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DavidWR

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  • Lexus Model
    1993 LS400 & 1992 SC300

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  1. Over the past 20 years I have driven two cars that "vibrated" upon braking - each one after purchasing 4 new tires. the first car was a 1989 Mazda 929 - one of the first luxury Japanese makes. I could never figure out why a set of new tires caused this phenomenon - and spent quite a bit having the tires, suspension and brakes looked at. Then in 1997, I purchased a 1993 Lexus LS400 with 28,000 miles one it and new tires. When I had run those tires down and purchased new ones, the vibration started off again. You can imagine my state of mind! Once more, money, money, money made the effect seem to go away. Then I bumped into a knowlwdgeable fellow - I think he was a mechanic at a Lexus dealer - when I was putting a third set of new tires on the car and he told me that when purchasing from a non-Lexus, "any old brand" tire dealer, they do not torque down the lug nuts on the tires to the specified torque values for a Lexus - they just pick up an air-hammer bolt driver and bang those nuts tight. This presses against the brakes - or some part thereof - and causes the vibration. So, the next time I bought a whole new set, I asked specifically if they would NOT use an air hammer to tighten the lug nuts and please look up the proper torque settings for the car & USE a torque wrench. No problem. Ever again. Another little issue came up with my mother's 1992 SC300: I told her to get her oil changed only at Lexus but she can't resist these ads promising an oil change & new filter for $15 - $19 - and she likes to change the oil a lot. So one day she calls me complaining of an oil leak on the floor of her garage. When these shops change oil, they do not torque the drain plug nut to specs, they pick up an air-hammer driver and drive that drain plug HOME! Naturally, the oil pan is made of very thin metal and over-tightening it had caused the leak. "Go to Lexus, Mother", I said. She did and they called to say [somewhat sheepishly] that she needed a "new oil pan installed" which was going to cost $500. Since I'd had a lot of service there and they knew me, they "suggested" to me that she take it back to the oil change shop. [As you know, Lexus dealers are forbidden to "fix" any parts. They only remove parts and put on new parts. It's required by their franchise agreement, even if the gentle use of a pair of pliers could fix a part so it would run fine forever.] So we went back to the oil change shop and asked them if they would use a tap and die to enlarge the oil drain hole for the next larger size drain plug nut. They fixed it without cost to us by using a tap and die and we saved $500.
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