natey2

My pre-owned 2005 LS430 appears to be missing some parts (see pic) from the toolbox. Anyone know what the full set should include? And where to get replacements?

I got myself a 2005 LS 430 now: Vrooommmm! :) Gotta read all these manuals and find out how to use all these gadgets/features. Thanks to all who helped/provided info! And watch out for those Jeeps out there.

I ended up buying the 2005 LS 430 today. I got it for a little over $19K, from a local Lexus Dealer: Options: P245/45WR18 ALL-SEASON TIRES (FT) MODERN LUXURY PKG -inc: front climate controlled seats, heated rear seats, intuitive parking-assist, navigation system w/rear camera & Bluetooth, 240-watt Mark Levinson audio system w/(11) speakers, 4-spoke wood & leather-trimmed steering wheel w/voice command (PT-1) SMARTACCESS (SK) Of all the Lexus vehicles I had driven since the very unfortunate totalling of my beloved 2000 ES 300, this vehicle takes the cake (at my price range). I'm glad I won't have to car-shop for many more years :) And the hood struts operate fine. Dealer may have replaced them, or at the very least, cleaned them so well that they look new.

As usual, thanks for the invaluable info 1990LS400. On the 2004 LS 430, the controls for the side view mirrors were not working too. Private Dealer said he'd fix the struts and side view mirror adjustment controls. Will check on the tranny. The car test drove very nice. Awesomely smooth acceleration. No Navigation, etc. though. I just found a 2005 LS 430 with 88K miles (and Navigation) for around the same price (under $20K); this one at a Lexus Dealership. Gonna check it out tomorrow.

Are there any plans to include the Tapatalk plugin in this forum site, so that Tapatalk users using mobile devices can access these forums without having to use a mobile web browser? I notice many international Lexus forums/sites have Tapatalk support, but not the ones-based in the U.S.

I checked out a 2004 LS 430 with 75K miles, and the hood support/strut was not working to hold the hood up. Seems kinda early to fail? Is this a common problem on the LS? I noticed the same on a 1998 LS 400, but that's 15 years old. My 2000 ES 300 hood support is in excellent condition, but the car was totaled recently :(

I will get about $10K for my 2000 ES 300 from Insuarance, so $12K for a 2000 LS 400 seems like a good deal (I bet the price difference between those cars when they were new was very significant). My Insurance just informed me that my 30-day free car-rental benefit is being cut down to 2 weeks (ending 1/14/2013), because my car was totaled and is not going to be repaired. They find every which way to get out of paying what they are supposed to. I have less time to look for what I want now... hopefully a 2004 or newer LS...

Thanks for that incredibly useful information, 1990LS400! But the 2006 LS430 vehicles I see around here are a little over my price range ($25K and up). I test drove the 1998 LS 400, and it seemed fine to me. The hydraulic pistons that are supposed hold the hood up don't hold the hood up anymore, and I'm not sure what it would take/cost to fix that. There doesn't seem to be a bar to hold the hood up. I also see a 2000 LS 400 (Platinum Series with 85K original miles; same color combination as my 2000 ES 300 Platinum Series, and similar mileage too!) going for $12K. Owner sounds like a meticulous guy with maintenance. It is about 80 miles away, but I am going to check it out this weekend, if it is not already gone by then.

OK, I'm gonna check out the LS. The used-car dealership that was trying to sell me the 328i (BTW, I also bought my 2000 ES 300 (used) from them 10 years ago) also has a 1998 LS400 with 119K miles for $10K. Would I be much better off looking for a newer LS 400/430 (for around $20K)?

I test drove a used MB (E350) and a BMW (328i) for the first time, very recently. The E350 seemed to handle much nicer than my ES 300. Much smaller turn-radius too, which is one thing I didn't like about my ES 300. But I just finished doing more online research; it appears the E350 can be a VERY expensive car to maintain, especially when major things quit working and it is out of the extended warranty. But some people who have owned it for many years appear to be very happy with it. I guess owning a 1988 Camry V6LE for 14 years, and then a 2000 ES 300 for 10 years, really spoiled me: I assume every car will be as reliable, which is probably a very bad assumption. And maybe that's why I was looking for a change from a different manufacturer too. The LS is a V8, and I'd really prefer a more economical V6. I really can't think of a time when I found my V6 underpowered. If it weren't for the often gender-stereotyped RX, I'd probably be looking for an RX now.

My 2000 ES 300 (Insurance provided numbers below) - ACV: $9800 Repair estimate: $8500 (may be higher, once they take the car apart and discover new things) Scrap/Salvage value: $1850 So, I could keep the ES 300 with a Salvage Title and get $7950 from Insurance, but I have to try and fix it on my own. I didn't want to tow my car around looking for more repair estimates, etc. so I think I'll look for another car with the $9800 they'll give me for totaling it. I hate shopping for cars... And I hate to say this here, but right now, I'm leaning towards a 2006 Mercedes Benz E350 with 60K miles that is going for around $20K.

A 2002 Jeep Liberty rear-ended my 2000 ES 300 while I was stopped at a red light. It was a low-speed collision, but the Jeep's bumper is higher than my ES 300's, so the ES 300 trunk took the full impact :( Cost of repair exceeds Blue Book value of car, and there was unibody damage according to the insurance adjuster, so I'm bidding farewell to one of the best cars I have owned. The Jeep's front license plate fell off, and some minor scratches on its front bumper. AND THAT'S IT! Watch out for those Jeeps.

Many people I know describe the RX series as a woman's car/vehicle. I've also noticed (and my observations are not statistically significant, I might add) that most RX drivers I see on the road ARE women. I've also seen ads from used car dealers saying things like "she will love this SUV", etc. Are there any statistics that show what percentage of RX owners are women?

What model year did Lexus move the cabin air filter for the ES series from near the accelerator pedal to behind the glove compartment? Thanks in advance!