nc211

Yep, it's a sad thing for sure. Try getting flood insurance in the state of North Carolina east of I-95 these days, thanks to hurricane Floyd way back when. My lawyer buddy in B'ham many years ago bought a "new" old's cutlas supreme for his son from a reputible dealership. Turned out the "new" car was actually a used rental beater from a hertz in south florida. Confronted the dealership, said he wanted his money back and a new car. Dealer flip it's nose at him. Made him so mad he had the case opened and held by a lawyer friend until he finished law school. He finished, took the case over, and cleaned house. Both got new cars and a nice 6 figure settlement. Dealership went out of business. I'm no big fan of lawyers, but they do serve a purpose when applied correctly. Hope Roscoe follows through with this, he's got a solid case against state farm, if all is correct. I have a slacker friend who bought a car from a dealer here in NC many years ago. It was used, but dealer signed damage disclosure stating to it's knowledge the car had never been involved in an accident. Turned out not only was it wrecked badly, but it was wrecked while on the dealer's lot! Was wrecked during a test drive. Car fax lists the police report number and it proved the dealer wrecked it. My slacker friend did nothing and now has a piece of junk for a car that is falling apart.

In certain situations, farm bureau is the insurance company, but not the insurance BROKER. Aka....insured via Bubba LeeRoy insurance, a Farm Bureau company. Bubba Lee will take a hit for paying out. You must contact an attorney over this, otherwise you're NOT going to get anything done. Have the attorney contact the insurance agent and proceed from there. I would advise the insurance company of your inability to accept their conclusion. In the mean time, I personally can't say enough good things about usaa. I've been with them for years and years, and when I've had to file a "act of god" claim, the check was in the mail the next day, and my rate did not go up. I live in hurricane alley, had a car take a tree branch a few years ago. Told them what it did, what it would cost to fix, emailed a few photos and had my check by the end of the week, car fixed in 2 weeks. State Farm in my circle is well known for being extremely difficult and rude, simply due to their "broker" style of operations.

Correction: from the point of filing the claim, not the letter of denial you just received. You've got a shiester insurance company. I know of an attorny in Birmingham that used to be an insurance agent, saw how bad the insurance companies screwed everyone, learned the loop holes, went to law school, and now sues insurance companies for stuff just like this! And....he....wins....all...the....time.

Get everything in writting, that is signed and dated. If you are just now claiming it as stolen and torched, months after the fact, then you've got nothing to fight. Insurance company will beat you. If you filed the claim back when it happend, and you have the official document of denial, which is dated, then your expenses from that point to current should be a part of the settlement. This is basic insurance stuff amigo. Any hack'em and sack'em attorney will take the case, and probably won't charge you anything unless he wins the case, at which his fees will be pulled from the settlement, not from your pocket. You sue for the amount you've wasted since the denial was granted, plus what it takes to replace the car "replacement value" AND the legal fees you've incurred in the process. Go talk to a lawyer man. I'm serious.

Wandawoods is correct. I'm a business lender, have done a few high priced "toys" for exec's. I would require a FULL, DETAILED AND APPROVED letter of reason from your insurance company on why they denied your claim. Make sure it is on their letterhead stationary too. Then discuss it with an attorney. If it ain't anchored to the earth, it can be stolen. Just because Lexus claims it's a theft proof device does not indicate the market itself feels the same, and plays by the same set of rules. Otherwise, I claim that I am always right, and my wife "the market" will tell you otherwise, and probably has proof. Although I deny all evidence as HERe-say. :whistles: Have they even investigated the claim? Or did they simply deny based upon some standard issue reply?

Is this possible? Can a 98 nav / control unit be installed and actually work like it should in a 95 non-nav setup? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...&category=38644

Sorry man, I haven't a clue. Don't think I've ever heard of this before. I know the instrument panel on the 1st generation models have a glitch which makes them burn out, but the headlights and all the other stuff? Sounds like you've got a ghost in the machine. Hate to say it, and I'm hoping others will say otherwise, but this might need the dealer to look at. To me, it sounds like the ecu is acting up. Now if it's the main ecu, or an individual ecu is beyond me, but if you're pressing the gas to get the lights to turn on, then I'd have to think it's the main ecu. But, I could very well be wrong, just sounds logical.

http://www.toyotaandlexusparts.com/

Blake....SWEEEEEEET RIDE!! Your's looks better than my 95 with 97k miles! We've got the same paint and interior colors. I agree with you completely on the rear lights and dual exhaust. I find myself following others of our age and admiring the tail lights. Personally, I like the 95 & 96 models the best. I like the wheels and the head lights the best...plus I like the power antenna and how it adjusts itself for better signal strength. I think these model years look very classy. Not to say I don't think the newer models don't look as good, I like the head lights and so forth, but I like ours the best. I've got some paint issues to take care of soon too. i've got little white pit in the roof. I did a clay bar, two coats of polish and wax last summer, didn't get them out. I think she'll be going to a professional detailer this spring for the orbital treatment. I don't know enough about those to not burn the paint right off the car. Once I finally catch that vibration issue I've been chasing around, she'll be perfect. These are awesome cars! Great writeup!

Cool, thanks guys! I think I'm ok then, don't have any wandering....yet. I was curious because I had Bubba LeeRoy Jr. twice removed, replace my lower ball joints a few months ago. I guess he did it right then!

I agree, you would think they would understand how dangerous this can be. I would hate for it to happen in the rain, or at night or something like that. If you follow the air intake housing from the air filter to the top of the engine, you'll run into the throttle body. It's the part where the black air intake chamber attaches to the first engine component, I believe. It is on my 95 LS anyway. I agree the GS is a sweet machine! I really wanted one, but couldn't find one for my price range, so I went for the LS. Tough trade huh? I guess settling isn't such a bad thing! I wouldn't mind a GS400, I like the inside a lot. Not too crazy about the outside looks, but I really like the interior, a nice comfy fit.

Man am I glad I didn't buy that 98 GS300 now when I was looking last year. On the test drive, it did this exact same thing. Engine light came on with the vsc light. The car's motion went dead and put me in a very very tight spot, literelly, between passing traffic on my right, and on-coming traffic on my left. I shut it off, started it back up and it was fine. I thought it was because it was very very low on gas. Needless to say, I barked at the country cowboy dealer for not filling it up before hand. Not to mention it was one of our repo's. I work for a bank. You can clean the throttle body yourself I believe. Do a search for it, and see what you find. I haven't had to do it, yet, but I understand it's not to labor intesive.

As a part of my on-going self education of my 95 ls, and further development into chapter 13 bankruptcy, I'm curious about the tie rods? What are the symptoms that they're worn out? I've tried a search, but can't seem to locate any symptoms, just how to replace them. Can't find anything in the repair manual about troubleshooting either. Thanks crew!

possible condensation from the cold, damp, morning on the laser lense, or cd itself? I've had that happen to me in my former 01' Maxima. Once the car was warm and dried out inside, it worked fine. Happened on a cold, clamy morning. Also, is the cd you were trying to play an original or a burned copy? The changers will play burned copies just fine, but sometimes they have a tougher time finding that initial track to follow, especially if it's a damp morning. Just my 2 cents, which is about all I've got left thanks to my new shocks, diff bushings, strut rods, carrier bushings, tranny and motor mounts, and not to mention $2.35 a gallon. Hahaha

I had the exact same problem. I've got a 95 as well, bought it from a lexus dealer and had to MAKE / FORCE :chairshot: them honor their 90 day, 3000 mile window warranty to fix this. Out of ALL the tsb's on our car, there is only one that is highly recommended to be done, and it's this one. It's called "Off Throttle Shock". Basically, the ecu drops the fuel supply too quickly when you take your foot off the gas, making the car stumble, shutter, jerk a few times. There are actual complaints to the national highway transportation saftey board for this issue. The tsb is called "Driveability Improvement for Speeds Above 40MPH", it's TSB # EG00396. There is no way I am buyin' the dealer story you were told, no way at all. They know about this TSB issue, trust me! They'll act dumb, but any moron with access to the tsb postings knows this is the most important one, and the only one that came the closest to a full recall from Lexus. I called Lexus of America to complain, and that got the ball rolling. They're fixing them on the "good faith" warranty, to keep you coming back for another one later on down the road. You can take a look at the clublexus site and do a search for nc211, you'll see the "transmission stutters 95ls400" thread. That's my whole experience with the process. It's a BOOGER to get fixed, since it's one of the most expensive parts on the car. But it WILL fix that problem for good! When they finally fixed mine, all the stereo settings were the same, so I don't think they actually disconnected the battery. The memory seat settings were the same as well. But to be on the safe side, I would get that code for the stereo, since they're so dang expensive. Good luck with the fix, you'll like the results!!!

You sure that code is for the cats and not just the O2 sensors going bad?

....and yes, I'm fully expecting to be ripped for my Roy comment, so my feelings won't be hurt... Blame it on March Madness.

Got Roy? Nope, didn't think so...... But I do! Carolina all the way baby! And this coming from a former KU student "92-93" when I finally gave up on those COLD February morning walking up to the hill for class, and transferred to a warmer climate. One hill in Kansas, and they put a university on top of it ?? Still kills me to see Roy on my local news down here now, puts me back in Lawrence, and raiding the tri-delta sorority house with my frat brothers at Sig Ep.

This is just my opinion and what i've learned so far about these cars. I am currently learning the in's & out's of the suspension components on these cars "I have a 95", I can tell you that most of the parts that make that famous lexus smooth ride are rubber, soft rubber. The mounts in your suspension control arms, motor mounts, tranny mount, shock tower bumper, etc.... Basically all the parts that connect the car to the parts that meet the road are insulated at some point with soft rubber. When it's cold out, the rubber hardens a bit, making it a bit more ridgid. When it's warm out, it softens up. I notice in mine "97k miles" that when it's below 40 degrees out, the ride is harsher, i feel more bumps, grooves and so forth. When it's above 40 and hotter, she floats and absorbs those bumps like they're not even there. And the leather seats don't creek like cold leather does! Wind noise: You'll have some, it's physics. If it's too much, or you hear a specific whistle from a spot, say the driver's door, then you might want to replace that rubber weather strip that goes around the door. Try this test, turn the air recirculator on as you're driving. Do you hear any whistles? Turn it back to fresh air, and you'll see those whistles most likely are gone. It's a great way to test those seals. When it's set to recirculate, the passing air over the car will create a vacuum and pull the air out of the car. When it's set to fresh air, it's a balance. You'll want to be doing 60 mph+ on a smooth surface for this, so you won't hear the road. You can also put rain-x on the windshield "or any other glass polish" and that will smooth out the noise too. It makes the glass super smooth and the wind just passes over it. Serpentine Belt: Could be worn out, but could also be dry due to the cold air. There are products you can use to lubricate it. When I had my 90k service done, they put a new one on and it squeeked too. I put some lubrication on it, and it's fine. That was 10 months ago. White smoke: The guys are right, it's normal at first. The car runs rich when first started on a cold morning, then leans itself out as it warms up. You'll see steam for a while. If it's doing it when you start it when the engine is warm, and it's warm outside, then you might have a problem. If it's the Cheech N' Chong mobile, you've got a big problem :whistles: . But considering the year and milage you have, I seriously doubt it. It's normal. IMO

$2.20 for 93 here in North Carolina. :cries: :chairshot:

And my friends said I was crazy for buying anything that was 9 years old with 85k miles on it. Those fools! Of course, when you're used to Chevy's, then I can understand their point of view. Hahaha These are awesome cars, worth every penny, even the ones for repair. :D Hope to be posting my 250k mark some day soon. Got the 100k coming up. She still gets 26 mpg, strong, fast, quiet and handsome. Nicely done Blake, nicely done!

yeah, that sounds about right. there is a tsb on the issue somewhere. It addresses the "improved smoothness during acceleration between 35-60". I think it's for 1st generations. But yeah, that sounds about right, I'll double check and get back to you.

Great ideas guys, thanks! I've been pondering this for a few days too, and a few cold ones as well What do you think about this? Removal: Since I'm limited to access from the rear side of the subframe "don't want to remove the differential, lots of bolts to drive shaft and axles, just lower it with jack" I am thinking both jadecuir and ericok might be on to something. Design a metal press sleeve tube with the pipe that I can attach with some strong c-clamps to the sub frame. The tube would be fully inclosed at the top. Drill thread a hole at the top for a bolt with a BIG nut. On the inside of the tube, have a couple washers larger than the diameter of the bushing. Slide the tube over the back of the bushing, clamp it down to the sub frame, and crank away, slowing and evenly applying pressure on all angles of the bushing. The funny thing about these mounts is that they don't have the exact same diameter the whole length. Follow me? The part that is snuggly fitted to the car is actually bigger than the part that sticks out the back side of the subframe. So once I get the bushing pushed forward about 3/4 of an inch, it will come right out because the diameter gets smaller. Installation: clean the crap out of the housing hole, oil it, grease it, cus' at it. Same with bushing exterior. Remove the first bolt used to press out the old, replace with a longer bolt, one that will reach through the mounting housing, and the bushing. Put this longer bolt in from the front, and attach a nut to the end at the rear. Obviously have a lock washer on the front to keep the bolt from actually turning with the turns of the wrench. Crank down the nut on the rear, effectively pulling the bushing towards the mounting housing "subframe hole". All while keeping the bushing at a 90 degree angle to the subframe, so it fits smoothly. I think this might work. I like Jade's idea definetly, but I don't think I can do anything from the front side of the sub frame due to drive axles still attached. Simply not enough room to wrench anything. I agree on the blow torch too, the fuel filter is right there, but a good suggestion. I thought about that last weekend, after a few hours, some busted up knuckles and a desire to get the 12 guage and shoot the damn things out. Hahaha Thanks guys, greatly appreciate the ideas. I'll definetly be documentating this process for others to use. I don't think those bushings get enough attention, and I think they're one of the main reasons why these cars have such vibration issues. They take the most load of the car, with them being asked to withstand thousands of vairable pounds of torque pressure and twisting. One thing I am going to do when I'm done is take that torn up bushing to the dealer and tell them their mechanic is stupid. I actually told them, and supplied them with the parts, what the problem was. They stongly disagreed, said the mount was perfect. Not with all those tears in it, no way. They look way worse than most of the suspension bushings we all have to replace at some point. Those s.o.b's

Opps, here's the page. SA95.pdf

I am attempting to replace my rear differential mounting bushings. The only problem is that I can't get the things out of the car, they're wedged in there for the past 10 years. Lexus has a special service tool to use, but it requires removing the whole differential to use it. You do not have to remove the whole thing, just 3 bolts and lower it down 2 1/2 inches. The bushings slide in from the front of the car side. I need to figure out a way to press them forward from the rear, then pull the news ones back in. Any ideas? These suckers are in there man, and they're not budging. I took impact wrench to them to loosen them up, no luck, hammer? no luck. They're in there. Any suggestions from the masters? Here's the manual page of the process. It's the sst 09527-17011. It looks like a make shift press, that as you turn the bolt, the treads of the screw pull the mount out, from the front. Need something that I can press on it from the back in much the same manner. Latch it on to the sub frame in the picture for support to the car would work. These bushings are all torn up in my car, and making a really bad vibration when accelerating. The differential is actually bouncing around with the torque of the driveshaft. thanks guys & gals