SW03ES

He doesn't know how to wash a car ;) I've seen people wash cars with the oddest things....

Here's a little insight into the dealer's markup. 1 Quart Synthetic oil, retail $5.30 (thats ALREADY marked up for profit) Lexus dealer: $19.20 2002-2004 Lexus ES CD Magazine, lexus-parts.com $24 (again, already marked up for their profit) normal Lexus dealer: $75 DVD Nav update wholesale $220 lexus-parts.com $280 (marked up for their profit) normal Lexus dealer:$380-500. Lexus ES turnsignal bulbs retail: $2.50 Lexus: $10.50 (per bulb) NEVER buy ANYTHING from a Lexus dealer you can find somewhere else, markups are routinely 300% or more over retail, not to mention wholesale.

Simple Green Automotive is simply Simple Green already dilluted, its safe for wheels. Simple Green is a very versitile product when dilluted properly. Actually Simple Green Automotive is a ripoff because if you buy SG and dillute it to where the Automotive is it'll be about 1/4 the price. I still would not use the Comet, its SO abrasive and the clearcoat is so thin as it is. I find that if I clean my wheels every week or so I never have to use any kind of cleaner on them, whatever I'm using to wash works fine.

I found some pictures of it, the better styling alone is enough to make me go for the 400h over the 330 Different bumper, grille, wheels: Note the LED taillamps: In tan:

I was cruising around looking for information on the RX400h and the LS500h and I came across a little blurb by Consumer Guide that quotes a press release from Lexus that states the ES should again be all new mid-year in 06 with a hybrid 400h option and AWD. They didn't seem to think 2005 would see much of an update if anything at all... Should be interesting to see...

If the clear gets destroyed the wheels will be dull, chalky etc

You're not going to get a discount on the RX or Highlander hybrids for years. And I got $4,000 off my ES ;)

Well you know people have been buying cars without tax deductions for decades ;) I looked around and the RX400h isn't going to be recieving any of those things anyways because it isn't going to have good enough fuel economy. It has to get 50MPG and they're thinking 40 highway, so it will even have to be emissions tested unlike the Prius. But still 40 highway for an SUV with V8 performance? Why is a tax deduction neccisary to get in on that? The RX330 gets maybe half that on a good day, you're cutting your gas bills in half! Plus I would buy it just to have the "higher version" of the RX which Lexus is counting on also. And I trust Lexus' opinion on the pricing they're saying that the 400h should be around $1500 more. They sell the Prius for 26k with all the options it has (voice activated nav, smart entry, bluetooth, JBL stereo, Bizenon headlamps) what makes you think they can't deliver the RX400h which isn't going to have a lot of extra equipment over the 330 for only $1500 more? $5500 more wouldn't make any sense because it would price the RX400h way out of its price class. The batteries actually cost $8,000 to replace. But just because the parts cost that much doesn't mean the car does. The 4.3 liter V8 costs almost $20,000 to replace, but the GS430 isn't $20,000 more than the GS300, its only about $2,000 more.

CBEST came out in 98

80s is still cool? ;)

Oh yeah, the wait here for the Prius is until Christmas. They have 450,000 orders for a model run of only 40,000 cars, some dealers are asking $15,000 over sticker for used test drive vehicles with 15,000 miles. Its crazy. I found one unclaimed in WV and we only waited 3 weeks. How lucky are we? Dissapointed today though, we went to the MVA to get the tags and you can't drive Hybrid vehicles in the HOV lane alone like you can in other states and Virginia. Only Natural Gas vehicles. Oh well.

Lexuses get wrecked too ;)

1990 & 99, The door locks can be set to lock when the shifter is placed in drive and then unlock when it is placed in park, or one or the other. The default is no autolock on the 98-00 LS. You can also turn off the auto relock, this did make me lock my keys in the trunk on the day before Christmas. My fiancee had to drive an hour to come save me (only 7-8 miles but Christmas traffic) because I couldnt even get into the roadside assistance number. Terrible "feature"! 1990- They can also change the lighting delay. You'll also find that if you hold the key in the lock cylendar turned towards lock it will close all the windows back up ;)

Comet/stiff brush = BIG NO NO. Your wheels are clearcoated just like your paint, so you shouldn't use anything on the wheels you couldn't use on the paint. Comet will destroy your wheels. Simple Green is much safer, but still very strong, you can try dilluting it but Simple Green will permenantly etch and stain bare metal, its pretty nasty stuff. Its a "last ditch effort" kind of deal. What I reccomend is Eagle One A2Z wheel cleaner, its strong but won't hurt your wheels like other cleaners. Spray it on, agitate it with a soft brush and repeat until they look better. I'm gonna move this to the detailing forum.

This is why we don't take our Lexus through a car wash ;) Car wash= EVIL! Anyways if you didnt demand that he take care of the damage you're probably not going to have any recourse. I had a car damaged by a carwash on two seperate occasions (I run my Explorer though one) and each time they had no problem paying for the repair, but I told the manager as soon as I noticed it and he inspected it.

Your Lexus should have come with the cargo net...

I'll figure it out, thanks for the link!

Nope, not law in the US all cars just kinda have them.

Actually thats a common misconception, there is no insurance deduction for daytime running lights. There are actually only a couple insurance deductions, passive restraint is one. If Lexus was so concerned about the safety I wouldn't be able to turn them off with the switch, I just want it to operate in AUTO mode with the DRLs off. I'll check the relay Sharad, thanks!

The RX330 uses a roof mount antenna already like the european cars, unlike the mast antenna on the 300.

It looks like its going to be $1500 more or maybe less than that, same option package choices will be aviailiable. Its *supposed* to start at $37k which would be less thanb 15k more than the RX330 but they may do a 330 price drop. On the Prius it is $1500 annually for as long as you own the car. Not sure if that will carry over to the 400h as the fuel economy isn't as good or it may be a lesser amount.

Check out www.iaai.com to see how many wrecked Lexus' are around (plenty). My guess is thats just the individual insurance company's policy. Insurance companys are in no way standard they can be very different.

Hey guys, I've never been a fan of the daytime running lights (DRLs) and would like to know if anyone knows a way of perminantly disabling them on the 02-04. I have the headlamp selection "DRL OFF" but this is seperate from the AUTO function which I would like to leave on. I know on GM vehicles this is a simple fuse pull. Any ideas?

Those prices are very good from Lexus, I personally would go ahead and have the $190 service done.

They do, but with the touchup paint/brush clear usually isn't possible because the paint is so thick. I would use a touchup pen from www.autovisuals.com.