byohzrd

I agree with Lexusfreak. I've always been a fan of spoilers, but the '97-'01 looks a bit freakish with a spoiler. The '02+ looks great with or without. There are also those cars that look terrible without the spoiler... my '95 Maxima looked rather frumpy without the spoiler... and my '01 Maxima sans spoiler was even worse.

In my opinion, Infiniti is poised to whack other luxury automakers on the head with their new model lineup. With the release of the new M Concept, they'll have a car with quality, performance, and reliability, wrapped in a stunning package... Infiniti M Concept

Looks great! Cheers to you for doing it yourself! :) Enjoy your satellite radio.

I helped my best friend open a tint shopseveral years ago, and here's what I learned in the process: Generally, you have two choices, metallized film and dyed film. Metallized film is usually slightly more expensive, but is worth the cost for several reasons. Metallized films usually have a lifetime manufacturer's warranty against fading and purpling. Dyed films do not. I'm sure you've all seen cars with purple tint... that is dyed film. Usually, dyed film will fade and purple within five years. The benefit of dyed films is that for the first year or so, they will be darker and blacker (is that a word?). Metallized films will be more gray/brown/green/blue in appearance, depending on the manufacturer. These colors are barely noticeable. The metallic film shouldn't hinder the performance of your antenna (this is rare), as the film is installed underneath the antenna. I've got metallized film on my car, and haven't had any problems whatsoever. The best time to tint your car is right after you've had a safety inspection. Because your Lexus has factory privacy glass (slightly tinted), this will allow your new tint to fade slightly, and in most cases will fade enough to bring your tint to the legal limit (depends on the state). Also, if you can wait, tint your car in the winter. Business is SLOW, and you'll get a great deal. Also note that darker films do not have more UV rejection. Some tint shops even have clear films that provide the same amount of UV rejection as their darkest film... this is an option if you don't like the look of tint, but you want the UV rejection qualities. Lastly, DO NOT TINT YOUR CAR YOURSELF!!! Unless you've got some experience, you will always be able to tell that the tint is a do it yourself job. The rear windshield especially, will be obvious. The curvature of the glass requires heat shrinking techniques, and in some cases the film has to be applied in two pieces and seamed. In most states, the brake light can not be covered by the tint... let a pro cut it out. The rear windshield also has a dot matrix pattern toward the top that can be beastly to tint. And, in the rare case that your rear defrost gets messed up when tinting, a reputable tint shop will have insurance to replace it. It's worth it to pay a pro. Don't have your car tinted at the Lexus dealership. Dealerships usually outsource, and then tack about $100 - $200 onto the price. Find out where they take the cars, and take the car there yourself. Whew... sorry about the long post... I just can't help myself... :whistles:

Did Lexus offer an in-dash player in this year/model? I HATE opening the glove box every time I want to change CDs... if I could get my hands on an in-dash unit, I'd be delighted! :D

Is there a button on the remote that does this, or is it just when you turn the key and hold it? That would rock if I could do it with the remote from across the parking lot. :D

Amen, Branshew!!! I bought a new BMW 330 Convertible last March. Piece of ... The ES is not a chick's car, it is an intelligent consumer's car. I owned the BMW for a total of 6 months... I had it in the shop eight times, and it left me stranded twice. For a new car, especially one at that price point, that is ridiculous. Another friend of mine had a VW Beetle. He had it in the shop 73 times in a little less than three years!!! I will take my "Chick Car" over any of those "macho" heaps of junk any day.

The comprehensive warranty (4 year/50,000 mile) on my 2000 will be expiring within the next couple of weeks, as I am quickly approaching the 50K mark. Is there such thing as a "Pre-Warranty Expiration Inspection?" Should I take the car to an independent, non-biased mechanic? Is there anything specifically that I should have looked at before the warranty expires? Any idea what this might cost at the dealership? I'm not having any problems with the car, I just want to make sure she's in tip-top shape before she's on her own.

Lately I've been doing a lot of night driving, and I've noticed the following: The factory HID lights on my 2000 ES don't seem to illuminate much of the road. They shine out about one car length and are cut off in a straight line. Beyond that point, it is pitch black... the lights barely even illuminate signs and mile markers. The levelling system seems to be working normally... they level themselves up, down, and center when the car is turned on, and the dash light hasn't come on. This is my first vehicle with HID, and I don't know if this is normal. It feels as though I'm driving in the dark, as I can literally see nothing more than one car length ahead. Is there some sort of adjustment that can be made? Is this normal for HID lights?

I just place my antenna (a Delphi mini antenna) on the front dash near the A Pilar and I get perfect reception. I've run the wire through the trim around the door, under the driver's seat, and up to the console. I went with this option for two reasons: 1) I don't want criminals and vandals to rip the antenna of my car, 2) I don't want criminals to know I have XM. I'd suggest finding a small antenna and testing it inside your car for the reception "sweet spot." My antenna is about 2"X1.5"X.5" and its not in the way at all.

How badly does your car jerk? Does the jerking go away when the car is warmed up? It is normal for the car to run at higher RPMs after startup... it was engineered that way so that it will warm up faster. The shifting won't be "Lexus Smooth" because the shifting occurs at higher RPMs. If your car functions normally when it is warm, you don't have anything to worry about.

I just talked to a friend at CBS, and he confirmed the report... it involves Camry, Camry Solara, and ES300 models 2002 and newer. This is a preliminary investigation into the electronic throttle system, and allegations of unwanted acceleration. Toyota hasn't officially responded yet.

I resisted buying XM radio for quite some time, thinking it was an expense I could live without. Finally, I broke down and bought it on one of my compulsive shopping sprees, and I've never regretted it. It is definitely one of my favorite toys. I've since installed receivers in my home and at the office. The Delphi Roady unit that I bought is completely portable... you can easily disconnect it and move it around with you. I've also given the same unit to several friends as gifts, and they love it. I don't know much about Sirius, but my experience with XM has been incredible. Once you get it, you'll be happy to spend the $10 every month.

I'm paying $2.06 per premium gallon in Salt Lake City. The price has been rising approximately five cents per day... oy!

Small world. ;) Cheers!

If you're interested in getting XM, I would suggest connecting it via the cassette adapter. I am a member of an online XM forum (www.xmfan.com) and everyone agrees that the cassette adapter will give you the best sound (aside from wiring it through an Aux. input port)... especially with a high-quality stereo. I personally use the Delphi Roady with a cassette adapter. $119 bucks for everything you need. No professional installation required (I wouldn't want a radio shop messing with my car anyway.) It's a handy little unit, and has awesome features. The sound is incredible... I've adjusted the Dolby settings on my stereo to compensate for any background noise, and you would think you were listening to a CD. Regardless of whether you get XM or Sirius, you'll love satellite radio. :D

Check out the following link. The theory sounds reasonable, however this explains another scenario. http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/petition/gasout.htm I guess we'll all just have to wait for the RX330h...

I've been told to treat my wood trim just like any other wood furniture and use Pledge. Just beware of using Pledge on the steering wheel... slippery steering wheels are no fun. :D

I'm 23 with a clean driving record. I pay State Farm 117/month on my 2000 ES. That's with a good driver discount as well as another discount for insuring my home through the same company. Do rates drop when I turn 25?

My FCC ID is HYQ1512V The 2000 ES key is the long one, approximately 1 13/16 inches. Hope this helps.

ASL was offered on the ES beginning with the 2000 model. It is only available on the Pioneer unit, and unlike some other Lexus models, there is no ASL button to turn the feature on or off. I am pretty sure it adjusts based on the noise level, because if I crack a window or open the sunroof, the additional wind noise causes the volume to increase. If it is a problem with the amplifier or head unit, would this be something covered under warranty? I don't know how to proceed, as the problem isn't something that I can reproduce, and it only occurs occasionally.

My 2000 ES has the ASL feature on the radio, which supposedly adjusts the volume according to wind noise, road noise, etc. It seems to have a mind of its own. I've kept the volume knob in the same position, and have had the same CD playing. Some days the volume is low, with muted bass and treble... it doesn't matter how much wind or road noise there is. If I turn the stereo off, it seems to reset itself and the volume goes back to normal. Has anyone noticed this on their car? I'm very picky about sound systems, and this doesn't seem normal. Is this something the dealer would fix under warranty? How would I go about explaining the problem without them thinking I am nuts? Maybe I am nuts. Any suggestions?

LexusLover: What was Lexus Corporate's reasoning behind denying your claim?

As more of a preventative measure, I'd suggest getting a "clear bra". Touch up your paint, buff out your headlights, and then find someone to bra you. Many local tint shops will do it much cheaper than the dealership. I recommend Clearshield brand, as it is much thinner than other brands... virtually invisible on black. I've got one on the front of my hood, my headlights, and my side mirrors. As soon as the headlights start to chip and haze up, you can have them peel off the bra and replace it. Voila! Clear headlights. Best $200 I ever spent.

I had the infamous clunking noise on my 2000 ES300. The dealer replaced the front strut mounts free of charge. I'm not sure whether they were replaced under warranty, or because there was a TSB issued. At any rate, its worth checking into. Mention the TSB to your advisor and see if you can work something out.