Time for a new AWD

[oil_film_movies]

Originally Posted by zerosoma

The 2001 RX scares me to death that I'm going to end up without a transmission in two years.

RX300 gets my vote here. Cheap to buy, and, if & when you do have to put in a $4,000 transmission 2 or 3 years down the road (dont' know when of course), you never paid much for it in the first place anyway, so its fine. Great vehicle, mechanics know how to work on it, lots of parts for it available. ... Makes me want to look for an old RX300 now!.... I assume they fixed the Unintended Acceleration (stuck throttle) infamous recalls & TSB problems, right?! Anybody know? Edit: I did find that some cases of Unintended Acceleration of the RX300 2001 model have been reported. https://www.southcarolinalawyerblog.com/toyota_recalls_38_million_cars/ I don't think Toyota ever fixed that particular model year and model though, bad news. The good news is, one can maybe practice against it by rehearsing shifting out of D in case of runaway throttle, or maybe install a kill switch for emergencies. Hope it never happens pulling into or out of a garage or parking spot though.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I bought a 2008 CR-V from a neighbor for my twin grand-nieces. The AC was shot. Had a complete new system installed with a lifetime warranty. This was their first car. You can guess what happened... Ha!

 

[emg]

Originally Posted by Virtus_Probi

You might also want to do some googling on the CRV AWD, a Swedish car magazine tested it extensively at one point and claimed that it shouldn't even be called AWD...it was unable to move the car when the front tires were placed on rollers on a very mild incline.

Fortunately, most people don't spend a lot of time driving on rollers. The CRV's AWD (at least the version used in that era) is a part-time system that's certainly not the best in the market, but there are plenty of videos on Youtube of it working in poor road conditions. Which is all it's really designed for. Off-road, yeah, you brought the wrong vehicle.

 

[oil_film_movies]

JeffKeryK & Virtus_Probi ^^^^ It all gets answered, really, in the 1st part of this famous Top Gear segment where Jeremy lists out the lack of low gear & locking diffs.

 

[Nick1994]

If you want comfort, don't get a CRV. We got a 2011 CRV for my grandma, it rode like a horse carriage. Here's a review I wrote up about it: https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/foru...42/2011-honda-cr-v-lx-review#Post4322142

 

[AZjeff]

Wouldn't a top trim Highlander get you close to the Lexi in comfort? Old salvage title luxury SUVs seem like a big roll of the dice. If cheap is king there have to be salvage Highlanders out there too. Take a look at this KBB report: 10 best AWD under $10K

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted by oil_film_movies

JeffKeryK & Virtus_Probi ^^^^ It all gets answered, really, in the 1st part of this famous Top Gear segment where Jeremy lists out the lack of low gear & locking diffs.

Good video, and the slopes they showed there were not as steep as what I have to climb to get home (at least they are paved, but that doesn't mean a lot with deep snow and especially ice...used to go to dirt just past our street). And I don't exactly live in the middle of nowhere, still basically burbs of Boston. The electronic 4WD button in my RAV6 was handy for that hill, but it kicked out at 25mph as I mentioned and it was tough to avoid having it change modes partway up the worst hill. Our three Subies ate/eat that hill for a minor snack...I took my road bicycling buddies up that hill once and they were cursing me a blue streak. It's a challenge!

 

[zerosoma]

Sounds like the '01 RX300 transmission replacement came from a salvage yard with 40k on it. Reliable or run?

 

[meep]

Originally Posted by zerosoma

Originally Posted by meep

2001 lexus, no brainer to me. It already has a refreshed trans so that's ok. For the low price, you can put the other 3k in savings, and it's there if you need it. I'm not aware of the trans being a weak spot in these. I'm not opposed to rebuilt vehicles, but the one's I've known have been more prone to quirks. That, and that's a lot of $ for a salvaged title, regardless of how clean. The CRV would be my second choice. As a long time honda family, I'm not aware of frequent compressor replacements. We've got a civic with over 340,000 on it using the original compressor. We've probably had 6-8 hondas in the family and none have had compressor problems. I didn't see the asking price, however, on your option.

Probably $8700 with some haggling ($9k right now). Just called my bank and it looks like I be looking at a 6.5% interest rate for a salvage vehicle instead of 3.5% for a clean title. So you think that 2001 Lexus RX would be "safe" with a recent transmission replacement? That's what I really want but I'm mainly worried about the transmission. that, and the eventual timing belt replacement.

If it were my money that's where I'd go. BUT that doesn't make it safe. These are all high mileage, used cars, and the key will be how they have been maintained, not how they were built. So you can take every single thing offered in this thread and throw it out the window based on previous owner maintenance. The CRV will likely be more reliable, as it's a simpler vehicle, and easier to work on as well. BUT, has the dual-pump fluid in the AWD unit been maintained? they at least used to have a very frequent maintenance interval, and ignoring it creates more wear on the clutches. and it's a salvage vehicle, and it's pricey. And how would you know? For ME, I'd rather be in the lexus, as those are smooth runners. FWD with winter tires is a very good thing IMO. We did a lot with FWD in the snow, long before AWD came out.

 

[oil_film_movies]

Originally Posted by zerosoma

Sounds like the '01 RX300 transmission replacement came from a salvage yard with 40k on it. Reliable or run?

"Reliable" is a relative term. Its probably OK for what it is. Always more of a risk with older vehicles compared to new ones of course. Wow, those RX300's hold their value around here. I see its hard to get one for less than $6,000 with a ton of miles on it too. Makes yours seem like a bargain. Seriously it could be good if it is basically in good shape for that cheap price. Your $3,500 is cheap. Check cargurus.com or similar sites and the prices are astonishingly high, even when you dicker them down a bit it still seems high.

 

[Pew]

Hills in Nebraska consists of some dude that eat a bit too much at the local Chinese buffet :P . Are those the last 3 choices you have though? They're all old/broken/salvage and Lexus likes to stick an extra couple hundred onto whatever parts you need just because.

 

[zerosoma]

Originally Posted by Pew

Hills in Nebraska consists of some dude that eat a bit too much at the local Chinese buffet :P . Are those the last 3 choices you have though? They're all old/broken/salvage and Lexus likes to stick an extra couple hundred onto whatever parts you need just because.

You've never been in the bluffs or in fontenelle forest then. Winding hills at up to 40 degree inclines. Saw a Camry try to climb a hill in our neighborhood last winter in vain. Try try try it did, but kept sliding back down. It was amusing.

 

[PimTac]

Originally Posted by zerosoma

Originally Posted by Pew

Hills in Nebraska consists of some dude that eat a bit too much at the local Chinese buffet :P . Are those the last 3 choices you have though? They're all old/broken/salvage and Lexus likes to stick an extra couple hundred onto whatever parts you need just because.

You've never been in the bluffs or in fontenelle forest then. Winding hills at up to 40 degree inclines. Saw a Camry try to climb a hill in our neighborhood last winter in vain. Try try try it did, but kept sliding back down. It was amusing.

I wonder what the actual grade is? That is usually the method used for determining road slopes. As an example, a fairly steep hill near our house is a 11% grade. Using a internet calculator, https://www.calcunation.com/calculator/slope-percent-conversion.php A 40 degree slope is a 85% grade. Something is not right here though I don't dispute the hill in question is steep. Edit to add: Here is the direct conversion. https://www.calcunation.com/calculator/degrees-to-percent.php

 

[fisher83]

I'm in Nebraska also and the roads around me are not all that steep but they are steep enough to give plenty of cars a hard time. AWD is nice to have and makes a difference. Not necessarily something that one can't live without but a worthwhile luxury. I don't know that I'd be crazy about any of the above choices but I think the CR-V is probably the safer bet with reasonable mileage and less equipment to break.

 

[benjy]

a modern FWD with some sort of traction control + 4 REAL SNOW aka WINTER tyes will go when an AWD has all season but winter tyres on it. price parts for high zoot cars may help you decide + anything over a 100 thou can have other costly wear + tear items ready to fail!!!

 

[zerosoma]

Well my Solara is kind of falling apart cosmetically (long story) and there's a few seals that are leaking oil, I mean I'm not even sure if it's worth investing in the winter tires for it. It also needs a set of rear calipers in the back as well as new rotors in the back, and new tie rod ends in the front. right now it gets me from point A to point B but it's obvious I really do need a "new to me" vehicle, unless I want to throw a good 800 to $1,000 into this beast when I only paid $600 for it to begin with.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Another thing to consider on an older Lexus is the electronics. They break expensive. All high-end cars have this problem. That's a main reason I would buy a newer car and not a salvage...

 

[Oro_O]

The only thing on that list worth considering is the RX300, and then only after vetting it some more wrt the replacement transmission. If it is a recent rebuild, it should be no worries. If it is just a high mileage one plucked from a wreck, I'd hesitate. All the caveats are true. Any RX350 that was totalled out years ago, rebuilt and can still sell for that price begs what was NOT repaired. It should have had enough residual value to justify any repairs within reason. Big red flag. Ditto Honda. There's a lot of weird statements here WRT Lexus. I have been a very active long time member at ClubLexus. I've been a moderator at ToyotaNation on this vintage vehicles with the same drivetrain (Camry/Avalon/Solara/Highlander). I have some fair experience, both online and wrenching/owning them. There is no added expense to maintenance in a Lexus vs. Toyota. They are almost entirely automotively the same in this vintage, same with electronics. And they are far more reliable and generally easier to repair in this regard than European makes. Or Hondas. No easier car to work on than a Toyota or Lexus in a similar vintage. Now, getting at the RX300: one thing to consider with it vs. the 350 is that the 300 is Japanese built, and the 350 Canadian built. Unfortunately, that matters. Nod to 300. The 350 has a chain, but it's moot given the rebuilt status. The problem with the transmission then with Lexus was the Aisin U140E 4 speed. It was a fine design - the problem was supply chain management and using the right grade steel in thrust bearings from a suppler to Aisin. Many planetary gears failed because the thrust bearings they rode on failed. This was endemic in the 99 to 01 ES300 and other vehicles with that range U140 transmission. Similar problems plague contemporary Sequoias - though I don't know why it isn't more common in 4runners and LCs that got the exact same transmission AFAIK. May just be limits of my knowledge and it did also occur there. If the transmssion in the 300 was properly rebuilt with new components, I'd take it. If you are into these Lexus models, Try to find an RX330. They had the mature 3MZ-FE engine and U150e transmission - as bulletproof a drivetrain as Toyota has ever made (it is still of course belt driven, though). Also, IIRC, Canadian production started with the RX350 and the 330 models were the new body style but still Japanese made. The newer body style was a really nice evolution over that of the 300. In my opinion with these, the sweet spot is the RX330, only made a few years but higher build quality, great transmission, upgraded chassis.

 

[zerosoma]

Originally Posted by Oro_O

The only thing on that list worth considering is the RX300, and then only after vetting it some more wrt the replacement transmission. If it is a recent rebuild, it should be no worries. If it is just a high mileage one plucked from a wreck, I'd hesitate. All the caveats are true. Any RX350 that was totalled out years ago, rebuilt and can still sell for that price begs what was NOT repaired. It should have had enough residual value to justify any repairs within reason. Big red flag. Ditto Honda. There's a lot of weird statements here WRT Lexus. I have been a very active long time member at ClubLexus. I've been a moderator at ToyotaNation on this vintage vehicles with the same drivetrain (Camry/Avalon/Solara/Highlander). I have some fair experience, both online and wrenching/owning them. There is no added expense to maintenance in a Lexus vs. Toyota. They are almost entirely automotively the same in this vintage, same with electronics. And they are far more reliable and generally easier to repair in this regard than European makes. Or Hondas. No easier car to work on than a Toyota or Lexus in a similar vintage. Now, getting at the RX300: one thing to consider with it vs. the 350 is that the 300 is Japanese built, and the 350 Canadian built. Unfortunately, that matters. Nod to 300. The 350 has a chain, but it's moot given the rebuilt status. The problem with the transmission then with Lexus was the Aisin U140E 4 speed. It was a fine design - the problem was supply chain management and using the right grade steel in thrust bearings from a suppler to Aisin. Many planetary gears failed because the thrust bearings they rode on failed. This was endemic in the 99 to 01 ES300 and other vehicles with that range U140 transmission. Similar problems plague contemporary Sequoias - though I don't know why it isn't more common in 4runners and LCs that got the exact same transmission AFAIK. May just be limits of my knowledge and it did also occur there. If the transmssion in the 300 was properly rebuilt with new components, I'd take it. If you are into these Lexus models, Try to find an RX330. They had the mature 3MZ-FE engine and U150e transmission - as bulletproof a drivetrain as Toyota has ever made (it is still of course belt driven, though). Also, IIRC, Canadian production started with the RX350 and the 330 models were the new body style but still Japanese made. The newer body style was a really nice evolution over that of the 300. In my opinion with these, the sweet spot is the RX330, only made a few years but higher build quality, great transmission, upgraded chassis.

Amazing post, thank you. Did you see the update where I found out the transmission was taken from a salvaged RX300 with 40k? Curious about your opinion on that. Cheers!

 

[Oro_O]

Nope, I missed that skimming to catch up. What year was it, if you know?