steviej

nothing here, sorry. sj

the first few paint chips hurt the most. :( Look into a new product called the Autosharp Pen. You can order it in your factory paint code. Supposedly they work real well. Kind of like a sharpie with you exact color. Also, the clear 3M plastic film is available at you dealer. Many cars are displayed in the showroom with them already on. Talk to parts and the body shop about the costs associated with applying it. I'm sure they are already precut for the 2002-2004. steviej

I'm not buyin' it. sj

That road just got longer for FORD. Wednesday's New York Times announced that due to several injuries and an NHTSA investigation, FORD has to recall close to 1.2 million 2000-2003 Taurus and Sables. The cause: a malfunctioning brake light and defective air filters. I beleive it is the brake light malfunction that led to the injuries. The recall letters go out this week. steviej

that's what I'm sayin!

this discussion is ongoing in many forums. I have yet to be witness to any sort of surging from my car that I don't directly cause. The brake is always depressed when I am at a stop if the car is in gear and I seldom use cruise control so I may be missing something. I mention cruise control because one brief report of the investigation mentions use of cruise control at high speed. I cannot see, however, condeming an enitre car company for preliminary allegations that have to be investigated by the NHTSA. These investigations happen frequently to all manufacturers. Some result in major improvements: Audi 5000 led to the brake release switch for automatics. These investigations led to the recall of the Firestone 500 tires back in the 70s and recently the Firestone Wilderness AT. Toyota has already had to recall the Sienna van for gas tank replacements. I won't comment on the number of recalls our domestic automakers have faced lately. I think this one made headline news because the shear number of cars out there that may possibly be involved is extremely high. Of course this will make the news. Most likely nothing will come of it, but it does not help to start speculating even before any specifics have even been released. steviej

Dude, You are getting off cheap in Georgia. I've been paying between $1.97 and $2.03 per gallon of premium for the last 2 months. There were pictures in the newspaper of gas stations marques in No. Cal with prices upwards of $3.00. steviej

absolutely!!!!!!!

you had better check with FBF, I think they stopped car meets last fall. A major CL meet was relocated to Queens because FBF would not allow it. I can't remeber if it was due to renovations or something other, but check with them first before you plan on FBF. steviej

keep the one in the trunk. It is a spare and will work as that. Just keep an eye on the pressure about every 6 months. Tires do lose air on their own and you don't want a flat as a spare. review several on going threads on tire replacements. I know whay you mean about the Bridgies, they go downhill fast. I always kept them at 32 and had even treadware, but rapid treadware. Welcome to the club(s): LOC and the "I got premature tread loss from Bridgestone club". steviej

the 2004 ES I saw in the showroom a couple of weeks ago was shod with Dunlop SP Sport 5000. sj

you can replace the bulbs with anything you want just be sure they are the same wattage and bulb number (ie, 9005, 9006, H7, etc). Should be listed in the owners manual or here: http://www.sylvania.com click on the Automotive Lighting, then on Lamp Relplacement Guide. Some good aftermarket bulbs are Sylvania Silverstars and PIAA Xtreme Whites. Here is a website I found that has lots of excellent brands at very decent prices. http://www.performancecenter.com/products/...IARY+LAMP+BULBS You can't just drop in HID bulbs and expect them to work. HID also need ballasts to ignite the special bulbs. This conversion is upwards of $500 or so. steviej

I find their claims hard to swallow right now. How can they jam a radar source if they don't send a signal? Maybe this little box cloaks the car. Beam me up Scottie! They don't pay for the ticket either, read the fine print: Conditions of the Ticket Rebate Program Registration form must be returned within 30 days of purchase. Registered owner of the Super Stealth 9000 does not exceed 15 miles per hour or 30% over the posted speed limit, whichever is less. The ticket must clearly state "RADAR" or "LASER" and "SPEEDING". Rebate only valid in the USA. Registered owner must be driver of the vehicle when ticket is issued. Registered owner is qualified for this program for one full year from date of purchase. Only the person who is the registered owner of the Super Stealth 9000 is eligible for the rebate. DOES NOT APPLY where DWI or DUI is involved, Construction Zones, School Zones, in California or in any state that prohibits the use of radar detector and or jammer equipment. NOTE: The manufacturer and seller of the Super Stealth 9000 do not advocate speeding. Police can and will stop you if they think you are exceeding the speed limit. If used properly, the Super Stealth 9000 can provide you, the driver, with the additional time needed to adjust your speed to help prevent tickets. Meet the above conditions, and you may receive up to $100 rebate if you get a speeding ticket within 1 year of purchase. time and consumer test reports will tell. steviej

sounds like oil gelling. search on engine sludge or gelling to read all about it. It is a common problem in the 1MZ-FE V6. Did you get the maint. records for the car from the previous owner? You may be able to get the engine replaced if you can prove that oil changes were performed. Get ready to have a sit down with your service manager. If not, there are other options. Contact LOC member JPI. His shop has de-sludged many an engine and he will be able to better advise you. steviej

it's how me and my buddies would get gas back in high school. :whistles: This was of course before locking gas caps. one major hint, make sure it is clear tubing so you can see the fluid coming. I syphoned hydrolic fluid once and got a mouth full. The only thing I can say is hydrolic fluid works better than ex-lax. :chairshot: steviej

before you buy any tire on ebay......get a detailed written return policy from the seller if it isn't stated directly on ebay. Buyer Beware!! Pictures will not do imperfections, slash marks, gouges, deformaties, and blemishes justice. As to the FZ4's, although I think sk's honesty is a bit harsh I can't say that they are junk. Noisy...somewhat, but so now are my Dunlops. For all I know the FZ4's may now be my quieter tires. The FZs are good in the rain, great on dry, and are solid in the turns. However, I lack any experience other than that of the stock Bridgies and the current Dunlops to compare too. Lastly, check to see if the size being sold can even be put on your rims. (go to TireRack.com and click away.) steviej

Henry Ford said you can have any color you want as long as it is black. but he was actually thinking silver. :D steviej

yeah, it happens. It is especially prone when the driver is the type to hit the brakes hard at the last few feet as opposed to the type of driver that gradually steps on the brake and progressively adds pressure over a much longer distance. Another thing that happens very often is if the brakes heat up during braking and then are slashed with a large volume of water (large puddles). The sudden change in temperature of the metal will cause warping over time. I had my brakes (pads and rotors) replaced at 24k miles due to a TSB. 12,000 miles into the new pads and rotors they were vibrating. The dealership resurfaced the exhisting rotors under warranty. If the vibration is during braking the the rotors are most defineately suspect. Get a few peeks and quotes from Lexus, Toyota and even Midas. See if there is enough thickness to the existing rotors to have them resurfaced. If not, then replace them with OEM rotors. OEM rotors can be had for about $70 each on line. good luck steviej

GalletGun, The center caps are removable and replaceable. They are about $28 each and the part number is 42603-53090. here is a links: http://www.lexus-parts.com/partlist.asp?Su...D=84&ModelID=80 However, the car is under warranty. I would inquire from your dealership as to whether they will cover this under warranty. If they do not, or try to say that they were scraped or something like that, then call the 1-800-25-LEXUS number and press the issue with customer service. They should replace them if the paint is faulty. good luck. steviej

the critiques that I have read on the Tornado have stated that in theory it would work, however for any achievable efficiency the engine would have to be kept at maximum rpm. Now that would be impossible in everday use. My feeling is it is a waste of money. I agree with Lexusfreak, spend the money on a K&N. steviej

contact member: lexusk8 (here and on CL). He can give you a link to his thread that has pictures and a step by step of what to do. His debaddging came out awesome. Dental floss ain't just for teeth anymore. steviej

I actually went round and round with the Lexus Parts guy about this. The rear floor mats in Japan have holes and clips, that is why the car itself has recepticles for the clips in the floor. The mats shipped to the US do not have clips or holes in the rear mats. go figure. :whistles: steviej

My Dad's name is Maynard. So everytime I see him, I always find myself saying "Oh, It's you Maynard." steviej

Doug, lighten up a little. He didn't say the owner passed away in the car. steviej

In the northeast corner of the country, TownFair Tire sells them. steviej