SW03ES

Nice writeup! I can't wait for this to come out with Sirius...

Oh I know, I even said it wouldn't make a difference. I just don't understand taking exception to premium being required in a $45,000 car. MOST luxury cars require premium fuel. Its not going to make a difference, but "you wouldn't have bought it if it required premium fuel"? It cost more than the average American makes in a year...

Double check and see if your discounts apply to Cingular now that they've merged. I know within a few months AT&T will dissapear and the service will become all Cingular. I say this because Cingular has better phones.

But it doesn't matter if its needed for the business or not. You still might be able to realize some enormous tax savings. Since you normally keep cars a long time you'd have to sit down and crunch out the numbers and see whats cheaper. Depending on what your business makes it may be cheaper in the long run for you to lease than to buy even with the legnth of time you keep vehicles. No need to worry about lease bump ups. Most leasing companies will allow you to extend your lease a few months if you have to wait to get a replacement vehicle, I know Toyota Financial Services does that as does the bank I leased my car through.

Sheesh man, its a Lexus not a potato chip, you CAN stop after one lol Just kidding, congrats!

No reason to be annoyed, negotiations take time. Look at www.vaisech.com they have a setup similar to OEM.

Alan- My phone's speaker doesn't work that way (Verizon set it so that the speaker only works when the flip is open to force you to buy Bluetooth headsets from them, among a longer list of dirty practices) but I have it set up basically the same way. I have a portable bluetooth handsfree speaker clipped to the visor that activates when the phone comes within range and works great. Other benefits of hard installed bluetooth kits are that they don't have to be charged (my speaker needs to be charged every 2 months or so), they often have superior sound quality, and they mute the radio when calls come in. Jim- Interesting, I never have a problem with the phone staying on my belt with my system and my fiance has the Toyota/Lexus Bluetooth system in her Prius and leaves her phone in her purse, no problem.

No, the new firmware does not allow phonebooks to be transferred. Mine has the latest firmware and this is still blocked.

patt- Leasing holds significant tax benefits for people who can write off their vehicle as a business expense. It also can be cheaper and less time intensive for people who know they're going to trade in 2-4 years and don't like keeping cars for a long time.

No Willard, the acceleration delay is simply the result of poor implementation of the drive by wire system its found on all Lexus vehicles, including cars, and a number of other manufacturers vehicles. You don't feel it because your older RX still has a tethered throttle.

Why be such a stubborn cheapskate? You bought a $45,000 vehicle, if there's a chance you can spend a little bit more money at the gas pump and make it drive smoother, why not do that? The manual clearly states that 87 works, but 91+ is reccomended for optimum performance. If you're a nickel and dimer why did you buy this vehicle?

Cool! Yes we want pics! Do you feel there were any changes to the back seat area vs your 99? Bigger?

Okay read every word I say, every word. The GS has no relationship to the Avalon. Unlike the ES and Camry which share a basic platform (even they only share about 20%) the GS and the Avalon share NOTHING except some filters and maybe some switchgear shared between all Toyota Lexus vehicles. They're about as similar as the Corolla and the Tacoma truck. The two cars are completely different and target completely different companies. I sat in the new Avalon today, didn't get a chance to drive it but I will. Its very nice, but its not a Lexus. The quality and hefty build aren't the same, the controls and doors etc in the Avalon felt lighter and less damped, leather was lower quality as were plastics. Getting back in my ES there's no question which car is more expensive and more solidly built. A lot of Lexus owners are all messed up about the Avalon, you've just got to remember that a luxury car is engineering and quality first, and look and features second. The Avalon is nice, but its no Lexus. If you're buying a car for flash and to get attention then you're in the wrong car, you need to buy a BMW or a Mercedes. I drive my Lexus because I love it and it makes me happy, I really don't care if other people like it or think its a Toyota. Doesn't bother me.

I agree with all of it (very funny BTW lol) but this. The LS may be the best Lexus, but its not the only Lexus. My ES is a wonderful car, rides great, almost as silently and smoothly as the LS (you'd be shocked how close actually), the SC is an amazing convertible touring car, the GS has a very wide following. I think every model Lexus makes is a great car.

But then why do all these other vehicles with DBW throttles have the same problem?

But that was a clear cut problem, there was no diagnostic required. I sat in 5 seperate Verizon stores over the span of 3 months over an hour each AND spent an hour on the phone with Verizon fuming over the terrible treatment at one of the stores. The woman on the phone was nice, but not interesting in helping me and refused to transfer me to her supervisor. All I wanted was a $30 battery. There's just no way I'll continue to do business with the crooks once I have a viable solution. Sprint is not much better, and Cingular doesn't have reliable coverage yet. So, I'm stuck. No thing to do but hope the lawsuits come through and Verizon has to re-activate the Bluetooth functions so our $700 in phones work like Verizon misrepresented to us that they would.

I hate earpeices, I much prefer having a true handsfree system. The reason I like handsfree is you don't have to do anything, if you have to clip an earpiece to your ear then you might as well plug it into the phone making the expense for a bluetooth phone AND a bluetooth earpeice a waste. Plus they just irritate me. Thats why I like the installed bluetooth so much.

Jrag/Alan- Thats the DBW lag. dancer- I don't beleive your 01 has a DBW throttle, so that hesitation may not be normal.

What KIND of problems have you had though? Hardware problems trying to be resolved in store etc? The cutting down the charge is normal, they just came out with a cheaper plan.

Motorola's Bluetooth works well as long as you don't buy from Verizon...

lenore- Wait until you have some sort of problem needing support, a billing problem, a problem with your phone etc. In my experience they're very helpful for the first 3 months.

Your 04 shouldn't have the "going 40" problem.

When did they change to 3G? Its been about 2 years now I'd guess.

I doubt they ever will. I would like the ability to roam on a CDMA network in a Cingular phone though as that would remove my reservations about going GSM. We're just all saying the same thing in different ways LOL

If you mean that the two vehicles are mechanically and platformily similar than no, they aren't at all. If the Avalon is similar to any Lexus its the ES. The Avalon is also considerably bigger than the GS... Yes it is sold in the US...as the GS. The cars are perfectly identical in every way except for LHD vs RHD.