LexusLooker

Give me that car. I'll get it to 300k in a week just driving back and forth to work. Happy 300!!! James

Wow! What a great post. You're as dorked out on these cars as the rest of us. Welcome!! You had me rolling on the floor a few times too. It's reallllly scary when you say/do stuff and then catch yourself and say "yikes, that was my dad saying/doing that!!" You'll enjoy this forum - lots of fun.

Dang, I can't spell...the A/C is a little WEAK, not week. It has a leak apparently. They charged it and it was pretty cold...now it's getting warm again. But I do love how you can sit in 100 degree traffic and the A/C doesn't lose its punch as much as others do. It seems very well designed. The lower vent is indeed cool (ha). Reminds me of old GM cars from the 60s. 42" plasma, tivo and a new sofa? WOW. What are you doing, eating bon-bons and tivoing Celine Dion concerts???? LOLOL I'm so mean. James

It's the way the LS does so many things so well. It's quiet, comfortable, powerful, discreet (not flashy), reliable, refined, good on gas, yet will get up and goooo. Just little stuff like fit and finish, or drivetrain refinement or the feel of the controls that you don't really notice until you drive something else. I mentioned in an earlier post that I've forgotten how quirky German cars can be and am drooling for another German car. But after test driving a couple and getting back in the Lex, I'm impressed at how good the old beast is. I agree that the 400 is classic looking. And after putting almost 100K on it, it needs one old-age fix (A/C is a little week), but otherwise it's been really good. BLAKE, dangit, when are you going to get to 300K so we can all celebrate!??!?! Do we need to descend on you and make you drive around the block until it rolls over? Um, Robert, 180#?? When I joined this site 2 years ago, we were both scrawny-assed 150 pounders. Married life must be good!! LOL

Hi Alexander, I have used Leatherique on MBs with good results and my LS a few times with mixed results. It does a good job of rehydrating the seats, but my drivers seat sometimes feels sticky after treatment because it's naturally the dirtiest. The remaining seats, which are almost never used, look great and feel incredibly soft and buttery without feeling treated or gunky. My guess is that you still have a lot of gunk built up from years of use and from other product buildup - those are the dark streaks. I was going to suggest another application of Prestine Clean (why it's not called Pristine Clean, I don't know) and see if that cleans up the remaining gunk, but you've already done that. One of my best results came when I misread the instructions and did the final wipedown with a damp cloth. You might try a warm damp cloth, or try cleaning the leather with something gentle - Ivory soap or something. The guys here might have some ideas for a cleaner. Then think about doing another Rejuvenator / Prestine cycle to get the rest of the gunk out. Let us know how it turns out!

Thanks for the advice, guys. I was pretty sure that an evaporator either works or it leaks. They don't have any moving parts that break. I just needed confirmation of that, so I appreciate the info. My original post was based on what the service writer said, which implied that the evaporator was "broken" - whatever he thinks that means. However, the paperwork that came out later said that there was a small leak in the evap, and they added some 134. It would have to be an awfully small leak since a) they added less than a pound (or whatever size they use now) after 9 years of use and B.) I didn't see any bubbles in the sight glass after running awhile. So I guess it all has to be replaced anyway. Thanks for the info on the receiver/dryer by the way, and on the A/C-only guys. Which leaves me 2 questions: - Should I get it fixed soon, even though it's working fairly well and will probably last a couple of summers, or can it wait? The service guy was hinting that not doing something soon could possibly lead to "black death". He really said that. It's my understanding that if a compressor goes, you can distribute all sorts of nasty stuff throughout the system and have to replace even more parts. I guess that's black death. But a evaporator leaking and a sticking expansion valve should only cause hot air, right? Unless the sticking valve is putting a strain on the compressor somehow? We sure don't want to encouage black death, do we! - Has anybody DIY this on an LS? I've replaced compressors, receiver/dryers, expansion valves, heater cores and hoses back in the old R-12 days, so I know enough to be dangerous. Could be a fun task to have the LS dash spread out all over. However, I'd still have to have somebody evacuate and charge it. <ok...I did a search after posting this...it can be done but you should have a shop manual / access to TIS> And now, slightly off topic: I had an old 1966 Cadillac limo with rear air. The air wasn't working, and it was an amazing Rube Goldberg system of wires and vacuum lines. To turn it on, you flipped a switch which opened a vacuum valve which sucked a relay closed. I couldn't figure out why the switch wasn't an electrical one that made the connection in the first place, instead of going through a vacuum circuit. I guess you had to put vaccum on the system at some point anyway, so that's a good place. Then, controlling the temp was a kick. When you set the temperature dial, a series of resistors measured cabin temp and heat load on the car and controlled how much current passed through a hair-thin wire. As that wire heated and cooled depending on current, it opened or closed a diaphram which routed air doors for more cool or more heat. After a few beers, I figured out how the whole mess worked and fixed it. The ducts for the rear air went from the evaporator in the trunk, up through the rear pillars and partway across the roof to blow air out of ceiling ducts. After the A/C was running awhile, it was so cold that the exterior sheet metal would get condensation on it in the path of the ducts. Ahh, the good old days of big compressors and R-12!

OK guys, I confess, I drove a BMW 545 and fell in lust. I did not have s*x with that car. But my LS got jealous. Instead of a cold shoulder, I get warm air. On warm days, the A/C just doesn't feel cold enough at initial cooldown. It's actually been that way the 2 years I've had it, but it's worse now. It's not low on freon, the fans work, the coolant / engine temp is fine, the heater valve is closed. So while I had it at the dealer for a tire balance (because they do it so well...don't give me too much grief), I had them check the A/C. As I suspected from some research I did, it's something akin to a broken heart: the expansion valve. According to them, they say I need to replace the evaporator too. I don't buy that part of it. Are any of you guys A/C nut heads? I'm sure I can get it fixed just as well elsewhere for less money, but I'm not convinced that I need an evaporator. Thanks in advance!!!

The story I heard is that the catalytic converters can't function properly until they're warmed up. So the shift is delayed so that the engine and cats warm up faster, reducing pollution. I heard something like a cold engine produces more pollution in one mile that it produces in <several...I forget how many> miles.

Like you, I have a 98 that was below the 90K mileage limit but past the age limit. Two dealer service reps, a former dealer repair guy and an independent guy told me to wait until sometime between 90K to 100K, essentially ignoring the age limit. So I waited and just had it done at 9 years and 90K. The belt looked fine. That said, I'm not sure that checking the belt (which is harder in a 98) helps; the independent I talked to said that he'd seen broken belts before, but only in one case did the belt really break on its own. In all other cases (I don't know if was 2 cases or 200), the belt broke because the water pump seized. If that's true, I don't know that just checking the belt should give you a warm feeling that everything is OK. You might want to check around with people who work on these cars every day and get their advice. You'll probably hear several answers. Pick the one that makes you feel the most comfortable. Good luck and enjoy your ride!

I don't know what you crazy guys are talking about!!! What avatar??? LOL I'd hate to see Robert and that FN anywhere near each other!!

Oops, a virus has hit my computer and replaced all my pictures with Celine!! Can't...get...them...out...AAHHHH!!!

I just ran across something that said that yesterday (March 30) was Miss Dion's / Devil's birthday. Hmm...both begin with "D". I thought there was a shift in the universe!! Ha ha ha.

Dang Robert, you need a cup of chamomile tea and a good cry over your blown subwoofer! Then maybe an hour or two with a good "Lifetime - made for Women" TV drama. LOL...you crack me up. I actually think you need a 6-pack of Bud. You'll get that back seat out in no time. James

How are your engine and transmission mounts? The car is stopping, but the mounts could be shot, allowing the engine and tranny to shift (move) forward.

Congrats! It's beautiful - well kept. I can hear you squealing now!