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Lexus LS 400/LS 430

8462 messages,  Last post on Dec 12, 2012 at 10:05 PM

You are in the Lexus LS 400/LS 430 Forum.

What is this discussion about? Lexus LS 400, Lexus LS 430, Sedan

Messages Page 845 of 847

#8441 of 8462 LS 430 v.460 by mheni1

Apr 10, 2012 (6:24 am)

My 2006 LS 430 is getting a little old. Am looking at a 2012 LS 460. Would appreciate comparison feedback on 430 v. 460. Am particularly concerned about driver seat room in 460. I am 6'2" and 240 lbs with multiple joint issues from extended Army time and arthritis. Limited neck mobility in terms of getting into and out of 460. 460 door frame seems lower that 430.
Thanks so much.

#8442 of 8462 Re: LS 430 v.460 [mheni1] by nvbanker

May 25, 2012 (4:40 pm)

Replying to: mheni1 (Apr 10, 2012 6:24 am)
It may be too late - I had 2 430s and an 09 460 now. No comparison, to me. The 460 is hands down the most comfortable seat I have ever owned in a car. You should love it. Way superior to the 430s. The 460 is a smidge lower in the roof, you have to duck a little more to get in, but it's not been a problem. I'm 6'0". Highly recommend the 460 in every way.

#8443 of 8462 Re: Keeping 2005 430 til I or it Dies [saborg] by casino2

Jun 13, 2012 (6:22 pm)

Replying to: saborg (Mar 14, 2012 9:40 am)
I agree with your theory. I planned on doing the same thing with my 2003 LS 430 certified preowned purchased. I've asked many mechanics about the longvity of a Lexus and the say up to 500,000 miles. It all depends on how you take care it. I also have a 2001 Lexus RX 300 which was purchased brand new. I am still own it. I want to see exactly how many miles can Lexus go.

#8444 of 8462 Re: Driving Frequency - Advice Please [highrise] by casino2

Jun 13, 2012 (7:15 pm)

Replying to: highrise (Mar 25, 2009 2:02 pm)
First, ocaasionally check under the hood for leaks and so on. If you hear any unusual noises, talk to you mechanic about it. You should make friends with a knowledgeable mechanic and ask questions regarding your cars. Your mechanic is your auto adviser so your mechanic will be able to help you in anyway possible.

#8445 of 8462 Re: Exterior wax [mheni1] by casino2

Jun 13, 2012 (8:13 pm)

Replying to: mheni1 (Jan 29, 2007 7:36 am)
I have the same paint color on a 2003 Lexus LS 430. I usually take it a car wash for detail.They have professional detailers who uses a machine buffer to detail the exterior. It protects the paint from being faded and of the rain, sun and wind. Unles not forget that the use quality waxes that professional detailer use to protect the paint and keeps your car shine for a long time.

#8446 of 8462 Strange overheating problem. Can you solve it? Can you give advice? by tmundo

Jul 06, 2012 (7:41 pm)

     I have a white 1994 lexus LS 400, with a strange overheating problem, and it's gradually getting worse.  I bought this car from a man while he was in the process of dying from cancer.  It was winter when I bought the car.  The car handled fine all year and throughout the summer it was fine.  Another winter passed and all was good.  It wasn't until the weather began to get warm a second time, that troubles began to surface.
 
     This summer is a lot warmer than the last.  It got hot early in the spring, and I turned on the air conditioner, but after about 10-15 minutes I began to notice an overwhelming musty odor.  I would later realize it was the odor of an overheating radiator, but at the time I could not place the smell, an the engine was not smoking.  I stopped at a random repair station (lets call him mechanic R), and the mechanic R did me a favor and sprayed some anti-mildew spray in the air ducts.  This did not work, because the next time I used the air conditioner, the smell was back.  I was told by a fellow who worked for an air conditioner company, to change the air filter and let the air conditioner run for a while.  I let the car sit while turned on for a few hours, and let the air conditioner run with the windows open to avoid the stench problem.  This seemed to solve the problem, temporarily, as the smell issue went a way for a while.
 
     The next hot day I put the air on, about 10-20 minutes later the smell was back.  I drove around with the air on and the windows open, the smell went away.  I went to run a few errands and when I went to turn the car on again it began to stall.  I decided to take it to my mechanic (lets call him mechanic M), it took me about 10 minutes to get there.  As I pulled into the mechanic M's station, the car began to smoke like crazy.  I popped the hood and we let it cool.  I left the car overnight and  mechanic M said the radiator had a hole in it, he said he replaced it and that was that.
 
     Now when I drove the car, the engine was making a louder sound.  It was no longer quite and purring like a kitten.  It was sputtering and would seem to want to stall when I would start it and accelerate in the morning and after work. Yes, It had trouble accelerating, but it would be fine after I drove it for five minutes.  It would have trouble accelerating every time I used it, after a few hours of non-use.
 
     Any use of the air conditioner would produce the same overheating after 20 - 30 miutes of driving with the air on.  The fan clicked on when I used the air conditioner.  So it wasn't that.  I took it to the mechanic who repaired it for the original owner (lets call him mechanic O).  He said he had tried to figure it out but could not.  He said the original owner had given up on them and went somewhere else.  He took the car, said he ran it for 30 minutes with the air on, said he ran it in the shop with the air on as well.  He said he could not find anything.  He told me the radiator looked old, and like it was the one that came with the car.  I had suspected my first mechanic had not replaced the radiator, this confirmed my suspicion.  I also believed my first mechanic had not changed the oil much earlier.  This newer mechanic also did not have time to change the oil.  So how much attention could he have given the car, other than running it.  A friend had suggested that a lexus has a second speed setting on the fan that clicks in on extra hot conditions and is sometimes affected by the fuses.  This newer mechanic said this wasn't it.  But how much time could he have dedicated to it to know that.
 
     I was running out of options, the previous owner had experienced the same issues and had brought it to two different mechanics with no success.  I had brought it to two different mechanics with no success (although one had been used by the original owner and one simply cheated me.)  I thought about going to Lexus, but tales of high prices were discouraging me.  I drove another week with no air conditioner use and for the final 3 days of that week it was very hot outside.  A strange vibration was coming from the engine, I could feel it through the steering wheel when I started the car after work.  The temperature gauge always seemed in the middle so I figured I could get by for a while if I didn't use the air. I stopped at a store on my way home from work and the strange vibration I had felt through the steering wheel was back.  I shut the engine off, and as I began to walk from the car, I noticed smoke coming out.  I went and got some water from the store.  The radiator was so hot and empty if I added water it would evaporate and shoot back out.  I left the car at the store.  The store is close to mechanic R (who had first helped me with the smell in the air conditioner.  I now recognized this smell to be an overheating engine.  It must have sucked the vapor into the air conditioner system.
 
Notes:
 
- Initially the car would only overheat on a hot day when the air conditioner was in use, but now additional damage has been done with the engine being louder.
 
-The water level must be dropping, but my ride two and from work is not filled with traffic.  I must have slowly been loosing water for the car to overheat without the air on.
 
-The car doesn't overheat when I am driving.  Only when I stop and turn the car off.  Then the fan is off too.
 
-The oil needs to be changed
 
-Mechanic R is close to the store I left the car at, but I am confident when I fill the car up with water, I can drive to the lexus dealer.
 
-It is a busy summer season where I live, and mechanics are busy making fast money on out of town customers, not spending time on people from the area who have problems that don't have a simple solution.
 
-I don't have a lot of money to burn.
 
Any hints or suggestions or solutions are welcomed at this point, I believe I will take it to the lexus dealer.
 
-Thank you

#8447 of 8462 An Idiot R I. by wwest

Jul 31, 2012 (4:02 pm)

1992 LS400 "drinking" PS fluid.
 
I am/was well aware of the propensity of the PS "idle up" valve sucking PS stearing fluid into the intake manifold so the first thing I did was close off the tube to the intake manifold.
 
Fluid still seemed to magically disappear, no serious visible leaking anywhere.
 
Finally dawned on me to check the idle up valve atmospheric inlet tube downstream of the MAF. Sure nuff, PS pump pressurizes fluid and forces it, via the valve internal leak, out the inlet tube. No manifold vacuum "sucking" required.
 
Next up, replace the idle up valve, dirty greasy job I'm not looking forward to.

#8448 of 8462 Re: An Idiot R I. [wwest] by wwest

Jul 31, 2012 (4:43 pm)

Replying to: wwest (Jul 31, 2012 4:02 pm)
$90.00 new, Carson, $40.00 used, Ebay, $0.50 pipe plug...
 
Guess which I'm going with.

#8449 of 8462 1990 LS 400 - Will Price Go Up Eventually As A "Classic Car" by slexy1

Aug 06, 2012 (10:43 am)

Hi, I am the original owner of this car ( White/Silver 1990 ) and have had nothing but dealer or independent Lexus/Toyota service shops working on the car for 22 years. I have a spread sheet of every bit of work that was done on the car with dates including Mobile One oil changes. It has only 190,000 miles on it (always garaged) with new shocks, brakes, radiator, A/C repairs, etc. (all verifiable). While the photo is 5 years old, it still looks this good! Don't you agree with me that eventually this "Mercedes/BMW Spoiler" will go up in value, as it is the 1st year model of the Lexus flagship that took a nice share of the luxury car market? I may be looking to sell it soon, but I want someone who appreciates the "Classic Car" aspect, as I do. It runs and rides beautifully, has Nakamichi, CD Changer, Leather seats with Sheepskin Covers, and Chrome Mags, and I use it for local travel here in SC."

#8450 of 8462 Re: 1990 LS 400 - Will Price Go Up Eventually As A "Classic Car" [slexy1] by nvbanker

Aug 06, 2012 (4:34 pm)

Replying to: slexy1 (Aug 06, 2012 10:43 am)
That is a beautiful car, and a beautiful home behind it!
 
I would agree that "eventually", the car may appreciate, but not if you keep driving it. In fact, you are probably already WAY over the mileage limit for a classic. Condition is great, but use is also a factor. How many miles do you see on your average Pierce-Arrow or Duiesenberg in collections? Also, how long is "eventually"? Right now, it's worth $3850. If you keep driving it, it won't appreciate. With 200,000 on the clock, probably never will. Enjoy the car - it's worth more to you than to anybody.

Messages Page 845 of 847

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