nc211

wait a minute, i'm at a loss here....why are you worried about your insurance and paying to fix your own car, when she was deemed responsible for the accident to begin with???? She is the one who the law issued the ticket to, right???

Well there you go...SHE got the ticket. If I weren't and honest man, I'd say you probably need new strut rods, control arms, radiator, motor mounts, timing belt, stereo.......you get the point ;)

Just make sure you run a Carfax, and have it checked out by a lexus mechanic, if possible. There are quite a few cars coming out of Texas that were water damaged by all the hurricanes down there.... Same thing happened here back in 99' when Hurricane Floyd flooded us out...cars went all over the south east that were flooded, but sold w/o that being disclosed.

There is definelty something to be said for both statements, that's for sure. The cars do tend to look alike, yet are much quieter, effecient and smoother because of it. I think one of the reasons I like the Gen 2 LS400's is because they just look more "block-ish" and less "sleekish". I like the blockish look myself. That's also why my all-time favorite SUV is the mid to late 90's Tahoes. Clean, sharp angles, not folded back and wrapped around. But, go take a cruise on the highway in a Land Rover Discovery, and you'll be screaming at everyone around you for the next two days, until your hearing comes back.

Same here at Cary, Raleigh and Greensboro, NC. I think the word is out that a used LS400 is better than most new cars in general, and for way less money. I've seen plenty around here too, especially the gen 1 models, and the gen 2. Not too many gen 2.5's though. I saw a sweet gen 2 in white yesterday. I really like these cars in white! Thought I heard "ebony and ivory" playing in the heavens as I passed him. I think I've seen 93LS sitting in traffic on the I540 to I40 merge?

Oh lord...had to go there...might as well ask if the infiniti will run better on full synthetic oil. Hahahaa.... Actually, very good point on the depreciation, totally didn't even think about that. I think I read somewhere that the French are tied in with Infiniti now, and they played a big part in the M's design. SWO, was that you that told me that? I can't remember...that brain cell died off a long time ago...like last Saturday night..I think.

The two Bush Bama Boys!! Hahaaa... I'm from B'ham originally. I"m not sure about the K&N filter yet, but it does sound interesting. If it helps the engine breathe better, well you can't go wrong with that. I'm sure you're right though, someone will say they're bad. I didn't know you had to oil them, that's interesting. Never thought of oiling an air filter before. Well they must be popular, because everywhere I go around here, they're always sold out of the one for the LS. Probably just order one off their website.

Nc211, SK has one on his LS, I am sure he'll give you the full report. I have one on my GS and I think it is worth the $ and it is very easy to maintain. Thanks DC, I appreciate the feedback, and I'll contact SK shortly. I've heard that they make the engine louder because the engine breathes better....is this true? Doesn't seem like it would be, unless you messed wih the exhaust system too.

I figure after 2+ years of cleaning my oem air filter every 3k miles, it's probably time to just replace it in general. I noticed K&N sells an airfilter for the car that is washable for life, and just sets in place where the oem one sits, no modifications required. Has anyone ever used one of these in their LS? Any horror stories, or effects it would have on the cars super quiet and smooth engine? Not trying to hotrod or anything, just thought the "washable" aspect was pretty cool, and never have to replace it again.

Thread, I don't remember you at my wedding?? How did you get a copy of our wedding portrait?? Lexus parts division will get my business, that's for sure, but I doubt I'll ever buy a brand spankin' new LS when they're built sooo good to start with. In my opinion, if there were ever a car that gave the used buyer praise for side stepping the depreciation aspect and avoiding advanced wear and tear maintenance items that others suffer from, it would have to be the LS. Def Lepard Rulz. Camero kicks Mustang GT butt! No Fear!

I agree about the floor mounted gas pedal. I love it, and have a tough time adjusting to the pedals that are not floor mounting. I alway MASH the other ones down too quickly, which usually puts my coffee in my lap. I like the M series too, A LOT. I would honestly have to say that I would probably buy one of those over the GS. They just look "meatier" to me. The reviews I've read on them all say they're about the most perfect car in their category. I love the interior. My only concern is with how well they'll age...particulary in the ride & engine noise category. The reason why I say this is because when I got my new Maxima back in 01', the ride was amazingly quiet and smooth, yet tight. The engine was whisper quiet too. But 20k miles later, it wasn't like that anymore. A lot more road noise, wind noise and rougher ride. Plus engine noise into the cabin was a lot more pronounced. I put new tires on it, and it helped about 50%, but you could tell the suspension had settled in, and the result was a louder and harsher ride. I put synthetic oil in it, and it helped, but still, you could tell the trend was to continue. That's the main reason I got rid of it. I took great care of that car, didn't beat on it at all. Maybe Infiniti uses better mounts, which I would guess to be true. I do know those QX4's are AWESOME suv's "quiet, smooth, fast," and would be my only pick if I ever bought one...well...that and a 99' Tahoe, but need a raise to maintain that one.

What Radio? Changed Litter to industrial strength :whistles: HAHAHA.... See, he keeps keying his cruise control button like it's a CB radio. "Breaker breaker...Bandit where you at? Got a county-mounty knockin on the door..come back".

I'm up to 120k now. Only 13k miles in a year...dang, i need to go for a drive...to LA via Omaha. Since I pretty much replaced the entire suspension & all mounts on mine while trying to fix the wobble problem, the car pretty much drives like brand new. Glad to see that my investment has the potential to payoff...and not end up on the side of the road with a blown engine. Dare I say it, these have to be one of the best V8 gas engines ever built in mankind! Still can't find anything out there that I would be happier with..and believe me...I've looked a few times out of frustration during the wobble days. Nothing beats a combined loan balance between my wifes 03' Civic ES and my LS that is far below what a new stripped down Kia would cost. Don't know how Lexus stays in business. I mean you buy ONE, and you're good for like 2 decades before needing another one. Amazing....

what's the condition of your power steering fluid? It should be pretty much new looking. If it's not, then you might have a clogged solenoid filter in the rack. The solenoid sends signals to the pump to adjust the steering pressure...aka...the slower you go, the easier it is to turn...the faster you go...the tighter the steering becomes. It opens and shuts the flow of fluid. But, before thinking about this...have the alignment done as suggested. These cars are long, and rear wheel drive. There is a difference in steering feel from front wheel to rear wheel. It's a different feeling to be pushed, rather than pulled. If the car was not in an accident, then I bet it's just the alignment. If it was in an accident, then my guess is that the rack got damaged by having the tie rods jammed into it.

Well well well...look what the cat dragged in!!! :D Good to see you back in action GS I finally defeated the wobble problem, thank God! Turned out to be the driveshaft. I'm up to 120k miles, and just cruising on down the road. Got married, new job, and closing on my first new house in about 10 days. Still trying to keep Ralph in line, I think his cat repoduced, which has doubled the litter-box fumes. :D I now refer to Blake as "Sir, Yes Sir", and he keeps cleaning his car, which makes mine look like crap. Got a deal in the works with a pack of seaguls heading south for the winter, to pay him a visit. Only cost me a bag of fries from McDonalds, and some x-lax. I can't really hark on Ralph, since he's upgraded to the high-cotton section with his 02' LS430. Nothing seems to break on his car. Although we did have a tough time teaching him how to turn on the radio....cat-litter again. hahaha B)

I have never driven a better car in terms of traction than my old 99' Outback, period. Subaru has the market when it comes to the AWD system. Audi's are good, but not as reliable as the Subbies. If they would just buy a LS400, tear it down, learn from it, and build their own LS400, with their AWD system...it would be steller!!

i would think so, but i have a little of the wandering too, and everything except for wheel bearings, inner tie rods, and rack on my car are new OEM stuff. I agree with Blake, I think it's slack in the connector points of the inner tie rods to the rack, giving the front wheels enought slack to bow outward when accelerating. However, my tires show no signs of premature wear. My rotors are warped though, so it could be the rotors causing a little drag on the warped spots, making the car pull around with each turn of the rotor.

Hoboken, I'm officially declaring your nickname to be "BenzBroken". You'll be just fine with the green color. The real pleasure weight about the Lexus line isn't what it looks like on the outside, but that big ole' grin on your face while you're on the inside, going 80 mph.

Damnit....off to the carwash I go...and I just got the feeling back in my arms from last spring with trying to keep up with you!! Quit keeping that thing soo clean, so mine doesn't look as bad. Can't you find a tree with a bunch of birds in it, like I always seem to??? Hahaha.... Looks GREAT man! You know, if I took my mileage, and X2, i'd still be below your mileage by about 45k miles! I'm never gonna catch up!

Is it rattling because the leather of the seat is rubbing on the leather of the arm rest? Mine does that, and it drives me insane. Dealership installed a new passenger seat belt, and the seat shifted a little to the center. If the seat is actually loose, like it shifts maybe 1/8th inch when turning, then it's the tiny little plastic bushings in the track. Dealership says they don't sell just those bushings anymore, but rather the entire piece, at like $325 bucks.

Oh man, that sucks!! Question: was a police report filed, and or insurance being tapped for the repair? Just curious becuase it doesn't look that bad at all, and would hate for it to show up on Carfax. You can avoid Carfax if you pay out of pocket and no police report is filed. I know exactly what you mean about the blackberry...aka...crackberry. I have one too, and I hate it, yet addicted to it. You've got to be a freakin' Smurf to type on that thing!

Craig, have you replaced the tie rods yet? I know what you're feeling, it's like a delay, or a sponginess in the steering. Do you get some wandering on the highway, especially when you're in traffic and the air flow from all the cars is pushing you around? My steering pump and such is fine, and I have new outer tie rod ends, but I still get this feeling. I'm thinking it's the inner tie rods, and or wheel bearings. Question: Does anyone have a picture of an actual old inner tie rod they've replaced? I'm curious what they look like on the rack connection side? Craig, I'm beginning to think we bought our cars from the same previous owner. I think you and I are neck and neck for issues with our cars..

Another thing to consider about many new homes is with all of the new construction that that we have had…at least around me...many builders are cutting corners every way they can. I must have had 50 calls this month because of "Ernesto" most from people whose homes less than 2 years old. Shingles blowing off, siding blowing off...leaks, etc...just plain poor workmanship...and the sad part about it is that the builders are not honoring the warranty on the homes, since it is weather related. The funny thing is most of the homes in this area that are over 2 years old made out fine. When my wife and I started looking to buy a new home we looked at 2 homes that had just been built and I made up my mind unless we were going to build a home I wanted a home that was at least 5 or 10 years old. I have seen so many new homes that have cracks in the dry wall...and also hairline cracks in the foundation. ;) I agree completely, at least in our price range anyway. We found that the new homes were way over priced in general, by $25k to $60k around here, and built with inferior materials. They just didn't make sense to me, at all. Plus, I wanted a house that "felt" new, but was old enough to have any of the craftsmanship issues appear, and repaired. For example, we found several comparable new houses to ours, that were 10 + miles further out, in a less desirable area of town, and built with very cheap vinyl siding, on concrete slabs, in rows, on 1/10th acres, for $30k+ more than the one we bought. Some of those houses had soo much vinyl, I asked if Trojon was the builder. I agree, I will never buy a new house, unless I was part of the construction from day one. A custom built home, just for us, built by our contractor.

Where have I heard this before??? Oh yeah, last weekend at Lowes, at the end of isle 14 in the glass-top-stove section, from my wife! You two must never meet, otherwise this 11 year old LS400 I have now really will out-live me. I agree on the 7 year ownership, I've seen that statistic as well. But in lower interest rate markets, it's more like 3 to 4 years. Stronger purchasing power of the dollar tends to motivate people to trade up in home size. But that's beside the point.. 7 years is the average. We'll probably be in this one for 3 or 4 years, is my guess. I agree with SWO, live in it like you want to. Otherwise it feels no different than renting, except you have to pay for the repairs yourself. The real value-add component to home ownership however is "Sweat Equity". Materials aren't that expensive, but the labor to install them sure is. If there is one thing I have learned from the LS400, is learn how to do it yourself, and save the money for when you must call in the mechanics. We're going to repaint the exterior of the house when we move in, repaint inside, add crown molding, tile the kitchen floors, etc... All of this I will do myself, except for painting the exterior. My father-in-law is quite the furniture maker on the side, so we've got plans for in-place bookshelves, etc... The thing I really like about the house, is that it's pretty plain inside. Which is PERFECT for someone who wants, and likes, to do projects!

Nc, Are you sure it isn't Streisand and Yani ? I KNEW IT!!! YOU GUYS ARE SPYING ON ME!!! Although that's the "video" folder :whistles: dc... Streisand sure can make some noise! :o Think I might of just crossed some sort of humanity line of integrity with that one... Must throw up now...