SW03ES

If you read the posts on Autopia about Z-5 you'll see that the general consensus is that it doesn't really work, that has been my experience as well.

What you're missing is Lexus doesn't like giving people a choice. Only one Lexus model has an engine trim choice, the GS. If you say give them V6 power in a hybrid and offer them V8 power in a hybrid thats THREE engine choices, aside from the cost of creating two all new engines Lexus just isn't going to do that. So now you have the RX330 or for about $1500 you can have an RX400h with the hybrid drive and more power. Why create two options to just confuse things? Power isn't about going fast, its about having the luxury of effortless power. Lexus is trying to disspel the rumor that hybrids are slow. We've had the Prius about 2 weeks now, so far people have been VERY confused about it, even my dad who is just as into cars as I am. Questions like "does it go uphill" "do you have to plug it in?" even "what happens when its cloudy?". People who are confused like this aren't going to buy a slow Lexus hybrid, they'll just buy the gas one they know. You have to give them something to make them trade up. BUT its kind of a moot point as almost all the 2005 RX400h's are already spoken for 7 months before the release.

Definately a total...

Zaino is just going to magnify your swirl marks. Products like Zaino that don't allow any type of oils or fillers to remain on the surface are best used when the car car be adequately prepped (all swirls removed from the surface). #16 is about as durable as carnuaba gets, no its not going to last as long as Zaino but it will allow you to hide your swirls. Its worth a shot to try and remove the swirls with your buffer, might work, might not. Removing swirls is hard even with the proper equipment. Another idea is to let a detailer buff out the swirls THEN you could use anything you want.

Its just one item in a long list of high voltage items on todays cars. They just need to better train their rescue workers thats all... I remember a very similar article when HID headlamps came out, AND airbags, AND everything else...

They get it off the VIN

www.lexus-parts.com, I think they're $50, cut and programmed.

I would not tow a trailer with your LS430. Its not designed to tow one. Aside from being very hard on the transmission you could actually wind up bending the frame because it is not reinforced to handle the load, also causes premature wear of the rear struts and differential. Big time bad idea. As a matter of fact I believe installation of trailer hitches to Lexus cars void the warranty but I'd have to double check that. If you must tow a trailer you picked the wrong vehicle, sorry :(

Basically the P21S GEPC and the AIO aren't compatible. So you would choose one or the other. I suggest you use the P21S because of its swirl hiding characteristics, Klasse is best used when the paint can be completely prepped beforehand. The AIO is the first step in the Klasse system, its basically a cleaner and has little protective properties. The step after that would be Klasse Sealant Glaze which has the protection. Klasse is a great product but it doesn't hide any swirls. I'd skip the AIO. You CAN apply the wax with the buffer but its just easier to apply paste waxes by hand.

www.autovisuals.com

You can TRY using the buffer you have with a cleaner and see if you can remove swirls. Lexus paint is pretty soft so you may be able to. The step I would skip in that is the P21S GEPC. Klasse All in One is a chemical cleaner. The GEPC is basically just oils, its a great product but definately to be used with Carnuaba wax. The AIO will completely remove all the oils from the GEPC and the SMR, meaning those were just wasted steps. The Dawn wash would do the same. I would reccomend using the SMR with the buffer and a terrycloth or foam bonnett, the GEPC (Or Meguiars #81 Hand Polish) with the buffer and a clean terrycloth or foam bonnet, and then waxing by hand with Meguiars #16 or #26 paste waxes. This will seal in the oils (that hide swirls) and provide you with moderate durability. To maintain the best look you will probably have to repeat these steps monthly as the oils will wear away and the swirls will return.

I wouldn't buy it because it only costs $9. Believe it or not the Lexus' antennas are actually quite complex peices of electronics. I'm 99% sure you'd see loss of signal with this.

Is it metal? Probably the heat shield, needs to go back on. That happens a lot on all cars actually...

The new ES also has the door lock thing, locks when in gear, unlocks when in park. 98+ Lexus have all kinds of things you can have the dealership change in the C-BEST settings. And the tranny problems were addressed in 02 so you're good to go ;)

Bein too green ;) Gotta trick luxury car buyers into going for hybrids, I agree with Lexus that the best way to do that is to make the high performance versions of the cars the hybrids. It sends a message that a hybrid can be more than green, it can be fast and fun too.

The TL is a great vehicle Kevin, I almost bought one myself. Enjoy and stick around!

Good luck!

Generally stay away from anything that calls itself a rubbing compound as these are VERY abrasive and damaging to the paint. Generally all these products fit into a classification as "Cleaners" and are rated based on abrasiveness. The best thing to do is honestly to just skip these products if working by hand because you're not going to be able to remove any swirls or scratches by hand, you need to hide them. It depends. Once you get started you'll see that claying is so easy, I usually clay the entire car. If it feels gritty to you it needs to be clayed. Not if using compatible products. For instance all carnuaba waxes and some sealants can be applied over polishes. Some sealants require a perfectly clean surface but since you must hide swirl marks you shouldn't use these anyway. Generally don't get hung up on names, manufacturers just use names whenever they feel they sound nice.

Just sitting in the two is no comparison, as with the Camry and the ES. The Highlander seems really nice until you get into the RX. The RX feels and is bigger, has much nicer materials, real wood and higher quality leather. Better instrumentation (Optitron) better stereo, smoother quieter ride. If you've got the money the Lexus is worth the wait. The RX is SUCH a nice vehicle, I always specify one when I put mine in for service.

Think about it this way, the buyers that are interested in the RX400h have already made a decision to drive an SUV vs a car, Minivan or Station Wagon while ignoring the increase in fuel consumption. The widespread popularity of SUVs has shown that for the higher line American consumer, gas mileage is pretty low on the list of wants/needs. The Lexus hybrids can offer them what they want, lots of power, lots of features with Lexus luxury AND good gas mileage as a bonus! Plus all the nifty Hybrid goodies like being sales tax exempt, $1500 a year tax deduction and being able to drive in the HOV lanes. When the ES400h comes out I'm all over that thing! Or if I have the funds the LS500h :D

You don't have 5 buttons There are 5 possible levels for being warned, yours are all dormant, they're pink. If you were to be warned one by one each level would turn red. Think of it like a gas gauge, yours is empty. Everyone has the exact same warn buttons and gauges, relax ;) If you were ever to be warned you would know it because the system automatically sends you a PM.

Some paints still do not have clearcoat, Lexus black for instance. Lexus white is not a pure white but a pearl, so it definately has a clear.

I completely disagree. There is DEFINATELY a market for an RX with more power, V8 performance. There is always a market for a car with more power. What Toyota is doing is making its luxury customers associate hybrid technology with the high performance, more expensive versions of its vehicles. By 2010 every Lexus will have a hybrid version and they all will be higher performance than the gas ones. See the market is different in luxury vs mainstream. Mainstream buyers are content to buy the Prius, which is a great car (I have an 04) but its an economy car, it feels, rides, and drives like an economy car, just enough power etc. Lexus has correctly recognized that people are not going to trade their gas Lexus for a Hybrid Lexus unless it can offer them something else than just being "eco friendly". Yes that may lower gas mileage some, but it may make up for it by finally driving hybrids completely mainstream. Would I buy a hybrid Lexus if it had the same power as the Prius, no. Would I if it had more power and more features? Yes.

I like the idea too, I shall bring it up B)

The metal trim is a brushed alluminum, theres no way to repair it when it gets scratched. I always tape mine off when I'm waxing and buffing to avoid marring it.