sv7887

How about a Fuel Injector Cleaner? My 92 LS suffered from a similar problem. It turns out I hadn't done the car a favor by driving it so gently. The dealer tossed in a bottle of BG 44K and it drives like a bat out of hell. That is concentrated stuff, so you can use Chevron Techron as an alternative. Have you done the 90K service yet? It's kind of pricey, but my car was running real smooth after it. Maybe you can get a trusted independent mechanic to do it for you. Bear in mind your transmission requires a special Toyota fluid, so don't allow for any substitutes. Congrads on buying one of the best cars (STILL!!) on the road today, -Sam

Hi mannye, The 2004's had a fair amount of new features: Bluetooth, Rear View Camera, Six Speed Transmission, Updated Nav System, Adaptive Headlights, upgraded ML Stereo, LED Tail lamps, Clutchless A/C System etc etc. It really is a nice car. The body was modestly restyled. The head lamps changed to give the car a more aggressive look. The hood, front fenders, and I believe the trunk are different. I personally believe that this restyle gave the car an edge that it was lacking from 01-03. Also 18" tires/rims were common. With the 2004 certain cars were recalled for replacement of the Transmission and Fuel Pump. Please make sure that this work has been completed on whatever 2004 you consider. We also had a 2002 LS430 and found that we definitely liked the new car a lot more. You might want to wait until the new LS460 comes out before you buy. The release of the new car will bring a flood of LS430's traded in, so prices will fall some more. Finally, most 2004's advertised in the Boston area are Certified, meaning it has an additional 3 yr 100K warranty. With a LS430 you are getting the smoothest, quietest, comfortable, reliable car on the road period. You will be amazed with how well these cars hold up over the long term. I personally have a 1992 LS400 that was trouble free until very recently. (After all, even a 14 yr Rolls Royce would need some work). Whatever the LS430 lacks in "Soul" and "Driving Dynamics" it will make up for in the ownership experience. Hope this helps, Sam

It's a question of economics really. Most of these cars get trashed when they start needing serious suspension work around 150-200K. Most of the early LS400's you'll see for sale probably have some deferred maintenance on them. Since I regularly see Camrys with 200K on them, I pretty sure a LS400 can at least that if not more. Have a look at my "tribute" to my 1992 LS and "How Long can a 91 LS go" for an idea on the lifespan of these cars. You can keep virtually any car running if you are willing to pay. Having said that I think the "Economic" life of a LS400 is somewhere around 250-300K miles. But there is a well publicised article of an LS400 with >500K on it. It's all in the maintenance. For example, I just bought a MB S430 for my dad and do worry about whether it will break down. In contrast I never even think that my 1992 LS400 will fail to start. The car has had some suspension issues, but hasn't failed in a way that required towing to the dealer. Another thing to think about: The LS400 was built to compete with the world's best. Toyota knew that being "Just as good" wasn't good enough. They had to be "Better" and they are. If you ever work on a LS400 you'll notice the attention to detail and quality of all the switchgear. I had to replace a tailight bulb last year and couldn't believe the quality of all the seals in the rear assembly. Hope this helps, Sam

How about a Change/Flush of the Power Steering Fluid..I never did this and paid $$$ to replace the P/S Pump, High Pressure hose and Rack... Hope that helps, Sam

Hi Everyone, Eleven Years ago to this day, we took delivery of our CPO 1992 LS400 with 24K on the clock. It was our first expensive car, and we weren't sure how well it would hold up. It was a lot of money for us then, and people (yes I know we shouldn't care what other people think) told us we were crazy and never should have spent the $$$ on a car. Fast forward to today at 98K miles: $4,000 later in repairs and cosmetics (New P/S Pump, Rack, Upper control arms, Fan Clutch, Thermostat, Stabilizer Bar Bushings, Lower Ball Joints, Brakes all around, Rear Carrier Bushings, new drive belts, Timing/Water Pump, Leather Redyed, new cupholder, Cluster Needles Repaired, New Center Woodgrain, Left Rear Door Weatherstripping, Repaint of all lower mouldings, Repaint of Front and Back Bumper, new Climate Control Display) Finally, she's close to done. All she needs is a set of new MXv4's, some tensioner work, and maybe some paintwork on the Left Front Fender. This is the side she got hit by a Honda Civic at 20-30 MPH. I felt a faint thump but the car protected me. I was too busy yelling at the dumb blonde to realize that this car had spared me from serious injury. It took $6,500 to put her back together again. (New LF Fender, Entire LF Suspension replaced, New Coolant reservoir, new engine mounts, new wheel, new Front Bumper, new Corner Market lights) This car made it home, smoking from the suspension damage but spared itself the indignity of being towed back. It took 18 months to work all the kinks out from the substandard accident repairs. I thought of selling her, but always lost the nerve. Here is how she looks today: (Pictures taken this morning and last night) These pictures are fresh out of detail: I left the mat the dealer put in to service it..I only take her out once a week now. No more winters for this car, or any bad weather period. This car is starting to show signs of age mechanically, but hey it's given 14 years of solid service. I took her up to 85 MPH this morning, you wouldn't believe it Pitch Silence...You still can't hear the engine at idle..The factory Pioneer Stereo still sounds great. The soundproofing is way better than our new MB S430. You can't hear the stereo blasting if you're standing outside of the car. Everything in this car feels like it was made to last forever. It's a real privilege to own this car! I think we're all lucky to own a car like this! I hope you all enjoyed this little tribute, Sam

Hey kewlguy, How are those Bridgestone's treating you? I have to get some new tires soon and was trying to decide between the Turanza and MXV4. (I"ve read all the old posts, just wanted your opinion). It's too bad there aren't smaller mechanics in the Boston area for Lexus cars. (At least I haven't heard of any) If that's the one good thing about Benz and Jaguar, it's the fact that there are so many smaller places that can work on them. I noticed the same thing about small shops, that they don't feed you BS and are pretty upfront and honest. -Sam

Sounds like your cluster may be in need of repair. As for the heater bulbs, those are replaceable. Have a look at lexls.com. I haven't had the shifter issue yet.. You need to understand while this car is a Lexus it is also 16 years old. Things break period. It is highly likely the 1990 model you have has been through several owners some of which have deferred critical maintenance. Even my one owner 1992 LS400 has needed $4,000 in work to restore to brand new condition. It comes with the territory of owning expensive cars like these. Unless you are a mechanic or have access to Lexus dealer alternatives you may want to get a newer LS. -Sam

I don't blame you. Even the most immaculate looking of cars can hide some serious mechanical issues. You can never tell what has been done to it. For someone as anal as me, that's going to be a constant worry. Was this car treated right? Was it broken in properly. Sometimes it is worth the premium to get a clean slate. Even my 1992 with was a CPO had initial teething problems. The lady who had it before us was a TV reporter and drove it all over the streets of Boston (Pothole Galore). They had hell balancing the car properly. As for the black, stay away. I've seen way too many Black LS430's running around with major swirl marks. Even the dealer's demo unit was swirled to all hell. No doubt you know how to detail properly, but the people who owned that car before you probably do not. I really surprised that dealerships would do something like that. Is Mercury Metallic the modern verison of Sandstone Beige? (The color of my 1992). If so, I highly recommend it. That color is the best of both worlds shines great, but hides dirt, swirls, and scratches well. I'd be hesitant to get a car with Air Suspension if you plan on keeping it. It's a great tool, but expensive as hell to replace. The stories you hear about the early Airmatic systems are true. Major pain when they break., 1K per shock to replace. The standard suspension is pretty smooth, but I think our '02 LS430 with the 17" tires drove smoother and quieter than the '05 with the 18"'s. Good luck in your search, Sam

They are bad I agree, luckily Lexus vastly improved them with later designs. Cans of soda are about all they're good for. That's no improvement, mine can hold 12oz cans too and most 1/2 liter bottles. They actually hold what they can quite well; I just wish they were larger! I want it to hold those half gallon cups from Burger King and such! LOL Have you ever seen the cup holders in a V-Dub Touraeg? It comes out of the top of the upper console and can hold anthing your local 711 can dish out. I love the Germans, everything is big-big cupholders, big interiors, big price tags, and big problems--big repair costs! haha I don't know about German cupholders...The Cupholders in our new S430 look like something out of a cartoon. Do you guys remember those Looney Tunes cartoons with the Rube Goldberg contraptions? That's what it looks like!!! The ones in the LS430 are way better. Oh yeah another thing to complain about: My sister broke my cupholder (Notice a common theme here?) and it cost $150 to fix!!! And the color didn't match either!! SWO3ES, Thanks for your comments about my vibration problem. The tires don't have much thread on them, and I had them balanced at Sears a few months ago. I have no idea what machine they used, so I'll have to find a shop that has the Hunter Machine. I remembered another issue: Why is it so hard to change tailights on this car? I took me an hour to get at them. I must say, thought I was really impressed with the number of seals and high quality components for the tailights. Great thread people! Sam

I got to echo everyone else's comments. I sure as heck wouldn't let a car like that go. Make it into a weekend project or something. You know this car inside and out, so I'd give it a shot. Most of that damage looks superficial. (Be sure to check to hidden damage though) I'd hate to see a lovely LS like yours go to the crusher. I went through the same heartache when my 92 LS got slammed into by some girl in a Honda. It was really close to writeoff but they let me go because the car was in such good shape. Fixing an accident car is a major PITA..It took me over 18 months to get mine right. But...It was worth it. I can't imagine not having my LS. (I know I sound like a nut..but there aren't cars around like this anymore). Think over it some..I know keeping it is not a "rational" decision, but I like to say, if we were all perfectly rational people we'd be driving Toyota Camrys..In the aftermath of my accident car, I really did think about selling it, and even advertised it once. I can say in retrospect I'd be really upset if I had let it go.. Hope this helps -Sam

Hey Sapper Daddy, A great idea...My car is a 1992 Sandstone Beige with 98K on it. My b*itching about my LS is limited to the following" -Damned Squeak when I start the engine. New Belts installed a few months ago. I'm guessing Tensioners are going bad -Car Vibrates at 70 MPH..Probably the tires, but the Drivesaft had to be shimmed in 1995 by Lexus factory techs. -Stupid sister scratched the trunk and door sills. Major PITA and $$$ to get repaired. What is it with Women and cars?? -Dumbass body shop didn't repair/align the RF Fender properly. It's my fault for not taking it to a different body shop. I just don't understand how people can do a half a$$ed job like this..Back in the day I was a Computer Tech, and I made sure the job got done right every time..Even though it was just a computer I took PRIDE in my work being defect free. -New Tires==> MXV4's didn't wear so hot, maybe time for Turanza's instead. -Winshield Crack--Really minor, so I probably could have it repaired -Rear Passenger Side Speaker Cover (Fabric) torn slightly. I normally cuss all day long about this and the repairs listed below, but part of it is that I'm an Anal SOB..Bt it's all worth it once I turn the key and take it for a drive. The LS stays in the garage for most of the week and I use a 06 Corolla as a daily driver. Here's what I've had done: Upper Control Arms Ball Joints Instrument Cluster Needles Repaired New Cupholder New Center Wood Grain New Rear View Mirror Leather Redyed New PS Pump and Rack Stabilizer Bar Bushings Front and Rear Brakes Fan Clutch Thermostat Timing Belt Water Pump Rear Shocks New Belts Front and Rear Bumper Repainted All Lower Mouldings Repainted (The plastic stuff below the door) LCD Climate Control Replaced That's all I can think of.. -Sam

Hey Rx330driver, I paid 68,800 (USD) for a S430 4 Matic stickered at 79,990. I personally did not like the 2007 look and definitely did not want to take my chances on a first year production car. People are already complaining on the MB message boards about some minor issues with this new car. Besides, the old body style is a much better value. I got 48K in trade for my 2005 LS430 with 7200 miles. The Free Maintenance was thrown in as part of the deal. I told them I wasn't crazy about paying $300 for a glorified oil change. So I got a little extra in the deal. I still think 10K between oil changes is far too long. I'll have an independent dealer change it at 5K intervals. These cars are like apples and oranges. The only thing I can say as of now is that the customer service at this MB dealership is better than those of my Lexus ones. You normally find out the quality when things go wrong. The original car they found for me had 600 miles on the clock. They immediately informed me and offered to 1) find another one 2) Compensate me for my trouble 3) Bring that car on a flatbed truck to avoid any additional mileage. So they brought me a new one from Maryland at their expense, no questions asked. That car ended up being $200 more but they didn't charge me the extra $200. They've done a great job thus far, well beyond anything I've experienced before. I'm definitely going to write a letter to the Owner commending his Sales staff. ---Just to be clear--- My previous posts aren't here to "Denigrate" Lexus, but to disprove the notion that "Lexus can do no wrong." I know how statistics work, but statistics are worthless to those who end up in the 5% of customers who aren't being treated properly. For example, try telling a Thryroid Cancer patient (A Disease with a 85-90% cure rate) that he's one of the bottom 10% that dies from it...At that point that 85-90% cure rate is meaningless. I presented my ownership experience of 4 cars, two CPO and two brand new. Problems were encountered in ALL cases, hence my dim view of Lexus Corporate and Customer Service. Potential owners who come on this board have a right to know how ALL owners are being treated, not just those with a perfect experience. This is not meant to take away from the actual product Lexus makes. Everyone here knows Lexus has been No 1 in reliability since 1990. (I think a brief fall in the mid 90's due to the GS and later the RX). But it's important to note that they are a business like anyone else. Those expecting some sort of Utopian world are just fooling themselves. I think I've made my points clear and supported them with my individual experience. I'm not a MB salesman or anything, all I am trying to say is that to remain vigilant and don't let dealers rip you off!! -Sam

Actually, I've seen many 1-owner Lexus LS4* cars (and other Lexus models) that have been perfectly maintained, driven gently or moderately and always garaged. Both my older next door neighbor and I bought early LS400's - he in late '89, me in early '90. Both our cars looked and drove like new when we sold them 13 - 14 years later. IMO, the key is to find a 1-owner (or 1-lessee) car with a complete maintenance history. Lexus LS cars, like most other fairly expensive cars, are usually bought or leased when new by older people who are more likely to drive their Lexus cars like the boulevard cruisers they are. Last Saturday I spoke with another "old !Removed!" Lexus owner like me (mid to late 50's) at the gas station who was filling up his flawless, 1-owner, low mileage 2000 Platinum Series GS400. It was clear after speaking to him for a few minutes that he was a fanatic about maintaining his car. But after a car goes through two, three or four owners, then all bets are off and who knows what you will get. Have to echo these comments. The life expectancy is a direct function of the previous owner. You really need to be careful about who you buy this sort of car from. Do make sure you pull a Carfax report on any potential car you wish to purchase. These are very well built cars, but like anything can become a major money pit if they weren't treated well. A nicely treated LS400 can go for many years >10. There was an article in Lexus magazine with a 1990 LS400 with over 500K miles on it. Many people on this forum have >200K on their cars. Just don't forget fluids are the lifeblood of this car. Change them frequently for cheap insurance and you should be set. At the worst I think the 1998-00 has some minor suspension parts that need changing >100K. Also, make sure the Timing Belt has been changed. I drove my LS400 (92) in Boston weather for over 14 yrs, not a hint of rust. Just be sure to spray down the undercarriage properly during winter. Polshing and waxing your car 3-4 times a year will keep it looking good. Most people think I'm joking when I tell them my LS is 14 yrs old. You may want to find an independent mechanic who works on these cars. My dealership experience has been terrible, hence my negative review. The quality of dealerships does seem to vary from state to state, so your experiences may be quite different from mine. Hope this helps, Sam

SWO3ES, I'm not going to get in a pointless discussion with you, but let me address some points you've made. "Sorry you had a bad experience but come on, why did you keep buying these things if your experience was so "poor". You're justifying your purchase by denigrating the options you didn't select I understand that, but you're fooling yourself if you think you can post stuff like that on a Lexus board and not have somebody call you on it. Glad you're happy with your purchase, you should check out www.mbworld.org" How am I denigrating Lexus? Excuse me, I have every right to be upset given the lack of support I've gotten from Lexus. I'm glad you've had a positive experience, but I have not. Those statistics are worthless to me. "All I said was that Lexus has a proven track record in customer satisfaction and reliability, which they do. You insinuated that your experience in those areas had been poor, I was pointing out thats not the norm. And who'se censoring anybody's comments? I'm attempting to have a discussion with you" I haven't insinuated anything. Do you want to see copies of the letters I've sent to dealerships? Go look up Lexus of Watertown in the Better Business Bureau.. "Of course its not okay, but its certainly not the norm. My question is what do you want any of us to do about your issues? Whats your goal? My issue comes from people coming in here with cars nearly old enough to drive themselves denigrating the Lexus brand because they're not 100% reliable." At least we agree on the first point. I don't want anything, so I am not sure what you're on about there. This is a forum to share experiences with Lexus cars. I'm simply posting my experience in the name of balance. Sure 95% of Lexus customers are happy, but people who come on this board should hear about what happened in the 5% that weren't happy. How am I denigrating the Lexus brand? My comment on the 1992 LS was only ONE of SEVERAL issues I've had with a CPO 1998, Brand new 2002 LS and a Brand new 2005. If you recall it wasn't just the fact that the Power Steering Rack failed, it was the attempt on the dealership's part to defraud me of $4,000. People have a right to know that Lexus is not the second coming of Christ himself. QUOTE Did I say the customer service I have received is better from MB? Yes I did. "So far all you've done is buy one, wait until it starts needing to be maintained and repaired" You accuse me of denigrating Lexus yet you are suggesting the level of service I will receive from Mercedes will be worse in the future? Who is denigrating who here? The MB dealer I bought the car from is well regarded. Besides Maintenance is paid for 39 months on that car anyway. I don't have pay for anything, and it's warrantied until 2010. "Who said you were a troll? You do seem unwilling to discuss your opinions or experiences or listen to opposing points of view, so I suggested that you try posting them on mbworld.org if you wanted people to be more receptive of them but I never called you a troll. As for the amount of money you've invested, why should I or anyone else owe you anything or treat you any certain way because of the money you've spent? You didn't pay it to us." My only discourse regarding this issue is with you. Go read my other 30 or so posts, I've always been willing to listen. In fact another poster on this thread shared his BMW experience with me and felt the same way. Why is it that you think I want something from you anyway? I'm simply responding to your accusation that I'm unjustly "Denigrating" Lexus. My post in this thread documented my purchase of a S430 for some very good reasons. You claim: "You're justifying your purchase by denigrating the options you didn't select I understand that, but you're fooling yourself if you think you can post stuff like that on a Lexus board and not have somebody call you on it." You make it sound like I'm putting down Lexus for no reason. Yet, if you read my posts, I have some very good reasons. How am I fooling myself?? What exactly are you "Calling me on?" I posted my PERSONAL experience with Boston Area Lexus dealers. I qualify my statements by saying I've owned FOUR LS400/430 bought NEW/CPO and serviced at Lexus. What more do you want? Here's what I've established: 1) I'm a long time Lexus owner who has owned 4 LS400/430's two which were BRAND NEW and Two CPO. 2) I've had some very bad experiences with Lexus Service AND Corporate, some of which led to led to legal action to get anywhere 3) I'm ticked off at Lexus and hence made a switch to MB. I don't see how I'm "Denigrating" anything here.. 4) My purchasing experience with MB has been better than Lexus. No lies, No BS, UNLIKE my Lexus experience. They quickly told me the car they found for me had 600 miles on it, and offered to find another. 5) My experiences with the last two BRAND NEW cars haven't been as flawless as advertised 6) Lexus Customer Service hasn't been as good as advertised You seem to miss the point I'm making completely. I've already said my experience is in the minority. My experience and $$$ invested in Lexus are only mentioned to make sure the reader understands I'm very qualified to make that judgement and I'm not some 14 yr old Troll. I'm not some Anti Lexus person. My loyalty was demonstrated over 14 years and $230,000 of my money. That establishes the credibility I have to raise an issue like this. Also keep in mind I still own my 1992 LS400. Obviously I don't hate Lexus otherwise I wouldn't invest the kind of money I have in a 14 yr old car. -Sam

just what i was thinking? happened to me in the front. pass side brake pad were soo low the piston was pushed out pretty far and would "clunk" when engaged. changed pads and no noise! good luck Same thing happened to me. Everytime I'd park the car I'd hear "Clunk Clunk" and also would hear it during low speed turns. It turned out to be the front brakes. If you do those, make sure you get the proper fitting kit from Lexus. They did that and presto no more noise! -Sam

With all due respect I am STILL a Lexus owner and we have owned FOUR LS400/430's over a longer time span than yourself. We probably have spent over $220K on Lexus cars anod over 10K on service so I don't appreciate you responding in the manner that you have. You seem to have this attitude that any post critical of Lexus is wrong. Sorry pal, we've have had Lexus cars since they came out so I know what I'm talking about. If you want to post propaganda, you go ahead but I have every right as a Lexus owner to comment. You can censor my comments if it makes you feel better but all it does is question the integrity of this very Board. IF you even bothered to read my post properly I said that Lexus is MORE reliable than MB. Don't even bother spewing out all the Stats, because I know them all. I'm a Management Consultant who specializes in the Auto Industry, so I know what I am talking about. Why did I keep buying the cars? My nasty experiences with Lexus service on 92 LS are only a few months old.. My comment was on our personal experience, not generalizing. I've repeatedly qualified my experiences as "Boston Area Lexus Dealers" what more do you want?? I think I have EVERY right to criticize Lexus given my experience with them. I've had to sue them just to get them to ADMIT they made a mistake on my 1992 LS repairs. Another time they sold me a 1998 that hadn't been Certified properly. The car would stall and the display cluster would flicker for no reason. Again Lexus Corporate did nothing. It took yet another lawyer's letter to get them to give us a 2002 LS430 at cost as a settlement. And this car had its rain sensor replaced 3 times, and steering column replaced. Sorry, my experience is still valid. I know how statistics work, so spare me the lecture on how mine may have been an abberation. So does that meet your standards for Customer Service? I get entrusted with clients who have given us $4 Million contracts. If I EVER treated someone like that I'd be fired pure and simple. Do you think it's okay for Lexus Corporate to do nothing? If I sound angry it's because I am. We were loyal Lexus customers for over 14 yrs and this is how they treat us! How would you like it if you spend $220K with a certain company and they treat you like crap? As far as the S Class goes. that car was reworked in 2003. Go read those forums, you'll see the incidence of complaints about the S Class is limited to 2000-2002. Did I ever claim the S is more reliable than the LS? NO! Did I say the customer service I have received is better from MB? Yes I did. Does the S Class sell better globally? Yes it does. With Lexus you get a car that is the highest quality out there with some interesting technology. With the S-Class you get a lot of safety content standard from a company well known for their innovations, performance and style. Apples and Oranges. My comments are more directed towards quality of service. All my comments about Lexus are legit. I'm not the only one on this board who has had bad experiences with the dealer. You should read the Lexus LS forums on Edmunds.com. They've had problems with the paint as well on these cars. My comments about Lexus's not being built as well as they used to be come from several Lexus mechanics themselves, including the Shop Foreman at Lexus of Watertown, MA. So, who do you think is more qualified to make that statement? Us or them? Put a 1st generation LS next to a new one and you'll see the difference. I have them side by side in my garage so I can make the comment. I've been on that Mercedes Forum you've posted. They are no better than some of what I see here. You guys love to trash Mercedes (some of it justified for Reliability) and they trash Lexus for copying their designs and MB technology. If you want to pull the Holier than Thou card on me, go read some of the posts on this forum. Most of us are mature adults and can take a little criticism without having a fit. I'll be the first to blast Mercedes Benz if this car is a lemon. I don't spew propaganda, I just call it as I see it. As for your comment on domestics go look at the JD Power Rankings, Buick and Cadilliac all rank very highly in CSI and Quality. I just submitted an article to be published in USA Today calling the press out on their unfair characterization of GM, all of it backed up with solid data. That's what people pay me for: Objectivity. I am not going to claim Lexus is "perfect" because they are not. I resent the accusation that I'm a troll, especially after the amount of $$$ I've invested in Lexus cars. My experience is what it is, and you have no right to claim I am mis-representing Lexus in anyway. -Sam

I think the 192K miles say it all. This is a car which will require work, period. Parts are expensive even if you do your own labor. If you are planning on going to school, I wouldn't keep a car with this sort of mileage. I seem to be shelling out $5-600 every six months to get yet another problem fixed on my 1992. These cars will break, Lexus or not. I'm beginning to understand that nothing lasts forever, and it's not in my interest to keep fixing this thing! -Sam

Why not? It is 14 years old... I've had numerous other domestics that never required that kind of repair. It's even less acceptable given the scheduled maintenance where the fluid was changed regularly. I've seen enough Toyotas that haven't needed any of the repairs I've listed previously. My uncle's 1989 500 SE never required these sort of things. Yes, it's a luxury car, but Lexus claims these things are built better than the rest. Mercedes and others make no such claim. Lexus also claims to be the best in Customer Service, yet that has not been my experience. I think my comments are justified given my long ownership history. -Sam

Hi All, Funny this thread shows up the same weekend that we trade our '05 LS430 for an '06 S430. The S430 was a birthday present for my dad from me. He's always wanted an S Class MB. I drove it was impressed. It definitely has a different feel to it, far more stable at high speeds than our Lexus cars. Yes we are giving up toys like Bluetooth, Backup Camera, Parking Radar, but we're gaining 4 Matic, , Nanotech Paint, Airmatic, Bose 5.1 Surround Sound Stereo, Pre-Safe, and Rear side airbags. The Bluetooth feature can be fitted for $330 extra. They threw in all scheduled maintenance for the next 39 months too. Yes Reliability will not be the same, but our experience with Lexus hasn't been that great. I couldn't believe my '92 LS with 97K would need a new Power Steering rack and fan clutch. This car has not been neglected in any way. My dad's 02 LS430 had the Rain Sensor replaced three times, and the steering column was replaced under warranty. The CPO 98 LS we had would stall, and the cluster would blink for no reason...Even the 2005 would rattle and the paint was one of the worst I've seen in a long time. It scratches so easily, despite being detailed every 4 months. The MB dealer I went to gave me service that was ten times better than any Lexus dealer in the Boston area. We've bought 4 Lexus cars and the service has been good. But MB was excellent. They brought my parents coffee immediately, made them sit down and relax while I did the deal. They pulled out three cars for me to drive: CLS 500, S350, and S430 to drive. I didn't even tell him about the CLS, he pulled it out because he noticed my dad looking at it. He refused to allow me to drive the S430 until he had it washed and vacuumed. Since they didn't have the color we wanted, they brought it from another MA dealer. But that car had apparently been a demo so it had 600 miles on it. He called me the next day and was upfront and honest with me. He clearly had an action plan developed before calling me. I was given three options, 1) they'd find another car 2) They'd compensate me for the trouble 3) they'd bring it on a flatbed to avoid racking up more miles. They ended up finding another S430 in Maryland that they're bring at their Cost for me. That's called Customer Service. I plan on writing a letter to the owner of the dealership commending this salesman. That is a sharp contrast to lies and BS I've been fed by Lexus salesman and service writers in the past. When we had problems with CPO 98 LS they basically told us "Tough $hit.." Lexus Corporate didn't care either. We sued them and finally they gave us a LS430 at cost. As some of you know, the Service Dept tried to pull a fast one on me a few months ago. They claimed my 1992 needed 4K in suspension work. These are the same people who have been taking care of it since 1992....They were dumb enough to try and replace bushings that had been done 6 months before. Again, it took a threat of a lawsuit to get them to own up to it. So much for Service huh? We've bought four of these cars and Lexus showed us no support. They seem to have this snobby attitude that they didn't have back in 1992 when we bought our first one. That 1992 is staying with us and will serve a primary backup to the S Class. I'm almost done "restoring" it. It needs new tires and maybe some light paintwork. I took out the 1992 yesterday. This is still the benchmark for Lexus as far as I'm concerned. It has a flair and this built to last feeling that the new ones don't have. The Lexus mechanics always tell me that they don't build cars like this anymore. -Sam

RDM, Welcome to the Club! I have a 1992 LS that I've kept for over 11 years! It's got 98K on it now. 1) I've seen Jim Walker's name mentioned for the 93-94 LS clusters which are different from those in the 1992. I had my needles and backlight repaired by DashUsa. http://www.dashusa.com/. He's a great guy, quick turnaround. He charged me $350 for repair of all four needles and Backlight. His work comes with a one year warranty. 2) I had my P/S Pump replaced with a OEM Lexus part. They charged me $530. (I get all my work done at the dealer). Their parts normally have an one year warranty, at least they do in MA. 3) Not sure about this issue. You may want to get your alternator tested. Are you using OEM bulbs on the car? Other posters may have more information on this one. Once again welcome to LOC! Sam

Tune up done recently, including fuel filter? Could possibly be a problem with the fuel pump. It's funny you mention the fuel filter. My LS has 96K miles and has been garaged its whole life. When I requested that the Dealer replace the filter they refused to do so. They claimed that the fuel lines were rusted and they couldn't do it...Yet, I see many posters here replacing the filter on cars with way more miles than mine..Is this typical Stealer BS? Thanks, Sam

That would be my guess as well. ;) I read the same thing on the website......but did not notice a seperate 'XSE' model itself. B) Hi Everyone! I have to get tires for my 92 LS soon. Right now they're on MXV4's but only gave about 30K...Pretty disappointing..I'm wondering if any of you have put Bridgestone Turanza LS H tires on your LS cars..Have you noticed any difference? Which do you think is better? My LS only drives once a week and never in bad weather.. Thanks, Sam

Nc211, Don't do it!!! Trust me, I've been there with my 1992 LS after it got hit. It took me two YEARS to get it right...That involved over 8 trips to the dealer, countless hours of frustration, greater than $4,000 in work, and a near lawsuit with the dealer. But in the end, it runs like a dream. Worth every penny I tell you!!! You remind me of the marathon runner who's in the lead and just has a mile to go! Don't quit now! Think about it for a few days..I admit, I got just as frustrated as you, and even put my car up for sale two times. I'm glad I never actually sold it because I'd regret it for ever! People even offered me full sticker when I was selling it because of the condition of the car. If you feel up to it, order a set of used rims for Tap Auto Recycling, or just get some reputable tire shop to confirm your diagnosis. It's a real shame you've put so much energy into this car and someone else will get to enjoy the fruit of your efforts! Just my two cents, Sam Hey Army and Sapper Daddy, At the risk of going off topic (too late for that) I want to thank you for your service to our country! I'm an immigrant and owe this country everything. There is no way in hell I'd ever come this far without the USA! Thanks for putting your lives on the line so people like me can live the American Dream! Thanks, Sam i agree, before you sell it, hang on to it a little while, and i will give you what you ask when i come back from Iraq. Thats in STONE.

Welcome to Lexus Owners Club! My 1992 LS is the same color as yours. It looks amazing when clean. I think Beige is the best of both worlds, it doesn't show too much dirt, yet it shines rather nicely. Give it a few coats of polish and wax every few months and it will look good for years to come. My 05 LS430 is blue, looks great when clean,but a major pain to keep looking nice. What exactly are they doing for $1400 for the 90K? I got mine done for $1000..Ask a few Lexus dealers and shop around, you'll find that their prices are negotiable to some extent. -Sam

There are some vague similarities, but I can't say I see a strong resemblance other than the roof line. Otherwise the side looks more like an IS than anything... SV