TA in KC

I really like Ford's keypad entry system and have enjoyed using it on Fords belonging to my friends and relatives. It always surprised me that the other manufacturers have never offered it...it is a very useful feature. The only car besides Ford I have ever seen it on was the early '90s Nissan Maxima. I too would be interested to know if there is any kind of aftermarket solution out there. EDIT: Here are a couple I just found after looking around on the internet. I don't know what they cost, or if they are compatible with Lexus vehicles, but they look interesting. http://www.keyless.com/vehiclekeyless.htm

Yes, the leather is nice..and that Coach leather is even better! Fabric does wear much better though. And I am guessing the reason that the orginal poster doesn't want leather is because they don't like using products made from animals.

I think regular fabric seats are still available on the IS, ES, and RX. The fabric is similar to the material used on the seats in Toyota vehicles.

Salvage titles are issued when an insurance company totals a vehicle, meaning that the cost of the accident repair would be more than 75% of the car's current value. This car was likely purchased from an insurance company and received a low-budget, low-quality repair to get it back on the road. Even if you end up taking a loss, my advice is to sell the car and move on, or return it if you have that option. It does not sound like the seller described the car accurately. If it was fixed by a reputable body shop, it would still be a good car. But, it is obvious that the repair shop who fixed your car cut lots of corners...and I'm sure there are many problems that have not yet revealed themselves.

A google search revealed this page. http://www.lextreme.com/bumper.html I think these instructions make the procedure seem harder than it actually is...it is actually quite easy. Be careful when detaching the upper sides of the bumper from the fenders. On the way out, the threads of the screws molded into the cover usually get stuck on the inside of the holes they fit into. Pulling too hard without making sure they are free could be an expensive mistake! Don't forget to re-install the foam energy absorber when you put the cover back on. It is easy to skip that step by accident.

Royal Purple is terrible and will likely end up just destroying the transmission over time. Some people may tell you otherwise, but I consider Amsoil and most other high-priced synthetics to be a huge waste of money. I have never been able to find any evidence from a credible source that proves they are any better than the Toyota OEM fluids, or other synthetic oils made by companies like Mobil One or Valvoline. My 1992 LS currently has about 148,000 miles. A friend drives a 1994 with over 300,000. Both of our cars are doing just fine with Valvoline synthetic motor oil and Toyota OEM transmission fluid, changed at recommended intervals. Yes, there are reasons why you should stick with Toyota OEM fluid. But my question is, why switch to anything else?

Sounds like we have answered our own questions. Thanks for clearing that up for me.

Tony, It sounds like the motor and transmission mounts are the problem to me. After they are replaced the problem you are describing will likely go away. Transmission failures in LS400s are rare. The only failure I have ever heard of was a transmission with over 600,000 miles! For that reason, used LS transmissions are very inexpensive. There is one on my local Craig's List for $100! I don't think you will have to worry about that though. Wasn't there a defect with the ECUs on 2nd-generation LS400s that caused a problem like this? I have seen it discussed on this forum before. Try searching for "ECU" and maybe you will come across the same thread I have seen.

The windshield on my 1992 LS, which is original (and due for replacement), does not appear to have any visible tint strip. I have never looked on the other LS400s owned by my friends and family members to see if they have a tint strip, but after seeing that Blake's does not have one, I am guessing they probably do not. Perhaps this is a unique "feature" of the older LS cars. Hopefully Blake will look at this thread later tonight and I'll find out if I am right or wrong.

Air suspension can very expensive to replace. But I have had several Lexus service technicians and members of this board tell me that the newer design is much more reliable and will last a very long time, much longer than the setup on the old LS400s. I would not hesitate to buy a GX or any other Lexus model equipped with the newer air suspension design. Which year do think is newer? Based on what I have heard from others, I think the design was first revised with the 1995 LS400, and then was updated several more times as air suspension became an option on other models.

Air suspension can very expensive to replace. But I have had several Lexus service technicians and members of this board tell me that the newer design is much more reliable and will last a very long time, much longer than the setup on the old LS400s. I would not hesitate to buy a GX or any other Lexus model equipped with the newer air suspension design.

$5,500 sounds very low for a clean 1997 LS...similar cars in Kansas City are selling for $8000 and up. LS400s, and Lexus cars in general, are extremely popular here so there are lots to choose from. If you decided to buy the Mercedes, ideally you would be able to keep your old car to sell yourself for a fair price. But, I doubt the price of the Mercedes will be as low without your trade-in. Without it, the dealer likely will not be able to make enough money on the deal to make it worth his time. After all, he will probably just turn around and sell your LS for $8-9000. Which car you choose will be a personal decision. It probably depends more than anything on your driving style and attitude. Going from an LS400 to a C240 would be a big smack in the face for me, since their driving characteristics and comfort levels are completely different. They are two different kinds of cars, a flagship luxury sedan and an entry level executive/sport sedan. I prefer to be comfortable and safe in a larger car, and do not drive agressively. How well the car handles is not as important to me as it is to others. I am more than happy to give up German car-like handling for the softer and quieter ride of my LS400. Then of course, there is the issue of Mercedes reliability. If you don't mind spending the extra money and time to maintain one, whether you perform the maintenance yourself or at a dealership, how reliable the car is probably does not matter to you. Based on the experiences of my relatives, friends, and other members of this board, I think it is safe to say that the overall cost of ownership of a Mercedes or BMW is much higher than that of a Lexus automobile.

It is difficult for me to understand why people pay lots of extra money for Amsoil-branded fluids. Can they really be that much better than Toyota OEM fluids, or other synthetic brands? I have not done lots of research on the subject, but from my experience on this board, and others, I have been unable to find any evidence from credible sources that proves Amsoil is any better than regular synthetic oils. My 1992 LS, approaching 150,000 miles, and a friend's 1994 LS with over 300,000 have been, and are still doing fine with Valvoline synthetic blend oil and Toyota OEM transmission fluid, changed at recommended intervals. I personally consider Amsoil and other high-priced synthetic fluids to be a huge waste of money.

found the problem,it was my altenator wire that was corroded(from the alt)that was robbing me of my power to the engine,in which i couldn't go faster as expected!! does anyone know where i can get this wire from?????? I have found Rich Industries to be a good place for small parts like that. Their prices are very reasonable and they usually do not have a problem shipping small parts outside of the Kansas City area. www.rich-industries.com

If you cannot afford to pay cash for the car, my advice is not to buy it. If you are just itching for a new car, buy a less expensive, reliable one that you can afford to pay cash for. It may not be a "prestige" luxury vehicle, but knowing you are financially independent will give you a much better feeling, even better than the feeling of driving a brand new Lexus or BMW.

Neither, if you ask me. 3000 miles/3 months is too often. I use synthetic oil in my car, and change the oil every 4000-5000 miles/every 6 months. Even that is probably excessive, but because of the kind of driving I do, I follow the "severe" maintenance schdule.

Many LS400s outside of the United States came equipped with seat heaters for the rear seats.

I have found Rich Industries to be a good place for used Lexus parts. www.rich-industries.com

I am guessing that your car's alternator is gradually beginning to fail. It is not unlikely that a power steering pump leak (directly above the alternator) can cause this type of failure. I would not trust AutoZone's alternator tester. When I had this problem, their tester repeatedly told me the alternator was good when I knew for sure it was not functioning.

Replacing the switches fixed this problem for me. Unfortunately, that is the only method I know of that will solve this problem, and it is not exactly the least-expensive repair to make.

The short answer, is no. Being a licensed ameteur radio operator has taught me more than I ever wanted to know about antennas. The XM antenna is not really designed to receive the same type of signal the regular antenna does. Actually, if you take a look at the back of the head unit, I don't even think the connectors are the same.

This problem is most certainly caused by a broken wire contained in the harness attached to the drivers' side trunk hinge.

The traces are for the defroster and the keyless remote antenna. I do not know much about window tint. If you are afraid of damaging the traces when removing the tint, you may want to look into having it professionally removed.

Have you tried checking your local Craig's List? I see many 1st-generation (and other) Lexus LS cars listed on ours in Kansas City.

Jim, I think you are right about the coax connector. But, unless I an not understanding the poster's description, the box behind the antenna with the FCC notice stamped on it, looks like the keyless remote receiver. The dealer-installed Lexus phone transceivers I have seen are black with a lock cylinder on top. Their looks remind me of a stereo amplifier. The transciever is rather large and I don't think it would fit back into that area behind the antenna. Actually, the last dealer phone transciever I saw installed in a first-generation LS was mounted under the rear seat cushion. It is interesting seeing this post today. I spent a better part of this afternoon tearing apart that section of my car's trunk. Still trying to figure out why the keyless remote suddenly stopped functioning a few months ago. If nothing else, I guess now I know how it all fits together!