Lex Law

I contributed to this thread that shows you how to mod your ML to turn down the center speaker.

I don't know if many body colors would work with a CF hood. What color was the car, lambobaby?

1. No one knows for sure when the 3IS will be out. If you are waiting for MY2 (model year) of the 3IS then you are thinking way ahead of yourself. Car designs do not always get better. Consider the Camry and Accord. However, you have put some thought into it by knowing to wait for MY2. 2. Chick car? If you prefer boxy, get a Volvo or a pickup truck. Porsche and Ferrari have some sweet designs too, but a 400HP engine is not that practical for most drivers and would send the price of the car out of many folks' reach. Furthermore, I don't consider "chick car" to be a "rumour." You either feel that way or you don't. I wanted a car that was beautiful inside and out, and it had all the gadgets, you are correct about that. Lexus succeeds on all points. 3. People with rattles complain about rattles. People without rattles discuss other stuff. I've had my '08 IS for 6 months without a rattle. The loaner IS250 and ES350 had no rattles. My bro's ES330 has no rattles. 4. Cramped interior. Get the GS if you are trying to move your family. Friends can walk if they don't like it. I sit in the driver's seat--no problems. 5. No regrets. If my car is totalled I am ordering another just like it. I already looked at BMW, Mercedes, Acura, Toyota, Infiniti, Saturn. Maybe I'd look at Audi, though. I didn't see them before buying.

I fully agree with Tex (from PA)'s post. I special-ordered the Lux + ML. No problems here. Yours is the first post I have heard of with an auto-tilt steering wheel rattle. I use my ML for CDs occasionally without incident. If the windshield isn't covered under warranty, which they should be for all ISx50s since the original warranty is still good on all of them, then you use insurance. If it's true that they make so few Lux + ML, then it's because of what the dealers in each region of the country decided would be most popular. Lexus is capable of making a fine car no matter the configuration. No problems at all since Feb '08 on my 2008.

Ahh, those old-style bras. Can anyone post a link to some nice curb feelers for the IS?

I got a great deal on a special order IS from the internet sales manager at Wilde Lexus of Sarasota. My local KY dealer did not even want to touch the price. Delivery was $600. Very happy.

What happened to you, Hitenutada, it seems like everyone but you is posting in your thread. Anyway, I have heard that Obsidian Black does not come with a clearcoat, so you will have more scratching than any other color. You're in for a million scratches if you go through a spinning brush or swishing fabric car wash. Go touchless or wash it yourself with proper training from the detailing forum here or autopia. And avoid the free Lexus car scratches, er, washes.

Agreed. If it isn't on the dealer's lot or available from another dealer's lot to be shipped to your dealer, then special order it. Most regions choose their option packages, and you have to special order for exactly the car you want.

Since someone resurrected this thread (2 pages on clear floor mats! ) here's a site for $46 clear mats, AWD and other: Lexus Parts World

When the out-of-state dealer sent me the odometer statement to sign (like I really had a chance to look at it ) it said 14 miles. When I took delivery, it had 24 miles. Someone drove it a little, maybe as part of dealer prep, a quick test, or a curious transport driver.

Try the internet sales manager at Wilde Lexus of Sarasota. That's where I got mine shipped for $600 from FL to KY. My local dealer "was not interested in that deal" when I asked them to match price on my special order. Get every option you may want. No regrets. That's why you're not buying a stripped $50K car. Get the $30K car with every option.

You might consider the Kensington being released this month.

Make sure your contract or other writing ("We Owe") includes every feature/option you expect to be on the car. You need it in writing if you paid for it and expect to have a legal course of action to hold the dealer to his promise. Make the sales manager sign the form and get a copy before you leave the dealership. You can even refer to your list on the purchase agreement if you wish. Document, document, document.

You should look up your state's lemon law. If you qualify, write Lexus a lemon law claim letter. That should get their attention and straighten out their attitude.

This thread has the dealer pricing sheet in .pdf form. INVOICE/MSRP Part only: $176/$246 Installed: $218/$299 Do not overpay for this item. ;) • Controls the iPod through the radio buttons and steering wheel audio controls • Displays the music text information on the radio’s display • Has the ability to search and play back by song, artist, album, audio books, genre and even play lists • Provides direct high quality audio connection • Charges the iPod while the vehicle is running • Comes with all cables necessary to get started • Glove box location enhances security by keeping the iPod out of site This unit only works on 2007-2008, NOT 2006. If anyone has this installed, I'd like to know if it picks up in the middle of the song where you left off when you get back in the car.

My first non-hand-me-down car was a new 1998 Civic LX (red, of course), top trim back then. It was a little wedge of a sports car, the first model year of the redesign. However, it only had 98HP. After 10 years of that, a wreck and on to a hand-me-down Nissan Sentra GXE for 10 years. Top trim, but only 110HP. Now that I'm in the IS 250, the 200HP is nice. I never floor it, so I can't see where'd I'd notice anything from a 5-10HP increase. Take the money you'd spend on an intake and get yourself some nice tint (3M, LLumar), and you'll look faster!

I have never heard of retorque-ing wheels. They should torque them to manufacturer specs. I always tell them to do it by hand. When they use the gun, the air compressor may put them on at different torques. Also, I'd hate to have them on too tight if I ever needed to put on the spare. I keep a cheater bar with my lug nut wrench, doubling the length and probably quadrupling my leverage to break the nuts lose. The wheels should be safe as long as you are running 4 identical wheels/tires. Do not stagger the setup with larger rears on an AWD, or the computer will spend its time trying to compensate for different spin, possibly leading to problems. I would only get vibration when I rotated tires on my old vehicle, where the wear pattern was a little off from before the rotation. My new car only has 500 miles so far. My tire shop had lifetime balancing when they'd rotate, so perhaps a balancing of the tires would help if they are new. Otherwise, I'd ask them to replace them all and see if your ride improves. Maybe also check if it's a particular road and not all. You may not have noticed it before with a different setup, and your old setup may have been more forgiving on a particular road. If all roads are bad over 45 mph, it would be due to the only thing you changed -- your tire/wheel setup. Also, you may ask them to make sure the wheels themselves are true, not warped in any way, if it's not the tires.

My tank average started at 19. After 500 miles, I am up to 21. Hope to get more, so it's too early to vote in the poll. Mostly city driving.

The Luxury Packages vary based on your model. My local dealer had a red IS AWD, but it was black leather and heated seats only (not ventilated). Spending this much money and keeping cars for 10 years on average meant that I wanted to special order. I also wanted the ML audio, but no NAV. Now I've got just what I want. It's great -- no compromises.

Welcome, ca randolph. Good to have you here. That's a sweet car you've got. You probably got a good deal by getting an 06. I've seen those types of mods advertised on ebay and talked about on the boards, but never considered getting them. No reason to think they'd work on a 350 and not a 250.

Let's see BIG pics.

My clear bra does not wrap around the edge of the panel. It stops about 1 mm short. Is there a wax that won't leave any residue on the edge of the bra. Maybe something that's not pasty. I have way too much edge to start using Q-tips or blue painter's tape.

What he said. If you have a remote start in the IS250 AWD, you'd be about the only one.What year is your car? Let's see a picture of your fob, the name of your dealer, the cost, and the part number of the remote start. Then I'll believe it.

I bookmarked this thread on extended warranty. It costs a fortune to fix the IS, so I will be getting one in 3.9 years.

Any dealership that tells you that you cannot special order or that you have to get the most expensive IS ever or will not negotiate with you on price is bad news. Stay away. Since you are in FL, you should e-mail the internet sales manager at Wilde Lexus of Sarasota. He gave me a much better opening price than anyone in my area. I special-ordered it exactly as I wanted. I even added an option a couple of days after my order went to the factory. The orders are processed by the factory on the 15th of each month. Mine was ordered just before 10/15 and arrived in my home state 2/1. That's 3.5 months. Tell him a KY lawyer sent ya--he'll know me.