VBdenny

Unless you drag race the thing or pull huge vehicles frequently, I can't see any reason to change it either. It probably depends on how long YOU plan to keep the vehicle. IF you plan to keep it forever, probably not a bad move but if you only keep cars 10 years or so, just another expense it seems.

This morning I received the same advice from my friend at Toyota. I haven't driven my car in several weeks so not sure if issue will surface or not.

The solution from my Toyota friend at the dealership is to disconnect the negative battery terminal for 10 minutes then reconnect and reload your phone.

Nope. Plastic deteriorates from the outside the most but ozone and UV just destroy the clarity. Yes, you ca polish them out and they'll look good for awhile, but in the end new is still new.

Order a cheap OBD 1 on Amazon. Maybe les than $20. Paper clip thing works but reader is easier

They have come down. Nice one now for a couple bucks . Cheap ones around $75

Well, this is a little embarrassing showing how good fuel mileage for the last 2000 something miles. I must add that my wife dove the car from Boston to VB and she doesn't drive like me. I have managed as low as 19.7 and the top 27.6.

Fuel saving thing. Ahh. Use sport mode and floor it often. Regular mode is why they can get 25mph out of an 19mpg car. Try for the 19, it's more fun, promise you. Denny

Unless you use a Sport mode, they upshift very quickly and smoothly. I assume you are looking at the shift position indicator. Set to manual mode and watch it as you shift. (well watch with one eye but keep the other handy for the road of course).

OBD1 readers are simple and cheap as they read only ancient computers. Look on Amazon or auto parts store. I bought one for less than $30. OBD2 readers are much more expensive

Best to start fresh, you won't be disappointed.

NO

Glad you clarified which Denny on that one LS. Ha. I do Hate when people find that out. Ahh. Yeah the sprays do work well and have that "almost" original look but. Me liking to take stuff apart and unable to sit and watch TV with my wife, gives me stuff to do. I figure since the replacements are often some dadgummed cheap that is the way to go. Haven't prices out those ES330 replacements in awhile but I do remember them being pricy. To the new Denny, welcome. Rest assured that LS400 knows a lot about ELDERberries.

Tires are okay, seems about the standard size for that year. The 3.3L engine took 5qts, not so sure on the 3.5L.

Yes, all of the light assemblies I have ordered have been plug in and most came with new bulbs. I need to replace the headlights on the 2004 ES330 I own (but which my daughter commandeered) as they are fading even though it is kept in garage.

9000 euros? Hope you got a free car wash with that.

There is nothing like having a little pipe on a vehicle. Put a short clip of the sound on Instagram, I'd love to hear it bark. Wives and cars. Ahh.

Great question and I think I have a great answer. Having been through the plastic cleaner polish I'll just say this. Perfect IF you are selling or cheap. After watching the clear headlights fade back to nasty in a month, I now buy new assemblies and just replace them with wicked clear, shinny new lights. They aren't much, I've paid between $60 and $110 for sets, mainly from a company called Eagle Eyes which I found on Amazon. I have replaced them on my Nissan Frontier, Toyota Corolla and Chevy Silverado and a few others for other people. If you have a few ounces of patience, a few fairly basic tools, and somewhat technical ability, it is a fairly easy straightforward job. There are how to videos on youtube. Best to carefully study the procedure and then attack. Every set of aftermarket lights I have bought fit and worked perfectly. These lights also look great.

Sorry about the delay. I've been on travel and don't carry my computer. Since I can't remember my password, I can only access LOC when I'm home. Regarding Premium fuel, the difference is not in the additives or detergents as much as the octane rating which cause Premium fuel to burn slower than lower octane fuels. High performance engine generally use higher compression engines which compress (and heat) the combustable fuel air mixture more requiring a slower burning fuel to achieve optimum performance. In the old days, cars would often suffer from such maladies as pre-ignition (knocking) and Dieseling (or run on) which often caused severe engine damage (things like holes burned in pistons and valves melted). Luckily, modern engines are managed by computers and not mechanical presets so when a lower octane fuel is used, your computer simply makes your car run less efficiently by retarding the engine timing and probably several other things so you engine won't be damaged. For the price, Premium is a good investment IF your car requires Premium, if not, it is a waste of money. Adding fuel system cleaner can be done with at least 10 gallons. Check your tank size and just add one bottle at next fill-up. Also a good idea to floor it once in awhile to clean out cobwebs. Top Tier fuels are also well worth the extra as these contain a certified and standardized amount of additives to the fuel and these are the additive left out of bargain fuels. Pay now, or pay later with clogged throttle body and Idle Air Control valves. Denny

Oh man, I'll openly admit to never hearing of a Weapon R Dragon Air Intake but it at least sounds wicked. On my ES330, the stock air system with a K&N works just fine. On my IS250AWD, a dragon might be nice.

Hey Mike, What type of gasoline do you use? 91 and Top Tier? AND, in Massachusetts, during the winter they fuel companies are required to dispense a oxygenated winter blend which typically results in about a 10% decrease in fuel economy and perhaps your issue. Before you do any big replacement expenses, run a few bottle of the GOOD complete fuel system cleaner (about $8-$10) through your tank. I also add an alcohol inhibitor to my fuel as the alcohol just does terrible things to engines. Since I spend some time in Massachusetts, I do know that you are paying through the nose for fuel. Denny

I taught people to think for a living. Tough job but somebody has to do it. As far as backing in goes, I always back in everywhere. My wife was too old when I met her to learn and she remains a puller-inner. My daughter always backs in because I annoyed the hell out of her when she was learning by forcing her to back in. Pretty soon it became habit for her. I told her she was still getting off easy because my dad made us back up with trailers and mirrors. As far as the backup cameras go, they are okay but not great and still a secondary visual option for me. I do like when backing into the garage because I can see where to stop. Glad you liked the suggestion. I thought you'd get a kick out of that. Denny

You should be able to find a nice used one around your year for $5000 or less. People keep them a long time. First Lexus transmission failure I've ever heard of. Who pronounced it dead?

Coolant at the back of the car under the gas tank? Lost me. Charcoal cannister is under hood.

Okay, so now I see what you mean. Probably true but I have a habit of letting the car idle for a few seconds before reversing. Maybe my old mechanical stuff in college but I like to let a little oil pressure build up. Once the map comes on, I go. Of course there is a really simple solution to your problem you know? Back in. Denny