2003 RX300 SE-L Suspension High at Rear / Buying Advice

[Mike67890]

I'm viewing a 2003 RX300 SE-L with 80,000 miles next week - I owned one many years ago and had many trouble-free miles. However, having researched the SE-L more thoroughly this time, I understand that repairing the air suspension can cost more than the value of the car! With this in mind, it looks to me from the photos in the car's advert that the car is quite a bit higher at the rear than at the front. It seems as though there is a bigger gap between the top of the tyre and the wheel arch at the back than the front. 

I've attached some photos - I'd greatly appreciate if owners could confirm if I'm right in thinking it's higher (on both sides) at the back and the likely cause of this?

Thanks in advance

[Herbie]

I can't confirm if there's a problem or not but what I can say is that the air suspension really isn't worth it in my opinion. It doesn't give any appreciable improvement over 'traditional' suspension but it does introduce a whole level of expensive complexity if/when it goes wrong.

For me, there's two choices - forget air suspension altogether (which would be my choice) or go for a better example than this one if you're not happy with what you see. Personally, I'd go for the SE Navigator, which has all the toys, bells and whistles of the SE-L but without air suspension.

[PCM]

Does not look right to me.

And believe me - I've been there.

Walk away.

[Tyrosman]

My RX300-SEL rear suspension is fairly high (though not quite so high as the one in the photo) and has been since I purchased it around 7 years ago. Have you checked the level settings on the dashboard, any red lights?

I would be cautious all the same.  BTW my vehicle is a 2003 model.