steviej

PIAA Xtreme Whites or Sylvania Silverstars are very crisp and clean white. Same for the fogs. Mobil 1 in tranny since first oil change. Filters vary between OEM and M1. Changes every 5,000 mi. stock strut bar (standard on 02 and up). Try eBay for emblems, they are always popping up, gold silver and black pearl. can't hlep on struts or springs, I ridin' stock. steviej

what year is your wife's ES? steviej.

chad, that very slight delay that you experience is characteristic of Toyota/Lexus. my previous SSEi started immediately, meaning as soon as the key went to the "start" position engine was running. my Lexus requires a very slight hesitation in the start positon until the engine catches (we are talking less than 2 seconds). This is the same on my friends' 04 Sienna Minivan, 98 Avalon, 97 ES, 95 Toyo short bed, 2000 Land Cruiser, and the list continues. It is not a chad thing, it is a Toyota thing. The most important thing is the car started. motor on in enjoyment. steviej

I agree with sk. Recently in the market for a nice PDA, I noticed that Garmin just came out with a PDA/Handheld GPS. Garmin is a well known name in nav systems (both marine and handheld). I think the PDA was MS Windows CE or Mobile based. If you already have a PDA, many have add on programs and antenna instead of replacing the whole unit. Another name to look for is Magellan, these come in color screen and are water resistant. Most PDAs have car mount brackets and cig lighter adapters. sj

the cabin air filter runs about $57 from the dealer. However, try http://www.irontoad.com/Merchant2/merchant..._Code=2003es300 This is a lexus dealer (in PA if memory serves) that sells parts on the internet. They run about $35 plus shipping from them. Did your 03 not come with one or does it smell of dirty feet already? I had to change the cabin filter on my 02 at 20k. Eliminated the foul odor all together. steviej

call your insurance company, you may be covered. sj

SW03ES, simple combination of 93 octance + K&N Filter + synthetic oil (I use Mobil 1) + tire psi at 32 + sensible driving. OK OK, I have to be honest, I like to hear the motor growl now and then, too. Before the K&N, I was getting 20-21 mpg around town and about 27-29 on all out highway trips. Everything else was the same. steviej

I average 23-24 around town and 28-30 all out highway (~65-70 mph). sj

like SK posted, but approach from under hood, not under the car. Wear a long sleeve shirt so as not to scorn yourself on the exhaust manifold if it is hot or warm. put a large tray/pan under the car when you remove the filter. Gets messy cause the oil gets on the crossmember and runs off in different places. Newer 1MZFE engines have a device to funnel the exiting oil to a stream. Angling the oil filter wrench is hard but managable depending on the type or wrench. Just a little then easy to do by hand. Tip up when it comes off threads immediately to help prevent total loss of all oil in the filter. good luck. sj

forget the lights.....too tacky. TAKE THE JOB!, it will be an incredible learning experience for you. Even if it is part time, take it. steviej.

kinda, sounds like your mechanic has no idea what the reason for the CEL is. Take it to Lexus for a second opinion. Get the codes and fix what is needed. New ECUs go for more than $1500 US. So a Lexus diagnostic is way cheaper. steviej

TRAC OFF AND CEL may indicate that the car has gone into a security mode or "safe" mode if you will. Speed and many other functions are retarded or eliminated all together. Have it checked out. Get the codes read. If it is not shifting into overdrive, it may be the torque converter lock up switch. steviej

Variable Valve Timing with intelligence. Introduced in 1999. (more added bells and whistles and money) sj

get your wheels balanced and aligned. I am assuming when you say "in gear" you mean the car is in motion. You don't have it in gear and are standing on the brake to see if it is the tranny itself vibrating....right? sj

first thing that comes to mind is that your ground is starting to fail. Check your battery ground and see if it is starting to corrode. It may just need to be cleaned up. The story sounds as if when a drain is placed on the car, then the result is poor sound quality. Also check your fuses, not blown but maybe just needs to be reseated or cleaned up too. Do lights dim a little at the same time when the sound goes funny? You may have an alternator that is starting to tire. Have that tested. steviej

Steve, I can identify with you on this one. Last Jan 2, I was stopped at a light and a big azz lincoln tried to sqeeze between me and the island to get a jump on the left turn only lane. He didn't fit, then said it was my faults. The scrapes and scratches went from the rear corner to just in front of the wheel well up to the top of the gas door. The bumper had to be removed and repainted. Make sure they add the 'flex' ingredient to the paint for the bumper cover since it is plastic and will not be rigid. The flex allows the paint to move with the cover and not crack. Total cost of my repair was $1800 including rental. I paid nothing cause I made the guy stop and exchange papers. He passed on a double yellow to get up to the island then had two wheels on the island to get by me. He never filed with his insurance. What is you deductable? Take it to a well known shop, highly recommended shop or a Lexus dealer with a body shop. look on the bright side, your first hit, like mine, is over and not bad at all. When our car is damaged by means beyond our control, it's the internal hit we proud Lexus owners take that is the hardest to repair. steviej

I assume the Titans are the silver coated bulbs. Steve, 02/03 signal bulbs are 7440 not 7443. The 7443 are double filament bulbs (on and flash) instead of 7440 which are single filament for flashing only. I didn't see a 7440 listed in the Pep Boys link. There is another bulb called STEALTH from Rayburg or something like that. It is similar to the silvervison. I don't know what style they come in. So far silvervision only come in 1156. steviej

They are $20 from the dealer. or Try ebay, you may even get the leather pouch and the supplemental owners manual for the same $20. or www.lexus-parts.com

Progressive and Geico are not available in MA. Here your rate is based on 1. Make model and year of car, 2. where you are registering it (many towns around Boston have resident parking stickers and to get a sticker legally you have to show proof of residence for the sticker you seek) 3. Age and driving history 4. Driving record 5. Car owned outright or lein present 6. what deductable you choose ($200, $500, etc) 7. what options you choose ( comp, collison, glass, towing, etc) 8. level or coverage (20k/60k, 100k/300k, etc) As for location of registration, towns in MA are rated from 1 to 35. Martha's Vineyard (an island) being a 1 and Roxbury (Boston burrough) being a 35. This effects the total cost too, the higher the number, the higher the premium. That is it, now race, job, or marital status involved. steviej

it would help if you told what year we are talking about. sj

she found out when we walked to the car. Kodak moment for her facial expression. :P :D ;) sj

I think two guys from Nantucket tried this with juice. Now their mother's are in the commercials. The latest commercial is with thier wives and one of them beltches. They are promoting juice with a little fizz. I don't want our future ex-business coming to the point where your fiance burps on TV. How bout if when you improve the product, send me a set and I buy you the coffee? steviej

to add another, the Dodge Durango had it's share of gelling problems when first introduced. have the flush done by Lexus to further fortify your standing on an engine replacement if it comes to that. Lexus tried to rectify the situation, and if they can't they must replace. steviej

i'm drooling. I miss turos and superchargers. ***sniffles*** sj

it a nice feeling to sit on the couch an watch a commercial and say, that's my car. (ok, so mine is a 300, but they didn't change the suspension, the body, the color) It makes me appreciate my silver ES even more. I was watching TV with a friend, the ES commercial come on, then the new Maxima commercial came on. She said, "I like the silver one better." I just smiled, as she had no idea what I drove. sj