How is Your lexus Holding Up? Mines not
10-25-12, 12:21 AM
#46
On a dark car the only thing it will do is make the holes/chips dark, I did it on my 91 Bonneville that had a zillion paint chips. It was a burgundy color (Dark Red something or other as it was called), Looked a lot better. Nothing short of a repaint fix it, but it will at least look better.
10-25-12, 05:43 AM
#49
Lexus Champion
Kiwi is a very high quality natural wax, wax doesn't care what it is on, it will polish anything. I spend 8 years in the Army and 1 year at a military academy, I know polishing... I refrain from explaining how to light it on fire and burn in.....
On a black car with white paint chips, black kiwi is a Godsend. It will fill in the white and make it black, then go over it with your favorite wax afterwards.
On a black car with white paint chips, black kiwi is a Godsend. It will fill in the white and make it black, then go over it with your favorite wax afterwards.
10-25-12, 08:29 AM
#50
Lexus Fanatic
I've never tried this, but shoe polish is actually carnuaba wax...it just has a dye in it.
My only concern is whether or not its abrasive and could mar the paint surface...
My only concern is whether or not its abrasive and could mar the paint surface...
10-25-12, 09:22 AM
#51
Absolutely not. I spent countless hours polishing my boots and shoes that are a MIRROR shine with nothing more than regular black Kiwi. We had some tricks to do some things (aka, fire....) but it is about as pure as you can get.
feel it with your fingers (yes they will be stained black afterwards). you won't feel any grit or abrasives. If they did it would tear up shoes. I have seen and done many boots/shoes that had 10x the shine of a car paint. And that is starting on leather. It takes work, but you get some awesome shine on boots. Here you are starting with a car paint, something already smooth, putting a wax on it that is much finer than car wax. Compare the 2. And Kiwi has reg black and parade gloss, even better yet.
If you can build it up enough and fill in the chips, you could actually make it look like factory, but it would take work and sitting on it or rubbing it could pull it back out again, but you could do it.
feel it with your fingers (yes they will be stained black afterwards). you won't feel any grit or abrasives. If they did it would tear up shoes. I have seen and done many boots/shoes that had 10x the shine of a car paint. And that is starting on leather. It takes work, but you get some awesome shine on boots. Here you are starting with a car paint, something already smooth, putting a wax on it that is much finer than car wax. Compare the 2. And Kiwi has reg black and parade gloss, even better yet.
If you can build it up enough and fill in the chips, you could actually make it look like factory, but it would take work and sitting on it or rubbing it could pull it back out again, but you could do it.
10-25-12, 10:00 AM
#52
Lexus Fanatic
Just to preface this, I've been detailing cars for around 15 years. Did it professionally for a time, but now just to my own cars as a hobbyist.
Here's the thing you have to understand, in order for something to take the finish of a surface from dull, to gloss, there have to be abrasives there. When you feel car polish or compounds between your fingers you don't "feel" abrasives (unless its a really heavy cut polish), but they are there, and simply rubbing them on the paint surface and wiping them off will mar the paint surface. Most liquid waxes and products you can buy at Wal mart etc have abrasives because they are meant to be one step products for the general consumer. Nothing wrong with abrasives used properly and in the proper application, but shoe polish is definitely not designed with an application to automotive paint in mind.
The fact that you can create a high shine on leather boots with shoe polish actually proves the point that shoe polish is abrasive.
Shoe polish would not make the paint look like factory because it does not become hard and blend into the surrounding paint, and cannot be polished to a shine like the surrounding paint.
I like the idea in theory, but it would at best be a temporary fix, and I would be concerned about marring the paint.
Here's the thing you have to understand, in order for something to take the finish of a surface from dull, to gloss, there have to be abrasives there. When you feel car polish or compounds between your fingers you don't "feel" abrasives (unless its a really heavy cut polish), but they are there, and simply rubbing them on the paint surface and wiping them off will mar the paint surface. Most liquid waxes and products you can buy at Wal mart etc have abrasives because they are meant to be one step products for the general consumer. Nothing wrong with abrasives used properly and in the proper application, but shoe polish is definitely not designed with an application to automotive paint in mind.
The fact that you can create a high shine on leather boots with shoe polish actually proves the point that shoe polish is abrasive.
Shoe polish would not make the paint look like factory because it does not become hard and blend into the surrounding paint, and cannot be polished to a shine like the surrounding paint.
I like the idea in theory, but it would at best be a temporary fix, and I would be concerned about marring the paint.
Last edited by SW17LS; 10-25-12 at 10:04 AM.
10-25-12, 10:22 AM
#53
I completely agree, kiwi will not last long it will need constant application, but the dyes in it will get rid of the white chip and at least make it black, it is better than white....more than anything it is to fill the holes. Heck, a sharpie can do that too... 
Get it black to look better till you repaint.
Get it black to look better till you repaint.
08-08-13, 09:37 PM
#54
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Really?
Keep in mind the old Mechanic's saying: NEW stands for Never Ever Worked.
A run of '07 models were built without gasket sealer in a small spot where the engine's front cover is mated to the block. You can see this by taking a flashlight, getting under the car, and looking at the spot right behind the power steering pump. If there's a very small oil leak there then you have one of the affected vehicles. This was caused by a glitch in the assembly line robot programming and was corrected. This is why vehicles produced after a specific VIN were not affected. The fix is to remove the engine, remove the front cover and reseal.
All the ES350's have higher water pump failure. In fact, one thing I've always been amazed at is Toyota's problem with water pumps throughout the entire product line. And the RX and ES are the biggest pains to replace.
ES350's can occasionally have issues with cam gears. Symptom is engine sounding like a sewing machine for a few seconds on cold start. Also a royal pain to fix. The IS250 has the same problem.
Not much else I see other than an occasional coil pack or AF/O2 sensor.
A run of '07 models were built without gasket sealer in a small spot where the engine's front cover is mated to the block. You can see this by taking a flashlight, getting under the car, and looking at the spot right behind the power steering pump. If there's a very small oil leak there then you have one of the affected vehicles. This was caused by a glitch in the assembly line robot programming and was corrected. This is why vehicles produced after a specific VIN were not affected. The fix is to remove the engine, remove the front cover and reseal.
All the ES350's have higher water pump failure. In fact, one thing I've always been amazed at is Toyota's problem with water pumps throughout the entire product line. And the RX and ES are the biggest pains to replace.
ES350's can occasionally have issues with cam gears. Symptom is engine sounding like a sewing machine for a few seconds on cold start. Also a royal pain to fix. The IS250 has the same problem.
Not much else I see other than an occasional coil pack or AF/O2 sensor.
So I paid off my car this spring. Bought my ES350 Aug 2006.
Feb 13 spent $800 on a big routine maintenance visit.
May 13 went in for an oil change and had to replace oil pan. When they removed the drain plug they stripped the threads. $900.
Aug 13 went in to have the freon recharged. I was told that my water pump is leaking. Only $843 to fix it and don't drive it another 1,000 miles without fixing it. AND that I have a small oil leak and my engine needs to be resealed. $3000. Sounds like the "glitch" mentioned above.
Granted I do a LOT of highway driving. I am at 140,000 after 7 years. However I also have a million paint chips so when I price out my $47K new car, the trade in is $7400. Having a hard time justifying dropping any more money on this.
Do I try to trade this car in ASAP or do I fix the water pump only? Do I pay the $4,000 and get the water pump and engine resealed?
Clueless!!!!
08-08-13, 09:51 PM
#55
Might be worth talking to Corp Lexus and see what they say, if they will cover anything.
My mom and dad bought a 08 ES for $25k, I think way too much for a 50k mile car, so if they are only giving you $7400 on trade, they are likely really planning on a good high profit resale.
IF this fixes it all, and keeps it running good for another 100k it worth it. Almost sounds like you need to find a different Lexus dealer to work on it!
My mom and dad bought a 08 ES for $25k, I think way too much for a 50k mile car, so if they are only giving you $7400 on trade, they are likely really planning on a good high profit resale.
IF this fixes it all, and keeps it running good for another 100k it worth it. Almost sounds like you need to find a different Lexus dealer to work on it!
08-08-13, 09:51 PM
#56
Lexus Fanatic
I would move on and get something else...
08-09-13, 07:26 AM
#58
I have a 2007 ES350 with 133K. A few days ago I was thinking of trading it in and my Lexus dealer offered my 11K. The dealer your working with is trying to rip you offering you $7400. Go try another Lexus dealer or better yet Carmax. Oh and btw I thought 11K was low. Should be about 13K
Good luck..
Good luck..
Last edited by Lexusxoxo; 08-09-13 at 07:38 AM.
08-09-13, 07:41 AM
#59
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I am a retired used car dealer. I have a '07 es350 w/130k miles. Best car I have ever owned. have had less than $1000 in repairs, since new, other than brakes, oil etc. I use only Ames Oil products in the car, trans, motor, brakes, antifreeze. Only need to change the oil once a year and the other fluids, NEVER. Milage on hwy @ 75MPH, right at 30. Average overall for 130K miles, 26.5 MPG. Guess I got a good one. Can't ask for much mor than this out of ANY car.
08-09-13, 07:48 AM
#60
I am a retired used car dealer. I have a '07 es350 w/130k miles. Best car I have ever owned. have had less than $1000 in repairs, since new, other than brakes, oil etc. I use only Ames Oil products in the car, trans, motor, brakes, antifreeze. Only need to change the oil once a year and the other fluids, NEVER. Milage on hwy @ 75MPH, right at 30. Average overall for 130K miles, 26.5 MPG. Guess I got a good one. Can't ask for much mor than this out of ANY car.
