ED. Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 I am curious to see what you all have paid for a timing belt replacement? Going to look at and offer on a 98 LS with 94,000 miles but I do not think they replaced the timing belt. Car has heated seats, wood wheel and shifter and (my most important) the Nakamichi sound system. I am also looking at a 2001 Ultra Luxury and going to offer them something and see if they bite. Car has been sitting at dealers lot for months. Both cars are green but the 98 is dark and the 01 is a real light green. I was looking for a white car but those can be hard to find with all the options I want. Stay tuned! I am hoping to act soon. I was also looking at a 2003 MB ML500 but with gas prices going up I'll need another job to pay for fuel in that thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1990LS400 Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 Right at $900 of the $1400 I paid for the 90,000 mile service on my 2000 LS400 in 2007 at an independent Lexus repair shop was for the timing belt replacement which included replacing the water pump, tensioner, idlers, coolant, some O-rings and a few other parts. If the 98 LS you are looking at had been maintained "by the book", it would be on its third timing belt since the replacement interval is 6 years or 90,000 miles - whichever comes first. By the way, Nachamichi radios are becoming difficult to impossible to get repaired -- parts no longer available -- and Lexus dealers no longer supply head units and amps on an exchange basis for any year LS400. The Nak in my 00 LS400 does sound great though. Another aspect of having the Nak system in a 98-00 LS400 is that there are no plug-and-play harnesses available for installing an aftermarket audio system like there are for the 98-00 with the standard Pioneer system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yotoy82 Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 I had the tensioner, rings, pulleys, coolant, timing belt, water pump etc done at 95,000 miles on my dads 1995 LS400. Total price using all lexus/toyota parts with labor, (done at my favorite toyota dealership) came out to $750 tax and everything! There is literally no point in going to a Lexus dealer if you can find a good toyota dealer. Looking at around 350 in parts, possibly cheaper if you can find them yourselves somewhere, and the dealer charged me around 350 in labor. Just for your information, the car is 15 years old versus the 6 years change interval, never changed before, even though mileage it was time. And the belt was completely torn and shot, I'm pretty sure another year and it would have been a big headache! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curiousB Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 If you can get it done for under $1000 including all parts which means new belts, new idlers (2), new tensioner, new water pump and gaskets, and fresh coolant. $1000 is a bargain. I did my own last summer and parts alone were approx $530 (and that was mostly wholesale price from internet discounters). Even for a pro it has to be a 4+ hour repair since so much has to be removed to get to the water pump. Most dealers are up around $125 an hour for labor so under a grand is very good value. Just be sure they really replace the parts as it doesn't make sense to pay this much only to have a reused part fail and have to spend the money all over again. Here was my experience: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=64500&st=0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pj8708 Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 I am curious to see what you all have paid for a timing belt replacement? Going to look at and offer on a 98 LS with 94,000 miles but I do not think they replaced the timing belt. Car has heated seats, wood wheel and shifter and (my most important) the Nakamichi sound system. I am also looking at a 2001 Ultra Luxury and going to offer them something and see if they bite. Car has been sitting at dealers lot for months. Both cars are green but the 98 is dark and the 01 is a real light green. I was looking for a white car but those can be hard to find with all the options I want. Stay tuned! I am hoping to act soon. I was also looking at a 2003 MB ML500 but with gas prices going up I'll need another job to pay for fuel in that thing! As Jim can tell you, I have this super power type command of the obvious; lol - Why has the 01' Ultra been on the lot for so long?.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ED. Posted January 5, 2011 Author Share Posted January 5, 2011 Hey guys, thanks for the replies. Went and looked at the 01 UL last night and the thing is really pristine; not crazy about the color but I am going to make an offer tomorrow. Tonight I went and looked at the 98. Hate to see cars treated so bad. Beautiful looking outside but definitely in an accident. Inside showed a cluster saying 77k miles but it was really 94. Tamper light was on, screen all hazy.....then the radio was messed up (knob all the way left and you could still hear sound), reception was bad, mirror button didnn't work and a few other things. Needs brakes and tires. Edge of tires were bad which could mean it's related to accident and bad alignment. Thing I am going to pass on the 98. Making an offer on the 01 so we shall wait and see! I have a BMW for sale if anyone is intersted, LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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