LS 0181158

Thanks again to all for your assistance and advice. I ended up purchasing the PC 7424 from classicmotoringaccessories.com on sale, with buffing pads/pad lubricant/pad cleaner included. The new toy was actually put to use back in May, but there was no point in posting pictures at that time as a great deal of work remained to be done before the car was fully presentable. B) Now that it's been finished, you can check out the results in the Show & Shine forum (I figured adding on to this topic with a bunch of pictures might be inappropriate). Please let me know what you think! I find the depth of reflection and emotional vibrance a bit disappointing, even after a couple of carnauba wax applications, but realize perhaps I am dealing with an apples-to-oranges comparison; most of the cars used to demonstrate waxes and polishes are black or dark in color, and a white car simply will not allow as high a degree of visual drama. Correct me if I'm wrong in my assumption (and then tell me how to achieve better results if possible!). I'm generally very attracted to white cars, especially with a pearlescent effect in of my LS, but the paint just seems to be more difficult to bring to life than a dark color.

Quite some time ago, I began a thread in the Detailing and Car Care Forum entitled "First Time Using A Buffer [if I Order One]" I did finally order the machine polisher in question and put it to use in May. On the first day (after washing and claying the paint with a Mothers clay bar), I went over the car with the PC three times--first using the yellow pad with Menzerna's PO106FF Ceramic Clear Coat polish, then using the white pad with Klasse All-in-One and finally using the black pad to apply an initial coat of Klasse High Gloss Sealant Glaze. Over the subsequent weeks, I followed this up [after re-washing the car of course] with another hand-applied coat of the Klasse Sealant Glaze before proceeding to layer three coats of Menzerna FMJ (Full Molecular Jacket). Those were followed by a top layer--two coats, actually--of P21S Carnauba Paste Wax. All treatments were applied to the glass and wheels as well. The tires have been cleaned separately using a tire brush and Eimann Fabrik Tire Cleaner, followed by an application here of Eimann Fabrik Black Sapphire Tire Gel. Yeah, I like German car care products. So here are the pictures, finally...

While cruising at highway speeds--say 70-80 mph, for example--the transmission in my 1998 LS 400 (160K) seems to have become much more sensitive to throttle inputs. This relates only to the disengagement and re-engagement of the lockup torque converter. Before, I could always get somewhat firmly on the accelerator at highway speeds, and the car would accelerate briskly and smoothly without downshifting out of 5th gear OR disengaging the lockup torque converter; there was no activity in the drivetrain itself. Now, even slight pressure on the accelerator--such as that needed to change lanes and accelerate smoothly past a car or to maintain highway speed up a slight incline--causes a slight nudge and an increase of 100-200 rpm as the lockup torque converter disengages, before re-engaging imperceptibly a few seconds later. This happens only in top [5th] gear, which I believe is the only circumstance where the converter operates anyway. My car feels kind of underpowered now, since the transmission now appears to have to "hunt" to accelerate gently or even to maintain a constant speed, where it didn't have to do so before. Is this what I'm thinking it is? What can I do about it? Is this a known problem with the A650E transmission? 160K miles is quite a bit for most cars, but not a lot for the LS 400, and I really wasn't expecting transmission problems when I bought this car! I drive conservatively, and never experienced transmission problems with either of the AT BMWs I owned, both of which reached higher mileages than this. How much would it cost to rebuild/replace the transmission unit in my car, supposing it eventually came down to that? I bought my car with 115K, and had transmission fluid changes performed at 125,046 and 130,429 miles (both times filled with Toyota Type IV fluid as specified). I wasn't planning to touch the AT fluid again until the upcoming timing belt/180K service planned for 174K miles, but might changing the fluid now help?

Did not know that! Wow, that's interesting. So ultimately, I've learned: -think of a machine polisher as just that--a device with which to, in a reasonable amount of time, polish my car's finish to a high degree not likely attainable by hand (and definitely not in a reasonable amount of time). -continue to apply the subsequent sealants and waxes by hand (which works out well because during the summer I prefer to do this at night in the car wash bay, since it is both cooler at night and I can also see what I'm doing better under the fluorescent lighting--and there's no power outlet there where I would be able to plug in a buffer!). -apply 3-4 coats of sealant BEFORE moving on to the carnauba wax--and then apply THIS only once (unless, I suppose, I decide to wait three or four months before applying a second coat of carnauba, since by that point a lot of the first coat will have evaporated). Thanks again for the information!

rickatups, thanks a lot for your commentary! I watched the 10-minute YouTube video of the guy using the PC 7424 on the black GMC Yukon (I don't know if that's the one you were referring to). Gave me a much better idea, for example, of how to spread the polish, and how long to work a section. So, ultimately, you still have to use the microfiber towel by hand to remove the polish residue, correct? I had thought before the polisher would buff away all the polish, but now that I think about it, that doesn't make sense--the polishing pad is always going to be caked with polish. That whole process doesn't actually seem like it would save ANY time over hand-polishing...but I can see how the results probably WOULD look 7-10 times better. That's worth it for me. The video also helped me to notice details I might have overlooked otherwise, such as taping off badging and trim. I was disappointed they didn't show how to apply and remove a paste wax with it, though. Pinnacle products were used--what are your thoughts on that? It seems you like Zaino products a lot! I have heard good things about them--checked out the website, too. The only thing is, I still have Klasse polish and sealant, Menzerna acrylic sealant, and a bit of P21S paste wax left over, so I'm prone to use those up too before ordering more stuff (only exception is the P21S which is almost gone, so I'm open to trying another carnauba wax of the same or even better quality). I had a paintless dent-removal guy come by my house a couple weeks ago, and he removed a total of four dents from my car--one very noticeable dent had appeared in the lip of the trunklid two days prior (which prompted my call), and he also removed a barely-noticeable ding in the rear quarter panel which I first observed last summer, plus two other tiny creases/dings which never bothered me but were just as well to be gone. $135 for everything, and I was VERY impressed with the work. Took maybe an hour, and it was awesome to see him gently massage the dents out with a metal rod from behind each panel. I asked him about using a orbital polisher, and he seconded a lot of what you all have said, adding that one has to be very careful along creases and the edges of panels, since that is where the paint and clearcoat is thinnest. The only thing I HAVEN'T received a satisfactory answer about is how one gets into the nooks and crannies that aren't just flat surfaces--for example, the longitudinal lip/ridge that runs from the top of the trunk beneath the side glass and meets the top of the hood, or the painted panel between the taillights where the license plate goes (circular pad obviously cannot get into rectangular corners). I guess there are certain spots you still just have to do by hand? The guy mentioned that smaller attachments are available to access those areas, but I'm not trying to spend a fortune here! SW03ES, you're right--I don't think white is likely to look as fantastic as a perfectly waxed black or burgundy car--the color doesn't lend the "mirror effect" of a darker hue, and it doesn't highlight the curvature of body panels as well either. I suppose it also doesn't show dirt or blemishes as easily either [i love the morons who tell me, "A white car--wow, that's the hardest color to keep clean!"] I'm well aware that one's satisfaction with any wax has more to do with the preparation that took place BEFORE the wax went on than the wax itself. Therefore, it's hard to say just how impressed I was with P21S, since all claying and polishing last year were done by hand. I would say I was still impressed. Let me add that I'm a strong believer [thus far] in layering a carnauba wax OVER synthetic/acrylic sealants, the idea being that acrylic sealants tend to lend a strong reflective quality to the finish, while carnauba is known for adding DEPTH. So the end result should be like looking through a crystal-clear pool that has a mirror for a floor. Of course, that effect is again harder to achieve with white than I think any other color--although the pearlescent nature of our Diamond White Lexus paint helps. But yes, I'd say [based on my experience last year] that P21S granted a very rich liquidity to the finish after even the first application (layered over Menzerna FMJ acrylic sealant over Klasse High-Gloss Sealant Glaze). And I layered 4-5 more coats of P21S after that, about a week apart (subsequent to washings, of course). And yes, I am going for appearance more than anything else. I'm not someone who's outside in January in 30-degree weather applying another coat of wax to my car, so it is desirable the product last until spring--of course, I think the number of coats I layer during summer and fall must surely help with this. I just want my car to look as pristine and lustrous as possible. People who don't know Lexus body styles have thought my car was a 2006-model. Let's say this year, I want them to think it's a 2009. TexWez, congratulations on your--recent purchase? An LS 430 is definitely one of my candidates to buy after I tire of my LS 400 in a few years! Will let everyone know what I end up doing with the polisher. Thanks all for your responses and support!

I see. Seems like every internet detailing site I check out where there are photos, the guy is using a PC 7424. Just an observation. I doubt I would use any polisher even twice a year. Normally I do an exhaustive exterior detail in the Spring (taking a day or two), and then just wash the car regularly, like once a week, or occasionally once every couple of weeks if there's little or no rain. Last year I applied a fresh coat of P21S paste wax each time I washed the car after the detail for the first three times, and then every other time for the next few. The car had like six coats of P21S over Menzerna FMJ over Klasse Sealant Glaze. Most of that has evaporated off by now I'm sure. The car is Diamond White [tri-coat] pearl. You know the color... Normally the paint looks flawless, but under harsh lighting (fluorescent, etc.) you can see those really fine scratches in the finish all around the car--I guess those are swirl marks? My new brake and tire installation + fuel filter, alignment and throttle body cleaning are to be done Monday. Will see how much $$$ is left over after for a buffer. Is is beneficial to buff off wax with a PC, or that best left done by hand? I know this is like opening a Pandora's box, but can you think of a carnauba wax that may be appreciably better than P21S? I checked out Pinnacle (a bit more expensive), but a lot of people online said they wouldn't use it on their everyday car (which my LS 400 definitely is, being driven over 32K annually), in part because it evaporates too quickly. I'm definitely satisfied with P21S, but perhaps you had experience with even better products for the price ($35-60). Anything especially good for my color?

Wow, $279.95--a bit rich for me. $200 including all the pads and stuff was OK, but now we're talking almost $300 for just the buffer. And I just spent $100 on new wheel caps with chrome emblems (replacing my faded gold ones that haven't matched the new chrome badging I swapped in last summer). Plus I'm trying to get a bicycle before we are halfway through the summer--but then I also want to detail my car before we are halfway through the summer! Otherwise I'd wait a few months and get the more expensive buffer. Oh, and I almost forgot, I'll be spending nearly $1,000 on new tires and the labor for replacement of my tires, brakes, fuel filter and cleaning of my car's throttle body--all within the next two weeks. It seems like the Flex has the circular motion the PC doesn't have, but according to PAC you still can't scratch up your paint due to the similar orbital action. Seems good. Thanks a lot for the recommendation. Do you all think I'll really be kicking myself if I settle for the PC 7424 ($200 including all pads)? Is this the type of thing where I should say "Forget the bicycle for now--I'd be better to spend the extra $150 or so on the Flex polisher (and corresponding pads), so I can detail my car by May and do it right?" Or do you think I'll probably be happy with the results of the Porter Cable since I'm not a die-hard professional detailer, and of course I'm currently only accustomed to the [more limited] shine/gloss of a hand-detailed car? SW03ES, I will check out Autopia.org. Thanks very much!

OK...where to start... I'm planning--for the first time ever--to detail my '98 LS 400 with a machine polisher/buffer (yet to be ordered). Typically, I order detail supplies from Classic Motoring Accessories www.properautocare.com, and am trying to decide between the Porter Cable 7424 and Meguiars’ G-110. I know many of you are familiar with and like the PC model. I'm not considering circular polishers because my car doesn't have any significant scratches or paint defects, and because I am in no way a professional. This will be my first time ever handling ANY kind of polisher, and to be honest I don't even know what it feels like. So orbital is the way to go for me, I believe. For years, I've detailed my cars by hand, and most people agree they generally look stunning (I attached pics of my 1990 535i I owned a few years ago, taken just after I'd washed the car, clayed it with Mothers California Gold, polished with Klasse All-in-One and coated it with Klasse Sealant Glaze and Wal Mart-purchased Zymöl cleaner wax). Looks pretty good. For my LS 400, I now have or will buy the following products, applied by hand last year [sorry, no pics]: Menzerna Auto Shampoo Mothers California Gold clay bar Klasse AIO [acrylic polish] Menzerna FMJ [acrylic polish] Klasse High Gloss Sealant Glaze [acrylic sealant] P21S paste wax [carnauba wax, of which I applied about 5 coats last year over one-week intervals] It seems like everyone agrees a car will look "many times better" if machine polished/buffed, as opposed to the hand method. Naturally, I want a part of this, but am SUPER, SUPER nervous about !Removed! up my car's perfectly decent finish just because I was greedy and wanted "more," beyond what I've been doing for years. Once I choose and receive my buffer, it will be in the hands of a complete novice! So...I need advice -Those of you who are experienced using these devices, what are some tips [to avoid common mistakes] you would give a beginner? How do I NOT SCRATCH or otherwise burn my paint? What causes this damage anyway? Too much pressure? Contaminants on the pad? All my acquaintances seem to know of someone who messed up their car's finish trying to use a polisher (one even said it was an orbital polisher). Are these people boneheads, or am I right to be fearful now? -Naturally, what recommendations do you have as far as the type of machine? I can happily spend $150 or more [the PC 7424 is on sale at CMA for $149.95, and they have it with pads http://www.properautocare.com/74uldemawico.html for $199.95]. -Why does the PC 7424 have its grip on the side like that? The Meguiars model I mentioned has a handle on the front, which seems like it'd be easier to use. -Which of the products I listed would benefit from polisher application? It seems like some on this forum got into trouble when they attempted to buff off waxes with their polisher/buffer. Let me know what you think--I plan to place the order soon!

I was worried I would start a firestorm/be yelled at for starting another oil-related thread when I did so, but then again I wasn't sure anyone would notice my post if I dug up a 6-page long, 6-month old thread. If a Moderator wants to close this thread, I for one won't be offended in the least. Sorry to beat a dead horse! At any rate, thanks to all for your rapid replies, especially to Randy for your point-by-point response. Very, very informative. And eatingupblacktop, I will check out the links. Cold starts here in MD have meant temps as low as 14 degrees in the morning, and I guess the engine does idle marginally rougher, louder for the first 5-8 minutes. And yes, I already checked out the "Cold starts/How long should I idle my engine in the morning" threads, so I'm not trying to start anything new there either! Probably I will stay with dinosaur oil then--my engine FEELS as if it's maybe 1/8 of the way through its useful life (at 153K), and like Randy said, these days I guess there are other issues which may end an engine's service life well before normal wear ever becomes a factor. I'll keep up the 3K oil change intervals, continue to use Premium 93 octane, and continue to follow Lexus' recommendations for other comprehensive service intervals (180K, 240K, timing belt, etc.), and I don't see any reason (barring freak failures) why my car shouldn't last 400-500K or more like other LS 400's I've heard about--if I keep it that long. But I get the feeling if I sell my LS 400 in a few years and buy any replacement other than an LS 430 [or LS 460 if I can afford one then], I'll soon be kicking myself! Thanks again all.

1998 LS 400, currently use regular [dinosaur] oil, changed religiously every 3,000 miles. I've never gone more than 100 miles or so past that mark, and am often under it when I get the oil changed. Car runs great. There seem to be a lot of people on this forum who would consider it heresy to use anything other than synthetic oil in their LS 400, even if it's an older model. My friend used synthetic in his '94 Ranger and now '95 F-250 truck and swears by it. I've heard stories of people using synthetic oil and almost NEVER changing the oil, yet even after such "abusive" treatment the engine is still clean when taken apart later for other reasons. I, on the other hand, have never used synthetic in any car I've owned. I have a few questions now: 1. How much more beneficial is it to use synthetic vs. regular oil, especially if the regular oil is changed as frequently as in my case? I have heard there is no benefit to using synthetic as long as the conventional oil used is changed every 3K, supposedly well before it begins to break down. 2. On the flip side, could I actually notice any tangible benefits (besides increased theoretical longevity of the engine) by switching to synthetic? More power? Smoother? Better efficiency measured at the pump (where I have always used Premium gas anyway)? 3. Is there a specific procedure that needs to be followed at the time I switch over from regular to synthetic oil? I've heard the engine needs to be flushed of all regular oil residue. Or is it just a simple drain [regular] and fill [with synthetic]? 4. Even though synthetic oil costs more, I would have NO problem paying this and still getting my oil changed at the same 3K mile intervals. But I think everyone agrees that this would be overzealous, given the longer useful life of synthetic oil. What is a reasonable mileage to travel between changes to ensure I still don't even come CLOSE to exceeding the life of the synthetic? 5. Amsoil and Mobil 1 are the brands I hear about consistently--especially Mobil 1. Opinions about those? It seems like Mobil 1 is the "gold standard" of oil. Do they even MAKE that in a non-synthetic variety anymore? I grudgingly get my oil changed at Jiffy Lube or Pennzoil locations; it's simply a matter of convenience--at the rate I drive, I cover 3K miles in little more than a single month, and I'd rather not be making appointments with my mechanic all the time. And I've not yet bit the bullet and learned to change the oil myself--for one thing I'm too afraid I'll screw something up or forget something. I know, I know, I should... Anyway, your knowledge and experience is appreciated as always.

I found this place: http://www.capitalwheels.com/store/customer/cart.php. $100 for four.

Thanks! But they sell only the center cap as a complete piece, and for $66 each (and that's a discount off list price)? I never heard back from my junkyard inquiry last week, which surprises me. But thanks again for the link. I'm bookmarking that site in case I need other parts from them.

Yes, I hear it is common with the early ('95-'97) UCF20 LS 400. Have read multiple reports of this, and experienced it myself in my friend's '95. Also happened to me in a '93 I was driving for a while. Typically occurs after long periods of high-speed driving, when the car is slowed to a stop--so your description fits this pattern. In all cases, the car starts right up after you slide the gear selector in neutral. And for most people it only happens once in a while, so it's something they choose to live with. This has never happened in my '98, so Lexus must have corrected the problem. One solution I have heard is to keep the A/C selected on manually, since this will usually prevent idle revs from dropping to the point where the engine cuts off. I'd bet each time this happened in your car, the air conditioning compressor wasn't running.

amcdonal86, thanks for that link. The catchy music alone was enough to convince me I should definitely perform this service RIGHT NOW, and the presentation made the job seem more fun and hip than a weekend at the amusement park. Four inches of snow outside isn't going to stop me! Seriously, I will ask my mechanic to check them when he does the brakes, and probably get the work done this fall or something. Thanks! SKperformance, interesting point; ("By saying it starts at a certain speed that means that either a certain rotation masses frequency is met or a certain point of pressure to move the tires out of place."). Whatever it is, the sound starts very suddenly, exactly as if someone flipped a switch. Volume-wise, I've decided it competes with the blower whir of the climate control at 2/5 fan speed--not very loud at all. Just concerned me, that's all...my car never did it before over about 36K miles. Today, I was too focused on getting to work through 2-4 inches of unplowed snow in my RWD LS. TRAC, VSC and SNOW mode on the transmission are all very impressive (at one point I had to turn the VSC/TRAC off when it got stuck ascending a sharp hill--it wouldn't let me spin the wheels at a steady 2000 rpm, which is what I had to do to get to the top of the hill 6 inches at a time), but it's still frightening to drive a heavy rear wheel drive sedan on solid packed ice and snow, where grip is 5% what it normally is. Not to mention scores of morons in SUVs who seem to think they aren't susceptible to the simple laws of physics as they whiz past...

amcdonal86, how much is it to replace those strut rod bushings? Are they just in the front? If it's not involved, I'll probably get that done--after all, my car has over 152K on it now, so I can't blame any original parts for wear. Of course, it drives like it has maybe 60K on it (in other words, better than most ordinary cars I ride in that are only a couple years old), but then we all know about our LS 400s here. In BMW circles, I've heard about "thrust rod bushings." Are they talking about the same part? Can't wait for my new tires (and brakes)...