blake918

True. Ed, you'll see that your car is single stage when you polish it like Steve said. I used to polish mine all the time, and the pads would turn solid black.

'99 LS with 160k miles, just put on 350 miles today (15% city, 85% cruising at 75mph) and got 27.6mpg (a/c on all the time). I can't complain about that! B)

LOL You betcha!! It has been on the car for almost 2 years now with no problems at all! It's great to see you on here, Gill!

I hear it is a pain to do this job, but it is doable without removing the transmission. My egr pipe had completely cracked in two pieces, so I unbolted it from the exhaust manifold, bent it in half with a vise, and it has been fine (30 minute repair, $0). Resulting in this piece... You can do a little cleaning on the EGR valve, but the valve is not what causes the exhaust noise. A cracked EGR pipe is what causes the noise. I've cleaned my EGR valve before. It didn't do much, but here are the two little holes you can clean... I'd be surprised if your valves needed adjusting. Mine were in spec at 270k miles, and I suspect they still are since the engine is so quiet. I wouldn't pay a dime to install the serpentine belt. You can do it yourself in the driveway in less than 3 minutes. I just tried the videos, and they worked. Maybe youtube had an error?

Those changes that I took from Lexls are for the '97 model year, not just the Coach. You are correct that the Coach adds different leather, Coach badges, different rims, and maybe some bags if you bought it new. I LOVE my X50! I never hit the road without it. Sometimes I wish I would have gone for the V1 just for the arrows, but the X50 does a fine job of keeping me out of trouble. :)

What's the mileage? $8k is way too much for that car unless it has ultra low mileage; that price is in Gen2.5 territory. The '97 is pretty much the same as your '96. Here's what is new for '97 (taken from Lexls):

The EGR pipe runs from your exhaust manifold to the back of the intake manifold. When the pipe completely brakes, it is way more than a little tick. It is more of a rumble and a flutter when you rev the engine. I capped mine off instead of paying the dealer $500 to replace the pipe. Here are some videos from my car to illustrate the sound it makes before and after we capped it off... Before: After: Here is a picture of what the EGR pipe looks like on a Gen I. Gen II is a little different, but just so you can see, it's the bronze-ish colored pipe running down the back of the engine:

I'd be surprised if changing browsers did anything since the goal here is really basic -- only to copy and paste the location of the image, but I haven't used Netscape in about 10 years, so who knows! It works perfectly with Firefox! Also, make sure that the images you try to add to your gallery are not too big. I think they can't be larger than 1.5-2 MB.

I like linking my photos from a website since you don't have to click to open them like if you were to directly attach them to the post. So, let's use this old picture of my LS for our example here. Here is the link to where the photo is located: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/gallery/LS/DSC00363 Start by right clicking the image, so that you can either copy the image's location directly (on Firefox 3 it says, "copy image location") or so that you can go to the picture's properties and find the location there. It needs to end in jpg or another similar photo extension. This is the url from my picture above: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/albums/LS/DSC00363.sized.jpg Then, you click on that little tiny icon below the font box in this text box that you use to make posts, and it will say "insert image" when you hold your mouse over it. Paste your image's location there, and that should appear like this.....

I'm not seeing that; your warning is at 0%. ;)

Thanks!! I agree, Ford has really been putting out some great new cars! I like the Fusion too, especially with the sports package! The Focus is still growing on me. I think it's a pretty good car for the money, and it has Sync, so that's a HUGE plus!

That's a great looking car! I'm sure you'll enjoy it for many years to come. Congrats!

I had Mikado in San Francisco take care of changing my stereo LCD (4 years ago) when the segments started disappearing. They replaced all of the lights in my stereo and the LCD for $150 + shipping. I've used them, as have several people on this board and CL. I bet they'd work on the climate control too. Click the link below for the contact info. I really think these parts from the dealer would be in the thousands, not hundreds. If you are not interested in repairing, take a look at http://www.car-part.com to see what's available from junkyards all over the country. There's ebay too. I don't think you want to get this from the dealer (Nak is even more $$)... http://www.trademotion.com/partlocator/ind...amp;catalogid=2 What a joke! http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...ost&p=45268

I'd drive them both and pick the one that drives and feels better of the two. I'd avoid the UL package because the air struts are expensive to replace. I wouldn't let the lack of a complete service history deter you. My '95 never went in for any of those cockamamie services (other than timing belts), and we'll roll past 314k next week. Like the others have said, I would account for the $1500 90k timing belt service when you negotiate the price--you want to be sure that the timing belt is taken care of.

Here we go, Jim. It took me a while, but like I told you, I'd get this posted at some point! I had the chance to spend the weekend with a '08 Taurus a while back, and I thoroughly enjoyed the car! I found Jim's analysis of the car to be quite accurate (except my Pirelli tires were awful.), so I'll talk some about the improvements they made to the Taurus over the Five Hundred. I loved nearly everything about the car. The ride was smooth, but not floaty. It was very well built for a $25k car (No it's not perfect, but it also didn't cost $65k when it was new.). The different colors, the wood, chrome, etc. all come together quite nicely inside the cabin. I've never been a fan of grey interiors, but I liked this grey interior a lot. I'd probably get grey. I would do without the sunroof, but my head didn't hit the headliner even with the sunroof. The seats were excellent, and while it doesn't have Mercedes amounts of legroom (no adjustable pedals on this one.), I was still comfortable behind the wheel. The trunk is obscenely large, and the front passenger's seat folds down, so you can carry something nearly the entire length of the car. It did have an all in one key/remote, so that was nice, and I liked that you didn't have to hold the key down to start the car, just twist and release, like a German car. The Sync system was superb! It synced right up with my 1.1.4 iPhone, and call quality was excellent (it would mute the radio when a call comes in, and show the caller id on the radio display.). It offered to download my contacts, but I didn't want to since it was a rental car! haha In the center console, there is a USB plug (which is what I connected my iPhone with to get access to the music.), a standard 3.5 stereo aux input, and a power outlet. The sound quality for my music was excellent, and the stereo speakers in the car were very good too. No GSM interference either!! I loved being able to say "Play artist Chicago," and Chicago would start playing with the track info displayed on the radio display. I wish the steering wheel had additional audio controls like next track, volume, etc. Maybe there was a way to do those things via sync, but I didn't have the chance to fully learn the Sync system. The 3.5 V6 was great, good acceleration and very smooth--as was the 6 speed transmission. The electronic throttle was pretty good with very little lag. The Pirelli tires were extremely noisy even though they looked new. They would make this bad droning noise when you would come to a stop although they did ride smoothly. The quirky front end styling has really grown on me, and I like it a lot now. The headlights and fog lights were excellent. At night when you unlock the car, all of the lights come on (it has puddle lamps too which are cool!) which is nice--makes you feel safe when you walk up to the car in a dark parking lot at night. On the highway 1800rpms will get you to 74-75mph which is amazing considering my LS runs 600rpms more at that speed, and it had plenty of power to make it up the hills here without downshifting. The computer readout for the fuel stayed around 25mpg for mixed city (I drove it hard in the city too) and hwy driving. Glowing remarks so far, so what didn't I like? The ignition key goes in the steering column, and I hated that. My other problem was that the speedometer seemed to get washed out in bright sunlight, maybe tint would take care of that problem. Here are some pics for those of you who are like me and hate those over edited, ridiculous pictures that the manufactures put out... iPhone connected.... 1800rpms @ 74mph Trunk/pass through

The other day I went down to New Orleans to visit my parents, and I went with my father to pickup a new MDX. What a nice car!!! I forget about Acura, and that they make some excellent cars. He bought a MDX with the tech package with the power liftgate; msrp was $45,400--paid $41,600 which is a good price according to the Acura forums. The interior materials are excellent, and the whole car is very well built and solid. The 5.1 surround sound sound stereo is just unreal. I've never heard anything so clear especially when you pop in DVD-A discs. And oh my God, the nav works while the car is in motion!!!! The knob that controls the nav screen works well and is easy to get used to, and the voice commands work well too. It steers and handles remarkably well for a 4500lb SUV, but the ride is smooth. The seats are comfortable and very supportive, and there is enough head and legroom for me to get comfortable (and I'm 6'4"). Really, the only negatives I've found were that the V6 will only get a little over 20mpg on the hwy, and the back-up camera looks like a cheap, tacky afterthought. I'll note that the third row in this car is very small, but I think that's to be expected in a car this size (I think you need to buy a minivan or a Suburban/Expe EL if you really want a good third row.). The pearl white looks great too. We drove about an hour to Acura of Baton Rouge since Walker Acura in New Orleans SUCKS and should be avoided at all costs. I'd give this car an A rating, and recommend it to anyone! The only other car they looked at was the GMC Acadia, but my parents liked the MDX a lot better. The GMC did have a way cool heads up display though!! He traded in a well used (translation: beat up POS!) '99 Suburban LT with 142k miles for $1,500. LOL He bought the Suburban new, and it was mostly trouble (especially the transmission. Rebuilt 3x.) over the 10 years he drove it. 8 miles at delivery... LED Tailights The xenon lights are pretty good, cutoff is excellent; I think they could be aimed a little higher though.

Happy Birthday Alan!

Try this: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...33&hl=maint

We all have different takes on this, but my opinion is based on objective data that I've collected from my particular car. When I put the filter in, my highway mileage (cruising at 75mph-80mph on the interstate) went up 4.5%; it's that simple for me. My K&N isn't going anywhere!! :)

I don't do much driving on two lane highways, nor do I have it at WOT often. Most of the time the car is on the interstate with the cruise set at 75-80. The people who don't know how to oil these K&N filters are usually the ones who don't like them. I use K&Ns aerosol oil and allow a very long drying time to prevent any damage to my engine's electronics, and after almost 2 years of using this filter, I have never cleaned or had any trouble with the MAF sensor. I don't know what the throttle body or MAF sensor look like lately. The last time I removed and cleaned the TB was in 2005 when it was off for new valve cover gaskets (this was before I installed the K&N), and it looked like your typical carboned up TB. I'll try and remember to take pics of the MAF sensor for you the next time I have all of that duct work off. Before and after for the TB....

I've found the same thing in my LS. I have used iridiums since I bought my LS, and 60k miles seems to be about what they last for me too. I'd probably run them longer than that, but I know it's time to change them when my mileage starts going down. Not unless they are out of spec which would be if a wire is over 25 kohms.

I have a K&N in my '95, and I love it. I don't know about throttle response and hp gains, but it does not make the car any louder at all, and I picked up an extra mpg on the hwy (which is why I love mine; plus, I'm not having to buy new paper filters all the time.). Just don't get carried away when you oil it, and you won't have any problems.

I didn't mean that in a literal sense. ;) We've discussed them bashing the new Camry on this forum, and rightly so since they don't build them like they did in the '90's when they probably did deserve the benefit of the doubt when the next generation came out. I also know that they said the new AWD GS has below average reliability, so they do say bad things on occasion. I completely agree that they shouldn't give anyone the benefit of the doubt when a brand new model comes out. I'd like to see them incorporate maintenance and repair costs in to used car ratings more than anything similar to what Motor Trend does with their long term tests when they post what tires, brakes, and other wearing items cost.

I read nothing but good things about leatherseats.com. Check ClubLexus, leatherseats.com runs group buys over there with pretty good discounts if enough people buy. Or, if you're not looking to spend that much money, try a local upholstery guy. Maybe he could change a couple of the bad sections and redye it all to give it a fresh look.

My parents bought a new LeSabre in 1986, and it ran 9 years and 200,000+ miles with no trouble at all, and that doesn't seem out of the ordinary based on what I read on the Buick forum. It would probably still be around if it didn't get crashed; it was a terrific car--no timing belt, no power steering problems, no bushing problems, just a good solid car! JD Power put Buick right up there with Lexus: http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2007...004645328_x.htm Lexus might be the most "reliable," but that doesn't mean they don't have their fair share of problems that aren't cheap to fix like the number of electrical problems, the fussy suspension components, timing belts, etc. A timing belt service and a new steering rack can replace anything you want to on a Buick...twice.Who reads Consumer Reports anymore?? They wouldn't say something bad about a Honda or Toyota if someone had a gun to their heads. LOL