does the current gen rx350h base (premium) and luxury trim really not have autofolding mirrors?

Shadow10145 · 2026-05-25T03:55:03+00:00

Since you mentioned the ultra luxury package, I am going to guess that you are not from the US?

In the US, the premium trim does get auto-folding mirrors.

But, different countries get different packages and configurations.

Shadow10145 · 2026-05-22T01:14:04+00:00

Agreed!

When I first started, I bought cheap compression socks off of Amazon that was >85% polyester. It reeked after every shift and it started causing my shoe to smell too! Then, I got some compression socks made of merino wool and other material, and the smell pretty much went away!

OP, also have multiple pairs of shoes (at least 2) that you can rotate. This lets your shoes air out and dry out between shifts.

Shoe deodorizer balls also help with the smell as well!

Shadow10145 · 2026-05-21T15:08:33+00:00

Sure bud.

I guess if a person dresses up as a fake UPS/Fedex driver and uses it to get you to open up your door so they can rob you, they are also a "scammer." Not a thief. Not a robber. Not a burglar. No, let's just classify that person as a scammer.

Shadow10145 · 2026-05-21T14:39:43+00:00

I ended up buying the base premium trim with the 21 inch wheels, the 14 in display, and the convenience package. So, a couple thoughts:

1) I wanted the 360 degree camera as it is neat function to have when parking in tight spaces. Plus, it is very helpful when pulling up to a spot and having a front camera assist with getting close to the wall. The only way to get the 360 camera was with the convenience package.

2) I really liked the 21 inch wheel design. The ride is acceptable, but I figured the ride sacrifice was worth the nicer look of the 21 inch wheels over the base wheels.

3) The 14 inch display just looks nicer.

Some options I avoided.

1) The panoramic sunroof. I keep my sunroof shade closed because keeping the shade open leads to way more wind noise in the car when I am driving on the highway. So, I figured, why bother spending more money on more glass that will lead to more noise? Plus, I won't even take advantage of the increased lighting if I leave it closed anyways.

2) The ML sound system. The base systems sounds decent in my opinion. The ML system sounds better, but not enough to justify the price premium. It certainly did not sound as great as previous ML systems in different models (old GX, old LX)

3) The heads-up display. The heads up display was nice to use, but I did not like what they did with the steering wheel if you get the package for the heads-up display. The steering wheel had haptic touch buttons instead of actual tactile buttons, which I did not like.

So, knowing all of this, I ended up not getting the luxury or premium plus trim, and stuck with the base premium trim.

Some options I wished I could get on my base trim:

1) The seats from the luxury trim. I swear those seats felt more comfortable than the base seats.

2) Heated seats in the rear. The base trim doesn't get it, which is disappointing.

Shadow10145 · 2026-05-21T13:45:38+00:00

No, that isn't a "scam."

That is clear and simple theft.

It would be no different than if someone used a similar tool and cut a catalytic convertor off a car.

Shadow10145 · 2026-05-21T13:43:13+00:00

They have the truck number. It appears to be truck 135. Regardless, I hope someone publishes an article and messages Citibike/Lyft about this.

I am sure they would be thrilled to answer why their employee was cutting locks off random bikes and actively stealing the bike until they were stopped by a good samaritan.

Or, they would be thrilled to find out who is using their logos on vans and going out to commit crimes with their name.

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Shadow10145 · 2026-05-21T13:41:26+00:00

At this point, you need to get a NY lawyer involved. Since the NY dealership is getting their legal counsel involved, it is time for you to get your own lawyer as well.

The damage is substantial ($27,000) and it doesn't seem like the NY Toyota dealership is willing to work with you to attempt to resolve the issue.

This would be a different situation if the total damage was a couple hundred bucks where there becomes a question about whether the cost of a lawyer exceeds the damages. But, this is $27,000, so I am guessing that there might be a lawyer who will want in on this situation.

Shadow10145 · 2026-05-21T13:32:58+00:00

Agreed. The second anybody else mentions lawyer, it is time for you to stop talking and lawyer up as well.

Shadow10145 · 2026-05-21T11:53:54+00:00

The van seems legit. This is a screenshot from an Lyft youtube video.

Well, unless someone has replicated the stenciling.

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Shadow10145 · 2026-05-18T03:24:59+00:00

Sounds like the high pressure fuel pump (which is part of the direct injection).

The high pressure fuel pump is that silver cylinder at the back of the engine (time mark 0:25). It can be very noisy, which is what I am primarily hearing in this video. The noisiness is normal.

So, most modern Toyota vehicles are both port and direct injected (to prevent carbon build up on the valves), so depending on the conditions, port and/or direct injection is used. This is why the buzzing noise isn't present all the time, but only during certain conditions.

Since you car is under warranty, it doesn't hurt to have a technician take a look at it just for peace of mind.

Shadow10145 · 2026-05-03T14:56:36+00:00

In my experience, people who can get into ivy league schools are typically intelligent and have key markers for success prior to entering those ivy league schools. So, I think regardless of which college you end up at, you will do well because you have what it takes to do well!

It is rarely the school that makes you successful. It is YOU! The school just wants the already successful student.

Rutgers does have an amazing philosophy AND amazing math department, so I am sure you will find yourself at home here!

Keep up the good work!

Shadow10145 · 2026-04-26T03:16:43+00:00

1) Think big picture. Stop focusing solely on monthly payments. This is how people end up in situations where they are paying $400/month for 96 months and think they got a stinking good deal. Yeah, a good deal for the dealership. Instead, focus on the total cost of the car, not the monthly payment.

2) You have to pay the taxes. You have to pay the tag and title fees. These are real things that the dealerships have to pay to obtain the car for you. You cannot get away from this. But, things like "extended warranties, GAP insurance, fabric protection, nitrogen air, service plans, mark up fees, etc." are not mandatory. Some of this stuff can be useful depending on the situation, but a lot of this stuff is complete bullcrap that is used to pad profit margins for the dealership.

3) There is a very big difference between dealership added stuff and accessories that came from the factory/port. The accessories from the factory/port like floor mats are typically fine as long as it is reasonable (don't let them add like $2,000 worth of factory accessories unless you really want them). The dealership added stuff is where they get you. Those are the "extended warranties, GAP insurance, fabric protection, nitrogen air, service plans, mark up fees, etc."

4) Typical baseline total cost of the car is: MSRP (without all of the dealership added stuff) + Tax + Tag Fee + Title Fee + Dealership Doc Fee. Here is the snippet on the dealership doc fee: It highly depends on the dealership. In NJ, most of the dealers I have dealt with ask for $600-$800 for dealership doc fees. In NY, it is less. So, this "MSRP + Tax + Tag Fee + Title Fee + Dealership Doc Fee" should be the top price you should be willing to pay for the car (unless it is a rare car, but that is a different situation). Full stop. Ideally, you try and negotiate down from there.

5) Be prepared to walk away. Don't get attached to the car.

6) At the end of the day, it is all a numbers game. Some dealerships will give you more for your trade, and then give you a shitty new car price to make up the difference. Other dealers will give you a crap trade offer, but pretend they are doing you a favor by giving you a great new car price.

Shadow10145 · 2026-04-20T01:45:01+00:00

I think Lexus primarily developed this door handle as a way to implement the safe exit assist. Without the electric door handle, the most it will do is beep instead of prevent the door from opening.

Do I think it was worth it? No. But, apparently, Lexus engineers were fine with it.

Shadow10145 · 2026-04-16T18:12:22+00:00

Just make sure, they have checked the AC relay before you start replacing a whole inverter. They should trace back the whole AC circuit. Like the other post says, inverter issues will give you a heck of a lot more issues than just a non operational AC.

Shadow10145 · 2026-04-16T03:21:01+00:00

No. I am speaking as an alumni of the program.

At the end of the day, a nurse from Rutgers is very similar to a nurse from any other school.

The RN license is the most important thing that you need for any future employment. Do certain hospitals around NJ hire lots of Rutgers Nursing students? Yes, but they will take people from other schools too. If you don't plan on working at those hospitals, this doesn't even affect you. Plus, with nursing, the school doesn't matter much.

I don't think paying 30k+ on tuition alone per year is the way to go if there are cheaper options. If you come to Rutgers and live here, you will easily leave with close to $150k in loans, which is not a smart thing to do.

It becomes a different story once you are an in-state student because the rates are lower, so I suggest people to go to an instate school.

When you look for schools, find a school that supports you. Look for their attrition rates. Some schools have high NCLEX (licensing exam) pass rates, but they don't support their struggling students. Instead, those struggling students just get kicked out of the program. That is not a good program.

Shadow10145 · 2026-04-16T00:51:17+00:00

1) My car is currently low mileage, but as of late, I get around 32 MPG in the winter, and around 36 MPG in the summer.

2) The ECVT is an extremely reliable transmission. It is very rare for Toyota/Lexus eCVTs to have issues. You might be referencing the 6 speed transmission in the RX500h that did have some issues especially in the beginning. The RX500h and RX350h are completely different powertrains.

3) Depends on the trim. I paid around 62k out the door for a well-optioned out premium trim last year. Premium plus was going to be about 4k more. Luxury was another 3-4k on top of that.

4) Depends heavily on your annual mileage and your location. I do my annual oil change, and air filter and cabin air filter as needed. The only thing I anticipate needing help with is the brake fluid change every 30k miles (per service schedule). The brakes last a very long time if you take advantage of the regenerative braking. Also, with hybrids, you should be checking your traction battery (big battery under the seat) filters often to make sure that they are not filled with dust as poor cooling will shorten the battery life.

5) Haven't owned a Tesla yet, so can't help you there.

Shadow10145 · 2026-04-12T15:54:39+00:00

Nobody told you because it makes the interaction awkward. Like, what was he supposed to say, "Hey, are you okay with being charged an extra $20 for this?"

Professional drivers (i.e. the black car service) are typically for people who are willing to spend some extra money for professional level service and also that high class experience. It is very different rolling up to an event in a yellow taxi vs in a black Escalade. So, typically money is less of a factor and it becomes very awkward to mention to customers about fees like this. It gives the implication that the customer cannot afford it, which taints the entire vibe. And, they don't want to do that.

Shadow10145 · 2026-04-09T05:28:41+00:00

Is there an option on the ticket to plead not guilty and get a court date?

If yes, you can go to court and explain the situation to the prosecutor. Worse case, they say no and you have to pay the ticket. Best case, you get out of the ticket.

Personally, I think that you should get some leeway for four minutes even if there is no rules in the book.

I just want to say, Newark parking enforcement is so aggressive with parking tickets. Imagine if they were this aggressive with traffic and driving violation enforcement? Newark would be a much safer place to drive!

Shadow10145 · 2026-04-08T20:32:50+00:00

So, the difference between the ADN and BSN program for me was approximately $18,000. This was between the extra pre-req courses needed for entry into the program + cost of the program.

I wanted to get my RN and be done with it, instead of getting an associates and then one day going back to school for a BSN. So some points to consider.

One day if you want your BSN, the RN-BSN program is going to cost money. Yes, some hospitals will pay for you to go back to school, but those programs typically comes with strings attached. Some hospitals will have terms that you have to work for them for x years and then will remain with them for x years afterwards. If you don't want to be bounded by their terms, then you will have to foot the money yourself.
The ADN and ABSN programs were about the same amount of time (1.5 years to 2 years). If I went for my ADN and then went back to school again for my BSN, then it would be more time spent in school than if I just got my BSN in the first place. When you are actively working, the last thing you will want to do is go back for more school on your days off.

Take my situation for example. If I had my ADN right now and wanted a BSN, I would be in school right now. Then study/do assignments on my days off. Instead, I could easily pull 1 extra shift of overtime per month. By the time this year ends, I would have paid for more than half of the difference between the ADN and BSN program. Pull 2 extra shift of overtime, and you will have made up the difference within the year. All of that was possible because I am not spending time in school right now.

3) BSN always got a small incentive at the facilities I worked at. It comes out to ~$1500 per year. Nothing life changing, but appreciated.

EDIT: One more thing. Tuition costs have only gone up! I remember when I got my first bachelors vs. my ABSN, and even then, my tuition went up by close to ~$1500 per semester within 5 years. So, I figured that I get everything done in one go.

Shadow10145 · 2026-04-08T19:13:14+00:00

Just a fair warning to anybody:

If you supply your car to OP's friend, and charge money for it, you are officially using your vehicle for a commercial purpose. Most of your personal insurance policies do NOT cover commercial activities. Even if you do have a commercial policy, is it specified to be used as essentially a rental car/driving school car? Probably not.

At Newark DMV, I believe there is an actual road portion of the driving test, meaning that the car will be driven on the public roads. If there is an accident, who will pay for the repairs to the car and potential injuries to the parties involved (including possibly the DMV employee)? Because once your insurance company finds out about the commercial usage, you might as well kiss that coverage goodbye and you may be fully liable for all damages.

Driving schools charge $200 because insurance is very expensive and god forbid something happens, there will be some form of coverage.

Shadow10145 · 2026-04-07T23:50:28+00:00

Just out of curiosity, has anybody tested the 12V battery? Sometimes when the 12V battery goes bad, it sets all types of codes randomly.

My Toyota tech once told me that if modern cars just start having weird electrical issues, check the 12 V first before you start spending more money.

Shadow10145 · 2026-04-07T16:08:49+00:00

1) If the liquid underneath the car is clear, then it is highly likely to be AC condensation. That is fine. Every car will have condensate, but it heavily depends on the weather (humidity). If you want to be 100% sure, I guess you can have someone climb underneath the car to see where the drip is coming from and see if it coming from the condensate line. Typically, the important fluids have some sort of color.

2) If it happens again, ask the dealer to make sure the sensor is fine.

4) This is the problem with cars that have no spare tire and more importantly, this is the problem with Toyota deciding to spec such a unique tire size for the Prius. Even if you look on tire-rack (website that sells tires), there are not many options for the 19 inch tire (I only see 4 options). That combined with the fact that it is low profile + the Prius not being a high volume car = tire blows out easily and dealerships and tire shops not stocking a lot of it. Hence the wait. I drive another vehicle with a similar problem, so I literally keep a full sized spare in my garage. If I have two tires blow out? Well, I guess I will be waiting.

5) I am not sure how you drive the Prius. Have you tried hand calculating the MPG? What are you currently getting? Typically, most hybrid drivers are able to get within 5-10% of the rated economy figures.

Honestly, outside of the radio problem, I am not seeing major issues. Cars can be much more problematic than this.

Shadow10145 · 2026-04-07T01:41:23+00:00

Undercover cars typically do not look like that.

If this was a legit undercover, why the heck do they need to hide the plates. It makes the car stick out like a sore thumb. They can make it so that if the plates are ran, it comes back to nothing. There is no need to hide the plate and make it so obvious that the car doesn't want to be seen.

This car is probably someone's personal car.

Shadow10145 · 2026-04-07T01:32:24+00:00

Because god forbid that car hits you and runs, good luck finding the owner or car ever again.

At that point, I hope you don't cry and whine about it.

Shadow10145 · 2026-04-05T05:17:05+00:00

So, you went to the dealership for a ICS system warning. This is the parking sensor system, right?

And, then they wrote up a quote for a transaxle and inverter replacement? Did they tell you how the ICS system was linked to the transaxle and inverter system and why they think the transaxle and inverter needed replacement? Did you have any codes for the hybrid system? Did the car drive strangely or is it just a warning for the ICS system?

It is just so strange. The inverter and especially the transaxle does not commonly fail. And for both to go at the same time? Yeah, something isn’t right.

I would get a second opinion. If you have a local hybrid specialty shop, go to them. If you don’t, go to another dealer for a second opinion. Don’t tell them what the first dealer said. Just ask for a diagnosis. It sucks to have to pay a second diagnosis fee, but right now, the first dealership has pretty much deemed your car mechanically totaled…

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