Really Grinds My Gears

[viclykewhoa]

my biggest gripe is how these cars turn normal people into obsessive compusive types. The slightest vibration and I am here searching the forum for the worst case scenario. I can honestly say that the car is the best I have ever owned, but when I am driving I am listening so intently for problems that I kind of miss the point. I wish it didn't make me so damn fussy!!!

oh man... i know exactly what you mean... it's such a pain. i bought my lexus thinking that i wouldn't have to worry about it. but every little sound that doesn't sound normal makes me wonder if there's something i need to fix.

[jainla]

I don't have much, but mine's a youngin'...barely 68k:

I was driving to work the other day, sunroof open, stereo on. Happy camper. Then I heard this very faint noise. Like a rattling noise, or maybe a rumble. Oh crap. Tires? bearing? balance off? I pull up to a light. Sound still there..comes and goes. Oh sh*t. Something in the engine? the AC? I turn the climate control off. Still there, but can't hear it with all the music. Kill the stereo. Sound dies. Oh crap....not my tunes.

:cries:

Turn stereo back on, change tracks on the CD. IT WAS IN THE MUSIC. Some drum or cymbal sound, which I had never ever heard on my ipod or the home system, but god forbid my stereo didn't reproduce it where nothing else would. I've gotten so 'lost in the music' listening to the stereo that I've missed exits, turns, parking spaces. God forbid I plug my iPod into it someday....look out. So that's one.

And the fact that whenever I hear a rattle or a ring I get annoyed. They have turned out to be; the aformentioned music, the strap on my briefcase while going over a particularly pitted stretch of road, my lunchbox (right next to speaker passenger wheel well while listening to Moby), and my glovebox not completely closed b/c of the cd wallet inside it (didn't shove it in all the way). And a CD jewelbox on the passenger seat which wasn't closed properly. So this whole pursuit of perfection has turned me into a neurotic freak about noise when I'm in my car. "You're breathing too loud! Stop that!" So that's two.

The seals that surround the doors seem to dry out real easily on my car. So if I go over a big bump or heave in the road at low speed I hear a faint creaking noise around the door if its especially cold or dry out (thought it was the leather at first). And I keep forgetting to treat them before I leave for work. So that's three.

I find myself glaring at people when they slam the doors too hard. Its not necessary. Just give them a gentle shove, and they latch shut like tupperware sealing with that wonderful se-lunk. I don't know if its the door checks or the hinges but they seem to accelerate as they are closing, so don't need to be slammed like a drum on a Trojan barge. But they do it anyway and I see the sunroof glass lift up a little for a split second. Makes me cringe. That's four (file that under neurotic freak).

Mysteriously when people find out I drive a Lexus nobody wants to/feels like/can handle driving anywhere anymore. "Just pick me up" they all say. "Oh you can drive this time." "I can't drive, it's too wet/cloudy/sunny/dry/my moon is out of alignment so I'll come with you." etc etc. I should put a meter in and charge for mileage like a cab. That's five.

That and all the extra time it takes to remove all the engine covers....I'm sure adds at least an hour to the labor bill (but all cars have that now I guess). When they have to do that, which is once in a blue moon.

Umm.....that's all I got. No doubt about this relentless pursuit of perfection, looks like we're all along for the ride! I guess we all get worried about each little niggle because we know the cars can be perfect.

And for the record I agree that the cupholders on the S430 (and the old E320 for that matter) look like some kind of torture device from the inquisition....and they break real easy too. Don't remember the cupholders from the Toureg, but the Phaeton ones hold a Starbucks and that's it. I actually liked the design of the old 7 series cupholders...but they didn't hold anything larger than a large soda.

I don't have a problem with the cupholders because I don't let people drink anything in my car (except spring water) so they never use them! (file under neurotic freak again).

:chairshot:

[sapper_daddy]

WHEW good response jainla!

hey don't put in a meter though (it'll take away from the look of the car) just tell them that they need to fill it up before you drop them somewhere, when they realize your car only takes premium, they'll stop asking for a ride!!

[WillJovi75]

Hellow All!

I am new to the club and have made it through 45 pages so far of postings. Needless to say, I am excited to read more. You all definitely rock on the sarcasm and humor. I have caught myself laughing out loud several times!

As for my recent purchase, I bought a 95ls400 with 144K miles on it. I went to the dealership for the 150K checkup (at 147K) and they did the timing belt, tensioners, water pump, tranny fluid flush, oil change, and ...

wait for it...

yes, a CAR WASH! (Glad I closed the sun roof!)

Okay, now for THE LIST:

passenger seatbelt retractor super weak

power steering fluid leak (on my list of soon todo's)

timing belt bushing a tad noisy (another on the list - belt, tensioner/pully?)

headlight assembly small rock hole on passenger side

parking light on driver side front needs bulb replaced

hood struts (read, ordered, and waiting for arrival to install)

trunk spings/struts (still reading, I got close to 200 more pages to go)

inside, there are some vibrations (one near the dome light and one coming from the back somewhere)

shot glass holders are great - Oh, those are CUP HOLDERS...

driver's side door lock mechanism a tad shady - (took door apart, but was overwhelmed...)

remote trunk release not working

Needless to say that it was a huge upgrade from my motorcycle. Really, no complaints. I am just so stoked not to be pulling bugs out of my teeth now when I get to work. One of the best things I have done. Figured this was a good place to make my first post.

Looking forward to reading more.

[RFeldes]

Welcome to the club, Will

[raymsixsix]

my biggest gripe is how these cars turn normal people into obsessive compusive types. The slightest vibration and I am here searching the forum for the worst case scenario. I can honestly say that the car is the best I have ever owned, but when I am driving I am listening so intently for problems that I kind of miss the point. I wish it didn't make me so damn fussy!!!

LMAO, totally true B)

[Cory]

The thing that *BLEEP*es me off the most is that the only thing noticeably wrong with my SC300 is the paint/leather/vinyl. Even then, it looks great at first glance - the paint is rich and glossy, the leather and vinyl are smooth and unfaded - but upon closer inspection there are blemishes everywhere! Nothing big, but I'm a bit OCD so it drives me nuts whenever I find a "new" scrape or rash. I just wish paint and body work weren't so damn expensive.

Oh yeah, and the fact that despite my meticulous care, every part will malfunction at some point and have to be replaced. I just wish somebody could design a truly bulletproof automobile. Ah well, c'est la vie...

[XL2007]

my biggest gripe is how these cars turn normal people into obsessive compusive types. The slightest vibration and I am here searching the forum for the worst case scenario. I can honestly say that the car is the best I have ever owned, but when I am driving I am listening so intently for problems that I kind of miss the point. I wish it didn't make me so damn fussy!!!

I've come from owning a long line of cars where the smallest of creaks and bumps usually mean somethin's gonna go.....or already went, so here I am constantly looking for things to go wrong on my 92 LS400 when, in fact, there's absolutely nothing amiss. It's been the most reliable car I've ever owned by a long shot.

On the other hand, my biggest gripe about it is the fact that the repairs take a lot of time and money -- 5 to 6 hours of shoving the intake aside just to get at the starter? And a $850 estimate for parts and labor to boot? That, and the issue with the cupholders -- big enough to handle a canned drink, but not a 20 oz bottle or a BK half-gallon cup.

[pishta]

Welcome to the club, Will :cheers:

Im new here too and I bought a 92 LS with under 94K on it. Old mans golf car...anyway: small dent in RF fender, dont know how to remove plastic cladding to get to one bolt without breaking plastic anchors that look to be embedded in plastic and not replaceable (ripped one apart at a junk yard trying to figure out how to do it to pop dent out) I got a bushing somewhere that is metal on metal I think. I get a strong road feel at slow speeds. Trouble is there is about 16 bushings that it might be and they all cost 70-100 a piece. My 96 Breeze is smoother on the road...soft suspension, but the shocks are cheaper than the bushings!!! Seat is too low for my short wife, can you raise the entire seat, not tilt it up? My OLD Plymouth seat track had 2 sets of mounting holes high and low. Trunk is tiny for a large car, rear windows dont roll down flush and they have those rivets on the outside. I dont drive it because I get *BLEEP*ed when I feel that bad bushing. Wheel bearings are 70 bucks, everything that wears on this car is 70 bucks!!! Oh well, it does cruise on the highway. Its my wifes car and she gets mad when I start looking into the suspension to fix it, she doesnt feel anything wrong with it, but I do. Oh yeah, the cassette player on the stereo, nothing but high marks for that sucker! My old tapes never sounded so good! I got some old Bootleg overseas tapes and they sound like CD's!! Ooh, almost forgot the climate control display, its going as well as the rear view mirror LCD.