Kyle Petree

Hi guys, I haven't been around for a while, I've been so busy and I was Lexus-less there for a few months (traded in my '11 RX on my E550, more on that in another post) anyway I picked up a '09 RX about a month ago and tonight I was trying to install an aftermarket iPod adapter and in the process of removing the screws for the radio dropped the bolt and the socket from the socket wrench down into the center console below the gear selector. I was able to get the bolt back by using a magnet stick but I couldn't get the socket out. Is there a way to remove the plastic housing around the gear shifter to see down into the center and recover the socket? Thanks for the help and hopefully I can be more active around here.

I definitely agree with you there. I'm already looking to sell my RX, I just can't stand the thing since I owned a 2nd gen model. I"m honestly done with Lexus for now, they've let me down so much with this car along with their dealers thinking that their s**t doesn't stink and ripping off every customer that walks in the door (If I buyout my lease on the RX I'd end up spending close to $60k not including financing interest, sticker was $48k). I've dealt with the local MB and BMW dealers and both right now are giving me invoice price as their first offer on the car(s) I want, it's almost impossible to get the Lexus guys here to budge of sticker. I can see how you could say the GS is starting to look like a BMW but if that works then go for it, so far the reviews of the new GS seem positive.

Congrats Smooth! I've heard not so good things about Jeeps in the past but the way Chrysler is going these days it sounds like this new one will last you a good long time, I myself have been impressed with the work they are doing so far. It seems that all American brand dealerships have extremely rude salespeople. Just yesterday I was at our Cadillac dealer looking at the CTS-V Coupe (I'm thinking of going back down to one car...) The salesperson took me inside where the had the perfect one, fully loaded, red with black interior, the works. I looked it over and fell in love with it, and I never thought I would with an American car. I asked him if there was one around that I could test drive and he goes on about how they don't let people test drive the V models which I understand they say that right away so that people who really aren't interested can't go joy riding without an intent to purchase. So I go into his office, give him the payoffs on my cars work the whole deal and then I said well I think we're close to where I want to be but I do want to do a test drive before I finalize the deal and he goes off and says "What the heck difference does it make if you test drive it or not!?" I was well taken back by this statement, I told him to take his car and shove it. Our BMW dealer let me test drive the M3 and Mercedes let me test the C63 both of which cost more. Also I think I've told this story here before but at one point I was looking at a Mustang and once I told the guy I drove a Lexus all he could do is ride me for driving a foreign car! I couldn't believe that, I was there to buy "American" and he was going to criticize me for what I already had. To end the first story I put in my offer on the C63 and I'm waiting to hear back, and BMW is locating an M3 for me to work with but they are becoming few and far between.

If you have a tow hook hole on the front you can use something like this... http://www.rhoplate.com/

Uggh, I can relate. Everybody who rides in my car seems to think that they have to close the doors like they are the door to a bank safe. WHAM! It makes me cringe every time! Although I understand why, I was test driving a '11 Dodge Challenger and I was so used to how light the doors are to close in my BMW and Lexus that it took me three times to get the door to latch in the Challenger. Also just a few days after buying my '11 RX I drove a few people in our office to lunch and once we got back I noticed a huge smuge on the back of the passenger seat. Ooo boy I was hot, I was in the parking lot yelling "Who the F*#@ has to put their foot THAT high to get into a car!!"

Since most salespeople like to talk payments instead of price I work out the payments beforehand so I know where I need to be. For example, I was looking at a C300, sticker was ~$43,500. Edmunds TMV said ~$41,000. They were offering $2k conquest cash for owners of competing vehicles which takes it to $39k. Add in tax $41,632. MB Financial was offering 2.9% for 60 mo. Throw that all in a payment calculator (http://www.planningtips.com/cgi-bin/simple.pl) and I end up with a payment shy of $750/mo. Now at this point I walk in, tell the sales guy I want to be at $750 for 60 months and not a penny more. I've been doing research lately and it seems that many auto makers are offering excellent financing right now, at least some of the luxury makers. Infiniti's all have 1.9 to 2.9% for 60 mo, MB has 2.9% for 60 mo on most models and if you can find one Hyundai has good rates on most cars. IMHO the Tucson fits your requirements very well and they have 3.9% for 60 mo right now. Hyundai is a weird one... a friend of mine works at a local Hyundai dealer and it's not unusual for a salesman to push 35-40 cars/month and they usually have 150-200 new cars on the lot, even in a small market like Toledo. I was always shocked at the amount of inventory but I guess they need it! WHAT! I didn't even know they would finance a car for 8 years!?!? All Kia dealers seem really shady to me....

Ah parbuster I have the same complaints! What I usually do I just use bluetooth and navigate the songs via my iPhone. BMW's interface is a million times better, I can zip to the bottom of a 250 song playlist in 5 seconds and is much more intuitive. The Lexus system wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't so slow scrolling through a playlist.

At our offices we use a time clocks by Icon Time Systems. We have three physical time clocks that hourly people swipe in on then our HR manager downloads all the punches which only takes about 30 sec. They offer a Virtual terminal so that you don't have to buy any physical time clocks, you can install the vterminal on all your client machines and they can punch in and out there. It also integrates with a all kinds of payroll software (eg ADP, QuickBooks, etc). Here's the link to timesource complete which works with the virtual terminals.... http://www.icontime.com/products/software/timesourceComplete.asp

I've always liked Mercedes and almost bought an E350 Cabriolet instead of my BMW but when I was buying they were just coming out and there weren't many out there, it cost about $10k more and the lease deals weren't as compelling. That's really Mercedes problem is that they cost so much more than comparable cars from other makes. Lately I've gotten really intrigued by Infiniti. Their style is completely unique and different, when you see one you think "What the heck is that?" I almost bought an FX35, I had paid the down payment but then the dealer ticked me off and I left and bought my new RX. Now my mom just got a G37x which I am in love with. Just over $41k and it's got almost 330hp and is quiet and comfortable to drive, best of both worlds. I honestly think once my leases are up on the BMW and Lexus I'll get an M56x or FX50. The only problem is the closest dealer is a 50 minute drive and that's the one that upset me.

Are you not in warranty anymore? The standard bumper-to-bumper warranty on an '08 GS is 4 years/50,000 miles.

I believe they stopped selling the all weather mats after the whole recall fiasco. Which is sad because I'd love to get some for my RX, I had them in my ES and they were excellent.

This made me sick. :cries: The only people who should be allowed to own an LFA are those who understand the extreme amount of engineering that went into the car and the immense attention to detail, and can appreciate that. The car probably has a higher IQ than she does. On top of that she'll probably never pass 4k revs and leave it in full automatic. "What are these silvery thingies behind this wheel shaped thing"

I have to agree with the general consensus here and say the 07 ES. You get all the nice features added in '07 (e.g. Push button start, the more modern body style). 100k miles on an 06 400h would be a tough sell since I believe '06 was the first year for the Hybrid RX and while the technology is solid I'd worry about the batteries.

I had the exact same experience here! We have about 5 Ford dealerships in the Toledo area and I've been to all of them. Every salesman I talked to was a complete jerk. All Ford salesman seem to have this thing about them, an "I'm better than you, I'm saving America because I work for Ford" vibe. I had one just like you did, I test drove a Mustang (before I got the Beamer) and he asked what I drove and I pointed to my RX which you could see out his window and he just went nuts. He acted like I was executing puppies for buying a Toyota product. I stood up and told him "You know my engine, transmission... the whole powertrain was built in West Virginia where as your Mustang's powertrain is from Germany and France. Now who's putting Americans to work?" and walked out.

Getting back on topic... I am so tired of these narrow minded yahoos who think that because the drive a GM, Ford, or Chrysler that they are doing some great thing and saving the USA. Around here there are cars all over the place with bumper stickers about buying American "Out of a job yet? Keep buying foreign.", most of which are old, run down, rusted out, pickups. They have no realization of how many thousands of people in America have jobs because of Toyota alone. What I wonder is how many of these people still consider Chrysler American. People say even though Toyotas are made in the US they are still a foreign company, well now that Fiat owns Chrysler they are in the same boat... made in America, owned by a foreign company. Arrrggghh, these people just grind my gears!