branshew

1) Personally I would not have paid quite that much for '93 but that's just me. I would feel more comfortable closer to $4500 or $4300, but the mileage is low for that year. 2) My rear seat is cracked too. You can have a vinyl cap sewn on to the top section of the back seat for @ $250 or leather for @ $400. The entire seat would probably run around $600 +/-. When they cap it, it puts a seam across the back seat where they cut the top cracked leather off and sew on a new top portion all together. It's not OEM, but I've seen some that don't look too bad. 3) $25-35 on eBay for a replacement antenna. An auto parts store should also have it for a more reasonable price. 4) www.lextasy.com 5) Try using a clay rubbing compound first to get off the stuck on road debris. This is a very time consuming process, but it works well. Then use a quality wax like Meguires. 6) Brakes should be similar enough. If you were able to do the fronts then the back should give you no problems. 7) It shouldn't leave a mark if you take it off properly, but you never know. You should be able to buff it out with a good plastic polishing compound and some elbow grease. 8) Probably just the lights for the needles if they are not lit up. You shouldn't need an entirely new cluster. Is the fuel gague needle not lighting up, or is the entire gague broken? Check out Lextech lighting on the other CL site. 9) Welcome to the club and good luck!

eman - are those Nokya fogs the ones with the yellow coating on the bulb? If so, are they really bright yellow like the 92-94 ES300? I've tried quite a few different sets that claim to be yellow (Hella, PIAA, etc), but they are just yellow looking from the side reflection and not head on. The bulbs I have tried have no yellow coating on the glass. I came across the Nokya H3s with the yellow coating a few weeks ago, but I have been reluctant to order them since I have already spent a small fortune on other bulbs with poor results.

Depending on condition, I wouldn't pay too much more than $5K with 110K on the ODO.

Try turning them on with the knob by the healdight control. Feel free to read the owners manual fo more detail. Oh yeah - welcome to the club. I live in VB too.

It could be the mounts, but it's hard to tell from your description whether or not it is something more serious. 1) You have to know what you are looking for to spot a broken mount. If you don't know what an engine or transmission mount looks like then you are wasting your time looking under the hood. I just paid $135 (P&L) to get a front engine mount fixed. Tranny mount may be more expensive as there may be more labor required. 2) Check your ATF fluid dipstick to see if the fluid level is low, or to determine the condition of the fluid. If its low, that could be a problem. 3) Go to a reliable mechanic (applicable for items 1 & 2 as well). Chances are if you go to a tranny shop like AAMCO ot Cottman then they are going to want to replace it without doing a thorough diagnosis since that is what they get paid for.

Yeah. And it's probably alot more reliable too.

My back passenger side is out. I had it tested and it is the speaker. Since both of yours are gone, I doubt that it is the speakers. It may be something in the amp that is causing the problem.

...They pull me back in. I was considering selling my Mercedes C Class since I have not been driving it as much lately. I do like the car alot since it is much more fun and sporty to drive than my ES, but the seats aren't as comfortable on longer drives and I have been doing alot of traveling. I just bought the wife a Pathfinder, so by selling it I could eliminate a monthly payment (another motivating factor). Anyway, I was sitting at my desk when I got a call from a business associate (customer) that works at the dealership that I bought the Benz from. He invited me to a private Mercedes "Driving Party" at a local race track. Apparently they are taking one of each of the new Mercedes models to a street course and letting us loose on the track. I couldn't say no to an opportunity like this. All I can say is that I hope there is a CLK 55 AMG out there (oh please! oh please! oh please!). I know that after I sit behind the wheel of some of these cars I will definitely have second thoughts about selling the Benz, but I should probably do it anyway. I wish Lexus had somehting geared a little more towards performance. Maybe I should look at an IS300.

Probably something internal. Either an evaporater or a condenser - possibly compressor. Unless you want to take the dash apart, I'd leave it to the pros.

I have never priced or even looked into repair so I can't tell you how much that will cost. But, both the digital display on my radio head unit and the separate display on my digital climate control module on my Mercedes Benz both went bad. One developed blank lines and the other went black. (That's "German engineering" for you.) The dealer replaced both units (the entire unit) and not the LCD screens. Based on that, it may be cheaper to replace the entire climate control interface module (especially if you can find a good used or refurbed one). You could also check Lextech Lighting Systems (or something like that). I don't go there that often, but I think they are featured on the home page of the other club.

Welcome to luxury car ownership 101! If you followed any car owners manual to a tee and had all of the service done at the dealership, you would pay alot more than if you did it yourself or if you went to an independent. Their recommendations will keep your car in peak running condition all of the time. Nobody wants to drive around in a broken down old Lexus so that is why they recommend what they do. However, nobody is forcing you to go to the dealership. There are plenty of independents out there. It's just a fact of life that service costs more at the dealership. If they did it for free then they wouldn't be in business too long. You are also driving a luxury car and not a Kia. The usual correlation is that the more you pay for your car, the more you should expect to pay to have it serviced. Buy a Mercedes, BMW, Audi, or even an Acura and see what those dealerships charge for service. What do you think a Ferrari mechanic charges for an hour of his time? As you mentioned, luxury dealerships also offer some "extra" services that you don't always get at a regular dealership. I never had a loaner car offered to me whan I took my old Subaru in for a repair. They never washed or vacuumed it for me either. They never kissed my @$$ when I walked in the service door, offered me gourmet coffee, a small office space with an internet connection for my laptop, manicures, etc. All of these things cost money and someone has to pay for it. It just so happens that many luxury car owners don't care what it costs. They like the extra conveniences and don't mind paying for them. You can't expect to buy a top of the line car, get top of the line service, and have it cost the same as it would for a Hyundai. You are fortunate that you are able to do most of the maintenance on your own. You have probably saved a ton of money. Unlike you, most people aren't that mechanically inclined and don't know how to do it so they are forced to pay someone else to do it. (That's how the economy works.) I do alot of my own maintenance as well, but some things I would rather have a mechanic deal with. Sometimes my time is more valuable to me than my mechanic's hourly rate!

Good luck with that one. It could be tough to determine the cause. My guess is either the switch or the central controller. Is there was a short, it would probably blow the fuse. If it is only the passenger side door, I would start by disconnecting the wiring to the lock switch on that door only. Leave the connection to the lock mechanism itself intact though. Then wait to see if it happens again. If it stops, then chances are that it was the switch in the door that has gone bad. If it keeps happening then something is probably wrong with your central locking controller. ((A caveat to the above, I don't know if disconnecting the switch on the door will have any effect on the central lock mechanism or not. If it shorts out the lock for that door all together then my test method above will not work. Get yourself a copy of the Lexus Service Manual and that should help with the wiring schematic. If you have a volt meter or other current detector, it may help make the diagnosis easier since you will be able to determine where the current that is tripping the lock is coming from.))

Maybe your car has LS envy!

Your ride is definitely one of the best looking ES out there. The pics are sweet too. The only thing that I don't understand is why you would want to badge it as a Toyota and not a Lexus. It would be like putting a Chrysler logo on my Mercedes. I saw an IS the other day with the Lexus "L" logo and an "Altezza" Badge. You're not really fooling anyone (unless you have a RHD model). It just seems stupid to me. Especially considering that you pay a premium for Lexus over Toyota.

I think I am looking at having to get the struts & mounts done at all 4 corners. I want to keep the same ride quality and I am not interested in lowering the car - so what are the KYB struts that you mention above?

Kudos for going green! The thought of a hybrid is very appealling to me since I drive so much. I wish all manufacturers were as serious as Toyota about Hybrids. Honda's entry was more of a novelty and was seriously lacking in the style department. Unfortunately it seems like the Oil companies have the american auto makers by the balls so that they can only produce the largest gas guzzeling SUVs & cars on the planet. I too am excited about the Lexus hybrid. I hope that they have a great success with it and that it proves to be as reliable as their other powerplants. I would like to see a hybrid option in more of their cars (and more cars in general). What kind of HP does the Prius have? Does it have the same (or similar warranty as the Corolla or other new Toyotas? Where do you plug it in? (just kidding ;) )

You're talking aout 20 year old Toyotas here and not a newer model Lexus. Although some things are similar, there is a big age and technological difference between these vehicles. It could be argued that a transmission is a transmission, but in that case your "Toyota specific advice" argument dosen't apply. I don't have any experience with it either way since I change my fluid regularly, but I have heard my mechanic say the same thing - if you haven't changed it in the first 100K then don't bother. If you want to change the fluid and cover your @$$, then go to the dealership and ask them the same question. If they say no problem, tell them to change it, but make it clear that if anything happens in the next 5-10K miles you'll hold them responsible.

It's good that nothing else on the road looks like the FX 45. That thing is hideous. It looks like someone squashed a Murano and made the front bulge out under pressure. The Armada's not too bad, but there's something about the rearward slant of the back two doors that looks wierd IMO. The G35 is the best thing that Infiniti has going right now. The M45 could and should have been so much more. Had the styling not looked so much like a large GM sedan (Impala, Caprice, Roadmaster) or the old Q45 it would have been a big hit for them, and a better contender against the GS. I agree. If Infiniti gives their styling department a good whack in the head :chairshot: then they may be able to come out with something great.

SLK230RED, I am a current and previous MB Owner as well as a Lexus owner. I had a '90 E Class and loved the car. It had plenty of power, all the bells & whistles (available at the time) and best of all it had the Mercedes Benz Relaibility. That car was never in the shop. I wish I still had it. I currently own a '99 C Class (old body style) and it is fairly reliable overall, but not as reliable as my '95 ES300 or the old E Class. I choose to log more miles in the ES for that reason. I don't feel that the interiors are cheap (just stark and minimalist in the European way). I actually prefer the Benz (or other European) interior to that of newer Lexus models - I like their control layout better. From a stylistic standpoint, I think the current lineup of Mercedes blows away the competition. They are sleek, stylish and well built. I don't know anyone that wouldn't want to bee seen in one. The only problem is their complete lack of reliability. The build quality is excellent, but the reliability has gone way downhill. I think it started in the mid to late 1990's with the introduction of the new E & S Class models. For those who have never owned an older Benz, most of their functions used to be controlled with a vaccuum system. Even as late as '99 in my C Class the door locks, climate control, headlight aim, etc. are all vaccuum controlled (with pumps and hoses). Mercedes needed to switch to electric controls to incorporate some of the more modern automotive technologies in their cars. When they did this, things started going downhill. The only problems I have had in the C Class have all been electronic (fuel gague sending unit, radio head unit, climate control unit) Lets face it. The Japanese have electronics down pat. They have been the world's leader since the 1960's so it has been much easier for them to integrate this technology into their cars. It is a shame that a company like Mercedes that has built their reputation on quality, design, and reliability is letting one of the three pillars crumble. I hope that they can get their act together because I would love to own another Mercedes some day. On the same note, BMW and Audi & VW have been suffering from reliability issues as well. 2003 was the first year ever that American car reliability surpassed that of the European brands. I will give credit to BMW though since they have recently started an initiative to hire more than 500 engineers to address the reliability and integration of electronics into their automobiles. (Based on the look of the new 5, 6, & 7 series, they also need some help in the styling department.)

There's no info in your post about what car you are driving, year, etc. It is it the ABS light or another "Brake Light"? With so little description, it's hard to tell, but it could be several things: 1) Low break fluid level in the reservoir. It is not low enough to cause the light to stay on full time, but when you break hard, the fluid sloshes around enough that the low level indicator lamp comes on. Check the dipstick and see if you need to add fluid. If so, use the appropriate fluid to top off. Also, if the fluid is low, it may be indicative of a leak. 2) Loose wire on one of the break lights that moves when you break hard causing the car to think that one of the break lights is out and thus it is giving you the indicator lamp. 3) If it is the ABS light, there could be a potential problem with your ABS system and/or pump. This could be a seriously expensive repair. My cousin just told me that his Honda ABS pump went out, and the dealership wanted @ $1200 to install a new one.

IMHO, I would probably call it condensation. I don't see any standing water in the bottom of the housing in any of the pictures.

You nailed it right on the head. That is exactly what happens - primarily when I am turning to the right.

Anyone rocking these yet? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...item=2472589371 Looks pretty cool. My Dad's LS 430 has the fold ins (but they're automatic). I'd probably consider it if I didn't have so many miles and years on mine.

Probably not. The EGR valve recirculates some exhast gasses back into the intake that are mixed with fresh air and then drawn in for combustion. Since the EGR valve is not involved in supplying any fuel or fuel vapor into the engine system I doubt that it would be covered (based on what you have set forth in the details of your post). But... It is always worth asking Lexus directly.

I have a loud "road noise" sound that is coming from my front driver side wheel well area. It sounds like a truck with big tires on it, but it is only coming from that side. I notice that the sound usually appears when I reach steady a cruising speed, but it is not noticeable when I am accellerating or slowing down. The tire looks fine and is not crowning, nor is te car pullingin any direction. I'm guessing that it is the front driver side wheel bearing. Any ideas?