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What have you done to your ES today?

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Old 03-25-14, 07:13 AM
  #436  
rotaryjohn
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Default Installed a new starter

Installed a starter yesterday. less than 1.5 hours start to finish and very easily done.
Old 03-25-14, 12:54 PM
  #437  
Gerson
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Been awhile since I done updates on my ES300. Bought a pair of good 95-96 headlamps with the black chrome housings to replace my old chrome and busted headlamps from my local pick n pull. Thanks to my job's detail specialist he gave it a good polishing. Will install later today to see how it looks at night.

What have you done to your ES today?-forumrunner_20140325_145413.png

What have you done to your ES today?-forumrunner_20140325_145423.png

Last edited by Gerson; 03-25-14 at 09:52 PM.
Old 03-25-14, 08:09 PM
  #438  
Hayk
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You might need to keep polishing them periodically to retain the clarity, but they look great overall.
Old 03-26-14, 04:39 AM
  #439  
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Originally Posted by MrBooby
You might need to keep polishing them periodically to retain the clarity, but they look great overall.
Also applying a wax with UV protection might help retain the clarity.

I use Meguiars Headlight Protectant:

http://www.meguiars.com/en/automotiv...ht-protectant/
Old 03-26-14, 10:13 AM
  #440  
01LEXPL
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I will be experimenting with this. The detail nerds on various forums report this as more of a 'fix' more than just a temporary relief... Some have reported well over a year lasting on one treatment!

After seeing this, I will gladly forget about Plast-x

Check it out, DIY for a few minutes to not worry about it.
Old 04-11-14, 04:57 AM
  #441  
speedkar9
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I went to go check out a 1998 ES300 for a friend last night.

It was posted for $1200, but dropped to $1000, a little too good to be true with only 265K km (164 K miles).



The car was in good condition for its age, the interior clean, and the exterior in decent shape. There was the normal issues, such as wheel well rust, a noisy A/C compressor (still worked), both leaking oil from the valve cover gaskets, soft brakes and an exhaust leak.



The problem was with the owners.... it was a friend, selling it for a friend, selling it for a friend, and they wanted it to sell it right away, that day, not even wait a day for us to get some quotes on repair costs or insurance.

This raised a red flag for us and we turned it down, even after they called back with a $900 price.

Some things are just too good to be true . We'll keep looking.
Old 04-11-14, 05:55 AM
  #442  
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^ not to mention the clearly undersized tires... These things are a done a dozen.

Come to ottawa, there's a millennium edition for ~2k lol
Old 04-11-14, 06:41 AM
  #443  
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Originally Posted by 01LEXPL
^ not to mention the clearly undersized tires... These things are a done a dozen.
Yes I noticed, they were 215/55/15 instead of 215/65/15 (or what ever the 3ES usually comes with?). The date code was 10 years old, but at least the thread was decent and all tires matched.

Originally Posted by 01LEXPL
Come to ottawa, there's a millennium edition for ~2k lol
Looking local for now, its either an ES300 or a Camry, what ever fits my friend's ~$2k budget....
Old 04-11-14, 06:41 AM
  #444  
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Originally Posted by speedkar9

The problem was with the owners.... it was a friend, selling it for a friend, selling it for a friend, and they wanted it to sell it right away, that day, not even wait a day for us to get some quotes on repair costs or insurance.

This raised a red flag for us and we turned it down, even after they called back with a $900 price.

Some things are just too good to be true . We'll keep looking.
Yea too bad - sounds like they couldnt be trusted. IF and only IF the only issues were with the valve cover gaskets, brakes, and exhaust, then at least 2 out of those three are fairly easy DIY projects if you are so capable. But again when someone practically begs you to buy the car, you walk away...
Old 04-11-14, 12:20 PM
  #445  
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It does have the AVS though! Of course the struts could be blown.
Old 04-11-14, 01:00 PM
  #446  
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Originally Posted by Rontgen
Ordered a mountain of parts for my new-to-me 2000 ES300 with 159K miles:

AISIN Timing Belt kit with new idlers, tensioner, & Water Pump
Cam & Crank seals
Wiper Blades
Accessory Belts
PCV & Grommet
Valve Cover gaskets
Spark Plugs
Engine Air Filter
A/C Filter
Gas Cap

RockAuto.com - $288 shipped for everything. After that is done, I'll swap out fluids and this car should be good to go!

One of my other cars is a BMW M3 and I'm shocked at how cheap Toyota/Lexus parts are. Or, maybe I've just been conditioned to BMW's outrageous pricing!
Everything is installed and it runs great. The timing belt swap wasn't too bad, although those damn water pump studs didn't want to come out without a fight.
Old 04-11-14, 04:07 PM
  #447  
speedkar9
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Originally Posted by jbl-1985
IF and only IF the only issues were with the valve cover gaskets, brakes, and exhaust, then at least 2 out of those three are fairly easy DIY projects if you are so capable.
Well if the ownership issue wasn't so screwed up, I'd have bought the car for myself (since I DIY everything) for $900. My friend who this was for isn't so DIY handy, so he'd have to spend a lot on labor in getting the car on the road.

Originally Posted by Power6
It does have the AVS though! Of course the struts could be blown.
Yes I noticed. There was some slight suspension noise coming from the right front on our brief test drive. I changed the setting from comfort to stiff, and didn't notice any difference immediately. Regardless, those would be replaced with regular struts at this age anyways.

Originally Posted by Rontgen
Everything is installed and it runs great. The timing belt swap wasn't too bad, although those damn water pump studs didn't want to come out without a fight.
How did you take out your water pump studs? Why did you have to, couldn't you have loosened the front cam gear, the (6?) bolts holding timing belt cover #3 onto the engine, and wiggled the cover upward to clear the water pump? I was able to do that without touching the studs on my 3MZ-FE.
Old 04-12-14, 09:32 PM
  #448  
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Cleaned abs sensors
Old 04-13-14, 08:55 PM
  #449  
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Washed the car and addressed an electrical issue thats prevented my illumination system from functioning properly (with headlights on absolutely no light inside the cabin).
Old 04-14-14, 04:57 AM
  #450  
speedkar9
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After this long winter gave out to a gorgeous weekend, I washed and vacuumed my Lexus. I washed and scrubbed the carpet and rubber floor mats too.

Next is to degrease the engine bay from all that rust proofing oil, clay bar, touch-up and wax .


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