Lexusfreak

Never owned a VW personally, & I doubt I ever will. B)

It's a fair point nc. It's too bad they don't do a 'follow up' for long term reliability of these engines.....would be intresting. B)

From Canadian Driver.com... December 12, 2005 Ward's Auto News names 10 Best Engines Southfield, Michigan - Ward's Auto News has announced the winners of its 12th annual 10 Best Engines for 2006, the auto industry's highly-regarded barometer of powertrain prowess. This year's winners, and the vehicles they were tested in, are: Audi 2.0-litre FSI DOHC turbocharged inline 4 (Audi A3) Audi 4.2-litre DOHC V8 (Audi S4) BMW 3.0-litre DOHC inline 6 (330i) DaimlerChrysler 5.7-litre Hemi DOHC V8 (Dodge Charger R/T) Ford 4.6-litre SOHC V8 (Mustang GT) General Motors 2.0-litre supercharged DOHC inline 4 (Chevrolet Cobalt SS) General Motors 2.8-litre turbocharged DOHC V6 (Saab 9-3) Mazda 2.3-litre DISI turbocharged DOHC inline 4 (Mazdaspeed 6) Nissan 3.5-litre DOHC V6 (infiniti G35 6MT) Toyota 3.5-litre DOHC V6 (Lexus IS 350) Ward's noted that two engineering developments show up on several engines on the list: direct-injection gasoline (DIG) technology and forced induction, which allows engineers to develop powerful engines that return acceptable fuel economy. Many of the engines are multiple award winners: the 5.7 Hemi won for its fourth consecutive year; the Ford V8 and Audi 4.2 for their second year; while Nissan racked up its unrivaled twelfth consecutive win, the only engine to win a 10 Best Engines award every year since the program's inception. The vehicles were tested by six of Ward's editors over a two-month period; the editors evaluated 31 different cars, trucks and SUVs and scored based on power, torque, noise, vibration and harshness, technical relevance and basic comparative numbers. All engines nominated and tested were in vehicles with a base MSRP under US$52,500.

Any speculation as to where you might be deployed to when the call comes Army?

Where did you get those tires SK? Just curious.

I would give some serious consideration to this new Goodyear.... B) http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?ti...re1=yes&place=8

Thanks for the link Craig, I do not have any info on this winter tire so I can't comment. Perhaps if other members have them, they can provide you some feedback. The middle of the tire looks very close to the Goodyear Triple Tread with it's 'Ice Block' however. I wouldn't worry too much about the V speed rating however, that is overkill for a dedicated winter tire. Consider a Max of an H speed rating & go to a slightly smaller tire & wheel size to save some money. Just my 2 cents.

How are Jetta's anyway? Are they good cars? I've never heard anything good OR bad about VW's ← Alot of fuel pump & electrical issues (gas & diesels). Not the most reliable from what friends who have owned them have told me. B)

What is the maintenance history for the tranny? Have all fluid changes been performed thus far over the life of the car?

Very cool. B)

You might want to check e-bay, auto wreckers or salvage yards. B)

In less than a month (press dates for the NAIAS start Jan 8th), we will all know for sure what the car will look like. Let's be patient. B)

Considering the vehicle was launched fairly recently, I doubt there will be huge discounts out there. Try & shop around the different Lexus stores to see which one will be willing to offer the biggest discounts......but don't expect to see thousands of dollars of difference between dealers......only hundreds. Might want to wait until closer to the end of the year as well.....dealers might be willing to take off a few dollars more to and another unit to their yearly quota's. ;) B) Good luck!

Check your spare tire wheel. ;)

Good luck Craig! B) The Nitto's you were talking about earlier......were they summer or winter tires? I could not find anything on their website about winter rubber as I was under the impression they did not make such a tire.

The MB still get's my top vote. B)

Craig, Snow tires focus primarily on 'deep snow' as opposed to icy & slushy road conditions.....snow tires will be somewhat 'sloppy' in the handling department as it is not the tires specility.....you have to ask yourself what type of winter driving you do in the area you live. Considering the type of vehicle we are talking about here, I would be leaning more towards a 'winter' tire over a 'snow tire'. A popular & recent consumer magazine rated 12 'winter' tires......your 3 best bets would be.... - Michelin X-Ice - Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice - Bridgestone Blizzak WS-50 Check tirerack or your local tire shops for size & price availability. Hope this helps. B)

Happy to help. B)

Here is the explanation link for the difference between snow & winter tires, including how to store them...scroll down. B) http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=26040

Very well....From the Tire expert at the Toronto Star 'Wheels' column. ;) "I would not use "winter tire" and "snow tire" interchangeably, though many tire shops do. A winter tire is designed to run under all cold-weather conditions, including on wet, dry and/or cold pavement. Some full-range, state-of-the-art tire companies — Pirelli, Bridgestone, Michelin, etc. — use the term winter tires. A snow tire's main focus is to get through deep snow, with handling on dry, cold pavement way down the list of design criteria. Winter tires do not age significantly faster than other tires when off the vehicle if they are stored correctly. Their lifespan is about five years, plus or minus. They should be stored in a cool, dark area (preferably in your wine cellar), away from electric motors. Motors create ozone, which damages the rubber. Too many people store their tires in the furnace room, which is the worst place in the house. It's hot, and ozone from the fan motor eats the tires. What exactly is ozone? The Canadian Oxford defines it this way: "a colourless unstable toxic gas with a pungent odour and powerful oxidizing properties, formed from normal oxygen by electrical discharges or ultraviolet light." Ozone is derived from a Greek word meaning smell. Remember that when your winter tires are on the car, you're saving wear on your summer set, so costs average out. (Of course, installation costs have to be taken into account.) As I calculate it, the break-even point is two years: keep the tires longer and you start saving money. Winter tires are 5 to 10 per cent less fuel-efficient than summer tires. But what's the cost of a tow to the body shop and a new front end? Any safety measure has a price".

Ouch! I'm afraid your age is your biggest enemy here bud. That's outrageous. That's $7205.52 per year! :o

What type of driving will you be doing in the winter months? Snow tires & Winter tires are 2 different things. B)

Don't confuse snow tires with winter tires, they are 2 different things. B) ;)

Perhaps contact Lexus USA head office as well to explain things & consider taking your car to another Lexus dealer to examine. Changing the PCV valve is a wise idea. But the sludge warranty is still in effect. B)

I doubt the ES will be that kind of animal Toys 300+ hp for the hybrid.....but in fairness, that is speculation (my guess is Max 280 - 285 for the gasoline engine). Let's be patient until the 'official' info is released next month.....as I am sure Lexus will give some ES Hybrid details. B) I just hope the styling is there. ;)