737Driver

Just picked up a white on black f-sport awd yesterday, and drove it 13 hours home. Still in shock, but it's amazing! I couldn't believe how comfy it was, and how fast 😳..
Road noise seemed excessive, but it needs new tires... 4/32 left on what appear to be the original Bridgestones (anyone ever get 50k out of the oem tires)? I'm hoping new tires eliminates some of the noise.
What A/S tires do people recommend? I've had good luck with pirelli p7's (70k warranty).
What about going from the stock 235/40r19 size to a more common 245/40r19? Looks to only be a 1.5% difference in circumference.
Thanks, and glad to be in the circle!




A shot on the way home from Park City, Ut.

islandbeef

Continental ExtremeContact DW
245's in front
275's in the rears
You'll notice there's a greater inventory supply (and lower price) at your tire shop when you move up a size from the stock sizes.
The extra meat on the tires will help provide a smoother and quieter ride, especially in the rain with the Conti's.

Just my nickle's worth.

737Driver

Mine is AWD, you recommend the 245s then?

islandbeef

Mine is RWD, I recommend the 245's for me. Let's see what the AWD owners say.

ItzFilyO

I have 21K miles on my Bridges and I think I still got about 50% of meat left. Definitely NOT looking forward to replacing them anytime soon, these tires are so expensive. But when the time comes I'll plus size it like Beef's.

Mine is RWD and ur AWD must have a square setup and u should be able to go with 245s all around.

bigblack06

iTrader: (20)

I wasn't gonna write a post as I thought it was an old post with the snow. Guess you all still have snow, congrats on the purchase any upgrades you planning for.

737Driver

No upgrades planned, might have to remove front window tint to pass inspection in Utah though. Ugh.

So a couple questions about my new to me car...
My dad always told me that brakes are cheaper than transmissions, but boy I love that throttle blip on downshift in sport mode. Does this create undue wear and tear on the transmission? I want this transmission the last 200k+ miles.
For the 60k mile service, has anyone done their own spark plugs? What about flushing the brake fluid - is this a diy item or do I need to plug the car into a computer to run the anti skid system while flushing.
The fan when on high makes a squealing noise. Noticed that this morning. Anyone heard of this being an issue?
Does Lexus take care of TSB's for cars out of warranty?

Thanks for any insight y'all may have. This forum is *awesome*!

2Squared

Welcome to the GS350 club.

rld14

P7s over Turanzas.

It's too bad the Continental DWS doesn't come in this size... I LOVE those.

737Driver

The Continental Extreme Contact DWS 06 come in the 245 size, are those what you're talking about?

AJLex19

-Don't think spark plugs need to be changed until 60k miles. Does the car have 60k+? The engine has been the same 3.5L V6 so the DIY on the forums for the IS/GS should be very similar: 503223-diy-is350-spark-plug-service.html
-That high squealing noise doesn't seem right. Maybe the blower motor or fan has some debris?
-TSB's typically are only handled under warranty. If you have a good relationship with your service department you might be able to make an argument for having it fixed for free or discounted.
-Def recommend the P7's or the Dunlop HP Signature All Seasons

Congrats on the new ride - nice color choice!

islandbeef

Check Discount Tire's website, you'll notice that the plus sizes (245s, 275s) are cheaper than stock sizes. Also, there's more inventory over the stock sizes.

737Driver

Great link for the diy spark plugs. Thank you. Yes, I'm at 55,000 so it will need to be done this summer. Previous owner already changed both differentials, and took the bait on a fuel injection and throttle body service upsell, so for my 60,000 major service I'm just looking at the spark plugs, brake fluid, and filters. I should be able to do it in my garage for $200 versus the $600 quote from the dealership.

At this point I'm torn between the:
Pirelli p7 (70,000 mile warranty and excellent reviews)
Extreme Contact DWS 06 (50,000 mile warranty and excellent reviews)
Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus (50,000 mile warranty, excellent reviews, TireRack said it was the best all around performer).

All are around $210-220 each.

The stupid Bridgestones are so loud at 4/32nds on concrete highways that I just want it to stop. I don't need uncompromising performance, I'm looking for a good balance of performance, comfort, tread wear, etc..)

ALtin107

Congrats on the car and welcome! I bet the 13 hour drive felt like nothing in a comfy GS

ItzFilyO

I blip my throttle all the time every day and I believe the spark plugs are good for 100-120K miles. At least that's how it was on all of my Toyotas so this car shouldn't be any different.