1990LS400

I don't know what a "fair" price would be, but, based on what I see on eBay and discounting the ludicrous valuations on websites like Kelly Bluebook, if I was in the market for a low mileage 2002 SC like you described, I'm guessing I would end up paying between $14K and $19K. It really is about the local market, how many people are interested in it, and how much you like a particular car ... i.e. do you like the color, options, etc.

$60 for a set of 4 replicas w/o logo from: http://www.lakeshorewheelandtire.com/store...amp;prevstart=0 $48.59 each ($70.28 retail - ouch!) for OEM at parts.com Looks like the ones for the 96 Landcruiser might fit -- $2 less and you'll get Toyota logos instead of the Lexus "L" Or try a used hubcap store near where you live ... maybe you can buy yours back. :(

Antenna repair instructions are at http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/audio/powerantenna.html

Excellent move on getting snow tires -- AWD is nice but it isn't going to help you stop: http://autos.canada.com/winterdriving/stor...a3-8366cc87deae Your TRAC, ABS and VSC will be much more effective with snow tires than with all season tires. At the first substantial snowfall, consider taking your snow tire equipped IS to a big empty parking lot (without light standards!) and drive it hard in figure eights and circles ... drive it hard enough for the audible VSC alarm to sound .... try to lose control -- it's a good way to understand your car's handling characteristics. Resist the urge to feel "bullet proof" when driving on regular streets in snow. Mainly remember that cars on all season tires aren't going to be able to stop nearly as quickly as you can. And if you see member "LEXUS IS250 AWD" stuck in a snow drift on his all season tires, wave to him kindly and smile as you drive past. ;)

I don't remember a debate on whether or not an RX V6 engine is an interference engine. It is. As I posted recently in the LS400/LS430 section, the cause of the broken timing belt on my first Lexus was not belt wear -- it was a seized water pump at only 75,000 miles. The few other broken Lexus timing belts I have personal (not forum) knowledge of were also not due to belt wear. All were caused by some mechanical failure not related to the belt itself. That's why it is important to replace ancillary parts (water pump, idler, tensioner, etc.) when replacing a timing belt.

OK, I don't have an RX but I'll bet the intake to the cabin filter is the same place as in my 00 LS that has it's cabin filter in about the same location as yours. Look under the hood just forward of your windshield. This diagram shows the intake on your RX in the same place as it is on my LS: http://www.toyodiy.com/parts/p_U_2005_LEXU....html?hl=55879B Look in the area of the "SEAL, COWL VENT". Do you see any air grills or even a more major part missing? I've been surprised at how much debries gets through the little holes in the vent grates and onto the cabin filter of my LS. But acorns? Either its a bad design or something in the cowl vent area is loose or missing on your RX. The following diagram shows your cabin filter and where it intakes air from the cowl vent: http://www.toyodiy.com/parts/p_U_2005_LEXU...WAGKA_8714.html We're definitely starting to rely on the toyodiy website.

If you hear a clicking sound, the motor is probably working. Here is a link to instructions on rebuilding an antenna: http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/audio/powerantenna.html The instructions are for an older LS but they might help.

I am reporting only what I have read in other threads and do not remember anyone reporting that they tried a disk from another geographic area. Assuming that AUS = Australia and not Austria, I checked and there are Australian Lexus DVD disks on ebay but they are expensive: http://cars.shop.ebay.com.au It is possible that the Australian disks are not compatible with your nav system due to the region code being different.

If you don't have an owners manual and don't know which warning light is the CEL, register in the owners section on the Lexus corporate website to look at the manual online and order a new one: https://secure.drivers.lexus.com/lexusdrivers/home I doubt if cluster has to be disassembled to see if the bulb for the CEL is burned out or it's wire has been cut. Pulling the cluster out must be easy a repair shop pulled the cluster in the 90 LS I used to have in a very short time to replace the odometer. Maybe a previous owner got tired of looking at the lighted CEL and removed the bulb or cut a wire to it.

MRubenzahl, it's doubtful you will have to open up your light units to clean inside. Most of the haze is likely on the outside as it was on my 2000 LS400. You are going to be amazed at how well the lenses clear up by refinishing the outer surfaces.

If a new odometer can not be set or "flashed" to the car's true mileage, a sticker showing the mileage at which the odometer was replaced should be attached to the driver's side door post. As far as I know, a new mechanical odometer for a 90-92 LS400 can not be set to the car's true mileage. New odometers for LS cars beginning with the 1993 model year can be "flashed" with the correct mileage but often a door jam sticker is used instead. Failure of mechanical odometers on the 90-92 LS400 is common. The original odometer in the 90 LS I used to have failed at around 120,000 miles -- don't remember the exact mileage. The installer of the new odometer placed a sticker on the car's door jam showing the mileage at which the odometer was replaced. I think the sticker is required by either state or federal law.

Your "friend" may have made a seriously inappropriate change on a hidden service menu ... e.g. selected another geographic area of the world. I have read that sometimes the only solution is to replace to replace the navigation unit.

I do not see any TSIB's in the Chilton online library for rear suspension issues on the 2000 ES300 or 1998 ES300. The Chilton library does not contain information specifically for the 1997 ES300.

This question has been discussed "ad nauseum". Here is a recent discussion -- it includes my rather conservative (i.e. conserving/protecting the engine) view: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...c=60583&hl=

It could be the "FRONT SUSPENSION SUPPORT NOISE" described in the attached TSIB. The same problem affected our 98 Camry. We put up with the rattling sound for several years since we were told it wasn't a safety issue. I just now checked our records and see that the problem on our Camry was fixed in Spring 2005 for $350 (not including tax) by an independent repair shop specializing in Toyota and Lexus vehicles. But, of course, the problem could be something else. 97_00_ES_FRONT_SUSPENSION_SUPPORT_NOISE.pdf

A good place to start is the Model Library on the Lexus website: http://www.lexus.com/cpo/model_library/IS/2008.html IMO, it is very important that a buyer understands the various option packages and buys a car with the options he wants since it is almost always horribly expensive (often impossible) to retrofit a car with an option it doesn't have. Navigation is a good example. The navigation option adds very little to the price of a used Lexus. Adding navigation to a used Lexus can cost far more than the price difference between a car with and a car without navigation. I've seen soooo many people regret not getting a particular option. Take your time and find a car that has exactly what you want.

I found a knock sensor but nothing called an RPM sensor on this website: http://www.toyodiy.com/parts/p_U_1993_LEXU...1.html?hl=89615 Maybe you could look around the above website (there is a search feature on it too) and see if you can find the part.

Back to Coldnorth's question ... it would be interesting to know the curb weight of Coldnorth's car since it appears to be a Celsior C-spec with the "F" package. The "official" weight of a U.S. spec 92 LS400 is 3,759 lb and that is probably similar to the Canadian spec 92 LS400. I'm guessing that Coldnorth's Celsior with it's rear airconditioning unit, rear power seats, and other additional equipment not available on U.S./Canadian spec cars could add quite a bit of weight. Increased weight = lower fuel economy.

I've never heard of painted wheels pitting so badly that they leaked. I used a set of Lexus painted wheels on my first LS through 13 winters and they still looked pretty good. The car and its winter painted wheels were in quite a bit of winter salt since salt is routinely used in the Kanas City metro and in Iowa and Nebraska where we frequently drove. Chrome wheels are a different matter. I bought my 2000 LS400 at 38,000 miles just after it came off a three year lease. It's chrome wheels were badly pitted and were replaced under the car's 4 year / 50K mile warranty. I have to assume that they were used through three winters by the lessee. I don't know if the pitted chrome wheels leaked. I immediately bought painted wheels for winter use and use the chrome replacement wheels only in the spring/summer/fall. After 6 years, the replacement chrome wheels still look perfect and are like new. Several years ago, a coworker bought a then five or six year old 99 LS with what appeared to be the Lexus chrome wheel option. His chrome wheels were even more badly pitted than mine were but I don't remember him mentioning air leak problems. If your wheels are chrome they can be refurbished and rechromed. Painted wheels can be refurbished and resprayed. My next door neighbor had the chrome wheels on his LS refurbished during the winter while his car was on its painted winter wheels and snow tires. Does your car have painted or chrome wheels? If they are chrome, have they been used in winter? If they are painted wheels, then I don't think your problem is at all common.

Cute! BOO!

I have to laugh when I read claims of typically getting 30 miles per U.S. gallon on a gen 1 LS400. I tracked every drop of gasoline that when into my 1990 LS400 from new until I sold it at 183,000+ miles and it approached 25 mpg in highway only driving only a few times and only because of a rather stiff tail wind. Typically, the overall fuel economy was much, much lower -- probably 17 - 20 mpg. I gave the records to the 90's new owner so I can't give you the exact figures unless he (Toby?) happens to see this post (he is a forum member and also has a GX470) still has the maintenance/fuel log I gave him and provides the information. My current 2000 LS400 with its 5-speed transmission and better aerodynamics gets substantially better fuel mileage that my 90 LS did -- it averages 26.7 to 27.3 mpg (U.S. gallons) in highway only driving in low wind conditions with the car fairly lightly loaded. The 2000 has just barely exceeded 30 mpg only once on a highway trip from Tulsa OK to Kansas City with a very strong tailwind -- gusts to 50 mph. Fuel economy in mixed city/highway driving is much worse -- mileage at the past five fillups were: 21.8 mpg, 20.6 mpg, 22.8 mpg, 21.1 mpg and 15.9 mpg. I doubt if I got on a highway and exceeded 45 mph during the period in which the 00 LS got 15.9 mpg -- it was all stop and go driving. It should be possible for you to calculate RPM for any car at various mph/kmh for any transmission gear and final drive ratio combination by using simple formulas. Doing these calculations are probably more common in the track racing world. The following isn't the best webpage but I found it in a quick search -- it has formulas for calculating RPM: http://www.offroaders.com/info/tech-corner...ing/mph-rpm.htm If you are old enough, you might remember when cars could be ordered with a huge variety of final drive ratios. I'm kind of a Mercedes buff (even if I wouldn't buy one anymore) and see in one of my books that, for example, the 300SL roadster produced from 1957 to 1963 could be ordered with the standard 3.64 rear diff or with an optional 3.25, 3.42, or 3.89 rear diff. According to a November 1989 Automobile magazine article, the 1990 U.S. spec LS400 had the following transmission gear ratios: (I) 2.53 (II) 1.53 (III) 1.00 (IV) 0.71 It's hard to believe I've held on to that magazine issue for 20 years -- it led me to buying my first LS400 a few months later. I can't imagine that changing your rear diff ratio from 3.917 to 3.615 would help your fuel economy enough to be worth the effort. You might even introduce unintended problems by opening up the rear diff. Let sleeping dogs lie.

The privacy glass tint you have now is built into the glass. If the "Aurora" you are in is the Colorado one, your state apparently allows a maximum of 27% tint: http://www.tintcenter.com/laws/CO/ You might try having your front side windows tinted with quality tint film to 27% -- should be inexpensive (less than $100) to have done by a professional with high quality tint (Llumar, 3M, etc.) to only two side windows. If you use a windshield sunshade after you tint your front side windows, your interior will probably be just about invisible from the outside -- my interior is nearly invisible with 35% on the side and back windows (maximum tint in Kansas) and a windshield sunshade.

The direct connect iPod and aux-in solutions for the ES seem to have started with the 2002 model year when the ES was redesigned. I think it has been well documented on this forum that the aux-in solutions for the 2001 Camry will not work for the 2001 ES300 even though they both have what appears to be the same 12-pin CD port on the back of their radio head units. I haven't seen a thread on this forum for several years about this incompatibility issue but you could likely find them by doing an advanced search.

The Toyota coolant I have bought at a Toyota dealer is pre-mixed -- no water should be added to it. There are many theories on how to correctly flush a radiator. You could Google "how to flush a radiator" and see a bunch. Some techniques are to drain the old coolant, then add a gallon of radiator flush substance, top the cooling system up with tap water, run the engine until it gets hot, drain the water/flush substance and then fill the radiator with premixed coolant. Once technique uses no flushing substance and only distilled water on the theory that tap water will leave unwanted residue in the cooling system. I don't know which method is better. I have the coolant in our cars changed at a repair shop because I don't know of any place nearby to properly dispose of the old coolant. Don't just dump out the old coolant on the ground -- and clean up any you spill. Apparently coolant tastes sweet and pets (dogs and cats) will lap it up and soon thereafter be rather deceased. :(

Maybe the previous owner put an AWD emblem on the rear and it is really a RWD car -- a little like what Rodeo Drive posers did back in the 1960s when they put a 6.3 emblem on the trunk lid of a 6-cylinder or 3.5 liter V8 Mercedes 300SEL or in the 1970s when they put a 6.9 emblem on the trunk lid of an ordinary 450SEL. Are we being paranoid? Brings to mind my brother-in-law trying to sell his bright orange Ford Pinto many years ago. I gave him some Porsche crest emblems to put on it and it sold quickly -- really ... I'm not making this up.