Consumer Reports Safest Suvs
Consumer Reports Safest Suvs
Can a 1999 Lexus RX300 run on regular fuel?
In the process of looking for a smaller SUV, someone suggested to me a 1999 Lexus RX300. i absolutely love the idea of having this car! it is beautiful, a good size, luxurious, and best of all, it fits my $12,000 dollar budget! the only drawback is the gas mileage – i would be getting around 19-20 mpg. i might be able to handle that, but one of the review sites i visited says that Lexus recommends premium fuel. i know i cant afford to drive 60 miles a day in an SUV using premium fuel. but i read an article in Consumer Reports saying that some engines that reccommend premium fuel will reckonize the knocking caused by using regular [instead of premium] fuel and adjust the engine timing and etc. accordingly. i am guessing [and hoping] that an expensive luxury vehicle like a Lexus will be able to do this. so, would it be safe to use regular fuel in this vehicle? thank you for any help!
You could do it but that is not what a dealer will tell you. The veh is equiped with a knock sensor that retards the spark timing should the fuel quality be so shoddy that the engine begins to knock( which actually by our ears sounds more like a ping)
Here is the problem though. Your mileage. The amount of mileage reduction by using std uL verses prem uL is astounding. if it got 19 on Prem, you might get 13-14 with the wind at your back on fartgo fuel. best bet: buy the car if you like it. its a safe machine wit 20ms airbags. I like that for you. Take off like a granny on Sunday always and you will notice a huge difference in economy. the take off is where all the fuel goes my friend. once the mass is moving, mileage is no problemo. I like BMW’s and MERZ myself but if I had to choose an asian veh., it would be Toyoto MoCo’s pride; The Lexus
Chevrolet Consumers Digest March 2010 Lease Deals at Maguire Chevy
How Safe Is Your Car?
If you are hurt in a car accident, you might just want to blame the other driver. But what if your injuries could have been avoided had you been in a different vehicle? Many of the most popular cars are built with defective designs. Seatbelt failure, rollovers, and roof crushing are all common defects that lead to worse injuries than properly designed cars.
Consumer Reports, the go-to guide for anyone who wants an unbiased review of a product, made a list of the safest cars. Who wins and who loses?
For large sedans and luxury cars, the Audi A4, Lexis ES300, and the BMW 330i are reported as some of the safest. Unfortunately for American manufacturers, the Buick LeSabre Limited and Chrysler 300M were last. In the family car category the V6 versions of the VW Passat and Toyota Camry XLE placed first for safety. The VW Golf TDI and VW Jetta GLS TDI also ranked first for small cars along with the Honda Civic EX.
The Toyota Tundra SR5 4.7, Dodge Ram SLT 4.7, and Ford F150 XLT 5.4 were all ranked safest in the pickup category. In the small SUV/Minivan category, the V6 Saturn VUE, Hyundai Santa Fe GLS, and Honda CR-V EX were the safest. The mid-sized SUVs with the best protection were the Acura MDX, Toyota Highlander, and Lexis RX300. The safest minivans were the Honda Odyssey EX, the Mazda MPV LX, and the Toyota Sienna LE.
The most poorly designed vehicle was suspected to be a minivan—the Pontiac Montana—which is still being sold.
Whenever possible, you should get the most secure car you can. Unfortunately even the safest vehicles aren’t going to be able to protect you from every injury that can happen in an accident. However, a safe and well designed vehicle can help you avoid being the victim of a defectively designed car. In the highest ranked vehicles, you will probably have a lower chance of becoming injured in a seatbelt failure, roof crush, or seatback failure.
Another thing you need to know: your injury claim will be significantly more complex. A defective vehicle design may contribute to your injuries in a car accident. If a product defect is the case, then the company who made your car might be partially or wholly responsible for your injuries. A qualified and experienced car accident attorney will understand your complicated situation and may be able to get you help to pay your medical bills. You probably need someone who is qualified and experienced after the fact to determine if the vehicle you were traveling in had any major defects that contributed to your injuries.
If you aren’t sure if you need the help of an expert, look for as much free information as possible. There is a wealth of resources on the internet to aid you in resolving your injury claim—but double check the source of the information.
About the Author
James Brown is a personal injury attorney out of St. Louis Missouri. Of the many publications he has written, his free Missouri and Illinois accident guide, “I Survived! The Crash Victim’s Guide to Dealing with the Aftermath” has been of particular help to accident victims. You can request a free copy from his website
http://www.CastleLaw.net
and click on “Contact Us.”