SW03ES

I didn't move this, but I would have had I seen it. Sorry, but the forum layout is designed the way its designed for a reason. Offtopic posts belong in here, not in the model specific forums. Without this "micro managing" you wouldn't want to post here, trust me. Volvo has been making some really good sedans lately, I know a couple people with S80s of that era and they're all quite pleased with them. Its no Lexus...although the new one is really nice...

Actually I've found they scratch easily and polish out easily...

As someone who used to have a detailing business I have some advice: 1. Don't get brand loyal with products. Meguiars products are not professional products, they're too expensive. Its a business, you need to use good products but other manufacturers make as good or better (emphasis on the better) products for less. 2. I always tried to price myself out at $50 an hour. So if something costs $50, it needs to be done in an hour. Can you get the Inside and Out done in an hour? 3. Ever thought of a straight wash and interior vacuum? $25-$30, takes 30 minutes. This is the staple of any detailing business and this is where you can build customer relationships, create ongoing business, and upsell higher cost services. If you can get 4 people to agree to a weekly wash at $25 a peice, thats $400 a month guaranteed with upselling and referrals from there. 4. Compounding. Do you have access to an orbital or rotary polisher? If so $20 an hour is too cheap. $50 an hour remember ;) If you're just working by hand, $30 an hour. Of course, pricing depends on your local market Looks like you're on your way! You'll be making an extra $500-$1000 a month in no time! If I had the time I'd still take some detailing clients from time to time...

Happy Birthday!

That doesn't make any sense. DRLs are not DOT required in the United States, many cars do not have DRLs, and many cars have DRL off switches including the Lexus ES from 02+.

Only cheap and unwashed MFs will do this.

Collinite is a very long lasting wax. Not a great looking wax...but long lasting. The magic isn't in the products they used, its that they applied the proper techniques USING the products.

Look at what it says in your manual. If it lists that...then have it done. You don't have to have Lexus do it, anybody can do it, but IMHO you're better off having all scheduled maintenance performed to make sure theres never a question about warranty and to preserve the car's value over the long term. Honestly...its a $40,000 car. I don't see the issue paying $500-$700 a year for a 15k service.

Its like anything else, you pay for a quality and affluent experience. That either appeals to you or it doesn't. For instance, I enjoy shopping at Nordstrom. I like their clothes, suits, and the whole experience of shopping there. Last weekend I stumbled into a "Nordstrom Rack", Nordstrom's outlet if you will. I bought several things at great prices, a couple pairs of $150 Tommy Bahama slacks for $50. A few $80 shirts for $30. Now, the savings were great but the whole experience was like shopping at a swap meet. It left a lot to be desired. So, I'll shop there from time to time but I'll still shop at the real Nordstrom. Yeah you can do the work yourself but I enjoy the experience of having the car taken care of by the Lexus dealer, I get no hassle loaners (they're not "free", they're part of what you pay for with the service), I get dropoffs and pickups at my leisure. Plus, I have no desire to do maintenance myself and the car has a perfect Lexus dealer service history which is bound to make it easier to sell. To each their own, but there are reasons people use the dealer.

Grumbles beat me to it... The SYNC feature in the Fords works GREAT. Best auto voice recognition system bar none.

Or apparently golf clubs or apparently pots and pans (thats a weird one) lol

Its a C-BEST setting, the dealer can change it.

You guys are ruthless lol C'mon...maybe this guy can teach us a thing or two about "da femalez"

It all depends. They won't care about window tint, but they may care about the stereo. It begs the question though, why would you want to pay to modify a car that isn't yours? Thats the tact you have to take when you're leasing.

You can't compare an Explorer or Ford workmanship to a Japanese carmaker, even Nissan...and that comes from a previous Explorer owner.; I had several of the issues you had and my Explorer was two model years into a minor refresh. While I agree, if you can wait you may as well wait if only for your peace of mind. But when you're dealing with well made cars like these, I'd buy a first model year if it wasn't convienient to wait.

The refresh they did to the Tribecca was MUCH needed. Its still not pretty, but its no longer ugly. For me these would be the pluses for the Lexus (these are all for the US mind you): 1. Better warranty 2. Better dealer service and more accessable dealer network 3. Better staying power. 5 years....10 years down the line the RX is still a nice Lexus...the Tribecca is an old Subaru 4. Better resale value (much better) 5. Better interior materials (the design of the Tribecca is attractive but the materials aren't to the same level as they are in the Lexus. Nothing wrong with the Tribecca at all. It all depends on your needs. If I were buying a family vehicle I'd buy the Tribecca (or a Toyota Highlander or Nissan Murano), if I were buying a vehicle for me to drive daily I'd buy the RX. Don't get snippy BTW, this is a Lexus enthusiast club. Of course any responses you get to a question like that are going to be pro-Lexus bias. Ask the same question on a Subie board...the responses will be pro-Subie biased.

I would choose a ride biased touring tire for the LS instead of a performance tire like the Pilots. I know its hard in that size, looking through TireRack my choice would be the Turanza Serenity.

The Tribecca is a nice vehicle but I'd buy the RX.

To me, $270 for the easy experience of them coming and getting the car, dropping off a loaner, and bringing it back to me and knowing my day won't be interrupted is cheap. I don't pay $270, but I pay about $200 for the same service but I drop the car off myself. I don't have the time or the desire to wait at the dealer, so I drop it off the evening before and get the loaner, and go back the next day at my liesure. The Totota dealer charges $130 for the same service and wouldn't give me a loaner car, the cost of renting a car the caliber of the Lexus makes it a no brainer to me to use the dealer.

I defy you to find me some data that shows first year models have a lower reliability rate than later run models.

Naa...I'm not THAT old haha

You NEVER want to rub that plastic with a dry cloth. Use only plastic or glass cleaner and only use ultrafine microfiber towels. Plexus is a good plastic cleaner. You can repair it, there are some tutorials in the detailing forum.

Then why does every other Lexus sedan have RWD, including the LS which is built more for smooth and quiet driving than the ES. Why do Rolls Royces have RWD? The ONLY reason the ES is FWD is that its cheaper to build.

Internet sales manager...only way to go...

Don't use Swiffer dusters. They work great on interiors, but they are abrasive and will scratch the paint. California dusters work well, just be careful.