Jump to content


smooth1

Members
  • Posts

    5,047
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    6

Everything posted by smooth1

  1. I don't have a picture. But it's in the headlight assembly, underneath. You have to remove the headlight, turn it upside down and remove the 4 screws you see there. Then the whole bottom plate comes off and the ballast rests inside there. You might think it looks like a battery pack in a galvanized steel little box with wires coming out. That's the ballast.
  2. Get Eibach. I would get Tenabe's if your going with coilovers, but if your just going to get lower springs, then get Eibachs.
  3. I do the same in that I have an 08 IS350, and the 11 Grand Cherokee. My life dictates the size of the Grand Cherokee right now, Jeep made it a pleasure to need it though. So the wife gets IS350 driving privelages for now and the VW sits there most of the time. LOL!!
  4. Lexus/Toyota are in some "retooling" modes. The pendulum swings. I think we'll have to see as the new line up takes shape and what Lexus does with it. But, to give it to Jaguar? I'd have to see what all the parameters were to fit into this category of "Best Luxury Sedan" because slot of other cars come to mind. The Mercedes S class is way beyond these 3 cars. And I would also put the BMW 7, and the new 2012 Infinity M is ranked very high as well. And then there's this: http://evanhutchinson.hubpages.com/hub/Citroen-DS9 I'm in love....................
  5. Then it could be a fuel pump. You might want to check that. It's in the gas tank. Theres an access panel after you remove the rear seats. I'd check for good pressure there. If you can't that, then I would tkae it in and have a diagnostic done. They can hook into the ODB plug, run the car, and see what's going on to cause it to die. Might be worth the hundred bucks to save a bunch of time doing it this way.
  6. They don't mow, edge or rake though right? Just fertilize and bugs?
  7. I use a lawn care service. Over the years I found a nice family operated business that fertilizes, manages weeds and sprays for insects, mows the yard as it's needed, weed whacks, edges, blows, and maintains the sprinkler system. I pay them $75.00 a month in the summer and $50.00 in the winter. With Carl as my "lawn guy", and under his advise, we switched my front lawn to a new Zoisha? hybrid he loves. And I have to say, it's really nice grass. Stays green and has a nice soft carpet. He really knows what he's doing, and I let him do it.
  8. It's funny, I almost think that some of these car manufacturers, and more so the Japanese and American car makers to be so worried about what each other are doing and trying to match each other or one up each other that they completely lose focus on the evolution of their design rather than these radical departures and the result is that they alienate many who have come to identify with the design. I just know they're going to screw up the IS when that redesign comes out. The ISF was already at the limit of bulges and flares it could have. And if they make it look like a small ES, which would in turn look like a small Hyundai/Kia anything, will be very dissappointing indeed. I'll reserve my final opinion on the ES when I see one in front of me. Pictures can "add 10 lbs." some times. But SW, when I shook my head my chin hit my desk and the top of my head hit the back of the chair in agreement when you said the profile looks like a Sonata. What are they thinking?
  9. Why can you tell it's electrical? Have you checked the MAF and IAT? along with the vacuum hoses?
  10. These vehicles have a "learning" mode that establishes some settings over time based on the drivers habits. You may need to "reset the ECU" so it will go back into the learning modes with you as the new driver. There is a seperate proceedure for clearing out the transmission memory as well. I agree with lenore in that you don't have to replace the fuel filter unless you have particulate contamination in your fuel tank like chunks of rust or dirt and so on. You may want to look before wasting time and money. If the vehicle specifies 93 octane, you might want to reconsider going to 89. That's more of a jump than lenore going to 91. Understand that the octane ratings are not "quality" ratings. They are a measure of resistance to ignition. 89 octane has less resistance to being ignited than 93 octane. Because of this, as the fuel is entering the cylinder, you will be more prone to pre-ignition, or spark knock than if you were to use 93. Which will mean less horsepower, (fuel is igniting before piston reaches top dead center), and rougher idles and lower mpg's. All that can add up to more money than if you were to just use the right octane. Can you get away with a lower octane? Probably. Will it damage your engine? Possibly. Given the used status of your purchase, the mileage and year, missing some maintenance, I would just stay with 93 for at least the first year of ownership. Get to know your new vehicle first. Then if you put in 89 and the change ok with you, then you at least know what's going on. But I'm puzzled at the fact that the fuel filter and maintenance history bother you, yet chincing out on the fuel is ok ?
  11. Don't disconnect the battery and clear the ECU yet. Get a scan done first and write down the codes it stored. Then find out what those codes relate to. You may determine there are some repairs to make first. Then reset the ECU by disconnecting the battery for about 5 or 10 minutes if you want and see if the same codes come back. If they do, then you have an issue to resolve.
  12. Sorry to hear about your loss. How are your parents taking it now that they are back? Everyone ok?
  13. I drove a Lincoln MKS, and just kept laughing as I kept replaying thier commercial in my head and repeating, This is the same price as a BMW, Audi, Lexus, Infinity? They're crazy AND they must think we are all stupid! I like the new GS because I think it has the size and wheelbase for the heavier sculpted air damn and grill. I think the new tail lights, along with the entire rear end is a huge improvement over the departing safe bland styled tail section. I do also like how the GS has the LS "feel" to the profile also. And the Lexus gauges are just really nice and have been for awhile now. It's only a matter of time before we get the full digital gauge package the LFA has. On the other hand though, I hate the new RX styling! And I see that design in other mfgrs. SUV's as well, like the new Mercedes ML has the same "feel" to it's styling as well. Although I think the MB ML is a little better looking than the RX is. Which is why I voiced my concern on the IS updates coming. If they make it more like the new LFA and the new Toyota FT 86 that is coming and the new Supra, I'm in.
  14. Didn't you take the Ram on a trip a little while ago? What was your MPG's for that? I just remember being surprised you were getting that much, like 24 or so was it? I'd take the Ram anyway though. There's nothing like having your own car with you on the road. especially for such a long trip. It's been reliable and cared for by you, so you already have that settled.
  15. Suspension sag comes from worn out bushings and bearings between all the connections of each part. I would do that first, then do a camber adjustment.
  16. Right, as I said, BMW is making the 3 much nicer now than before, and while the price has gone up a little, it's still a $50k-$60 car, where as the IS 350 is a $30K-$40K car, and used to be faster than one until just recently the BMW 3 is a tick or two faster, and it's a bit bigger, and the interior has improved tons. But the new 5 series is way nice now! I really like the new 5. I wouldn't buy one, but I think it blows the old model away in terms of styling and performance. So the IS350 is still a very good value, but I think the new updates are coming very soon. After looking at the new GS, I'm a bit concerned. We'll see how they intergrate this new LFA style into the IS line up. I hope they don't fugly it up....
  17. Which was why I couldn't even consider a BMW 3 series when I decided to get a "nice" car after looking at the IS350. The IS350 is more than you can use on legal streets, and comes loaded with all the toys as well. I think I got mine for under $39K. A comparable BMW at the time was $52k. And truth be told, I haven't regretted getting the IS350 in the least. I have almost 55k miles on it, and it's been a great problem free car. But, on the other hand, for $50k+ cars, BMW isn't a bad car today. I think the 2011/12 BMW 3 series is a superior car to the Lexus IS series now. Not so much so back in 2005-2008. So rather than drop the price of the BMW 3, they made it better for the same $50k+ IMHO. The only trouble I run into is if I'm going to spend $60k+ on a car, then I'm gettin a Nissan GTR. Sorry, if you want a real car and your attracted to the BMW 3 series for it's performance, then get the GTR. If your getting one for the snob factor, then your getting a cheaper one, or an Audi. I've never understood their option packages and pricing. They almost present it like it's ala cart, but it's not, so you bundle a bunch of useless stuff to get the real options you want, and they make you pay alot for the ones you don't want and even more for the few you do want. And modding BMW's is crazy money, so you better get it the way you want. Or else you suffer with out. I don't want to drive one just to be driving one, I want all the toys that make driving them fun and posh!
  18. You don't have a toe out or in problem. That causes your tread to "feather". Feathering is where the tread develops a ridge on a corner of the grooves, and you can usually see an angle pattern to it. What you have is a camber issue, or a suspension sag issue. You can correct the tire wear by decreasing your camber setting, but remember that this will effect the overall stability of the car. Stability being the cars tendancy to stay on track. Another words the car will drift to the left and right alot at higher speeds. Also, you will lose some grip on cornering, and more understeer will result.
  19. Yeah NC! Nice choice. The Volvo XC is a great family mover SUV. AWD is the key. Very nice looking interior too. And to be honest, it's much better than a Buick.
  20. You gotta sell her on a Subaru man.....You know it's the right thing to do. The new ones are even looking nice!
  21. Welcome Paul. The badge, handcuffs, taser and gun should be showing up in the mail soon.
×
×
  • Create New...

Forums


News


Membership