FLiP Sp33d

spacers just make the wheels stick out more so when you view the wheels at a certain angle, the gap between the wheel and the bumper isnt so noticeable. here's an example of is300 rims on a 2nd gen es300, the gap is too noticeable imo ;)

most likely yea :( it could be the wheel bearings, but there would be noise even on smooth pavement. i experienced rattling noise at the front end of my car when going over small bumps but not on smooth pavement. the mechanic told me the struts were a little bad and i could still drive the car but since its a luxury car, the noise can get really annoying i suggest having your car check out by a mechanic and if it is your struts, there are some being sold in ebay on a daily basis.

cpo lexus is defintely the way to go. i had the engine mount, front springs, shocks, and struts replaced on my car FREE under warranty! i got the 5yr/100k mile warranty and right now im up to 50k and still runs like brand new!

i was also planning on getting is300 rims for my car but bought other stuff instead. you're going to need to lower the car by at least 1in and get spacers to reduce the offset. i like the look! it would be interesting to see how it looks on a white es300 like my car!

the pic is in the es300 gallery http://us.lexusownersclub.com/albums/LS/ls555k.jpg

check the battery, it's usually the first to replace. the factory panasonic batteries are crap imo. you could check for tire wear although i dont know if the seller would replace them if they were worn. 99 es300 is a nice car, ive driven one and its about the same as a 97-98 except for the vvt-i engine which pumps out 10 more hp. ive beaten my friend who has a 99 from the stoplight so i guess 10 more hp doesnt make much of a difference :D if you're tired of the whole mod scene, you wont mind if you kept the es stock since there's a very weak aftermarket for it :( there are no head unit kits for the stereo or body kits made specfically for that model. as mentioned in earlier threads, the es is NO SPORTS CAR although its quite fast for what it is... a luxury car. if you're worried about getting spanked by integras or 3L v6 accords or maximas... dont be :D the es really kicks in 2nd gear 60-90!

to me, power comes second to handling. i wasnt impressed by how the mustangs performed in a previous autox ive witnessed, those things are just too heavy! the stock e46 bmws were impressive in the corners but still exhibited a little bit of body roll. there were some m3s at hand but their owners didnt really do their cars justice <_< the stars of the show were definitely the wrx, evo, and rx7. those things were busting out low 50sec lap times. i think there are some track-worthy es's out there, more specifically those that are 1st gen with the 5spd and stiffer, aftermarket suspension. not all cars that enter auto x have 200+ hp and manual gearboxes. i saw a stock 95 corolla auto do a 60 sec lap time. imo, it makes sense to enter any car in autox, it provides a forum where u can drive all out and keep the wrecklessness out of public streets. B)

there's autox this sunday at nassau colliseum in long island near my house. its $30 to enter and my friend is pushing me to enter my es even though im very, very reluctant to do so. my car rolls like a boat so id have to come slow on turns. my friend has a 240sx 5spd fastback which seems more at place in a track, not an ES300...

if you guys think 300k miles is high, this guy has 550,000 MILES :snoooorrrtttt: on his 89 ls400!!! i got this off lexus magazine that i get in the mail :D

when the blizzard hit in ny, the pilots were bitting on ice/snow quite well imo. i could back out of the driveway or move out of a spot without worry (and my car doesnt come with traction control!) braking is equally as impressive; the tires will bite with minimal or no slippage. i can say that so far, with my experience with the pilots, i havent got stuck in the snow yet! :D

i think most cars have to run hard in order to outgun an es300. one of the things i love most about the es or lexus rather is reliability. the cars (with maybe the exception of a benz) that try to outgun an es300 will literally "die" trying. and then there are those cars that can spank an es300 just by tapping the gas like the s600 or an rs6. since i only see those cars once in a blue moon, i pay more attention to the mustangs and accords i see on a daily basis... I LOVE MY ES300!!! :D

michelin pilot xgt h4! :D its rated at only 130mph as oppose to the 149+ on the Michelin Energy MXV4 Plus. lols... make me wonder who pushes their car past 130! :snoooorrrtttt: anyways, IMO the pilots feel more firm at corners and the noise level is about the same as the energy. but with the case of michelin, i guess more money buys the better tire.

my uncle happens to have a white 98 gs300. the scratches are very noticeable and touch-up paint barely alleviates it. i think scratches on a black car touched-up is not as noticeable imo. ive always liked the silver or mica blue gs :P if i was getting another car, id get an is300 5 spd! it may not be as fast as a gs400 but its more exciting to drive and doesnt eat up gas the way a gs does!

i know for sure the es can hold its own. i dont get much satisfaction out gunning an accord v6 or maxima. i like the es300 becuase its a lexus, if i wanted something faster id get an altima v6. too many people have that car, especially maximas and accords. anyways, those cars feel cheap imo. most of them have plastic side mirrors and in the es they're painted, in the altima they dont even fold! even the door pillars in those cars have a cheap appearnace to them. an altima or accord with leather interior and a moonroof can pretend to be a luxury car but its not as smooth or quiet as an es. ive spanked cars like the accord v6, infiniti j30, integras... and for a car that was designed with no sporting pretensions, i find that pretty damn amazing! :P

NICEEE! :P

so its 1am and im almost home. then this black lx470 just flies right pass me to my right. i was doin 45 in a 40mph zone and the lx must have been doin at least 60. it pulls up to a stop and im like 2 cars away from it. light turns green and that thing comes off the line in a brisk manner; no hard acceleration. i pass the two cars in front me and attempt to play catch up with the lx but that sucker kept accelerating away. i was accelerating at 3k rpm; i had no intention of trying harder than that. i coudlnt come within a car length of it! this all happened in a hilly curve and i was impressed by how composed that lx was in the curves! not bad at all for a 3 ton vehicle. speed limit on the curve was 25 and i was probably doin a little over 30, that thing had to be goin at least 40 without breaking a sweat! i always thought the es was a fairly quick car... now i just dont know <_<

i like the es for its smooth ride and quiet cabin which make the car stand out from the rest.

for me, the easiest to use is the turtle wax car wash and wax soap. wash the car with soap and wipe it dry to bring out the shine.

i hope by asia the store means japan, not apc parts from china you can import the wise sports body kit which is very nice :D or the autocouture kit... very expensive :whistles: there is also a set of lexus rims exclusive to japan which is 18x8 i think made for the gs and ls... not sure it will fit an es. you can get windom badges although that model name doesnt scream out jdm performance the way "silvia" or "altezza" does. ;) and the only other product i can think of to import are piaa extreme white bulbs h7s and 9005.

trd supercharger!!! and a custom hood bulge to give the blower clearance! or nitrous express kit, hre rims, jic coilovers if u into autox, trd camry lip spoiler and sideskirts, or dual exhausts! since aftermarket parts are very limited for the es300, it's a question of what CAN i get rather than what SHOULD i get :D

its $259 at spoilerdepot.com and plus another $100 to get it painted and installed (assuming u can get the shop to do it for that price) $400 is a lot to pay for a spoiler but then again... its for a Lexus!

you can probably go to your local best buy or circuit city where they sometimes have a sale on head units. the nice part is that the installation is free although i dont know if the mounting kit is free. sony has some nice units with a 52x4 pre-amp. i have a sony unit and the sound is much louder and clearer with the factory pioneer speakers! i think $300 will get u a nice unit including installation and another $200 for speakers. B)

i have one of those rare lexus es300 where the interior is completely cloth. i was wondering if anyone has any tips on removing stains from the upholstery and also the floor mats! so far ive been using turtle wax upholstery cleaner which gets some stains out but id prefer spraying it with the vacuum.

go for the GS!!! 100k miles is like breaking in for a lexus! if you're worried about reliability, keep it stock since a gs300 is a quick car right out the box. a 97-01 es300 is also nice. :D

98