Lazar1389

Here are mine:

The added amp is only for the new sub. Many sub amps have speaker level inputs, which saves you the hassle of adding a hi-lo converter. The sound quality of the sub is excellent, and it's a significant improvement over the stock sub. Regarding RCA pre-outs and low-level signals, they are not always necessarily better than using a speaker level signal. I reviewed the wiring diagram from my Pioneer Elite home receiver, which has preouts for all the channels. The main speaker left/right preouts come from an internal preamplification circuit, which I think is the 'clean' way to provide the signal, and which probably results in better sound than you would get from an amplifier->high/low converter->amplifier connection. The center and surround channel RCA preouts just come from an internal high to low conversion of the amplifier output. So my point is that having an RCA pre-out connector does not necessarily mean that you are getting a cleaner source signal. I bet if you look at the circuit designs of some car stereos, you'll probably see some of the same thing. Some might use a true preamp circuit to provide a clean signal to an RCA output, but some will probably just have an internal high-low conversion to the RCA outputs. I think the internal high-low in my home receiver only involved a couple of resistors, so it's got to be cheaper to manufacture than a true preamplification circuit. I gotta tell ya, that might be true, but I've never heard a system sound good using an RCA adapter. Your explanation seems more than reasonable, although I'd still have to hear it to be fully convinced. ;)

I thought the stock system does not have any RCA outs, so don't you need to add an RCA adapter in order to add an amp? If so, doesn't that kill the sound quality? I've listened to MANY systems that have used this approach and I found each one worse than the next. Maybe you are suggesting the amp is ONLY connected to the sub and since it is playing in mono, the RCA adapter won't affect sound quality all that much. Not sure, what the suggestion is, but I suppose if the amp is bridged 2 ohm mono and simply for the sub, it might be okay.

Check out this thread at the "My IS" forum on caliper painting. http://my.is/forums/f126/is350-caliper-pai...-no-56k-299788/

Classic case of Caveat Emptor.

Tweety, I'm generally very sympathetic to what you've been through, having gone through a lot of BS myself, however, I don't see anything wrong with the dealership here. First and foremost, it is your obligation to read what you purchase. Do I think the dealership should have fully disclosed how the program worked? Of course, but in the absence of them being forthright, you could have protected yourself by reading. Specifically to your question... I have never heard of this "dent zone" warranty but had a similar warranty from Honda years ago with another car I owned. It worked the same way as you described with one difference.... They came to your house to make the repair and the warranty stipulated you could only repair 2 dents per year (it was pretty useless - but free). The reason the service doesn't cover any "big dents" or "painting" is because you have to see how they actually take out the dents. Depending upon the location of the dent, they use these metal "pokers" to push out dents from the inside out. They are not auto body guys. These guys are like the garbage men of the automotive world. Guys who are good at is can actually make small dents look normal again, provided NO paint has been removed. I hope that clears things up for you. If however you have small dings (where paint has been removed) a good car detailer might be able to minimize the appearance of such damage. Personally, I have had great success (in the past) at removing light swirls and scratches with Meguiars Scratch X and some good old fashioned elbow grease.

DK, To be fair, I would bet you are in the MAJORITY and we in the small minority, but you generally only hear of stories like ours. It would be out of the ordinary for someone to create a thread about "how great my dealership treated me". As I said in my original post, looking at my family members, I've seen the best of Lexus, unfortunately that wasn't my experience.

Others seem to agree. Write them up. http://www.dealerrater.com/dealer/Sterling...s-review-13139/

All true, except that Lexus sort of markets itself as a "different kind of company" where customer service really does matter. Think about the hassle they give you about "giving them a positive review" when you buy a car. Customer service (and reliable cars) is where they are supposed to trounce their competition. I think by in large, they are successful in most cases. We just happen to be the few the slipped through the cracks.

Tweety, I stayed (and read) the entire post. First, let me give you some of my initial thoughts... I WAS and to a lesser degree still AM a Lexus fan. I own a 2008 IS350, which I've had for about 2-3 weeks. This 2008 I own, is a replacement of a 2007, which was determined to be a "Lemon". My dealership experience (Tri-County Lexus in New Jersey) was about 100x worse than what you experienced, however, I do not mean to take away from what was done to you... it was/is appalling. You had options, but you didn't take them when they were presented. When the dealership first presented you with the wrong car, you simply had to say "no" and should have left. There was no "meeting of the minds" and hence, no contract between you. You had NO obligation to purchase the car and this should have sent up bells and whistles about this crappy dealership. My experience with the salesperson and sales manager is similar to yours and both seem to have forgotten who I am, post purchase. Right now, I think your options are limited for a few things (here is what I would do). Send a letter, certified mail (RRR) to Lexus Headquarters in Torrance, CA. CC the general manager of the dealership and the sales manager. If the dealership is individually owned, send it to the owner or the CEO if their is a corporate owner. File a complaint with the better business bureau and find various websites where you have "dealer ratings" and write a little blurb about what happened to you. Slam the dealer so that anyone contemplating them, considers another dealership. However, whatever you do, make sure you can back up everything you say. Don't lie, don't exaggerate. The last thing I'd like to say to you is that I've seen MANY Lexus dealerships (as my entire family seems to be Lexus owners) and in my experience, the dealerships are generally top notch. You and I happen to have had bad ones, but hopefully it doesn't change your opinion of the company. Right now, I still have unresolved issues with Lexus and I am not completely satisfied with how they handled my "Lemon Law" claim, but I still realize that IMHO (and personal experience) they are probably still the second best company in terms of customer service in the car industry (Honda/Acura being #1).

Oh, come on guys... stop acting all sanctimonious. I'm not sure of his age, but who has never done such a thing? Personally, I think street racing is terrible, but that doesn't mean I haven't done it in the past and even in the recent past. Is it dangerous? Yes, but so is talking on a cell phone while driving and that is an epidemic. I'm not advocating for street racing (he should find a track), but I'm also not going to pretend I haven't been guilty of the same stuff. As for the context of the post. First mistake is racing a car which is WAY out of your league. Why would I (in a 350) want to race something I know will destroy me? It's not like the two are even close. Stick to cars in your class and find them at the track. As for tips... there is not much to do with an automatic car. Step on the gas and HOPE you have more juice than the other guy. Driving an automatic car really takes the fun out of racing.

Since I have a 350 I don't know the exact prices of the 250, but off the bat that seems like you got a good deal. Is that the "out the door" price or is that pre-tax and pre-state fees price?

I'd be a bit careful with this one... I had the dealer install my XM radio and after I made my Lemon Law claim, the MANUFACTURER (Lexus of America) said they thought my problems started after the dealer did a faulty installation of the satellite module. I don't know if that is true or not (and probably never will), but it made me think that if the dealer couldn't get it right, what about other places? In any event, on my replacement IS350, it was factory installed and seeems to be fine.

100% right. It is your best bet to avoid detector detection. Just keep up to speed with "detector detectors" so that you stay ahead of the game. You don't want to OPP'ers to go and get some new technology that can detect your detector without you knowing. Good luck and happy driving!!!

A word of warning about Craig Peterson, the author of that article. I have no doubt he has an anti-V1 agenda. I have tried MULTIPLE tests of my own with VARIOUS detectors and I have NEVER been able to duplicate his results. The reality is, even though I do NOT own a V1 it is BETTER than any detector I've ever tested on X and K band and close or equal to anything I've ever tested on KA band. I think the V1's arrows are a gimmick and I think it is a terrible false alerter, but as a pure locater of radar devices, it is probably one of the top 2-3 radar detectors IMHO.

On the new one (only have 120 miles), I'm getting about 23mpg and I'm driving like a grandma. On the old one... was getting about 24-25 at any given time until I got it back "fixed" from the ECU problem. The onboard calculation said about 18mpg, but I started measuring it (because there was no way I was getting that much) and when I did my own calculation (guesstimates) I was getting about 14-15mpg.

Ah!!! LOL ... No not me, just another poor *BLEEP*! If it were me, I would've been driving much faster and I would have kept the camera running while I got the ticket in case the cop decided to beat the crap out of me! :D The Bel Sti Driver is still pretty new, so finding one on sale might be tough, but I'd be willing to bet you could get it on ebay for less. If you are going to use on in Ontario, DEFINITELY use the Bel. It is close to the V1 in peformance (probably not quite as good for X and K band though) but it saves you because it is virtually non-detectable. You should also find out what the OPP uses in terms of "band" along side the stiffs in London. My bet is the OPP uses KA band and the local London piggies use K band. You can find this out pretty easily. Just go to the local police station, walk through the parking lot and look at the radar guns. They usually have the band written right on them. You can probably see what type of "detector detectors" they use as well. A little research goes a long way. The last problem I should alert you to is the fact that I also KNOW for a fact that both the OPP and the Toronto PD use Laser guns. If you get a "laser" warning from your Bel, hide it away quickly, because you just got a speeding ticket and hopefully they won't find your detector.

LF, Since I see that you are from St. Thomas, I can tell you that (as far as I know) all OPP cars are now equipped with detector detectors. You still have options though, although none are great. As far as I know, the Bel STI Driver is the ONLY detector that can avoid detection. The V1, although a great device is detectable by all major detectors. You'll end up with a big fat ticket and they'll take your V1. Remember, in Ontario possession of the radar detector is illegal, not just use. I checked both the Metropolitan Toronto Police Department and the OPP. I live in the US, but spend a lot of time in Canada and NEVER use my detector (a passport 8500) while in Canada. Once I hit the border at Kingston, detector goes away, although in theory I'm breaking the law by having it in my glove box. Have a look at this, it might make you think twice... the OPP is vicious. LOL

Well, I guess ultimately we all create our own reality. I don't know if I "like" or "agree with" Meguiars approach, or Zaino's approach or old man Joe's approach. Frankly, I really don't care enough. What I do care about are the results. You are happy with your results, as I am with mine. I'm sure if we put our cars together (assuming they were the same color - mine is white), we'd probably come to a different conclusion in terms of shine and/or protection. It's the nature of the beast.... the mind sees what it wants to see. Although, I think we could probably conclusively determine that Zaino probably lasts longer on a given surface than most store shelf products (I'm just not convinced that really means anything). I can appreciate what you wrote about clubs, as my experience was similar. I went to the store and basically hit a bunch of clubs and amazingly thought the Titleist's I bought felt the best. I think most might have come to a different conclusion because they are very unforgiving but seemed to work for me. They certainly aren't the longest or the straightest, but I hit them about as well as I probably could hit anything (on my best day I'm a 14 handicap - although if I went out today, I'd probably be much closer to a 20). I'd say the same is true for me with respect to car care products. I've tried many and have yet to see anything to convince me that it made sense to switch. When I find the club to get me on the senior tour (eventually), I'll switch, like wise for waxes... when they turn my IS350 into an IS-F, I'll switch.

Haven't tried it??? Of course I've tried it. I keep a bottle of Solaris in my bathroom because I use it to wax my bathtub (I love the "sunny" feel of it all. :P

What you said makes sense on a theoretical level, but not in the real world and certainly not with regard to car care products. Here is why... there is NO objective measure to prove what you say. Unlike your examples of golf and fishing, we can make specific OBJECTIVE determinations regarding toe and heel center line divergence, distance and accuracy from consistent hitting (robot arm). Likewise, the same can be said with respect to fishing rod strength and sensitivity. That is why golf club manufacturers can safely say things like "hit the ball 30% longer". Sure it comes with an asterisk, but they have had at least some objective measure to quantify the claim. With car care products it is all subjective hyperbole. You say Zaino, I say Meguiars, John Doe says Zymol and Grandpa Jack says Turtle Wax. Where is the objective test in a controlled environment that uses a SCIENTIC APPROACH to get results. Think about this for a second... Sal Zaino is by all intents a millionaire. All he would need to do is commission a study by independent scientists and forensic engineers to test his product vs. the competition. He could have objective conclusions that would PROVE his product is better, but he doesn't do it... nor do the Meguiars folks, nor do the Klasse people etc... Why not? The reason is because there are no reliably quantifiable ways to measure which is better. I gave you a link to a guy who swears Zaino ruined his car. Do you believe it? You're probably smart if you don't, just as I don't believe pretty much everything I read online. The last thing I have to say on this subject goes back to the price = quality bit. Right now, go to www.zymol.com. On there page, you'll find a car wax called Solaris for $30,000. By your measure, this must mean it is at least 300 times better than the full Zaino kit which is about $90. The reality is, some marketting guy at Zymol is smart enough to know there is a billionaire out there who just bought his son a Maybach and the little moron will by Solaris because he can, not because it is better. For all we know, Solaris is really turtlewax and Zaino is really Grandma's footbath water. Save your money, you might actually need it one day on something that really matters!

Well, I'm sure that is what the manufacturers of those products want you to believe that. Expensive must = better, right? But I told you, on the internet, you can find anything. Read this guys story: http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28621 What I find about Zaino users (more so than any other brand user, be it, Klasse, P21s, Adams, Pinnacle etc..) is that they are very "attached" to their product. They remind me of Valentine 1 radar detector owners. The reality is, I'm not married to Meguiars and would switch products in a second if I thought it wasn't doing the job. I've seen and tried a lot of waxes/sealants, like Zaino, P21s, Klasse, Zymol, Turtle and Meguiars and although I think there is some difference between each, I really think you are overstating the case. In fact, most "moderate" Zaino users, kind of concede that NXT looks better but fall back (like you) on the "protection" and lasting argument. Well, that might apply to me if I really planned on keeping my car more than about 5 years, but let me ask you how many times have you seen a 5 year old Lexus cared for in an ordinary fashion have the paint peal off? In 1992, my father bought his first Lexus (an '93 ES300). He kept is until 2003. On the day he traded it, it looked fantastic. It had been waxed (maybe about 5-10 times over the life of the car), was kept in a garage and hand washed regularly (and occasionally washed in a touchless wash). Would it have looked better if he had used Zaino, NXT, Klasse, P21s etc...? Maybe, but it really looked fine. He traded it for a new ES and got a pretty decent amount for the car. At the end of the day, I think the NXT gives my car a bit more "pop" than normal, but also gives me something to do on the weekends (detailing is therapeutic to me). Don't take this product stuff too seriously. Life is too short.

Although I've never used one, from most of what I read, they're not all that successful, although much better than any detector.

Or, I could drive over to Pep Boys (2 minutes away) and get instant gratification. :P

I'm beginning to think you're doubting me. From the Zaino website: Shipping is only $8.95 to 47 contiguous states. "47 states"... notice that is not all of them? If you keep reading, you get to this line... For NEW JERSEY, HAWAII or INTERNATIONAL (including Canada) customers, please CLICK HERE. Now, since I told you I was in NJ, I fall into that category, in which case, you send an email (which nobody responds to). Then you next contact Sal Zaino directly who sends you an email which says, you have two choices, go to a supplier in South Jersey (about an hour and forty five minutes from my house) OR call a supplie in PA to ship to you). They give you the guy in PA's phone number and of course, he doesn't answer, you get really crappy sounding answering machine. You leave a message. He calls you back, six days later. Do you still want Zaino? Yes, if you are an idiot.