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axle still quiet. people on prius forums said they did this too but the noise comes back. knock on wood.
Got low key fob battery warning on the dash. Replaced key fob battery.
changed oil at 4,500 miles since last change.. i was going to wait to 8k but with pandemic lifestyle i've been doing a ton of short trips only so i really didn't want to push the oil too hard. so i'm thinking twice a year i'm comfortable with in low-miles scenario. sure i could go longer but oil is cheap.
Hi! Big fan of what you've been doing to your CT. Do you work on any other CTs? I just bought a CT last month. Im not the savviest when it comes to auto stuff and would like help if possible. I noticed you're in california (same state im in).
Thanks. Not really I just work on my own car for fun.
To update the thread, I traded in the CT for an ES Hybrid (what I said I'd get if I ever traded in the CT) Thought about selling it private party to get more.. but didn't really want to hassle. I hope it goes to a good home.
Thanks. Not really I just work on my own car for fun.
To update the thread, I traded in the CT for an ES Hybrid (what I said I'd get if I ever traded in the CT) Thought about selling it private party to get more.. but didn't really want to hassle. I hope it goes to a good home.
Awesome. I bet its super comfortable. Send some pics...any plans with it?
I find myself looking up those cars just because ha.
Thanks.. careful.. that's how it gets you.. yes super comfortable.. also super big. It has more combined leg room than a Lexus LS. let that sink in. lol! i feel like i'm driving a limo.. compared to the CT where I can reach over and open the passenger door from the driver's seat. also I sat in an NX at the dealer and don't remember it being that tiny. damn it's tiny inside.
Plans.. i did LED front bulbs (the rears are LED thankfully), front speakers (still have to figure out a game plan), and add my existing rear amp/sub somehow. There's not much to wrap.. maybe the front windshield plastic strips.
Hey if you're in OC, you can have my front covercraft sunshade. And a new bottle of Toyota coolant ( I was going to do a coolant refresh) so now I have a bottle of coolant I won't have a use for. Also a couple of oil filters.. lol.
Thanks.. careful.. that's how it gets you.. yes super comfortable.. also super big. It has more combined leg room than a Lexus LS. let that sink in. lol! i feel like i'm driving a limo.. compared to the CT where I can reach over and open the passenger door from the driver's seat. also I sat in an NX at the dealer and don't remember it being that tiny. damn it's tiny inside.
Plans.. i did LED front bulbs (the rears are LED thankfully), front speakers (still have to figure out a game plan), and add my existing rear amp/sub somehow. There's not much to wrap.. maybe the front windshield plastic strips.
Hey if you're in OC, you can have my front covercraft sunshade. And a new bottle of Toyota coolant ( I was going to do a coolant refresh) so now I have a bottle of coolant I won't have a use for. Also a couple of oil filters.. lol.
Already debadged
The debadged does the rear end a favor I like that.
Thats what appeals to me, I sometimes miss a larger car with all that room and buttery suspension. Although today I'm sure they're just slightly tuned up to handle well in any driving condition regardless.
I'm in North County SD but I appreciate the offering!
Stoked for you, enjoy. I may hit you up whenever I get to the next small CT project (likely speakers also).
Congrats on the ES hybrid! One of the best all-around cars anyone can buy! That's what I recommend to anyone who doesn't know what they want buy don't need a truck/suv and just commutes mostly.
Thanks, guys. I really believe the UX, ES, and CT hybrids are literally the best cars you can buy... if you want fuel economy and nice build etc.
I was looking at the UX while at the Lexus dealer...it's visually nice in person in terms of quality, fit and finish.
Test drove an RX350 ... maybe it's cause i'm spoiled by hybrids now but i can't believe how rough and harsh the RX is. My 2nd time driving a new Lexus V6 car where I thought wow this engine is ROUGH. RX=Tons of vibrations and noises and groans. and the body jiggles a lot. But to its credit it was released in 2016 which means it was designed in 2013/2014. I'll bet the TT v6 is a lot smoother.
I absolutely love the ES and look for excuses to drive it all the time.
The nature of the hybrid powertrain vs. the CT is similar but also quite different.
Observations vs the CT:
The engagement of the ICE when doing a rolling takeoff is seamless unlike in the CT where you feel a clunk/jerk. It feels quite luxurious.
The braking engagement-- same thing. seamless. no transition perceived
The power -- it almost feels like a big V6. It has very immediate response and the engine just pulls hard. surprising feel considering it's a hybrid. It's not fast in an absolute sense but i'd say 2x more responsive in its regular mode as the CT is in its power mode. I feel like I can just roar past cars and overtake them if I need to. it's a different sensation for sure. also it has simulated gears. the transmission feels like a regular 8 speed auto. i floored it once and i felt a kick down and the rear of the car squatted as i took off. there's no gradual ramp up like in the CT when you floor it, the car just reacts and does what you tell it to.
The ICE startup engagement is quite different than in the CT. In the CT the ICE starts a few seconds after cold start. In the ES, the car will pretty much run on EV as long as you aren't needing heavy power. It likes to stay off a lot more. Also on the ES, you can do 75mph and the ICE turns off. EV mode @ 75mph. quite different.
The ES in ECO mode has "glide control" to where it uses an algorithm to help save fuel by basically going gentle on the regen. it coasts basically so you don't over-slow and have to use power again. neat trick.
This isn't a knock on the CT, just a natural progression of Toyota's hybrid technology. This new gen of hybrid powertrains is very complex. can't wait to see where toyota goes with it for the next gen of hybrid tech.
What do you guys think about the spoiler? on one hand I like it without, but on the other it seems cheap without. i guess it doesn't matter as i have it and there's likely holes underneath it. lol
Makes sense since we're talking about a newer hybrid system, plus one designed for larger, heavier, more powerful cars. Smaller Toyota hybrids don't allow you to go past 40 MPH or so without the engine, but the bigger ones sure can, thanks to a more powerful electric motor and much larger battery.
A few weeks ago, I took the new Rav4, Highlander, and Venza hybrids for test drives using the same roads, speed, and driving characteristics I usually drive my CT with when I work (using adaptive cruise on all 3 as well). I don't think the Highlander was able to run without the engine at 60 MPH, but the Rav4 and Venza both did at times, which also caught me off-guard. It was sometimes noticeable to feel a small movement in the chassis when the engine would turn on (never felt it when it went off), but I never heard this actually happening. Very quiet operation. They definitely refined things since the 3rd gen Prius and the CT.
The spoiler? Seems ok to me. Are you thinking of removing it? Replacing it?
Will eventually do a decent shoot once I do a few more things.. but here's a fun one:
Very nice! Thanks for sharing, I like your black roof!!
Ps I have a YouTube channel called 'REV LEXUS' if you wish to see some video updates of my CT (& other Lexus cars)
01-05-21, 09:40 AM
What do you think of your ES so far? I think this will be my CT replacement
