TA in KC

I would suggest looking on eBay or calling Rich Industries, 800-448-4198. If they don't have one, they can usually give you the name of someone who does.

No, you should not cut the speaker covers. You must remove the door panel to replace the speakers. Check www.lexls.com for instructions.

Yes. The beep sound is not the greatest, but it can be turned off.

I think this guy is right. That looks like a heck of a lot more than $1200. The quarter panel is damaged, meaning the whole thing will have to be replaced and painted. That alone will cost more than $1200. A shop who is willing to paint all the parts for $300 will likely not do a very good job.

Does your keyless remote still work? Mikado Technology makes an aftermarket keyless system that uses keys like the newer Lexus cars. The keys look just like the ones for the 2000 ES, etc. They can lock/unlock and open the trunk. With 2 keys and the replacement remote receiver, it costs about $140.

Correct. Keys could not be programmed to the cars until the 1994 model year. Prior to then, once the keys are gone, more cannot be programmed. If all keys have been lost, you will have to purchase 2 new keys that come with a ROM chip that they are paired with. The total cost is about $275. Another alternative is Mikado Technologies' Lexus keyless kit. (www.sammywu.com). You will need to purchase the remote receiver and at least one key. The keys are just like the ones used on the newer Lexus models, such as the 2000 ES. The replacement receiver takes about 10 minutes to install. With this kit, you can program up to 6 keys. The remote receiver costs $35 and the keys are $50 each.

Most of GM's large "hybrids" are not really hybrid vehicles. They have an electric motor that powers accessories like the power steering pump, alternator, etc, but the electric motor does not power the car itself. While they are capable of better fuel economy than the regular gasoline models, their fuel economy is nothing impressive when compared to true hybrid vehicles from Toyota, Honda or Ford. I imagine the Tahoe and Escalade "hybrids" are/will be mainly owned by people who lead otherwise very high consumption lifestyles.

really, ,then why did Lexus offer the later LS430's with 18s standard? it's not wheel size as much as it is tire size and quality. The original poster does not drive an LS 430. His LS 400 came with 16" wheels...what it's suspension was designed for. If the suspension of the LS 400 could handle bigger wheels without an adverse effect on ride quality, I'm sure they would have been offered. The LS 430 is not the same car.

Me too :).

I think Steve is right. There is obviously more than just cosmetic damage, for starters, the trunk lid looks like it no longer lines up on both sides. With the cost of the new wheel, I bet that is a $4-5,000 repair bill. Let us know what you hear.

If the water pump fails, it will break the new timing belt and destroy the engine. So of course, replacing all parts is money well spent.

No, there are no V8 RXs. The V6 engine is plenty powerful and I think you will be satisfied with it.

Don't waste your money. Just use OEM spark plugs.

Glad to see another club member in Overland Park! Welcome to the wonderful world of Lexus ownership. In Kansas City we are lucky to have the dealership rated #1 in customer satisfaction out of all 212 Lexus stores. My experiences with Superior have always been great and I'm sure yours will be also.

I don't know if they will fit, but they will certainly have an adverse effect on the car's ride. If you want to keep your LS400's smooth ride, stick with 16" wheels.

That sounds like a heck of a deal to me...but have you seen the car in person? It is difficult to see flaws in a vehicle's interior and exterior in pictures. At that price, I'm sure much of the maintenance is overdue. Be prepared to spend some money on that. My RWD LS400 is fine in Kansas City where we have moderate to severe winters. Snow tires always help.

No, it is not a good deal. A much nicer 2001 Mercedes S-Class with similar mileage can be had for $12-13000. Attached is Consumer Reports' reliability information for all three cars. It is based on over 1.4 million responses to their annual survey. Myself, and many others I know have been providing information to Consumer's Union about our cars, and other things through these surveys for a long time. They are generally very accurate.

Thanks you for the response and the recommendation of where to find new emblems at a reasonable cost. I notice your 97 is Pearl White. So is mine. I bought the car about a year ago from the orgional owner who was a "perfectionist" on care. I knew him and always admired the car so one day I was talking to him and said if he ever bought a new one to let me know as I would be interested in buying his old 99. About a year later I saw him again and he said, "If you want it you can have it for 15k." so I bought it. The car is a jem but he had gold plating on all the emblems that I want to replace. It is possible to strip the gold plating off the existing emblems using a buffing wheel. I tried it on an old set of gold emblems once with good results. The chrome underneath the gold will not be as shiny as a brand new set of emblems, but some people really like that "matte" look. It is similar to the emblems on the Coach edition LS400s. I think they look very attractive.

Many Lexus dealerships do not charge for this service. I know that ours in Kansas City does not. I suggest you try calling another dealership or independent mechanic specializing in Toyota/Lexus cars. $50 really sounds quite reasonable though. I have heard of some dealerships charging into the hundreds.

Acura Legends have a widespread problem with headgasket failure. On a well-maintained car, it is probably a non-issue. But, it doesn't look like you know the maintenance history of either car. For that reason alone, I would choose the SC. After observing a friend's experiences with a 1994 Legend, I also think the overall cost of ownership for the SC would be lower. The Legend is a great car, but many of the parts are very expensive and seem to be difficult to find. And here in Kansas City, our local Acura dealership's diagnostic charge and hourly service rates are higher than the Lexus and Mercedes dealerships located on the same street. It is a well thought out, good looking vehicle, but its body and mechanical components do not age nearly as gracefully as the SC/LS.

I don't think your friend is trying to rip you off. $1900 sounds about right to me. Just getting a hood repainted will cost at least $800-900. A good body shop will likely not even attempt to remove dents from the hood...they will just replace it. That would explain the other $1000.

Does your insurance policy not have coverage for property damage caused by an uninsured motorist? $15,000 sounds like a pretty serious repair...maybe enough to total the car. Do you have any pictures of the damage?

What's the temperature like in California right now? You have to pull very hard on the parking light to gain access to the screws that secure the headlight assembly. I have done it that way before during the summer, but the last set of bulbs I changed were during the winter last year. I didn't want to try pulling on the parking light because of the cold temperature. I was sure the plastic was brittle and I didn't want something to break when I pulled too hard. Instead of doing it the traditional way, I removed the battery and air intake assembly and just replaced the bulbs while the light assemblies were still on the car. There is a plastic cover to remove that seperates the back of the lights from the engine bay...after removing that you can get to the bulbs. After talking with the service manager at my local Lexus dealership, I learned that the way I changed the bulbs was how it is always done on first-generation LS400s in their service department.

Interesting points blacktop.

How do you feel about the idea of a bailout for the big three?