smooth1

If I had to pick 1 of the 3, I would pick the Snetterton TSW's first, then the Konig's second. But only because I would have to see how the plasma edge work would look on the car first. What color is your car?

Yup. They don't fit. I've seen alot of this. The only real answer I've found are to use upper strut mount reinforcement rings. I put them on like washers to raise the towers for clearance.

In all my years of driving, I don't think this has ever come up for me as an issue. Heck, I thought the auto up feature for all the windows on the master control switch panel was a major step forward! LOL!!! So can I ask what scenario arises that would require the remote keyfob to auto up the windows? I only ask because I live in Florida. And sometimes I have to park my car in a parking lot under a very intense sun that can really create alot of heat inside the car. I've used the auto down feature once the car was in view to help release all that trapped hot air, so when I got in and started it, it wasn't like climbing into my own convection oven as the ac started. Once the car is started and the ac starts to blow cold air, I close the windows with the master panel as the remote is in my pocket anyway.

Yeah, see I wash my car once a week also. And I drive my car like I just don't care! I love late braking a hard turn and a quick down shift and smooth acceleration out. It's why I bought this car. And you can barely see any brake dust at all. And I have polished rims too! So they must have used the standard pad replacements and not the TSB referrenced brake pads.

You wash your car 4 times a week?

I don't see any harm in that. But remember then, you only have one coat of wax that will probably only last a couple of weeks at best. You would be better served to clay the car, then wash it with dish soap, then put on a coat of wax. It would last alot longer. I'm not a pro detailer though. If you are serious and want to learn how to protect your paint and make the car look awsome, then I suggest you ask some of our resident pro detailers. You would be surprised at what a difference it can make.

You can hear it. It sounds like the engine is grumbling.

You weren't misinformed as much as not completely informed. Dish detergent such as dawn removes wax and paint sealants. So if you just finished waxing your car, and a week later you wash it with dish detergent, then you just removed all the work you put on it last week. But if your intentions are to remove wax build up and get back to the paint so you can remove all the pollutants, trapped dirt, and acid rain, then it's actually a useful way to do it.

I have a black IS350. I highly reccomend Denase Acrylic glaze and paint sealant. Wash your car with Dawn dish detergent. Then clay the car. Then find a good polish and using a buffer, polsih the car, then put the acrylic glaze on, and then use the paint sealant over that. After you get all that done, (Plan to spend the enitre day on this), you can layer the acrylic glaze and sealant for long term protection. This is pretty much exactly what I do for my car and it looks great, no swirl marks, and no etching. Looks brand new, in fact, it looks better than new. It seriously looks wet just sitting there. I learned all this from a few people here on the LOC in the car detailing forum. It really is amazing how a few steps can dramatically alter the outcome.

If you don't want to remove the trim piece to fix it, I would start by using 1000 grit and just sand as small an area as you can but of course sanding the whole spot. Then tape off that spot real good and hit it with a few coats of clear. The unfortunate part is you'll really need to do it with automotive clear, and not the spray can type. Give it a few coats to build it up. Then pull the tape off and wet sand it down smooth with 2000 grit. But if your ok with pullin that trim piece off, then I would still sand that small area down, reclear the whole strip, and then reinstall it. OR the spot is on the trim piece right above the rear window? You could also just get a rear window spoiler, have it painted to match the car and put that on. Then I would just dab a bit of clear on that spot to keep moisture out first and put the spoiler on over it.

will do, thanks. I'm having the same problem... I'm thinking that it's my front wheels. But when I took it to the brake service at Meineke, they said it was the rear brake pads. I'm looking into getting the Hawk HPS http://www.autoanything.com/brakes/61A2731A0A0A2587745.aspx Anybody know if that's any good for an 02 is300? I prefer ceramic... Can I ask why you prefer ceramic? The best pads I've found to use with stock rotors are EBC greens. Plenty of stopping power, little to no brake dust, and hold up well over time.

I think it's more about the "my team" mentality. I love the Pittsburg Steelers. I've been a dedicated 35 year fan. So, I obviuosly hate the Dallas Cowboys and the Baltimore Ravens, (the real Cleveland Browns), and I hate the new Cleveland Browns even more for being a poser team. (LOL!) And it doesn't matter what team is the best team in the NFL because to me, it's always the Pittsburg Steelers, even if they didn't win.

It is a better real world option. Just get one with the premium package and nav. She'll be more than satisfied with the car. A few of my friends bought BMW 3's the same time I got my IS350, and since then 1 of them traded it in on a 350, and the other two can hardly wait to trade thiers in when it makes money sense for them.

If $500 bucks is your budget, then my expert opinion is to save your money and wait longer until you can afford to do it right. Spring kits are ok, but the draw backs are the amount of lowering they produce is what you get. And that's it. If you don't like the new results, to bad, so sad, it is what it is. And I have yet to see a lowering spring kit produce a nice even drop. Most kids do the springs because they really don't care as much. They just want it to look lower. But a good set of coilovers that have adjustable ride height and can adjust firm to soft, street ride focused, and can produce a very quiet ride, will be so very worth the extra dollars to you. I have Tenabe Pro Sustec 5 coilovers on my IS350 with the TEAS controller. So the suspension softens up when I drive slow, and stiffens the faster I go. You can taylor it to how you like front and rear, and man, the ride is just so tight and smooth. Frankly I don't see how anyone would want to go another way for street applications under $2,000.00.

Or just use a floor jack. But steviej's right on the money. They sell ramp extensions just for lowered cars to prevent this very issue.

You know, I've had to do a bit of self reflecting here recently. It's even funny when you think about it, but one of the problems with owning a 350 is this thing is so smooth, and quick, that everyone seems to be driving in slow motion. Coming off a red light with just 1/2 throttle produces a half a block of seperation between you and everyone else in nothing flat. So, when traffic gets heavier, it's hard to stay restrained and not run up on the cars in front of me. I've had to stop myself from becoming a bit over aggressive with some of my driving habits. So having a faster car in some ways is even more frustrating. I've owned some cars with 600+ hp, and believe me, sometimes it takes every ounce of my will not to drop the hammer coming around some jerk that decided he needed to change lanes right in front of you because they just seem to want to be in front, and then slow down 5 mph under the 45 mph current speed limit, which means most everyone else was doing 50-55, so traffic in the other lane is zipping by and your trapped!!! If only I could reach the back of thier head! I'd give it a good smack! LOL!!!

Probably just a load glitch with the Nav disc. Did you and the salesperson sit in the parking lot and hit a bunch of buttons and settings and menus options together first?

Which rims come stock on the C? Are they the Lobster Claw rims? I'm assuming they are the same that come on the 250's and 350's. To answer your question, I'd have to know why you want to change the rims out. If it's for a better rim pattern alone, then yeah, the off the rack aftermarket rims will do ok. I would stick with popular names like Enkie, BBS, ASA, etc etc. But you should know that when it comes to rims, there are reasons why those expensive rims are expensive, and why cheap rims are not expensive. So keep in mind that with these selections, your actually giving up a better set of rims for better looking rims. Which is kind of why I think if your going to change out the rims, you should trade up. Rims are expensive. You pay at the door, or go home and no show for you.

OOOooHHhhhh!! Ok, I get it now. Thanks.

So, let me get this straight, (I'm still hung up on the plate thing.) In CA the plate stays with the car? So when you sell it, the next person registers the car and the plate to them?, or what this person was doing is illegal, and they were driving it on illegally placed, out of date false plates?

I could just see you scolding this person in the parking lot in front of some store. LOL!! "How could you let this happen? What's wrong with you?!" LMAO!!

It is if you don't know how to do it. :) Rolling fenders is more of an art than it is a science. In your case I would ask around and find someone who has expereince with this. But it's going to add alot of money to the cost of these rims. You might want to find a set with I would say 36-40 mm offsets. Those should fit without rubbing or needing to roll the fenders.

I'm somewhat confused about the liscense plate thing. How can they have the same plate on the car?

Welcome to the USA LOC. Posting here gets a bit slow during the summer. The size of the rims are ok, but the offsets are way aggressive. Your going to need to roll the fenders to make room for those.

You know, I've smiled a few times now reading this. But not for what you might think, It's because I'm in my 30's, and I never hear the turn signal over the stereo blasting everywhere I go either. LOL! So my only real suggestion is to just pay attention to your driving. Just as you put yourself in the habit of using the turn signal, create the habit to check it afterwards. LOL!! Oh, and PS: You should adjust the steering and seat to gain a better view of you dash.