1990LS400

That's an awfully broad range of cars that you are asking about. Are you really serious about buying a car? Have you zeroed in on a specific model year or years, equipment requirements, color and price range? I did a quick search and found lots of LS430s that I would consider fairly low mileage - 15,000 to 50,000 miles - within 25 miles of downtown Columbus. In a large metro area like Columbus you should have lots of choices.

No, a chromed spare wheel was optional with OEM wheels on the LS until the 2000 model year. 2000 was the first model year in which a chrome spare was included on the LS with OEM chrome wheels.

A Lexus dealer service writer told me that this is a "feature" of the VVTi engine models beginning in 1998 to prevent valve damage until the engine has warmed up sufficiently -- usually within only a few blocks of driving. There is nothing wrong -- these cars did this in cold weather when brand new.

Run, run as fast as you can away from a shop that quotes $1,400 for a 60,000 mile service on a 2002 GS300. My favorite indie repair shop (specializes in Lexus, owned by a former Lexus dealer service writer, mechanics are former Lexus dealer mechanics) charged $400.30, including tax, in 2005 for my 2000 LS400's first 60K mile service. A 60K service does not require two days to complete. In fact, the service requirements of the later Lexus cars are substantially less than the earlier ones. Did the person who gave you the $1,400 quote happen to say something about you also having to grab your ankles? LOL

I guess I never really understood the purpose of a remote starter system. The gen 1 LS400 I had for over 13 years warmed up super-fast in cold weather, even on subzero days in northern Iowa, compared to all the many other cars I had owned previously. My current 00 LS400 seems to warm up even faster. Is there some benefit of remote starting that I am missing?

Can anything rust in Scottsdale? My older relatives play golf there every day during the winter so there can't be much (any?) snow on the roads in the winter or salt used to de-ice the roads. LOL Scottsdale has to be the "chrome wheel capital" of the world. I have never seen as high a percentage of cars with chrome wheels as I have seen in Scottsdale. It would be interesting to know where the prior owner of patesrwe's RX drove his car. Was the RX on the coast during much of its early life? (Virgina Beach is a fairly quick drive from Richmond.) Or did his RX live in a northern climate where lots of salt was used on the roads? My suspicion is that the chrome on patesrwe's wheels is not OEM and that is why the dealer is arguing. If the wheels were OEM chrome, Lexus would pay the dealer to replace them - a win/win situation. But if the wheels are aftermarket chrome, the replacement cost would come out of the dealer's pocket if the aftermarket chrome company does not warranty the wheels.

The broker from whom I bought my 00 LS in 2003 had already started the process of having the chrome wheels replaced although they were not delivered until about 6 weeks after I bought the car. But my situation may have been different. Although the wheels are OEM 00 LS Platinum edition wheels, the chrome itself is aftermarket and was separately warrantied by the dealer instead of by Lexus. The dealer warranty on my wheels was for the same 4 years/50K miles as the manufacturer's warranty on the rest of the car. But I am VERY surprised that the dealer is not falling all over himself to replace your wheels under warranty. I had lots of warranty work done on my first LS that I bought in 1990 and several fairly expensive warranty repairs on the 00 LS I bought used in 03. Just what kind of chemical wash does the dealer think caused the wheels to pit? Sulphuric acid? And why would the dealer care? Even OEM chrome Lexus wheels will become badly pitted in a short time, well within the warranty period, if driven in winter on salted roads and not washed frequently. Based on what I have seen on a coworkers 99 LS with OEM chrome wheels, the clear coat on OEM chrome wheels does not appear to help much in preventing pitting if the wheels are used in winter. I would recommend another Lexus dealer and/or contacting Lexus customer service. Good luck!

After I had my 00 LS tinted in 2003, the light scatter on the rear window defroster grid did decrease somewhat after a few weeks -- but it is still very noticable. A bigger issue is that the rear window tint interferes with the automatic dimming inside and outside mirrors. After the tint, the mirrows dim when a car is only a about hundred feet behind. Before the tint, the mirrors would dim when a car was much furthur, perhaps 1/8 mile or more, behind.

The front "parking" lights on my similar 00 LS are the small clear bulbs you can see in cutouts in the reflectors of the outside main headlights. On the driver side, the cutout is at about the 10 o'clock position. The replacement guide on www.sylvania.com indicates that the bulb number for the "Parking light" is 2825. These low wattage clear lights are called "city lights" in Europe since that is all that used to be allowed at night the cental parts of some cities.

There is a darned good reason that the Mercedes S550's styling is a significant departure from the styling of its siblings. When Mercedes introduced the W220 S-class in 1999-2000, it was ridiculed by Mercedes owners and in the automotive press for looking way too much like the less expensive Mercedes models. In fact, there was quite a scramble amoung Mercedes enthusiasts to buy up the very last of the previous W140 "Panzerwagen" S-Class models -- especially the previous S500 and S600. I walk past a Lexus ES350 in the company parking lot every day. The first time I saw an LS460, I thought it was an ES350. I've now seen quite a few LS460's and I am still having difficulty in telling an LS460 from an ES350 unless I look at the badge on the trunk lid. OK, my vision sucks but I'm not unconscious. LOL. Personally, I don't think it is all that bad that it is difficult to tell the bottom of the line from the top of the line Lexus sedan. I kind of like the "stealth" aspect. However, generally, car manufacturers try pretty hard to make their most expensive models really stand out visually from their cheaper models. Attached are photos of both the ES and new LS. Which is which again?

I buy as much as possible from the local Toyota dealer where we bought a Camry. For example, several weeks ago I bought a 10-pack of oil filters (including 10 drain plug washers) for our LS400 for less than $40 not including tax. Sewell Lexus (lexus-parts.com) wanted an additional $10 for a 10-pack of drain plug washers--kind of silly for something that cost only pennies to make.

A coworker (99 LS) and I (00 LS) both are having difficulty in eliminating all vibration from the wheels/tires at about 65 mph that are felt through the steering wheel. The local Lexus dealer told me during visits in August and November that that I have one defective tire in both my summer (all season Dunlop 5000) and winter (Bridgestone Blizzak) wheel/tire sets. The winter tires are mounted on separate wheels. Both "defective" tires look just fine and have plenty of tread left. Attached is an invoice with the Lexus dealer's description of the defect that prevents properly balancing the summer tire. The description of the defective winter tire is similar. Putting the "bad" tires on the rear made the vibration virtually unnoticable. It is odd that we never had a problem with wheel balance on my first LS (smaller wheels/tires - 205/65-15) over almost 14 years and a number of sets of tires. And we have never had a wheel balance issue with our 98 Camry which also uses 205/65-15 tires. What is it with the larger wheels and tires that makes the newer LS400 so sensitive to tire imperfections? Is it just the greater mass of larger tires and wheels that amplifies the vibrations.

How? The signals are on the side of the car...and there's a sidemarker.. Don't drive oan LS first then. You recently said you were dissapointed when you drove an ES, you're going to be dissapointed in the Avalon compared to the LS. Steve, the amber front "side marker" (on the side of the bumper) on a 98-00 LS400 is not a turn signal although it might help a little if it was. The problem with the 98-00 front turn signals is that, even though they are on the front corners of the car (instead of in the bumper), during daylight hours the signals can not be easily seen by drivers who are approaching from behind in the lanes on my left and right in my "blind spot", i.e. their front bumper is about even with the rearward edge of my rear door. It is not a problem at night since the 98-00 LS front turn signals put out LOTS of light and can be easily seen from the side. Buy an eye patch (you'll probably look like a pirate, LOL) at a drugstore and try driving for a few hours (no, days or weeks!) while wearing it -- I suspect it will be an eye-opening (pun intended) experience. I suspect it is a little difficult for people without seriously impaired vision to understand how one's life and choices have to revolve around selecting products that help mitigate these problems. It was very frustrating driving my first, then new, 90 LS400 -- I was so taken with the car that I bought it without even noticing that the front turn signals were completely invisible from the side -- just like on the LS460. My driving comfort/pleasure improved immensely after I had a body shop install side turn signals from a European spec LS400 - you can see the additional signals in this photo in the gallery--> http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...=si&img=803 Yes, I agree that the Avalon is disappointing compared to an LS -- but safety has to come first -- it is just too stressfull to drive without turn signals than can be seen at all from the side. Maybe I'll go back to Mercedes -- all of them have wonderful side mirror turn signals. Just kidding, I will probably never buy another Mercedes. But seriously ... if Toyota thinks it is important to put wonderfully visible side turn signals on their bottom-of-the-line Scion cars (mirror mounted in the tC, body mounted on the xB), why the hell don't they think it is important to provide something similar on their top of the line Lexus cars? Do they think their customers are a bunch of sheep? Now, after that rant, I should remind myself that our Toyota shares closed today at $126.10 -- a new 52 week high.

There were photos of LS prototypes published in auto magazines in the 1980's -- but I didn't save any of the old mags. They were the typical "Death Valley" photos where the LS was being subjected to intense heat. The only "old" magazine I saved was the 1989 Automobile magazine with the comparison test article (BMW 535, Mercedes E300, Infinity Q45, Lexus LS400) that led me to buy my first LS400 a few months later. Crap, I used to have every R&T magazine back to the mid-50's but they were taking up too far much space and I threw them all away in a fit of cleaning frenzy. It was fairly widely reported/rumoured in the automotive press in around 1997 that Toyota was considering marketing a long wheelbase Lexus "LS500" with a 5 litre, DOHC V12 engine similar to the engine in the Japanese market Toyota Century limo. Supposedly a number of prototypes were made but of course the project was cancelled. And I never saw one or even a photo of one.

I think some of the surprise is related to Lexus making so much noise about producing a standard wheel base LS460 with significantly more rear seat space that an LS430 and to carry four or five people in greater comfort. I think Americans have come to expect "bigger and better" all the time and in all aspects. You know ... the "supersize me" mentality. The LS460 trunk size is certainly far within the limits of acceptability. I just did not have expect the trunk size to shrink. I expected the trunk size to increase 5-10% and be at least as big as the trunk in a Ford 500 (21.2 cubic feet).

Coincidentally, the trunk was the very first thing I asked to look at when a Lexus dealer salesman brought an LS460 around for me to test drive a few weeks ago. While the LS460 trunk would hold our standard size wheel chair (better than our 00 LS400 does), I was surprised that the size/shape of the trunk did not seem as big or "luggage friendly" as an LS430. The small trunk size of our 00 LS presents frequently challenges -- as did the trunk of our previous 90 LS. Even without the wheel chair, the 00 LS trunk barely holds the two standard size rolling airline carry-on bags, our two PC/briefcase bags, and the few other things (small camera tripod, a few car wash towels, ice scraper/brush, etc.) my wife and I take with us on a typical weekend trip. Add two additional adults and bags on a weekend trip and, "Houston, we have a problem." I have a "pass/fail" checklist I use when evaluating cars for acceptability. The LS460 failed one of my top requirements when I found that the front turn signals could not be seen from the side -- kind of important when you have limited left eye vision. I suppose I could have some additional European market side signals installed like I did in 1990 on my first LS, but doing that was a hassle and I shouldn't have to do that again. The side visibility of the front turn signals on my 00 LS is barely adequate. It would be appropriate for Lexus/Toyota to install lighting systems that are at least as good as what is standard on Mercedes, BMW, Audi, etc. I didn't bother to test drive the LS460 after my "walk-around" inspection -- there was no point. The Toyota Avalon Limited is looking better to me all the time. The ones I've seen lately even have turn signals in the side mirror glass -- not as good as the side signals on most European cars but better than nothing. The Avalon may not be as "snazzy" as an LS but at least it appears to meet my minimum standards including HID, VSC, and lots of air bags.

Any "real" snow tires with the mountain/snowflake logo will probably work well. Most all season tires and some snow tires are labeled "M+S" (mud & snow) but they are no substitute for dedicated snow tires with the mountain/snowflake logo. We buy four extra wheels and four snow tires when we buy a car -- we aim to keep a car 10 - 14 years so we spread the extra cost over quite a few years. Snow tires need a lot of tread to be effective in deep snow -- forget about using them until they wear down to 2/32 or 3/32 of an inch like summer tires. Snow tires should be considered worn out by the time the tread reaches 6/32 of an inch - at a very minimum. We usually get four winters (3,000 - 4000 miles per year) from a set of snow tires by mounting them around Thanksgiving and taking them off by the beginning of Spring. The Blizzaks we currently use have been the most satifactory snow tires we have tried. Wonderful traction on ice and snow and quieter at speed than any other true snow tire we have used. But other true snow tires might work equally well. Here is an article from Tire Rack: http://www.tirerack.com/winter/tech/techpa...hid=116#howlong Select the "Snow" mode transmission setting on your LS430 when driving on snow or ice -- it makes a huge difference. And, on the next snowy day, take your car to an empty parking lot and drive like hell so you learn how VSC works to automatically pull you out of a skid and put you back on course. VSC is absolutely amazing -- the best safety invention since ABS.

The main "querks" with the 2000 LS400 that I can think of are that the fuel tank capacity is slightly less than the 98-99 LS and it was the only model year of the LS400 in which the "brake assist" feature was included. Like SK said, there have been past threads on this subject. On at least one thread are details of the three "Platinum Series" packages -- all three versions came with 2001 LS430 wheels, different leather, maple wood, CD changer, different floor mats. The non-Platinum versions with the dark wood and standard leather are nice too. (I think I like the standard leather more.) The most basic models - both regular and Platinum - do not have heated seats. HID was an option but I have never heard of a 2000 without it. There were around $10,000 (retail) of options available in the 2000 model year. Looking back, I would not exclude cars with navigation and/or air suspension. Air suspension may not give all that different a ride, but it would probably prevent the rear from bottoming out on deeply rutted roads and inclines when the trunk is fully loaded. Air suspension was an inexpensive option in 2000. The nav is "old style" but Lexus has continued to offer updates.

I have the same issue. My Es-350 does not open the garage door (Genie intellicode etc etc). I tried reprogramming my homelink but no luck. I cant even find some tabs inside the opener to push and train my homelink....oh well. My suggest is to call Genie and ask if your opener is compatible with HomeLink. There support line is 1-(800)354-3643. According to this link, it looks like the remote in your ES should be able to open your Genie door: http://www.geniecompany.com/GenieCompany.aspx?cid=336

How about a Kuda "Charging Cradle for TREO 650" mounted on a Kuda leather phone base designed for the LS430 and available in six colors to match your interior? http://www.kudausa.com/charging_cradle_for...o_650-1009.html http://www.kudausa.com/kuda_mount_and_hold...-06-21-208.html I love the Kuda phonebase in my 00 LS400 but the one for the LS430 is, for my taste, mounted in a lower and less useful position. Add a handfree Bluetooth car kit connected to auto mute your radio during a call and I think you will be a happy camper.

For the record, the driver side headlight bulb replacement procedure for gen 1 (90-92) LS400 outlined in the U.S. spec gen 1 owners manual does not require the removal of the battery. The gen 1 LS400 uses 9004 bulbs in the headlights. The gen 2 U.S. spec LS400 (93-94) use 9003/H4 bulbs in the headlights. But replacing the drivers side headlight bulb without removing the headlight unit works too. Replacing the bulb per the instructions in the manual requires following the instructions exactly -- otherwise the side light can break when removed and the headlight aim can be messed up. I once replaced the headlight bulbs in my 90 LS numerous times in one evening while testing the effectiveness of various bulb brands and wattages. Once I understood how to do it per the instructions in the manual, I could replace the bulbs in both headlights in about five minutes.

Gosh, Craig. Are you actually reading the Consumer Reports articles and year book ratings about Mercedes vehicles? There has been lots of very detailed information about the issues with Mercedes vehicles over many years. We've subscribed to Consumer Reports for around 30 years and participate in its annual survey where we report problems we have had with autos, appliances, etc. Most of what you see in Consumer Reports ratings comes directly from people like us who are members of Consumers Union and who participate in the surveys. We owned Mercedes cars for a total of 16 years before we switched to Toyota/Lexus products. My last Mercedes went through three engines (the original and two "caged" factory rebuilds) in the first 150,000 miles. There are five S-class Mercedes cars in households in my culdesac. My best friend has a Mercedes E320, purchased new, which has left him stranded on several occasions with fuel and electrical system problems. Based on my experiences with Mercedes and those of my friends and neighbors, I would suspect that Consumer Reports is very accurate in its reporting of Mercedes quality.

Tire Rack is not always cheaper or that much cheaper than buying locally. I generally buy from Tire Rack because it is more convenient and cost effective (time, money, gas) to shop on-line than to cruise local stores looking for what I want. Hey, $15 is $15 -- enough to buy a couple of cheeseburgers and fries -- at least here in Lenexa a few miles from where you live in K.C. I have sometimes found incredible deals at Tire Rack by buying winter tires at the end of the winter and summer tires at the end of the summer. In around 2002, I bought eight Dunlop 4000s at once (our 90 LS and 98 Camry used the same size) when they were on sale at $50. I bought eight tires and four wheels (for snow tires) from Tire Rack in 2003 when I purchased my current LS. When one of the wheel center caps didn't fit exactly right, Tire Rack sent me a complete set with no questions asked -- didn't even ask for me to send the defective one back. With regular shipping my purchases from Tire Rack usually arrive in 2-3 days. I wish all companies gave such great service.

These cars could simply be coming off a three year lease. 2004 LS430s were sold beginning in September/October 2003 and now it is the time for off lease 2004 models to begin showing up in the market place in large numbers. This is called an "opportunity"! If the mileage is within 36-38K miles on these cars, I think you can bet that they have come off a lease. I purchased my current 2000 LS400 after it came off a three year lease on August 1, 2003.

What is a "sunscreen"? Are you talking about the sunroof/moonroof?