coolwater

Yes its a straight swap. You do need the later top reflector as well and you will get a light out warning on dash unless you use the ECU. Very easy job did mine in less then an hour. Sewells sell the whole lot as a kit with ECU.

Straight swap? No kidding! That sounds fantastic.

You may need to do some re-wiring but it can 100% be done. If the LED tails of the 06+ SC are anything like the LED tails of the Rx400h (which i bet they are) then the LED tails work on 12V just like the 02-05 bulb tails.

Thank you for your reply. That sounds good.

Now, I am also hoping that the oem '06+ SC430 tail lights--the entire housing--are the exact same size and dimention of the '02~'05 tail lights. Any luck?

Hello.

I am thinking about buying another Lexus--either '02 or '03 SC430. I guess my first concern is how to replace the older design ('02~'05) tail lights with the newer design ('06~'10) tail lights. Can this be done with OEM(I doubt it) or aftermarket parts?

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Hi coolwater .... I do not know if this would interest you .... but a member here known as DCFISH has an LS for sale that looks GREAT .... if you go to the "buy/sell" area of the forum here you should be able to locate it ......

his car is one of those incredible, exceptional cars that was maintained with no regard to cost ... always parked inside .... and on and on .... truth is I want it, but I just can not pull it off at this time .....

perhaps you might be interested .....

Thank you for the info, rickatups!

I am in Washington, DC and DCFISH is in Arizona. It's practically coast to coast... over 2,400 miles apart.

Is she still available?

I would love to buy her, but I am 2,500 miles away.... :(

Nothing wrong with an "older" Lexus with low miles on it. I purchased my '96 ES300 with 38,400 on it in April this year. It was a garaged car owned by a retired Asian couple.

Any time you purchase a low mileage car the potential problems are:

Belts / Hoses--rubber degrades over time and with non-use it can dry out. Depending on the climate where you live this could be an issue. Simply inspect and if some need replaced it's still going to be a low mileage car.

Gaskets--again, these can dry out, depending on many factors. Inspect for leaks, etc.

Sun damage--depending on where you live, if the car was stored inside/outside. More of an aesthetic issue.

My personal experience with my low mileage '96 is that it's dry as a bone underneath--no problems. I did take it to a shop and have the A/C freon filtered/recharged, and all fluids changed (trans, power steering, brake, anti-freeze). I don't know if it related to older drivers or the low mileage but the front brake rotors were warped and I replaced them myself inexpensively (along with new pads).

All told that '97 with 50k could be a great deal, just do your due diligence and check it out.

Thank you very much for all the great info.

All these possible problems will be checked and inspected by the Lexus mechanic if I bring it in for a pre-own inspection, right? I hope so.

Usually runs a $100.00 for full inspection, Make sure you get the printed readout from the Lexus database. Maybe Sw can kick in here, He presides in the DC area.

Just called a local Lexus dealer and they want $170. :(

Called another Lexus dealer and they want $220.

Great pictures guys!

Both of you have my favorite color LS400s--two tone white! They are soooooo gorgeous!!!

Thanks!!

By the way...

How the acceleration supposed to be on '97 LS400?

I just test drove one today and the acceleration felt like a big SUV--too reserved or too slow.

The car had a low mileage.

I might have to take a used Lexus to an independent mechanic for a through inspection before I decide to buy it.

Can you recommend someone in DC area please? How much is the usual fee? Would it be better to take the car to a Lexus dealer instead?

I am shooting all directions these days.. seems like I am posting in every board. It's because I am trying to buy anything Lexus.

Well, there is a '97 ES with only 50k miles on it. For some reason, the car has not been driven much. Perhaps, it was sitting there not driven for several months at times.

What do you think?? What do I have to look for??

Your advice is urgently needed.

I was looking at GS350 under $7,000 and now I am also looking for an below $7,000 LS400.

According to my search, I think I can get a 1997 LS400 with a reasonable mileage for under $7,000.

Any comments, warnings, and advices are greatly appreciated.

Also, between 1997 4-speed and 1998 5-speed, how significant is the difference?

I am looking for an used GS preferably 2001 or newer.

It seems that good colors in used inventory are rare.

For GS, I think white looks the best (only my personal opinion; don't get upset).

But, white GS in used inventory is hard to find. My second choice would be black and my third choice would be blue.

According to stats, white supposed to be the most favored color for new car buyers. But, why is that white is so hard to find in used car market???

There seem to be more greens and burgundies than white or black used cars for sale; not only for Lexus but it seems the same for any make and model.

Nonetheless, here are my favorite LEXUS colors:

IS - can't decide; black and blue aren't bad; I don't think I have seen one in white yet

ES - white

GS - white

LS - black

RX - white

GX - white

LX - white

SC - can't decide

I feel a little better now. ^_^

But, you guys should be happy, too. It's a good news there are people who are willing to pay top dollars for your GS.

Nonetheless, thank you all for your advices and hope to find a better GS soon. I think I have fell in love with GS--especially, 2001 under $7,000 ones.

Well, apparently, the owner has sold the car yesterday to someone who offered $7,000 cash on the spot.

Dont get it. a car with that many miles is not worth 7,000. you can find some gs400's with less miles for that amount of money. i got my gs300 for 7,000 with 116,000 miles and i still feel like i got ripped off.. the last owner had the maintainance done on time and everything and had the papers to prove it. mine came with upgraded 19 inch wheels to. id say dont take it. but still look around for a gs300/400 they are very reliable cars. and like me... your gunna love it :]

Then, how much would you pay for this? Another guy apparently offered $5,000 arguing mileage is too high but the seller turned it down.

Also, I didn't know CARFAX had raised prices. I used CARFAX in 2004 or 2005 and I believe the deal was $29.99 for unlimited search for 1 month. Now, it's only 1 for $29.99 and only 5 for $39.99; I guess monopoly (almost) is a sweet thing.

Also II, does any Lexus dealer provide the car's history with given VIN number? For free or for a fee? Can this be done via phone and fax/email without actually visiting the dealer?

Hello fellow Lexus owners. I have a dilemma now.

Although I have heard so many times here that how Lexus vehicles can run well over 200,000 miles easily if well maintained, I have never actually drove one past 100,000 miles.

Now, I am thinking about buying a 2001 GS300 that has 180,000 miles and I am not sure how long I can drive it if I decide to buy the vehicle.

It looks clean inside-out and it runs pretty well. I am not familiar with the car's history though.

Seller is asking $7,000. It has no navigation; no premium sound either.

You advice is greatly appreciated.

How better or important is the original paint?

Comparing to the most expensive paint job at Maaco (costs over a thousand), how better is the original paint?

If you had found a great used car at a great price but with bad exterior color, would it be a good idea to buy it and have the whole thing painted in your favorite color?

For your next car, would you buy another ES? or, something else?

New? or, used?

Please be realistic. ;)

Used BMW 5-series xi under $25,000 would be my choice, but I am worried about the relatively high maintenance cost of an used BMW.

To tell the truth, I will most likely end up driving my current ES at least for another 100k or over 200k miles total.

Does it make sense to go to the Lexus or Toyota dealer to replace the windshield? I assume they'd send it to someone else just like any regular body work.

I was driving on a highway earlier today and a sizable rock hit my windshield. Fortunately, it did not crack, but it made me wonder where I must go when needed.

Congratulations on your purchase!

You might want to ask a local Toyota dealer how much they'd charge for 90K+Timing Belt+Water Pump before going to the Lexus dealer.

However, much to my surprise, I recently found out that a local Toyota dealer in my town is not cheaper than the Lexus dealer at all!!! :chairshot:

But, I believe many Toyota dealers normally charge less than Lexus dealers.

I think about it every year, but haven't done it yet. That is to get window tinting for my lexus.

The major reason is I don't know where I should go for the service to get a quality job at a reasonable price.

Any recommendations?

And, how much is reasonable?

What would be the usual rpm rate on overdrive around the speed of 60mph?

I have a 2000 ES with 103k miles, and I saw the rpm meter at 2500 around 60mph. Is this normal? It seems a little too high.

I saw my local repair shop pour 'Shell Dex Cool' into my 2000 ES.

Is this the right kind of coolant for my lexus?

Welcome back!!!

And, congrats on the good deal!

BTW, did you buy it from a Lexus dealer? Is it a Certified Pre-owned?

I heard that current Lexus ES350 model has switched to Timing Chain from Timing Belt.

What is the difference in terms of maintenance--i.e. life, cost, etc.?