ZINFANDEL22

Nope. Black was a PPG until the last few years.

THANKS, So when a paint shop says all cars they do are a base coat clear coat thats the way everything is set up, is that ok?

Getting my black ES300's hood and door repainted is it base coat clear coat? thanks :whistles:

I have a set of Pirelli P6s that were advertised for 50,000 miles, but are worn down at 25,000. Anyone have a recommendation for tires that will last, but have good grip and rain traction? Oh yeah, they need to ride great as well.

What size do you need?

LMAO

i agree with that also ,research is key.

Hell where else can you buy a pair of Lexus LS400 models,my LS fog light , My rear tail light all for $20 each which are among my many transactions.

Personally i don't like the x-box thing myself but it is commerce as well as it is a friend of mine who i do a lot of business with who asked me to list it.

I don't like the idea of it but since he is selling it more reasonable than most i said sure.

Well our scam artist is still at it!!

I know many of you will think I'm crazy for even thinking about trading my gs430. But, I've had my eye on the new Mustang GT for a while and I finally found a black 5sp GT loaded. The car flies. When it came down to evaluating my car, the dealership quoted me $18,000 (2001 Gs430 - black, nav, levinson 60k miles). This obviously killed the deal and I walked away.

First: Am I nuts for considering trading a lexus for a ford? Second: Are they nuts thinking my car is worth only 18K?

You buy what floats your boat but as far as worth go to kbb.com or autotrader.com and punch up you cars info and only punch avg. nother more and that will be top trade in value they will give you.

My vote hands down goes to the Goodyear Triple Treads....I think your size is 225 55 17 ? B) The H speed rated TT's will serve you just fine for your LS. Here some more info...& good luck!

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?ti...re1=yes&place=2

Falkens would cost you 75.00 a piece and I have 2 tires your size brand new for $100.00 they are great tires I am on my second pair I liked them so much.Just an idea ask around see what others think.PS,thats free shipping also...

And once you went through the whole cleaning and filter changing process place for two nights a supperplate with grained fresh coffee into each front legroom. Coffee works astonishing good. Believe me - I'm a heavy cigar smoker and I can sell my cars without smell every time.

Product called NOK-OUT best stuff out there... google it

Yeah i just need the center cap i they are real 2piece i was just wonder where i can find the center cap at. the rim has no name on it what soever

It does'nt look like an odd center cap. I have seen them before. check ebay is best bet I would say.

Heyy i just got my 96Es300 painted factory black on grey.came out REAL nice the guy also color wetsanded it for me. i got prime,sealer,base,more base,3 clears. car came out nicely, but my question is how long do i have to wait till i can get it de-tailed? or what should i do? its been a week since paint.

You can put glazes on but thats all , like meguiars -03,05,07,81,and no wax or sealant. well maybe some but play it save with these.

I have detailed my car for years by hand and im ready to get a pc. Please tell me which one is economical and easy to use. thanks.

PORTER CABLE 7424 MY OPINION...

Be careful with the WalMart MFs. They're not as finely spun nor are they as soft as higher quality MFs found at different retailers.

In my experience they're suitable for wheels, doorjambs and interiors, but I'd never use one on my paint.

I AGREE !Dont cut back now you got everything else use good mf's

The best way to describe the proper method for using detailer clay is to use plenty of the lubricant and aquaplane the clay bar over the surface in straight-line motions. Inspect the clay surface often and fold (knead) clay to present a clean surface to the paint to avoid scratching; when the clay surface becomes really soiled (it becomes more difficult to find a clean surface by kneading, discard and use fresh clay.

Methodology

•Divide the detailer's clay into equal pieces and knead into a ball to ensure pliability

•Take one of the pieces and flatten it out into a circle, approximately enough that it will fit into two or three fingers

•Spray a 2-foot by 2-foot surface with a lubricating solution (WooliteTM or Dreft™ / Water 5:1), ensure that the surface being clayed is always wet (important enough to restate- ensure that the surface being clayed is always wet)

•Inspect the clay’s surface often, knead /fold to provide a clean surface as necessary

•Glide the clay across the area in a front to back straight-line aquaplaning type motion, Use long strokes without lifting the clay from the surface

•Use a light to medium even pressure until the surface becomes smooth and silent.

•If the Clay is streaking on the paint, you need to apply more lubricating solution, it is better to over lubricate the paint film surface than let it dry-out

•To avoid wasting detailer's clay because you probably will drop it, place a towel on the ground under the area you're claying so the clay will fall onto the towel without picking up gravel etc.

•If you drop the clay on the ground do not try to clean it, discard it or it may cause micro scratches in your paint film surface.

•Rinse of any clay residue and ensure there is no more contamination to remove

•Move onto the next two-foot by two foot square area and repeat the process.

•Once half the section is completed turn the clay over to a fresh, clean side and completes the remaining section.

•Check the surface of the clay often, once it becomes contaminated fold to a clean surface.

•Wash, rinse and dry each section and ensure all imbedded surface contaminants have been removed before moving on to the next panel / section

•I would go over the paint surfaces again with the clay to ensure nothing was missed

•Apply a chemical paint cleaner (Klasse All-In-One or Zaino Z-PC Fusion Dual Action Paint Cleaner Swirl Remover) to clean out the paints micro pores

•When complete wash, rinse and dry the vehicle.

[each one / teach one, then student /becomes teacher]

Jon's got ya covered army it's really easy just feel with the clay and your hands and keep it slick. Hey you like meguiars I see huh? LOL

The Alenzas I purchased where H rated. For an 18" tire, they where a great deal. They are great on wet and snow.

Goodyear seems to have the suv tire to beat dunno if it comes in your size though.

2000esplat, I have moved your thread to the proper forum.

Please view the other threads that are similar to your question. Tire selection is a poplular topic on this website, so we have a whole forum devoted to it.

Don't go with the Bridgestone RE92, absolutely the worst tire ever made.

check out www.tirerack.com for much better pricing, and they will even coordinate with a shop near you to do the installation. Getting tires from the dealership will cost you more than you need to spend. Look at local big name tire stores.

steviej

Much better tires out there than the toyo also, triple treads are great falkens ziex 512 will save you a ton of money also. but check it out not the toyos or 900.00 for tires please!

I found if I keep the backing plate about 3/4" away from the pad, it has just enough give to polish curved area, BUT still has enough support as to not rip the edges of the pad.

Hope this helps

Just picked up my 2002 BLACK LS430 and I will be becoming my own DETAILER.

Where is the best deal on a PC? Is there a good package out there with all the right PC

accecceries? My car has scratches (moderate) and swirls to initially get out.......

I believe my Black paint has a clearcoat.

Try properautocare.com,autogeek.com, autopia.com,pakshak.com,meguiarsonline.com,just for a start

Also amazon and ebay of course.

Yep

THANKS, I am planning my attach now. lol

So you think 4 3/4 or 5" backing plate is best? and what about the counter weight does the pc come with one or do you add this? What size to add the 5" or 6"? If I go with the 5" backing plate and the 6 1/2 pad this should work right? I guess I read to much but so many detailers have there opinions and I only want to buy this stuff once and get it right. I dont know why pc just doesnt give you the right backing plate and such ,would be so much easier.:chairshot:

There are two different counter-weights, which are clearly marked to indicate use with either the 5-inch, or 6-inch backing pad. Therefore with a 6-inch backing pad for polishing you should use the 6-inch, 0.140 oz. counterweight (PN 699933) (I also feel this counter weight cuts down on vibration whatever size pad is utilized) The vibrations that are generated at higher speeds when using a 5-inch weight and a 6-inch pad are unacceptable for most people

Sorry TOGWT I did not follow your last sentence. Can you please explain it again for me? You started out saying basically 6"counter weight for 6" backing plate but I plan to use a 5" backing plate with a 6 1/2" pad so do you feel I may be better off with the 6" counter weight or did I not understant ? thanks John

Well its not the case with Zymol, nothing really special about Zymol its just wax. The Zaino you can use whatever you want underneath it, just do a dawn wash before you apply the Zaino to make sure no oils or fillers were left behind. Zaino does also have a swirl remover now which I've heard some good things about.

So using the zaino swirl remover first then you can apply like wolfgangs sealant that could work no problem?

I kinda figured that army cuz I know you know your sh@t. I am fine with 40,000 miles out of a 75.00 tire.:cheers: They look good wear good in all weather best tire for the buck buddy I agree..

The 55 series Falken's & lower series (50,45 etc) start to loose vital grip on slippery surfaces after about 22k - 23k miles, but overall value is still excellent. The 60 & up series even more so & if I had to do it all over again (for my wife's leased Focus - 205 50 16) I would go Falken again as that is a unusual size. B)

Finding the tire you like in your size can be a pain especially if you start going to a larger rim. I can not get the tripple treads in my size like I wanted,but they may add new sizes in time also. :whistles:

There is no "magic bullet".....getting and keeping a shiny vehicle is a process that requires trial and error to locate the best combination that works for you. There are tons of products out there - Klass, Meguires, Wolfgang, and the list goes on and on. Experimenting is half the fun. Hit autopia and look around.

I ahve one corner of my garage that has numerous shelves that are filled with detailing products. I will switch around as I see fit. I will use one 'exclusively' for a time and then try something else and use that for a while. Right now I'm using Zaino with good results for paint and 303 for the rubber and dash. I also use Meguires NXT for the interior. Keep experimenting and enjoy yourself.

When you use zaino are'nt you more less commited to their line of products though? Can you put the zaino product over a different product with out fear of not bonding? After reading around a person can get confused so I ask is this the case with products like zaino or zymol? Is it best to stay with the same family of product from point a-z?

I recommend that you spend some time looking at various tire ratings at www.tirerack.com.

The BF Goodrich tires are not rated very highly in terms of treadwear as well as some other important factors. You'll need to decide what factors are important to you - cost, treadlife, road noise, road comfort, wet traction, etc. After doing so, you'll probably be able to narrow down your tire choices to two or three models.

By the way, the OEM Bridgestone Dueler and Goodyear Integrity are two of the lousiest tires you could possibly choose. It's really a shame that Lexus slapped these tires on the RX series at that time.

Over the past 18 months or so, a lot of small SUV owners have chosen either the Yokohama Geolander HT-S G051 or Firestone Destination LE as solid all-weather tires at a great price point. After years of thinking that I would never buy a Firestone tire again, I researched the Destination LE tire based upon the strong reviews it was constantly receiving (especially for wet traction which is extremely important to my wife) and made the decision to order a set (225/70/16) for my wife's 2000 RX300 AWD in December 2004. That set of tires now has about 24,000 miles on them and they have held up beautifully while delivering great traction in the rain and snow. Be aware that you have to pump them up a bit more than I was used to in order to get them to perform at maximum efficiency - I run them at about 36 psi. But they hold their pressures well and they really have delivered great treadwear and performance for the money - I ordered them from tirerack.com for about $280 plus shipping although I'm sure they have increased in price since then. They carry a 60,000-mile warranty and it appears that my wife will get at least 50,000 miles out of these tires if they continue to wear and handle as they have thus far. For the money, that's a great deal in my opinion.

Our experiences with this set of Destination LE tires caused me to put a new set on my daughter's 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee back in November when she needed new tires. She's been just as happy with the new set on her Jeep as my wife has been with the current set on her RX300.

I rotate all of my tires at each oil and filter change and always advise that others do the same. I also check all tire pressures WEEKLY, not monthly. That is critical for finding slow leaks or imbedded nails in time to repair the tire before it is ruined.

Good luck to you and let us know what tires you decide to go with.

Thanks much.

I drive 40k mi per year, mostly hiway. Treadlife, wet weather and noise are priority for me. Will do the homework. Agree with the rotation sched. I usually exceed promised tire milage.

actually I just checked tirerack and they are $119.00 a tire after the 10.00 rebate. compare any tire to the triple tread and see who can compete. If you go with them please let us know we would love to hear updates.

Does anyone have any experience with the BF Goodrich Radial Long Trail (225/70-16) tire on an RX300?

I have the OEM Goodyear Integrity, which slips on a wet street from a standing stop (with mild acceleration) and wearing on the tire shoulders, in spite of proper inflation. From looking at Goodyear's site, this appears to be a relatively low-end selection when compared to other tires they recommend.

I would be looking at the goodyear fortera triple tread if it comes in your size with out a doubt. check out Lexusfreeks thread on it he's the one that turned me on to it. When my cherokee needs tires I will see if any tire can beat it on paper.

SWO3ES, what about the michelin pilot exalto as ? looks on paper to be a great tire.

Fairly new tire on the market.....as of early Jan 06, tirerack only shows about 229,000 miles from folks who have purchaed them. Wait until at least 2 million miles are reported to have a better idea of overall performance. ;) 400 treadwear isn't bad, but they aren't cheap to buy either. ;)

I C Lexus that makes sence

I found if I keep the backing plate about 3/4" away from the pad, it has just enough give to polish curved area, BUT still has enough support as to not rip the edges of the pad.

Hope this helps

So you think 4 3/4 or 5" backing plate is best? and what about the counter weight does the pc come with one or do you add this? What size to add the 5" or 6"? If I go with the 5" backing plate and the 6 1/2 pad this should work right? I guess I read to much but so many detailers have there opinions and I only want to buy this stuff once and get it right. I dont know why pc just doesnt give you the right backing plate and such ,would be so much easier. :chairshot:

Basically anything is going to be an improvement over those tires.

I was originally very happy with the Toyo Proxes TPT that I put on my car but their poor performance in the snow and degrading rain performance as they've aged coupled with the fact they're getting louder as they get older will see me replace them this summer. They have 25k or so on them now. I was dismayed to drive an ES330 with the Potenza RE92s and find they were quieter than my Toyos have become.

My next tires will either be:

Dunlop SP Sport 4000. The only tires I have experience with on a Lexus that I was totally happy with.

Michelin MXV4 or MXV4 S8 but they're very expensive.

Yokohama AVS db.

There are a lot of other choices as well but at this point I'm probably going to go with what I know, the Dunlops.

SWO3ES, what about the michelin pilot exalto as ? looks on paper to be a great tire.