Lexusfreak

That rule in general is actually pretty safe because sometimes when a car comes out of a complete redesign, it may have issues in it's first year. Besides, the 2nd year of that generation will generally have all of the kinks worked out. They may add more equipment too. Hard to stick with that rule though when you find a car in it's first production year that is very appealing though. ← Very true vcv :) The Japanese auto makers are usually very good in getting any 'kink's' out of vehicles in their 2nd or 3rd year of production.........the Big 3 need almost the entire production cycle in some cases with their cars.

It's just aweful, mind numbing & hard to comprehend what has happened to those poor people in southeast asia! :cries: :(

Sport Cross, what is the exact size tire you need? & are you just intrested only in a winter tire or an EXCELLENT high performance all season that will hold up very well (driven with common sense of course) in the winter weather? B)

Go to this site: www.l-tunedparts.com and contact Steve Ganz. ← Agreed! B) -

Best of luck with your SC! B)

Yup, that's correct. If your replacing the parts you mentioned, perhaps a complete tune up (spark plugs, air & fuel filter, PCV valve & even an engine coolant flush is wise too). B)

I think someone posted something similar to what your looking for either on these forums or in www.clublexus.com Try doing a search of HID's. Good Luck! B)

Imran, you ES is a 2004 isn't it?

Sounds like the same engine that will power the all new Avalon..... :D 300 HP out of a V6? Plus AWD!? That's just plain AWESOME! B) ;)

Agreed steviej! :D Don't know why GM when to the plastic intake manifold for the series II Cost them bigtime from other owners I talked to. I had the last year of the 91 body style & didn't so much as burn a drop of oil & my aunt has 400,000+ miles on her. Millions still on the road however......I think they corrected things now that it is the series III edition. It was rated one of the 10 best engines for a couple years back in the 90's. What it lacked in horsepower (early 90's, non-supercharged), it made up for with pleanty of torque. B)

According to the Lexus website (http://www.lexus.com/models/warranty_vehic...comparison.html), it looks like you can only purchase the Platinum extended warranty with a new vehical purchase. However, you should be able to purchase the Gold "Extended Service Coverage" ← I think the car might need to be inspected & service records accounted for first. Just in case oil changes were neglected as an example then the owner can pay let's say $1,200 for a 'Lexus' extended warranty to get a new $4,000+ engine out of the deal. :) Lexus also has to protect themselves.

Looks like a pretty good site :) No icon to e-mail anybody if one has questions however & the ES section parts are somewhat limited. ;)

Many of those 'engine flushing' products at more show than go.......the best way to prevent sludge is to perform all oil changes on time (and mileage) & use a high quality oil whether it be dino or synthetic. If your engine already has the sludge problem, it's toast (sooner or later) & no flushing product will be able to save it as the damage is already done. If purchasing a used ES (also applies to the RX, Camry, Highlander, Sienna etc) with the 3.0L V6 (1997 - 2001).......make sure you get ALL service & maintenance records before signing on the dotted line. If you can't get them, find another ES. Good Luck! B)

Many including myself as well :) Awesome tire......tim, you might want to give some serious consideration to the Falken Ziex ZE-512 as well. Can't beat the value for traction in nasty weather including ice & snow, mileage (60,000 mile warranty) for the price. Best tire tested recently in a Consumer Reports test of 20 all season performance tires. When the time comes to replace your tires of course. Merry Christmas to you (and all LOC Members) as well. B)

Thanks Bren. It just raises my fur when someone tries to reword exactly what I said and then further adds possible confusion to the the whole shabang. Replacing half shafts is one of my favorite DIY repairs to undertake. Done it many times on various makes and models. In every case, it was cheaper and easier to to go the way of replacing the entire half shaft. Army: Shirley's ES is probably equiped with ABS and traction control where your ES 250 is not (I'm guessing here). I allowed for a little extra time in removing the old half shafts without damaging the hub with traction control sensors and the ABS sensors. I also figured that the last thing Shirley would want to do is lug the dirty greasey HEAVY old half shafts from her mechanic to the autoparts store. I figured a little more because her mechanic will order the parts from the same place she is going to and yes charge her a little more, but she then won't be bothered with any of the details. Hence I figured at best: $250 per side = $500. ← yes i have ABS, but no on Trac control. :D but alot of it has to do with the fact that i had JPI do the work...i got a killer deal. ← :whistles:

Agreed! B)

L3, you might want to hold off till the all new Avalon comes out....sweet looking car & more powerful than even the ES. :whistles:

Merry Christmas & a very safe & Happy New Year to ALL LOC members!!! :D :) B)

I'm going to have a much closer look when the Avalon hit's dealers lot's as well. I don't usually buy a vehicle in it's first year of production myself (just the way I am for some reason) so I won't make any decision untill the next generation ES arrives for 2007. :D

Yup, Bridgestone does make good winter rubber......it's a shame that most of their all season tires aren't as well regarded.

Where was your RX built? I hope it wasen't at the Canadian plant which would bite! :chairshot: The vehicles are suppose to go thru a very comprehensive inspection before they leave the plant. Good news is howver.....it's under warranty but still is a disappointment because your SUV is brand new.

VERY well detailed description steviej!!! :D

No arguement there! :D B)

GM engine has been around for decades! :) www.canadiandriver.com December 23, 2004 2004 3800 Series II supercharged 2004 3800 Series II supercharged. Click image to enlarge General Motors 3800 V-6 engine by Bill Vance Although hidden away from view, the engine is still the heart of the automobile. But unlike assembly quality, paint, upholstery, tires, etc., the engine isn't visible every day. In fact, the best engine to the average motorist is one that is hardly ever seen at all. It simply goes on day in and day out doing its job as a durable, reliable and economical friend that never lets one down. When a motor company designs a good engine, then, it's not surprising that it hangs onto it as long as it can. Although good basic designs are important, they can never be allowed to stagnate. One of the best examples of the evolution of a sound concept is the General Motors 3.8 litre V-6, now called the 3800 Series, that currently powers some mid-size and large GM models. Although now past its 40th birthday, beyond retirement for most engines, the 3800 just seems to get better, whether in naturally aspirated or supercharged form. The 3800 has had an interesting past, not all of which, surprisingly, was with GM. When it first saw the light of day in late 1961 in the 1962 Buick Special, it was a bold move for GM. Few cars had used V-6s, the most notable being the Italian Lancia Aurelia which had appeared in 1950. GM had installed V-6s in trucks, but their use of a V-6 car engine was a first for an American manufacturer. The V-6 was developed because Buick wanted an alternative to its 3.5 litre (215 cu in.) aluminum V-8 for its senior compacts. The 215 was a sweet little engine, but it was expensive to build. Since there was barely adequate room under the hood for an inline six, Buick decided to use the little V-8 as the basis for an all-new V-6. Cutting off two cylinders, and adding 3.3 mm (0.125 in.) to the bore, and 10.2 mm (0.40 in.) to the stroke, created a V-6 of 3.2 litres (198 cu in.). Although made of cast iron, it was quite light, thanks to the use of thin-wall casing techniques. It weighed only about 21 kg (46 lb) more than the aluminum V-8 from which it was derived. Since it still had the V-8's 90-degree cylinder bank angle, it was inherently rougher running than an inline six because the firing frequencies were not spaced evenly apart. GM tried its best to mask this with soft engine mounts. The V-6 soldiered on for several years, providing good reliable service and growing to 3.7 litres (225 cu in.) 1964. This was, however, the era of cheap gasoline, and most motorists worshipped at the alter of the high performance V-8 engine. Fuel economy wasn't much of a concern and the term energy crisis hadn't yet entered our vocabulary. Thus, in 1967 GM found itself with more six cylinder engines than it needed, so it sold the Buick V-6 rights and tooling to the Kaiser-Jeep Corp. for use in the Jeep. But soon the whole fuel economy equation would change, and events of 1973 would bring a dramatic transformation to the motoring world. Late in the year the Yom Kippur war resulted in the first "oil crisis." Drivers were faced with skyrocketing gasoline prices, line-ups at the pumps, and even the fear of an ultimate shortage. The North American continent with its big cars and wide-open spaces saw its whole motorized way of life being threatened. Auto manufacturers responded the best they could with smaller, more fuel-efficient cars. Buick developed a subcompact model based on the Chevrolet Vega platform. To power its new car GM convinced the Jeep Corp., now part of American Motors, to sell the V-6 back to it. GM had never torn up the original foundation for the V-6 tooling, it had just covered it over. When this was unearthed, the V-6 tooling was re-installed on the same foundations it had left seven years earlier! With its displacement now up to 3.8 litres (231 cu in.), the V-6 engine reappeared in the 1975 Buick Skyhawk. 2001 3800 Series II for Chevrolet 2001 3800 Series II for Chevrolet. Click image to enlarge In a world now more concerned with fuel economy, Buick began to see its future in six-cylinder power, even for its full-size cars. A program of evolutionary improvement began on the V-6. It got even firing via a split-pin crankshaft in 1977; turbocharging in '78; freer breathing in '79; fuel injection in '84; roller lifters in '86; a balance shaft in the engine vee in '88; and supercharging in '91. Over the years the V-6 also benefitted from the latest in electronic engine management, and such refinements as improved combustion chamber and piston design. In the process it evolved into a very economical and reliable powerplant. The 3800 Series became the standard workhorse engine for many of GM's cars, including full-size Buicks, Chevrolets and Pontiacs. It is virtually as smooth and quiet as a V-8, and has adequate power: 205 horsepower normally aspirated, and 240 supercharged. In the early 21st century there is no doubt that the 3800 Series is an old design with its cast iron construction, and pushrods operating two valves per cylinder. In today's high-tech world GM's venerable V-6 will ultimately be replaced. And when it is, it will leave behind a remarkable history. Reflections on Automotive History by Bill Vance, Volumes I, II & III available through www.billvanceautohistory.ca

I thought this might be of intrest to Canadian Lexus owners: www.canadiandriver.com December 23, 2004 Lexus service history now available online Toronto, Ontario - Canadian Lexus owners can now access their vehicle service information online at www.lexus.ca using their personalized password-protected Owner Home Page. From the time they take ownership of their Lexus vehicle, owners can find service information that includes the service date, service description, parts descriptions, repair order number and the odometer reading at the time of service. Owners of a pre-owned Lexus will even be able to access the previous owner's last service date information and odometer reading. "Lexus is totally committed to providing an exceptional ownership experience," said Stuart Payne, Director responsible for Lexus in Canada. "Our goal is to have the best website in the industry in Canada. Our Owner Home Page offers Club Lexus members a user-friendly, convenient, informative yet secure way to get the information whenever they need it and wherever they need it." The Club Lexus link at www.lexus.ca also allows owners to track the status of their factory warranty or Extra Care Protection (ECP) coverage, and obtain their current personal financing information from Lexus Financial Services.