eatingupblacktop

Over the long haul I think they would be close. As for which will last longer, I think you can keep any car going for as long as you want. What it comes down to is whether the cost is worth it? If maintaining a 15 year old car is costing you more than what it would cost to lease a newer one, then it doesn't make sense. Unless you're dedicated to that car or you're a collector. Everything wears out sooner or later. Having a warranty is something else you might consider. It's can provide some peace of mind for someone who is not a diy.

Never tried the buckle release button that WW mentioned (you learn something every day), but I did as SK mentioned (you can find it posted in another thread as well) and it's as good as new. I had the same problem with my Volvo. There I had to clean out the roll up tensioner. It was full of dust and hair (I've got a retriever that loves riding in cars).

Nice car the GS. Sharper, tighter handling, but for cruisiing, LS is the one. In my experience, American cars will be in the shop more often with less cost each time, but over the long haul, it pretty much evens out.

Congrats on your new ride. I agree, it is an awesome car. Chances of you finding a mom/pop shop specializing in Lexus I think are slim. It's not a high volume brand. I know shops that complain some of the manufacturers (Chrysler being one) are very proprietary in their service tech info. This practice basically forces the owners to go back to the dealer for service. I'm not sure about Lexus. You might do better with a high end import shop. You'll definitely do better with a Toyota dealer for prices.

NC is right. The shops see you coming if your in a flagship no matter what make. Diy certainly makes it more affordable. American car parts are generally cheaper in both price and quality. You get what you pay for. Check out forums for the models you're interested in for owners' comments. One site that covers many makes and models and has hundreds of comments for each is: http://autos.msn.com/home/reliability_ratings.aspx. Keep in mind to discount any that don't list specifics. For Lexus issues, you've come to the right place with this board. Every manufacturer has issues with their vehicles. Some more than others. It's hard to definitively attribute good reliability records solely to the manufacturers. No matter what survey you check, none of them take into account how the owners have maintained their cars. My suggestion is, after doing your research, test drive several examples of each model you're interested in for a real world comparison. Good luck

I'm no mech, but I would certainly check a manual or online service before starting to remove the fuel tank for a filter change if I wasn't sure where it was. Sounds crrrazy. Of course you have to fill us in on the details once it's all sorted out.

Time for a thread hijack.... Blacktop I really like the avatar - Jeff Beck is one of my favourites. His work with Buddy Guy was outstanding - blistered "Mustang Sally" way better than the Commitments did. To my mind "There and Back" is his best. I bought "Becks Garage" years ago, and I just didn't get it....what do you think of it? SRK I was wondering how long it would take for someone to catch on. Yeah the Beckmeister was/is a mentor. Seen him live about 8-10 times. Last time was at Massey Hall in Toronto - FRONT ROW CENTRE! Took a month to recover! Because he's a mentor, there's nothing of his I don't like. On this album there's a cut called "Big Block" - some of the heaviest guitar since "Voodoo Chile". On his "Who Else" cd there's a cut called "Where Were You" he plays almost entirely with the whammy bar. No one else can do that. Saw him play Star Cycle, El Becko and others from There and Back in one of his shows. Excellent Album. I picked this cover for my avatar because it was his comeback album after wiping out in his custom rod and almost getting killed. The guy is a big time builder! Builds all his own rods. Have you heard his version of A Day In The Life - the Beatles song? It's on The George Martin "In My Life" cd. He's a real chameleon in the music he plays and who he plays with, but you can always recognize his playing - most explosive player I've ever seen. Seen Buddy about a dozen times. Another classic. Jammed with his backup, AC & the boys from a while ago. Saw Stevie Ray (another favourite) when he was first starting out (after turning down Bowie for a world tour) at the El Mocombo in Toronto. Sat right at the front - what a show. Since Jimi and Stevie have left the scene, JB's the Man. Even Jimmy Page has said that when Jeff is on there's no one that can touch him. Just before his tour with JB, Stevie said in an interview that he was nervous about going on that tour because Beck is such an intimidating player. I could go on for hours about all the players I've seen, but this thread aint the place. Got some great stories about Buddy. Maybe I'll post something in General. Nice to know there are Beck fans out there who are into cars.

I agree with SRK and would add that instead of looking for higher octane for an engine that doesn't need it, I would look to get my fuel from a top tier supplier instead.

I would never reuse any gasket. Even if it's not torn or damaged during removal, they deteriorate with time and heat. You're already there, so save yourself having to go back in to just replace the gasket. Also make sure all surfaces are shiny clean before putting in new gasket otherwise you'll be looking for leaks.

If the cats are getting really hot with normal driving, I would get them to check the fuel trims. Really hot cats indicate unburnt fuel coming down the pipes, which could point back to ignition issue (coils?).

Unless you're an engineer, you're playing a guessing game. Each engine is designed with a specific fuel in mind. That fuel meets the various requirements of the engine. Basically, less octane than required equals less performance and more knock/pinging depending on how much your computer can compensate for the lack of octane. More octane than required equals making the oil companies rich with no benefit to you.

Try flushing the system. Here's a link: http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/steering/psflush.html

Don't know if this solution will apply to your 430 since it was originally posted for a 400. Here's the link: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...mp;#entry247217

Looks added on - hard to tell. Personally, don't like the effect. Has an unbalanced feel because it's different from the front. Imo, front and back should compliment each other. Same thing with air dams, skirts and spoilers. Good looking mods should have an integrated and unified design that gives an overall effect without bringing attention to any one part of the car, as if it came out of the factory looking like that. I like the classic, smooth, and streamlined flanks of the original, and I would work within that design. But everyone to their own taste. Like the rims though. Lowered, sure gives the car a different attitude.

Nice job. Still, don't like keeping connectors that are brittle and have already broken once. Btw, I'm guessing you applied some dielectric grease on the terminals.

Yeah, I'd say that's plenty wide. Forgot your rims are 17x9. Still looks good, but i don't know about flaring it out.

Yeow!!! How does that song go? "If I didn't have bad luck, I'd have no luck at all!" Admire your persistence. Ya, it's always good to have sources. I'll pm you for them, thanks.

Nice rims. Dropping it would finish the look, too bad about the offset. I don't know if flared arches would look as good as the original? From your pics, it looks like you could go fatter with the rubber.

PS: Check the headliiner to see where the drip is coming from and the rest of it to see what part is wet. You might be able to trace it.

Aren't you glad to know your anti theft is working? I'm curious about this key. Did it work for him and how did he get it?

To test where your leak might be coming from, pour some water along the top seam of your windshield, then check if it leaks. If not, do the same with the sunroof. If it leaks, check that the drain holes aren't clogged.

Have you tried both doors? And have you tried turning the key to the "lock" position first, then to "unlock "?

Better do it soon, he's gettin' on.

Think modified Strat

If the terminals on your alternator were corroded, then I would replace the connectors rather than doing a cheap fix.