backwoods lex

I would charge more. A good thing to do would be to break vehicles down into 5 or 6 categories based on size and make a price specifically for that vehicle so that you get paid for the work that you do. I know that you have an orbital, but is a PC? Buy one of those and it will quickly pay for itself. An orange pad and meguiar's cleaner wax makes a lot of people very happy. Quicker than a hand wax also. I currently charge $110 for a mini cooper/honda fit sized vehicle. That is for the full interior (with bissel little green clean machine) and an outside clay, all in one (like poliseal) and trim dressing. How are you getting all of the business? I was suprised when I read the thread title because it has been like a desert for me since I started. Good luck and great job on the cars!

Good news. Advanced auto parts actually has the iridium plugs for $7 each. I've got 6 reserved. It is barely in my price range, but I am a happy guy. Thanks for the replies guys.

With gas prices getting so high, and after putting 120K (at leat) on my old plugs, I'd like to replace them ASAP. Right now and in the immediate future, I will be very tight on cash and would like to purchase the less expensive platinum plugs from walmart. I know that iridium plugs are reccomended, but they are out of my range right now. My question is what can I expect from platinum plugs? Will the engine develop a miss or act up? Anyone have experience on this (not including the 4 or 2 tipped Bosch plug-just regular platinum). I tried a search but couldn't find any info on what performance I could expect from it. Thanks guys!

The 2000 ES is a four speed automatic. There is no fifth gear. I wonder why it says 4?

Mine is a 2000 and it is labeled a platinum edition. Is that a U.S./Canada thing where the package has different names? Sometimes delearships will do shady things like putting decals on cars that do not belong there. I remember seeing a cavalier once with a vtec decal. Overall, with 160K miles, the ES has been very good to me.

For the door handle area scratches, you may wan't to try some Meguiar's Scratch-X. It may take a lot of rubbing but it has worked for me in the past with good results. Not to beat the dead horse, but the fabric protector they use is probably just a $5 can of scotch guard that you can buy at wal-mart. I despise the way car salesmen hustle people out of money. And congratulations on the purchase! I'm a big fan of the IS.

If your going fast enough for it to matter, you are going way too fast. If you get busted, you won't be signing a 65MPH in a 55MPH ticket--you'll be in a lockup touching your toes naked while an officer searches for contraband. The engine should downshift automatically. Good luck with the racing. I usually stick to racing minivans, box trucks, and echos in between stoplights. It helps with my self-esteem.

Are they oem pads? When I purchased "brand X" pads form auto zone, I had nothing but problems. The brakes constantly squeeled and they didn't last long at all. I spent the extra $20 per axle and bought pads from toyota. Major improvement.

I would also think it is unablanced tires. If I remember correctly one axle affects the steering wheel and the other one shakes the body. I have a big to do list for my car. It shakes like crazy from the tires being unbalanced, shakes even more from my warped rotors, and rides very rough from the worn struts. It has to be the most ghetto lexus in the area.

Have you examined your transmission fluid? That also needs to be changed regularly.

Thanks for the reply. I have never read a post about Zaino like that before. People usually swear by it and use it exclusively or say they have used it before but no longer do. I have really learned a lot from you and this forum. Thank you.

What is your opinion of the Zaino line SW03ES? I have read a couple of post where you don't seem to think much of it. I browse autopia a lot and the worst I've read is that people find the products expensive. I was thinking of trying the Z-5 and ZFX in the future? Just curious. Thanks.

87 Suzuki Samuri. One of the worst vehicles ever made (there actually is a book and it is in there). Neverending roof leaks. Top speed of 80MPH downhill. 0-60 in 20 seconds with the beastly 1.3 liter engine and 5 speed. Roughest ride I've ever been in. It would break down a couple of times per month and I'd have to hitch a ride home from school. This of course is only if you are still alive after making a turn at 25MPH and rolling it.

Not valumax. Certified, I'm not sure. It came with I think the 90 day? warranty. I also purchased the 36 month warranty. Luckily, and amazingly, it has had very few issues. I doubt it actually been salvaged because the loan company wouldn't have financed it. The issues include: out of position gauge trim (suggesting it has been removed at one point) out of position dash (top of it bows on the passenger side unnaturally) suggesting it has been removed console misalligned and vinyl bunched together all glass has been replaced (only the windshield does not say toyota) replaced windshield (cheap-has that strange magnifying effect when viewed from behind) trim on top of door has noticeable gap on both sides from body (this one really freaks me out) bad repaint (not awful) with fish eye, weird miscoloring on hood, and light orange peel all around misalligned front bumper lower cladding shows bowing/lines not straight all leather replaced poorly blended pain in one section rear window rolls down and forms a "shark fin"/triangle pattern. Anyone else have this? orange gaskets exposed from transmission. Lexus dealer informed me they dont use orange gaskets Something bad has happened to this car. I think I call that crazy biker guy fom the movie Raising Arizona instead of an attorney.

I am not a fan of Carmax. I really got screwed on my last trade in (98 eclipse in 05 for $800) there. When you enter the showroom and you see the car that looks good but is actually a salvage--that's the car they sold me. I paid almost full book and learned that the car had been heavily damaged and many, many repairs were done. When I asked for a carfax, they brought me a generic vehicle background check company report. It is my own fault. I put myself in a position that I needed a car immediately and a general lack of knowledge about knowing if a car has been damaged. Just had to vent.

Thanks for the replies guys. I will have some time off work in about a month. I'm going to VERY CAREFULLY tape of all of the vinyl and plastic trim and try my PC with the 4" pads--I think. I'll have to be very careful.

It is the center console by the shifter, but I'm sure all the panels could use polishing. Only swirls--not deep scratches or gashes and only visible with in direct light. The lesson I learned from this: only clean wood trim with a wet rag. My gauge cover, ac display, and radio display all suffer from the same problem.

Thanks for the response. Does the pledge have fillers? I actully have quite a few scratches on the console wood. I tried NXT wax with so-so results--minimum filling. I think I'm going to buy some OTC Meguiar's glaze and see how that works. Sweet avatar by the way.

There are a couple of areas on the my ES that I am not sure how to protect/dress. The first area is the spot that holds the top 2 air vents that has a black matte finish. I always get streaking with optimum protect plus (great stuff by the way). Here is a link that shows the area: http://img473.imageshack.us/img473/4157/console2ty8.th.jpg The second area is the matte? black trim above the rear doors. Same thing--just a lot of streaking. Couldn't find a link. Also, the weatherstripping on the door is badly faded. Only 303 will make it shine again and only for about a week or until it rains. Is this a replacement part or can I polish it somehow? Last but not least--the wood grain. What polishes have been the most effective for you guys. I tried optimum compound then polish by hand but got little results? Is this just going to be one of those PITA job that takes hours? Thanks for any help guys.

Can I offer a tip? I would let the microfiber air dry after washing. I am really kicking myself because I have spent over $100 on microfiber and most of my towels have turned hard just from using the lowesst heat setting on the dryer. I have seen an increase in the amount of marring after washing, and now I have to start over from scratch again.

Thanks for all of the responses guys. And sorry for the late response--I've been out sick the past few days. Anyway, it is just a trace of smoke every now and then when I start my car up after work. I'm about 85-90% sure it is white (hard to tell because it is so little). I'm losing very little radiator fluid. It has been 55K miles since my TB change and the fluid level is still above the low marker (and my main hose is pretty old and soft). But I have noticed small black specks in the overflow tank for the radiator. Yeah, I do need plugs but I wasn't sure if they had been replaced before I bought the car. I figured I would wait since all of the other Japanese cars that I have owned were a real PITA to drive when the plugs were going bad.

From time to time, since about 90K miles, I have noticed white smoke sometimes coming from the exhaust. It is always a small amount that I have written off either as cold temp vapors or water being in the exhaust tip lip. It is not constant and not often seen. I bought the car with 49K and now have 145K. I had the water pump and timing belt replaced at 90K. I have never changed the plugs, and I don't know if they were changed before I bought it. Could it be bad plugs? I told my brother in law and he said it is probably the head gasket (I was suprised because I'm religious about changing the synthetic oil, it has never overheated, and it is almost all highway miles). If it is the headgasket, what life expectancy do you think it may have? Thanks for any help.

Just curious--was it an independent mechanic? $800 sounds like a pretty good deal.

Would bondo + primer + touch up work? I have the same problem.

I actually wasn't planning on getting it done anytime soon. If I do, I think I'll go with the the hi-flow cat replacement rather than the universal. My car just passed it's yearly inspection so I'm not too worried. I tried to find the part online at autozone but couldn't (I know it is there--the sales rep just offered to sell me one about a month ago when I had the code read). Advanced auto parts has one at this link http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductList.as...ytic+Converters Good luck!