GKLCPA
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Everything posted by GKLCPA
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This Whole Timing Belt Change Thing At 90,000 Miles...
GKLCPA replied to eddielasvegas's topic in 90 - 00 Lexus LS400
disregard my last post. i saw the string where you discussed this. u confirmed what i suspected; the basic car is unchanged. -
This Whole Timing Belt Change Thing At 90,000 Miles...
GKLCPA replied to eddielasvegas's topic in 90 - 00 Lexus LS400
thanks for the confirmation. i see you have a ls400 and an ls430. do you think there's a big difference in basic quality between the two? i know the 430 is more luxurious and has a few more bells and whistles. -
This Whole Timing Belt Change Thing At 90,000 Miles...
GKLCPA replied to eddielasvegas's topic in 90 - 00 Lexus LS400
Interesting. I was under the impression that 95-97 were interference engines. -
I love long distance highway driving and I took another road trip in my LS this past week of about 1500 miles round trip. I don't think one can appreciate this car fully until one is able to get on open highway tooling at 80 mph. This car rides like a jet airliner on the highway; smooth, deceptively powerful and so sure footed. I don't think my sheer amazement of this car will ever wear off. I averaged about 22 mpg for the entire trip. This is an 11 year old vehicle! I simply can not imagine owning another type of car at this point. Lexus LS for life
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Advice Or Comments On Buying A 2000 Ls400
GKLCPA replied to eddielasvegas's topic in 90 - 00 Lexus LS400
Noted. Thanks. I really don't like to spend money before it's time :P What are the symptons of a failing starter? -
Advice Or Comments On Buying A 2000 Ls400
GKLCPA replied to eddielasvegas's topic in 90 - 00 Lexus LS400
I have a question here on the Starter. I've got a timing belt to change in the spring. I'll also do the preventative maintenance and do the water pump as well. Would it make sense to have them replace the starter at that time, even if I'm not having problems with it or would it make sense to wait until I do? The starter is common. Its only going to get worse and its expensive to do. I can second that - My starter went out when my 99 LS was 4 years old - 1 grand to replace. -
I recently changed my tires. The previous owner had S rated tires on the car. The one's I put on were H rated and they ride just fine. I don't think I'll be going 130 mph anytime some, let alone the speed rated associated with V rated tires. I got some Sumitomo's and I'm happy with them and the pricing was decent (about 80 per installed)
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What To Inspect & Look For When Buying A Used Ls430 Ultra?
GKLCPA replied to b8b's topic in 01 - 06 Lexus LS430
I'd say that's a damn good deal! An excellent deal actually. -
I've heard many people say that about the 430. Personally, I like all the designs. They're all timeless. I think the 430 has more bells and whistles and is more luxurious, but is the same basic car otherwise. It's hard to improve upon what was pretty good from the gate.
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I very rarely see anyone comment on the LS 430 on this forum. I'm guessing it's because of the poll stats in the sticky. Only 10% of the posters as the time the poll was taken owned a 430. So it appears that they are far fewer 430 owners than those who own the earlier models. There are a ton of people who still drive the generation 1 LS. That's really a testament to the durability of these cars. The reason I own an LS 400 is because of a test drive I took in an LS 430. Both drive somewhat the same. Is the 430 just a marginal improvement of the LS 400?
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This is what I'm coming up with. There's very little incremental cost to run premium. Actually, this analysis has a wider spread between regular and premium than that in my local area. Premium goes for about 20-25 cents more than regular here in eastern PA when means that I'm paying only $ 3 to $ 4 extra per fill up. On the high side, that's only about $200 extra per year in fuel costs. It's not the incremental cost of premium that's the problem so much as $ 100 a barrel oil. Just 4 years ago, I was paying less than 2 a gallon. That's the day I want to see come back. In my LS400 98 running on regular gives me 1 mile per gallon LESS of mileage. Tested 700 miles on Premium against 600 miles on Regular Based on what you say then: Premium - 20 gal x $3.40 = $68 Regular - 20 gal x $3.00 = $60 Premium - 460 miles @ 23mpg Regular - 440 miles @ 22mpg (based on 1 mpg less using regular) Premium - $68 / 460 = 15 cents per mile Regular - $60 / 440 = 14 cents per mile Hmmm... I think I will stick with Premium for the money.
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I think I'm going to test my car in similar fashion. The mpg range that you're getting is what I'm getting now with premium. Again, a Maxima is no Lexus, but although it recommended premium, I always ran regular with no ill effects at all. I did that for the entire seven years I've had the car and it has 183K on it and still running strong. Premium costs about 25 cents more a gallon however, which means that you only are spending $ 3 to $5 extra to burn it, so a part of me also says forget about it and just use the recommended fuel. The first three weeks of ownership, I did run regular gas in my 91 LS 400. Mileage varied, but averaged 20, with a low of 18.5 in one tank and a high of 22.5 in another. For the last three weeks I have run premium 93 octane, always a top tier gasoline. Not much change in mileage, but I can tell that the acceleration is smoother--I feel more power in the engine, although I do not often test that. Just had a road trip and got 23 mpg on the highway yesterday--no road trips on regular gas. For my money, I like the premium, and particularly the top tier with the detergents and cleaners.
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I've always run premium in my LS. I have a Maxima that recommends premium but I've always used regular and had no ill effects as far as I can tell. When you refer to "performance", what exactly do you mean? Acceleration?
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So If You Had To Complain About Something?
GKLCPA replied to wrpsuite's topic in 90 - 00 Lexus LS400
Most of the stuff I have to have in my car has been addressed in the newer generations. In my car, I would like: 1) A separate power outlet for my cell phone. 2) A CD changer inside (mine is in the trunk. I could have had one inside, but the Lexus CD changer that goes in the glove is too expensive) 3) Bigger cup holders 4) More wood trim (models prior to the 430 were pretty spartan on wood) None of this stuff is a show stopper. -
I Think I Found It! The Perfect Ls400 For Me!
GKLCPA replied to 90LS400Lexus's topic in 90 - 00 Lexus LS400
The asking price and your budget are only 1000 apart. Make him an offer based on your budget or less. -
Is It Worth Selling '07 Es350 For 2005 Ls430 Ultra Luxury Package?
GKLCPA replied to akhawaja's topic in 01 - 06 Lexus LS430
I'm not convinced he'd take a bath over and above the one he's already taken after driving the ES off the lot. He's been hit by the depreciation already whether he trades, sells or not. Trading the ES for the LS might be a wash based on what I've seen about retail prices on these cars. I do agree it makes sense to be very careful in financial decision making about cars, afterall, they don't make one money by growing in value nor do they pay cash dividends. That's the main reason I try to minimize what I'm paying and get the sort of car that yields the maximum durability. Lexus makes some very nice vehicles, but there's not one of them that puts money in my pocket. When you look at what he spent on the ES vs what he'd be able to get for it now he'd take a huge financial bath. Unless the LS were a spectacular below market deal he'd definately be in the red. I'm sorry, but even if it is a Lexus its still a car. If you go through life just changing your mind months after buying a new car and flitting around to new options all the time, unless you have significant financial resources you will damage yourself. As for the car, the ES is far more LS like than most people (namely LS owners) like to admit, ESPECIALLY the ES350. The ES post 02 was designed specifically to posess much of the driving feel and dynamics of the LS. The LS is a nicer car, no question and given the choice between an LS and an ES I'd take the LS (although I would still probably, and did, choose a new ES over a used LS). But unless you're switching back and forth between the ES and the LS all the time you don't notice the areas where the ES falls short of the LS. The LS is the car that got me into Lexus, my dad has had two. When I drive the LS I'm always awe struck by it and immediately start thinking about buying one for myself. Then, when I drive the ES again I'm always impressed by how similar it is to the LS and the desire to replace it goes by the wayside. Whenever my Dad rides in or drives my ES or an ES350 loaner he always says the same thing, that he's surprised how similar it is. The switch isn't worth taking a bath for. -
Is It Worth Selling '07 Es350 For 2005 Ls430 Ultra Luxury Package?
GKLCPA replied to akhawaja's topic in 01 - 06 Lexus LS430
Would he really take a financial bath? A used 2007 ES 350 retails for about the same as a used 2005 LS. It might be an even trade. Per cars.com, some of the used 20005 LS's are retailing in the mid to high 40's, but there's plenty in the mid 30's range. -
Not sure about the quality of the Delco pad and rotors. I just had some Bembro rotors put on the front of my car and they cost about 130.00. Installation at a Toyota dealership ran about another 250, so if you had all four rotors replaced with pads for a total of 135, I'd say you probably need to be arrested as you stole the stuff from them :) I'm getting some clunking, so I need to do some suspension work as well. I already did the air filter and the trans flush. All I have to do in a month or so is put on my snows. I know exactly where that Buywise is. I live in PA now, but used to live in Maplewood
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The problem is ... the vast majority of gamblers lose in the long run. It is an age old story - the tortoise (the conservative) and the hare (the gambler). It is ironic that the success of 1% of gamblers is what keeps the other 99% of the losing gamblers going. “Do you feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?” - Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry. I like "punks" - they make us tortoises happy and wealthy. Sage advice on gamblers. Actually, that 1%/99% ratio applies to a few other things like the stock and real estate markets. Everybody and his mother piles in on the hopes of "getting rich quick" Folks forget that the system ain't set up for everyone to get rich!
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I'm at 75k miles currently on a 96 LS. At the rate I'm putting on miles, I'll reach 90K by March. I think I'm gonna go ahead and do mine early just for peace of mind. I got a quote from my local Toyota dealer of approximately $ 700 for the belt and the water pump. I'd rather spend that than spring for a new engine, especially in light of the fact that I gotta do it in the four months away.
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I have a 96 also. I wound up having one installed in the trunk after Lexus told me they wanted $ 800. I didn't think of Ebay. I wish I had. I also had sattelite radio installed. Now that I have it, I very rarely listen to CD's in the car
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I have the GLE model which is a twin of the Infiniti I30. Very luxurious and smooth riding car, but not on par with the LS. I was going to be a Maxima man for life until I drove a LS! If you want very decent inexpensive transportation though, you can't go wrong with the Maxima. I've driven the newer models as well. My Max is pretty fast, but those new ones have a hair trigger quickness. Nissan is definitely known for speed off the line.
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Mines is a 98, so perhaps they may have remedied those problems by that year. As I recollect, the 96 was the second model of that particular generation, so they might have been some bugs for that year. Can't say for sure though. I gotta say that Maxima is the best car I ever had save for the LS. Loved my 96 Maxima SE - Stillen package and all. BUT I, too, had too many problems with it. Finally sold it with almost 200k miles on it. Had the 02 sensor problems, starter problems, and knock sensor problems. The major killer was when the wiring harness went - wow! That was a costly repair!
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Loved my 96 Maxima SE - Stillen package and all. BUT I, too, had too many problems with it. Finally sold it with almost 200k miles on it. Had the 02 sensor problems, starter problems, and knock sensor problems. The major killer was when the wiring harness went - wow! That was a costly repair!