Gumart1

It sounds like he knows the fraud game like so many do; I've seen these "screen shots" - they can make it look exactly like a Paypal receipt. Like you said, until you log on and see your funds there, they are not there. Sad that people fall for those e-mails that say their accounts are in jeapordy, and to click the link and enter their personal info. I did not know about the 45 day rule. One thing to learn from SK's advice, even if it means rocking the boat with the Seller, it is a good idea to throw an item in dispute before 45 days and let the Seller know you'll release it when you get good merchandise. One thing I always do as added protection is use a credit card for Paypal purchases. It was a pain to release them both when all was settled but well worth the effort. I hope you get your money back soon.

SK did you say you paid through Paypal? Have you disputed the charges? You can open up a claim and the money will be held back from the Seller (even charged back against his account if he already withdrew it). You can then explain the case to Paypal and get full refund. Cite his feedback record to Paypal and they'll side with you. He'll also have a strike against him on Paypal and those will soon add up to account cancellation. What I can't understand is why these guys can't just conduct an honest business. Is it really worth the hassle for this guy to make a couple of bucks? Boy, do I feel sorry for him. Wait a minute, no I don't :D

That's great Ed, 5 hours is actually pretty fair. Performace Lexus of Cincinnati in 2004 charged for 8 hours labor at $75/hr (pretty good hourly rate!), $278.53 for the starter and 63.54 total for both intake manifold gaskets. $15 for shop supplies -total with tax: $1024.06 - ouch!

Congratulations Matt! There's another '98 owner nearby in Crystal Lake, I think we're almost ready for our own Lexusfest! Is the car due for any work or services? You made a great choice - Congrats :D

Rfeldes - That's a gorgeous watch! Where can I find it on E-Bay? I bought the 99cent special on E-Bay also and it's very nice for the price. The blue color matches my car. Except the wife never let's me wear the darn thing :whistles:

Ed - I apologize I can't answer your question directly, but I do know that Bosch and Lexus aren't a very good fit for many electrical parts. And of all the parts that might need replacement, the starter is the LAST one I would replace with non-OEM. Book time is 8 hours of labor to replace and I wouldn't want to do it twice. Stick with Denso.

I just installed a magnetic power steering filter on my 91 LS after reading these posts and SK's on the inline filters. Bought mine from Rockauto for about $22 and it states on the filter that it is also a tranny filter. Mine was made by A1 Cardone but it says Magneflow just as the one in the photo does. So far to date this and cleaning the rack solenoid have been the single most noticeable improvement I've made to the car. The steering went from no power assist at all to totally effortless, and it was a 5 minute job when I was flushing the fluid. Thanks for your photos; I'll be adding a tranny cooler and tranny filter soon.

Just wondering how you landed on replacing the LCA bushings? Do you want to try the Daizen bushings, or were yours worn? I would definitely look at the lower ball joints and the upper control arms/bushings (Daizen sells upper bushings also). OEM struts are only about $50 a piece from Lexus suppliers on the internet. I see more people mistakenly pay more for the aftermarket KYB GR-2 when the OEM is only $50. How many miles on the car? $400 labor is too high for the lower bushings! We're talking one bushing per side and they may be able to be pressed out. Also check the stabilizer bar bushings and stabilizer links. What symptoms are you having?

NC, I like alsalih's advice; however I don't believe it's the tires. My old 92 had flawed tires that you could clearly feel with your hand as you spun the wheel, yet the car still rode fine. I would take it to the Dealer at this point after what you have dealt with and all that you have invested. But with several conditions. First, confirm that your Dealer will have his most qualified mechanic look at your car. Tell them up front you're not about to throw money left and right at guesswork. Have them commit to a set price to diagnose it. It shouldn't be more than an hour up front to do this. I think you said almost all of the replacement parts were OEM were they not? That will help so that Lexus doesn't use that as an excuse as to why thing's aren't lining up. What would really be nice is for them to recommend a repair but to commit to that repair fixing the problem, and if it doesn't, you should not be charged the labor. I understand this is atypical but you have thrown good Lexus $ after bad Lexus $ and you deserve for your LS to ride like one. Unless you find a smokin' deal on a '98 then dump yours and go for it.

I just wanted to share some information after comparing the merits and downfalls of keeping vs. converting the air ride. Again, it will all come down to personal taste and finances, but am leaning towards converting my air and calling it a day. I am seeing an increase in number of posts from owners with air ride problems. The weather is getting colder and perhaps contraction is causing bigger cracks and more leaks to apprear. That plus a 15 year old car isn't getting any younger. Also, at this point most people's failures are limited to the strut. But with actuators, compressor, air lines, height sensors, etc. the possibilty increases with age that more problems will occur. Nothing lasts forever. I have talked to a member who has recently purchased from Arnott. This member's experience, coupled with some comments from previous members, makes me want to stay away. Sure, they are alot cheaper than the Dealer. Sometimes you may get a perfect replacement without issue. But if you need support, they simply fall short. I spoke to a "tech" and she was less than knowledgeable. Didn't answer my questions with believeability. I also couldn't get any e-mail responses from the tech support e-mail. The member who purchased has dealt with an angry supervisor. I truly wonder what I'd be up against if I ever had a claim for my "lifetime warranty". This morning I decided to call Strutmasters. There was no holding time, and I spoke to a very educated rep named Mike White. He knows the Lexus ride and he had answers about the conversion process and ride quality and such. He did not pressure me in any way. I felt comfortable in what he had to say. With my high mileage older LS, I think this will be the smartest option for me. I was a true believer in air ride and still am. But the reality is that I will probably not be owning my car for more than 3-5 more years and it is not driven enough miles a year for me to stick with air. The only difference I am not happy about is giving up the cushy ride. The KYB struts that Strutmasters uses are harder than the OEM KYB's in the LS. But supposedly what I am giving up in ride will be gained in handling, especially with cornering. I'm really feeling guilty about changing an original LS. I've now driven air ride and OEM springs but never a conversion kit LS, but I think it has to be done. Wish me luck

Daffy, when you say to keep the rotors if they "look good", what do you mean exactly? My rotors and pads are worn but within spec, and I plan to at least replace the pads before the sensors wear. I don't have any vibration from the rotor. They are within spec but probably 2/3 worn. If I put on a good pad set, is there a chance that the rotors will wear down and I'll have to then replace the rotors and my newer pads? By the way, I purchased a digital caliper at my local hardware store for $17, greatest tool ever!

Great pics Blake! Did you eventually replace the armrest? DianeLouise, I have those "skin lines" that you are referring to and these are different than the folds that Blake was able to clean. On my tan leather they are black cracks that will not clean and are permanent. These are cracks that are beyond the leather dye. I don't believe anything short of restoration or replacement will fix them.

With the front wheels on jack stands for the flush, if you are on the driver's side of the car on your stomach and raise your head straight up, you would want to turn it counterclockwise, striking the left side of the solenoid nut. I had to spray the nut with Liquid Wrench a few times before I could chisel it loose. A few light taps did it, then it unscrewed by hand easily. Make sure you have a small bucket to catch the fluid as it spills about 10oz. from that area. Regarding the flush I would install your new pump first, then flush, then clean the solenoid screen. Your new pump won't see any old fluid because the return hose is disconnected, and if you cleaned the solenoid screen first instead of last you'd be flushing dirty fluid through your newly cleaned screen. Now is a good time to add an inline power steering filter to keep the fluid extra clean. I'll have pics up of mine soon.

Matt - Just shoot me an e-mail at the above address and I will e-mail back anything you need to know or feel free to call as you are local.

Matt - Where are you located exactly? I am in Deerfield so we're probably neighbors. I do own a '98 and a '91LS. Welcome to the forum! Feel free to e-mail me at mphecht@hotmail.com Also check out the threads at te top of the LS page. They are a great source for info.

It's true on a part like a fuel filter the cost savings is minimal. Rockauto sells the WIX filter for $14.67 and shipping is free because I am combining it with other parts. Here is another e-mail from WIX although it is pretty basic: "The fact the fuel filter for your application is simply an in-line style that can be easily changed shows it is not a "life time" fuel filter. It only has so much physical capacity and this capacity will be used up sooner or later and the filter will have to be changed or the engine will not run correctly. How fast the capacity is used up is directly affected by how much fuel goes through the filter and the cleanliness of each tank of fuel." Chris Greeson Senior Technical Service Manager I guess another question to Lexus Owners would be, how many of you have driven a high mileage LS and actually had symptoms that were caused by a dirty fuel filter that needed replacing?

I know that Wix has a great reputation with filters so I e-mailed them asking about specs on their fuel filters. "The media in this filter is a cellulose based, high efficiency glass enhanced media. It is 95% efficient at removing 20 micron size particles and larger. Please note, a particle that is 1 micron in size is .000039" in size. Its capacity is approximately 6 grams." Now I know that OEM is always a good thing and that some aftermarket products could be harmful to a Lexus. I have also seen Monarch's pics of some aftermarket air filters that have damaged the car. But I believe WIX to be one of the best. Does anyone have specifications for an OEM filter to compare? Is it a Denso fuel filter? Also, I am still debating the replacement as I know Lexus' position is that they are lifetime filters however I seen the pics on some of these old filters and they are pretty ugly. I have about 75k on mine which is probably not that bad.

It's a perfect time for me because I just finished flushing and had to cut off the old hose, so I have an ample length of new hose. Which filter did you use Bicolini? The magnetic filter requires a space of 2 and 1/2" by 5" long which is tight but I think it will work. SK is your tranny fluid still bright red with the addition of your filter? What is your typical replacement interval? Thanks for the reminder on those threads. Looks great that may be my next project. My tranny has a rough downshift when slowing under 30mph so I plan to drop the pan and clean the magnets and screen. I'll see what happens and go from there, but these filters (especially for the power steering for the LS and for the tranny in the RX) should almost be a requirement.

A few members have posted here about adding a power steering inline filter to their LS's after completing a ps flush. I think it is a great idea for preventative maintenance, as long as you remember to check/replace the filter regularly. I e-mailed A1 Cardone who sells a standard inline filter as well as a premium magnetic filter asking about the differences: "You're right. I checked with the engineer & he said the (PREMIUM) magnetic one 20FLT2 was the best to use. It has a magnet, a finer filter, & a pressure relief valve in case it gets clogged. They are throwaways & like any other filter, depending on mileage, should be changed about every 2 years or 24000 mi" Dan Spang Cardone Technical Services Dept. ASE Master Certified Rockauto sells the premium filter for about $25 shipped. It is about 5" long and 2.5" wide. Should be a tight fit but offers more filtering capability than the standard which is inserted into the the return line. The standard filter is only $7 shipped. The standard is tempting with the low price, but I'm leaning towards the premium because of the built-in safety that would not allow a clog to compromise the flow. Has anyone purchased this yet?

Interesting...to say the least! I saw this car just sell on E-Bay 2 weeks ago for about $5500. Perhaps the new owner's eyes couldn't focus on the road It was listed then as a "Gucci Edition". He sure didn't keep it very long.

I agree that there is a certain risk with buying aftermarket parts on E-Bay. However not ALL aftermarket parts are garbage, and sometimes they are a better fit, as in my case. I am repairing a '91 car with 250k miles with many parts that have significant wear. Odds are that I won't be driving this car in 100k miles. Jadecuir has successfully installed these ball joints and currently has driven over 20k with no issues whatsoever. The cost of the pair is less than half of the OEM price. For me in this case it is a perfect fit.

When I flushed my coolant on another vehicle I own, some liquid made it's way onto the serpentine drivebelt. Although I cleaned the belt the best I could, for about a week I had a noise that would repeat itselt like a "schick schick schick" noise that would increase as the rpm's increased. I did notice it mostly at idle. Eventually it dissapeared altogether and everything was fine. Just a possibility...could also be the valve clearances as Monarch suggested. As a side note usually a tank fuel injector cleaner is added to a near empty tank and then filled with gas, not added to a full tank. Nice job sticking with the correct fluids. ;)

Hey, I just received mine today from Bestsuspension on E-Bay also! $68.99 shipped to be exact for the pair - I don't think there is a lower price anywhere in the universe. Their heading said fits LS400 92-95, but in the listing it includes 90-95. I confirmed this with the Seller and was assured it will fit my '91 just fine. I ordered and had an e-mail later that same day that it was shipped. Received it in only 2 days! Looks great; haven't installed them yet. Package says OE brand. Obviously it is not Original Equipment of course. Is the Olyonline an OEM part? Their part numbers on their website are not OEM numbers.

Prix - Thanks for the warnings! Sorry you had a poor experience after handing them your money! Let's hope they continue to support the lifetime warranty that is supposed to be included with the air struts. To clarify, Suncore's Conversion Kit for $700 is if you are getting rid of your air struts for good with replacement coil springs and shocks that are made to fit in the exact space of the air struts. Supposedly easy to do and a "permanent" solution to air suspension woes, it certainly is a tempting option. But for those of us who love that air ride, it's worth it to keep.

It's true NC we are all like family and it's all in great fun and it's all about sharing our love for the same car - So if you believe the LS is great, don't be afraid to say so KEWL! (Just kidding ). I can say that when I am out working alone on my LS I do not feel alone with the presence of the forum. I feel like you are all with me as I work but it's a good thing you are not because then you'd really be laughing at me I personally think that the air suspension is worth every penny and the ride is phenomenal. I also think there is nothing bad to say about the standard shocks. My 98' without air gives me a ride that is ten times smoother than my SUV. I can't even say my air ride in my other LS is twice as good. It is not. But it is smoother over bumps and still handles beautifully (when it works). I believe it is hard for anyone to assess the differences between the two unless you personally drive two brand new LS's on the same road at the same time and even then it will be a personal feeling. But there are so many variables. You may drive a used LS with air shocks in perfect shape but the rest of the suspension needs replacing. Then you would conclude that the ride is no better. Also where you live is a factor. In Chicago the roads suck. I feel a much bigger difference with the air ride. If I lived in Arizona I don't think I would care. Financially if an older LS is in excellent shape mechanically then I think it is definitely worth the cost to keep a failing air ride, if you prefer the ride as I do. No you won't get every penny back but the car has reached a point where the depreciation is so low. I don't mind spending some maintnenance $ as opposed to watching it disappear in thin air in yearly depreciation. Although, if I didn't intend to keep the car or if it's useful life was coming to an end then I would not do it. Here is a great review from Familycar.com about the air ride - sorry this post is so long! "The ride on this car with its air-suspension is as perfect as you can get. Soft but controlled over any kind of pavement we could throw at it. We took it through Brooklyn New York where some of the streets have been heaved and tossed by a century of bus and truck traffic and spot patched whenever absolutely necessary. On the rare occasion where they would pave a section of street, you may see a Con Edison crew the following week breaking it up again to make an underground repair. In some cases, you knew you were going over a particularly bad section of road because you could see it out of the front windshield. But from inside, all you could feel was a gentle rocking motion, with little or no sound from a suspension that you knew had to be working its heart out. Normally, a car that rides this softly is a bear to control, bounding up and down after a dip in the road or wallowing like a boat when you tried to take a turn. Not so this Lexus. I found the steering to be quick and responsive and the cornering to be flat and steady. The excellent tires gripped the road with a vengeance both in cornering and stopping while maintaining a very quiet ride. A rare achievement. When going over a dip in the road that would send other softly sprung cars bounding up and down and getting their passengers seasick, this car will sense the dip in the road and instantly tighten up its electronically controlled shocks to stop any bounding before it had a chance to start. As soon as the energy from the dip is absorbed, the shocks returned to their soft setting. If the computer senses that you are driving fast, making quick steering movements or braking hard, the shocks will stiffen up to their sport mode and stay that way for as long as necessary. At highway speed, the car will lower itself automatically by about an inch for improved aerodynamics. Another advantage to having air-suspension is when you have a full load of passengers and/or heavy items in the trunk, the car will level itself automatically. There are two controls on the console to allow you to modify the behavior of this system. One switch allows you to manually change from normal to sport shock settings, the other switch lets you increase the ground clearance by about an inch or so for when you are driving through snow or on bad roads. I also had a chance to drive another Lexus with the standard coil spring suspension without all these bells and whistles. I can tell you that, while the ride was not quite as good as the air spring car, it still had an excellent ride while providing good handling and control on winding roads. In both cases, you are dealing with a car that rides as good as any in the world."