LS400 Timing Belt Job

blkmgk

when my 97 LS400 is reaching that 90k mark. And it is also that time for major tune-ups. One of them happens to be the timing belt job. Has anyone taken their car for any major job such as this or bigger, do you really have to do this ? what other areas of maintenance are vital at this point in the cars' life??
Thanks for responding.

Mr_Shiftright

WEll, I think 90K miles is sort of an important milestone.

You definitely don't want to mess around with "timing belt" roulette, because the gain from the risk is not worth the possible punishment from losing--it's that simply...if you're lucky, you "save" $600 bucks or whatever, and if you lose, you lose BIGTIME.

90K is also about the time that suspension components wear out, so those need to be inspected. Also, various drive belts and hoses may be past their prime, as might the battery, wiper blades and the car's various fluids and oils.

If your car is in tiptop shape right now, and since it is such a nice car, I don't see why you shouldn't give it a really good going over with a major, major service at 90K, even if this exceeds $1,500, it would be worth it if you plan to keep the car.

Tow truck drivers will tell you that most breakdowns begin with the failure of relatively small and inexpensive components.

bretfraz

You might want to get some good advice about this job and other jobs that are needed. There is a member here in Town Hall called "Q45man". He is involved with a repair shop in Atlanta called T3 Automotive. They have a stellar reputation for repairs on Lexus' and Infiniti's, mostly LS400 and Q45. There are very few shops in the US that are competent enough to work on these complex cars. Get in touch with "Q45man" and he can provide details on what needs to be done at 90K and prolly provide a rough estimate.

If you live near Atlanta or travel here on business, it is worth your while to stop by and talk to the guys. You will learn a lot about your car.

The only other place I can honestly recommend outside T3 is your dealer. You should stop by there and have them provide you with a 90K mile estimate. If you live in an area with several Lexus dealers, be sure to shop around.

I am sure there are little shops that would accept your car for repairs, but you ain't drivin' a Corolla. The LS400 is one of the most complex cars on the road and needs an experienced hand to work on it. Don't let just any grease monkey tear into it - check them out thoroughly before handing over your baby.

Good luck!!