David_Ostroff

I had lexus dealer remove Car Cigarette Lighter/Charger in my new sc 430 so I could install XM satellite radio there. Didn’t matter at the time, because I didn’t need/want a Car Cigarette Lighter/Charger in the car. Now my new Verizon Cellphone/pda goes dead quickly and needs charge of Car Cigarette Lighter/Charger. How do a put back in a cigarette lighter and connect it to electrical. Is there kit? Lexus dealer didn’t know what to do?

Here is a an article that answers your questions on using clay. EnjoyClay for Detailing

agree. you should consider a tar remover for the job. Read this article on tar and sap removers to learn how to get rid of these pesky stains. Tar and Sap Remover

Your car's wheels can dramatically enhance the appearance and performance of your automobile. Modern wheels can also present a substantial cleaning challenge as heated dust particles from brake pads bombard the wheel and bake into the finish. If left on the wheel, a phenomenon known as galvanic corrosion sets in, which will eventually destroy your wheel's appearance. To take care of your wheels, read this article Wheel Care

You should read this article on www.bettercarcare.com. You should read the articles on using Porter Cable 7424 polisher and using clya. These will both help you resolve your issues with scratches. The method depends on the depth of the scratch or swirl mark. Good luck

Take a read of this article on lexuscarcare that explains how to get rid of the tar. Tar Removal

:o I did the all time stupid the other day, I started to apply a coat of wax to my new (to me) '99 LS400 without checking carefully the rag I used. It (the rag) had just come out of the wash a couple of days ago, nice and clean and with no fabric softener or other contaminant. It had, however, somehow pick up a tiny metal shaving or something like that, so as I started to buff out the wax a couple of minutes later, I found a big pattern of fresh scratches all over half of my hood!

My car is black, (no clearcoat) and the paint is quite thick; I can tell just by looking where there are a couple of deep chips in the paint elsewhere. Although I can feel the scratches with my fingernail, I'm hoping they can be buffed out thanks to the lack of clearcoat and the thickness of the paint. I have a Porter-Cable random orbit and pleanty of skill using hand tools (I used to shape and polish marble and granite a few years ago, for a living). I'm thinking of picking up some buffing pads and cutting compound and trying it myself. In one sense, I don't have much to lose, if this doesn't fix it, I'm going to have to have the hood re-painted. I'm not going to live with it as is! :cries:

Your experienced answers are much appreciated! (Especially any of you with specific black Lexus experience.)

Bob Graham

Having owned four black cars, I can totally relate to your dilemma. The

unfortunate challenge with black cars is they do hold the heat and sitting out in

the sun all day will mean you will need to apply protection more often.

When trying to recommend a product to you, we need to consider your overall

habits in caring for the vehicle. How frequently do you wash? Is the car

protected at night? I think it sounds like a good synthetic like the NXT Tech Wax

Meguair's Tech Wax

would be a good choice. I have used this product myself on my black BMW and I

was very pleasantly surprised at the results. As a synthetic wax, it will have more

durability than a pure carnauba. Always keep an eye on how the overall

condition of your finish is holding up and act accordingly. This is a good way to

think year round. To get rid of the swirl marks, read this article Swirl Marks

Enjoy,

david

I don't think we can speak to ALL dealers, except to say that before they deliver a

vehicle to a buyer, they need it to look pretty darned good. Most dealers have a

detailer on site who checks over the car and does the final prep work. That prep

work could involve dealing with some scratches that occurred during transport,

or even on their lots for that matter. Remember, scratches can be dealt with in

one of two ways: cut them down or fill them. This is going to vary from dealer to

dealer. I've actually seen even Honda and Mazda dealerships with on-site

detailers who are contractors and I've seen beautiful work. I've seen Mercedes

detailers slap something on or over a scratch to get the car out the door. Who

can say?

On your problem with the bumper, it's impossible for us to say what products a

dealer may use. My advice would be to focus on your own situation and deal with

it in a way that will satisfy you. Determine how severe the scratch is and decide

how much time and effort you want to put into it, or if it's one of those you may

just decide to live with.

Most of today's bumpers are a high-impact plastic and are generally more

difficult to buff out scratches than those on painted sheet metal, particularly if

they fall on the corners. As a professional detailer, I've had considerable success,

in particular with Lexus bumpers--this surprised me greatly--one would think

Mercedes would respond better, so you've got a forgiving su rface there, which

should encourage you. I got rid of some bad scratches and pulled an

unbelievable shine from a 7-year-old ES300 bumper that had been abused.

Here's what I used that worked extremely well on scratches on the Lexus bumper:

Menzerna Intensive Polish

Menzerna Intensive Polish

followed by Klasse All-In-One

http://www.lexuscarcare.com/kus-kla-10.html

Are you using a buffer? If not--get one--you're going to need it eventually

anyway--- and get the Porter Cable 7424--a critical tool if you really want to take

care of that Lexus--http://store.yahoo.com/lexuscarcare/pc-7424-kit.html This kit comes with an orange cutting pad that you will need.

In the Springtime, we get two kinds of sap:

1) Sap "mist" that generally hits just after the heavy pollen. This type of sap will

often come off with a good washing

2) Blobs! - I have found that the fastest way to remove this kind of sap is with a detailing clay like The Perfect Shine clay bar

a good clay lubricant Clay and Lube

or detailing spray. Give the lubricant (sprayed generously) a minute or so to work its way behind the sap, then gently take your flattened (pancake) clay and and work it off the paint finish.

I use Einzett Anti-Insekt + Pre-Cleaner. It is a concentrated for effortless and protective removal of insects, tar, grease, bird droppings and other stubborn contaminates from paintwork, chrome, glass, rubber and plastic. Use Anti-Insekt + Pre-Cleaner as a spot treatment before washing. Rinse your car thoroughly, then spray Anti-Insekt + Pre-Cleaner on areas that require treatment. Allow the cleaner to work for up to three minutes, then agitate with your wash mitt and wash shampoo. You can fidn it in www.lexuscarcare.com store

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With any new product you try, there will be a learning curve. With some products, the learning curve will be short because the product meshes with the way you are accustomed to polishing and waxing your car. In general, it is difficult to see a significant finish improvement on white and silver cars (and tints of these colors), especially if the paint is in perfect or near-perfect condition. The reason clay made such a difference is because you were able to feel it, not see it. To see a difference with white and silver you have to address the one aspect of the color your eye can detect: gloss. To improve gloss, you don't need a better wax, you need a better polish. For hand polishing, I love the Einszett (1Z) polishes. They are very easy to apply, and you see the gloss improvements at every level. For protecting white and silver, I like to use a polish/wax combo, because without a glassy finish, you won't see a difference. So, the product I reach for most is Klasse All-In-One. The polish is very fine, and the acrylic sealant makes a finely polished surface look like a mirror.

This article should provide you with what you need. The Sonax Gloss shampoo is no longer available. I use the 1Z perls shampoo instead a it comes in a concentrate size and gives lots of suds. Read this article to get your steps and products. The Perfect Shine

I use IZ insect and tar remover. It is concentrated for removal of insects, tar, grease, bird droppings and other contaminates from paintwork, chrome, glass, rubber and plastic. With its unique solvent properties, It cuts through dead insect remains and dried-on bird droppings.You can get it from the lexuscarcare store.

I like 1Z Leatherpledge for the interior light brown leather in my lexus rx300. Einszett Leather Care (Lederpflege) is a special leather conditioning cream formulated using natural carnauba wax, silicone waxes and polymer care components to ensure gentle care of leather, interior car fittings, leather luggage and all types of finished (painted) leather. It removes dirt, grease and oil as it conditions. It penetrates quickly and deeply into the pores of the leather, restoring the natural moisture without leaving a greasy film. It protects the leather surface from becoming brittle, maintaining leather in its as-new condition. If your leather requires reconditioning, this will re-moisturize and soften moderately dehydrated hides.

The final finish of your leather will be a natural matte, with a hint of sheen, just as your car came from the factory. I don't like the leathercare products that make your car shiny or slippery.

Can be found in lexuscarcare IZ LeatherCare

I couldn't find this topic through a search so please point me in the right direction if it has been previously addressed.

My first new car, ES 330, Thunder Cloud Gray, and I don't know how soon I have to wax the car.

Does it come from the factory with a protective layer of some sort? Is there a certain amount of time I should wait?

Thank you for the help.

For the first 12 to 18 months of a new car's life, the paint is relatively oxidation-free and in good condition. If you maintain your new car's paint with regular washing and protection, oxidation will remain minimal, and cleaning the paint will be a minor task. At a minimum, you should wash your car weekly. Enjoy...Perfect Shine

OK guys, I have been used to claying then immediately waxing for the past 4 years.  In reading old posts, there seems to be a common consensus that after washing & claying, the next steps are polishing then sealing and Poorboys seem to have many positive reviews.

I have never been a fan of liquid wax, but in checking the polish and sealant from www.poorboysworld.com, it looks like both are in liquid form.  I just want to double-check before I order both that the liquids are able to sustain 2-3 times the weathering that traditional paste waxing can.

Thanks for the help.

There is a great article on using clay that you should read. I beleive it answers most of your questions. Clay Article

Hi guys. I was at the dealer this past Saturday waiting for an oil change and heard a couple guys talking. Don't know if they actually know what they're talking about, but one guy was telling the other that he puts a little baking soda (along with the soap) in the bucket as it's filling with water. He said the soda acts as a neutralizer for airborne contaminants, acid rain and other things like birds.

Maybe I'm naive, but it seemed to make sense to me. Just curious if anyone else has ever heard of or tried this?

Backing soda or soap type of detergent is bad idea becasue it can easily strip wax protection from your paint and moisture from rubber seals and trim. There is a great article on bettercarcare.com that speaks to taking care of your paint. Give it a read. Taking care of your Paint

how do you folks detail your engine and keep it clean?

Here is educational article that offers you all the info you will need to detail your engine. Enjoy!! Detailing Engine