SW03ES

It definately sounds like a heat shield rattle, its a simple 5 minuite installation of a clamp.

LOL

Oh, and the rattle is all fixed, and no increase in cabin noise due to the removal of the weatherstripping.

Its a lot worse for some people than for others, it has to do with your driving style. It doesn't bother me at all. The reason Lexus hasn't done anything about it is because there isn't anything they can do, its the design of the throttle by wire system. Like I've said before I've noticed the same lag on many other vehicles with electronic throttles. I've gotten so without even thinking I can drive the car so that it doesn't lag, it only lags when I specifically make it. Its quick abrupt use of the throttle that causes it to lag, if you're smooth you wont even feel it. I can see where it would be potentially dangerous if say you pull out of a stopped lane into traffic and floor it, it would hesistate a second then downshift and in that second the oncoming traffic would get a lot closer.

It could be, but there'd really be no point. When you used the Scratch X did your rag turn black?

I said that to the service guy and he doesn't get it either. He says all the peice of weatherstripping does is make noise, its completely redundant.

You're not going to be able to remove swirling on the car by hand you're going to need a buffer with an abrasive polish. If you're not comfortable or dont want to purchase a buffer you can just pay a professional detailer to do a good complete detail on the car and remove the scratching and swirling.

The clear isn't gone trust me, if it was you would know it. You know those old Chrysler vans that look like the roofs have excema or something? Thats clear coat failure. Actually if your GS is black it may have never had a clear coat... Problem is that the paint isn't adequately protected. All clear coat is is a coat of paint with no pigment.

Its probably a tire issue, whats the pressure?

No, and generally we ask that members not use the site to steal carfax reports. Carfax is a business and its worth $19 to run all the VINs you want for 30 days when you're shopping for a vehicle.

Glad it worked out!

Cool!

Well at this point its the dealership's problem so I say let them keep it until they make it right... The ES is very sensitive to different air pressures from one side of the car to the other, this can cause a drift. If the dealership seems to think there is some sort of deficiency in the alignment hardware though, let em try that.

Well I dropped my car off for service this evening an got a brand new (1500 miles) ES330 as a loaner. Its white with cream interior, not a great color combo in my opinion. I have some observations after driving it tonight and comparing it to my 03 300. Firstly the new motor. I've heard some say that the engine is somewhat louder than the 3.0, but I didn't notice any difference in the sound, seems just as quiet and smooth as the 3.0. It does seem to have a little more power, but in normal driving I wouldn't be able to tell the difference. One thing I did really notice however is that the new torque setup creates somewhat pronounced torque steer. For those that don't know torque steer is a phenomenon exhibited by FWD cars with somewhat to high horespower and torque. When you accelerate the steering wheel will fight you for control one direction or the other. I'm always impressed by the fact my car has no torque steer, but the 330 definately does. They changed a couple things, first the seats are somewhat different in the front. The seat bottom is squared off instead of rounded and the seat is supposed to offer more support, I find it somewhat hard when compared to mine, but that may just be because its new. Second theres a new little light cluster on the climate control face that has three warning lights. The passenger seatbelt light like the 300, and an "Airbag On" and an "Airbag Off" light (the 330 has defeatable passenger airbags) unfortunately either the "on" or "off" light is constantly illuminated and its a bright amber color, this would really irritate me... Tranny has the same lag as the 300, I really think its the throttle not the transmission. Oh and one other thing of interest, the dealership has a new fix for the rear door rattle they say works, they're going to remove a small peice of weatherstripping from the bottom of the door, I'll let everyone know how that goes...

Every Lexus dealer I've ever dealt with refuses to turn rotors too...

Run a search for leather cleaning and conditioning in this forum, and scroll down a couple posts to TOGWT's thread on leather care ;)

The Lexus dealer? A gas station would charge you more than that! Don't anyone expect to get similar pricing from their dealer... My Lexus dealer charges that to do an oil change and a tire rotation.

Exactly.

To be honest, I can't understand putting that much money above and beyond the purchase price into ANY car, new or old. When you're talking about that much money you're never going to see it again with the sale of the car, you've really got to have a love for the modification scene lol... I'd always rather buy a $20,000 more expensive car ;)

Its definately possible its an O2 sensor then...

See, the original poster of the thread didn't even take offense...

I honestly don't know about an LS of that era. Post 97 (I think) LS have the C-BEST dealer customization system and they can be set to lock when in drive, unlock when in park. I set my ES up to work this way. My dad's 98 LS could also be set up that way but came from the factory with it disabled, his new 04LS came with in enabled. Maybe theres some sort of button code you can use, do you have the manual?

What I find funny is I've heard of people buying 1990 LS400s and attempting to restore them. Its not that kind of vehicle lol, take the money you would have spent to restore it and buy as new an LS as you can afford.

How many miles? My Explorer came with a bad O2 sensor, one went bad on my mother's New Beetle at like 12000 miles, and one went bad on my father's 98 LS around 30k. It should be covered by the warranty, probably what it is.

Well, I think this is taken completely out of context. Facts are facts, the Lexus is a higher quality, higher prestige automobile than a Civic. I think most people would agree, it is "better". I think that anyone who believes they are "better" than someone else because of their status or belongings is misguided and sad, but hey, everyone thinks their car is better than everyone elses. Fact of the matter is regardless of what is worth what and who makes what, a Lexus is precieved as a better car than a Honda, just as a BMW is precieved as a better car than a Chevrolet, its just the way things are, but the comment you're talking about has nothing to do with any of that... Now, you have to admit that many (not all, and not you) people that modify Civics can do some of the most high schoolish, ugly, and just plain unsafe modifications you can do, cutting springs is one of these things. I think that was the point the person in question was making. Don't blow things out of preportion...