silvercorvette

Thanks!! I live in Port Jeff!! I have had about the worst day of my life!! LOL I quit smoking today, and my 2 week old lexus got hit in the bumper!!! Its not that bad...just a little paint damage on the bumper and the red lens is cracked. Do you know of any REALLY good body shops in the area??? And, for the person looking for the dealer in arizona....just goto ebay and search rx400 xm and it comes up. I haven't had any accidents that required any major body work, but 8 or 10 years ago a friend moved my Mercedes out of the drive way so they could get the car out and the bumped a tree hard enough to put a small dent in it. I used Shuberts on Main street in Smithtown and was very pleased with the results. http://www.yellowbook.com/Listings/INT/418...p;CS=2&AN=0

I got my RX400H from Walter Maron at Smithtown Lexus. I assume you live close to Smithtown, if so let me know if I can help you with anything. Let me know if you need my phone #.

I am basing my opinion on over 3,000 miles of driving with both my old obsolete Garmin 2610 and the Lexus NAV ver 6.1 in my 2007 RX400H. I drove with both turned on in trips from NY to TX. I had the Garmin sitting on the dash while I had the Lexus NAV turned on. The Garnim plotted better / shorted routes, and the Garmin found a detour route a few times when I was stuck in traffic due to construction but the Lexus NAV couldn't calculate a alternate route. I will be getting a new Garmin SP 7500 in a few days and if it works as well as my old obsolete Garmin 2610 I will be very happy

Thanks for the primer on Dead Reckoning with a GPS system. This feature is quite valuable and contributes greatly to Information Assurance coming from the NAV screen. It gives the driver the best possible information on position above and beyond the GPS alone. Comparing the Garmin and the Lexus however is not apples and apples since the Lexus D/R system uses more than just speed to calculate position. It also used steering input. This helps in the case where you are driving in downtown among tall buildings and making turns. The Garmin would have you going in a strait line from your last known position and the distance would be a function of your speed and time elapsed. That said, I've experienced D/R with the Lexus and its steering input and at least for freeway exits it does not work very well. That is probably because the steering inputs are small but can result in large changes in heading. I basically got the Garmin equivalent D/R which had me continuing along the freeway even tho I had made a 45 deg change in heading. It probably works better in downtown city streets where turns are more obvious and speed change can be better correlated with turning inputs to figure out where the car is going. My few times in that situation have never left me unsure of my position and there is a great possibility that I was out of contact with the SAT GPS signal. The Garmin does not rely solely on the speed sensor alone to calculate position. The Garmin also has a internal electronic gyroscope to calculate turn angles I have to confess that I am not entirely sure how the Lexus NAV system works but I suspect that it may also adjust it's directional settings from a gyroscope using the same method as Garmin. From what I know of the Garmin system it gets its (when using D/R) information using a combination of Speed input from the speed sensor and turn information from the electronic gyroscope. So when you are using D/R the GPS system is using a combination of speed input from the speed sensor and changes in direction from the gyroscope. I have been using my Garmin 2610 for a few years and have driven with it from Key West to Springfield Massachusetts, and from LI NY to Dallas and Houston Texas and have never had it not respond to a turn (when it was receiving a signal, the 2610 does not have D/R). It has positioned me off the road but that was because the map was out dated and there was new road construction. I have driven from LI to TX a few times and have never had the problem you described with being plotted off the road. Could it be possible that the GPS was correct and there was new road construction and the new road or exit is now in a slightly different location than the old road?

And if you need D/R while driving through the Holland tunnel then you really are in TROUBLE. I assumed that went you made your statement you didn't know what dead reckoning was and I did my best to explain it but now I realize you do know what D/R is but you still continue to pick apart my posts. I don't know if you are being purposely being argumentative or if for some reason I am not getting through to you. You made a statement about being in trouble if I need D/R in the Holland tunnel when I clearly stated that I was using the Holland tunnel to illustrate a point and I will quote myself on this "This isn't a good example of the benefits of D/R but Here is something I noticed going through the Holland tunnel in Manhattan.........this is a poor example because you don't make any turns in a tunnel and there is only one place where you will exit " . So if f I clearly stated the I was using the Holland tunnel as a poor example why are you making a big deal of the fact you don't need it in the tunnel? The Holland Tunnel wasn't a good example but I was using it to illustrate how D/R is able to keep track of where you are even though you have no signal, it was the best I could think of at the time. It was a bad example because as I stated before you can't make any turns in a tunnel, but it was also a good example because it illustrated that even in extreme conditions it can keep track of your location. After I made the post I thought of a better example, I live on Long Island 40 miles east of Brooklyn but there I times when it is necessary to drive through Brooklyn I never stated that D/R is essential to have with your GPS system. Obviously if you live "in the quite beautiful Pacific NW" you won't be subject to the same satellite reception conditions that I do living in Long Island. There are areas in Brooklyn (Long Island) where you can drive for long distances under an elevated subway (oxymoron) and not receive a GPS signal for miles. And if you happen to be in an area where most of the streets signs are missing having D/R can greatly enhance the functionality of your GPS system. You brought flying into the discussion of driving with GPS. In many cases knowing your position while driving is more important. If I miss a street by a few feet while driving in Brooklyn because my signal is blocked by an elevated subway it may be quite difficult to get back on track because I may encounter some one way streets, streets blocked by construction, and trucks making deliveries that are blocking the road. If I I am off by a few feet while driving in Brooklyn it is a big deal missing a turn and trying to get back on track. But if you miss a turn by a few hundred feet in the air all you need to do is adjust your heading by a few degrees.. So although D/R may not be useful to a person living the quite beautiful Pacific NW this country extends far beyond the quite beautiful Pacific NW and people that drive in areas with tall buildings welcome the additional tool that D/R adds to our GPS systems to functionality

That is no true,. but it is what I thought when I first got the car. I all depends on how light your foot touches the pedal. Someone else mentioned they were able to run on battery only at 55 MPH. I didn't think it could be done until I learned how to do it myself and now under proper conditions I can get he car to run on battery only at 55. All you need to do is get the car up over 55 then just back off on the pedal and let the car slow down. It only works if you are on a flat road or a slight downgrade. I doubt if it saves much gas but it is kind of fun to do, sort of like a personal challenge, and also simple things amuse me. I have also played a little game after filling up the car. I see if I can drive the 2.5 miles from the gas station to my house with out the engine coming on. I have only successfully done it a couple times because when I get another car behind me I speed up out of courtesy to the driver. But even when the engine does come on during the 2.5 mile drive back to my house I still wind up getting 99.9 MPH on the car computer. That number quickly drops down into the 20's when I start the car up the next morning. I just did a fill up yesterday and put on 35 miles after filling up. I always set the reset on the computer after every fill up and so far my computer reads 29 MPG. Someone said that the computer is overly optimistic and if you do a real pencil and paper calculation he true number is 1 to 1.5 MPG less than the computer read out. Some people complain you have to drive like an old Grannie to get good mileage but I just consider it smart driving. I normally get above average mileage on every make car I have ever owned. Heck before I got into this whole hybrid thing I have been playing a personal challenge game with myself for decades. I like to see how well I can drive ahead and time it so that I don't have to stop for a traffic light. It is just a silly game I play but it develops good driving habits that will save you on gas. It is all a matter of thinking ahead and observing conditions ahead of you and adjusting to them. Not only does it save on gas and brakes it also makes you a safer driver. By driving ahead and reacting to conditions 1/4 to 1/2 mile ahead of you are not only saving gas, you are also giving your self more time to react to conditions down the road and are able to avoid an accident before it can happen. I am not the first or fastest car to take off from a traffic light but I also don't have a long line of cars behind me tooting their horns either. Learn to drive with a light ouch on the pedal and you will discover that is isn't that hard to drive on battery only and you will also be able to increase your MPG. By the way, sometimes you save money by getting less MPG. If I am driving over 1,700 miles from NY to TX I may loose a few MPGs by driving 70 to 75 instead of 55, but if I get there a day sooner the money I save on an extra night in a motel and eating one less day in a restaurant more than makes of for the loss in MPG

Wow at a price like that I'll buy myself two. I am sorry that I don't have a real answer to your question but I couldn't resist the Joke. On a more serious note isn't 25 MPG considered to be pretty good on a car that big and heavy. I wouldn't be interested in one but I think that 25 MPG is pretty impressive for a car that heavy.

One other thing, you are confused about what a GPS does. The SAT receiver locates your position and uses the SAT signals to get a fix on where you are. But as far as finding a route, that is dependent on the software algorithms. The software finds you at point "A" and then locates point "B" and then figures out the best way to get there. Some programs work better than others. On my last trip from TX to NY I had my old Garmin on the dash while I turned on the Lexus NAV. The Garmin was able to figure out a shorter route. Getting back to D/R, once the GPS figures out where you are it will keep you on track as long as it continues to recieve a SAT signal, but what happens if you lose the signal for a long period of time? I have gotten into situations where the SAT signal was lost due to a lot of trees but hat normally isn't a big problem. When you lose the SAT signal in a city with tall building it can be a big problem That is why it is good to have the D/R because it will keep fixed on your position even if it has no signal. In my opinion the most important place to have D/R is if you are in a city with tall buildings and are likely to lose the signal. There is a good chance you can miss and important turn if you lose the signal and don't have D/R. I have been in situations where vandals tore the street sign down and I came to an intersection with no indication of what the cross street was. With D/R it will identify the name of the street even if you ave lost the Sat signal. I hope that explains why you need D/R and why it needs to be hooked up to a speed sensor. EDIT This isn't a good example of the benefits of D/R but Here is something I noticed going through the Holland tunnel in Manhattan. When I entered the tunnel the old Garmin I had without D/R lost my position while I was in the tunnel and when I got out of the tunnel it took a few seconds to find itself after it locked into the SATs. But The Lexus with D/R knew exactly where I was in the tunnel at all times using the D/R. I course this is a poor example because you don't make any turns in a tunnel and there is only one place where you will exit. But as I said before what happens if you loose your SAT reception and you are coming to a turn. If you don't have D/R the odds are you will miss the turn, and things are even worst if you are in NY city where most of the street signs are missing.

OK I found a few sites that explain what D/R = Dead reckoning is and why it is good to have a GPS with D/R (By the way the Lexus Nav has D/R built into it). Here is a short explanation of what D/D is dead-reckoning capabilities, so you'll continue to get navigation guidance even when GPS signals are obscured. To use this feature, a special dead-reckoning cable must be connected to your vehicle's speedometer and backup lights by an authorized Garmin installer. Once installed, your StreetPilot will acknowledge your turns as well as your distance traveled when GPS reception is unavailable. Driving with dead reckoning is so seamless you won't even know if you happen to have lost GPS reception. ************************************************************************************* The D/R not only utilizes a speed sensor it also has a solid state gyro built in to it so it knows when you make a turn when your satellite signal is blocked. This site gives a very detailed explanation of what D/R is and how it works. I has more info than you would ever want to know but it is very interesting if you are kind of geeky like I am http://www.gpsworld.com/gpsworld/article/a...70&pageID=1

Apparently you don't know what dead reckoning is. You need to be connected to the speed sensor to have D/R work. I type very slowly so rather than explain dead reckoning I'll see if I can copy and paste instead of typing an explanation

It is a lease so I have to return it with everything that it came with. But Even if I didn't have to, I still like the other features that you need the NAV screen to access. I guess simple things amuse me because I enjoy looking at the car display that has the power consumption record for the past 30 minutes, and the hybrid battery charge display that changes colors. So even though I had to buy and after market GPS I am still happy with the NAV option, By the way the rear view camera can be hooked up to the Garmin but I like having in the NAV display the3 rear view. The Garmin also has a feature that I like, it displays traffic tie-ups. You can do it if you install the XM radio in the Lexus but I tried SAT radio and didn't like it and the XM set is a lot more expensive. The Garmin has a XM radio built in so you can get traffic reports but you must pay for the XM and add on the traffic report for an extra fee. But with the Garmin you can buy an antenna that will change the colors of the roads to represent the traffic flow. You get 15 months free when you buy the antenna for the Garmin and after that it is $60 a year (a lot less than the XM radio traffic fee)

Thank you very much, I don't mean to put down the Lexus, as a matter of fact I have owned more cars than I can count and the RX400H is one of my top five. I don't regret getting the Lexus NAV because it part of a multi feature (Camera, calender, etc) package. But I have made a few trips including one from TX to NY with a Garmin 2610 on the dash board and the Lexus NAV turned on and the Garmin preformed better. But the maps on the Garmin were outdated so instead of upgrading the maps I bought a new GPS system. Now that I have the DRL turned off and I will soon have my new NAV in it I feel the the RX400H is as close to perfect as you can get.

I am not happy with the Lexus NAV and decided to buy and aftermarket dash unit. It is a Garmin SP 7500 with dead reckoning. I don't think there will be many situations where I will need the dead reckoning but I would like to install it because it was included with the Garmin. I assume that since I am not trying to disconnect the speed sensor it will be easier because I should be able to tap into the wire at any convenient point. Is there someplace under the hood or maybe under the dash by a fuse panel where I can use a wire tap? A tap and squeeze connector like this http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.js...rentPage=family should make it easy to install I just need to know what the easiest place is to tap into the wire.

I don't think so, they were used to make you car look cool, A few lights in the grill, fuzzy dice on the mirror, and flames pained on the hood and side, what more could a person want?

If you are against DRL you may want to let your feelings be known. I went to this site and voiced my opinion. http://www.lightsout.org/join.html This is what I wrote I have owned a few cars with DRL and the first thing I do when I get the car is to go to a car forum to learn how to disable the DRL on that make car. I have disabled the DRL on every car I have ever owned or leased

Yes it contains everything including the operating sysem. If you upgrade from 5.1 to 6.1 you will gain POI and new roads but also loose the ability to enter info while the car is moving

How do you get to the Jeep oil filter, I have a lift in my garage and I still have a hard time getting to the Jeep filter. Do you have the GC with a V8 engine?

The location of the switch is off in the picture, The switch is right above the slot where the DVD goes in. Maybe they use a diffrent player in the 07. The diffrence is very slight and it is close enough to be able to locate the switch from the drawing.

I got fed up with the Lexus NAV unit and decided to buy a Garmin street pilot 7500 which includes an MP3 player. I like to listen to old radio shows on long trips and have bought old radio shows on DVD and tape. Listening to stories from old radios shows really makes the time pass quickly on a long trip. Here is some info on the Garmin https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=134&pID=289 I paid $956.72 for it with free shipping and no tax http://www.nextwarehouse.com/item/?231164 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& There happens to be a few places on line where I can listen to the shows on line for free but it would be nice to download the shows from this site http://www.otr.net/ and somehow load them into the Garmin so I can listen to the old shows and not have to pay a fortune to buy the tapes and CDs. Can someone go to this site http://www.otr.net/ and tell me how to download the shows and put them into the Garmin MP3 player. I assume that all MP3 players load material the same way The is another site with old radio show downloads but you have to pay a membership fee. I just ordered the Garmin a few hours ago the instructions may tell me everything I need to know when I get it delivered but I am planning ahead in case I can start down loading now and have the stuff read to transfer when the Garmin arrives. I am planning to drive to TX near the end of the month.

Wow they cost a lot less here than in Japan you have to be a multi-millionaire to buy one in Japan, they cost 15 million over in Japan PS Before anyone corrects me about the millionaire statement it was a joke

What do you home mechanics do for proof the oil was changed? I put the old filter in a zip lock baggie and put the old filter in the box the new one came in. I write the date and miles on the outside of the box and save it.

I have never used one because getting into a hot car doesn't bother me, but I was wondering if you were aware that if you hold down the open button of the key all the windows and the sunroof will open to allow the heat to escape? Have you tried this, you may find that it works so well you don't need a sunshade

I got the DRL turned off and i think I wasted enough time on the NAV system. On my last trip from TX to NY I had a Garmin GPS on the dash board and used both the Lexus NAV and he Garmin GPS. I think from now on I will just keep the Garmin stowed in the back and put it on the dash when I take long trips. I think that there comes a point in time to realize that it isn't worth spending more time trying to get the NAV to work. It really is a minor issue, I really love this car but it is more a matter of principle. I just am annoyed that Lexus has made a decision as to what they will allow me to do. The most annoying thing is that they make me push the agree button every time I start the car and then they Lock out the NAV. The agree screen seems pointless if they block out the NAV. Maybe if enough people complain they may change their mind. They may have won the war but they probably lost the battle by encouraging me to get a different brand when my lease is up

It won't come out unless the key is turned on. There is a very small slide switch in the upper left corner which is hard to see. You may need a flash light to see it. All you need to do is slide the switch (I forget if it is to the left or right) to the oppisite side and the DVD will come out.

you are one of many. A lot of people dont want to give Lexus 100+ dollars to do something so simple. I still go there cause i dont know how...lol...and dont care to learn any time soon. seems so icky. :P I have a lift mainly to increase storage space in my garage but a side benefit is being able to do my own oil changes. I am going to be moving soon and it doesn't pay to bring the lift with me but if anyone wants a free lift and you live near exit 58 on long island you can have it for free if you can get it out