nc211

Look at this diagram of the steering components. Do you see what he's talking about? The outer tie rod ends are #4, at about $45 each. You need two of them. They attach to the wheels, and are usually the first to go in the system.

$550 is a good price.....too good. Especially since the parts cost:

Pinion = msrp of $694 ~ discounted price of $555

Rack = msrp of $290 ~ discounted price of $232

Unless he's got a super cheap source, I don't think you need, or he thinks you need, a full on new rack and pinion. I don't think you do either, not at that mileage and so forth. But post up the pictures he says need replacing. Also, get to know this website....www.parts.com

drill down to lexus and shop away at a good discount.

Here is the pdf on the pcv valve. It is easy as pie to replace.

4.pdf

Man, you got a SWEEEEEEEEET deal amigo! I'm suprised that you need a new rack though, it seems a bit premature at that milage! I've got 105k on mine, and no sign of rack problems. Maybe you need new outter tie rod ends? Those are cheap and can be done yourself. Also, the pvc plug, you can get one at autozone for like $4. It takes 4 minutes to replace, it's soooo easy to do. You just pull the rubber boot off, pop out the old pvc, put in the new, put the boot back on, and done. I'll post up a pdf of the proceedure for ya'. It's cake!

Congrats on the new ride! Got any pictures?

I'm very jealous!!!!!

Opps, forgot the acura legend.

My 95 does this too, but primarily when the tank is below a quarter of a tank. You take the cap off, and it sucks in air, to balance out the pressure. I've had several other cars that did this as well "subaru outback, nissan sentra se-r and nissan maxima". I've never thought twice about it.

That sounds like a pretty good deal to me! I paid $14 for my 95 back in May, 04, with 84k miles. However, mine was always serviced at the dealership, even the oil changes at $70 a pop, so I did not mind paying a little extra, plus I had the BIG 90k service done, which includes timing belt and water pump replacement. Dealership charges $2k for that one. I would have the lexus dealer in your area run the vin number through their computer, and you'll see all the maintance records for the car. That is a MUST do. Other than that, with that low mileage, I'd say go for it, you'll freakin' love the car!

If it were me, I would buy two springs for the rear. Since you'll have one new one, and one old one, the car might lean towards the side with the old one. You can get them for about $78 each from parts.com. These are oem lexus parts, of which I highly recommend since these cars are so sensitive to vibration issues in suspension parts.

I agree with branshew 100%. That's what I'm doing with my 95, gonna drive it until I can get a 430 for around $14k, like I did with this one.

Hahaha, that was a good one!

Unfortunetly, I'm having "run out" of money as well. This car is beginning to get on my nerves. I just learned yesterday that my new oil pan the dealership put on last month, is leaking oil from the seal. It just never ends.

I have no doubt that something is not lined up right in the suspension, or the driveshaft. After all of those suspension parts being replaced, I'm sure that was a big shock to the system on the car's alignment. Although, it's been aligned at the dealership, twice, I think it needs more attention than just a machine.

Yeah dude, get a second opinion! Look at the spring, does it look broken? I would think if you actually broke the spring, you'd have more symptoms than just a noise. I would think that there would be no way you could miss having a broken spring. Sounds like a bushing in the suspension to me. But a broken spring?

Some of the guys with the stalling problem were able to fix it with the cleaning of the throttle body assembly with some carb cleaner. I haven't had that problem yet, but my intake is pretty clean. I just had the herky-jerky off throttle shock problem.

Thanks Sha! Yeah I know my rotors are about toast. I think they're the originals from day 1! They look horrible, and I know they're warped because I get that vibration when braking. But he said runout on the axles as well? Here is his response

"don't sound like axle problem would need to check run out on axles, tires, rims, with dial indicator"

This is beyond my scope of understanding, but looking forward to learning what this means! Not sure what run out on the axles entails.

I've talked to a local Lexus only mechanic about this wobble thing I'm dealing with, he mentioned it might be run-out. What is run out? Sounds like a bad STD. :o

Quite a few of these models have faulty ECU units, but most people don't know it. It's usually tied to a bucking feeling around 40mph, and the car stalling after a long road trip. I have a 95 as well, and my ecu unit was replaced by the dealership too, under their 90 day / 3,000 mile warranty. It didn't take them but 4 days to get it done, and there was no mention of needing my keys. If I recall, the transpoder chip did not arrive to the lexus keys until the 1998 model.

Blake, I don't have the right plugin to play the video, and my work computer won't let me get it either. But, I'm gonna say yes, mine is the same. Sits for a few days, and it takes a few cranks to get her to fire up. Honestly, I think it is the fuel system setting everything up. I know back in the day, you had to run BMW's a lot to prevent the fuel from dripping into the cylinders and causing crud. Bosch systems would not pull the fuel back from the injectors when you turned the car off, therefore it would sit, ready to go at an instant. But, it would also drip into the engine if left to sit too long. I think our car's systems will pull the fuel back a little to prevent this. Therefore, I takes a little extra for the pump to push it back up. I could be WAY off on this too, just something I remember hearing way back when.

So, yesterday I am backing out of a parking space at Blockbuster into the open spot behind me, which was on a slight incline. I stop the car and shift out of R and into D. There was a huge thumping from the rear differential and through the drive shaft. I did it again "put it in R and then to D" and it did it again. It's always done it a little, just the drive shaft resetting. But this time, it was very loud and rough. Any suggestions? The differential mounts are new, as is the tranny mount. Does anyone else have this every now and then? Blake, does yours do this? It sounded really bad, a lot more violent than normal.

Could the torque converter possibly be sticking, or going out?? Just thinking outloud. Do you get a fuel smell from the car, like maybe your cat's are clogged up and preventing the car from revving up? drive it a little, and then look under the car at the catoletic converters, are they glowing red? I'm at a loss amigo. I'd say have it professionally checked out...by a LEXUS shop..not the dealer. On a 1990 model, they'll tell you anything to get you trade it in and buy a newer one.

Oh yeah, me too. I'll see the movie just for one line she says...something about bouncing up her undercarage. Hahaha!!

Man, I feel old. The Duke's ran every Friday night at 8:00 pm. It was then followed buy Dallas, and later Knight Rider. I remember when I was a kid, the big debate on the play ground was between The General Lee, and Kit. Which one was better. Now granted Kit could talk and all that, but the General....is the General!

You're sure they used toyota approved transmission fluid right? That's one thing you don't want to mess with on these cars, is shelf brand tranny fluids.

"Geu geu geu geu", that's a 10-4 Little buddy. Where's Flash?

Only on the rear down here in North Carolina. I am aware of some states that require just the rear if it's a normal tag, and both front and rear if it is a vanity plate. I believe Kansas is one of those states.

No, this did not just come up, he's been working on this for a while. Read the posts and the time stamps and you'll see the history. :D

I agree. My experience with car max is that they're over priced. But that's just my opinion. The timing belts are suggested to be replaced at 90k. It's a pretty expensive job too, so if you can put that into the purchase price, from a LEXUS mechanic and not some Joe-blow with a monkey wrench, then do it. That is of course, unless, you're a Joe-blow with a monkey wrench like me!

I wish I did my friend. I'm glad to hear that you're fighting this though. I think it is the right thing to do. Good luck to you!