PGSberg

One of the guys I work with has a Jeep Grand Cherokee. He had his windshield replaced and the rain sensing wipers would not work. The glass company had to special order the windshield through the Jeep dealer and replaced the replacement. The rain sensing worked OK after that.

It was listed as part of the 5k service. I had the 5k done but all I am doing at 10k is an oil change.

The CTS isn't a bad car. The trouble is that most Caddy dealers also share service with other GM brands. The amount of care given is the same for the CTS and the Chevy Cavalier. I looked at a CTS before I purchased my IS. Personally for me I thought the dash looked cheap and the switches and plastic panel fit had a lot to be disired. That was enough for me not to waste time driving. The new one is supposed to be leaps and bounds better than the current one. Wait to drive the new one. I guess what I am trying to say is that you reach milestones in your life, like marraige, new jobs, and moving up to a new class of automobile. If I am paying 40k+ for a car and higher rates for labor, I want a loaner car and personaized service. I just can't help but think that GM, Ford, and Chrysler (even under MB) still hasn't caught on. Heck, my daughter gets great treatment at her Honda dealer but then again it is a Honda only dealership that isn't shared with other makes.

Joe, You could simply special order the 7 peices from the dealer's parts counter. Here is a link to a carbon fiber overlay kit. http://www.l-tunedparts.com/product/?id=2380 Another Link - They have a wide selection of finishes. Look under "Flat Dash Kits" http://www.wooddashexperts.com/customer/home.php?cat=660 I notice that aftermarket parts for the IS are slow coming. You may want to do internet searches on manufactures that make dash kits and see if any are introducing kits. Greg

I bought my 07 IS at Sheehy Lexus of Annapolis. Everyone there has treated me great. Greg

Like most folks here, I have driven all three to include the 07 G 4door, the 06 coupe and the 3 series BMW. For some reason that I cannot pinpoint, I just can't seem to warm up to Infiniti products. The exhaust does sound sweet though. The BMW drive was short because I didn't like it from the moment we left the lot. The interior was not friendly and it plowed too much through corners. A big surprise. Plus BMW options the hell out of their cars I also didn't like the fact that I would have had to get the performance package to get the Nav in the Infiniti G coupe. It was either 33k w/o Nav or close to 40 w/Nav. I was torn between the TL and IS. I went with the IS because it was a new platform and I wanted either AWD or FWD because of the slushy weather we get in the D.C. area in the winter. Rear seat room is not important to me because I don't sit in the back seat of my own car. One thing I did not take into consideration was the limitation of the Nav/Bluetooth while in motion in the IS. The Acura salesperson worked the Nav the whole time I was driving to show off the system. The Lexus salesrep stayed away from giving me a demo on the Nav. I see why. I know what questions to ask next time. Hell, the Nav in my MINI Cooper "S" is more friendly and accurate than that in the IS. The IS is truly a very good car, not a great car. If I had to do it all over again, I would have waited for the new TL Type "S". Good luck on your choice. v/r Greg

I mounted my front plate in the lower grill. I purchased a generic plate mount from the local Pep Boys and cable tied it to the lower grill. I didn't pull too tight as not to distort the grill. The plate screwed to it just as it would a factory mount. It's better than punching holes in the bumper. It doesn't look tacky or cheap. It was than $10.00 total to include a clear cover. I'll try to get some pictures this weekend.

If it is OK now that you are back home, it could be that the navigation system could only see two satellites instead of three. I think the system needs three to triangulate your position. Make sure you are on Region US8. If it is still out of whack, it looks like a trip to the dealer to me. Little things like this are so irritating. Good luck. v/r Greg

If Lexus was the last shop to rotate or pull the wheels, I would take it back. They are on way too tight. There could be damage to the stud and the wheel could be deformed from the overthightening. These things should be tightened to a specific torque. If you get them off yourself, take a rag and wipe a little WD40 or other lubricant on the stud and ensure you don't overtighten. The torque listing should be in the owners manual. If you don't have a torque wrench, buy a cheap bar type. It's better than guessing. Good Luck v/r Greg

I was contemplating the idea of the factory spoiler from the last generation Celica GTS. I think it may block some of the precious rear view through the rear window though. Any thoughts from anyone?

Go with the extended warranty. I didn't get it with my IS but may go back. I did get the extended warranty on my 2003 4Runner. It extended the factory warranty from 3/36 to 6/100. I paid $1350. I used it last year to have the engine drive pully replaced. I dropped off the 4Runner today because the moonroof jammed in the open position. Extended warranties can be dicy. I'm hoping that the moonroof is 100% covered. The moonroof isn't listed on the exempt parts list. If it's covered, then my warranty has more than paid for itself and I have 2/40 left on it. Good luck on your purchase - Don't worry about the age. Only you know what you can afford. Since you are buying a Lexus, you at 23 most likely are making more than the salesperson. That may be hard for her to swallow.

Don't know if it's been covered - A few minor tips: A soft white drafting eraser (block or pen type) is great for getting wax and dirt out of black trim that accidentally gets run over with wax no matter how careful you are. Masking these areas with blue painters tape works before applying wax. I buy cheap sponges to apply tire dressing & Armor All and put them in a zip lock bag until they get dirty, then toss them. It saves my washing machine since I no longer use rags. My wife was complaining about some of our clothes getting ruined after she washed my "car towels" because of the petrol-based chemicals on the dirty rags/towels. When I was in Germany, the locals purchased 100% cotten in s-rolled bags to remove wax. You simply tear off a wad and remove the wax and toss it. Again saves on the washing machine. Thank heaven for microfiber. I bought 50 rags at a CostCo for less than $20. I keep the carpet and floor mats scotch guarded. Have trouble figuring out whether those pesky glass streaks are in or out? Clean the inside windows horizontal (helps on the rear window defogger) and the outside windows vertical. Newspaper used to work great for windows but with all of the light cloth interior trim around the "A" pillars I would think the ink would ruin the material. v/r Greg

A note on the brake dust. Beware of advice to put a harder, metallic/semi-metallic pad on to reduce the dust. I did this about six years ago on my car. The alloy in the pad slowly ate the wheel's clear coat finish as the dust was thrown from the pad onto the wheel over time. These braking systems are so finely tuned. My neighbor's Volvo S60, my friends Audi A6, and my MINI Cooper "S" all show front brake dust after driving about 10 miles around town. I expect I'll be changing pads in about 20K. My MINI's brake pads were replaced at 15K but luckily it was covered by BMW and didn't cost.

One last thought on the A/C on/off. The system is designed to dehumidify the cabin with the A/C on. For years this was a problem with domestic cars. You couldn't turn on the A/C with the heat. If you start getting fogging, especially when its raining out and warm, turn the A/C back on and take it off of re-circ. You'll really notice the difference. v/r Greg

With the price of new cars being so high, I would wait for the new one. If you take the repaired one, you will kick yourself in the butt after a few weeks for not waiting. Besides, if the damage is on the front I would definitely not take it. The front of the car takes the brunt of rocks, pollution, road spray, etc. I would want the factory finish. If they were able to repair the car before you took delivery I'm not so sure they would have told you about the damage. I know that when cars come into the point of entry with damage they get fixed and sent on without disclosure. I was releived when I was tracking my MINI Cooper "S" and saw that it was in port for only 2 says before being sent to the dealer. Not enough time for repairs. Good luck. v/r Greg

If you really want the AC compressor off, after selecting AUTO, Select CLIMATE and turn the compressor off (AC) via the touch screen. It really doesn't help much but my wife thinks so! v/r Greg

All, I read on some other forums that a fair number of IS owners have had their plastic trim around the windows damaged from the hair dryers that many shops use to aid in the drying. You may want to investigate further before having the tint done. v/r Greg

Happy Holidays Chris, Good luck with whichever car you decide on. I drove the 3 series BMW prior to the IS 250 AWD that I bought. The BMW does have more power but I just didn't like the car well enough to give it a second test drive. I thought the Audi A4 drove better. I didn't look at the Infiniti G35 because I don't like the looks plus I haven't been fond of Nissan products. As far as the the sport package, for me I am tired of getting beat around on the choppy roads around my area. My last two cars had 18" wheels. The ride was firm to harsh and the wheel has more exposure to pot holes. I wanted the IS 350 but feel the AWD will get better use. The IS 250 has plenty enough power for my daily commute. I actually like the way it handles the twisty back roads better than the BMW. It didn't plow through the corners. Only you can justify the price and option differences. Also, take a look and snoop around the service departments of Lexus and BMW. The folks at the Lexus dealer (Annapolis, MD) are much nicer than those at the BMW/MINI dealer I dealt with my last car. v/r Greg

My LG VX9800 works fine (Verizon). The battery strength shows The phone book works as prescribed One way I have gotten around dialing numbers or retreiving numbers in the phone book while in motion is to slect them by using the phone itself, and when I select "send", the car's bluetooth does the rest. I still think it is ridiculous to be able to program only 20 voice dials. If I would have known the Nav/Phone system was so limited while the car is in motion, I would have went with the new Acura TL "S". Lesson learned. I didn't think to ask these questions since my MINI Cooper "S" Nav works while in motion plus it mutes the radio when giving directions. I at least think the system should allow in-motion access (other than voice) when someone is detected in the passnger seat.

I live in Maryland where front plates are required. Our surrounding areas that includes D.C. and Virginia also require front plates. In this area they do ticket. I have actually seen the police write tickets for missing front plates while checking inspection stickers and writing parking violations. I purchased a plastic mounting bracket from Pep Boys and cable tied it to the lower grill and then mounted the front plate. I think it looks better and kept me from punching holes in the painted bumper. Also, I think almost all states make it illegal to cover either the front or rear plates.. It doesn't matter if they are clear. I'm taking a chance since I have a clear cover on the front to help against rock chips.