nc211

Brooklyn, No offense, but I don't think this site is your cup of tea. I think you're interests in the LS series are best suited for a more "mod" friendly environment, like club lexus. And...you did ask for smart comments... and you got them.... however, I tried that thing with the adjustment knob this moring, and it worked too! Learn something new everyday. But saying stuff like this towards the guys "especially when you asked for such comments", isn't really the speed we play at around here.

Tom, being as how you're in NY, and knowing how rough those road are, I wouldn't think it would be much of a stretch to think you might be getting close to new struts. I replaced mine around the 100k mark, and made a nice difference. Not a major difference, but I noticed a bit tigher feel. It's still a very soft ride, and wishy-washy at times, if not bouncy.

Blake918 had this on his 95' when he bought it. If I recall, he just revved it and drove it at high rpm's until whatever it was, broke loose. It was in his cat's as well. Might want to send him a PM about it...

My A/C has whined since the day I got at 82k miles in 2004. I now have 132k miles, and it's never failed me. Ice ice cold. The dealership says its normal for the car's age, and to keep on driving. I've seen newer models with the whine too "98-00". I've been waiting for it to break, but it hasn't, never even skipped a beat.

1st up.... Call the OK Employment Commission and file a complaint right away. You just got screwed, and you have legal recourse big time for this!!! I don't care if you work for the biggest company, or pumpin' gas at the stab-n'-grab, under law, you were under distress by a natural disaster created by "an act of god". They still have "God" in Oklahoma, especially in Edmund. Second. You have water in the engine. You need an oil change pronto, and a few bottles of HEET and Seafoam in the gas tank. When you started the car, you probably pulled in some water through the air filter. You need a new air filter too. You're going to have some problems with the car now, but remember, it is the LS400, and they're about as durable as any car ever made yesterday, and ever will be made tomorrow. But you need to get the water out of the oil and out of the fuel system. Once you've got that taken care of, you'll probably need some new spark plugs. The fact that you made a hard turn, proves that it's water somewere, sitting at the bottom of something, and when you turned, it swished around and got into the engine again. HEET is great at making water combustable, and seafoam will clean out any junk. I'd buy two bottles of each. Run the HEET first with a 1/2 tank, then seafoam with a 1/2 tank, then heet with a full tank, then seafoam again with a full tank. I would also find a steep incline, park the car nose high, and rev it good. No doubt you have water in the exhaust system too. I'm sure you've probably got so much that when you stomped on the brakes and made that turn, that water went rushing towards the engine, and created an exhaust blockage, which prbably caused the engine to nearly stall. The steepest hill you can find, nose high, put on the brakes, and rev it up. I bet you get water pouring out of your tail pipes. You guys out there have been getting pounded with rain this year! My parents spend the summers on Grand Lake, outside of Tulsa, and the water was nearly 18 feet above normal! A total loss of summer fun on the lake, thanks to all the debrie in the water.

The best thing you can do is to do it yourself. This sounds like a bad washer, they probably reused the old one. The LAST time anyone but me changed the oil, cost me $550 for a new oil pan, because the moron overtightened the plug and stripped the threads of the pan.....new pan had to be installed. Walmart did it, they paid for half, and I've done the changes myself ever since....32k miles worth. When you start changing your own oil, one little piece of advice, keep the left over 1/2 quart for the next change. When your oil has all drained out, pour in that 1/2 quart and it will flush out all the old oil still hiding in the corners and groves of the pan. You'll be amazed how much old oil can actually hide in those groves and corners.

Hahaa... yeah RX, he sure did, nailed me dead-to-rights too..within the 1st week of buying it. I've got to get my car back, this thing is going to land me in the county clinker. It's that triptronic gear box that does it for me! I swear, whomever invented that thing should be getting paid by marriage counselors around the world! It's the best dang invention since tiolet paper. SWO, your friend will love his! We've got all the same options except for the navi. Being my wife's car, I could see that screen being used for nothing more than a place to put sticky-notes. So spared the expense. Tell Carla that we get 35mpg in ours on mid-grade. We've actually hit close to 40mpg on our way to the beach before on premium fuel. That 2.3 engine really comes alive with premium. We got this in April I think? And we've already got close to 10,000 miles already. The one thing I don't care for however is those 17in low profile, strong as steel side wall tires that come with the car. Road noise on concrete is pretty bad. I hear a change of tires makes a substantial improvement. Just one more reason to hit those corners hard...the faster I wear down these oem tires, the sooner I can buy better ones! RX, was it you that sent me a PM about your buddy over at Madsen Motors????? If so, mind sending me that contact again? I'm going to see if they're willing to sell the LS for me. I just don't have time to do this myself anymore. Got the title in hand... Thanks amigos!

What does your transmission fluid look like? I'd start there first. If it's black or brownish, or maroon, then you're due for some new fluild. Make sure you don't just buy some off-the-shelf stuff from autoworld. You want the actual toyota type IV stuff from the dealership "toyota dealership is much cheaper". You can do a "drain and fill" very easily a few times, and will cycle out the old stuff. I'd do it probably once every 200 miles for the next 1,000 miles. That way, you'll know it's all cleaned. It's simple, just one bolt to undo underneath the center of the car. Two quarts drain out...put two quarts back in through the dipstick. To me, this sounds like a tranny fluid problem. Possibly a tranny mount problem too, which is a cheap repair "$40" for the mount, 30 minuted under the car with a floor jack. FYI: doesn't really matter who owned it prior, although always nice to know it wasn't in a teenagers hands. But honestly, and not taking a pop-shot at the teaching business, but knowing how much dealerships cost, matched by knowing how much teachers earn, I'd be a little hard pressed to think a teacher was willing to pay the $110/hr rate. And unless you can verify with the Vin# at the dealership that they serviced the tranny fluid...I'd be inclined to think that if it had been serviced, that it was done at a jiffylube type place, and they don't use the correct fluids. Toyota Type IV fluid is crucial for the tranny. Never knew of a tranny having major problems with the Toyota fluids, but have heard of them slipping and such with off-brand fluids.

All this chatter about cars, thought I'd update this one... For the first time since buying the Mazda 3, I've had a few days to really get it revved up, alone! The wife has already swipped the keys to the 4Runner, I'm too afraid to drive the LS since it's all clean and ready to sell, so I got the Mazda this week. And man, I gotta' tell ya', that thing is a freakin' riot! My commute is about a 20 mile country drive on some twisty and curvey roads. 70mph on a turn that suggests 35mph is nothing for that car to handle. I've got to give it back soon, otherwise I'm gonna get a really bad ticket! Anyone looking for a great little car, I seriously can't say enough good things about that little 3. Mazda hit the nail square on the head with that one! She's actually asking me when she can have her car back! Any of you local guys see a white 3 screaming down 751, watch out, because I'm laughing so hard that spit is flying out of the sunroof.

Anything from Pontiac in general typically makes me think "good lord, were they drunk when they designed that thing?" Although, that new MB S class doesn't appeal to me at all. Looks like a sloth with shoulder pads.

It looks like a Camry and a Jetta GLI morphed into one car... which i think looks pretty darn good! TRD always translates in my head as !Removed!. Which always makes me laugh when I see TRD on one of the trucks.. "you drive a !Removed! truck!

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...ntial&st=15 http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...erential+mounts Chris, there are a couple of attachments and a photo of the mounts in the two threads above. I pretty sure our differentials are mounted the same way...

Just thought I would spook the ole' crew by putting this one back on top for a bit.... It's STILL fixed! But, now I don't have enough room in the garage to keep it "thanks to the new addition".. Wish I could talk my wife into letting me keep it as my airport-runner and occasional sunday cruiser... But, not to be had that way.. I think I'm probably going to shed a tear when I have to hand over the title. :cries: Women are cruel! :cries:

4 of them? Interesting... I only have two, and an attachment bolt on the passenger side. That attachment bolt bracket has a rubber bushing on it as well, that insulates the differential from the frame. One thing that could of happened when they did the other bushings is that they over or under tighetend that bolt, which could cause the differential to line up just a slight bit out of sync. It needs to be pretty dead-on straight. And, or, that rubber ring could be worn out that sits between the bolt housing and the car....

I think your definition of "choice" and ours is a bit difference. Or should I say your criteria and elements that encompass your definition of "choice" is different. There is nothing, and I mean NOTHING appealing about a $100k POS in the shop every 60 days. But, having said that, I see where you're coming from too. Hey, to each is his own, driving characteristics of all 4 cars are different, with different feel, acceleration, etc.... But to think a LS460 doesn't have the balls to sit next to a MB/BMW or Audi, well, I don't agree with. I've never really understood the whole "image" thing with a car. It's either economy, mid-sized, full-sized, luxury or other. From there, it's all in the car's manner that suits you best. Me? You couldn't give me a MB or Audi, period. I think they're ugly as sin, especially the MB. The BMW 7 series is pretty nice, but the 5 series looks like a disjointed pigeon !Removed! design. And you can take all of those i-drive things and toss them into the bottom of the ocean. I'm suprised the NHSTB hasn't banned them yet for being so damn distracting. If I can't use my Blackberry at 80mph, then you shouldn't be allowed to use your a/c, radio, heat seaking bug shield, and whatever else that stupid and confusing thing does. The type of person who can buy the LS460, can also buy the BMW, MB and Audi. Infact, most of them probably have already had those cars...which is why they're now driving a new Lexus LS460.

Have you checked the tranny mount recently? Cheap and easy diy fix.

Ahhh. now this is my kind of stuff, as I suffered dearly with vibrations in the early years. Chris, that droning noise you're hearing can be greatly reduced with the replacement of the two rear differential mounts. If you look at the differential from the rear of the car, on the top portion of the differential along the crossmember, you'll see two medium sized donut hole mounts. The driver's side will crack, and cause vibration and droning noises. You'll have to get an indi shop to get them out, as they're pressed in there pretty tightly. You have to actually lower the differential to get them pressed out, and they come out towards the front of the car, not the rear. Not too expensive. I think they're like $40 each, and there are only two of them. Makes a difference! Warped rotors on a toyota for some reason will really transmit vibration throughout the car. My 4Runner has warped rotors, and need to be turned. I know they're warped, as the truck pulsates when coming to a stop, but it also shimmies a bit under normal driving conditions, especially in the rears.

India, my advice about golf, aside from the obvious in terms of expenses & time required, is just two things... 1) You do not want some fancy light carbon fiber set of clubs for your 1st set. You probably don't want to get those until your 5th or 6th set to be honest. You'll find as you get better, you will out grow your current clubs. As a newbie, you want a club with a heavy head. The biggest mistake "and bad habit former" is to try and kill the ball with your swing...aka...hitting the ball with your arms. You want to take advantage of the centrifical spin of the club. This is far far easier with a heavy headed club. This will allow you to focus on your alignment, stance and grip, while letting the club itself to take care of the momentum force of the actual hit. Plus, the heavy clubs are fire proof, and when you get older, off to college, and trying to schmooze that hottie freshman, you'll learn the true value of a golf club....they make GREAT fireplace tools! Especially the putter! 2) Most golf shops have this tiny little book, it's about 4 inches tall by 2 1/2 inches wide, called "The Golf Instructor". They're tiny, can fit in your pocket, and cost about $4 bucks. Buy one, study it for a little while in the back yard, and then always have it with you on the course. It will tell you what you're doing wrong in terms of stance, alignment and club choice. It's the Cliff-Notes of golf. I understand your desire to learn to play, and I am impressed. If you are capable of getting your score on 18 holes under 100, you're in good shape, and capable of playing without embarrasing yourself. I myself am the company's worst golfer, by far!! And I work for a company that has over 80 golf courses in our loan production portfolio. We're huge on golf, and known for it around the country. But I hate the game, find very little pleasure in it, and I place it next to reading War And Peace. Does that hinder me in my line of work? Yeah, a little. But I follow the #1 rule of golf to get by....I know the proper manner to hold while on the course. No Happy Gilmore crap, dress the part, have a sense of humor, and don't allow yourself to get sucked into that vapor of frustration. Trust me, those who "can" in this world would much rather be on a golf course with a crap player but good attitude, then a great player with a crap attitude. Hands down, no question about it. Losing is a life lesson that never goes away, but you'd be amazed at how many adults have forgotten the rules of the road on how to properly lose. More times than not, in the long run, you'll win by losing with grace and humor. My personal philosophy is that if it takes a game of golf to get the deal, then the deal itself isn't strong enough to speak for itself, or I'm dealing with a potential client that maybe I shouldn't be "eye on the game, not on the money".

HAHAHA!!!! Yep, married life has been real good to the ole' belly! I've put on AT LEAST 30lb's in the past 18 months, no joke. I feel sluggish a bit, but quite content. The 42 plasma, Tivo and new sofa hasn't helped much either, especially with the home improvements... Finally saw the final Supranos last night..ticked me off too.....I blame it on the heat...that's my story, and I'm stickin' to it, like flap-jacks on a fork! :D "(A/C is a little week)"....really? Mine is still ice ice cold. Infact, so much so that even in this heat, I can't run it at max for too long with out needing gloves on my hands. I must admit, I really miss that air vent under the steering column in the new 4Runner. With the right aim, on a hot day, sure is a nice feature blowing up the ole' shorts! hahaaa..

"....there is the EGR light which senses when you have too much money in your wallet and decides you need to donate some to the shop. " Hahaha....Now that is funny!!! If you're looking at the A8, then the LS would be your best match for that size. But, being and Audi fan for as long as you have been, driving a driver's car, would tend to make me think maybe the GS series might be better. The problem is your budget. People have discovered the used Lexus secret, and realize that age and miles really have very little impact on the car. It is a shame that you are in Michigan because I have my restored 95 LS up for sale down here at $7,900, with 132k miles on the clock, but maybe 30k on the suspension/bushings/brakes/moutns/etc... I've spent the past 3 1/2 years learning about cars with this LS, spent a few grand on oem parts and several days in the garage with the shop manuals makng sure things were installed correctly. Take a look at the LS's. If you look at the 95-97 series, just make sure of a couple simple things that could cost some money. The engine computer...if the car stalls after a highway run, or you feel a stumble upon taking your foot off the gas around 40mph "gentle driving"...then the computer is bad. Starter.....there was a recall for them way back in the day....might want to take advantage of that to save yourself mucho dinero' in labor. And no matter what Lexus you look at "Toyota in general", make sure to find out if the timing belt and water pump have been replaced. The LS calls for it at the 90k mark. Dealership should beable to give you some history on the car with the Vin number. Typically if you can find one that is a 1 owner...then they've taken it to the dealership, becuase if they could afford the car new, they can afford the dealership. Which is the 2nd best scenario you could find for yourself. The best case is finding someone on here that has learned the car, knows the tricks to discounted oem parts, and is a fanatic of the car. You know it was in good hands at that point. But either way...if you go with a Lexus, you will be pleased, that's for sure. No doubt about it. I would be willing to bet that within the first 100 miles of your ownership, we'll be reading another thread that states "wow, i had no idea".

I completely agree with Blake. I think the style of this series of LS is timeless, and will be dearly missed in the market place. What floats my boat about the LS mechanically is that I know it's going to get me home in comfort. I love the ease of the engine to get you moving, the smoothness of the tranny, and the ultimate in highway cruising. For a 180lb 5'10 sized dude like me, the LS just fits me perfectly. I love all of these things about it, which is why I couldn't replace it with anything but another Toyota V8...the 4runner. Nothing on the market that I can afford or feel comfortable with turning my wife loose in for a road trip comes close to the LS's 4.0V8. You can toss a hand gernade in the engine bay, and probably still make it home. But the style, it's just beautiful all around. Not slicked back screamin' demon fast looking, but still has a prowlness to it that lets you know it does have some teeth if needed. More so than it lends to believe, until you've blasted blast 110mph, still stuck to your seat, and drinking your expresso.

Thanks for the input fellas! I think what I need to do is have it steam cleaned before anything. I tried my Brissle at home, but I think it puts down too much water into the fabric, and i don't want a mold issue within the seats. But the section that I did use it on, made an impressive difference in the cloth. I need to take it to a professional with a more high-powered steam cleaner. I think once that is done, the rest should be easy to take care off. It's not as bad now as it was when I bought it, but it's still there, quite noticably too. Love the truck though, good decision and buy. Hate the electronic throttle, but getting use to it a bit. Price you pay I guess for the excellent build quality of Toyota in general.

nevermind.... guess kind is useless sometimes. PS: Hijacking a thread is asking why your shocks are bad, in a battery problem thread. In the general discussion section...it's all good. But, I'll steer clear of your stuff from now on, even though this isn't yours to hijack. Guess ole' guys like me who've been around a few years are outdated. Seems things have changed a bit...

<_<

I don't know what's up?? I can't attach anything, and I can't add anything as an avatar. I'm getting a IPS error sometimes too..... I'll have to post them up later I guess..... I try to attach something, and I get "You did not select a file to upload".