JellyBean

Can you describe "the feeling that you get when it's time to change your brake pads"? Does the pedal feel "mushy"? Do you have excessive pedal travel? Do you feel pulsing when braking? A well functioning brake system won't feel "funny" when the pads are worn down. That's why most pads have a built-in squealing feature to let you know that they're worn down. You turn the rotors to smooth out their surfaces in preparation for new pads. Else your new pads will wear faster and unevenly, and wont be as efficient. Turning is always good practice IF the rotors are still thick enough to be be turned.

I agree that a carfax is mandatory nowadays. But an '04 ES330 was probably insured, and if it was totalled by the insurance company because of flooding, then the poster has a salvage title and is aware of the car's past. I hope.

I use a sheepskin mitt (you can get them at walmart) and the two-bucket method for washing (one bucket with soapy water and another with clear water for rinsing the mitt before I dip it into the soapy water bucket--helps remove abrasives and prevent swirls). For drying I use a waffle weave microfiber towel. I also agree with everthing said before. A lot of it is trial and error and personal preferences. The one area of consensus will be microfiber towels for drying. They make life soooo much easier....

I'd try disconnecting the battery for at least one hour to reset the ECUs, and then try starting it again. Check all your fuses too. There's a pretty good chance of blowing a fuse whenever two wires touch and spark. Good luck.

Thanks for the heads up on Davenport Motors. I'm looking for independent shops to patronize after my warranty expires. I live in Irving and I think that Davenport is a little nearer than JPImportz in Garland. Thanks.

Sounds a little high. Check cars.com and other sites for a better estimate of the price. I bought mine (01 GS430 w/o navi, 40K miles) this past spring for $31K. It's an immaculate CPO bought from a Lexus dealer. I know I didn't get the absolute best price, but I don't feel ripped off either. The car was (and still is) in outstanding condition.

Welcome aboard Newrleanz. Go to www.lexus.com and look around for the owner's section. Register and you'll have free full access to your owner's manual. While there, you can also fill out a form and Lexus will send you a complimentery owner's manual. Read through it because you'll find a wealth of information. And while we're in the subject of reading... Spend a few nights looking through these forums and you'll learn even more. Tighten up your seatbelts because you're in for a ride. Congrats on your new ride, and welcome aboard.

Lighten the car? Ditch all non-esential systems, parts and trim to save weight. But realistically, though, the GS300 isn't a sports car, and many "lesser" cars will easily out accelerate it and out handle it. My suggestion is to avoid races for now, and save your pennies for a GS400. And then you can eat all the four-bangers (and many six-bangers) for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

roflmao and crying too... :D :D :D To the original poster, though, to the best of my knowledge, 2nd gen GS's didn't come equipped with rain-sensing windshield WIPERS. They weren't an option either. I just read an earlier post of somebody pondering to purchase a GS300 with such wipers and heated rear seats, and I wondered too. But a quick look at the Lexus CPO Model Library cleared up any doubts. Check it out.

I agree 100%. I buy the manufacturer's service manual with every car I buy. They're not only good for maintenance, but for other type of tinkering like mods and removal of interior panels, etc. I constantly refer to them. I suggest for the original poster to shy away from the Ebay stuff and invest on the manufacturer's manual.

Toyota's Technical Information System (TIS). You should bookmark it because for $10/day you get full access to a goldmine of information.

Feel inside the walls of the center console under the armrest. It (the power outlet) is protected by a round hinged cover.

http://www.lexus.com/cpo/model_detail/gs/430/2001.html shows 2001 GS430s as coming with front and rear side curtain airbags, not just front or seat mounted side bags. (Mine, a 2001, has them) Check out the website because it contains a wealth of information on older Lexus models. Good luck.

www.PublicData.com has the information you need, and the license plate is F69-GGM, it's a Firebird, and the guy is from Arlington. I tried to PM and email you, but the system won't allow me. See if you can PM me with your email address if you still need the info. Good luck, keep up the pressure, but please, keep that #1 finger under control. With any luck, the guy will be charged with criminal mischief--a felony here in TX--and will have to spend several thousand dollars to defend himself. If found guilty, he'll probably have to visit his friendly neighborhood probation officer every month for a couple of years at $60 a visit. That'll teach the *BLEEP*.

Touch-up paint will never come out perfect. The other option is a full paint job. And if you do that, then you might also consider a plastic film (xpel?) afterwards.

Join the club. I have a 2000 Odyssey w/85K miles and a 2001 GS430 w/48K miles. The Ody's front end looks almost new, while the GS430s looks like it has acne. Lexus paint is supposedly of above-average quality, but nobody can satisfactorily explain the GS's propensity for stone chips. I heard that it has a blunt, painted front end, but the Ody's is even blunter and fully painted, so that theory is out. I'm resigned to keeping the touch up paint in the glove compartment.

Found it. www.l-tunedparts.com is asking $135 for the recalibrated steering ECU. Lextasy is asking $185. I guess that's free enterprise in action, but I just don't trust those folks at Lextasy.

So far I've been unable to determine whether 2001 and newer Gs430s come stock with the L-tuned steering ECU. Lexus literature is silent on the matter. Some posters say they already come stock, while other posters who installed the ECUs in 01 GS4s claim little or no improvement. Nobody has reported a substantial improvement. That's why I'm holding off. As to buying from Lextasy.com, I think that they're a shady. I'm sure that you can buy the ECU cheaper from an online Lexus dealer like Carson Toyota or Sewell Lexus. I bought some LEDs from Lextasy that were advertised as DRL replacements and promised HID-like brightness. What a ripoff. Those "DRL" LEDs (a) were really very weak replacements for the stock driving light bulbs and not DRLs, and (b) another website that sold nothing but automotive LEDs was selling them for 1/4 of Lextasy's price. The LEDs did absolutely nothing for the DRLs. Members of another Lexus forum also have negative opinion of Lextasy.com. Good luck with the steering ECU, and if you decide to install it, post back the results.

Around 20 in the city with a light foot, and around 23-25 on the highway with cruise at 75-80. 30MPG is an exaggeration.