SW03ES

Please feel free to mention dealers by name, service writers, etc. As long as you're not being paid by the dealer to do so then its only to the benefit of the club... This was the ICE water pump I assume because of them being able to do the timing belt and all at the same time? I know they have some problems with the Inverter coolant pump going on the Prius, its the water pump for the inverter. Ours was replaced about 65k miles. Eventually it became a recall and our cost was refunded.

Sure...luxury car...luxury service...luxury price. I mean...they're in business to make money. How were they dishonest? You have to understand that they can't just "check to see if a fuse is out" , they have to take it back into the shop, pull a tech off of something else to have him look at it, etc. There's a schedule, they have vehicles back there that are being worked on that need to be delivered when they were promised, they have to schedule you into that schedule, and when they use time in that schedule...they need to be paid. The service writers a lot of times don't know anything about cars. I've found maybe 1 in 5 service writers would even know where to find the fuses. The question would be if they looked and saw that the switch was just off, would they still charge you a diagnostic fee? My guess is no. My dealer wouldn't. Even if they did though, thats not dishonest. You told them the system wasn't working, they diagnosed a problem...they're owed a diagnostic fee. If I owned the dealer I wouldn't charge for something like that, because its an opportunity to build trust and that trust is worth more than $80 to me. But...not everybody sees it that way. I don't mean to sound like I'm raining on your parade, but I've found you wind up much more satisfied with things in your life when your expectations are set properly. I think people are overly harsh on the dealers and what they cost. In order to have the fancy TVs, marble floors, leather chairs, free cafe, movie lounge, mini golf course, indoor driving range (my dealer has all this stuff), a fleet of $40-60k loaner cars (my dealer has ES, GS, IS, HS, RX, GX & LS loaners, including a few IS-Cs)...someone has to pay for that, and the price of the service is going to be higher. My independent mechanic charges like half what the dealer does, but its one bay with his little office next to the train tracks and the NTB, and I get a ride to the subway...in my own car. Dealer has a $140 labor rate...he is $85. So...its a different thing.

To be fair to your dealer, going just from your description I don't really see what they did wrong. Now, had you gotten there and they informed you that the system was simply off and tried to charge you a diagnostic fee or something, that would be one thing. The tires need to be rotated regularly if you want to get maximum life out of your tires, and yes the dealer is expensive. What you have to realize is that using the Lexus dealer (or any luxury car dealer) is using a premium service, its like shopping at Nordstrom. Yes its more expensive, but (hopefully) you receive better service in higher quality surroundings than you would in a less expensive marque's dealer or independent shop. Sounds like maybe you need a good independent shop...

They still sell the updates for the older system. The data is always a year behind. So the 2012 map release won't be out until Sept/Oct 2012. The 2011 maps should be released any day now.

I've got just the guy for you: LXT Automotive: 301-881-4033. He's in Rockville. Ask for Nelson, he's the owner. Tell him Steve Withrow sent you. He will take GREAT care of you. He's a certified Lexus master tech, was at Lexus of Silver Spring for like 16 years, started his own shop in I believe 2004. I've been using him for 5 years or so. He is AWESOME. Great guy, very knowledgable about the cars, uses OEM parts and knows where to get them at the best prices. Incredibly honest, just a once in a lifetime find.

I dunno, I'll have to see it in person. The exterior looks a little too hard edged to me in the front, but too plain in the rear.

Thats crazy...first story like that on a 330 I've heard. Assuming the replacement transmission was new or a rebuild (my guess is rebuild) it should be stronger than the original... Any preventative maintenance done to it? (fluid changes?).

Sorry to hear about your experience and injury Josh, but as others have said thank you for your service... Keep us posted and let us know if there is anything we can do to help...

It rides great and its really quiet. Has a trucky-ness to its ride which you'd expect, so the ES rides better but its almost as quiet. I wouldn't even consider an RX over this Jeep...for what the RX costs optioned up you could get an Overland Summit with way more equipment and style.

I wouldn't say it holds any "practical use". Its too dim to use to see anything...its just for ambiance.

Mine rides perfectly smooth...as has every other ES I've driven (many, of varying model years). Something is obviously wrong with yours.

I mean...you never see Lexus vehicles driving around with the caps missing...so its obviously not such a "stupid" design...

Yeah I too would make them make it right...

You should go drive one! Yeah she drives it primarily. I drive so much for work that it would be too expensive to drive the Jeep.

Aww...t'wern't nuthin!

Its just a little accent light for ambiance...

Believe me, it does. The whole console in mine is awash in cool blue light from that little LED. If yours isn't, then somethings wrong with it. If I rest my hand on the gearshift at night, the light is very obvious. Eh, I don't really see the big deal. I can hit the homelink button at night even without it being illuminated. For you cduluk, this is a picture of the Jeep at night (courtesy of Cperez on JeepGarage.org) Its got to be one of the coolest vehicles at night. Whole overhead console is illuminated too, door handles, map pockets are LED lit, map lights are LED...

Fresh & Easy Grocery Store in So Cal has hybrid parking too. Now that we have an EV ... I'm hoping they'll go whole hog, and install L2 charge stations too. :) Did you get an EV? Cool...which one? There are a couple lots here with charge stations.

Nope...nothing on the overhead console is illuminated at night but the Enform SOS button On the Jeep...EVERYTHING lights up...its actually quite awesome.

This light shines down on the console top below, if you put your hand out at night over the shifter you'll see the light...

It all depends on the factory incentives at the time. My deal had $2,500 in incentives that came off the dealer cost...

I don't see any chance the ES will ever not be Camry based, it just wouldn't make economical sense for Toyota to develop an entirely new platform for it...

Thats just a load rating, would make no difference...

If I lived in Dallas JP Imports is who I would use. Pretty active in the online Lexus community...

They're definateky different than your model' bigger grill in general, bars are bigger and he paint color is lighter...