nc211

Perfectly stated Jibby... You won't be offended however if I require your son to have a class A level driver's license before picking up my daughter for a date, would you? Nah, what am I saying? She won't go for some ToFu Californian anyway! Hahaha... :D :P

I don't think it's so much of a disagreement between parenting tactics, as it is an agreement that something went wrong with this poor kid who got the BMW M5 in the first place. Either he was unaware of reality, his parents didn't communicate the risks correctly, or the teenager was being a teenager in a vehicle that far exceeded his maturity level. Eitherway, I think we all agree, this tragic conclusion to several adolecent lives should of and could of been prevented. Steps were missed somewhere in that young man's guidance. However, with that said, a person is a product of their environment, and it's not your enemies that will get you into trouble-but rather it is your friends. I just hope that when my son becomes a teenager and hits that spot where he stops asking and starts doing, that I've tought him enough to know going 150mph in anything on street tires is stupid/dumb/idiotic/deadly. And if he does survive, and I find out about it, he's a dead man! I'll brand his butt so badly that he won't be able to sit on anything as hard as leather seats, which should keep him in the domestics. I'm serious, I'll drag him down to a tatoo parlor and have a tiny little dot put on his arm, so for the rest of his life he'll look at that tiny little dot and remember just how stupid he was, and how lucky he is to have that tiny little dot.

I don't think anyone is saying communication isn't important amigo. Sounds like your nephews have good heads on their shoulders. B) Communication is part of the "friend" aspect of parenting. Talking to them, like an adult, in an adult manner really can produce great results. Some teenagers really react well to being treated with the same respect as an adult. In my years so far, I've found this to be more true in kids who are coming up in the world, working for it, earning it, than in kids who have had it given to them. Not to say all lucky kids don't listen, but you can see where we're coming from when trying to guide a child who doesn't necessarily know how much work was required to be able to buy that car, etc.. To them, if it's wrecked, another one will appear. A good example is the two MTV shows of "Two-A-Days" and that Newport Beach show. If my life plan continues to work out the way it is now, my wife and kids will have the fortunate option to make decisions based upon want, not need. But with that comes the risk of a detached sense of reality for my kids. That is when a trip down to the local ER to see the results of stupidity behind the wheel first hand. To walk over to the hospital chapel to listen to gut wrenching, heart broken mothers and fathers pray for anything to ease their pain. And then, the keys to the family minivan can be understood. But if that fails, and Jr. comes home at 16 with booze on his breath, gets some obscene speeding ticket, and he doesn't react in kind with the same amount of respect I've shown him by communicating to him...well, Jr. is going to be walking..actually, limping, because I'm going to beat the unholy snot out of the kid. And if that doesn't work, we're moving and I'll make him the akward new kid at lunch with no friends. I'll do anything and everything to protect and teach, so I am the one who teaches him, not life.

At 34 years of age, I too have buried too many friends, all died by car accidents. All alcohol & speed related too. And I have narrowly avoided a few myself. One in a 92 Blazer that rolled at 60mph as a passenger, one as the driver of my 87' GTI on a slick road going 80mph, as a stupid teenager. I was raised on a go-cart, which to this day, I know has saved my life from my own stupidity. The instincts of motion and recovery tought to me from that go-cart, still hold true even to this day. There is a very fine line that seperates a Father and a Friend. One wants to be both, but at times must ignore one for the other. SWO, I can tell your father was this way with you, simply by the fact that you showed him and his things respect. As a hormonal teenager, a son's respect for his father comes from a little bit of fear, which in my personal opinion is a good thing. I can assure you, from here to the ends of earth, that my son will know that I will whip his !Removed! if required, to get a point across on the rules of life, before life gets a chance to teach him. Because life ain't too forgiving. One mistake, and it's lights-out. I'd much rather have to explain myself to the likes of Oprah, then to the parents of a dead child, who died by the poor decisions my son made at the time. If forced to decide, I'd much rather have my boy hate my guts, but be alive, then to treat me like one of his buddies, and end up dead. Knowing what happens to a persons thinking around the 25 years of age mark, my way will pay off. And no BMW's for my teenager, period. They're too unforgiving, and tempting to push past the limit. Who here hasn't heard of someone wrecking a BMW due to speed? In a BMW, if you hear the tires squeel, it's too late, you've lost control and at the mercy of God. In a Corolla, you hear the tires squeel, it's telling you that you're at the limit and best slow it down. You show me a teenager who won't push a car to the squeeling point when the folks aren't around, and I'll show you a teenager that been taught not to, by an authority figure, not a friend. I'm 34 years old, been around the block a few times, made and learned from several mistakes, cleared my 20's with good credit, no record, no std's, no addictions. Yet, put me in the driver's seat of a BMW M5, and I'd probably be in jail or in the ground within a week, much less a teenager. Letting an unsupervised kid put his foot on a gas peddle of a machine that begs for speed, is a "friendly" thing to do. And when my boy is at driving age, if one of his buddies comes over in a car like that to pick him up, there will be a problem.

The dealership won't take the time to clean the solenoid screen, which is the key to prolonging the life of the steering rack. That little screen controls the pressure of the flow, when it clogged up after years of use, the pressure builds backwards and results in a leak along the passenger side of the steering rack "usually the passenger side". The solenoid controls how much boost you get at slower speeds, and how much adjustment is made at highway speeds. I read on the 4runner forum of a guy simply using a turkey baster to suck out the old steering fluid, putting in new, and repeating until it was nice and cherry. I'd use synthetic myself, as I love that stuff from tip to tip. But you'll probably want to have the front wheels in the air, so you can squeez out any air bubles by turning the wheels left to right. Honestly, if you can return that Valvoline gear lube for the synthetic, I think you'd like it a little better. I used that valvoline stuff too on my first change, but did the synthetic on my second and really noticed a nice change.

I don't buy that stuff in general to be honest. I don't believe in the 100k spark plug, the "lifetime" transmission fluid, or the extended life oil. The combustion chamber of an engine is one of the most hostile and abusive areas on earth "next to Hillary Clinton's bedroom". I'd stick with the 3-5k oil changes, especially on an older car like yours. Best to be safe than sorry.

My dad and I kicked some tires one morning over Christmas, and we were stunned at the prices of Hyundais, just stunned. I agree with the comments made here by all. I can see where Hyundai would be a viable option against Toyota and Honda, but dang man, $36k for a new Hyundai? I think I'd have to seriously look at a mildly used Lexus or something like that for that kind of money, especially to avoid the probable depreciation hits I would assume Hyundai in general would get. Granted, they do seem to be quite nice! But I agree that Hyundai needs more time to distance themselves from their past offerings before they're able to play at the high $30k levels. Sadly, I do agree with SWO that $36k isn't too expensive for a new car. But Hyundai historically, at those prices, would send me to the used car lot of my local Lexus dealer first, if for just the cache' of a Lexus over a Hyundai. Does anyone know how Hyundai cars are doing in terms of holding their values? I haven't a clue...

SWO, any possibility of a lease program from a local credit union? I know some use to do this, not sure if they do today with rates where they are.

I never really noticed it on mine, but wasn't looking for it either. Is it magnetic? one that size could be used to pull any metal particles picked up from the road and hold them in place to prevent any tears to the airfilter? Dang, wish I still had my 95' so I could check, that is very interesting!

I agree with DC on the power flushes. I was a drain'n'fill guy myself, easy to do and very gentle to the internals. Power flushing, from what I've heard, is pretty forceful on the system. Granted the car isn't made out of cheap plastic, but if you can achieve much the same results without having to forcefully do anything to the internal components, just seems better to me. DC's method sounds a lot more gentle on the internals as well. Letting the car itself set the force of pulling new fluids in v. some pressurized machine at the shop seems much better.

I ran that catrol high mileage stuff a few times before switching over to full synthetic, with no problems. Infact, the only difference I had was a smoother and quieter engine. Amsoil seems to be a favorite too, but for me it was and still is much easier to find Mobile 1 on the store shelf. I've had a hard time finding Amsoil stuff around my local auto stores. mburnickas, your signature kills me ! I know Mobile, Fairhope, Destin FloraBama area, and aside from needing to know the lyrics to Simple Man, spanish is right up there too.

Ahh shucks fella's, . I appreciate the kind gestures, makes it all worth it Before you know it jcrome, you'll be passing along the knowledge learned too, just like all of old timers do. I've been taught this stuff from guys like dcfish, bicol, blake, swo, sk, threadcutter, etc... you name it. For a guy with under 200 posts to already be passing along the things he has done, clearly states to me that you'll be around here for a long time too! Welcome to the club amigo, welcome to the club! No fears about the seafoam in the engine oil, just put in about 1/2 the can, let her idle for 20 minutes, let her sit for about 45 minutes, and drain it out. Just remember to sacrifice an extra pint of good oil to flush out the corners of the pan. To see the impact of the seafoam, check the oil first with the dipstick, put some on a white towel. Then check it again after the seafoam has been circulating through. You'll be amazed how black that oil is. Then watch it drain out, you won't see any light through it. I myself am a big fan of Mobile 1 full synthetic oil, and gear oil for the differential. Some guys have expressed concern over the sythetic causing leaks in the seals, but I never had a single problem in mine. Was running it from 100k to when I sold it at 135k. Judging by your video and the amount of smoke, I would wait a couple hundred miles and then do it one more time, then change out the plugs. Reason to wait is to give the engine enough time to digest any loose carbon in there now. Give it one more go, then some new plugs, matched by the seafoaming of the oil, and she'll purrrr. Eventually you'll want to clean the intake area too, specifically the butterfly opening edges, but that takes a little time, about an hour or two. After this, you're off to different tweaks amigo! Like restoring the one-finger steering feel by cleaning the solenoid screen on the rack, which is easy as pie! http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...enoid&st=75

Army MAN, great to see you back in the good ole' U.S of A! Got all your fingers and toes? I hope SWO's question is answered with the Ford and not the Matrix. If it is the Matrix, then it must be Pontiac's fault! Or Mrs. Army has been running rocket fuel through there again. I have a feeling around the Army MAN's house, there might be a pint or two of that stuff out in the garage!

Agreed nc! I wanted an Outback Turbo before I bought my Forester XT Turbo......I was impatient at the time & the OB was out of my price range. Subaru does not get the credit for their vehicles, but I can't stress enough how good these things are in the bad weather....especially the winter. The wife like the Tribeca too.....the dash on that thing is a piece of art it looks so nice! So that's also on our short list (the 2008 model was redesigned with a larger 3.6 H6 engine.....to now run on regular fuel too). Do I regret my decision? Nah.......I'm back behind the wheel of a Lexus....so it's all good. :D I still have a Subi to drive when the weather get's nasty. I agree too. In bad weather, nothing beats a Subaru, hands down, no doubt about it. Audi is good too, but something about Subaru inspires the proper level of confidence. You ever heard my story about evacuating the coast during hurricane Floyd back in 99'? That hurricane flooded the entire eastern portion of north carolina. After it had been raining for about 6 hours straight and roads started to flood down in Wilmington "where I lived, along the coast", I decided to go to Charlotte and stay with some friends. Honest to goodness, my 99' outback was nothing less than and god blessed water-spider. When all others were going with thier hazzards blinking at 35 mph, I was throwing a rooster tail at 65mph. In fact, the only time I went below 60 was at the gas station, where more than one big ole' suv owner asked me what in the hell I was driving. Just hold the wheel straight, don't get spooked by the AWD kicking power around to the wheels, and you'll be in complete control. Just amazing. My 4runner? I have maybe 1/3 the comfort in that vehicle in bad weather, specifically cruising at highway speeds in the rain, as I had in the Subaru, and it too is permanent AWD. The roll-over fear is bad for me, having been in one that did flip as a stupid teenager. Getting more comfortable with it though, but taking a long time.

Murphy's Law... it comes in 3's. You should be good for a while now. But to be sure, have a few drinks and lay low for the next few days. Who knows, you might have jarred the speed sensors and you'll get a ticket for going 95mph in a school zone, seeing as how smooth these cars are. I find it funny how the headliner was only wet in the front section, not running back towards the rear. if the drain plug was clogged, I would think gravity would of pulled the water along the sides of the headliner back towards the rear. Have you had your sunroof in the tilt position recently? I know on my ole' LS, if I had the roof in tilt mode, then only closed it with out actually sliding it back a little then closing it, the seal would not set very well would leak along the front, usually start dripping down through the map lights. Maybe the hit rattled the roof out of alignment? I wouldn't think a hit that soft would actually break the drain hose, but possibly bump the roof out of square.

Speaking of Subaru, Lexusfreak, I honestly think Subaru gets screwed out of credit for their vehicles. Honestly, how long have they been building the "crossover" vehicle to begin with? That funky Tibecca thing they've had out for a few years, looks like what these new "crossovers" look like now. The Outback...led the way in my opinion. Even further back to the old Legacy and that truck thing they had. If my wife wasn't so concerned over my "image", my 4runner would actually be a turbo outback. But the amount of flack I got from her, and even a fight or two "a business man doesn't need to drive a station wagon.."yada yada yada crap. I simply caved. But everytime I see an outback roaming the streets, a little part of me turns green with envy. Especially the turbo's. I'd have one tomorrow, if my southern-stubborn wife wouldn't give me hell for it 24/7. Maybe now with a baby on the way, the 4runner soon to be hers, she'll see the wisdom ;) Just a rant...

Thought I would share a little of NC's nutty humor. I sent this to my mother inlaw this morning, replying to an email about her daughter's pregnancy. "You don’t have to tell me about those hormones, trust me! I’m lucky to still be alive! After months of hearing “I feel like a whale” and now “I’m on my 54th ounce of water, I’m floating”, I’ll be lucky if my wife even lets me in the house soon. Now, one thing I want to make clear with ALL the ladies of this family. Now that we know it’s a boy, boys will be boys, and the men cannot, shall not, and must not, be held accountable for certain “skills” such men of such family may or may not teach such boy. And, as such, seniority rules in terms of the severity of blame to be issued. Having that said, Michael will be blamed for all farts, burps, and boogers. Father will be blamed for certain misplaced whacks to the shins by baby. Grandpas will be blamed for ALL disobedience behavior created under the falsehood of “go ahead, your father use to do that too, and I loved it!” Additionally, and as the seniority chain of blame dictates, Momma’ shall be responsible for all expenses required to conquer, dominate, and destroy Barbie (and known associates), the color pink, cutie little things that could get baby beat up by the local bully, and anything that has anything to with Martha Stewart. Grandmas, please refer to guidelines set for Grandpas, as Mom & Dad will make no distinction between those who promote such activities, and harbor those who promote such activities. Furthermore, any attempt to “democrat” the boy shall be met with smelly stockings at Christmas! However, all donations to college fund, car fund, and parents run for cover in the Bahamas fund, shall be granted one free pass per $250 donated (subject to change in connection to inflation levels deemed appropriate by Father). I am currently looking into making the baby’s name a non-profit organization to aid in such donations for tax deduction purposes. Think I’m ready to be a dad? Me neither… "

If in fact we do hit a recession, which I don't think will be as severe as predicted, especially considering the increadible ease of international cashflows of today that were'nt there in past recessions, I hope who ever is president will kick the economy in the butt by spending on our infrastructure! God knows RX and I have seen our fair share of pot-holes and poor roads around our city! Right RX! Wasn't it Roosevelt that kicked off the highway program? And we haven't really revisited it since then, just patched it here and there. Got bridges falling in MN, New Orleans is still a mess. We've got plenty of work to do around here.

$5-$8k can get you only a high mileage 93' up there? Wow, that's some pretty steep currency exchange. I sold my prestine 95' with 132k miles, documented from day 1 from the dealership, and a moutain of receipts for all repairs/upgrades I did, right down to the light bulbs for the marker lights, for $7,500 bucks, and it sat for a few months at that. Sure, had lots of "intrested" buyers, some said they'll buy it, but at the end of the day, either money or credit killed the deal. I would remember that in your negotiations. If you're looking at cars of that vintage and price range, convey to the seller that you actually have the money or credit scores to get the loan. If possible, I would look for a gen2 series "95-97", as they are widely considered to be some of the best most bullett proof series. They don't suffer the dreaded blacked dash/leaking power steering pump issue that the 90-94's have, and they are the last models to have the actual cable throttle setup, which i think is safe to say is much more reliable than the drive-by-wire setup they went with in 98'. I say much more reliable, but honestly, the entire freakin' car is reliable! But what seems to pop up the most on here for the 98+ series usually relates to vsc/trac control/ dead throttle stuff, and usually points to that drive by wire system. Not so much for the95-97 series. But, you've got to watchout for the engine computers on the 95-97, specifically the 95' and 96'. Some have a funky querk or two which can be annoying. See the "engine died, jerking" thread for more information. Other than that, they're pretty much a tank that can go for several hundreds of thousands of miles. I think Blake918 has more than 300k on his 95'. And when I sold mine, the dealership inspected it three times for possible buyers, each time they said the car might be 12 years old on paper, but in real life it's more like 3. I think you can get a better deal for your money amigo.

You're right about McCain's age, it is up there for such a stressful job. But I think he would step aside if it became an issue. I think the key for him to get around that is who he picks as a running mate. That will be very important for him. I think you and I will have to agree to disagree on foreign policy a bit. I see what you're saying, and I think we need a softer presence out there, but I think the gun-slinger Texan stuff Bush has done is to blame. I think McCain has a bit more respect on the world stage than Bush could ever have, and hopefully would use that in our favor. But, that's a tough one to see. Barrack, I can easily see what you're saying. The only thing that concerns me about him is that I don't think he realizes that many people will cling to those hopes, and invest in them with their vote. I applaud him for taking that approach, I just wonder if it would backfire. If he can't deliver, the headwinds against him could get pretty strong. You know, several people who were around during JFK thought he was a horrible President, too busy chasing tail and didn't understand "how to be" President. Beyond the image of Chamalot, many folks felt a bit snakebitten by his campaign promises matched against his performance. I wasn't around, I was still a fearful hangover suprise at that point. God, the worst thing that could happen is Barrack wins, and his Presidency ends like JFK's did, or MLK. God if that happened SWO, Mexico and Canada would be the ones building the walls along the border, because every white guy in the country would be running for cover. That would be one of the worst moments in this country's history. Eitherway, it sure is getting interesting now! I think we're all in agreement that it's time for the Bush years to take their place in the history books. And it's time to bake some free cookies for rest of the world. Maybe slip in a mickey for the boys in Iran though. Just for fun..

Chances are, you'll spend more on repairs with the American cars, than you would for the Lexus. But, the key to owning these cars is all in your ability to work on them yourself. If you're not a DIY type, then they can be very expensive to own. Parts is parts, it all tastes like chicken after a while, but labor is a whole different story. Show up at a garage with the "L" on the grill, and it's about a 70% upcharge. They're very easy to work on, don't require much, but do require some. Hey, it is 15 years old, which means it's usually time for braces, and a new dress for prom, if you catch my drift. If you're concerned about repairs, but want a good toyota quality car, then I would probably take a look at the toyota badges, like an older Avalon, etc.. As several of the parts in those cars, are LS parts too, just very slightly modified. But much cheaper. To give you an example, I have an 05 Toyota 4runner, which shares several parts with the GX470. Same engine, driveshafts, etc.. But the price difference between the two for parts usually ranges between $60-$200. Granted the 4runner is a much cruder version than the GX470, and can't compare in certain areas, but it is a Toyota.

Hahaha! That's freakin' PERFECT! "The two sides of Clinton". I wonder if Billary wins, if she'll leave him alone in the oval office at all, you know, the Lewinski factor. You know Monica has gotta be hating this, have that all drug up again. God knows I don't want to see it on my TV again. Honestly, I seriously can't understand why that family would want to go through being president again. After all of the hammering "no pun intended" Bill went through, the impeachment hearings, Lewinski, whitewater, etc.. why put your family through it all over again? Just seems strange to me. That family seems very prone to scandal. And I don't want that back, period. I think McCain is going to win it. The more and more I think about everyone, and the world today, I just don't see anyone else in the race with the qualifications, the connections and the know-how to get things done in that town, than McCain. Not to mention the respect that ole' war bird has earned from everyone in the game. I think he truely wants to be president, because I honestly beleive he truely loves this country. Ever seen his biography, about his captures willing to release him for his father, but he refused in fear of them using it as a bargaining chip against the country? I mean seriously, that's bigger walnuts than I have. It's like "you can go home and run the risk of damaging your country's reputation, or you can have your arms and legs broken again". He chose the later. Unbelievable. And Barrack? I'm not knocking the guy, but I'm not quite sure if he is aware of the promises he is making. Everytime I see him, he's saying he will fix all the world's problems, save the planet, make us rich, give everyone healthcare for free, and reverse global warming, and, and, and..... Not saying he couldn't do it, maybe he could. But for someone with as little experience as he has, to be making those kinds of promises, I think is a receipt for disaster for him if he wins. I'm waiting for him to bust out the cape and start fly around the room. Mitt Romney? I don't know much about. Seems to be a good speaker, but I don't know much of anything about him. Huckabee, never had a chance. Not with a name like Huckabee. I was very impressed with his performance in Iowa, thought his speech was excellent, and caught my attention. But at the end of the day, I think Washington would eat him up and spit him out. Too nice of a guy for that crowd. Guess Rudy will have to hit the speaking circuit at $500k a pop. Poor guy. No, I think McCain is the guy. I think it's his to lose. Granted if he wins, every troop "including my brother in law", every M16 and every military asset we have will be shipped over to Iraq and Afganistan, but in the long run, they'll all be coming home sooner too, with a true victory, no astrick next to it. Which if you ask a military man/woman, is what they want more than anything. And Iran will be faced with another President who won't take their crap. Sure would hate to see all the progress of isolating those lunatics erased. And I'll be damned if I'm going to spend the next 30 years appologizing to them. I think we're right on the edge of real progress over there, right on the freakin' edge. A progress that could forever cement America's relationship in the middle east. I think in the long run, our reputation will be much better in that part of the world, than it was before all of this ever started. Just as long as we're still committed to see this thing through. Wow, what a fascinating time to be an American. I bet the world is just as nervous about who we pick, as we are! Probably more so. Oh yeah, John Edwards... his own state doesn't really support him. John, one piece of advice my friend. I know you're the people's down to earth canidate, with your 20,000+ squarefoot mansion in Chapel Hill, but the whole jeans look, doesn't really inspire strength. Might work at the Teamster's rally "former Teamster myself actually". But when the whole freaking world is watching you? Lose the jeans brother. Call me, I'll give you my prestige membership number to Mens Warehouse so you can save an extra 20%, and get yourself a suit. I like John Deere too, but I don't really want the image of a grainular turbine sitting on the south lawn, where Marine 1 is suppose to be.

Blake, we've converted another... before we know it, he'll be all grown up and asking about flex-couplings! Hahaha...

I'm with them too, and I agree! You can't beat USAA premiums, home, auto, renters, jewelry, you name it!

That's true. Poor seam work will cause whistles and howls all day long. But if the glass itself if rough, I've always had good luck with rain-x to help smooth it out. My LS was one of those that suffered the pitted windshield, well I say suffered, but actually 10 years of highway driving, I guess it's probably normal. But I would put on some rainx and it made it noticably quieter. But, that was oem glass. I don't know man, it's a tough call. I must admit, being a Toyota driver instead of Lexus, my cheap side is coming out a bit more... Any my blood pressure has fallen a little too! Funny how a little badge on the back can make you more acceptable of little squeeks here and there! Hahaa.. If it were the LS, I'd have a tough time with aftermarket glass. If possible before you hit the road home, have it fixed again. You could possibly get pulled over for a busted windshield, in some states. The fact that it cracked straight down the middle says to me a poor install job. Like the angle of curve of the car is too much for the glass to take, and it split in half. You agree SWO? If my Pilkinton windshield cracks now, I'm blaming you guys for jinxing me! Seemed like everytime a problem was posted on here, I developed it