Well whatever, being where you are it's not surprising a larger capacity battery isn't needed but whether it's on top or bottom it's a spacer for a battery that doesn't fit the tray. Being a design engineer at Toyota you would understand why having Panasonic supply a battery spacer would be a cheaper fix than manufacturing 2 different trays.

 

I agree, it would be less expensive to do such a thing. My original point was that the 2012's and earlier were not intended to get a battery other than the GC24. However, I might be plum wrong on that. The battery application listing I saw, only having one battery would make sense. But that was info from Walmart ... that certainly doesn't make that the Gospel.

It would appear there were 2 different batteries available because the pdf for 2010 MY you attached said:

Cold Weather Package

• Windshield-wiper deicer
• Enhanced interior heater
• Higher-capacity battery

In retrospect, I don't know if I have a Windshield-wiper deicer or an Enhanced interior heater on my LS. How would I know if I do have them? I wonder if the "higher capacity battery" was also a Panasonic (probably). And whether it was or not, I wonder if it were the same size as the standard Panasonic, or bigger: I sure wish I STILL had access to information ... FROM THE INSIDE.

After writing this reply, I'm tending to lean your way about this jacket being a spacer. Whether it is put on like a T-shirt, or put on like pants. When put on like a T-shirt, the top of it has shapes to purposely fit to the battery bracket. That top would tend to serve as a spacer as you have mentioned.

If you guys would let me know what to look for to identify a Windshield-wiper deicer or an Enhanced interior heater, I would be very appreciative. If I do have it, I'm going to go back and get the GC27 battery and scrap the jacket / spacer...

Thanks for hanging in there with me Gerf!

 

If you look at the bottom of your windshield you will see a grid element like the rear window defroster that is the de-icer, the enhanced heater has an an ptc/electric heat element inside the housing that gives you heat before the coolant gets up to temp, probably has a sensor that shuts it off according to coolant temp or time.
The only way to know that you have that is if you have the w/shield de-icer.

 

Are these deicer elements visible from outside (at the bottom)? If so, I do not have these.

And in this case, I will just keep the GC24 battery.

 

They are very visible even through a dusty windshield, cars been in the garage for awhile.

 

Absolutely I "don't got 'em." Thanks for the picture. I'm good with the GC24 battery. And glad that I factually know that do not have that cold weather package. Having it would be fine. But I've lived for 10 years without it, I should be OK!

Thanks Gerf!

 

Guys,

As my son has been explaining, nothing is known or set about what is going to happen from the end of his OCS graduation. Now he is saying that they are telling him that he may have to stay on base for an unknown amount of time, to finish up a medical issue. And now my son is tentatively asking me if it is possible that I can bring up his car. So he won't be trapped on base, for 2 or 3 months.

Well, there's me and my 2 younger sons that are going up there. Both of these 2 younger sons are licensed drivers, and quite adequate at driving. I wouldn't mind the 3 of us driving 2 cars up there and 1 car back. The problem is, I can take the day off and sleep, prior to leaving at ~10 pm. But the younger 2 really can't. So I think I'm kind of stuck.

The 3 of us could also drive my oldest son's car up there, and then fly back. But that doesn't sound all that great to me, as I have the schedule set up to have maximum flexibility while up there, due to ... we can come, go, leave whenever we want to if we have our own car. But if we have to fly back, we have to conform to flight schedules.

I wanted to ask the group minds, can you all think of another option or 2 I might explore? I wonder how much it would cost to ship his car up to him? That sort of thing.

Course all this might get scrapped too because nothing is firm, and even if it were, the Navy can change the plan on a dime.

Thanks.

 

If the idea is to just drive his car up and fly back, why do all 3 of you have to go? Unless of course your sons want to see their brother.

Investigate some shipping services. Since you can be flexible with a date, you might find a company that needs to fill a space on a truck and maybe can get a decent deal (but usually they are not cheap).

 

The family is going up to see my son graduate from OCS. It's a huge monumental deal.

He's now saying the Navy might ship his car up there. If so, the price works out great for me...

 

7milesout

Believe it when it happens.

Dennis

 

I would look into shipping, I have done it a lot to assist my snow bird in-laws moving a car from MI to FL every winter and back in the spring. My initial guess is uncovered for around $1,000 to $1,200. If you are flexible on date and times, maybe a little less. Ask around and try to find a broker in your area.

 

The complexities abound. My son's G35 done busted an alternator. Simultaneously the cluster clustered up. I was hoping the cluster would uncluster when I slapped a new alternator and battery in it. But it didn't. I had this particular cluster repaired 7 years ago, the fuel gauge primarily. I pulled it back out and sent it to local place that does rebuilds on clusters. They said it looked like an orangutan had done the repair work. And that it was hooped so bad, they won't bother with it. So now I'm stuck trying to find a replacement. And this ain't cheap. Just spent over a $1,000 on it for a new alternator, battery, new valve covers, ignition tubes, seals, spark plugs. Might be another $650 on a cluster. I can't catch a break.

 

The LS averaged 26.65 mpg. Not too shabby me thinks...

 

7 milesout

You might need to drive a little faster to hit the sweet spot on the LS. On my 2010 LS460L I find that if I run just North of 76 MPH I will come in at around 29 MPG. Now being married 56 years I never upgraded to the Iron Dome model I was just content to stick with the Old Battle Axe tried and true technology. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

Dennis

 

Very sound logic. Trust me when I say, Yee Old Battle Axe is better. When they say nothing gets by the Iron Dome, they ain't joshin'. Nothing, and I mean nothing penetrates the Iron Dome (dammit). It's because I don't look like Brad Pitt and talk nice like Mr. Rogers. When they say they want you to be honest with them, they lie. Really, a man being honest is just a(nother) reason for a female to stay angry. Anywho...

The way I remembered I-77 and I-81 was very different than the way it actually is. I remember I-81 being a pleasant cruise along, with beautiful scenery, very light traffic, etc. The traffic isn't bad, mostly light, but those 2 interstates are technical affairs. Left right up down rain wind rough patches, unsmooth. Just busy driving, no easy cruising.

I think I remember it being a pleasant cruise because I had done it in my 3/4 ton Dodge Ram diesel, pulling a loaded 24 foot enclosed trailer, and it must have been optimum cruising weather. Compared to I-95, I-81 was a walk in the park. And I was going slower in the pickup truck towing, so I never had any traffic concerns. But rolling in a road dominating land yacht that's just itching to run 95 mph, it's a different trail of asphalt.

I may have to run back up there again, to pick up and bring back the officer. This time I'll do it in my boulevard bruiser killer road warrior Mitsubishi Mirage, and try to kill out 45+ mpg. That'll learn 'em.