sgtm7

I don't go to the dealer for anything. If you do, you SHOULD get a loaner car. Heck, for what they charge for labor, they should give you a loaner HOUSE.

How much are you selling it for? I have an LS400 with 282,000 miles on it. I should have no problem getting another 200K out of that low mileage one that you have.

Next time go to carsurvey.org, when researching a car. The RX300 is famous for transmission problems.

Since I only buy used cars, this would be great for me! But if you plan on buying a more expensive car (the LS460), this can't possibly be good for you.

You can use an hormonic balancer pulley to remove the crankshaft pulley. You can borrow one from Autozone or Checkers. I actually borrowed one from them to use to replace my crankshaft pulley, but decided to just pay a local mechanic $85 to do it for me.

Thats for the info,think that could the trouble ive got with my car.I have the same warm start with my car..

I was pleasently surprised in how easy it is to change the pump. Easy DIY job as long as you avoid blowing the car up due to gas fumes. I found an OEM quality pump for 100.00 and a TRE pump exactly like OEM for 60 shipped. I can get the pump cheaper than the regulator.

Yeah, can't you get to the LS400 fuel pump, by just taking out the back seat? Having had to drop the fuel tank on a Lincoln about every year for 3 years, just removing the back seat to get to one would have to be cake.

You said anywhere but MAACO? Actually MAACO does a pretty good job. I have taken all my cars there. $2500 sounds like a good price. Hell, even at MAACO it cost me $1500. But I have that three stage, pearl white color, that usually cost more anyway.

i read about a 95 owner whose timing belt did break and ruined the engine. he proclaims that 95+ are interference engines. he even checked the repair manual which states that the crankshaft has to be in a certain place while changing the timing belt so that no damage occurs. but as for me nope.

Yes, I have read all over the web that 95+ are inteference engines, so it is best to change them at the recommended 90K. Wish I had known this before I changed mine the last time. Could have saved some money. I think I changed mine at 177K last time. I am sitting at 278K, and have no intention of changing it, until it either breaks, or I discover it is frayed.

Within the next couple of weeks, I plan on purchasing a newer Lexus – most likely a ’98 to ’00 model. This is in part driven by the fact that my wife thinks that will be a better choice than continuing to maintain the ’91 to a high standard.

I bought the ’91 in 1994 as a CPO vehicle and have had nearly all the service done at the Lexus dealership. I’ve got a set of Michelin MXV4 Plus tires with a lot of wear left in them. Cosmetically the car looks great with glossy paint and a very nice interior including heated seats and the Nakamichi. I’ve already replaced the A/C head. I replaced the lower ball joints and also had new spark plug wires and other electrical components replaced at the dealer. In general, I’ve done everything right with maintenance without deferring anything. The car runs as quiet as ever and remains a pleasure to drive even with 170K miles on it. I still love this car as much as ever in many ways.

Nevertheless, the usual maintenance issues are starting to appear in spite of me giving the car meticulous care:

1. PS Pump is beginning to leak. Dealer quotes about $1850 to replace pump and high pressure hose. I’m guessing this could be done at an independent for less than $900.

2. There is apparently some buildup on the rear air suspension struts. I haven’t had any sagging or other problems yet so this could probably be left go for a while. Options include dealer w/ OEM parts for about $1,850, independent with reman struts at $495 each plus labor or a coil-over conversion.

3. The A/C Compressor and receiver/dryer need to be replaced. Unfortunately, I had an import shop “repair” my A/C system rather than Lexus. I think I ended up being a guinea pig as the shop replaced virtually everything else in the A/C system to the tune of nearly $3,000 over multiple visits and I still ended up with no A/C – lesson learned!

4. When having the vehicle inspected for potential repairs, the dealership commented that the rear main oil seal may need replacing at a cost of $970. I’ve never noticed any oil consumption so I imagine this could be deferred for a long time.

5. The antenna mast sticks about 3” out. The motor is still good but I think a new mast is about $60.

6. The front brakes will need replacing soon – dealer estimate of $320.

7. The timing belt and water pump is normally replaced at 180K. Given this is a non-interference engine, this could also possibly wait.

As you can see, it seems to make no financial sense to my wife to continue to maintain this car at the Lexus dealership. If I could swing a wrench or find a way to do the maintenance inexpensively, the story might be different.

So – what is a car like this worth? What should I ask for and more importantly what should I accept for it? I think it would be an awesome car for a student that would last a long time simply by replacing the PS pump and driving the car ‘til it can’t go any longer. The car might also be a great car for someone with mechanical aptitude. And, shudder to think it – but parting out the car might be valuable (though I’m not willing to do that myself).

Also, where is the best place to try to sell this – the local paper, Cars.com, AutoTrader.com, eBay?

Thanks in advance for your advice!

Looks like you overpaid for some of your repairs. Maybe it is due to your location. For example, I only paid $1000 dollars to replace my AC, and I switched it over to R134 while I was at it. Also, if it is just the high pressure hose that is leaking and not the actual pump, you can have a hose manufactured for much less than replacing the pump. The guy I bought mine from did this, and I haven't had any problems with it 150K miles later.

To answer your question: I don't know about the other options you mentioned, but everytime I used the local paper, whatever I was trying to sell was sold within 2 days, at the price, or close to, the price I was asking. To check how much your car is worth, I would use one of the pricing websites (NADA.com, edmunds.com, kellybluebook.com, etc). The mileage might scare many buyers away who don't know anything about Lexus. I have 278K miles on mine, and have spent less on maintenance than on any other cars I have owned that didn't even have 1/4 the mileage.

I need to replace the drivers side Master Power Window Switch on a 1990 LS400. Did a google, and found several listings on Ebay for the one for the 92-96 Camry. They advertise that it will probably fit the 1st generation LS400. Looking at the picture it looks the same. Does anyone know if it is in fact the same?

1990 LS400 with 273,000 miles. Just had the transmission rebuilt last week. I definitely can't complain, since I have owned 3 american luxury cars that had to have the trannys rebuilt at under 100K.