eatingupblacktop

Them be OEM too, right? :P "What?" says the patient, "fake pharmaceuticals, in the US?" "Never heard of such a thing!" "Oh no no, not fake, just chinese!" says the doctor. "They don't always work, but they're real cheap! You really save big time on the critical treatment drugs just like expensive airplane parts. Best bargains on the planet!":chairshot: DISCLAIMER - Preceding opinions are those of the poster and do not necessarily reflect those of the chinese gov't in any way shape or form.

You've answered your own question. OEM! Imo overall difference for a TB service of only $200 with the satisfaction of having saved all that labor and knowing the parts haven't come from china, is more than worth it. $200 difference for an oil change is substantial - for a major service, not at all.

Did the tech drive your car home? A lot of them do that to save tech hours, but they are suppose to ask you 1st. Highly unlikely, and you're right - they should ask, but an advantage if the prob is difficult to locate - and noises are right behind intermittent issues in terms of difficulty. The tech not only solves the prob but has extra time to assess the rest of the car and often will notice something requiring attention that the owner wasn't aware of. I had a great tech that used to service my Volvo until he left the shop and I decided to take over the duties because they didn't have anyone who could replace him that I could trust. He'd suggest leaving the car with him to take home for intermittent issues that would happen from time to time. Aside from solving the prob, he would always bring my attention to one thing or another that could become expensive if it wasn't dealt with in a timely fashion. He would also suggest fixing minor items myself because the dealership would charge the flat rate regardless of how quickly it could be done. They come around rarely, and as I've said before, if you find one they're gold!

Nice link. Always good to see the different builds.

Yeah, 1990 definitely has an advantage. The price for a TB service will depend on where you go. You're smart not to go with someone who has no experience with the vvt 1UZ-FE. Other than 1990's tech, Toyota is a good alternative to Lexus for price. Easy to spot a leaking seal. Basically, if it's leaking, replace, if not, you can wait until it does. Even if it starts after this TB, likely it will only sweat until your next TB. Make sure they use only oem parts for everything that's replaced. There are stories of dealerships using aftermarket to bump up their margins.

Lots of info here: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showforum=9 Such as: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=34615 http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=717 http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=62064

Dealers don't have time to let their techs go for joy rides or pick up groceries. A few miles the first time to locate the point of rattle and undetermined noises. A repair. A subsequent road test. Maybe a followup tweak. A final road test. Not at all unreasonable. Don't forget, the dealership doesn't particularly want any claims on their insurance because their staff is making personal use of a customer's car. They also don't want the customer coming back for the same repair. Doesn't mean you shouldn't inspect the car before you drive away. Good job reading the estimate though. Most just sign the work order without reading it, then complain they weren't aware of some items on the bill. The writeup for the repair is the place to ask questions and make sure nothing's been added or missed. Don't follow. Since when does 30 miles drain the tank?

Hey SRK, getting any of that Olympic fever, being in Victoria? Or is that too far away from you? Have a buddy who moved to Victoria last summer and is buggin' us to come out. His wife actually got to carry the torch for a stretch.

Each to his own. Mods are generally done to improve certain aspects of a car's performance. Removing engine undercover or deciding not to replace one that has been damaged is a mod. Imo, this mod doesn't improve or benefit the car in any way that I can see. The engine undercover has been designed to protect the engine, hoses, belts, etc., and direct airflow. By removing it, you're just exposing the engine to any water/debris (salt, stones, pieces of metal, grit, grease, road kill, etc) that the front wheels kick up from the road. The last thing I want to happen in the backcountry is to find my S belt has been broken or knocked off the pulleys by some animal parts.

Sometimes you get disappointed when perception meets reality. That's called duplicate labour, and it is a fraudulent way of doing business. That's not the "way it is". Many try it, but it's not acceptable. No honest shop would do it. Most flat rate tables reflect multiple operations as reducing the time charged. I'd speak to the Lexus regional manager from Toyota. They might be interested to hear that, or perhaps not..... Exactly right! If you want to call him out, ask the dealer to explain how their "book cost" is calculated and whether it's sanctioned by Lexus/Toyota. If you don't plan to continue using their services, you can tell him his name and response will be posted to Lexus forums. Successful dealers are aware of the clubs and read them regularly. "The way it is" means the shop is willing to trade off informed customers for those who walk in with $$$$ signs on their foreheads. For every knowledgeable owner there are 10 marks willing to pay the shop's going rate regardless of how excessive it might be. There are plenty of reputeable shops who will use the flat rates set out by the manufacturers. Ask SRK correctly points out, the tables compensate for duplication of labor. Just take your business elsewhere and be thankfull for clubs like this one.

Agreed. I'd suggest using a batt charger that has a low amp trickle rate with an auto shut off that kicks in once the batt is fully charged. A couple of things to remember - make sure there are no parasitic drains before hooking up a charger, never charge a cold batt at a high current rate, make sure the levels are up in each cell, clean and tighten the terminals, and make sure the auto shut off works.

EUBT, I really don't think there is much risk of a Toyota/Lexus block heater leaking. These things install very security and are extremely low-tech devices. I had a block heater on a Mercedes I drove from late 1979 until I bought my first LS in 1990 and never had any problems with it. I'd even plug it in when it was fairly warm (i.e. below 32° F. in my garage at home) just so I would have instant warm air from the heater during my relatively short drive to work. After I had the block heater installed, it seemed like AC outlets were EVERYWHERE I parked -- it didn't take much searching. I plugged in my block heater in the covered parking lot at work, in parking lots of hotels near Colorado ski areas and in the middle of Kansas, in public parking lots and relative's driveways in northern Iowa, etc., etc. OK, I was stealing a little electricity but not once did anyone ever unplug my block heater -- and I carried a 100' extension cord in the trunk that I sometimes used to plug it in pretty far away from my car. Of course, I really needed a block heater on that Diesel Mercedes -- that was sometimes the only reason it could be started after sitting all night in the winter at 9,000 ft. elevations. Toyota/Lexus V8 engines warm up pretty fast compared to a 1970's Mercedes Diesel engine. lol I'm not sure I'd go skiing up north for a wknd in a diesel. I hear ya about low tech, just saying from experience. Have one in my volvo. Leaks while driving. No coolant pools in the garage so I can't be bothered to fix it. Ripped the plug right off the cord one time when I forgot to unplug it before taking off. Later, plastic plug cover cracked same night the dash cracked while at Mt Tremblant in Quebec (-42 without the wind chill). Salt started corroding the plug, so I wrapped in up in a plastic bag. All that slushy crap from the road gets frozen and caked on the bag. Even before the cover cracked, it was always too dirty or frozen for nice leather gloves or a bare hand to easily remove before plugging in. Made for a messy affair to use, so I don't use it anymore. It did warm up the car quicker though. The batt warmer I have on it now gives me just about the same cranking I got before the cold weather. That, winter oil, coolant topped up, and some gas line antifreeze for really cold spells, and I say "let'r blow, I'm ready". Just to be fair, although the dealer installed the block heater, I don't think it was a high quality unit and it certainly warmed up the car in no time. I'm also inclined to agree w 1990 that a Lexus dealer would use a better quality heater.

Unless it gets to below -40C, just keeping the batt charged up and switching to a lighter oil should take you throught the winter with no probs. Potential for leaks etc, with a coolant heater would be a deal breaker for me. I'd get a batt warmer before a block heater.

Welcome to the Club! Don't believe them! It's a terrible price for a car that you won't be happy with! Will is really only joking. So do yourself a favor, just pm me and I'll take it off your hands and save you a lot of grief!

Blowing off steam might feel good in the beginning, until you hear about it from one of your regular customers and find yourself having to explain the unpleasant details. In business, your reputation is the bottom line. Without it, you have no viable base for success. If you want to attract and retain your customer base, then protecting your rep is priority one! In measuring the effect of a shop's customer service policy/attitude on their business you can say: One complaint is worth 10 compliments! I'll agree with Steve that regardless of how difficult a client might be, resist the perverbial knuckle sandwich response. Deal with them on the phone, in an email, texting, snail mail, whatever, as though you were having a duscussion with them in front of your best customers. Would you want those customers to hear you belittle, degrade, intimidate a difficult client. Most likely they would side with your position anyway. However, being right doesn't make it right for you to lose control. Your problem solving techniques determines your rep for both the service you provide and customer satisfaction. Over the years, I've dealt with quite a few difficult clients, most of them only once. Surprisingly they would ask for my services again, whereupon I would become unavailable (because of prior bookings of course) and suggest another service. Keeping your cool and maintaining a high level of diplomacy goes a long way to surviving in the business world. Often your reputation precedes you. Just look at some of the viral videos making the rounds these days. Do you want your biz to blow it's rep on someone's youtube complaint. A smart business will know when to pass on a prospective client because of the headaches they represent, but will do so intelligently, without incurring the wrath of a customer scorned. Kill them with kindness. Sounds utterly ridiculous when all you want to do is boot them out the door, but utterly works. You just need to cool yourself to reach that understanding! The world would spin much easier if both businesses and customers did a better job assessing their mutual compatability and the chances for a satisfactory result.

Then they won't mind specifying what's covered in that price! I don't think you want to be taking a risk with your vvt by leaving behind an old water pump or tensioner. Get their (all in) price in writing (not a prob for such a reputable dealer) for replacing all related components.

Nice shot of the rear (best view) of your Maxima JC! So, when are you getting your next Lex? lol

I can sure see how someone would expect a car as large as a gen 1 LS400 to have more potential drivers legroom. I was surprised when I bought my first LS in 1990 that its driver seat didn't slide backward nearly as much as in either my Mercedes 240D or even my little tiny Honda CRX Si. Agreed. Nevertheless, buying a car without knowing how it drives or what the interior's like is a bit like ordering sushi without first knowing that it's not cooked! I guess some just enjoy the rush and GO BRAVE! :whistles:

Exactly right! Most diy's that I know love to be hands on with their cars. The savings in $ is not usually the primary reason for engaging the work because often any savings are offset by the extra time spent on the repair. However, not only do you get to appreciate (or criticize) the design/engineering of your vehicle, you have the satisfaction of knowing the job was done right. I don't know any diy who doesn't think he/she can do the job better than the dealer's tech or local indie. There's a vested interest (ownership) that motivates them to spend whatever time it takes to do it right. In most instances, this motivation is what separates the diy from the typical service shop tech. Here's a description of "flat rates" from AA1 that offers a perspective on some issues owners have with service shops: "The labor your are charged on your repair bill is usually based on a standard "flat rate" estimate. Repair jobs are classified by year, make and model, and the times can vary a great deal from one vehicle to another. The labor time required to perform a certain task will vary depending on how much other stuff has to be removed to get at the part, the average degree of difficulty of the job, whether any special tools are procedures are required, the age of the vehicle and so on. Changing a starter on one car might be a relatively simple task if the starter is easily accessible, but on another vehicle you might have to remove part of the exhaust system or loosen a motor mount and raise the engine to replace the starter. All of this is supposedly taken into account when a vehicle manufacturer or aftermarket manual publisher comes up with flat rate tables for various repair jobs on various vehicles. The flat rate information is published in printed or electronic format, and is then used by car dealers and repair shops to prepare repair estimates. Sometimes a shop will add extra time to an estimate depending on the vehicle's condition, or from previous experience if they feel the published flat rate does not allow enough time to complete the job. But here's how many motorists often get screwed. If the actual time it takes to repair your vehicle is LESS than the estimated flat rate time, you still pay the flat rate. Why? Because life isn't fair. The shop makes additional profit on the job, and the technician who does the work often receives a bonus for beating the flat rate (a good technician can almost always beat most flat rate times). What's worse, if the actual time it takes to fix your car is MORE than the flat rate, you get billed for the extra time! Ideally, you should only pay for the ACTUAL time it takes to fix your car and not one minute more or less. But that's not the system most dealerships or repair shops use for obvious reasons. Many shops also have a separate DIAGNOSTIC fee. This covers the time it takes to connect a scan tool to your vehicle and read out any fault codes that may be in the vehicle's computer. The diagnostic charge typically ranges from $75 to $100 or more. The cost of the parts to fix your vehicle will depend on where the repair facility buys their parts, and how much they mark them up. As a consumer, you usually pay the FULL RETAIL PRICE when you have a repair facility install the parts for you. They typical markup is 30 to 40%, though it may be less on some parts depending on the discount the shop gets from their supplier or distributor. Yes, you could save some money here by shopping around and buying the parts yourself -- BUT most shops will NOT install parts that they do not purchase directly. It's like taking a bag of groceries into a four star restaurant and asking the chef to use your groceries to prepare your meal. Most shops have brand preferences and will only install parts they know are from quality suppliers. That cheap alternator from China may cost $50 less than the brand name OEM alternator, but it probably lacks the durability of the OEM unit. As a rule, aftermarket parts are usually less expensive than OEM parts. But the quality may not be the same, so stick with brand name aftermarket parts." Addendum If any of you are latent gearheads, I'd recommend getting to know some mechanics at your dealer/indie. Better still, go to an F1 race, and try to talk up some of the pit crew (obviously not on race day). Amazing insight into how things work and the many misconeptions people have about their cars.

lol I don't know how anyone could buy a car online without first having driven the model locally to eliminate surprises like mike's?

I agree with Landar. There's nothing wrong with your system. I think they're designed to function as they do because most people drive their cars in the winter wearing their coats, scarves and gloves for the duration of their trip. Unless it's a long one. Once the cabin warms up to the specified temp, the dash vents cool down a few degrees in comparison to the floor vents to prevent the driver & pass from overheating. The feet get warmer air because the footwell area gets cooler quicker and you have to keep them tootsies frostfree so you can feel the pedals. In the summer the reverse happens. Hot air rises, and add the sun shinning through the windows, so the dash vents blow a bit cooler. I believe the owners manual explains some of this. There are any number of options available to come up with a combination that works for you. Just play with the controls for a bit.

My MO; If something's worth doing, it's worth doing right! $500 doesn't cut it. You won't like to hear this but, leave the dings and let'er peel. In the meantime save up yer money n doit right! It's not long after that initial satisfaction of having spent so little on the job that the sinking realization settles in ... you really only get what you pay for. Cheap gets cheap and only you can set your own standard.

So if anyone ever has this issue, here is how to fix it. Get a torch (I used propane) and heat the caliper mounting bracket (torque plate) and then take a chisel and hammer and beat the thing out. I tried invane for hours to get it to move. I could turn it with a rachet, but it wouldn't come out; whether I was turning it or hitting it with a chisel and a hammer. I went and bought a torch and heated it for several minutes and took my hammer and chisel back to it. After only 3 hits it popped out. Michael So much for easy peasy, lol. Any pics? Too bad you didn't get any help on this one. Though the weekend is the best time to work on the car for most of us, it's also the worst time for help from forums or getting parts that you forgot to buy or break in the process. Good that you worked it out!

And all this time I thought you were "making it up"? ;) Thanks for the link! Yeah, he is not all that smart....................... but he knows where to look, that must count for something.... US weaklings look up to you.... Hey, this info has been posted many times before. You guys just aren't paying attention. :chairshot: Don't know about smart, but from what I can see, 1990's the hardest working member here. It's like he has a sensor on his computer notifying him when there's someone is in trouble!. He must have a team helping him. Maybe the LOC response unit (LOCRU). lol I think the club is lucky to have 1990 as a member.