1990LS400

Unless you have specialized equipment and knowledge, there are many diagnostic procedures for even minimally equipped Lexus LS cars that would be beyond the average shadetree mechanic. It never fails to amaze me how complex the diagnostic procedures described in the repair manuals are and that the manuals do not even show the exact location of many components. If your budget is $32K, the weak used car market should make it easy to find a very low mileage, well equipped 2006 LS430 produced late in the 2006 model year -- perhaps aim for a car built in June or July 2006 and sold new in August or September 2006. Buying a car produced late in the 2006 model year will give you nearly a year left on the basic 4 year warranty if you stay within the 50,000 mile basic warranty mileage cap. I did exactly this in the fall of 2003 when I bought an off 3-year lease 2000 LS400 that was built in June 2000 and originally sold (leased) on 31 July 2000. The cool aspect is that a car produced late in the model year isn't going to cost any more than one produced early in the model year. Here is a link to the specs and options list for the 2006 LS430: http://www.lexus.com/cpo/model_library/LS/2006.html

If you are talking about how to enter the security code on an older Lexus radio, look in your owners manual for instructions. If you don't have an owners manual, register in the owners section on the Lexus website to look at the owners manual online.

nutshellml, I don't understand what you are looking for -- the floor mats that Lexus withdrew from the market due to the safety recall? If so, lots of luck with that. Are you having some sort of emergency where you can't wait for the Lexus mat redesign? If you are, consider going to a hardware or home improvement store (e.g. Lowes or Home Depot) and buy a roll of adhesive backed clear "Carpet Shield" film to get you by until the redesigned mats are available. I will apply Carpet Shield film to our floor mats Thanksgiving week when I mount snow tires and remove it when I take the snow tires off next Spring. It's a really great product and I have used it frequently on home maintenance projects to protect carpeting in houses.

I don't know what you mean by "rear deck cover". Here is a diagram showing the package shelf and part number: http://www.toyodiy.com/parts/p_U_1993_LEXU...TPGKA_6403.html The above website is a great place to find part numbers to look up prices on vendor websites like http://www.parts.com

Here you go: http://www.paintscratch.com/cgi-bin/makepaint2.cgi The cladding paint code for your car is shown as UA46/UCA46.

I'm having a problem when the whole concept of paying $6700 for a 97 LS that has never had a timing belt replacement when the current realistic selling price of my high specification, perfectly maintained, nearly flawless 2000 LS400 at 115,000 miles would be only $7,500 to $8,000 in a private party sale. And it had it's timing belt, water pump and associated parts replaced before it got to 90,000 miles. To say the least, the used car market is deeply depressed -- a $6700 97 LS that needs an immediate $1500 repair does not reflect the current state of the used car market. Besides, if you "can't afford any major maintenance at this time", an LS is probably not a car for you. I've hung around a couple of friend's Lexus repair shops over the years and have seen countless unexpected $1,000+ repair bills for non-maintenance work.

Based on the 90,000 miles / 6 year timing belt replacement interval, this car should be on its 3rd timing belt ... and it hasn't been replaced even once? This fact would lead me to the assumption that the car has not been otherwise properly maintained. Don't even consider this car. There are lots of people that properly maintain their cars and one of those is what you want.

My similer 2000 LS400 has 115,000 miles on it and its suspension is as tight as new. Shocks on these things can last waaay past 200,000 miles. As for replacing all the bushings, just check the strut rod bushings. There are the first to wear out and can be shot by 75,000 miles on a 98-00 LS400. Enjoy your car's nice cushy ride while you can because it sure isn't going to be there after your mods. :(

LCD's in radios can be usually be fixed/replaced. These guys fixed my 00 LS radio last year: http://carstereohelp.com/lexus.htm It looks like they would charge $140 to fix yours -- these guys are "big" ... even my local indie Lexus repair shop sends customer radios to them for repair. Or maybe you can find somebody closer who can fix it.

I know from reading the forums that the Quick Connect QCJBL-2 harness is all "plug and play" (no wire splicing) and allows playing the audio from MP3/iPod/USB devices through all the car speakers when used with a Parrot kit (e.g. the MKi9100) that has this feature. Does your ISO converter cable do that? Do Lexus radio systems for UK/Europe and North America use the same connectors and architecture?

Wires at the trunk hinge can break so cleanly that they can look like they have been cut. I wouldn't know what the green wire does without looking at a wiring chart but I recommend splicing it together. It's not the cell phone antenna wire -- if like the 90 LS I had, it is a rather thick coax wire and ends just above the headliner at the center of the rear window ... you should be able to see it if you gently pull the rear center edge of the headliner downward a fraction of an inch.

Oh, how true! Hang in there, Killer.

I posted instructions in the following thread on how to install a new nav hard drive in a 98-00 Lexus: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=18836 Here is one place that has them: http://www.sewellpartsonline.com/parts_detail.asp?id=88792 Because the last update was so long ago and the 98-00 nav is crude by todays standards, some 98-00 GS owners have obtained an HVAC control module from a non-nav GS and installed an aftermarket double DIN nav in place of the Lexus nav.

You have listed all the reasons plastic engine covers are used on many if not most cars these days. Cars have become relatively low maintenance. The plastic engine covers on my LS have been removed only twice that I know about in 115,000 miles / 9 years -- at 90K to replace the timing belt and last Spring to replace the TPS and PPS. They will come off again at 120K for the first spark plug replacement. What is it under the covers that you are going to need to frequently work on or inspect?

Maybe a sporting goods shop would have adhesive backed foam -- although I don't know if the adhesive would hold up to high heat. I've had sheets of adhesive backed foam come with a a variety of products ... ski boots and helmets, bicycle helmets. Or maybe a radiator shop. Or maybe a Lexus dealer -- a Lexus dealer cut up sheets of adhesive backed form and stuffed them on the insides of my outside mirrors in an attempt to reduce wind noise under a TSIB so maybe dealers have this sort of stuff. Or try a hardware store -- adhesive backed foam weather stripping might work.

A new one at http://www.parts.com for $385.33 (retail is shown as $557.34). There are other online sellers but parts.com usually is very competitive. I guess you could look for a used one but a radiator is about the last part I would want to buy used.

I know only what I've read about it but this thread on Clublexus includes comments from several people who have done it: http://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls430/4462...to-gen-4-a.html

The diagram on this web page shows a wiper relay: http://www.toyodiy.com/parts/p_U_1993_LEXU...QFA_8401.5.html I searched http://www.parts.com for part number 85940-30200 and see it for $319.71. Wow! Hard to believe the high price.

Look at this webpage: http://www.toyodiy.com/parts/p_U_1998_LEXU...TPGKA_1603.html If it is the "CUSHION, RADIATOR SUPPORT" you need, then the part number is 16523-74010 -- $5.04 from http://www.parts.com By the way, your profile says "1998 GS300". Do you also have a 98 ES300? ... just checking ...

I have these two diagrams in my file and labeled as for the 98 GS400 -- I suspect one is for the standard system and the other for the Nakamichi ... maybe you can tell which one matches your car. 1998_GS400_audio_diam_1.pdf 1998_GS400_audio_diam_2.pdf

I'm having some difficulty with the concept of buying a $30,000+ car and then not being willing to spend a small amount of money to customize settings that will add to the enjoyment of the car over a long period of time. The cost of customizing the settings on my Lexus was less than most Lexus dealers charge for an oil change.

I don't see a product listed specifically for the 07 IS250 but maybe this company can help you: http://www.coastaletech.com/lockpick3.htm

Neither the entire address book or single address book entries can be uploaded from an iPhone: http://lexusbluetooth.letstalk.com/brands/...mp;passedPaIds= You can check the above website for the compatibility of your Samsung phone. Some people have acquired a compatible Bluetooth phone for the sole purpose of uploading the address books they have on their incompatible phones. Older new or used compatible Bluetooth phones can often be obtained on the cheap from eBay -- be sure that you get an unlocked one or, since you are apparently an ATT customer, one that is locked to ATT. If you go this route, you might want to get a phone that you can import your address book to ... i.e. one you can sync to phone software on a personal computer so you won't have to enter your address book manually. If your personal computer doesn't have Bluetooth, USB Bluetooth dongles are cheap - I paid about $10 for one about a year ago.

Don't you just love these urban legends?

The maintenance booklet for my 00 LS says that the 105,000 maintenance is just an engine oil and filter change, a tire rotation, an A/C filter change, a road test, and checking the belts and all the other fluids. It's good to check the brake pads at each tire rotation. Rear pads could be getting close to being worn out by 105,000 miles. The original rear pads on my 00 LS look like they are going to make it to the 120K service. My A/C filter doesn't need replacing every 15,000 miles like the book says. I remove it every few months and knock the debris out of it and replace it every 30,000 miles.