tex2670

Then I guess most of us on this forum driving an ISX50 wasted our money on a complete joke of a dog car? It's not all about the HP--if it was, I'd be driving a Charger.

You can use it. It wont damage your car. But saving the $.20 per gallon isn't going to help you any more than when gas was $2/gallon (the spread was still $.20 then).

So, if the tire pressure sensors are calibrated to 35 PSI, it takes a 10 PSI drop to have the alarm come on? That seems to be a big drop - this car can run at 100 MPH easily - I would not want to run at 80+ with the tires inflated to 25 PSI. I'm going to see what the dealer says...... David Just like you may not want to wait until your oil light comes on, just because you have a TPMS doesn't mean you shouldn't still manually check your tire pressure. Personally, I would not want it coming on for 1 or 2 PSI change.

You can search the forums for a DIY. I know that Club Lexus has a detailed thread on how to do it. But, you will do it cheaper by trading your car in for a new one.

He may have been serious but he didn't know much about cars. ...or being a salesman. I would think this guy is just doing his job as a sales person...that line probably works w/lots of uneducated buyers. Let's face it the Lexus is a great car, but is usually a few % points below the BMW in car rags. If you read all the rags of the new M vs the F, the F comes in 2nd because of very minor points...points that the majority of drivers would never be able to notice. We also all know that a Lexus is not a Toyota. Ignorance is a common sales tool! That's exactly my point--if he's trying to sell BMW's with a sales technique geard toward "uneducated buyers", he's not a good sales man.

He may have been serious but he didn't know much about cars. ...or being a salesman.

How do you guys maintain black? I always keep my cars clean, but black seems like a lot more work, especially in Illinois with snow, ice, salt, and lots of rain. What's your second choice after black? I have Tungsten/Sterling, and I'm very happy with that combo. You can't get Cashmere on Tungsten, and personally, I don't think Cashmere would look right with SGM.

Don't agree at all with that statement with regard to the OEM sports pedal set. One of the first things I did on my IS second gen Lux was to replace those nasty looking rubber pedals with the OEM alloy set, and yes I got them from Sewells. B) hey guys can ya'll tell me how to install them? Apart from the gas pedal they slip over the base pedal after taking off the rubber ones that fit in similar way. The gas pedal plate is attached to it's arm by a split pin...remove it to take off the rubber pedal and re-insert it to fit the new one. Most people remove the complete gas pedal assembly which makes fitting easier, but I did it in situ with a small 'G' clamp and press pin. Removal is pretty easy as it's an electronic connection, not cable (see diagram). The split pin isn't shown on the diagram, but you can see the hole in arm and pedal. i dont think i can do all that. how much would the dealer cost? Whatever the hourly rate is. The parts are $400 from the dealer (not including labor).

I doubt many are paying $300/yr for new map DVDs. I've had my Honda since 2004, and have yet to encounter a situation where I needed to update my maps. Yes--OEM updates cost more, but unless you live in a boomtown, maybe you need one update for the length of ownership of your car.

On/off button or Door button on overhead console?

Are you saying that Canadian IS's don't have these features normally? Other than the ground effects kit, which can be installed in the US at port, and MT, my IS250 AWD comes with all these features standard (including the same 17" wheels). Which is why I assume it's not coming Stateside.

See that's what I was talking about earlier when we were going over the portable features vs. the in-dash stock unit. The stock head has touch screen radio controls and a calendar, and your phone book, and is integrated with the car much better. I wouldn't call it nav, as much as I would call it the central media control center, and it has nav, and the back up camera and all the blah blah blah's that come. I just think it enhances the driver control over the car much more effectively than any attempts in past cars I have seen. Just opinions here. But, dang!!! It's $550.00 a month!! FI-Fity!!! <_< Yes, but the $300 garmin does all of that too (calendar, phone book, bluetooth, etc...)...plus the slew of added features the factory unit does NOT have. The only loss is the backup camera, and the IS is so small it's kind of a silly feature (but you can get that TOO in the aftermarket for a couple hundred bucks) You get the -exact same- control abilities of the stereo and climate without nav, you just use a physical button instead of a virtual button for them.... and the radio, honestly, I use the steering wheel controls 95% of the time anyway...but the head unit buttons do the same thing as the ones on the touch screen would. Now, the ML option, in contrast, I specifically ordered that... because it added $752 to the total price, and there's no way I could have gotten that good an audio upgrade from the aftermarket for a total of $752 installed with a 4 year warranty. Not even close really. So I don't mind paying extra for an option when it does more than I can get for less elsewhere... the nav just don't qualify for Lexus though. This is one area the G35 outshined the IS350 during my test drives (one of the only areas, hence my buying the 350)- the factory nav on the infiniti DID offer realtime traffic and some of the more advanced multimedia features the Lexus system was lacking...and it cost less too. Some car makers are even offering the other advanced MSN direct features on their nav systems now (the realtime local fuel, movie, weather, etc info).... Lexus is just still pushing a VERY dated technology setup for a VERY premium price these days. Seriously, who here uses the Nav System calendar?? If that's the justification for buying that nav, it's a stretch. Back up camera, Bluetooth integrated into the car's speaker/stereo system, bigger clearer screen, better dead reckoning capabilities, always there at your finger tips, and not in the glove compartment--those are the REAL reasons for factory nav. Integrated controls? The base car has controls integrated into the dash--better ones actually, because you don't have to switch screens to control stereo, A/C, etc. Seriously--if you are already stretched for your monthly payment, either skip the nav, or buy a cheaper car and get nav with that car. If you are willing and able to spend the $$, and you like having factory nav, get it. If you think it's a waste of $$, get a portable. It's that simple--this thread is already 3 pages long, and there is no consensus--and there won't be. It's your car--do what you want.

I'm sure it would end up costing more than the $2000 that it would have cost to spring for the Lux Pkg.

Nope.

What's so special??

Of course you are. This is what happens EVERY time the Nav or No Nav question is asked.

It's not so much that it is bad for resale, it's just that you may not get full value for the nav. Say the resale for the car is 65%. If you paid an extra $2000 for the nav, the residual for the nav may be an extra $1000 (50%), rather than $1300 (65%).

Well--there's some weird math. The Nav pkg (w/o Levinson) is $2500. But you'll pay an extra $75 for 48 months for it??? That makes no sense at all. Even for 36 months, it's $2700 for the life of the lease. How can that be that, over the life of the lease, you pay out more than the MSRP of the nav option, and then you turn the car in and the dealer takes advantage of the residual value? DEFINITELY negotiate harder.

You will never get a consensus on this debate. If the extra $$ is an issue, you should skip it--or negotiate harder. It's your car--get it the way you want it.

Pretty sure the answer is "no."

That's what I would have thought, but musta been a LOW milage trade, b/c he asked how much the 5K service costs.

5000 mi service is FREE from Lexus

I wonder what the warranty says, because normally, it wouldn't cover brakes for normal wear and tear, only defect. And, if they are defective, what's it matter how much is left?

Or just try the detailing and car care forum here: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showforum=9

So what are you going to do if you have a 2nd kid? That really doesn't work--some cars cant handle an infant seat in the middle b/c of the hump (especially pre-latch, like I had in my old car, and the seat base would shift to its side around turns). I agree, as long as it fits, and the car's maunal does not caution against it, you should try to put the seat in the middle. But with 2 kids, you can't do it. Even if you wait until you kid is 3+, and you can move to a booster seat, there's no way you could fit a booster in the L or R seat, and an infant seat in the middle of the back seat of an IS. Maybe an Avalon...