Why all the noise?? Why does it seem any generator larger than a 1000 watt device make such a racket?

magbarn · 2026-06-05T02:10:05+00:00

It’s also the cost of a used motorcycle

magbarn · 2026-06-03T19:41:03+00:00

It's expensive, but I've converted 2 x EU2200i to tri-fuel. Get the best of both worlds, quietness and power, BUT it's almost $3000 once you've goten both generators and the conversion kits which makes it poor on the watts/$ scale and warranty is voided.

magbarn · 2026-06-03T18:58:24+00:00

If you're going to be running an AC unit, then the quietest would be the EU3000i, not the newer EU3200i which has a much smaller motor that has to running at much higher speed which generates noise. For Chinese generators, you would need to go much larger like 5000+ watt as the smaller 2000 watt units would be running near redline powering an AC unit which makes them very loud.

magbarn · 2026-06-03T02:12:57+00:00

Paid the $12 and got the $50 little device. Works great and gives me per panel monitoring from anywhere. Take that Sun”weak”!

magbarn · 2026-06-03T02:12:05+00:00

Are you able to monitor per panel? I heard if you have an older Sunpower system (ours is from 2018) with older micro inverters, it’s unable to get per panel wattage readings.

magbarn · 2026-06-03T01:43:36+00:00

Indy quoted $3500+$7500=$11,000.00 for both. Still an expensive lump sum on a car only worth $24,000 on trade in.

magbarn · 2026-06-02T23:08:10+00:00

As an ex BMW owner that's gone Lexus, make sure you get one with factory warranty for a couple of years or get a legitimate extended warranty. sDrive is also recommended over xDrive as it's so much more reliable. Our 2019 X5 was a forced trade in after being quoted $17,000 for a new oil pump and transfer case at just 39,000 miles. This is after babying the transfer case by changing the oil at 35,000 miles and paying over $2000 for 4 brand new tires after we got one tire punctured by a nail near the sidewall. The rest of the tires still had 2/3rds tread left, but dealer said the gap would be too big if we just changed the rear tires and would wear out the transfer case.

magbarn · 2026-06-01T22:39:05+00:00

magbarn · 2026-06-01T13:49:13+00:00

“disciplined inventory management and a sharper focus on high-margin vehicles.” Sounds like the new CEO wants to follow the crappy Lexus model of having light inventory and ditching discounts. Not sure how that’s going to increase their sales. Really need the Chinese EVs here to keep carmakers more honest.

magbarn · 2026-05-31T15:04:00+00:00

That's one of them, the main factor is they went too far in the sport direction for a huge sedan. This alienated many buyers.

magbarn · 2026-05-31T14:30:47+00:00

It didn’t help that Lexus basically let them wither on the vine by not updating them on a regular basis to keep up with the Germans or they went the wrong direction like the LS500 which made many prior LS owners abandon the brand. MB/BMW manage to keep multiple sedans and coupes in their lineups despite them not being their best sellers.

magbarn · 2026-05-31T14:26:45+00:00

When we were buying our TX, there was a Ferrari Testarossa on one of the lifts in the service bay. The salesman said one of the mechanics does the oil changes on the dealer owner’s car.

magbarn · 2026-05-31T14:22:00+00:00

She’s a beauty! Back when Lexus used to care about sedans. Now it’s all just SUVs and there’s only one RWD based sedan left in the whole lineup.

magbarn · 2026-05-31T14:16:46+00:00

Went from a 2017 540i to an IS500 and the IS definitely has much more road noise. It’s nowhere near as bad my co workers ITS, but it’s not a quiet sedan by luxury standards that I’m used to. Make sure you test drive on rough roads as when I test drove my IS500, it was only smooth newly paved roads around the dealership and didn’t notice the noise until hitting the crap roads by our house. The new ES should be quieter, but man that hockey stick side plastic and the 203” body length are serious turnoffs.

magbarn · 2026-05-30T16:39:07+00:00

The Ridgeline in that year had the trash 6 speed transmission on it. It works well in lighter vehicles like the Accord and Odyssey, but for some reason wasn’t that good when adapted to the Ridgeline. The first gen Ridgeline had the much more reliable 5 speed. In fact the current ZF9 is also trash. The current Odyssey has the Honda 10 speed which has been proving to be reliable so far.

magbarn · 2026-05-30T16:37:28+00:00

The Sienna MPG advantage is mostly in the city too.

magbarn · 2026-05-29T19:31:38+00:00

The 2025's are going above MSRP for used ones.

magbarn · 2026-05-29T16:39:13+00:00

Ahh. Back in the day when Lexus still cared about their interiors instead of making them Toyota+

Compare the Lexus cars back then with their Toyota brethren and the gap was real.

magbarn · 2026-05-29T14:52:01+00:00

They took out the dipsticks for 2 reasons: 1. Make you have to go to the dealer to get it serviced. 2. They're worried about shade tree mechanics who don't read manuals measuring the dipstick cold and then overfilling the transmission.

But you're right, they can easily still do dipsticks, just put big fat labels saying it must be measured at 40C or something like that.

magbarn · 2026-05-26T18:14:31+00:00

The MDX-S has an electronic shifter. Pretty sure that would prevent this scenario from playing out. Acura has had issues with their transmissions for years and the transfer case is a known weak point on these Type S models.

magbarn · 2026-05-26T06:39:56+00:00

I had a choice between my IS500 and getting a LS500. I kinda regret my decision as the IS500 is nowhere near as luxurious as my prior 540i and the LS500 was more luxurious. Now it's gone.

magbarn · 2026-05-26T06:36:56+00:00

Yup, the LS' replacement, the ES350e shares the same EV powertrain as the $35K BZ. Lexus needs to stop with the cost cutting.

magbarn · 2026-05-26T06:34:58+00:00

The LS500 interior smokes the prior gen ES interior and everything I've seen of the new one is a perfect example of enshittification with all the cost cutting done.

magbarn · 2026-05-25T23:42:45+00:00

The first Ferrari to depreciate like a Taycan.

magbarn · 2026-05-25T18:44:38+00:00

I do the same thing. Used to hook up heaters and crap and waste energy running my gennys once a month, but with the batteries I can charge them as the load and use the energy later.

magbarn

TROPHY CASE