muchachamala

I purchased a 2008 LS460 with 60K miles with all services done at a dealership up until 2017. After that it sat in a garage and was driven around once a week. I went and did a pre-purchase check with a Lexus mechanic who has huge overhead and was originally told I needed all kinds of flushes, all new control arms, an alignment, brakes, spark plugs, tires etc. This was $5k worth of work for a car I was going to buy for $9k. I did due diligence and took it to an alignment place who checked the control arms and stated that one was in need of changing in order to do the job. I also went to a shop the only works on Lexus and Toyota vehicles. They agreed with the alignment folks that one control arm needing changing. Their list was also extensive but didn't touch the first place. The owner and mechanic was a mater mechanic for Lexus. By that point I was so stressed out I was willing to walk everywhere in California. Common sense slapped me in the face and I consulted The Manual. I compared their lists with what should be done at 40k-75k and compared it to what all three places were suggesting. Considering I trust very few when it comes to cars, I followed The Manual. I did everything it suggested and nothing more. I also took her to a Tire Shop (which I do every few weeks to check the pressure) and they said I'm good to drive for quite some time, so no money pouring out in that direction. As others have stated before me, use your best judgement when buying. If it's too good to be true, it is. If the facts back up statements, you're golden. I had to make this decision to purchase by myself because my dad wanted me to grow and learn. I did and it was probably not so bad that there weren't too many posts about this car at the time. I learned that it's important to feel your car, know your car, love your car. Driving a Lexus IS a luxury. You pay luxury prices and your bottom gets to enjoy true comfort. I also find that nothing tops the gas guzzling V8. It gets the hell out of its own way. It's supremely quiet on the freeway and drives like a big boat. Is it practical at $62 per fill? No. I drive 10k miles a year max, so it works for me. If you take care of it, it will take care of you. Great car!

Hey All (sorry for the dissertation): I was already aware that my car and cars like mine have issues with the control arms and considering the car is 12, I expected it. Problem is, last week I was told by one Lexus repair shop (been using them for 15+ years) that only the front control arms were torn. I held off because of his costs. I had the car aligned that same day at a different shop and was told the alignment couldn’t be done properly because of the front control arms so I had them replaced. Speed up to today, I went to a new shop beloved in my city that is owned by a Lexus Service Writer and Master Mechanic (not sure how much weight that truly holds). Thing is, I was informed that there are 8 control arms and all but two were torn. For them this is a $4400 job, alignment not included. It would most likely be difficult for me to verify what the truth is because I don’t know what I’m looking for. To be honest I still don’t trust mechanics 100% so I’d really like to see this for myself. Especially with two different recommendations at two well known shops. Put simply, I’m genuinely confused. They made it a point to tell me my brand new alignment and tire rotation might have been useless because it would most likely “fail” quickly and the tire tread wear would be terrible until I fixed those arms. I don’t hear or feel anything while driving. I’ve driven Lexus’ all my life. The alignment is great and we’re doing our best to work with the tires we have while keeping a close eye on everything. She drives like a yacht and is a thing of beauty. If this was your car, what would you do? Thanks ahead of time! All the best!

Thanks for your response and the link! I have been ripping my hair out trying to find any information about these cleaning and flushing services that start from $230 and get more expensive, particularly the rear differential fluid bleed and flush. I also don’t think just because fluid is brown means it needs to be “flushed and changed.” It’s too vague and most fluids turn brown, it’s a car. I also have an ‘07 GS and have never quite gotten the guilt trip and BS. I am really worried to do damage to my car it’s in pristine condition so the recommendations I received by the Lexus Mechanic that my family has gone to for over 10+ years seems to have over stepped. His greed is outweighing long term customers. I did attach a paper with the list of what is “recommended” because the fluids are “brown.” I’ve already replaced the control arms and completed the alignment. I’d appreciate any input at all. I’m Once again, thank you!

I feel like I’m between a rock and a hard place so any helpful advice is greatly appreciated. I recently purchased an ‘08 LS460 with 50k original miles on it and now the car has just under 60k. She’s a cream puff if I’ve ever seen one. The car was garaged all its life (it appeared like a fairy had driven the car for 12 years. All of the repairs were done at the dealership like clock work up until about 3 years ago when the owner passed away. I had a pre-purchase inspection done and wasn’t surprised when the control arms and alignment were brought up. I will take her in to do the 60k maintenance according to the maintenance schedule but I am a little hesitant about the recommendation and extra cost per service to flush the transmission fluid because it’s brown, replace differential gear oil because it’s brown, and do an induction system cleaning. Wouldn’t fluid in a car be brown? Are these extra services appropriate right now? Info: I’ve already completed the control arm and alignment services and I am doing the 60k maintenance (according to the Lexus maintenance schedule) in a few days.

I was just in the exact same dilemma and chose to go with the 2008 LS460 with 45k OG miles over a 2016 with over 120k. I don’t necessarily feel like all are equal when speaking of higher mileage. If all things are indeed equal, like the list of necessary repairs or maintenance due by miles (via Lexus maintenance schedule), and wear and tear (interior/exterior) then it comes down to personal preference. The 4 year difference doesn’t mean a whole lot (to me) when you’re talking a difference of 98k miles and choosing between good/pristine. My opinion truly means nothing because you’re putting the cash down to pay for the vehicle. Since you asked ☺️, if all things were equal I’d run with the ‘03 in pristine shape.