Lexusfreak

Welcome to the club! :D Do a search on here for the info your looking for as it was covered recently. Get the newest ES you can afford & the 00 & 01 (01 is the last year of that body style) are good choices. Keep us posted!! :)

That's what the extended warranty is for ;) Haven't heard of any problems with the AVS anyways. B)

A top quality all season are usually fine for FWD cars.....I'll side with sk on this one.....I'd suggest a good set (4) snow tires such as Toyo's, or the new Michelin X-ice. B)

The oil topic is of much debate in these forums.......some like dino, & others (including myself) like synthetic. I'd use Mobil 1 synthetic higher mileage (10W 30 should be fine). Spark plugs I would use iridiums either Denso or NGK's. B)

I've switched to Napa exact fit all season blades from Lexus (they replaced the blades when I took delivery in January). The Lexus worked very wll to be sure but the frame of the Napa blade (and the blade itself) it more reinforced & has better contact pressure on the windshield especially on the highway. I notice that it clears ever so slightly better than the Lexus blades I had in the slushy stuff which I experenced a really good dose of it yesterday as there were over 600 + accidents for our first snowfall in Toronto.......had it all including freezing rain to boot. B)

Do you have a block heater ky? If so, all you would need to do is plug it in when you return from your trip & if the battery is good, she'll fire up no problem as it relieves much stress on starting the vehicle after sitting in the cold whether or not there is ice or snow present. ;)

I agree with sw......that's when I bought my ES. It won't hurt either to go later on in the evening like after dinner & stay till the dealership is about to close......& near the end of the month is a good idea (3 - 5 days left in the month as they want to do the actual delivery to you as there are quota's & such). B)

I leave the setting in the second most firm position except when I drove thru Michigan on my way to Florida......had to leave it on the softest setting because of the aweful roads. :whistles: One benefits getting the AVS option when buying used......you don't pay for it like you would on a new ES. ;)

I wonder why the AVS option is not popular on the east coast of the U.S. Folks like Consumer Reports rave about the feature & suggest one that get's the ES get that option.

Perhaps the fuel pump?

This article is out of the Toronto Star 'Wheels' section Saturday Dec 4th, 2004. I personally have the GS on my 'short list' for when the time comes to replace my ES. Simply because of the AWD & the georgous looks of the redesign. Enjoy everyone! B) Dec. 4, 2004. 01:00 AM Lexus plays passion card GS sports sedans gain sculptured styling New, 245-horse V6 replaces inline-six GERRY MALLOY Lexus customers want the brand to reflect their values, not merely be a status symbol, Toyota Canada president Ken Tomikawa says. In response to that shift in expectations, Lexus is putting new emphasis on design and technology. The 2006 Lexus GS luxury sports sedan is the first tangible result of the brand's "more passionate direction in styling," Lexus spokesperson Stuart Payne notes. Two models are offered: the V6-powered 300 and the V8-powered 430. Previewed at last year's Detroit auto show, the GS 300 is more sculpted than its predecessor, with a long hood, short overhangs and a wide, powerful stance. It offers all-wheel drive — the first such application in any Lexus car. The GS 430 includes a new Vehicle Dynamic Management system, said to be less intrusive but more effective than regular skid-control systems. An all-new, 245-hp V6 replaces the 220-hp inline-six used in the current GS 300. The GS 430 sticks with a variant of the marque's 4.3-litre V8. Both engines connect to an all-new, close-ratio six-speed automatic transmission with a sequential manual-shift mode. The new GS will make its Canadian debut at the Montreal auto show in January.

Agreed sk. B)

Run flats will generally ride hard due to the nature of the tire with a thicker & more reinforced carcass. The Bridgestone Potenza (in any application whether it be a 'regular tire or run flat) would be the last tire I would choose as replacements. Tirerack does not have a seperate column for run flat tires, but the Dunlop's are quite popular. B)

It also depends on the categories in the consumer reports......as the 'perfect tire' has yet to be invented......a tire might be better in the snow, but have a poor rating with ice braking as an example, but excel at hydro resistance. It depends what your looking for in the area you live. B) If you never experence snow, than a 'poor' rating on snow & ice has nothing to do with your buying decision......if the tire has excellent hydro resistance in the rain, goo rolling resistance (fuel economy) & general great grip in all other areas except winter conditions it dosen't matter if the tire was '13th' or whatever overall. :whistles:

A good wax as mentioned is a good idea to protect the paint. Lubricate all hinges on the doors & make sure your battery is strong so it won't die sitting for that time in the cold weather. B)

Make sure you perform a 100% coolant flush then.......consider using the pink 'super long life coolant' from Toyota instead of the red 'long life'.........the pink stuff is suppose to be good for 5 years & is already pre-mixed with distilled water in a 55% / 45% mixture . B)

Ah, Altezza's........gotcha & thanks for clearing that up. B) Not a huge fan of them either.

What do eurotails look like exactly?

WW, after doing some more research, an LT tire is still your best bet in the size you need (there are only a couple of 'passenger car' tires in that size, but they are not good choices for winter driving conditions). The Michelin is a very good tire but a bit pricy. Here is a link to a Canadian site that has the Michelin, Yoko & Toyo Open country. Prices are in Canadian dollars of course but you can see the Toyo & Yoko are slightly less expensive & an oveall 'better value' as your not sacrificing much (if anything) by going to the Toyo or Yoko. Good Luck! B) http://www.tiretrends.com/index.php3 put in the tire size on the right hand side of the screen to get what is available.

Aside from changing my oil on a regular basis (4 times a year with regular mileage), I usual do all my other major fluids (engine coolant, transmission, power steering & brake fluid) every 2 years.........I've done that for 11 years I have owned cars & never had a breakdown to this day......some might call it overkill.......I call it 'preventitive maintenance' B) & I feel I've saved in the long run by spending the money to keep every car I've had in peak condition. B) Also demands a bit more when selling the car & you produce the records to prove. :D :whistles:

This topic has been debated quite a lot with about 50/50% for both sides. I use Sunoco Ultra 94 in my 01 ES & tried regular gas & I noticed a big difference between the two. I found I got better gas mileage, of course more miles per tank, smoother acceleration & a quieter idle with the premium.....to me it's worth the extra couple bucks per tank for the benefits you get. It all comes down to what you feel the car run's better on & if you want to spend the little extra for it. B)

current industry standard is $975 per inch of straightening. it has to be straightened, then sanded, primed and painted to protect from elements. that was going to cost me $850 JUST to repair the front cor support, because it bent the "frame rails" in about 3/4". and thats only that price cause i knwo someone in the business. ← Don't forget to remove your cell phone before getting the work done lol. j/k B) ;)

Not even on a factroy order? That's suprising. In the long run from a cost of ownership standpoint (maintenance, repairs reputation etc) I would have Lexus at the top of my list and all the awards Lexus has won (dozens +) is proof of that reliability compared to MB. Something to keep in mind if your planning to keep the car 7+ years. B)

I totally agree. sj ← I second that as well. B)

Drive gingerly if possible. B)