Sunny Day Means a Wash and Detail!

Right before Japan's raining season (late June and July), I happened to be home on a weekend where I had some free time. And it was nice and sunny.

I had recently noticed some minute scratching in the paint surface, so in addition to giving the car a wash, I decided some work with an orbital buffer would also be good.

Using, of course, my favorite car care products from Zaino.

I know, it's not good to dry in the sun. I had to move fast...

Loe how the water still beads even though I don't wax the car regularly. This is the Zaino AIO in action (plus the occasional Z-9 or Z-7 instant detailer spray)

Blinded by the light!!

Another shot - I wonder if I should get an OEM carbon fiber trunk lip spoiler? 

Here in Japan, with our narrow streets, I had to park and not block the main street!

All done! Hard to tell the gloss though...

Here we go. 

So what do you think? Shiny enough? I think the Lexus has very high quality paint, which makes cleaning up and looking good so much easier...

Suspension Upgrade (Part 2)

Anyway, after I finished drooling over the red LC500, I let them take the IS-F in to have the OEM Tokico dampers replaced with the late model OEM Sachs (ZF) dampers.  I was keeping my fingers crossed, because although the guy on the ClubLexus forum swore it was a worthy upgrade... well, the Internet is only as true as you believe it to be.

This time, no GS-F loaner car. However, they did let me borrow this for the day:

IS300h. 

I still don't like how the rear end looks. Oh, and the wheels look tiny!

The interior... well I DID like the LFA inspired dash...

As I had a few chores to run, I actually drove the car into Tokyo. It's a decent highway cruiser, but after the IS-F, I need more POWER!  As expected, the build quality was great, but without the Mark Levinson stereo, the sound quality was just mediocre. Really!

The next day, when I went to pick up the IS-F, I saw THIS parked at the dealer...

No no, keep it!

 The techs had loaded up all the used parts into the back of my car's trunk:

I like the way that, even though my car has an aftermarket rubber mat, they still "wrapped" everything they loaded up with the large white foam sheet. So Japan...(ZF = Sachs)

And the results? The moment I began to drive to leave the dealership, I immediately noticed the difference. Firm, but way softer. Then, I driving home I noticed how the car was able to absorb small bumps much much better.  

Finally, a few days later on the expressway the car was AMAZING on the curves, the tighter it got, the better. What I mean is that, the car before was stiff. Just stiff. So the car would bounce excessively on bumps, and at speed a loss of confidence as it felt a bit unpredictable. Now however as a curve approaches I can feel the outside front wheel "bite" as the weight transfer happens to the outside. This "bite" gives better road feedback and thus more of a sense of what the car is doing. The car feels flatter too, strangely, and better planted to the road.

Don't get me wrong, the car is still very firmly sprung but I suspect the spring rate is a bit reduced and there is longer suspension stroke, at least in the rear.  So, a very worthy modification if you insist on keeping OEM and don't care about ride height.

Update - I just googled and found this article from Edmunds analyzing the changes made to the IS-F suspension. I am pretty sure that when the dealer did the alignment they did NOT give the car the rear  camber adjustment as per the 2011 model, but I will ask next time I take the car in...

More LC500 Photos

So after the dealer's miscalculation, I had to wait a few more weeks for the correct suspension parts to arrive, and for my schedule to free up.

This time, when I arrived, they had this nice RED LC500 - apparently this one is the gas version while the other is the hybrid? Both are the dealer demo cars, they told me...

Looks even better than the white one I think...

The details are amazing

This time insisted on opening the door for a peek inside.

Wow! Simply WOW.

Ok so the back is a bit TINY but still so nice...

The way the door handle pops out when you hit the unlock on the keyfob...

And again those lights. Damn.

Drool... carbon fiber... wow....

Ok so this was the only part of the car I thought was ugly. These wheels...

Suspension Upgrade + LC500! (Part 1)

Ok ok so I have been very very bad about posting updates on this car - my excuse is that my free time is spent blogging about my GT-R, and getting used to a new job I started in May.  Oh and I was overseas for a few weeks too, back in March.

Excuses aside, after I returned from my trip in March, I decided it was about time I did something about the car's ride. As many know, the early IS-F cars were criticized for having a harsh ride, while some people claimed they got used to it, or that it was the price to pay for the sporty nature of the car.

The problem for me was, I did not want to purchase another set of Ohlins like I have on the GT-R - which as a result was driving more smoothly and more comfortably than the Lexus!  But, while the Ohlins DFVs are superb, they require rebuilding every 2 years or 20,000kms. For a durable car like the Lexus (i.e. Toyota), this was not going to work.

Further, as some of you remember, I been given use of a GS-F as a loaner - and I loved the way that car rode.  Some asking around revealed that the GS-F uses dampers made by Sachs.  Then, I read on the ClubLexus forum that someone had replaced their 2008 IS-F OEM shocks with those from a 2012 IS-F, which also happen to be made by Sachs!  

So I knew a swap could be done, and further, these parts were OEM and thus not as expensive as aftermarket Ohlins! And no need to rebuild! So win-win...

My dealer agreed to do the swap, but told me they could not extend the car's warranty to the shocks, only the warranty for the shock itself would be available. Not a big deal. So I went ahead and ordered, and a few weeks later got the call!

Nothing special about these cars other than the new car smell...

Lexus hospitality can't be beat!

While the mechanics worked to install the suspension, the dealer decided to give me taste of what to expect.

"Go have fun!" they said!

Unfortunately, it was all for nothing. Because a few hours later the dealer called and told me that they had only ordered the shocks and NOT the springs! Oh and something called a bump stop needed to be ordered as well.

Obviously, being the first to try something in Japan means that you have be very patient.  Or, have a sense a humor about the situation, or both.

In any case, I returned to the dealer somewhat disappointed, but then soon forgot about it as I spotted this car, one of the first ones in Japan!

Trust me, looks WAY better in person!

Hard to tell with the black leather, but the interior is ALL leather...and GORGEOUS!

Nice little touch there

My advisor was particularly proud of this touch - the 3-D effect LED taillamps! Hmm, maybe an idea for the GT-R? Lol.

So this initial visit wasn't a total loss - I got to see the new LC500 (and got a free car wash. Oh and got to drive the GS-F around all day...)

USRS by RR Racing!

So as I mentioned in a previous post, I took the opportunity while the car was at BeAmbitious to get something amazing installed.  Well, it got amazing reviews anyway.  After owning and driving my car for a bit over a year, and getting used to it, there are a few things that are annoying me and so I've decided, must go.

So what is this amazing p It's the crazily named "RR Racing Ultimate Steering Response System" or "USRS" for short, which actually is a properly engineered lower control arm bushing.  No doubt you've seen the photos from their website (the three that follow):

Also, they have a video which explains, and actually shows in split screen, the difference between the stock bushing and the USRS.

So putting aside all of this propaganda, as well as the numerous and overwhelmingly positive reviews on the Lexus forums - how was it for me?

Well, I immediately noticed that the steering was tight, and not as light. So the steering didn't feel as numb as before, although this translates into only slightly better road feel. But, I feel like the steering is much more accurate.

Also, I didn't realize this until I re-road the forum reviews, but yes braking stability has improved dramatically. Even at relatively low speeds, the car is stable, and the brakes feel more effective. So yes, this was definitely a good mod.

I just wish there was a way to improve the actual FEEL of the steering. And, as I learned from test driving a GS-F recently (see, previous post), I need to do something with the E-accelerator...

GS-F versus IS-F

So when I had the IS-F at the dealer for its biannual shaken, they surprised me by giving me a very special loaner car for the day - this beautiful black pearl GS-F!!

Nice number plate. As if the driver would forget...

As I had a few chores to run, well, why not use this GS-F? So I promptly got on the expressway towards Tokyo, and onto Kanpachi Dori.

This Aston turned some heads. Not me, though, in this stealthy black Lexus...

My destination being, my usual Nissan dealership. I had to pick up some parts for a project I am doing on the GT-R.

This car looks SO much more powerful and aggressive than any Nissan sedan they had there.

Parts picked up, I stopped by Dino's to see what he thought. He had praise for the looks, but again, failed to be impressed by the ride and the transmission. Of course, German cars are better he said.

Fits nicely in his driveway though.

Me, I loved everything about the car. I thought the IS-F had plenty of gadgets, but in between the heads up display and 4 different speedometer modes, I thought the GS-F was very nice.  The ride is MUCH better than the IS-F, and frankly, the car doesn't feel any slower despite the weight gain.  In fact, it felt just as nimble, likely due to better body rigidity.

And since I haven't driven the more expensive M series BMWs Dino uses as his benchmark... well, for me this could be the one. Toyota quality, even though it costs more here in Japan than back home in the USA.

It fit nicely in my garage, too!

Alas, it was soon time to pick up the IS-F.

Side-by-side, the GS-F looks much more modern. Of course, it IS!

My overall verdict is, a logical next step after the IS-F. Actually, the natural evolution of how a new IS-F based on the current model might be.  Except, getting back in the IS-F, I could immediately sense how much smaller and nimble the car felt. Not quite as refined as the GS-F for sure, as it lacks the leather and Alcantara the GS-F has, along with all the gadgets. Problem in Japan is, these are $120,000 cars!  So that will have to change before I buy one. 

Meanwhile, what can I do to further improve the IS-F to be more like this...

Another LED Upgrade

So after one of my turn signals failed, I was too lazy to replace it myself. So, I rolled over to my local Lexus dealer for some (expensive) love.

While they were at it, I asked if they would make an exception to policy and replace the parking lamps up front, with LEDs. Amazingly, they agreed!

The OEM parking bulb is "white" but next to the HID low beam, looks orange-ish.

Courtesy ClubLexus.com

From Car and Driver

Thanks to both sources for the photos of the OEM parking lights - I forgot to take photos of my own car, so have to borrow these photos.

Anyway, as the mechanics replaced the burnt out turn signal bulb, they went ahead and installed these:

So 5000K whiteness, and 110LM.

I chose these bulbs because of their high lumen capacity, and also because 5000K is probably similar to the kind of whiteness we now see on modern car's lighting.

The result:

At the dealership, I couldn't contain my excitement. Excuse the lens flare!

Because of the flare, I decided to try again at home:

This time better. Amazing how bright those little LEDs are, except in this photo it's hard to tell anything other than the whiteness

The actual brightness, compared to the other bulbs on the car, is as above. I guess here the brightness of the foglights serve as the primary lightsource for the iPhone camera. Because:

With the foglights off. No, the LEDs aren't any brighter, it's just the way the light affects the iPhone camera.

In any case - the white parking light, adds a modern touch to the car. The only thing left to finish it off would be LED foglights.  And of course, I'm already planning for this. Except, I wonder if there is a way to deal with the orange-ish high beams first?