Lexus LS 400/LS 430

slexy · June 2002

Thanks for the response, eadlu. My Dunlops are the SP 270's with the same wear rating and probably about the same price on tirerack.com. It may be the same tire with a new name? But, the Bridgestones may get more than 30K mi.(Revo's were rated for 40,000 mil.) and cost about $180 which means a $200 savings on four tires.

I also would not take a chance on damaging the rotors, but at an extra 10,000 mi. (5,000 per one milimeter), and then I was told there are still 2 milimeters before you get to the rotors, it may pay to go for awhile after the warning light comes on? In other words there are about 4 milimeters of pad wear from the time the light comes on till you hit the rotor. Can anybody confirm this? Thanks.

tdo123 · June 2002

stlouisslim - I would have to say that is a fantastic price for the car. I assume it has the chrome 17' wheels, etc. If I read your screen name correctly, you are in St. Louis and that blows away what they can do here in Kansas City. We do, however, price much better than they do on the coasts from what I see in the posts.

stlouisslim · June 2002

tdo123: Actually I went with the all season tires. I don't throw a car around curves as much as in my Triumph Spitfire days and I'm much more into a smooth ride. Also, I'd like to get more than 15,000 miles on a set of tires. My real concern is whether the dealer can get the car here in 3 weeks.

chitung · June 2002

Lexus is too cheap for not to have rear-view mirror memory like MB. What's wrong? A luxury car can't be like that. Lexus must implement this in their both ES and LS models.

stlouisslim · June 2002

OK, my Custom Lux is coming in two weeks with more do-dads than I ordered. It's Black Onyx/Bordeux Maple with Euro Suspension and Chrome Wheels. Dealer said that since he already gave me $3600 off, he would have to charge list price for the wheels. But he said that he might be able to switch them for standard wheels if he could find another buyer to swap with. How much better does the chrome look? Also, my wife is thinking of the gold trim package. How much is that? How does it look with black? Jeez, this is the same way we ended up with the world's most expensive Saturn three years ago.

Slim

jbianco12 · June 2002

In my opinion the gold package looks great with Black...and I think it's only about $200 or so. Go for it, particularly if it will make the wife happy.
As for the chrome wheels, I preferred them and got them on my silver 02 LS w/ custom lux pkg. But I think the dealer is trying to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge. If he/she really wants to sell a car that meets your needs, they should be able to swap out the wheels in any direction. For example, my car came from Japan without the chromes, but it only took them a nanosecond to figure how to put them on. So, it shouldn't take much more time for them to figure out how to take the chromes off. They're trying to make a few bucks off you. My advise is...keep pushing or go somewhere else!!

stlouisslim · June 2002

OK, I think I've figured out the wheels. Now I need to work on the Gold. Anybody know exactly what's in a Gold Trim Kit for an LS430? Anybody know its invoice/list/TMV cost. Thanks

wwest · June 2002

you add the gold just completely debadge it, completely dark car with chrome wheels would be stunning.

You could always add the gold later when you enter the world's oldest trade.

ljflx · June 2002

They were silent on 2003 LS430 changes in the most recent mailing I received. Never even mentioned the car in the future changes section. But they hinted that we are in for further changes in the 2003 line than the ones they mentioned.

Gold package - I had it on the 98 LS400 and though I liked it at first (exterior color was black) I actually got tired of it rather quickly and thought it cheapened the car. Just my opinion but make sure you think it'll have staying power with you before you take it. I got them to throw it in free but in the end wished I had passed on it and my wife felt the same way.

feverhart · June 2002

On the other hand, my wife's 98 LS400 and my LS430 both have the gold package. I think it looks stunning and adds to the appearance.

Of course that is just a personal preference like my definate preference for the external shape of the LS430 over the S500. (I saw a green S500 in the parking lot the other day and thought the LS430 to be much bolder and distinctive in appearance).

edarte · June 2002

On several occasions in the past I have used the "Owners" section of Lexus.com to send emails to Lexus regarding questions I have on my LS.

Today, when I tried to go there, I find that not only does it not appear possible to access my previous posts (which I could do before) but all links to "email Lexus" return an error.

Have others had this problem? Is it only temporary due to site design? Or is this Lexus' new level of customer service?

wwest · June 2002

customer_satisfaction_inquiries@lexus.com

jbianco12 · June 2002

It's probably just down. I've tried getting in before and got error messages...but was able to get on again the next day. Guess the site crashes when there are too many satisfied customers trying to get in ... lol
But seriously...I'm about as satisfied with my new LS430 as one can be.

lenscap · June 2002

I actually did not receive the last issue of insidelexus.com with the GS 300 Sportdesign. When I called Lexus they said they have nothing to do with that publication.

Does anybody know who I can contact to get put back on the mailing list? I guess it's possible the last issue simply got lost in the mail.

As for the gold package, I don't like it at all. I really think it cheapens the car. Mercedes and BMW do not even allow such an option because of this. But, that's just me. If you like it then get it.

ifpsken · June 2002

On my existing and prior LS400 I chose to accept the standard wheels and then replaced the stock wheels with chromed wheels provided by an aftermarket supplier, Autoweek classifieds has ads offering the chrome wheels. The dealer price was $1900 and I purchased the chromed Lexus wheels for $550 installed, Saved $1350!!!!

Or another option is to accept the stock wheels, buy aftermarket wheels and have an LS that differs from the other LS' out there with your selection of a different wheel. It would not be too much more in price when compared to the dealer chrome prices. Road & Track or Automobile magazines have ads of discounted wheel prices.

I had the dealer remove the gold package that they had installed on our LX470. The price was too high and gold packages I have seen that are a few years old are losing the gold plating. I requested that they leave the trim off and I like that clean/uncluttered look. The trim on the LX is secured only by an adhesive backing and the trim on my '99 LS is secured through the trunk lid (holes). I believe your option is only the gold or stock chrome otherwise you would have to have bodywork to fill the holes then paint.

[Deleted User] · June 2002

A friend of mine has a 99 LS400 that I've ridden in several times... and drove 120 miles recently. I am absolutely AMAZED at the gas mileage that it seems to get. Most of the time we're doing freeway driving, but usually he's done some city driving before he picks me up so it's an average between city and highway. Last time I climbed aboard, the tank average said 23 and by the time we had driven 120 miles on the freeway, it was up to 25. I knew that I had seen it in excess of 27 before, so when it was my turn to drive, I consciously tried to see how high I could get it. I drove the next 120 miles back from Reno to Sacramento and by the time I got to Sacramento it was at 29.2. I've been in several economy runs with Corvettes, and know how to get the best gas mileage out of whatever I drive, so I babied it up the hills at 15 MPG, and let it fly down the hills at 99.9 MPG, but I'm still amazed. I was hoping to get some insight on this discussion board... but everyone's more concerned about gold packages and chrome wheels than the stuff I look for in vehicles... LOL I'm 57 and retired, sold Chevrolets from 71-74, I'm on vehicle #50 and Motorcycle #14... including 8 Corvettes and a smattering of other vehicles of all kinds... most recently I'm stuck on Toyota trucks because I love them, and there's nothing u can drive for less money. I just wish Toyota would make a deluxe small truck with a V8 that would get 29 MPG :-) So, I know it doesn't matter what gas costs to someone that pays over $50K for a car... but is this a rare LS400, or do all of u get this kind of mileage... and if so, why isn't someone raising the flag to tell the rest of the world?

sidgriggs · June 2002

I have 2002 LS430 and have experienced the wipers coming on after sitting in the sun parked for several hours. I live in Dallas--it's hot.

Can anyone provide me with tech info so I can advise my Lexus dealer (Park Place of Plano) of the fix, as their only answer is "it happens"

ljflx · June 2002

I averaged 30mpg on a 1200 mile trip to and from Myrtle Beach in my 98 LS400. For the most part these cars get 19-25 mpg (both LS400 and 430). On the 2001 LS430 I average out at 22-23mpg with a mix of city and I'll call it "dirty highway" driving. In the NY metro area, as in most big cities you never really get clean highway driving. But if you take a trip down a coastal highway like I-95 and you miss the Baltimore and DC area traffic jams, you can get to 30mpg even at 75-85mph. And yes, even though the car costs a decent amount I still care about mpg and it will always bother me if I see gas cheaper at the next station than what I just paid. Some things never change.

ljflx · June 2002

You can write to them at InsideLexus, PO Box 899 Brea,CA 92822-9896.

If Lexus has nothing to do with this than someone has violated some of their most important copyrights and trademarks. No question this is a Lexus pub as they even have a post paid business reply if you are interested in the GX470. Probably the department you got in touch with has nothing to do with the pub but the pub is as Lexus as you can get. By the way the repy goes to the same address except the header is Lexus rather than InsideLexus if its about the GX.

jsb16 · June 2002

Can someone give me a target price on a 2002 Ls 430 with ML/NAV in the Chicago area? I seem to recall seeing someone mention a price like $54,800 but a salesman at Woodfield Lexus called me to get me to look at a 2001 trade-in (non-certified) with 16K miles with ML/NAV, Lexus Link and 17" Chromes and told me they wanted $55K for it. When I told him that seemed very high and mentioned this other number for a new 2002 model, he told me they have never sold them that low at the dealership. I could go either way on a good 2001 or a 2002 but I would expect a price below 48K for the used vehicle if the new ones sell for under 55K. Thanks.

[Deleted User] · June 2002

I can't believe how many people found this newsgroup, but haven't found any resources on the internet to get pricing on new or used cars...

You can get the MSRP and dealer invoice cost for just about any new car at...

http://carpoint.msn.com/

You can then call just about any dealer and ask for the fleet office and ask how much over invoice they want for the car u want... I never pay more than $500 over invoice, unless it's a PT Cruiser that just hit the market. I usually call dealers in a big metropolitan area first (because they're more competitive)... then after they tell me how much over invoice they want, I call the local dealer and see if they can match it. I sold cars for several years, and have owned 50 vehicles and purchasing was my profession for the rest of my career.

If you're looking for a used car, or want to know what yours is worth, u can go to...

http://kbb.com

the tradein value is what the dealer will give u when u trade your car in... BUT tradein "allowance" is different from tradein value, and I could expand on that if someone was interested. Tradein allowance is a combination of low book value and discount from the MSRP of the new one you're buying.

if u want to know the retail value, a better way to determine what a used car is worth is then go to ...

http://www.autotrader.com

and see what dealers and private parties are asking for them from coast to coast... you'll be amazed what the range is for the same car!

for example, you'll see there are already 1997 LS400s and E320s with 100K miles u can buy for under $20K... which is why I always buy Toyota trucks, they never depreciate $35K in 5 years :-) The worst thing about these techno/luxo cars is that they're full of bells and whistles that don't whistle after 5-10 years, or they cost so much to fix, it's more than the car's worth... so they become worthless. And BMWs and Mercedes are even worse in that respect. Cadillacs and Lincolns aren't even worth a mention here.

Or, if you'd like to read a real horror story, look at something I ran across the other day... the engine/sulphur problem BMW has with the 3.0 and 4.0 V8...

http://www.530i.org/

One thing I can say for Toyota... No one treats their customers as good as they do ! ! !

lenscap · June 2002

Thanks for providing the insidelexus address. I appreciate it.

wwest · June 2002

Any NEW car must have a sticker on the window indicating MSRP, no such requirement for used cars, sharp salesman are free to gouge inexperienced buyers to the bone.

oac3 · June 2002

i own a '99 LS 400 and in the 2 weeks since owning it, I get about 19 mpg on average, mostly city driving. i will hope that i can get the 25+ mpg that you refer to here. BTW, what mileage is on the '99 LS you drove ? mine has ca. 60K miles, and I'm wondering maybe mileage on the car is important to the type of mpg you get. No ?

jbianco12 · June 2002

I live in LA and do a lot of combination city/highway driving...it's probably a 50/50 split and get around 21 MPG. I have taken my 02 LS430 on longer highway trips (maybe 100 miles) and got around 26 MPG. Mileage will vary depending on things like the topography, the weight of your foot on the gas and how much you use the A/C etc... I also wonder sometimes how accurate the car calculates MPG...is the fox guarding the hen house? lol. But if you're getting 30MPG on long trips, that sounds outstanding to me.

brtmd · June 2002

jsb16,
I don't know if this helps you (ie. not Chicago area, but TX), but I just ordered an LS430 for $57,500+TTL with ML/Nav, 17" chrome wheels, trunk mat & wheel locks, and euro suspension. This was with no haggling on price or shopping around, so I am sure they can be had for less. Good luck with your purchase.

1991ls400 · June 2002

I guess newer LS400s get very nice mpg. I have a 1991 with 150K miles, and it does about 20 mpg combination of city/highway driving. I live in southern California.

A friend owns a 2000 RX300 and he gets about 19 mpg and it only has a V6! I guess his SUV is heavier, but then again I don't know the gross weigh of each vehicle.

flint350 · June 2002

I read thru the InsideLexus brochure, but didn't see anything about changes in the LS430. Did I just miss it or were you referring to the comment about "we have more in store"?

Interesting shot at BMW there on the last page.

The new GX470 sure looks good - is that the one you are interested in getting?

ljflx · June 2002

Yeah - the brochure hinted at other things to come. I think they are silent on the LS430 because they are up to something. I think that something is the v-12 engine and given they have fine tuned the LX470 and GX470 engine they are probably going to give the LS430 a power boost without changing engines on the v-8. Just my thoughts.

I took a 30 month LX470 lease because there is a major change coming in 2005 from what I hear. I like the GX470 because I need three rows of seats and it's a tad smaller which will make my wife a lot more comfortable driving it vs. the LX. But the LX is a great riding truck, smooth, quiet and with a ride not all that removed from the LS430. I've got plenty of time for any suv decisions at this point.

But given the great satisfaction I continue to have with Lexus, I don't see myself going anywhere else for my next purchase or lease of either car or suv. Did you see Ejerod's last post on the S board. I doubt I'll go S-class. Too many problems. Only the loyalists will put up with such problems and only for awhile.

What I'm much more excited about is that I'm switching jobs on Sept. 1, if I can get my company to finally accept it, (first time in 15 years)and I will be back in NYC rather than the suburbs. Lexus may well swap me out of my pine LS430 lease and into an SC430.

nealm1 · June 2002

Washington to Richmond roundtrip yesterday. 26.2 mpg. The Band's Last Waltz, Elvis & the Attractions, Diana Krall, T. Monk. What a great few hours.

gburns3701 · June 2002

Had my 1992 LS400 at the dealer today for a wheel balance. They called to say I need new tires(I knew they are marginal, but legal) and they said I need lower ball joints($283), upper control arms ($1160, and an alignment ($85. The car has 100K on it. I just had a four wheel alignment done on it last fall. No trouble with the suspension found at that time. I am having trouble believing that the suspension went south in 7 months. I am also having trouble believing that the suspension needs this work at the 100K mark. Anyone experienced a similar situation. Any comment or advice is appreciated.

jbianco12 · June 2002

Sounds a little odd to me.
How about bringing it in to a different Lexus dealer for a "check up" to see what the findings are? Also, sometimes asking 20 questions helps...trip them up in a possible lie. Have them put the car up on a rack, pretend you know something about cars, and ask them to show you their findings. Here's questions 1: "I'd like you to show me and explain in as much detail as necessary the problem with the upper control arm." For $1100 they better have a good story to tell. But this is advice from a non-mechanical guy. Any thoughts from the experts out there?

[Deleted User] · June 2002

The 99 LS400 I was driving has about 30K on it. I was wondering how accurate the gas mileage computer was myself. I was also watching the gas gauge. It went from 1/2 to 3/8 during that 120 miles, so it seemed like it could actually be true. To increase the tank average from 25 to 29 in that 120 miles, I had to be getting about 35 MPG. I've also taken several trips in 3 different motorhomes this year, and it's always a challenge for me to see what kind of mileage I can get if I try hard. Best secrets are to let it slow down 10 MPH going up the hills, let it creep up 10 MPH going down the hills, keep your foot absolutely still on the straightaways, and never use the cruise control. My 2001 Toyota Tacoma 3.4 V6 automatic rarely gets over 20 MPG on the hwy, though I'm usually driving 80 MPH. I just wish Toyota would put this 4.0 V8 in the Tacoma. The Tundra with a 4.7 V8 definitely gets worse than my Tacoma. I had a 96 Mustang GT 4.6 V8 that I could get 28MPG with, so I know it's a matter of getting the right engine in the right vehicle to make it efficient.

wbreaux · June 2002

Just out of curiosity, why would using cruise control hurt gas mileage? I've always thought it helped.

wwest · June 2002

Slow down going up hill, speed up going downhill, cruise wouldn't allow you to do that. personally I think killing overdrive would be just as effective going uphill. But cruise will often retard the timing (lower MPG) even at idle in order to maintain the set speed downhill.

tdo123 · June 2002

WWEST speaks the truth. I often make a game of trying to out due the cruise with my foot and always can do better.

As for the LX470 owners out there: I am hearing this car is about to be extinct in new production. Toyota wants the Sequoia and GX470 to become the next LandCrusier and LX470. I think maybe just one more year of them according to Motor Trend.

dustbird · June 2002

Here are some details on who runs InsideLexus, or at least manages the domain name:

Domain Name: INSIDELEXUS.COM

Created on..............: Tue, Nov 30, 1999
Expires on..............: Tue, Nov 30, 2004
Record last updated on..: Tue, May 14, 2002

Organization:
Toyota Motor Sales, USA
Domain Name Administrator
19001 S. Western Avenue, A307
Torrance, CA 90509-2722
US
Phone: (310) 468-2241
Fax..: (310) 468-6814
Email: domainnameadmin@toyota.com

drcomputer · June 2002

Just had the mobile service guy install the new "and improved" rain sensor. I'll leave it in the AUTO position again and see if the ghost wipers happen when the car sits in the sun. I'll report my findings on here.

jbianco12 · June 2002

Was the ghost whiper problem on the 01 or 02 LS? I'm going in for my 1st 6mo. service in a few weeks and will ask about it if it applies to the 02 model.

jrdh23a · June 2002

I have not been satisfied with the Dunlop sp270 tires that came on my LS. I was thinking of changing brands, but there are not many options for 225/55/17. I would like to use Yokohama AVS db's, but they are not offered. It appears that there is a better selection at 245/50/17. Most of these tires use a 7.5 inch rim. Does any know how wide the 17 inch alloy rims are. The 16 inch is 7 inches wide, but I can't find the info on the 17. The overall tire diameter is about the same. Is there any reason I shouldn't consider this?

blehrlich · June 2002

I just put 245/50 17 Michelin Pilot Sport All Season tires on my 2002 LS ($218 from tirerack).
They ride great, are much quieter than the regular pilot sports, and are fantastic in the rain (non-stop for the last few days). The car looks great with the slightly wider profile, and there are no fitment issues.

tdo123 · June 2002

I have a 2002 LS and I have started having the ghost problem on hot days. Looks like it is happening in both 2001 and 2002 models.

jrdh23a · June 2002

Are you running 16 or 17 inch tires. Six weeks ago you posted you were running 16 inch pilot tires and now you are posting about 17 inch tires. Have you swapped rims? What's the story?

woppenhe · June 2002

Has anyone seen their rain sensor activate the wipers in their LS 430 just by pushing on it a little bit. It is in front of the mirror. I had mine replaced and when I went to touch it just to see if it was adhering to the windshield properly, it activated, and continues to activate the wipers as long as the auto wiper feature is engaged. One touch, one cycle. I was told that they all do that--give it a try and let us know.

dealin · June 2002

I have a 2002 that has the heat problem and has not been replaced that also activates when I touch it.

woppenhe · June 2002

Yes, I am not sure it is really an issue. There appears to ge a gell like substance that is the intermediary in the senor device, and that can be disturbed mechanically and set off the wiper ccycle. Anyone know how rain sensor's actually work. When it does rain, it is an amazing piece of technology observe in action. Slows as the car slows, speeds up depending on the voume of rain hitting the windscreen, etc.

jbianco12 · June 2002

Well, it was a pretty hot weekend in LA. Took a drive out to the desert...100 degrees...I put the wipers in the auto mode....and....nothing happened.
Maybe it's just an 01 problem??

woppenhe · June 2002

How does the Rain sensor work?

http://usglassmag.com/AGRR/Backissues/0202/0202rainsensors.htm

blehrlich · June 2002

I went from the 16 to 17 inch rims, thus switched tires as well. The Pilot Sport All Saeson tires are much better than the Pilot HX MXM tires I had. I'm currently on the 17s and they're great.

sfmartin · June 2002

I believe the rain sensor works by bouncing a beam of infrared light off the windshield at an acute angle. When the windshield is dry, the whole beam is reflected and is received by the sensor. If the windshield is wet, not all of the beam gets back. The more rain, less gets back, therefore the wipers know to work harder.

Lexus LS 400/LS 430

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