Haven't I recently heard that Lexus link only works with analog cell systems and the feds have just removed the requirement that cell phone companies no longer need to support the old analog systems?
I would have bought a new LS430 but I couldn't get a burgandy/ivory one without going up across the border to canada.
So I guess I have to made do with the RX300 until the RX hybrid hits the streets.
This is true. The FCC removed the analog cellular requirement after February 2008. So, no guarantees that the current Lexus Link system will continue working after that date. There's a page with a little more information over on the Lexus site:
It still seems strange to build it into car and then after a year charge you. Seems as though they would leave it active , and charge for extra service. I had the extra services, but they were very limited and rather slow. but nice people. Tony
They are charging per year because they have to pay GM's Onstar division for the service and are passing that cost along. The other reason is to make money after the sale. My guess is that they charge at least double what it costs them, so they come out way ahead. Particularly if they can get you for multiple years.
I'm going to re-up this year because I like the safety aspects. Calling the police if the car is broken into is great, and calling them if I have an accident is even better. I still think it should be closer to $10 a month than $20, and a few of the premium services should really be included in the cost of the basic service to make it a little more worthwhile.
Since we're talking about the Lexus Link, has anyone brought their LS430 in for the "flash reprogramming" update yet? Mine's going in at the beginning of August anyway for an inspection and oil change, so I'll be having the update done at the same time.
Hopefully the new one won't read me a whole paragraph every time I start the car! Hey, maybe they could have it verbally warn me to drive carefully so the navigation system wouldn't have to make me "agree" to do so every time I head out. ;-)
Trip was great with excellent weather for all but one day. I stopped off at Myrtle Beach for a few days as well. I'm going to buy a condo there as everyone in the family loves that area. My wife and I would prefer Charleston but the kids love Myrtle. We love the latter as well but it would be a second preference. Water temp. in July is a few degrees cooler than August as the gulfstream waters come closer in later in July. But at 83 degrees no one was complaining.
I swapped out to the LX470 at the last moment as my son bought a surf board the day before the trip to bring with him. You get some great breakers down there. So I had to load my old Sears cargo carrier on the roof rack and take out the third row seats. I didn't appreciate that at the last minute. But the kids loved it as I set them up in the back with one of those all in one 20" TV/DVD/VCR units and plugged it in to the auxiliary power with an AC/DC converter. Even with the cargo carrier on top the LX was smooth and quiet at 75-80mph. It's a great SUV for a long trip but I'm always amazed that the gas mileage stays the same. I averaged out at 17mpg on I95 and I usually get 16-17 even on the NY area highways. In the LS430 I tend to get an improvement of 5-6mpg on a trip like that but the LX hardly varies.
I only have about 500 miles on the LS, but it has been everything I had hoped for. Serene and yet responsive when asked for. Since I am not at that 1K mark, I have babied the gas & brakes. So I do not know yet how sharply I can bring it up for my daily driving.
So far; no creaks or noises from the cabin. No wind noise from the outside. Just minor road noise from coarse highways. These were lower than my S500, but in some ways, perhaps more noticeable since the overall noise floor is lower in the LS.
Aside from the 2 inch scratch on the rear seat, I do not see any other defect. So I am lucky.
As in the previous times I purchased new cars, I order stuff from california Car Cover co. You know, the usual assortment of waxes, polishes, and brushes. Stuff that I use for the 1st few months and remain inside the truck for the life of the vehicle. Oh, got the 1st 4 paint chips on the hood just yesterday. No dings, that's good.
I believe that this information is sound since I recently passed a LS MY04 mule doing some USA road testing. Although there was some cover-up on the car the one thing that really struck me was that there were many more changes to the rear then previous pictures on Auto Spies and elsewhere had indicated. It was not near as "slab like" (like the current model) after the C-pillar as I expected. The front was very much like has appeared in recent spy pictures. Also, the new wheels looked very nice.
Ask ray catena to give you some touch up paint. I asked shortly after I leased and received it fedex the next day from Lexus themselves. I had never indicated any urgency so I was rather surprised and naturally impressed at the service.
Interesting. Some of that is consistent with what I have heard and some is addative. The color schemes sound great. When I was in for service and had the new RX, I saw another RX 330 in a color called (I believe) bamboo pearl. It was striking and in my opinion blew away the traditional Lexus cashmere and beige colors and without question would be the color I would choose if I was buying/leasing an RX330. I think it would be a knockout color on the LS as well so I hope one of those colors is its' LS twin.
Thanks for the paint info. I'd probably leave the chips alone, as I had never been much of a painter. I think the modern undercoating process is so good that rust will never be an issue if my intention is only to keep it for 3-4 years.
Was listening to Olivia Newton John tonight, and I seriously felt ONJ was physically siting immediately behind my chair. The stereo illusion was that good. Remarkable.
The 2004 looks more and more like the new Audi's; even some lines from the BMW 7. Is this what we (Lexus owners) want? I do like the extras in the 2004; especially that rear seat mirror.
I agree, I am feeling really at home with the LS already. Very much like sitting in my favorite soft supple leather chair. Since I no longer have a nice audio system at home, the ML is the first great stereo I'd had since my wild bachelor years; when spending 5K on a pre-amp was guilt-free.
So far; been getting 15-16 mpg in the busy streets of New York city.
What do you all set the tire pressure to on the Dunlops?
It seems odd from that list that Millenium Silver would be dropped without adding a true silver replacement. Silver seems to be one of the more popular colors. None of the new colors listed sound like silver.
The rest of the list, however, is very consistent with what I was told by a Lexus corporate rep last month at the Lexus SUV driving event.
I found that my 2003 mil/silver looks more gold under theater lights than silver. Maybe Lexus called the 2004 silvers "mercury metallic". "flint" is gray, I think. No silver all together is shocking for a high end line.
It is inconceivable that Lexus will send out its '04 LS without a silver exterior choice. Remember that silver is now the #1 selling color in the country. That "mercury" name sounds like it. My 1995 SC400 was referred to as "platinum metallic" which was a beautiful silver with a hint of blue in the color. A rose by any other name....?
In the past I have purchased 10W halogen bi-pin bulbs and "retrofitted" them into the bayonet type base used in the LS front and rear map/reading lamps.
Yeilds dramatically better lighting than the low wattage (200ma) "flashlight" style bulbs from the factory.
I just discovered that the Porsche dealer parts department stocks european 6W bayonet halogens, H6W, for use in the 996 (986??) series front "position"/parking lamps.
$12.00 each but easier than my retrofit.
On my 92 I had masked off and "chrome" spray painted the inside of the front portion of the dome map light lens area leaving only the 1/2" square projector lens. This was to avoid the annoying map light "scatter" when my wife used the map/reading lamp on her side. Adding the halogen bulb brings her map lighting back up to an acceptable level.
You can also use the H6W bulb for the rear seat map/reading lamps.
For those rear lamps I also added a diode to the circuit such that the 6W map/reading bulb comes on with the normal bulb when the door is opened.
The front dome light fixture was modifed with two PNP darling transistors and base suppy resistors such that both front map/reading lamps come on with the front dome lamp and then gradually extinguish in the same manner.
For a little more entry lighting you can also use/upgrade to european 12 volt W5W lamps at each door map pocket light fixture and the two rear map/reading lamp fixtures.
My local Lexus dealer would not fix the leather scratch, as they say it is not a manufacturer defect, and looks like a screwdriver scratch during prepping. They will not fix it free and direct me to get Ray Catena to take care of it.
I sort of expected this, but was hoping for much better treatment. Anyway, I called Ray Catena to schedule for another 250 mile trip.
The Rainx windows does not really wick out water fast enough to avoid using wipers. IS this what you find?
The ML continues to wow me, as 2 hours of jazz on it was simply invigorating.
I was surprised when you weren't impressed with the ML back on your test drives. Now I guess you know why just about everyone on the board who has it raves about it. By the way I bought a Denon AVR4802 Reveiver (which is a certified THX ultra and which they have upgraded since to a higher THX level) at home last year - when my old Onkyo was starting to go on me - and it wows me as much as the ML does. So if you're ever shopping for a receiver for your home theatre put that one on your short list.
I'm sure Ray Catena will give you better service on the leather. They do have another dealership in Westchester either in Larchmont or White Plains if I remember right.
My business partner who took the LS from an out of state dealer when they were so hot in 2001, gets his serviced at Lexus of Manhattan and has been very satisfied with them.
I test drove the A8 and though it is a well engineered car I doubt you will like its harsh ride or fairly noisy interior. It's not a car Lexus or MB buyers will move to - in my opinion.
I was wrong about the ML. You know, my wife was wrong too when she first met me....
The ML has to be set properly. I have it at flat everything, and place the fadder one bar below neutral. At this setting, I find Olivia Newton John to be the most sumptuous. My jazz players with their clarinets and piano to my immediate left and right, surrounded by applause. This level of (auto) audio involvement is alien to me, certainly not from my S500. Driving on the rough Long Island Distressway today, with flying debris, strong wind, and menancing trucks was not a problem for the ML under the LS isolation.
Great features on the Denon. I see the back must be filled with 100+ connectors. The 3 sets of component video is needed in my case; as I now have 2 HDTV's.
I remember my first receiver was a Sansui, later bought a McIntosh Amp. Just 50watts, but capable of that in 2ohms. Drove my dorm mates nuts.
Manhattan Lexus is some 25 miles from me. Rallye is closest. They totally renovated their service shop, and they did wash my LS today to a gleaming finish together with a spotless vacuum. Couldn't really be angry for that.
The A8L was harsh, as you say. The new Jag XKR is very nice, but no headroom. Actually no room, period. Both are much noisier than my LS; as I remember.
Oh, another thing, my LS feels like I am driving a taller car, while the S500 felt clser to the ground, but wider and longer.
My Denon has 3 sets of component inputs but only one component output. I also have 2 HDTV's. In the room I use as my study (a 14x12 room) I have a lower end Pioneer receiver that also performs well and has a pair of component inputs. The beauty of the Denon, on top of its great sound in the family room and throughout the house, is that it has great power boost for my 6 outside deck speakers. My old Onkyo sound was faint out there. But this is looud and clear. Do you get HDTV via Dish network? That is the way I go and the CBS HDTV station is great to watch particularly for sports broadcasts.
I also set the ML flat and find that is the best sound quality for it. Have you made your own compilations? They play very well. A few on the board have found ones that don't always work but everything I have bought has played very well. For the most part I've used Digital Research, Phillips and Memorex CDR's. I never put labels on them.
I use Cable for my HDTV source. Before Time Warner used QAM for the HDTV modulation transfer, they were using straight 8VSB for at least 2 years until 2001. During this time, I recorded onto my Panasonic HDTV D-VHS VCR some 200+ 1080i pure digital movies, sporting events, and series. These are just like film, some even better than most theaters. On my 63" Zenith HDTV with the 3 9" CRT's, the movies are simply amazing. The only thing I do not have right now is a decent sound system around the TV's. I try to be a good daddy and send my boy to bed by 830 everynight. So I listen to headphones.
I have tried a few cheap Taiwanese CDR's and the fancy gold Kodak CDR's. Both worked fine on the ML.
FWIW, I replaced my LS 430 2001 33,000 mile Dunlops with Bridgestone Tauranza LSZ's, and am very satisfied in terms of ride, handling and especially quietness. These were recommened on Tirerack, which was more helpful in trying to track down tires than this board, but you all now have the fruits of my labor.
I don't have any kids of booster seat age, but the back seat of the LS is large enough to accommodate three adults, so it definitely should take your 3 kids and their booster seats. If in doubt, simply do a test run at a Lex dealership with the kids. That should address your concerns completely.
The answer is barely. Today I have three and I would not attempt to do more than 2 back there. Right now I have my oldest in a Britax booster, my middle in a forward facing seat and the infant in a rear facing infant seat. Trying to fit all three in and actually being able to connect the fasteners to the car would be tough. Even though the car has the LATCH system, I find it easier to just use the old method because Lexus hides the latch connectors so fact behind the back of the seat. Also, MBenz does not recommend that you attach more than 2 seats to the backseat. They say that 3 puts to much stress on the support system. Don't ask me why, when three adults would be heavier.
If you were just hooking up 3 boosters, it could be done, but with forward facers and infant seats, they truly take up room.
Besides, I find that it is a whole different challenge just to have the kids sit that close together and behave; not even factoring in the seats.
That's why we own a Toyota Sequoia, with three row seatings. Each of my two girls get a row to herself, that way there is very little to fight about Add in a DVD entertainment center with wireless headphones, and it is bliss cruising down the freeway... all quiet. With three kids in booster seats, the LS is not an ideal transportation, imo, but a full size SUV with three row seating, or a minivan would fit the bill better.
Thanks for the car seat info. I am hoping to avoid going down the minivan/SUV path, but at this point it appears inevitable. People did have three kids before minivans and SUVs arrived on the scene, right?
Triceratops 5, I see where you're coming from. I've got one 2 year old and hope to be blessed with another little one soon.
I currently drive an '03 Navigator (HUGE) and while I like the room (you could fit forty car seats in that beast!) I often miss the "feel" of driving a sedan. The times I've driven an LS430 (in laws) I have not wanted to give it up! When my lease is up next year I am strongly considering going back to a Lux sedan. Figuring that my wife drives the kids around most of the time I guess she can use an SUV (like an LX or GX -- by no means a step down from the LS so she'll be happy) while I use the car.
If you are going to be the one driving the kids around most of the time then you might want to consider a bigger vehicle (the LX would be my choice if Lexus is the way you want to go). I've been told that three car seats fit in the LX 2nd row quite nicely. I wouldn't recommend putting a car seat in the 3rd row as you'd need to be an acrobat to buckle the child in!!
In any case, its good to know that the LS can handle at least two and perhaps three (tightly-squeezed) kiddie seats.
I love your final thought though, and it really does have me thinking -- what DID people drive before SUV's and minivan's if they had lots of kids? "Brady Bunch" station wagons? Or were cars back them much bigger overall? Years ago my dad had a Buick Electra that was probably bigger inside and out than my navigator!
I have the Britax roundabout and the Britax booster. They fit well on my LS. But 3 Roundabouts would not fit in the back. 3 booster will, but it would be very very cramp. The Britax seats are also murder on the aniline leather. So use a towel.
Had my new LS back seat leather fixed today at Ray Catena. Great job, only I could see the scratch now. It'll be another month before I can use a conditioner to soften it. So I was told by the leather specialist.
The 1st sign of noise came today; after 500 miles, during stretches of very very rough road near the Amboys and Jersey city, as well as near Kennedy Airport. Sounds of rubbing plastic was coming from behind the leather covering above of door armrest. When I pressed on the leather (think it's rubber), I can hear some plastic squishing sound. I guess it's some plastic cover for the door side air bags.
This is not happening all the time like my S500, so I'll live with it, as it is not that annoying. Yet.
Just a suggestion, don't accept any squishing noise. Lexus is known for their quality and will fix that kind of stuff for you. Next time you bring the car in for service, add the noise issue to the list of things to fix. I think most of the people on this post will tell you that the LS is extremely quiet, no rattles, no squeeks, and of course, no squishing.
Oh, I am not alarmed yet by this squishing noise from within the car door, as everything else has been dead and dampened quiet. Being so, my perfect ears have been trained to hear the tiniest squeaks, creaks, and whizzes. After 3 years in a noisy S500, my ears cannot stop searching for noise. It's pretty amazing that it took 3 weeks before I heard anything; and very tiny at that.
The noise is more apparent when the midday sun was baking the plastic, as I have not heard any noise at night, yet.
The road noise I mentioned as I was driving home back on 7/10 totally disappeared today, as I drove back on the same road. Perhaps it's not a deluge, or perhaps the Dunlops had time to break in, whatever it was, the ride was buttery, and the noise over gravel all but when away. The S500 ride is now a distant memory.
Then came a little of that door "inside" noise to trick my mind.... Then again, maybe it was the down market news over 1130 AM that make me more attentive. Who knows.
You are right about Ray Catena service. 1) the leather sofa was so comfy, I fell asleep. 2) nice free gourmet sandwiches 3) bottled water and soda 4) exercise room 5) simulated golf driving range 6) conference room
Makes Rallye Mercedes looking like a Ford dealership.
I just might have to drive 200 miles everytime I get service, if not for all those big trucks kicking up stuff onto my LS.
Yes - they know how to treat their customers well.
I'm starting to think you're like me with private investments and business interests affording you some free time. I'm going against the old corporate world and have several different business interests - one that is well developed, one that is taking off and one in its infancy. So I'm leaving my company at the end of the summer to devote more time to my own interests but consult with my current employer on a 3-4 day a month retainer thereafter. In the meantime it's nice to have cutback my work to four days a week in July and now to three in August. If that's the case for you it allows for those nice drives. Next time you go to Ray Catena request yourself an RX loaner and go for a nice drive down the shore to Point Pleasant or further down Rt. 35 to Ortley beach for a day. It's great down there. Trust me - there are wonderful restaurants in the area as well. One of my favorites is Nicholas which I told you about earlier but another is Picolo Italia (you can bring your favorite wine to this one) - right next to the service center in the shopping center on the corner (left as you exit) on West Park Avenue. There is also Fromagerie in Rumson which is spectacular. A day at the shore with a nice dinner will be we well appreciated by your wife.
Now - on to serious stuff. This noise in your LS bothers me. I have no such sound or perhaps your hearing is in a league with superman. Once I did have a sound like the one you describe in the LX which was caused by my rear seat armrest rubbing against the seat leather. Catena had investigated the truck, found nothing and then took it for a ride and discovered the problem. They put some leather conditioner on the seat and I never heard the sound again. It bothered me for the simple reason that the LX is also ultra quiet and with Lexus you get used to that quiet isolation in a hurry. You want noise from the stereo and that is it.
Around a year or so ago, I also had a squeak on driver and pax side on the door, sort to where you would put your arm if it were to be resting on the sill. It has been discussed on this board somewhere back then. Apparently an easy fix , so make sure to mention it. Tony
I do have extra good hearing. I can sometimes hear my neighbor talking at night. This is some 50 feet away.
God's gift to make up for my poor eyesight.
Do this. Push down on the plastic covering as well as the wood below the door glass. If you feel the give, then you should hear some squish, every so slight. This is the sound I hear over very rough roads. Perhaps I should let the car settle down for a few months before asking them to open up the door frame and try solving this. I am a little reluctant to have anyone (even Lexus) to play with stuff so near the airbags,,
As for driving around. I used to do a lot of that. Right after college. I live in Livingston, NJ and worked in Bethapge, LI. That's nearly 250 miles a day. I did 110K one year and 90K the next. Then I really started to lose my interest. My decade on Wall Street saw me more on cheap limo back seats. I tell ya, the Lincolns and Caddies are very quiet cars, although they "float" around bumps and move like the mechanical boats in the "It's a small small world" Disney ride. Only after I retired from Wall Street did I started enjoying driving again; first with the S500 and now the LS. Driving long distances is still not my cup of tea. Maybe after a long trip to CA or FL will change my mind. Right now, my son is too young for such a long trip. Perhaps later.
When I first got my LS, there was a faint squeaky noise present when I put my elbow on the top rim of the door panel. My wife didn't hear it at all, but it drove me nuts until I took it in. They took the panel off and cemented some foam padding between the panel and the metal underneath. Noise disappeared. Since then, every annoying noise I have heard inside the car has eminated from one of the passengers. Or stuff rattling around in the cubbies etc.
Get this fixed or it will drive you batty. That is why you bought a Lexus
We just bought 2 new Lexus (LS430 for me RX330 for my wife); both are phenomenal cars in their own way. As soon as I saw all that expensive painted nose gear (esp. on 430), I began looking for some way to protect from stone chips and other debris. A company called X-PEL (www.xpel.com) has created custom-cut chip/cut-resistant transparent vinyl covers for the entire front-end of almost every car (all Lexuses)made. The product will protect from stone impact at 100mph. I had it installed (professional installation-- don't even think about doing it yourself!!) on both cars (about $600 each) and it has already saved the 430 from a rock thrown by a roadside lawn mower. No dent, no chipped paint. After install, the product is almost invisible. Bug carcasses come off with a garden hose. Impervious to auto. car washes. The product is damn near perfect. Check their web site for further details and a trained installer in your area. My local Lexus dealer saw the product on my 430 and now has a contract with the installer to keep the product installed on their current display-room model. They now offer it as a dealer-installed option. The first stone chip saved pays for the product. Highly recommended.
Yes, it's $60 bucks. If you can find it cheaper elsewhere, do. But it is amazing. Just amazing on the ML. It is best when use at night; city lights is best. Adds to the ambience.
I just came home from a REO Speedwagon, Styx and Journey concert at the PNC Arts Center with nearly 4 hours of the loudest music I've ever heard. Journey was absolutely spectacular - I can only imagine how great they must have been in concert when Steve Perry was with them. The other two bands were also great particularly Styx. My ears need to clear for a day or two before I can appreciate my ML again. Think I'll listen to the news on my way in tommorrow. I feel like I'm on an airplane coming in for a landing and I need to swallow to unclog my ears. But it doesn't work after a concert like the one I just came from.
Their greatest hits album and Steve Perry's Street Talk album are excellent. Faithfully, When you love a woman and Open Arms remain my favorite songs from the group though.
I bought them at Best Buy and I found them to be the best. Rarely if ever have they skipped. I currently have Phillips (which I effectively got for free after rebates) and the slightest smudge causes them to skip in the ML as well as my family room 7 DVD holder carousel. I've always bought CD-R's.
They have so far review in a lighthearted way the Audi TT, Chrysler Crossfire, Cayenne, Jaguar XKR so far. Wondering what they will say about the first Japanese car they will test....
For those of you who don't know, CNBC is the 24/7 business channel on cable.
Comments
I would have bought a new LS430 but I couldn't get a burgandy/ivory one without going up across the border to canada.
So I guess I have to made do with the RX300 until the RX hybrid hits the streets.
http://www.lexus.com/lexuslink/
Scroll down to the bottom and read the footnotes.
Sean
I'm going to re-up this year because I like the safety aspects. Calling the police if the car is broken into is great, and calling them if I have an accident is even better. I still think it should be closer to $10 a month than $20, and a few of the premium services should really be included in the cost of the basic service to make it a little more worthwhile.
Sean
Hopefully the new one won't read me a whole paragraph every time I start the car! Hey, maybe they could have it verbally warn me to drive carefully so the navigation system wouldn't have to make me "agree" to do so every time I head out. ;-)
Sean
I swapped out to the LX470 at the last moment as my son bought a surf board the day before the trip to bring with him. You get some great breakers down there. So I had to load my old Sears cargo carrier on the roof rack and take out the third row seats. I didn't appreciate that at the last minute. But the kids loved it as I set them up in the back with one of those all in one 20" TV/DVD/VCR units and plugged it in to the auxiliary power with an AC/DC converter. Even with the cargo carrier on top the LX was smooth and quiet at 75-80mph. It's a great SUV for a long trip but I'm always amazed that the gas mileage stays the same. I averaged out at 17mpg on I95 and I usually get 16-17 even on the NY area highways. In the LS430 I tend to get an improvement of 5-6mpg on a trip like that but the LX hardly varies.
Are you enjoying the car?
I only have about 500 miles on the LS, but it has been everything I had hoped for. Serene and yet responsive when asked for. Since I am not at that 1K mark, I have babied the gas & brakes. So I do not know yet how sharply I can bring it up for my daily driving.
So far; no creaks or noises from the cabin. No wind noise from the outside. Just minor road noise from coarse highways. These were lower than my S500, but in some ways, perhaps more noticeable since the overall noise floor is lower in the LS.
Aside from the 2 inch scratch on the rear seat, I do not see any other defect. So I am lucky.
As in the previous times I purchased new cars, I order stuff from california Car Cover co. You know, the usual assortment of waxes, polishes, and brushes. Stuff that I use for the 1st few months and remain inside the truck for the life of the vehicle. Oh, got the 1st 4 paint chips on the hood just yesterday. No dings, that's good.
Love those plastic covers on the door bottoms.
I believe that this information is sound since I recently passed a LS MY04 mule doing some USA road testing. Although there was some cover-up on the car the one thing that really struck me was that there were many more changes to the rear then previous pictures on Auto Spies and elsewhere had indicated. It was not near as "slab like" (like the current model) after the C-pillar as I expected. The front was very much like has appeared in recent spy pictures. Also, the new wheels looked very nice.
330 in a color called (I believe) bamboo pearl. It was striking and in my opinion blew away the traditional Lexus cashmere and beige colors and without question would be the color I would choose if I was buying/leasing an RX330. I think it would be a knockout color on the LS as well so I hope one of those colors is its' LS twin.
Was listening to Olivia Newton John tonight, and I seriously felt ONJ was physically siting immediately behind my chair. The stereo illusion was that good. Remarkable.
The 2004 looks more and more like the new Audi's; even some lines from the BMW 7. Is this what we (Lexus owners) want? I do like the extras in the 2004; especially that rear seat mirror.
I wish they'd add the damm AWD but I hear that it will not arrive until the 2006 major redesign.
So far; been getting 15-16 mpg in the busy streets of New York city.
What do you all set the tire pressure to on the Dunlops?
The rest of the list, however, is very consistent with what I was told by a Lexus corporate rep last month at the Lexus SUV driving event.
Yeilds dramatically better lighting than the low wattage (200ma) "flashlight" style bulbs from the factory.
I just discovered that the Porsche dealer parts department stocks european 6W bayonet halogens, H6W, for use in the 996 (986??) series front "position"/parking lamps.
$12.00 each but easier than my retrofit.
On my 92 I had masked off and "chrome" spray painted the inside of the front portion of the dome map light lens area leaving only the 1/2" square projector lens. This was to avoid the annoying map light "scatter" when my wife used the map/reading lamp on her side. Adding the halogen bulb brings her map lighting back up to an acceptable level.
You can also use the H6W bulb for the rear seat map/reading lamps.
For those rear lamps I also added a diode to the circuit such that the 6W map/reading bulb comes on with the normal bulb when the door is opened.
The front dome light fixture was modifed with two PNP darling transistors and base suppy resistors such that both front map/reading lamps come on with the front dome lamp and then gradually extinguish in the same manner.
For a little more entry lighting you can also use/upgrade to european 12 volt W5W lamps at each door map pocket light fixture and the two rear map/reading lamp fixtures.
I sort of expected this, but was hoping for much better treatment. Anyway, I called Ray Catena to schedule for another 250 mile trip.
The Rainx windows does not really wick out water fast enough to avoid using wipers. IS this what you find?
The ML continues to wow me, as 2 hours of jazz on it was simply invigorating.
Paul
I was surprised when you weren't impressed with the ML back on your test drives. Now I guess you know why just about everyone on the board who has it raves about it. By the way I bought a Denon AVR4802 Reveiver (which is a certified THX ultra and which they have upgraded since to a higher THX level) at home last year - when my old Onkyo was starting to go on me - and it wows me as much as the ML does. So if you're ever shopping for a receiver for your home theatre put that one on your short list.
I'm sure Ray Catena will give you better service on the leather. They do have another dealership in Westchester either in Larchmont or White Plains if I remember right.
My business partner who took the LS from an out of state dealer when they were so hot in 2001, gets his serviced at Lexus of Manhattan and has been very satisfied with them.
The ML has to be set properly. I have it at flat everything, and place the fadder one bar below neutral. At this setting, I find Olivia Newton John to be the most sumptuous. My jazz players with their clarinets and piano to my immediate left and right, surrounded by applause. This level of (auto) audio involvement is alien to me, certainly not from my S500. Driving on the rough Long Island Distressway today, with flying debris, strong wind, and menancing trucks was not a problem for the ML under the LS isolation.
Great features on the Denon. I see the back must be filled with 100+ connectors. The 3 sets of component video is needed in my case; as I now have 2 HDTV's.
I remember my first receiver was a Sansui, later bought a McIntosh Amp. Just 50watts, but capable of that in 2ohms. Drove my dorm mates nuts.
Manhattan Lexus is some 25 miles from me. Rallye is closest. They totally renovated their service shop, and they did wash my LS today to a gleaming finish together with a spotless vacuum. Couldn't really be angry for that.
The A8L was harsh, as you say. The new Jag XKR is very nice, but no headroom. Actually no room, period. Both are much noisier than my LS; as I remember.
Oh, another thing, my LS feels like I am driving a taller car, while the S500 felt clser to the ground, but wider and longer.
I also set the ML flat and find that is the best sound quality for it. Have you made your own compilations? They play very well. A few on the board have found ones that don't always work but everything I have bought has played very well. For the most part I've used Digital Research, Phillips and Memorex CDR's. I never put labels on them.
I have tried a few cheap Taiwanese CDR's and the fancy gold Kodak CDR's. Both worked fine on the ML.
I wish they accept DVD-R's.
Hoping for nice weather and happy returns.
If you were just hooking up 3 boosters, it could be done, but with forward facers and infant seats, they truly take up room.
Besides, I find that it is a whole different challenge just to have the kids sit that close together and behave; not even factoring in the seats.
I currently drive an '03 Navigator (HUGE) and while I like the room (you could fit forty car seats in that beast!) I often miss the "feel" of driving a sedan. The times I've driven an LS430 (in laws) I have not wanted to give it up! When my lease is up next year I am strongly considering going back to a Lux sedan. Figuring that my wife drives the kids around most of the time I guess she can use an SUV (like an LX or GX -- by no means a step down from the LS so she'll be happy) while I use the car.
If you are going to be the one driving the kids around most of the time then you might want to consider a bigger vehicle (the LX would be my choice if Lexus is the way you want to go). I've been told that three car seats fit in the LX 2nd row quite nicely. I wouldn't recommend putting a car seat in the 3rd row as you'd need to be an acrobat to buckle the child in!!
In any case, its good to know that the LS can handle at least two and perhaps three (tightly-squeezed) kiddie seats.
I love your final thought though, and it really does have me thinking -- what DID people drive before SUV's and minivan's if they had lots of kids? "Brady Bunch" station wagons? Or were cars back them much bigger overall? Years ago my dad had a Buick Electra that was probably bigger inside and out than my navigator!
The 1st sign of noise came today; after 500 miles, during stretches of very very rough road near the Amboys and Jersey city, as well as near Kennedy Airport. Sounds of rubbing plastic was coming from behind the leather covering above of door armrest. When I pressed on the leather (think it's rubber), I can hear some plastic squishing sound. I guess it's some plastic cover for the door side air bags.
This is not happening all the time like my S500, so I'll live with it, as it is not that annoying. Yet.
The noise is more apparent when the midday sun was baking the plastic, as I have not heard any noise at night, yet.
The road noise I mentioned as I was driving home back on 7/10 totally disappeared today, as I drove back on the same road. Perhaps it's not a deluge, or perhaps the Dunlops had time to break in, whatever it was, the ride was buttery, and the noise over gravel all but when away. The S500 ride is now a distant memory.
Then came a little of that door "inside" noise to trick my mind.... Then again, maybe it was the down market news over 1130 AM that make me more attentive. Who knows.
1) the leather sofa was so comfy, I fell asleep.
2) nice free gourmet sandwiches
3) bottled water and soda
4) exercise room
5) simulated golf driving range
6) conference room
Makes Rallye Mercedes looking like a Ford dealership.
I just might have to drive 200 miles everytime I get service, if not for all those big trucks kicking up stuff onto my LS.
I'm starting to think you're like me with private investments and business interests affording you some free time. I'm going against the old corporate world and have several different business interests - one that is well developed, one that is taking off and one in its infancy. So I'm leaving my company at the end of the summer to devote more time to my own interests but consult with my current employer on a 3-4 day a month retainer thereafter. In the meantime it's nice to have cutback my work to four days a week in July and now to three in August. If that's the case for you it allows for those nice drives. Next time you go to Ray Catena request yourself an RX loaner and go for a nice drive down the shore to Point Pleasant or further down Rt. 35 to Ortley beach for a day. It's great down there. Trust me - there are wonderful restaurants in the area as well. One of my favorites is Nicholas which I told you about earlier but another is Picolo Italia (you can bring your favorite wine to this one) - right next to the service center in the shopping center on the corner (left as you exit) on West Park Avenue. There is also Fromagerie in Rumson which is spectacular. A day at the shore with a nice dinner will be we well appreciated by your wife.
Now - on to serious stuff. This noise in your LS bothers me. I have no such sound or perhaps your hearing is in a league with superman. Once I did have a sound like the one you describe in the LX which was caused by my rear seat armrest rubbing against the seat leather. Catena had investigated the truck, found nothing and then took it for a ride and discovered the problem. They put some leather conditioner on the seat and I never heard the sound again. It bothered me for the simple reason that the LX is also ultra quiet and with Lexus you get used to that quiet isolation in a hurry. You want noise from the stereo and that is it.
God's gift to make up for my poor eyesight.
Do this. Push down on the plastic covering as well as the wood below the door glass. If you feel the give, then you should hear some squish, every so slight. This is the sound I hear over very rough roads. Perhaps I should let the car settle down for a few months before asking them to open up the door frame and try solving this. I am a little reluctant to have anyone (even Lexus) to play with stuff so near the airbags,,
As for driving around. I used to do a lot of that. Right after college. I live in Livingston, NJ and worked in Bethapge, LI. That's nearly 250 miles a day. I did 110K one year and 90K the next. Then I really started to lose my interest. My decade on Wall Street saw me more on cheap limo back seats. I tell ya, the Lincolns and Caddies are very quiet cars, although they "float" around bumps and move like the mechanical boats in the "It's a small small world" Disney ride. Only after I retired from Wall Street did I started enjoying driving again; first with the S500 and now the LS. Driving long distances is still not my cup of tea. Maybe after a long trip to CA or FL will change my mind. Right now, my son is too young for such a long trip. Perhaps later.
anthony:
What links were you referring to?
Get this fixed or it will drive you batty. That is why you bought a Lexus
Lenoard,
I must be getting a little nuts. I took the LS out very late last night, just to hear more jazz.
I HIGHLY recommend this disk:
http://www.fimpression.com/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=FIMSACD034
Yes, it's $60 bucks. If you can find it cheaper elsewhere, do. But it is amazing. Just amazing on the ML. It is best when use at night; city lights is best. Adds to the ambience.
Journey! Great driving music, indeed.
Some of my Maxell CD-R 700MB disks have started to skip in the ML.
For those of you who don't know, CNBC is the 24/7 business channel on cable.