steviej

just tell autozone it is a 96. in short, 94 is OBDII but most other 94s are OBDI. now, go read the FAQ like you were told. steviej

the cowl, is that inside or outside. Is it the black plastic where the air intake is. When I had my windshield replaced, they glass place replaced the black trim around the outside. Is that the piece? steviej

careful......you will get what you pay for. sj

David, I must reiterate axle13's statement in regards to my ES. Keep in mind that tire pressure will also play a part in ride comfort and noise, too. steviej

i would go talk to your father and see if he has any influence on his friend to reimburse you the $450 that he caused. steviej

sweet!!!!! now put a spoiler on it. steviej

did you try www.crutchfield.com ? steviej

funny, i don't have the windshield cowl rattle (inside or outside?). At least I don't think I do. What is that one? I guess they would want to smell sulfur in the exhaust before they allow the cat TSB....don't have the sulfur smell either. The belt slipping is the PS belt. Had them replaced at 30k and it still makes noise at temps less than 3o degrees. I think the PS belt could be tighter, I just haven't had time to do it. Don't got a cluck in the steering either....what and where is that happening? steviej

if it is not a deep scratch then you could try Mequiars two step process called Mirror Glaze for plastic. It is a rub on rub off scratch remover/plastic polisher system. If it is deep then consider replacing the clear plastic cover lens. steviej

maybe because the tire dealer you spoke to doesn't sell them?

decidedc to put my extra money towards a house or a condo. the rattle was more like the sound of a mosquito or flies wings. very high rate oscilation sound coming from just above the grab handle by my left ear. I assumed it was due to the TSB work cause the service writer said the headliner is lowered and then the glass is taken out. Turns out the headliner never gets touched and the glass is a piece of cake to remove. The headliner is attached with two screws at the grad handles and two at the dome light. In various places it is held by velcro. THe head diagnostician (i love that term) said many times the velcro can come unstickied/unattatched and cause such a noice depending on the road condition. They took the car in, lowered part of the headliner and resecured it in the area of the offending noise. it is super quiet now. With the buzz noise gone and the new moon roof gasket....It is like a brand new car again. Even the Dunlop A2s seem quieter now that extra creaks and buzzes are gone. good luck with yours Steve. Turns out the rubber used on the 02/03 moonroof dried out wicked prematurely. The new gasket is supposed to stay supple for a long long time. steviej

all of you have been extremely helpful in letting me know that I am not alone in my recent feelings towards a new car. thank you. i did just that, got in my car and rode home and then to the airport and then north of Boston and then home and then on some back country roads and the rattle/buzz/vibration was gone and the car felt like a new one. The ride is definately smoother but we are comparing apples to oranges (car vs truck) and that is an expected difference. the money thing is simple, what do i want today and what do i want in six years. i really should be making my money work for me and making uncle sam work for me rather than spending any excess money in my budget on something that does not increase in value and depreciates immediatley when driven off the lot. All of you have valid comments and have helped in my decision. now..................neptune blue or dark green? just kidding. steviej

sk, it looks like I will be in Toronto in late May, can you shoot for then on the plant tour? 1SICK, when in August? I will be in Sydney Aus. for the first two weeks or second two. not sure yet. steviej

whoa whoa, hold up there adya, just cause you didn't get the ES250 doesn't mean you can't stay. ownership of a Lexus is not a requirement for membership. Just appreciation of the brand is sufficient. You are welcome to stay and hang out, learn, ask questions, etc. Some day you will have the Lexus you desire, but lack of one today does not mean you have to leave the forum. stick around, it's kinda nice here. steviej

My car is in the shop to figure out a new rattle subsequent to the moonroof gasket TSB (but that is another story). They gave me a loaner for the weekend, an '04 RX330. I absolutely love this thing. I don't know what else to say. The ride is nice (not as nice as the ES) but every creature comfort is there plus a few more. The engine is nice and the pick up is quick. The delay in shifting that so many have complained about is no where near what I can attain with my ES. I especially like being able to look down on people and the AWD feature is attractive. I am kinda obsessed with it right now. I don't know, maybe it is just new to me, I come from a family of trucks and off road so maybe my heart wants one. When I go in tomorrow, maybe I will talk pricing and see if they can put me in an 04 for what I'm paying now on my ES. I hate having an obsession. steviej __________________

disable the remote starter and see if the cruise control regains proper function. "when you eliminate all possibilities, that which remains must be the culprit". Sherlock Holmes. steviej

depends on the year of your ES. 92-98, then no it won't cause major damage to the internals of the car. I did hear a mechanic say, though, that he never saw a timing belt break and not see some sort of damage to the engine on a Japanese car. (I can't speak to the extent of that). 99 and up, then yes damage will occur. yes, do it while they are in there. Kill two birds with one large sum of money so to speak. You might want to think about replacing belt tensioners and accessory belts, too. speak to ParkPlace Lexus directly or via email. Many places have packaged kits, meaning all the parts the mechanic needs come all bundled up in one box. call around to several Lexus and Toyota dealerships and see what they get for just replacing the TB and WP. This will put you in the ballpark of what to expect. steviej

got TireRack.com ???? steviej

Josh, you passed the UA and that is good. Don't think that this means you can be in the presence of that crap and be so lucky next time. This time your second hand exposure was minimal at best, don't chance the next exposure. Your future is more important than another person's high. steviej

have them show you in your policy where it states that they can use remanufactured parts and where it says you have to pay part of the cost, then contact a lawyer. steviej

bring in the receipt from Firestone and the one from the shop that found the problem. Ask for a refund because they got it wrong. If they don't give you at least a credit, then threaten small claims court. steviej.

impressive. in the words of Tommy Lee Jones in Firebirds, "now lets see if the damn thing flies." steviej

it all comes down to quality of life. is it worth it for an extra 24k, from what you have posted, I would say not a chance. It a very short time, if you are like me, you come to resent you decision and many aspects of you life will be effected. Health, relationship, attitude, stress, etc. Life is about more than an extra 24k/year. think hard on this one my friend. steviej

1. read every thread started by member ArmyofOne and you will get a feel of what you could be in for. 2. They were all made in Japan. 3. Bring it to a mechanic or Lexus dealership and get a complete prepurchase inspection. 4. Carfax doesn't cover maint. or mechanical condition of the car, the buyback is a plus (what is the time limit on the buyback) 5. Toss a coin, you seem to be set on this car. steviej

have you still got the orginal brake pads on there? Either way, the warranty is bumper to bumper except for wear items like brake pads, oil changes, tires etc. Go back and get a written explanation why it is not covered. Then post that here and call 1-800-25-LEXUS to find out more. steviej