice but to take a concrete toll route for a majority of that commute, and its just painful listening to that road roar.

3. How would you rate the seats on this vehicle? My commute is about 60km on way, mostly highway. I need the seats (both bottom and lumbar) to be REALLLLLLY comfortable and supportive.

Thank you all in advance!

 

 

Be sure to take a very LONG test drive--maybe 40-50km or so--so you can truly decide if any used RX will fit your needs. Seat comfort & road noise can even change from RX to RX. Brand & type of tires can make a huge difference in road noise and ride comfort.

Lexus vehicles are noted for reliability, but what you experience may be different depending on how the previous owner(s) treated the vehicle and whether or not the vehicle has been in accident(s). CPO is no guarantee of anything other than a dramatic price increase.

We have owned a 2010 RX and now have a 2015. HUGE differences between the two vehicles. The 2010 was very noisy while the 2015 is quiet. IMHO, buy the newest RX you can afford. Good luck.

 

RX is probably one of the best options for noise if you're on the 407. I've had other cars and it take some time getting used to. Also been in someone's smart car on it, wow that was misery at its worst.
The RX will offer an improvement over the alternatives but it will still has some noise. I enjoy that split second of silence when you drive over a bridge that's paved asphalt.

 

Every opinion/experience is different but from my experience:
1.- Lexus/Toyota are bullet proof, that's why i bough my RX not even from dealership (we could not find the color/features combination we wanted). Depends ofcourse if you got a lemon or mayor accident that was not repaired correctly.
2.- 2014 RX is quiet, ofcourse quieter than my 2007 RAV4 and just as quiet if not more than my 2014 IS350awd.
3.- RX seats are comfortable enough for me without feeling that I am in a couch.

2 & 3 you have to judge for yourself tho. Test drive, test drive, test drive.

Good luck.

 

Well said.
Note each machine is different. They start out to be within a reasonable tolerance from each other, but with use, each develops its own rhythm/rattles etc.

Being a Lexus, odds are in your favor, but once again there are no guarantees. When you buy from Lexus Dealership make sure you put everything in writing on the document "We (Lexus) Owe" any thing that was not done pre-felivery.

Salim

 

We have a 2013 RX450h. It's quiter vs the regular RX350. Ride is firmer vs the RX350 (Plus we have the optional F Sport Appearance Package with 19 inch wheels). We picked the hybrid bc of the ride as we were more used to the European/German vehicles in the past. The increased mpg is a plus, but it will take us some 12 years+ to recoup. Therefore the mpg increase is not the primary reason, the firmer and quiter ride were the main reasons.

 

The tyres that are fitted to the vehicle will also play a very big role in how quiet the vehicle is, whilst on the highway. It may be difficult to compare one vehicle to another if the tyres are different brand or even same brand but different tread pattern.

Also, when you are getting close to the 100,000 mile mark, you have to factor in the cost of replacing the spark plugs - the rear 3 spark plugs are really time consuming to get to, and this will be reflected in the cost of labour to replace them.

 

Get an LS430 if you want the best ride & seat comfort. RX is more about cargo space & high seating.

 

As a group, Lexus vehicles are very reliable. However, specific vehicles can certainly vary and that's why a thorough inspection by a good inspector is a must. We can't predict the future for any vehicle and we don't know the history & issues of the specific vehicles you're considering.

These are very subjective matters and you need to do a long test drive to assess these for yourself. Our 450h is quieter and smoother than our other vehicles but it isn't quite as quiet or smooth as our 400h was. Both are quieter and smoother than their non-hybrid versions. The 350 & 300 are quieter & smoother than a number of vehicles out there but they're certainly not the quietest and smoothest vehicles of all vehicles out there. Seats are very subjective. There are certainly complaints -- especially with ventilated seats but we don't find our ventilated seats uncomfortable. That said, we didn't find the firmer (and much more supportive) seats in our sports cars to be uncomfortable either so asking me or my wife is probably not going to help you unless you have the same sort of seat preferences which I would guess to be unlikely.

You'll probably want to look elsewhere if these are top priorities for you.


tl;dr: Inspect & test drive, just as you would with any other vehicle.

 

check these out first:

1. No major issues that I'm aware of for the models starting with years 2013 and after..... there were timing chain cover seal leak issues (a few reported here)
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...over-leak.html

2. https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...ine-sound.html

3. https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...d-threads.html

 

1. Is this going to be a good idea, meaning will this turn into a major money pit in the next 2/3 years? I will obviously look for units with full service history and have my mechanic do a PPI, but some of these might not be Lexus CPO.
Highly unlikely that it will turn into a money pit over the next 2-3, or even 10 years. Lexus are not like BMWs or Range Rover in that you have to spend thousands every year in maintenance. These vehicles share the engine and drivetrain components with Toyotas and are relatively inexpensive to maintain. You'll probably only need oil and filter changes over the next 2-3 years if you buy one with 80-100k km.

2. I am looking for something that is REALLLLLLLLLY quiet and smooth, will this fit the bill? I've looked at a TON of options and just can't seem to find the perfect option. Some days I have no choice but to take a concrete toll route for a majority of that commute, and its just painful listening to that road roar.
Yes, in my experience Lexus are just perfect for long distance cruising at 70 mph all day. Noise and insulation is really nice and way much nicer than Toyotas and domestic models. Noise insulation is much more refined than any German or domestic Luxury brand.

3. How would you rate the seats on this vehicle? My commute is about 60km on way, mostly highway. I need the seats (both bottom and lumbar) to be REALLLLLLY comfortable and supportive.
These seats are fine, I drive about 20-30k miles per year and I have no issue at all with lumbar support or seat adjustment position issues.

 

Get it man! The reason why grandmas, grandpas, soccer moms love this car because it is the best riding and affordable luxury SUV on the planet. I have one and I love it. All of my friends make fun of me, but when they get in it, they all say damn this car is plush and comfortable as hell.