CanadaCraig

Hi Guys!! :) I hope you're having a great day!! Have you seen The General Lee [xus] before? I think it looks good. One day - I just might do something 'different' with my LS. Click on THIS to read a little more about where it comes from. Craig!! :)

Thanks again. The car is running fine again [Knock on wood] and it only cost me $4.99 for a new 'universal' negative battery cable end. After getting everything done - I reset the clock - entered the radio security number - and drove around for about an hour or so. It was fine. In fact - it was better than fine. Thinking back - I remember noticing how the headlights would dim a bit whenever I touched the brakes. Now the lights don't seem to dim at all. Craig!! :)

Hi curiousB!! :) THANKS!! Two more questions. - Are the 'clamps' truly universal? How would I know which one I need? The battery that's in the car now actually came from CanadianTire. - What sort of tools would one need to replace that 'clamp'? Thanks again, Craig! :)

Hi Steve!! :) I appreciate the link. Not sure why couldn't find a negative battery terminal. I guess I assumed [Like practically everything else on the LS] the battery cable end had to be Lexus-specific. Is 'terminal' the same as 'end'? [As in 'negative cable END'?] Even in this one message thread there seems to be three names for the exact same thing. 'Terminal', 'end' and 'clamp'. Are they the same thing? Craig!! :)

Hello!! :) I checked everything out - seems OK. The wires in the trunk seem fine. The PS fluid reservoir is full. [At the level it should be] And I saw no signs of it leaking or dripping. As of this minute - it seems as though the problem was/is caused by the negative battery cable. After I sand-papered off any signs of corrosion and dabbled a little Petroleum jelly everywhere - the car started GREAT. [it didn't start off on a high idle - which puzzled me - but it sounded and felt fine] Trouble is - the head of the bolt on the negative cable end [The metal part that goes over the terminal] broke off - now I can't tighten it up. Grr.... Truth be told - all I had to do was giggle it off. And it was a 'screwed on' as can be. So I wonder if the terminal on the new battery that I bought a few months ago is smaller in diameter than the OEM [Lexus dealer supplied] one that I had in there before. Hmmm. What could I do about that?! ANYWAYS.... TWO QUESTIONS: Can a person buy just the metal part that goes on the terminal? I see positive ones for sale - but no negative ones. And IF you can - could you tell me how to re and re it? Thank you very much, Craig!! :) )

THANK YOU!! I appreciate the responses. At least now I have some direction. Craig!! :)

Hi Guys!! :) I hope you're having a great day!! Can you believe it? I still have my 1993 LS400. Trouble is - she's not doing to well. It all started a few weeks ago as I was driving away from a friends house. The moment I pressed on the brake pedal the headlights dimmed to nothing and electrical power to everything was cut off. [To the point where the clock would reset to 1:00] The engine would have stalled [The RPM's dropping to around 200 or so] if were not for the fact that I immediately took my foot off the brake, shifted into neutral and pressed half way down on the gas pedal. The plan worked. The engine revved up and the lights became bright again. But every time I braked after that - the same thing happened. I was on a dark, winding road [About 2 AM] where I would normally have to use the brakes a lot - so I downshifted to 2nd gear and tried to keep the speed up to around 40 km/h or so. [25 mph] After about 3 minutes - I had to use the brakes again. But this time - everything was fine. The lights stayed bright and the engine rpm's didn't drop. There was no threat of stalling. And it stayed that way all the way home - and for the next a couple of weeks. Then it happed again just as I was turning onto the street where my brother lives. It was fine up to that point but all of a sudden - the moment I pressed on the brake pedal - the car stalled. [it took me by surprise] I quickly shifted into neutral and started the car. I braked again - it stalled again. Fortunately I was only about 200 feet away from where I wanted to park - so I started and stalled my way to the front of my brother's home! I tried to start the car a few hours later - and the same thing happened. [Although this time the car was parked and IN 'Park'] As soon as I pressed on the brakes - the engine died. So that was that. I had no choice but to leave the car there. A couple of days later I tried it again. This time - other than hearing something that sounded a bit like a 'short' - nothing happen. It was dead as a doornail. So I disconnected the negative battery terminal cable and walked away. A week later I called BCAA [AAA] and had them tow it back to my house. A few days after that - on October 4th, 2010 - I reconnected the battery cable and took note of the fact that the dome light was bright. But as soon as I tried to start the engine - I heard that 'short' sound again - and everything was dead. [including ALL interior lights] So I got curious and wiggled the battery cable. As soon as I did - the dome light came back on. And this time - the car started. And it kept running. [With a little help from the gas pedal] So after a couple of minutes - I eased up on the gas pedal and noticed that the idle speed was dropping fast - hovering around 200 or so. But it didn't stall. So I revved it up some more. I then tried the headlights - fine. I even pressed on the brake pedal - fine. The idol was low and irratic - but it didn't stall. No matter what I did with the brakes or power window switches or anything else - there was no threat of the engine stopping. All lights were bright. I'm still not willing to drive it - because I need to know what the problem is. Any ideas? I am quite seriously hoping that it is not what I have been fearing - an alternator being destroyed by a leaking power steering pump. [The PS pump was replaced about 4 years ago] And I say that because if it is - according to my local Lexus dealer - those two parts - put labour - plus HST tax - are just under $3,000. [$2,840 to be exact] The entire car isn't worth much more than that. Some websites have mentioned an IAC or a brake booster as a possible cause. I'm hoping it just needs a new battery cable. [And a good wash! lol] Any help would be very much appreciated. THANKS Craig!! :)

Hi Guys!! :) I hope you're OK. Have you ever seen an LS brochure for the Japanese market LS? I can't believe how 'personalized' one can make the interior. Imagine red leather. Or rose coloured leather. Or white leather. And a choice of headliners and so on. Wow!!! It's fun to look at. Click on THIS to see it. Just when - exactly - did North Americans become so BORING when it comes to interior colours? Craig!! :)

Hi Guys!! :) I hope you're having a great day!! Click on THIS to read a FIRST DRIVE article on the new for 2010 LS460 Sport. Craig!! :)

PS Are the original struts that came from the factory [And that are still on my car] KYB GR-2's? Or something else?! I'm confused.

Hi Guys!! :) I hope you're having a great day. I'm seriously [once again] thinking of replacing the original struts, strut mounts and coil springs on my 1993 LS400. Even with the new tires it's still hitting every little bump in the road far too hard for my liking. And it sits lower on the driver's side. [The reason I would like new coil springs] So I emailed three Lexus dealers. Two in Vancouver and the one I bought my car from in Victoria. [both Canadian cities in the beautiful province of British Columbia - home of the 2010 Winter Olympics!! lol] You tell me - are the following prices HIGH or is that what these parts cost? And based on the info I got from just one of the Vancouver dealers - is the labour high?! [And I mean 'silly high'?] At one Lexus dealer in Vancouver front struts - $196 each front mounts - $188 each front coil springs - $167 each At the other Lexus dealer in Vancouver front struts - $222.00 each front strut 'mounts' - $198.00 each front coil springs - $167 each. rears struts - $240 each rear mounts - $189 each rear coil springs - $146 each And at MY Lexus dealer in Victoria front struts - $221.70 each front mounts - $197.50 each front coil springs - $166.70 each Only one of the dealers [The second one listed from Vancovuer] gave me the prices for the rear struts, mounts and coil spring - PLUS what it would cost to install all three of those parts - both front and rear. Labour to install all three items on both sides Front - $395 rear - $510 And if I do replace all three parts - both front and rear - is their anything ELSE I should keep in mind? Are there bushings that should be replaced - while everything is apart? Will I need to get an alignment? [And so on] Thank you, Craig!! :)

Hi SW03ES!! :) It's good to see you too!!! And thanks for letting me know. It's a funny sound. But no doubt - once that 'sound' goes away - they will be VERY quiet tires indeed!!! Hi pauljcl!! :) In Canada at least - COSTCO charges $15 per tire to balance and install. It's their so-called 'Installation Package' price. The Lexus dealer also charged $15 per tire. Not sure about the repairs part of the deal though. Does COSTCO repair flats for free or something?! Either way - given the fact that the Lexus dealer is a LOT closer to home than COSTCO is - and given the fact that the purchase/balancing/mounting price was lower - I'm happy I got them at the dealer. Besides - even if one of my tires does get a nail puncture - and it cost $40 to repair [which I doubt would be quite that much] I'm still breaking even. Craig!! :)

Hi Guys!! :) I hope you're OK. Last week I had new Michelin Primacy MXV4 98V tires put on my '93 LS400. They replaced the Bridgestone Turanza LS-V tires that were on the car for about 85,000 trouble free kilometres. The new Michelin's are very nice tires. They suit the car perfectly. [A little better - perhaps - than even the Bridgestones] They do make a 'sticky tape' sound though. But I hope that goes away after awhile. And they are smooth riding - smoother than the Bridgestones. But in all fairness - those Bridgestones were pretty worn out. The interesting thing is - I bought the Michelins from my Lexus dealer. At $187 each - they were $10 cheaper at the Lexus dealer than at COSTCO. That surprised me - to say the least. Craig!! :)

Hi Steve!! :) Thanks for the heads-up. And for the advice. I just want to buy one set of new tires and hope they get me through whatever little snow we end up getting next year. No matter what I end up buying - it's going to be a bit of a lottery. If you read the comments on tirerack.com - one guy LOVES his new tires - and right below him is a guy who thinks they're the worst tires ever made. And they're both driving the same car and bought the exact same tires. Craig!! :)

Hi RX in NC, I wish it was as easy at that. You can't assume anything with tires. For example..... the V-rated Primacy MXV4's have a tread wear rating of 620 and the Z-rated Pilot Sport A/S 'plus' tires have a tread wear rating of 500. The H-rated Michelin HX MXM4 tires have a tread wear rating of 300. And the H-rated Goodyear Eagle ResponsEdge tires have a tread wear rating of 440. So as far as tread wear ratings go - you can't - like I said - assume anything. And there's a LOT MORE to it - like how much noise they make and if they are any good in the rain AND light snow. Besides - all LS models [At least the 1st generation LS models] came with V-rated tires. The speed rating isn't ONLY about how fast the tire can safely go. when I bought my LS it had T-rated Michelins on it. I quickly replaced them with V-rated tires and the car felt far more secure. The T-rated tires were very sloppy. Craig!! :)