RX450h suspension

[Harry the spider]

Is 'Self levelling' suspension the same as 'Air suspension' on the RX450h?

[olliesgrandad]

I guess so my gen 4 Premier has adjustable non air suspension which firms up the ride in sport or custom mode. 

[Barry14UK]

Interesting question.  The term 'self leveling' usually applies where the rear suspension includes the ability to adjust the rear end to compensate for increased heavy load thereby keeping car level.  Thus my E39 BMW saloon with just springs is not self leveling whereas the equivalent estate model which (BMW call Touring) still with springs but incorporating a load compensating device is considered self leveling.  My 3rd Gen RX450h has air suspension but although you can operate this to raise or lower the car to operate within certain speeds,  I don't believe it is self leveling in the usually accepted meaning of the term as I don't think it compensates the rear for load.  Incidentally, Lexus dropped air suspension on the 4th Gen RX450h. 

[m4rkw]

28 minutes ago, Barry14UK said:

my E39 BMW saloon

I miss my E39 so much. I had a manual 540i. Such an amazing car to drive. Miserable to own but amazing to drive.

[Barry14UK]

38 minutes ago, m4rkw said:

I miss my E39 so much. I had a manual 540i. Such an amazing car to drive. Miserable to own but amazing to drive.

The V8 added cost and complication that was not necessary as the 530 did all that was needed and some, unless you were going to track it. I have just broken a sports model for parts and to finish upgrading my 530SE to sports look, something I started doing a few years back. I am torn between doing a couple of minor jobs and putting it up for sale or keeping it.  Some previous 5 series are going up in price and I am sure the E39 will do so too in due course.  I have replaced all the usual culprits and the car is relatively simple and cheap to service and maintain compared to the RX.  Were it not for my degenerating back, I would have kept it in use.  Incidentally, the E39 was one of the cars largely designed by Joji Nagashima, a Japanese designer. 

Anyway, the reason I mentioned it in this thread was when I retrofitted genuine Xenons to replace the very poor halogen dipped beams ,  I had to fit the leveling sensors etc, whereas if it it been the Touring version this would have required minimal work as that version had self leveling rear suspension.