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Besides the Rip Off dealerships Lexus of Cherry Hill & Lexus of Atlantic City in New Jersey
Most people don't spend quite this much because they don't keep the car in like new condition for the 200,000 miles. Things like paint, tires, brakes, shocks and suspension components, alignments, engine cleanliness [EGR/PCV], exterior glass/headlights, and displays are often under maintained or cheaper aftermarket components are substituted in effforts to save money.
If you only spend $1000 a year and drive 15,000 miles per year, you have unaddressed issues with any car even a Civic would be hard pressed continue like new operation on this diet of funds.
Be truthful what is the markup on items in the industry where you work.
Do you ever accuse your doctor of ripping you off after heart surgery what about the pharmacy?
Ps Toyota sets the LIST prices for parts!
Shouldn't you be in another town hall?
You must work for a dealership that services Lexus's and Infinities and are attempting to justify the exorbinant costs that dealers charge for parts and service....Who would buy a used car that requires $3000 a year for maintenance...not me? Let the people that can afford a new LS400 pay for those frivolous services every 7.5kmi.
My advice to other used Ls400 owners is find a reliable mechanic who you trust to work on your fine automobile and when something goes wrong have it fixed immediately...i.e. power steering leaks...then fix before the alternator goes out. Put in platinum plugs that are good for 100kmi and change the oil and other fluids at the recommended intervals.
As for the leaking LCD's... I'm with blumrln count the beeps to set the temperature and look at your watch for the time....I'm not going to spend $500 for something that does not provide any significant usefulness....save the money for some nice riding tires at 200kmi ;-)
As for not being able to sell the vehicle if the LCD is blurry....Bull?!*&....Myself and other LS400 owners were willing to negotiate a lower price accepting the fact that I will have to look at my watch a few times. I was very willing to take $500 off the price for that small inconveniance.
My advice to anyone looking into buying a used LS400 is have it checked out by a mechanic first and be ready to own one of the best cars in the world...consider this...for under $15000 you can own a REAL nice used LS400 that is better than any new Ford Taurus you will ever ride in and more reliable if cared for properly. In addition your used LS400 will probably have better resale in 5 years when you want to upgrade to another LS400.
I went to the dealership to purchase an LS, But before I got into the showroom I was speaking to a LS owner who wanted to trade in his car, But the dealer wouldn't give him a fair trade in, So I made him an offer and he agreed we went to my bank and I drove the car home.
I am fortunate to have a long time friend who is a master mechanic and I have not had to take the car to a dealer ever.
I was prepared to replace mechanical parts (ps pump,alternator,rack & pinion,brake pads,tires etc..) over time. I don't mind, I bought the car to drive and enjoy and thats what i do.
http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/summary_lglux.htm
Fortunately, I can repair most problems with my cars and even then I don't fix everything that goes wrong with my cars. I carefully consider the part cost+labor+benefits(problem fixed) before doing any repair, and if I decided not to fix the problem, does that classified my car as "improperly maintained"? I don't think so! My cars can run just a good if not better than many cars that are on the road.
...And to spend $3K on average per year to "properly maintain" your LS400 is way too high for my taste. Unless you're satisfied with "fattening up" the dealers and "thinning out" your wallet then be my guest, otherwise, shop around and don't give-in to mechanic's demands without doing further research.
Total cost of fix $195-.
I have new issues though. My driver door handle cracked as I opened the door (During LCD fix!) I order a new one from irontoad.com for $105-. The dealer wants $125- to install and I wonder if I should do it myself. have any members done this install ? if yes any advice?
I also have transmission shudder and poor down shifts etc. I am considering the flush and type IV Toyota tranny fluid as recommended here as well, I just hope it helps because car is really enjoyable excluding the tranny vibration and torque converter lock up. I do not even know what torque converters do or how this would affect and cause tranny shudder??
I am supposed to sell this car ( I am a dealer ) however I find myself becoming somewhat attached to her.
Sheldon
http://www.irontoad.com/l_home.htm
T3 is SE largest independent repair facility [ATL], we only work on the two brands and Lexus represents 65% of our current 3,107 customer base.
My estimates are adjusted upwards to reflect dealer charges from our own data base.
Our average service bill for an LS runs $331 per visit but we don't deal with tires.
Forum members prove my point by not spending the money to keep cars like new [HVAC display blanked out].
I think I have found the answer....Wheelskins...
You can go to www.wheelskins.com to view them. For my walnut/tan LS400 I purchased the eurotone tan/brown combination.
I purchased them at a discount from www.DCCARCARE.com they are extremely helpful.
There is nothing like unblemished leather against your skin.....Ahhhhhhhhh.
OK you perverts...I know there is something that would feel better but this is a car site!
For steering wheel mine was chewed up horribly. I tried to find a correct from Lexus replacement to no avail and then tried after market with no success. I brought the car to a upholstery shop who does headlines and seat cover repair etc. He sanded down and removed old color and "dyed" (more like a special paint they call it "dye")the steering wheel to match original color. Cost $35- and it looks super!.
Door handle driver side. I received the handle from irontoad.com, dealer asked for $125- to install and warned me not to attemp due to one screw being almost impossible to reach. I just could not help myself and when I was told not to do it, I just had to try. It took 2 hours and Yes one screw was difficult to get at but job is done and door handle works perfect. Cost of door handle $131- with 2 day shippping. This job does require some mechanical ability and some prior knowledge of door panel removal. If you have not done some of the aforementioned I do not recomend attempting this one alone.
One of my remote keys does not open the door locks after I changed the 3 volt battery , any sugggestions or fixes for this issue??
Best regards
Sheldon
It is Me , well i just got my new Rack and Pinion installed but not at the Lexus Dealer Bridgestone/Firestone and now when the car is in Park it makes this slight vibration , I mean it is so slight no one but me (Psyco about the car) can hear/feel it. it is a humming sound/feeling that you can feel JUST on the floor around the pedals and the Tack is not moving or going up and down so..... I was just wanting to know if this could be because the REMANUFACURED RACK AND PINION was not installed correctly, or has a defect or if it may be some other problem I also had the oil Changed there at Bridgestone/Firestone, could that be it ? do Lexus require a certain oil ??? ok well thanks hope someone can help !
Paul,
(LONG time Lexus Fan) !
In you msg #27 you mention to "Stick your fingers in bottom of vents and pull straight out." what vents are you talking about? It didn't seem to matter relative to your other descriptions to getting to the bulbs.
Secondly, I dropped off my LS 400 to have both the P/S pump and A/C compressor replaced. The first 4 rebuilt compressor leaked and the current one in the car has a vibrating piston just like my original with 100K miles. I love the car but the major maintenance is running @ $2K/yr at this point.
Any and all input would be appreciated.
Refer to msg#27&122 for LCD replacement procedure. You can get the rebuilt part directly from the rebuilder at a lower price than the dealer(Read older messages on this thread). The rebuilder is located in S. SanFrancisco.
I found this out by turning on the lights in my car and raising and lowering the trunk. Wiggle the wires in the harness withing the hinge and you will find the culprit. Simply cut and resplice to correct the problem.
What am I looking at as far as annual maint/repairs go if the car was previously well-maintained?
As a 93 LS400 owner with 111k miles, I found it comforting to know that I wasn't the only one to with the leaky PS pump that ultimately killed the alternator...I should've heeded the dealer's warning! Well, like they say, when it rains, it pours! Now that I've got a new PS pump and alternator, my mechanic found out that the thermostat and the thermostat housing are bad too, thus causing the car to overheat. So hopefully replacing the thermostat and housing will take care of the problem. Anything else I should be looking at?How often should the radiator be replaced?
Also, message #58 (from Sandyfordiii) was never answered. ["I've noticed my outer half of the speedometer needle in my 91 LS 400 flickered for awhile and is now just dead. Might anyone know of a fix short of a new factory part, or of a source for rebuilt speedometers / needles?"] The dealer told me that the whole display assembly needs to be replaced ($500+ total), but is this true of is he just trying to rip off another customer?
If anyone has any answers or recommendations, please respond. Talk to you all soon!
http://www.msnbc.com/news/546530.asp#BODY
timing belt - $600
front and rear brakes - $500
60,000 mile service - $800
75,000 mile service - $200
90,000 mile service - $600
Imagine you are turning in front of an oncoming semi when this happens - not good.
It started one or twice a week, now several times a day. Took it to the dealer twice, he replaced the TPS sensor, then adjusted the TPS sensor. He swore it was fixed (I insisted on talking to the mechanic.) That was yesterday. Today it happened twice, once while I was at the wheel. The only fix is to stop the engine and restart the car.
Shifting gears makes no diference - to neutral or park, the drive - but reverse gear still works.
VSC switch makes no difference.
Turn off the engine, start it again, everything works fine by the warning ligths and message are still there - after a while they go away.
I'm afraid to let her drive the car.
ps about 30,000 miles on this car
this could kill somebody.
For question about wether to purchase a early 1990 LS 400 here is my opinion. Be preapred to spend a lot of money for parts and maintenance. The car is reliable and perfoms suberp, however it is expensive to own. The V-8 only uses premium fuel, and averages 15 MPG city. The trade off is you will own and drive a very prestigious, luxury car for a lot less than what a 2000 year model costs to purchase or lease. I think, if you can afford 2K a year for up keep than treat yourself to one. I would not pay 50 grand to purchase or 10 grand a year to lease a new one so I purchased a used one for a lot less. I think it will still have a resale value when 12 to 15 years old with 125 k plus miles, there will always be a buyer for such a car. I am a car dealer and I have a 2001 Nissan sentra that I bought outright, this is my daily driver which makes 25 miles to a gallon and takes less than 3 quarts oil when changing. I have been using my Lexus on weekends so I am not running up the miles and tearing up the car. I realize this is not feasible for all people, however it is a good way to own such a car to keep costs down and its value up. I have entered my 92 LS-400 in a E-bay auction, you can check it out a white 92 LS 400, flroida car.
The LCD unit can be purchased from Mikado Technologies 1-(650) 615-9966. I changed mine and I am very happy I did, I no longer squirm or get upset when I glance at the A/C/ unit.
Best regards to Y'all
Sheldon
I have just recived my new 23K Gold Package for my 94 and i just installed it, looks wonderful , however I am not sure on how to take the old Antenna Bezel out and then install the new one , if anyone can help that would be great.
(Long time Lexus Fan)
Paul
I just took a Look at your 1992 LS400 Sheldon , wow it is very nice , but why are you letting her go after all the work and $$ ? do you have another Lexus ? i would not want to get rid of an LS400 with all the problems solved cuz that car will last you another 100,000 MILES k well hope to hear from you soon !
Paul
To earn a living I am a consultant for import export companies. This occupies about 7 to 10 days a month. For the remaining time I buy and sell cars. I only purchase and sell cars I enjoy driving and repairing. This is my second Lexus
LS 400 and I am learning a lot about them particulalrly through this message board. I do a lot of the work myself to keep busy and I really enjoy it. At auctions I select only the best car I can find and search for the service records and/or hints of one ownership. I purchased this car and invested 1000 dollars into reconditioning. I have the time and the knowledge to change the LCD for example when the average person would not have the time or know how so I do it for them. I would only sell the car in the type of condition I would like it to be if I were the customer/buyer. If I get the price I want it will be sold, if not I will keep it. I do use it and enjoy it. I have another car, a 1985 cadillac Eldorado with 55 thousand orginal miles in very good condition as well. That car is at fedcar.com it is white exterior wit red interior. It is also a toy for me to play with but, Lexus is my favorite.
Best regards
Sheldon
Well I was looking through the history records of my LS400 and I found one that was done on September 5th,1997 with 45,942 miles at Lexus it is part # 350105007084 and it states as follows on the service record
DESCRIPTION-~Reman ATM W/TORQ/C List price of $4,359 Net $5,115~ Then there was another part states as follows ~
Core, Reman ATM, LS, LIST-$1,000 NET, $1450 then it has it Subtracted from the $5,115 price for a grand total of $3,665.27 + $247.50 for Labor = $3,912.77 ,This is also on the record
CONDITION-"Hesitation felt why driving"
CAUSE-Clutch Shutters on Reingagement, Shifts Hard 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd
Remedy- Replace Trans Assy
Ok well What I am wanting to know is "what was installed ??" was it a new Automatic Transmission ? is so WHY did it FAIL !?!?! and what is a Torq C ?? is that a common problem I think i have heard it mentioned before ALSO what was that $1,450.00 SUBTRACTED from the initial $5,115.27 cost , thanks everyone hope someone can help (Tyring to learn more about my Lexus "under the hood wise")
(Lexus Fan)
Paul
It costs $295 for an individual ordering the unit.....If you can get a shop to order it for you the cost is wholesale at $195.
They require you to send in the unit or it costs you an extra $100.
I love my car and have expenienced no serious problems with it. It has 116,000 miles and I guess I will drive it until it won't go any more!
I recently had my "94 LS in for service and attempted to have them order me a new ignition key with remote. They wanted $350 for ONE key so I told them to keep it. My remote button broke off when I dropped the keys but it isn't worth that much for a new one
Best of luck
Sheldon
rather embarrasing.
Ken
Thanks in advance,
Garrett
garrettc@eos.net
1. LS400 timing belt is no wimpy belt. It is homungus and should last for at least 100K assuming the belt is not contaminated(ie. oil or antifreeze), properly pensioned, and no lock-up.
2. LS400 engine is free-wheeling, thus, no damage to the engine when the belt snap. However, you would need a tow to your favorite shop or to your own garage for a belt replacement.
In short, I decided to not throw away the timing belt prematurely, and to be on the safe side, I would replace it at 90K which equated to 50% more usage. These are my thoughts. Make your own decision!
Has anyone installed non-OEM shocks and, if so, at what mileage, price range, and results?
This is a great board for LS owners - but I keep nerviously checking the power steering pump every Sunday!
its 90,000 miles service. Since I read several messages mentioned replacing the water pump and the power steering pump, I will probably replace them at 90,000 miles.
Everyones feedback is appreciated.