smooth1

Wausau, WI here.

i responded in your other thread Please don't post the same topics in multiple forums. It confuses everyone and makes it so they cannot follow the discussion as well.

!!! ROTFLMAO!! You see? Only a person with MCPS could appreciate a 1985 anything! My wife and other family members would be like "1985?" But you and I know that in 1985, the MB SEL 500 is actually a pretty rare car, and if my memory serves correctly, I'm pretty sure the SEL was the first car with an air bag no? Although I'm not sure if it was 84 or 85 that actually was the first year also. And that 1985 was also the last year for that model. And the differences are that the SEL 600 was made in 1991 to battle the Lexus LS with a 6.0 liter V12 monster. Very nice rides! So, now the road to recovery can begin...... ;)

Yeah, it's the RE050's that I think everyone hates. The all season tires seem to work better then the summer only version for what ever reason. But honestly I just haven't been a fan as of late for Bridgestone's in general. There's so many good tires out there right now that cost much less, unless your just brand loyal, I can't justifyably reason buying Bridgestone anything right now. The Goodyear Asymetrics and Michelin Pilot Sports are both a better line, and now I see other names coming into the forefront with better compound technology such as Dunlop and General, not to mention a few others. Bridgestone sort of used the Silica compound to move them to the front of the pack, but that's old tech now and most all tire mfgrs. are using that also.

What Bridgestones do you have?

OEM :)

That is NOT the "only" way. What are you suggesting? I'm interested in hearing what you have to say. Why don't you just get a dummy seat belt clasp a leave it socked in to home? You can also disconnect your tail lights for all of us that hate those flashing red lights everywhere too please. Thanks.

Are you really sure the trunk light goes out when you close the lid? I mean are you really really sure? And how about the fact that when you buy a new car you have to find the switch and set it so the light comes on because when the car is shipped as is the light never comes on even when you open the trunk lid. Then you have to go on a car forum and make a thread that you have a defective trunk light that doesn't come on, only to find out that in the owners manual there it a little part that tells you how to set the light switch? Shouldn't someone already set that switch or at least show you how to do it before you drive away in your brand new excellent Lexus? But then I can't treat my car like certian people who get married knowing how their partner is and what they do, and then !Removed! about it for a years after all the while trying to change it, OR rushing into a marriage and then discovering all the BS afterwards and then blaming them for being the way they are. And yeah, the light definately goes out. I put a video camera in the trunk, closed the lid, then waited a few minutes and then re opened the trunk and played the video back. The light Definately goes out.

Here try this, take 3 different GPS units like a Nuvi, a Garmin and some other one. Do 25 mph and see if any of them are correct or match, including your speedo, then do 60 and look again. GPS measures your speed by calculating distance traveled since the last time the signal was recieved. So in some cases your actually getting an "average" speed over the last xxx feet or whatever distance unit it measures in. GPS does get more accurate at higher speeds though. You also have to take into consideration how many corrolators and correction programs are used in each unit. And also the quality of the signal to and from the satilite. Most all states have a 5% "grey"area just for this issue. As tires wear down they get smaller which changes the accuracy of your cars speedo, but it would be in your favor as your speedo would read faster than you are actually going.

You know what I hate? I hate those dang fire alarms that keep going even after you know theres a fire. Why? I think it should just go off for 5 seconds then shut itself off. How long does an alarm have to go for? In fact all alarms! You know that annoying little light that comes on your dash to tell you your almost out of fuel? Or the door is open light? That should only come on for 5 seconds. If I don't see it then it should be my own fault. You know, now that I'm thinking about it. Maybe we should just do away with all warning devices and alarms altogether. For those few who choose to just ignore all the warnings and alarms I can easily see why you would be so annoyed. Of course the stove is hot, I just turned it off! Why do I need an warning light for that? Red lights flashing all the time, alarms going off every where you go, things beeping and ringing, so annoying! Especially the red lights with sirens that the police, and emergency vehicles use. Those are the worst! I just can't see driving the next few years with all these red lights and flashing warnings everywhere. Does anyone know how to keep the trunk light on? I hate the fact that the light goes out when you close the trunk. I find it so annoying that I have to wait almost a full half a second for the light to come on. Heck, the trunk lid is almost halfway open by the time the light comes on!

So how bad is the gas mileage your referring to? Did you pull the 02 sensors and check those also? What about your fuel injectors? Do you have any codes or a cel?

How do you like those tires regarding handling? My concern is that they have a softer sidewall and give a softer feel as well as add more sway to the car. The dunlops I have on now give good response on handling. Thanks! While I understand your looking at the numbers on the charts and graphs they put out on how X brand compares to Y brand, but I wouldn't put any stock into that over a direct review. Bartkat has had those tires on his car for a couple years now. If anyone knows exactly how they handle, feel, and wear it's him.

NC, you just have to admit what you are, then plan ahead to accomidate your arrival. :) The problem I see here is that you my friend have not been honest with yourself. And in so doing, you have denied yourself the ability to embrace who you really are. You, like me and so many others, have multiple car personality syndrome. Don't be overly alarmed,MCPS has a cure. I know what a surprise this may come as. The torments you feel as you drive along looking at other cars. Most normal people could care less. But not you and I. No brother. At the light we actually count how many Lexus /Toyotas there are and quitely note the ratio to other cars in the intersection. We notice "Brembo" on cars right away, and an oversize exhaust peeking out the back of a car ahead of us makes us want to look closer. Badges like M, F, S, AMG, we "feel" what those are. The answer NC could very well be in your near future. You just need to be honest with yourself and plan accordingly. You will need your next house to be able to accomidate 3 cars. Pay off the Lexus, then find a nice weekend toy/ project car to ADD to your house hold. Not replace. "It would also be very educational for the children, honey." For added value in such a wonderful idea. lol!!!! My dad owned a garage all my life. We've owned race cars and trucks and several cars at one time, almost all the time. Right now at the house in the garage I have the 08 Lexus IS350, a 2009 ML350, and a 2000 Volvo S40. At the shop I have a 1998 Chevy cargo maxi van, a 1998 Honda Accord (this car just runs forever and won't die so why sell it?), and a Ford F250 deisel 4x4. Then for the track we have 3 Ford Mustangs, and of course my dads pride and joy and whole reason for living other than his family, a 1968 Ford Mustang GT500. The year after the famed "Gone in 60 seconds" GT. I also still have that 2001 IS300 that's half disassembled and supposed to be my weekend toy car project that I just haven't had any time to get to in the past year or so. Of which I thinkI may have changed my mind on and I might get this 1972 Camaro. If I decide against the Camaro, then like you I wanted a BMW 3 series to play around with for awhile. BUt that's for later. I don't think you need a car collection,but I do think a nice weekend car/toy for you would be the ticket. I can't tell you how many times after a big stress loaded day I have found and been able to recenter my chai with a 2 hour getaway drive. And don't give me any crap about being able to afford it and all that. You don't flip burgers for a living.( No offense to the burger flippers of the world, we know you do it for the love and passion not the money.). Just pay off the Lexus then move on. It's taken quite a few years, but other than the 320.00 payment on the Benz, which I elected to have for the credit on my credit, you just plan ahead and add when the time is right. You have an upcoming possible opprotunity to move someplace you want to be after the Chicagoan tundra...........maybe an extra space in the garage for future therapy and sanctuary?

Have you heard of Flixx and Quixx? They come in a tube with a buffing wheel and package them as a scratch removing compound. I've used Quixx quite a bit and I've gotton some amazing results on plexi. Maybe it's worth the trip to thier website and shceck them out. Also go to Griot's Garage.com they have a glass polish also. I think you should start with that one. It's a very light polish that is used to get water spots and that really tuff road polution and some light scratches out. If that one isn't enouph then I would get the FLIXX paste. If that's still not enouph, then I would hand apply the powder stuff I have just on the scratch itself, just to try and knock the ridges down a bit. Then go back to the paste and try again. You should be able to get it to be almost not noticeable anyway.

How deep is the scratch?

Yep. It's like a powder that you mix with water and use a direct drive buffer to polish glass. You have to be carfeul though as you can also polish it to much and have a distorted area in the glass. I have some of it, but I do warn it is very aggressive. YOu might want to try Griot's glass polish first with a buffer. If that doesn't take it out, then I would try the stuff I have.

The IS 300 has camber adjustments in the front. You'll probably have to take it to Lexus or atleast a Toyota dealer to have them adjusted. Most tech shops won't or can't adjust the camber as they don't have the right tools. I had my IS300 lowered about an inch and a quarter to an inch and a half and I was just outside of factory spec with the camber dialed all the way in. I don't think you your going to need a camber kit. Kit's are more for being able to change the camber easily so you can be track ready. You shouldn't be having any rubbing or noises coming from the struts. Are you sure you have the right one on? If they are rubbing or they are misaligned, your going to considerable shorten the lifespan of the struts.

I think your pedal sensor is fine, but I would look at the postion sensor. It sounds and looks like a timing issue. Have you checked the timing? and the VVti?

No. It has to be done by the dealer. The key has to be registered to the ECU in order to activate and deactivate the security system.

All the specs of what I have done are in my "garage" here. Just click on: My Garage

Ok, I just found this cool little feature I thought I would share real quick. In the ML, say your driving along with the windows down and the sun roof open. Suddenly your struck with this god awful smell. You look around and realize your about to pass a water treatment plant, or a pig farm, or whatever. So you reach over to the ac recirculate button and press it for about 3 seconds. The button activates the ac and switches it to internal air only, closes all the windows and the sun roof. Once it's passed and you decide you want to return the open windows, you just press and hold the recirculate button again, it shuts off the ac and opens the windows and sun roof, returning them to thier previous position. Now that's pretty cool!

Hmm, if it's selling, then I would want the 12k. If it's buying then I would like to spend 10k better than 12k. If it's lighting, then I like 10k better than 12k also. But I think 8k is better for everyday use. If it's running, forget it, I don't wanna run 10k or 12k! And if it's gold, only 14k will do anyway. LOL!!

Usually when I pay attention it stays around 22-23mpg. But the past few tanks I have not been so "lead footed". I use Shell V-Power and have the factory Bridgestone tires. I do the math on my phone just about every tank. I divide the miles I drove which is usually about 280-290 miles on a tank by how much fuel just went in. I almost always come up with 19.

What about getting a good "deal" on a 4Runner or descent enouph "office transporter" that you know is reliable and a little later just getting a BMW as a weekend frolic machine? That way if it needs work or has some expensive parts that take a bit of saving up to get then it's no big deal. Also if the 4Runner goes to the shop for awhile it's always nice to have an extra car around. I know it's become a God send around my house. Having that 98 Nissan around came is sooooo handy more than a couple times.

Just think what your going to look like after 9 years in Chicago! I would give the GS a B+ considering! And I thought they had a 80's Cadillac factory just south of Rosemont. Maybe you should get one of those and step into some real class low maintenance vehicles...lol!! Atleast the parts are cheap. Maybe you should just have 2 4Runners? 1 really loaded and nice one, (for the wife of course), and the one you have.