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I also would not take a chance on damaging the rotors, but at an extra 10,000 mi. (5,000 per one milimeter), and then I was told there are still 2 milimeters before you get to the rotors, it may pay to go for awhile after the warning light comes on? In other words there are about 4 milimeters of pad wear from the time the light comes on till you hit the rotor. Can anybody confirm this? Thanks.
Slim
As for the chrome wheels, I preferred them and got them on my silver 02 LS w/ custom lux pkg. But I think the dealer is trying to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge. If he/she really wants to sell a car that meets your needs, they should be able to swap out the wheels in any direction. For example, my car came from Japan without the chromes, but it only took them a nanosecond to figure how to put them on. So, it shouldn't take much more time for them to figure out how to take the chromes off. They're trying to make a few bucks off you. My advise is...keep pushing or go somewhere else!!
You could always add the gold later when you enter the world's oldest trade.
Gold package - I had it on the 98 LS400 and though I liked it at first (exterior color was black) I actually got tired of it rather quickly and thought it cheapened the car. Just my opinion but make sure you think it'll have staying power with you before you take it. I got them to throw it in free but in the end wished I had passed on it and my wife felt the same way.
Of course that is just a personal preference like my definate preference for the external shape of the LS430 over the S500. (I saw a green S500 in the parking lot the other day and thought the LS430 to be much bolder and distinctive in appearance).
Today, when I tried to go there, I find that not only does it not appear possible to access my previous posts (which I could do before) but all links to "email Lexus" return an error.
Have others had this problem? Is it only temporary due to site design? Or is this Lexus' new level of customer service?
But seriously...I'm about as satisfied with my new LS430 as one can be.
Does anybody know who I can contact to get put back on the mailing list? I guess it's possible the last issue simply got lost in the mail.
As for the gold package, I don't like it at all. I really think it cheapens the car. Mercedes and BMW do not even allow such an option because of this. But, that's just me. If you like it then get it.
Or another option is to accept the stock wheels, buy aftermarket wheels and have an LS that differs from the other LS' out there with your selection of a different wheel. It would not be too much more in price when compared to the dealer chrome prices. Road & Track or Automobile magazines have ads of discounted wheel prices.
I had the dealer remove the gold package that they had installed on our LX470. The price was too high and gold packages I have seen that are a few years old are losing the gold plating. I requested that they leave the trim off and I like that clean/uncluttered look. The trim on the LX is secured only by an adhesive backing and the trim on my '99 LS is secured through the trunk lid (holes). I believe your option is only the gold or stock chrome otherwise you would have to have bodywork to fill the holes then paint.
Can anyone provide me with tech info so I can advise my Lexus dealer (Park Place of Plano) of the fix, as their only answer is "it happens"
If Lexus has nothing to do with this than someone has violated some of their most important copyrights and trademarks. No question this is a Lexus pub as they even have a post paid business reply if you are interested in the GX470. Probably the department you got in touch with has nothing to do with the pub but the pub is as Lexus as you can get. By the way the repy goes to the same address except the header is Lexus rather than InsideLexus if its about the GX.
You can get the MSRP and dealer invoice cost for just about any new car at...
http://carpoint.msn.com/
You can then call just about any dealer and ask for the fleet office and ask how much over invoice they want for the car u want... I never pay more than $500 over invoice, unless it's a PT Cruiser that just hit the market. I usually call dealers in a big metropolitan area first (because they're more competitive)... then after they tell me how much over invoice they want, I call the local dealer and see if they can match it. I sold cars for several years, and have owned 50 vehicles and purchasing was my profession for the rest of my career.
If you're looking for a used car, or want to know what yours is worth, u can go to...
http://kbb.com
the tradein value is what the dealer will give u when u trade your car in... BUT tradein "allowance" is different from tradein value, and I could expand on that if someone was interested. Tradein allowance is a combination of low book value and discount from the MSRP of the new one you're buying.
if u want to know the retail value, a better way to determine what a used car is worth is then go to ...
http://www.autotrader.com
and see what dealers and private parties are asking for them from coast to coast... you'll be amazed what the range is for the same car!
for example, you'll see there are already 1997 LS400s and E320s with 100K miles u can buy for under $20K... which is why I always buy Toyota trucks, they never depreciate $35K in 5 years :-) The worst thing about these techno/luxo cars is that they're full of bells and whistles that don't whistle after 5-10 years, or they cost so much to fix, it's more than the car's worth... so they become worthless. And BMWs and Mercedes are even worse in that respect. Cadillacs and Lincolns aren't even worth a mention here.
Or, if you'd like to read a real horror story, look at something I ran across the other day... the engine/sulphur problem BMW has with the 3.0 and 4.0 V8...
http://www.530i.org/
One thing I can say for Toyota... No one treats their customers as good as they do ! ! !
I don't know if this helps you (ie. not Chicago area, but TX), but I just ordered an LS430 for $57,500+TTL with ML/Nav, 17" chrome wheels, trunk mat & wheel locks, and euro suspension. This was with no haggling on price or shopping around, so I am sure they can be had for less. Good luck with your purchase.
A friend owns a 2000 RX300 and he gets about 19 mpg and it only has a V6! I guess his SUV is heavier, but then again I don't know the gross weigh of each vehicle.
Interesting shot at BMW there on the last page.
The new GX470 sure looks good - is that the one you are interested in getting?
I took a 30 month LX470 lease because there is a major change coming in 2005 from what I hear. I like the GX470 because I need three rows of seats and it's a tad smaller which will make my wife a lot more comfortable driving it vs. the LX. But the LX is a great riding truck, smooth, quiet and with a ride not all that removed from the LS430. I've got plenty of time for any suv decisions at this point.
But given the great satisfaction I continue to have with Lexus, I don't see myself going anywhere else for my next purchase or lease of either car or suv. Did you see Ejerod's last post on the S board. I doubt I'll go S-class. Too many problems. Only the loyalists will put up with such problems and only for awhile.
What I'm much more excited about is that I'm switching jobs on Sept. 1, if I can get my company to finally accept it, (first time in 15 years)and I will be back in NYC rather than the suburbs. Lexus may well swap me out of my pine LS430 lease and into an SC430.
How about bringing it in to a different Lexus dealer for a "check up" to see what the findings are? Also, sometimes asking 20 questions helps...trip them up in a possible lie. Have them put the car up on a rack, pretend you know something about cars, and ask them to show you their findings. Here's questions 1: "I'd like you to show me and explain in as much detail as necessary the problem with the upper control arm." For $1100 they better have a good story to tell. But this is advice from a non-mechanical guy. Any thoughts from the experts out there?
As for the LX470 owners out there: I am hearing this car is about to be extinct in new production. Toyota wants the Sequoia and GX470 to become the next LandCrusier and LX470. I think maybe just one more year of them according to Motor Trend.
Domain Name: INSIDELEXUS.COM
Created on..............: Tue, Nov 30, 1999
Expires on..............: Tue, Nov 30, 2004
Record last updated on..: Tue, May 14, 2002
Organization:
Toyota Motor Sales, USA
Domain Name Administrator
19001 S. Western Avenue, A307
Torrance, CA 90509-2722
US
Phone: (310) 468-2241
Fax..: (310) 468-6814
Email: domainnameadmin@toyota.com
They ride great, are much quieter than the regular pilot sports, and are fantastic in the rain (non-stop for the last few days). The car looks great with the slightly wider profile, and there are no fitment issues.
Maybe it's just an 01 problem??
http://usglassmag.com/AGRR/Backissues/0202/0202rainsensors.htm