Lexusfreak

You can use the Amsoil synthetic ATF safely in your tranny. I will be using it in my 01 ES as well instead of the Toyota type IV fluid. Better protection. :D B) I switched from Mobil 1 synthetic oil to Amsoil (ASL series) 5W 30 oil for better & longer protection......it's still better than the 'new' Mobil 1 Extended synthetic. ;) Use the Amsoil heavy duty oil filters as well.

LOL Agreed! Spend the $10. B)

Lets see Mobil EP is around $5.40 per qt and goes "up to 15K miles". I buy Amsoil ASL series for less then $5 per qt and can go "up to 25K (40% longer)"...No brainer for me. Plus my oil tests show there is not reason to change (less oil) and pay more. ← I second that! :D B) I just switched from Mobil 1 to Amsoil. It's a better & longer lasting synthetic. I actually got it cheaper than the Mobil 1 to boot. :whistles: ;) B) I'd go for the Amsoil ASL series 5W 30 grade.

Post pics if you can. I'd like to see what this looks like. Is there a website to check it out as well? B)

Try finding similar ES's in your area to see what they are going for. Also try the Kelly Blue Book to get an idea of the cars value. B)

Could it be the fact that the car is pretty much brand new? & needs to be 'broken in'? B) Contact your dealer & see what they say & suggest.

Two weeks or R & R with my wife & in-laws. :D Going to see some MLB spring training games & I can't wait. B) I'm guessing the V6 GS will become the GS350 in the near future. :whistles: B)

From the Motortrend website... :cries: :chairshot: Motor Trend THOUSANDS of new registration cars rolled out of dealerships yesterday, but by the end of the day, 600 were smashed up - with Porsches topping the crash list - according to research. A report by Churchill Car Insurance said 600 new cars crash on the first day and 3,240 within a week. Luxury sports cars are most likely to be involved in a collision with Porsche drivers the most unlucky. This is because the speedy German sports car, with its rear engine, can be hard to control for inexperienced drivers. Churchill reckons pounds 8.1m of cars are damaged on day one, rising to pounds 43.7m by the end of the first week. The study also followed new cars' first two years of motoring and showed that, after just a month, 13,400 had already been in the body shop for repairs. After a year, 135,000 of these cars had been in an accident, rising to more than a quarter of a million after two years © 2005 Liverpool Echo

Yup, been there, done that.....happens at many car dealers (not all mind you) both import & domestic I'm sorry to say. :(

Best way to 'beat the system'....buy a very good vehicle or 2 if that's what is needed (a couple years old that is a 1 owner, has been well cared for & serviced & has some full factory warranty remaining) , drive it untill it dosen't go any more (12-15+ years). When it dies, replace it & start over. Any other way, you will get hit with too much depreciation which ever way you look at it. B) ;)

Nope, not on vacation........just switched back to night shift here at work lol. I'm going to Florida in about a week however so everyone can get an additional break from me for a couple weeks ;) j/k. Nice to be back! I've missed the forums. I really hope Lexus put's that 3.5L V6 in the next gen ES too B) My fingers are crossed. :D

Pretty close indeed. Scary lol v :whistles:

Excellent write up sw! Thanks for sharing. B)

I was gonna say the same thing 90LS lol B) Good write up sw! ;) I hope to take a 'Touring' model out for a spin sometime soon (in Canada, we only have a choice of 2 models - the Touring or the XLS) & see if the suspension makes any significant difference. Funny thing is however, I don't disagree with you about the quality of the materials you talked about, but I all in all I thought the Avalon was a much more substantial car than the new GS that was on display at the auto show. Not sure why I felt that way (others seemed to do the same as there was no line up to sit in the new GS but a long one for the Av). You mentioned some ES owners might be mad as things stand right now, which might be true. I see this as a good thing simply because it just means when the next generation ES is redesigned, Lexus will just have to 'up the ante' that much more to make customers who are or were considering the new Avalon to completely forget about it......I expect nothing less than the same engine however (3.5 L V6) that's in the Avalon's engine bay for starters. One other disappointment with regards to the Avalon........in Canada at least, you can't get the 'Touring' model with traction control or VSC even in an option package!! It's not even offered! :chairshot: :( That is unacceptable for a car that is suppose to be a 'Flagship' vehicle. If I get the XLS, I have to give up the sports suspension & the HID headlights. According to those I have spoken with, that concern will be addressed for the 2006 model year however. B) ;)

Lookin good! B)

Well said cenw! :D Glad your happy with them. B)

Half a million miles + if the vehicle is maintained properly shouldn't be a problem (that includes no engine &/or tranny rebuilds). B)

Go very easy on the car for the first 1,500 - 2,000 miles. I always liked the idea of changing the oil a little early the first time in a brand new vehicle due to possible metal shavings & such.......but that's just me. :whistles: Consider switching to synthetic after the second oil change. Good Luck!

Well said sw! B) I haven't driven the GS personally, but I did go over the car very carefully both inside & out at the auto show last week. If it's interior room that your looking for, I suggest going for the Avalon (drive one with the new 3.5L V6) as even the back seats recline & much more leg room as you mentioned than the ES or GS. Put the $14k or so in your pocket & next winter (when the real estate market slows down as it does every year), go on a nice, long well deserved vacation! :D It's weird though, I hate to say it, I found I was much more impressed overall with the Avalon than the new GS So were many other auto show go-ers........there was a line up to sit in the Avalon (probably mostly due to the fact once I sat in it, I locked to door & didn't want to get out for a long while lol ), but hardly a wait at the GS. Perhaps once they saw the asking price, they just wanted to see what all the 'buzz' was at the Toyota booth. ;) B)

I'd buy a K & N or an Amsoil heavy duty oil filter before spending $25 for a TRD filter. That's a crazy price for 1 filter. :o

Congrats!! The new GS is a georgous car!! :D

Changing a PCV valve is considered regular maintenance and should be done when a tune up is performed. Have the car checked out thoroughly & if the car does not have any existing oil leaks anywhere, you can switch to synthetic no problem.....if it does, have the leaks fixed before you switch. Synthetic oil does not cause an engine to leak........but it can 'expose' a leak since it flow's much better, especially at very cold temps. B)

IS will be more affordable naturally & I guess we shall see if they put the 3.5L V6 in it with AWD :whistles: :D Then were talkin! B) Right now, the best buy is the all new Avalon......better than the current ES (which has already generated a lot of comments at least on CL), better value than the new GS (although I am fully aware they are totally different animals). Looking forward to the next generation ES next year! It should be very intresting. :whistles: ;)

Most of the top quality plugs (IE: Laser platinum or Iridium) have already been gapped & do not need any additional adjustments. I suggest either NGK or Denso plugs. Good Luck!

I agree! B)