SW03ES

Yeah visibility and the L-finesse design language don't come hand in hand...

I owned a car detailing business some years ago, and I can tell you that its not just Lexus owners...its that most people don't care about their vehicles in general. If anything its almost worse with higher end cars...people with a lot of funds see them as disposable and replaceable things instead of things they've worked really hard for. I literally have detailed $70,000 cars that would make you want to gag inside. As a real estate broker I can tell you, a lot of people are this way about their homes too...

I think you were very lucky, and that you can't expect that everyone else has the same experience. For instance the Lexus Certified Pre-Owned program will allow two body panels to be replaced and repainted on a car before they will deem it ineligible to be certified, and that doesn't include the bumper. So a CPO Lexus could have replaced front and rear bumpers, a new hood, and a new fender and still be certified with no disclosure of that damage to the consumer, because its considered "typical". I know for me, I drive 20,000 miles a year and somebody somewhere always backs into me, or bumps me at a red light, these things happen, they are repaired properly and the value and aesthetic appeal of the car are unaffected. What you want to be concerned with when buying a used car is serious accidents where the frame or structural components of the vehicle had to be repaired. Cosmetic stuff, as picky as I am about cars I wouldn't care about as long as it was done right.

I personally prefer the LS460 to the LS460L. I think the LWB model is just too long, and makes it feel ungainly to drive. Having basically owned a 98 LS400, a 04 LS430, and looking extensively at LS430s and LS460s before I decided on my ES350 last year...I just don't see how they drive that differently. If anything I think the 460 is a little tauter and more handling focused than the 430 or 400...but overall the ride and drive is so similar if your eyes were shut I personally thought you'd have a hard time knowing which one you were in. That and pretty much every review of the Equus when they compare it to the LS note that the feel is close, but not quite there yet giving the LS the edge. I think maybe after 20 years of driving the LS you just want something different...which there is nothing wrong with.

The use of the term "Czar" to describe someone in an Executive capacity is not new to the Obama administration. Its mostly used by the media, but has been in use since FDR's time. Anyways, I see where you're going with that but the Russian Tsars were from an era before Communism or Socialism. You're picking up on it now because it keys into this idea you've latched onto that Obama is a socialist. For a little reading on what a "Czar" is please see the following links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czar_(political_term) An excerpt: Edit: Jim beat me to it! LOL

See, I think this is an important point to realize. *We all* care about this country, you, me, Gabep, Bush, Obama, Harry Reid, John Boehner. What we disagree about is how to go about doing what is best for this country, but what we *all* want is for this country to prosper, grow, and to return to prosperity. Nobody is served by the failure of this country. Where it comes off the rails is when people say stupid, politically charged, divisive things like "Obama is a socialist and he wants to destroy this country" or "George Bush is a criminal should be tried for war crimes". Both comments are ignorant, and untrue., and they do nothing but pit people against each other when we should be working together.

And just what are my motivations?

Some stuff you can do, but the vast majority of it you need the dealer to do unfortunately...

I must be *a black*? Kind of like *a dog* or *a horse*? You need to take a long, hard look at yourself, the things you say, and how you say them. If you truly are not bigoted or a racist, I can promise you what you say and how you say it makes you come across that way. Its obviously not just me it has that effect on either, Paul, LEXI and Jim picked up on the same thing I did. Know a lot of "she"'s named "Steve"? You can try and insult me all you want, I know I'm an intelligent, well spoken & successful individual and there is absolutely nothing the likes of you can say to me that will make me feel anything less. Huh?!?

I'm not the one that brought race into the discussion Lenore, he did. I see now that he has chosen to remove all his remarks...removed or not he said the things that he said.

I mean, I think you really have to expect that when you buy a 7 year old car, at some point its going to have had some sort of minor bodywork...or its going to need bodywork that you'll have to do after buying it if you want it to be in good shape. As careful as I am with my cars, I have never had a car past 5 years old that didn't at some point have a bumper replaced or repainted, or something like that. What you don't want to find out is that the car has been in a serious accident, and it doesn't sound like this one has been. Carfax is looking for serious accidents that seriously effect the value or safety of the car...and thats not what this was IMHO. For instance the bumper repairs and such that I've had done, our Prius was hail damaged and the whole car was PDR'd at a cost of $2500...none of that ever showed up on a Carfax.

I was just happy you went away...not really worried about why. I have zero use for bigoted racists. Happy to discuss and debate with Lenore...but not with you.

I'm not saying they didn't. What I said was its a culture of non-cooperation that both sides are to blame for.

Welcome and congrats! In my 2010 many of the customizable functions are available within the Nav screen, but its a newer system than whats in your 08. I think you need the dealer to adjust those things. Did you buy it CPO? If so they should make changes once for free...otherwise they might charge you $50-$100 depending on the dealer...some will do it free for goodwill.

Glad to hear it, they are GREAT cars.

No problem! You have such nice weather for the movers today too!

Thats only for 2009+ vehicles with the 0W20 Synthetic from the factory...which is basically only the RX, CT, & HS. The rest of the lineup still calls for 5k changes, and any RX before 2009 does too...which is what we're talking about here. Like I said, I'm not questioning whether the car will be fine with 10k changes, I'm saying if you have a warranty failure...and Lexus can blame it on stretched out oil changes...they will.

The only part we disagree about is the "unfortunately". I'm not 100% sold on voting for him again, I think he's failed to live up to his potential in a number of ways...but like I said I don't see any Republican running I could vote for but Romney, and my fear about him is that he's such a spineless worm. See, I think what made the Clinton era work even with the opposing congress was the fact that Clinton made it clear that he was willing to take it to the brink for what he believed in, and I think after the Government shutdown Newt Gingrich and the Republicans respected him for that on some level. The problem is that Obama has rolled over for the Republicans so many times, and gone to such lengths to try and appease them (speaker of the house denying the President's request to speak to a joint session...AND HE CAVED? Come on!), thats what has caused this "party of no" thing going on with the Republicans. Why should they say yes? He'll eventually just cave. Its that lack of any kind of cooperation that caused our debt to be downgraded...and its the fault of both sides, the Republicans for being self serving and politically driven (but thats who they are) and the President for rolling over and taking it up the pooper one too many times. Here's a question for you though Lenore, you say that the heavy population areas are generally Democratic and not Republican. Why do you suppose that is?

I've found the OEM blades are excellent. My favorite aftermarket option is PIAA's silicone blades. Their refills will also fit in the OEM Lexus assemblies.

Lenore, unemployment is not high because of Obama. There is nothing that a Republican President can do that is going to reduce unemployment overnight either. We're recovering from a terrible global recession, the cause of which was not Obama. Unemployment has been higher than this, and we've survived. We will this time too. According to the graph I showed you, private sector employment is up since he took office, and it shows a strong correlation between the stimulus, and the slowing of job loss and the beginning of job creation. Lots of US companies are posting strong earning reports. The private sector is beginning to roll again, you just have to give it time. "the next hammer if going to hit with the debt ceiling"? What does that even mean? Despite the hoopla, raising the debt ceiling is a procedural thing that has been done many times in the past. Ronald Reagan raised the debt ceiling 18 times...Bush raised it 7 times. Obama has raised it...3 times. Obviously we have to get these deficits under control...but defaulting on our debt is not a solution. We need to stop adding additional debt, and come up with a plan to pay off the debt we have, just like a family does. Were you raised in such a way that you were taught that simply defaulting on your obligations is a viable option? I certainly wasn't. I don't disagree. I think they planned on a public option providing cost control, and when it became impossible to pass such a measure they had no backup plan.

Nobody's going to increase your warn status as long as you don't post rude, snide remarks to anybody and just share your information in a friendly and open manner, as the rest of us do. Anyways, how can you be afraid to respond to my comments when you just responded to my comments? In other words...respond away...just don't be a jerk.

This was Obama's healthcare plan during the campaign, the article is dated October 2008. This is VERY different than the actual bill that has passed (bears almost no resemblance). You should do research into the actual bill. But...a solution that addresses some of the problem is still a beneficial solution, even if it doesn't help everybody right? Part of the point of that legislation is that it is directed at people who are current on their payments but simply can't refinance because they are underwater on their mortgages. The goal is to avoid strategic default, people who can afford their payments who simply choose to foreclose because they are trapped in an underwater asset at a high rate, and cannot restructure it. This is a HUGE problem, and its an entirely different problem than homeowners who are already in default, that becomes a short sale or loan modification issue...and those problems are addressed in other pieces of legislation. Which is a situation we're all in. NOBODY knows a clear path out of this mess. Which hidden taxes? Here's an article stating that according to the CBO repealing the healthcare bill would INCREASE the defecit but $230B because of the deficit reduction measures it includes: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/06/cbo-health-care-repeal-deficit_n_805192.htm I think those are components of reform, but not a totality of what is needed for real healthcare reform. Just because something is touted to do something doesn't mean that it will actually do something. Yes, it was a slap in the face...but it got me to get you to actually talk and think...so I guess it worked.These posts are about the most intelligent and thoughtful I have *ever* seen you post on this subject, and I'm happy to have a debate with this lenore. What you, and everybody else have to understand is that we are in a situation in this country that was not the fault of one person, nor is it something one person can reverse. I think the stimulus has helped, I think we probably need more, I think providing options for people who face foreclosure is huge, I think providing options for young people with burdensome student loan debt is huge, I think creating good paying jobs that get people back to work is huge. But, one man doesn't "create" jobs, but I think he's done about as well as someone dealt the cards he was dealt could have done. If you compare his platform to other liberal Presidents you'll see that he's no more "extreme" than any of them. What I think he does lack is presence of leadership, I think frankly he fails to control congress, fails to control his own Administration's message. I do however stand by my prediction that he'll be re-elected. If the Republicans could get better organized they would have a shot, if you look at the field there is only one man there I could vote for...Mitt Romney. All the rest of them are too radical, too religious. The problem with Romney is he has shown that he will do or say anything he needs to in order to get elected, you don't really have a clear idea of what he actually believes in. In the end, I don't think he will get the nomination, but I think he's the only person on that stage that moderates like me that move back and forth between the parties could vote for. So...I think you're going to have to put up with 4 more years.

And, unsurprisingly, you answered none of my questions. The answer is...you don't know anything about the healthcare bill, or about the President's proposal to help underwater homeowners refinance their mortgages, and therefore your opposition to these measures is because they were proposed by someone you hate. THAT is what is anti-American my friend.

Really? I'll have to try that tomorrow...

Have you ever owned a car with automatic climate control before? I've owned several different cars with automatic climate control before, and all of them operate the same way. If you just leave the thing in "AUTO" all you need to do is set the temp. If you need the defroster, hit the defroster button. When you no longer want the defroster, hit "AUTO" again, and all goes back to normal. Its not like the rear switch because the rear defogger doesn't interact with the rest of the climate system. To use the defroster in the front you have to route air away from the vents and underdash ducts. Its the same way on every other car as well, as long as they don't have a heated windshield.