Catch-22

Ahhh...lol, how quickly they turn on you!!! I have a dozen or so people coming to see my ES, talk about bittersweet feelings. So, there I was in my freshly buffed up Lexus today, cruising along the highway at 100 MPH and wondering if I should keep it. It's a cult I tell you! lol... You and your kind have sucked me in with engineering... and glossy paint, and high revving engines...and, and... okay, so I over dramatize a little.... It appears you'll likely be having a noob asking '93 ES questions and searching the archives soon. I'll expect you'll have kind words for those that have fallen from the fold, lol. Oh... the TC does have everything under the Sun, to answer that question, well....except that superchip...hmmmmm

Well my fling with my '93 ES300 is coming to an end. "Another" has caught my eye and I've decided to sell it and depart as friends... lol. How's that for drama? But it's true, the new-(er) car is an excellent deal with a known history, so my '93 is already listed on Craig's list. What am I replacing it with? A 2003 Lincoln Town Car Cartier edition. Silver, blacked out windows, 17 in. wheels and more leather than texas. lol... I know, it's a far cry from the lithe little ES, but with air ride and the new steering/suspension/frame design, it isn't quite the "Queen Mary". 50,000 miles, I know the owner and it's priced at half the book value, I was hooked. So thank you to the regular posters for the volume of information on my '93. I'll say this for Lexus, they are well engineered and easy to fix, that's an unusual combination these days. Now... if I ran across a used SC430 down the road, (and my "Accountant" approved... lol), I might very well be back. Great forum... until next time then

Just bought 4 new BFG VR4 "touring" V-rated tires at BJ's Wholesale club, $360.00 complete. "A" traction and temp. and they roll smooth and predictable. You should have seen the R.R. tire that came off. Previous owner must have pot-holed it, the steel belt was damaged to the point, that strands of it were pushing through the cap. I had a vibration that I thought was a warped rotor (too cold to be playing around with that), not bad, but became worse recently. lol... upon jacking it up and rolling the wheel, the "football" shape kind of indicated the tire might be causing the vibration. Anyway... my 2 cents on tires

Just an FYI, I sell commercial trucks, Ford SD, Sterling and Western Star. I had been a heavy truck mechanic for ten years, so it wasn't a hard transition. The "sales" part is really what you make of it. In my "world", future referrals and the customer relationship are as important as the margins. If you enjoy the marque and don't mind the odd hours, you can earn a very nice living doing something you enjoy. Can't say I would personally enjoy selling cars. I don't do the nights and the weekends, or have to do the "dance", or wait for "ups". You really have nothing to lose and the experience can only help you in future endeavors. Good luck!

I was thinking about replacing the entire struts next Spring actually. Those springs have been at it for 12 years. How much more could they possible cost? Which brings up another question...parts? I'm not looking to go overboard, atleast OEM in performance...favorite source? But....maybe a set of slightly stiffer and lower ride height springs..lol You do have me thinking about the timing and mixture. I saw the instructions thread (have to search that again), seems a simple job. What was the factory thinking, that's alot of timing left on the table for no good reason. Check this out....I am half considering a "winter car" and leaving the Lexus in the garage for the winter...they put something in the air ducts don't they? (Pun..as in, something that causes this sudden addiction to a 12 yr old car, lol)

lol...You know that must have been a Freudian slip I made. It does run smoothly, but I know for certain neither prior owners (or the Lexus techs.) are as..ahem, anal about "smooth" as I am. I'll let you now how smooth really feels..lol That Seafoam reminds me of something I used years ago, same method of application. I assume it's supposed to clean the valves and chambers of the carbon build-up? Any issue with sensor contamination/damage using it? Speaking of which, O2 sensors...probably the originals (120K), the exhaust repair didn't show any charge for new ones. Service life? Or run them until they fail? That engine will take a leaner charge and up to 17 degrees advance? Any issues with detonation or N.E. winter starting and operating (no choice, I use it for business)? Thanks for the info.

So I needed a "new" car and was thinking of some form of SUV or pick-up (N.E. winters). Brother-in-law had a 1993 ES300 (120K) and suddenly decided he wanted something newer. I think driving home from vacation in a hot car with no A/C did it for him (sounds like the expansion valve from what I've read here). So he offered it to me...for the dealer's trade-in price...$1,500.00! He followed the factory maintence schedules to the letter (as did his friend, the previous owner) and the list of recent new parts/repairs was the tipping point. In the last two years he has repaired or replaced: Radiator and hoses, both front axles, exhaust-complete, tires, brakes (F&R, rotors & pads), instrument cluster, radio antenna and changed the oil at 3k intervals. I think the totals were $4,000.00 or so. The A/C was "repaired" by a local shop (twice), that obviously didn't do their homework, they assumed a leak and over charged the system. I'll do the valve and dryer to solve that one. The other thing that had concerned him was a vibration at speed. Since the car had recent tires/brakes, he was expecting something major was wearing out, so...new car. Once I checked out the wheel bearings, road tested the brakes, I too was thinking more like suspension bushings, struts, which wouldn't present that much of an issue (grease under my nails since I was 15). I knew by the "feel", the cause was in the rear of the car and walking around the right side...noticed the R.R. wheel had no weights! I'm fairly certain that's the culprit, the struts and bushings are old, but sound. He (and the previous owner) kept all the slips for the work done (since new) and along with that, three extra keys and CD changer carts. I've had it for about a month now and other than the expected valve cover gaskets, A/C, the wheel weight and the top motor strut...I can't find anything in need of immediate repair. The body is in excellent condition, some minor hail damage and bumper scuffs, if I were to be really critical. The interior, that's a slightly different story. B-I-L did get the car cleaned and waxed often. Unfortunately they used Armor-all or something similar on the interior. Aside from out-gassing a (f-ing tough to remove) film on the glass, it aged the leather considerably. The leather steering wheel was a goner, for now I've put on one of those Wheelskin covers...not bad for what it is. The seats etc; they will have to wait until warmer weather (any suggetions on products to revive/repair?). They also put a fair amount of swirl marks on the paint while "detailing" it. I happen to own the Porter-Cable R.O. sander praised so highly elsewhere (furniture making and cars were a passion at 15, both stuck, lol) and with thirty years of experience with that and similar tools, I look forward to spring to rid those marks. It would be a shame to repaint it, the factory quality is far better than I ever realized (or could do). I don't know what they called this color, dark green metallic and layed on so smooth...impressive. Depending on the amount of sunlight hitting it and the angle, the color changes dramatically. This is old news to most of you I'm sure, but I thought I'd share my "deal" and first impressions with my new favorite car (lol). I am a MOPAR guy from back in the regular gas days, Cuda AAR/Challenger T/A etc. Then had a little detour into FIAT land... X-1/9s Loved 'em (ask, I'll relate some oddball car stories about that one!) I of course had seen Lexus, but never experienced the difference. After one month of driving this old one...I pity the big three. So instead of buying a new Ford,GM or D/C...my "new" car is a 12 year old Lexus...I think I'm hooked! lol. I added two pics as attachments, assuming it works, here's my car