HRP

Proper tire pressure has been discussed on this and many other forums. The basic problem seems to be the need for the car manufacturer to use the lower tire pressure to keep the ride soft since the majority of high end car owners opt for cushioned ride over handling as well as tire wear and gas milage. I have an '02 LS430 with 16" Michelins (Pilot Sport A/S Size: 225/60WR16) which were installed as a part of the purchase deal. I run them at 35 lbs rather than the lower pressure recommended by Lexus. So far, I've 30+k on them with even wear. I do rotate and balance and have 4 wheel allignment every 5 or 6 k. The ride is firm and smooth. I also have 16" Michelins on my 1991 Buick Reatta which I run at 35 lbs rather than the lower pressure recommended by Buick; also with 5 - 6 K rotation, balancing, and allignment. And I have a 1977 Excalibur Roadster with 15" Michelins which I run at 35 lbs with the same rotation, balancing and 4 wheel allignment. I get 40+k milage with even wear, firm ride, and good handling on all 3 cars. (both the Buick and Excalibur have had aftermarket stiff shocks/struts installed.) In contrast, one of our previous cars was a 1997 Cadillac Catera which ate up tires (Goodyear and Michelin) despite regular (6k rotation, balancing, and allignment) since the car wouldn't stay alligned. Cadillac bought us 2 sets of tires before we finally unloaded it. The '97 and early '98 Catera's were notorious for being problem cars. They handled great when they ran, were well appointed, comfortable, and quite roomy for a mid-sized car. The best thing about it was that since my wife chose that one, I got to choose its replacement; and now we're both completely spoiled in the LS430. To finally answer your question: I'd run at least 35 lbs (cold), watch the wear pattern and adjust the pressure as indicated. Too low a pressure wears tires on both the outer and inner edges of the tread; too high a pressure wears in the middle or "crown" of the tread. The Michelin website (and other tire companies' sites) has a good discussion on proper tire pressure, wear, handling, etc. And yes, I know you got more info than you asked for, but I did get carried away.

If "the harder it is to take off, the longer it lasts!" is true, then my daddy's '57 Buick Roadmaster 75 still has paint protection. I Simonized the whole car in 1960, then let it dry, and thought I'd never get it off. I think that's when I started reading and following all the directions, fine print and all.

Amen to SW03ES!!! When you take delivery, wash it,clay it, then apply a quality sealant. My favorite is Zaino. Check it out at www.zainostore.com And if you aren't into detailing, find a reputable detailer to do it for you. 40+ years ago, I used the old yellow can Simonize which was the ne plus ultra back then. Don't pay for a dealer applied "paint protector". If you are looking for a detailer in your area, go to http://autopia-carcare.com/ This website is full of information and their discussion groups are a blast.

Hi, I'd suggest you check out BCU computers on 220 in Summerfield (BCU@bellsouth.net). There is also a place in Madison (NC) which sells used computer parts dirt cheap. If you need the name, get back to me. My son deals with them all the time. And if you are free today, our Barbershop chorus has its annual show at 2 and at 8 over at Salem college in Winston. Come hear that 4 part sound.

My son has researched tires up the ying yang and swears by Michelin. He says the Michelin carcasses are the ones preferred by recapping companies because of their quality. Also because of the Michelin sidewall construction, they do not heat up as much. Currently I'm running Michelin Pilot Sport A/S on my LS430. They have 30k on them and show very little wear. I also have Michelins on my 91 Buick Reatta and my 77 Excalibur with no problems. In the past we have had problems with top of the line Bridgestone, Firestone, Goodrich, and Goodyear tires; generally tread separation and rapid wear. And we rotate, balance and align every 3 to 6 k.

As usual, most of these polls leave little room for dissent from the big 2. My vote will be for Michael Badnarik, the Libertarian candidate. Most of y'all appear to be choosing the "lesser of 2 evils" rather than positively voting for your true beliefs. I triple dog dare you to take the World's Smallest Political Quiz ( http://www.self-gov.org/quiz.html ), you might be surprised at your true political position. Most of us outside the Washington Beltway hold predominantly libertarian opinions. Throughout our country's history, alternative candidates have mightily influenced the positions and party platforms of the "Demoplicans" and "Republicrats". And, historically, the 2 major parties have not been significantly different. And obviously, most of you respondents disagree, not agree, with the positions of both "George and John". And the best way to tell them is to vote your true beliefs; not choosing between the lesser of the two evils.

Some cd players (car, home, portable) will not play "home burned" cd's. Part of the copying prohibitions, I guess. I'd try copying one of your cd's that you know plays in the car and trying that. Then, using a good cd burning program (check zdnet.com for a good free one) if you don't already have one, try again. I use both Roxio and Media Jukebox to make cd's for my 02 LS430 with the 'standard" 6 cd changer and even the cheap Ciruit City 700MB's play fine in my LS430, 91 Buick Reatta, my old Pioneer cd changer, and even a portable one with earphones. (all .wav files). Be sure to try the cd in a "standard" cd player if it won't play in your car. You may have to clean the car cd player. They can accumulate lots of dust, debris, etc. Most places like Radio Shack have a cd cleaning disk.

Check this link. We got one for our daughter-in-law's SUV and it does keep the car much cooler than with just the windows cracked. http://www.brandsonsale.com/solar-car-fan.html

I paid $150 a tire for 4 16" Michelin Pilot Sport A/S for my LS430, mounted, balanced, new stems, etc. A local tire dealer matched the best price I could find on the internet.

My "hood ornament" complaint is that none of the current ones are functional. Ideally, the hood ornament should help to deflect bugs from hitting the windshield. The old Packard Courmarant, Chief Pontiac, Caddy's Flying Lady, and Kiser's winged beastie along with the hood shape actually worked. It is a shame that the Lexus engineers didn't throw a few bugs into the wind tunnel while they were desiging the airflow around the car.

I would use a good sealant; several coats of Zaino Z-2 or Z-5 (plus ZFX) which is one of the most durable sealants, after proper preparation. Then during the summer apply the Z-6 gloss after each washing. Keep a window cracked and even consider a solar powered window fan to keep the air moving. I agree with the use of a good protectant (Z-16) on the interior vinyl and exterior trim (if you have leather, use Z-10). And keep the windows clean, inside and out! There are certainly other very good products available, but Zaino seems to be among those providing the most durable finish (per the Autopia website). A wax will not last in the desert sun and heat. And if possible, put an awning over it as much as possible.

Good Job!!! A great plan of attack. Let folks master that, then they can try the other good products out there.

Would you be kind enough to post the results of your "second opinion" if you get one, please?

It ain't right. Get a second opinion (check alignment, toe in, caster and camber of all 4 wheels) either from a reliable front end shop, a Dunlop tire store, or a different Lexus or Toyota dealer. Also make sure the shop checks the "camber" of the wheels. Wear on only one side of the tire suggests either cornering wear (caused by taking curves at excessive speeds), camber wear (due to excessive camber), or toe in or toe out wear. If all 4 tires are wearing equally, you might just be cornering at excessive speeds and with possibly too low a tire pressure. Treadware rating on Dunlop SP5000 is 340, I believe, which is lower than other some other all weather premium tires (I'm running Michelin Pilot Sports with a 400 rating on my LS430 with 20k on them and are barely worn.) But that alone shouldn't account for this kind of treadware. You didn't say if you'd had problems with previous tires (just the last 2 sets), tell us how many miles are on the car, the tire pressure you usually run, or unusual driving conditions or habits. You're sure your not reallydriving a '97 Catera; that's what ours did.

These polls ought to include a "none of the above" or "other" choice. As posted, they probably leave out the vast majority of members, but who knows? How about givng us that alternative?

I agree that you should try to get rid of the swirls, but Z-5 doesn't magnify them, rather the opposite. Here's the word on Z-5 from Autopia's reviews, followed by Zaino's description of Z-5 on their website www.zainostore.com (the emboldment is mine) Z-5: Packaging (3.40) Instructions (3.60) Ease of Use (3.80) Slickness (4.60) Gloss & Finish (4.40) Sealant Durability (4.80) MFG Claims (4.00) Value (4.20) Compared to Similar Items: Packaging (3.39) Instructions (3.35) Ease of Use (3.91) Slickness (3.95) Gloss & Finish (4.13) Sealant Durability (3.54) MFG Claims (3.59) Value (3.95) Z-5 Show Car Polish for Swirl Marks and Fine Scratches Makes swirl marks disappear like magic! Get the wettest-looking, deepest finish you can imagine without harming your car's factory clear coat. No hard work... just results! Z-5™ Show Car Polish is the only polish formula available that fills and levels minor surface scratches, swirl marks and spider webbing to create an optically perfect finish on your car. FACT: The only way to permanently repair severe swirl marks and surface scratches in your paint is to have your car professionally machine buffed with abrasive compounds and polishes. This procedure is both expensive and dangerous. We engineered our Z-5™ Show Car Polish formula to be a safe, effective alternative to machine buffing with harsh abrasives. Using our unique, micro-filler polymer technology, Z-5™ Show Car Polish fills and levels minor imperfections. With each application of Z-5™ Show Car Polish you will see the swirl marks and fine scratches gradually lessen, until the marks are no longer visible. The result is a wet-looking, mirror-like finish . Z-5™ Show Car Polish is our best base-coat polish for black, dark blue and red cars, which tend to show all marks and imperfections. After using Z-5™ Show Car Polish, follow with one or more coats of Z-2™ Show Car Polish. The results are nothing less than stunning. Like our other polishes, Z-5™ Show Car Polish contains state-of-the-art optical enhancers, gloss additives, and Ultra-Gard™ UV(40), our most advanced sunscreen. Stop fighting with swirl marks. Let Z-5™ Show Car Polish fill those swirls until they disappear. We guarantee you will love the results.

Wash after you clay to remove anything left. Use a regular carwash, you won't need Dawn then. And since you are in Miami, you're gonna get a lot of heat, humidity, salt, and sand, so I'd suggest a sealant rather than a wax for better and more durable protection. Some complete the detail with carnuba on top of a sealant for depth and more protection, but waxes just don't last as long as a good sealant. However, I don't know how much more depth you're gonna get than this:: http://www.autopia.org/forums/showthread.p...&threadid=37214 Of course Zaino has the polishes (sealants)Z-2 & Z-5,and the carwash Z-7 and the gloss to keep it looking good (Z-6). We Zaino Zealots just have to add those comments. www.zainostore.com

Don't forget to check the tires each time you check the presure. Look for wear, damage, nails, etc. Michelin has a very good user friendly site at : http://tires.michelin-us.com/mastapp/servl...e.care.MainPage The "Tire Tool Kit" section is quite informative. I run my LS430's tires at 35lbs.

Don't forget to check the tires each time you check the presure. Look for wear, damage, nails, etc. Michelin has a very good user friendly site at : http://tires.michelin-us.com/mastapp/servl...e.care.MainPage The "Tire Tool Kit" section is quite informative. I run my LS430's tires at 35lbs. I use analog gauges from a local auto parts store and keep one in each car. Any quaestios, I simply compare readings.

Great advice SWO3ES. Suggest Douglasmiami also check out http://autopia-carcare.com/ particularly the "learn" section. They have in depth instruction about car detailing and detailing products which can save you time, trouble, mistakes and money. And the discussion threads are quite instructive. I am a "Zaino Zealot" and would also suggest you visit www.zainostore.com and check out their "tips and tricks" section. Remember, the big secret to a dazzling car is the preparation. Applying the wax, polish, sealant, or glaze is usually the easiest part. And be prepared for a diversity of opinion about how to do it and which products to use. And don't forget that OCD really stands for "Obsessive Compulsive Detailer"

Didn't realize that you didn't have an electric fan. Still, if the car is under a warranty, I'd check out the ticking since yours is "louder" than any other you've ever heard. And definitely check out the brakes. You'd hate to see that 30 day or whatever the dealer said expire and then find a problem. Thanks for educating me re: ticking noises AWJ.

Neither of your obseervations sound normal. I would wonder about the ticking noise being an electric cooling fan relay. Have the brakes checked; would not expect them to be noisy unless there is grit or something stuck between the pad and the rotor or some other problem. Get it checked while the car is still under some sort of dealer warranty. And I'd get a second opinion if the dealer tried to slough me off.

http://www.performanceoilnews.com/oils_against_oils.shtml is a site that does compare synthetics. Check it out. I doubt if any of them will "fail" in the quality cars owned by most of us and driven in a reasonable manner; ie not a grueling race.

I've got 4 cars, LS430, Buick Reatta, VW Synchro, and an Excalibur. I run 35 lbs in all of them (for the reasons given in the other posts). But every time, weekly, I check the tire pressure, I also look at the tread. Regardless of the measured pressure, too much pressure will cause wear in the center of the tread; too little, wear on the outer surface (both sides of the tire). And you can make adjustments as necessary. I've seen the low pressure wear often, but rarely see evidence of too much pressure. Also run your hand laterally across the tread to check the wear. Poor allignment will cause uneven wear. And a frequent tire inspection may turn up other problems, such as tread seperation, nails, etc. Remember, most of us run at speeds of 60+ mph frequently. A tire problem can happen at the worst time and under the worst conditions; and many of them can be picked up with frequent observation.

I'm not near 60k yet, but just for kicks, checked the Edmunds.com repair costs site and came up with this for the 60k on my 2002 LS430. Up until now, my Lexus dealership has hit pretty close to the Edmunds.com predictionsfor scheduled services . The Edmunds Maintenance Guide 2002 Lexus LS 430 4dr Sedan (4.3L 8cyl 5A) Service 60,000 Part Description Part Cost Brake fluid $ 8.40 Coolant $ 16.00 Engine oil $ 15.25 Oil filter $ 6.70 Total Estimated Parts Cost $ 46.35 Labor Action Item Labor Cost Inspect Air conditioning system $ 4.89 Check level Automatic transmission fluid $ 0.97 Inspect Ball joints $ 4.89 Inspect Body $ 2.44 Flush/replace Brake fluid $ 34.26 Inspect Brake lines, hoses & connections $ 0.97 Inspect Brake system $ 14.68 Inspect Cabin air filter $ 14.68 Inspect Chassis & body $ 2.44 Flush/replace Coolant $ 34.26 Check level Differential fluid $ 4.89 Inspect Drive belt(s) $ 1.46 Retorque bolts Drive shaft $ 4.89 Change Engine oil $ 9.79 Inspect Fuel system $ 4.89 Inspect Fuel tank, cap & lines $ 2.44 Replace Oil filter $ 4.89 Perform Road test $ 4.89 Inspect Steering linkage $ 4.89 Inspect Steering rack $ 4.89 Inspect Valve clearance $ 2.44 Rotate Wheels & tires $ 14.68 Total Estimated Labor Cost $ 179.64 Total Estimated Costs Total Estimated Parts Cost For Your Area $ 46.35 Total Estimated Labor Cost For Your Area $ 179.64 Total Estimated Cost (excluding tax)* $ 225.98 *This Total Estimated Cost includes the preventive maintenance items recommended by Lexus. The facility that services your vehicle may perform different, greater, or fewer procedures that can affect the cost you incur. For example, engine oil change and filter replacement are commonly performed by dealer and independent service facilities at special prices. These "special price" services do not typically include all of the additional procedures recommended by Lexus at each service interval.