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Lexus LS 400/LS 430

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Comments

  • wbreaux1wbreaux1 Member Posts: 55
    I assume this has been covered since I've seen references, but i can't find anything detailed. I am considering new cars and have recently put the LS430 on the list. When is the redesigned model expected to be out? I've seen it referred to as a MY 2007, which I assume may mean in about 12 months?? Thanks in advance.
  • michael88michael88 Member Posts: 10
    Hi luxoseeker - Yes, I am still reading the messages, lot's of great information.

    I am also considering the same color combination that you bought [black cherry/cashmere]. Are you happy with the combination? I have heard comments from others that the paint shows swirls soon after a buffing or waxing. But I love the combo.

    Did you deal with the Internet Sales person or someone else? I plan to do my shopping via the net.

    Your a great help.
  • luxoseekerluxoseeker Member Posts: 10
    I love my black cherry/cashmere combination. The black cherry is an awesome color and was really the only color I was interested in for a new LS. It is a tough color to find, however, it took me about a month and a half to find one. During that time, there wasn't a single black cherry available in California. I originally wanted black a cherry/ecru with ultra lux, but apparently the factory isn't building that combination at all now (at least they were not showing up on any future allocation lists). I could have tried ordering one, but since we are approaching the end of the model year, there was some talk that there was a chance that the order might not be filled for 2005 (and there was already an order ahead of me for the exact same combination). Who knows...I decided I really didn't need the ultra lux, and I was able to get a much better deal on the modern lux. In any case, I love the car. Regarding the black cherry, since it's a rather dark color, I think it will be prone to swirl marks if you're not careful when washing and waxing. But I had a GS400 in Cinnabar Red that developed swirl marks, but my detailer took them right out. I plan on having my black cherry LS professionally detailed and waxed twice a year, with some wax touch-ups by me inbetween, and I'm going to hope for the best. I think the black cherry is worth the extra work to maintain it.

    I tried using Internet Sales (I got 5 quotes), but all the quotes but one were $2K to $3K over invoice. Coliseum Lexus quote was around $1K over invoice. I went to my credit union (County Federal here in San Jose), and their car buying service could do it for $1K over invoice. I got Serramonte Lexus to agree to that deal and put a deposit on a black cherry LS to be delivered in two weeks. In the meantime, Lexus of Stevens Creek received a black cherry in their inventory, I told them my deal with Serramonte, they matched it, I cancelled my deposit with Serramonte, and bought the car at Stevens Creek. LS inventories are high right now in the Bay Area so it's good time to buy; however, finding black cherry may be a challenge.

    Good luck...I hope this helps!
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Can't tell you how much of a turn off that issue is for me...... Has anybody spoken to any reps from Toyota about it or received any explanations as to why their clearcoat would be less durable than anyone else's these days? The paint on my Lincoln is like armor coating - rocks and other car doors have bounced off so far, no chips at all to repair. I'm gonna have a problem if I replace it with an LS or an LX and have little rock chips on the hood all the time...
  • famwaldfamwald Member Posts: 114
    The only soft paint I've experienced so far, in the first 5k of our '05 LS, is on the bumper. Perhaps because the bumper itself is plastic, that is the basic problem. It's my first painted bumper on a car ... ever.

    OTH, I do a lot of sewing and bought a new sewing machine last summer (the way some of you buy cars-LOL). This machine was made in Japan. On a Yahoo Group for the sewing machine, there evidently was a batch of bad paint because it was chipping & peeling off the bed of the machine of hundreds of owners. The bed & housing of the machine are metal--not plastic. I've not had that problem, but I'm seeing little holes where I've pierced the paint with a safety pin. That is NOT normal.

    It sort of makes one wonder if there was a bad batch of paint somewhere in Japan.

    I'll never forget the year some turf care chemicals left a factory either mislabeled or the wrong strength, but golf course greens were burned up all over our area from normal use of the chemical. It was a mfrg. problem with major consequences.

    "Stuff" happens.
  • ljflxljflx Member Posts: 4,690
    My paint is as good as ever. Unless I read this board I'd never know anything about this. Paint was great in 95,98,2001 and again on this 2004 LS I now have. It's people that intentionally scratch your vehicle (several on my GX) that I'd like to get my hands on.
  • luxoseekerluxoseeker Member Posts: 10
    The front end of my '99 GS400 (Cinnabar Red), both bumper and hood, chipped pretty badly over it's 6 years. It was a challenge keeping up repairs with the touch-up paint. Similarly, the bumper and hood of my '95 Lincoln Mark 8 (Deep Jewel Green) had the same problem; after 74K miles, it was a mess. However, the front end of my '84 Cadillac Eldorado (pale yellow) was nearly flawless after 94K miles. Here's what I was told by a friend that is fairly knowledgeable in most things automotive: cars are more and more aerodynamic these days (such as my Mark 8 and GS400) which means that rocks and debris kicked up by trucks and other cars are not deflected away from bumpers and paint like they used to be by blunt front ends (such as my Eldorado). Consequently, this debris is more likely to make contact with the car leaving chips and marks on bumpers, hoods, and windshields. Is this REALLY true? I can't say; I'm not an expert. Another friend of mine with an '02 BMW 5-series is complaining about the many rock chips accumulating on his bumper and hood. He finally put a bra on the front of his beemer. So whether the problem is aerodynamics or soft paint or combination of the two...personally, I'm having the clear plastic coating put on the front end of my new black cherry LS. I'm not crazy about the way this coating looks, but it's better than the chips.
  • vchengvcheng Member Posts: 1,284
    ... is the industry-wide changeover from volatile oil based paints to water-soluble base paints to reduce VOC emissions from car manufacturing plants.
  • michael_mattoxmichael_mattox Member Posts: 813
    The LS is built solely in Japan.
  • vchengvcheng Member Posts: 1,284
    .... think that they made the changeover in Japan too. I am aware that the LS is made at the Tahara plant in Japan, thank you for pointing that out.
  • mmm1mmm1 Member Posts: 54
    I would like to get a list of Cbest settings for the '03 LS 430 and the 05 RX 330. Saw this on a link a couple years ago but would like to get it again if anyone knows the link. Thanks.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Would someone be so kind as to post them here instead of sending folks elsewhere to find them? (You can't send folks to other automotive message boards - see the Rules of the Road linked at the top of the page and/or the MA linked on the left.)

    That'd be really great - it will help mmm1 and anyone else who comes along looking for that information.
  • aggie76aggie76 Member Posts: 266
    Pat, just sent you an email with an attachment with the list of settings. Can't figure out how to attach a file here so maybe you can help.
  • swiftmswiftm Member Posts: 68
    :) mmm1: Lexus.com has all the cbest setting

    http://www.lexus.com/home/faqs/lps.html
    swiftm
  • aggie76aggie76 Member Posts: 266
    Wow, that's new and must be part of the new program offering the adjustment of settings at the initial service. I got my copy very clandestine and almost had to give away my first born for them back in '97 and again last year. Glad to see some things coming out of the dark ages.
  • gteach26gteach26 Member Posts: 576
    I purchased a Nokia 6255i bluetooth phone and hooked it up to the LS. It works very nicely. There is one BIZZARE thing though, when the car is moving and I try to dial from the "one touch" screen, the phone numbers dissapear from the one touch buttons. I can still press "1" to call home for instance, but the phone number linked to it is gone. When I am at a stoplight the numbers come back up and can be seen. Why would the system be set up to allow you to make a one touch call while moving yet NOT be able to see the numbers associated with the one touch buttons?

    It is nice to make and receive handsfree calls on the LS... just another reason to love this car even more!
  • oacoac Member Posts: 1,594
    Tony (sv) is always talking nostalgically about his 1992 LS400. I can understand how he feels, cos I feel same with my older 1999 LS400. It now has 100,775 miles, and started its life Nov 15, 1998, so it's 6+ years on the road and still going REAL strong. This car runs like new.... Absolutely nothing to complain about. I mean absolutely NOTHING.

    For many of you new LS430 owners, thought you might like to hear how older LSs are fairing. Granted, the 2nd gen LS400 is different from the 3rd gen LS430, but still these cars are from the same genre, and share a lot more in common....

    Needed fixing/changing:
    1) Brakes @ 50K (front) and 100K miles (rear)
    2) New tires @ 45K miles, 65K miles, and 90K miles
    3) Battery @ 100K miles

    Service history up to date
    30K @ ~$250
    60K @ ~$650
    90K @ ~$1300

    Oil change every 5K miles.

    Of course, I feel like changing the car every so often. Have found myself test driving an '02 and an '04, but still love the 2nd gen design so much. But I will definitely go for the MY2007, and finally move on.... I know I will miss my old reliable LS400, but I am looking forward to the next gen so much.
  • rgswrgsw Member Posts: 333
    On my 2005 LS430 the Cbest setting pamphlet came with the owner's manual and navigation quick reference guide. I was told they would make a complementary adjustment to the settings one time during the first 12 months. The FAQs were very informative on the Lexus web site.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Thanks!! We couldn't get aggie's file posted.
  • aardmanaardman Member Posts: 14
    Just my musings on the LS430 (2005) bluetooth and cel phones.
    I have a Sony s710a and am able to send the entire cell telephone book to the nav system at one time. The Motorola a630 I had would not allow all the book to be sent at once, each entry had to be sent individually. Both work fine in all other respects with the car.

    The Motorolla V710 has some of it's bluetooth functions crippled by Verision, the only carrier currently using this phone. Quoted is an excerept from a online review of the phone at http://www.nuclearelephant.com/papers/v710.html

    "After buying the new v710, many consumers quickly discovered they were unable to perform several basic functions which other similarly equipped phones, from other carriers, were capable of doing. Simple functions, such as sending a phone book record to another phone or a picture to a laptop computer, exist only in some locked area of the v710 no one can access. This is because some critical Bluetooth profiles have been deactivated on the handset; primarily OBEX (Object Exchange) , OPP (Object Push Profile), and SPP (Serial Port Profile). These services are responsible for transferring photos and phone numbers or performing synchronization with a PC wirelessly. Lack of these feature has also caused many vehicles with Bluetooth support (such as the Prius, Acura TL, and BMW) to malfunction."
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    The listings at lexus.com represent only about 20% of the c-best options actually available.
  • mmm1mmm1 Member Posts: 54
    Thanks Willard. That is my concern. That expanded list was what I was hoping to get a link to. I was given the list when I bought an RX 330 about two weeks ago and it was obvious that it did not contain all the possible personalized settings. When I bought my LS two years ago the dealership didn't even mention CBEST settings. Found out about them a few months later on this site. Swiftm--thanks for your help. Don't know why Lexus only gives you a partial list to select from.
  • jjhavardjjhavard Member Posts: 3
    I have a '96 LS400 with 200,000 very happy miles. I'll replace it this fall with a used LS and wonder if anyone has a direct comparison on gas mileage between an LS400 and an LS430? Does the 430 produce lower gas mileage?
  • michael_mattoxmichael_mattox Member Posts: 813
    I have an 01 LS 430....On the freeway I get 25 to 26 MPG if I keep it under 70

    In mixed driving I get about 22

    In town Probably about 19-20 but I don't drive a lot in town so I am not really sure. Most of my driving is Mixed.
  • flkeyflkey Member Posts: 11
    Have '03 LS430, after 16,000mis, the very accurate digital mpg shows 22.0 mpg.
    I check every tank fill-up, best 29mpg, worst, 19mpg. I live and travel here in FL which is flat,flat, 'til north FL.
    This is one fine automobile! Comfort, quiet, superb performance, great milage, driver side bolster seat adjustment, oscillating a/c outlets etc.,etc
    Good luck.
    COCOON
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    but it does appear that the LS430 gets better gas mileage than the LS400 series.
  • seapirateseapirate Member Posts: 4
    I have an 01 LS 430......On the freeway I get 22 -23 MPG .In town driving only about 14.4. On my 1990 Cadiilac Seville 25 on the freeway,and in town 13.
  • famwaldfamwald Member Posts: 114
    Our '05 LS430 gets 26 - 28 mpg on the interstate and 20-22 mpg with mixed suburban driving which includes some interstate driving. I think if I sat in city rush hour traffic with a lot of stop & go, it would be much lower.
  • michael_mattoxmichael_mattox Member Posts: 813
    Unless you like to drive really fast...You might have Lexus check your car out for you ...It should be getting better milage...It sounds like something is wrong. Unless of course you drive in the big city were you get stuck in traffic.
  • ljflxljflx Member Posts: 4,690
    My 2004 car has ranged from as high as 29-30MPG on an I-95 type drive in real rural areas (at a speed of above 70mph) to 24-25mpg on more urban highways in the NY area to 20-22 mpg in combo city/highway. I'm never in pure city driving anymore so I don't know that stat. These are slightly improved from the LS400 and the 2001-3 LS430 probably because of the sixth gear.
  • jfzjfz Member Posts: 45
    My 2004 is experiencing the same numbers: 21-22 mixed and 29-30 interstate. I think the new 6-speed transmission accounts for most of the improvement.
  • jjhavardjjhavard Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for the information guys! Looks like I'll be buying an LS 430!
  • vchengvcheng Member Posts: 1,284
    VCHENG'S ULTIMATE LIST OF CBEST/LPS settings for LEXUS LS430

    (Default value)

    A: Steering Column:

    1. Auto tilt away: (on)/off

    B. Air Conditioning

    1. Set temp shift: +2C/+1C/(normal)/-1C/-2C
    2. Air inlet mode: manual/(auto)
    3. Compressor mode: manual/(auto)
    4. Compressor Air Inlet operation: normal/(link)
    5. Step motor initialize: on/(off)
    6. Evaporator control: manual/(auto)
    7. Exhaust gas sensor sensitivity: most/more/little more/(normal)/little less/less/least
    8. Auto mode: manual/(auto)
    9. Button press Beep: off/(on)
    10. Filter sensitivity: less/(normal)/more
    11. Foot air leak: off/(on)

    C. Lighting System

    1. Interior light Setting: off/(on)
    2. Lightingt time: 7.5 sec/(15 sec)/30 sec
    3. Illumination system: (available)/not available
    4. Light control: (available)/not available
    5. ACC off control: (available)/not available
    6. Light auto off delay: off/(30 sec)/60 sec/90 sec
    7. Light control type: (current)/old
    8. Response time: 1 sec/(0.15 sec)
    9. Display on sensitivity: dark2/dark1/(normal)/light1/light2
    10. Display off sensitivity: dark2/dark1/(normal)/light1/light2
    11. DRL function: (on)/off
    12. Driver foot light: off/7.5 sec/(15 sec)/30 sec
    13. Passenger foot light: off/7.5 sec/(15 sec)/30 sec

    D. Wiper System

    1. Auto wipe: (available)/not available
    2. Intermittent operation time: (10 sec)/15 sec/20 sec
    3. Rewipe control: off/3 sec/(speed modulated)
    4. Speed mode: (available)/not available

    E. Combination Meter

    1. Units: (US)/UK/Metric
    2. Compass Calibration: 0 through 15, no default.

    F. Power Window Control

    1. Up on door key: (on)/off
    2. Down on door key: (on)/off

    G. Clearance Sonar system

    1. Front buzzer: (off)/on
    2. Rear buzzer: off/(on)
    3. No move buzzer: off/(on)
    4. Low key battery buzzer: off/(on)
    5. Keep sense buzzer: off/(on)
    6. F&R buzzer frequency: (1.0&1.5)/1.3&1.8/1.5&2.0
    7. F&R buzzer volume: low/medium1/(medium2)/medium3/high
    8. Rear sensor: (on)/off
    9. Reverse range sensor: All/FCM4,R/(FSDE2,R)
    10. Non-park range sensor: All/F,RCM2/(F)
    11. N-range sensor: off/(on)
    12. Front side distance distance sensitivity: short/(long)
    13. Approach display off: (off)/on
    14. Display timeout: 5 sec/10 sec/20 sec/(invalid)
    15. Sonar display off: 1 sec/2 sec/(3 sec/4 sec

    H. Front Power Seat Control System

    1. Headrest control: (available)/not available

    I. Power Door Lock System

    1. Unlock on key twice: (on)/off
    2. Unlock on shift to P-position: on/(off)
    3. Autolock once: on/(off)

    J. Key Reminder System

    1. Key reminder volume: (large)/medium/small
    2. Key reminder sound: (normal)/fast/slow/0 sec

    K. Sunroof System

    1. Open on door key: (on)/off
    2. Close on door key: (on)/off
    3. Open on remote button: (on)/off
    4. Door key operation: tilt/(slide)
    5. Remote operation: tilt/(slide)

    L. Theft Deterrent System

    1. Passive mode: on/(off)
    2. Warning Horn: (on)/off
    3. Entry delay: 0 sec/(14 sec)/30 sec
    4. Glass sensor: (on)/off
  • rennyboschrennybosch Member Posts: 329
    If so, is there a replacement board for the LS?
  • ljflxljflx Member Posts: 4,690
    some of us are posting on the future 2007 LS board.

    callmedrfill, "2007 Lexus LS" #258, 10 Jun 2005 10:23 am!make=Lexus&model=LS%20430&ed_makeindex=.ef3fc23
  • anthonypanthonyp Member Posts: 1,860
    I was driving back from mountains in ls, and ran into a tremendous rain ...I was going around high seventies, and an older Jeep was following me fairly close...After the traffic backed up and slowed down to forty or so, the rain momentarily eased up, and then poured again...The car in front of me ran off the road, going maybe twenty, and the jeep also now right behind me lost control...I was maybe down to ten mph, and he slipped into the median...I could see his tires maybe four feet away locked up and the hydro plain in action...The wet grass afforded no traction, and he hit the wires that they are now installing...The wires really work, and he was stopped by them....There was no harm done to him, other that a little paint scrape, and the last I saw was his tires spinning in reverse as he wanted to get back on the road....It all happened in a few seconds at most, but I could really see with my own eyes the improvements the auto industry has put into effect and how I am sure they save lives....Incidentally there were at least seven cars that went into the median in just a few hunderd feet, and some at a greater speed than the Jeep who almost clipped me...That centeral wire system caught all of them... Tales From The Road Tony
  • famwaldfamwald Member Posts: 114
    Wow, Tony, close call! I take it that your Lexis did just fine. Perhaps the VSC worked as it is supposed to?
  • zany56zany56 Member Posts: 1
    What is the product?

    Have you had any experiences with hail?

    Thank you
  • ljflxljflx Member Posts: 4,690
    There are some universal software problems in these nav systems. It seems to happen most often when you have two different street names that sound the same but are spelled differently (naturally) - in the same town or area. The other night I went to dinner on a street with the name 1st street. So the nav system takes me to a dead end residential street named First street instead. It turned out to be all of a mile from my desired location but I hardly knew that at the time.Why It defaulted to First street as the primary location I don't know. Perhaps letters have priority over numbers. Anyway, I called the restaurant to say I'd be late and found out that 4 other people had the same problem and ended up on the same dead end street I did - and that this is just about a daily occurance for this restaurants first time customers. I don't know if it is limited to smaller surburban towns or happens in bigger cities as well, or perhaps it was just a one-time screw-up.. But when I got home I put the address into yahoo maps and mapquest, and both mapped me to the same dead end location, albeit with slightly different routes, So beware if a town you are going to has 1st and First or 2nd and Second etc because you may very well have a 50% chance of ending up in the wrong place.
  • bnorman1bnorman1 Member Posts: 2
    My father-in-law just purchased a 2005 LS-430 and is experiencing the same problem with a new Blue Tooth enabled Motorola phone (Cingular Service). Works great excpet for one touch numbers go blank when the car is moving. So far the Lexus dealer is like dealing with Seargent Schultz (I know nothing). Going back to dealer today (3rd time). Please post a fix if you get one. Will do same.
  • sidgriggssidgriggs Member Posts: 122
    Regarding the numbers not appearing on the screen while driving and calling using a one-touch button--it is supposed to be that way. In my 2004 Nav system manual, at page 124, it states "the telephone number is not displayed". You need to identify your frequently placed calls by name.
  • aggie76aggie76 Member Posts: 266
    Anyone know how to input the names, the numbers I entered but my Blackberry 7520 doesn't seem to allow me to upload the address book so I don't even get the names on the screen.
  • livingstereolivingstereo Member Posts: 1
    Does anyone know when the 2006 LS430 will be coming out? (Assuming it will still be called the 430.)

    I like the 2005 and may buy it, but am wondering whether it would be worth it to wait a little longer for the 2006.

    Thanks.
  • kl3415kl3415 Member Posts: 12
    Recently my radiator light started coming on (1990 Ls 400). It comes on about 5 mins after I start the car. I verified my fluid level is fine . Although I assume the temp and the radiator light or separate I monitor both to be sure the car is not overheating. Has anyone had this problem before and what did you do to resolve.
  • frisconickfrisconick Member Posts: 1,275
    Your car is 15 years old, and that's you only problem? :P
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    low battery charge can do that. Check the alternator charge rate/level.
  • baller4ever85baller4ever85 Member Posts: 14
    any1 help me wtih my ls430 plz. i was listening to a cd and i pressed eject and the disc never popped out. then i used the touch screen and all the discs were greyed out(meaning there is nothing in there). how do i attempt to get this cd out? is this a common problem in the ls430? i've used this car a lot and have had very little to complain about but i really want this cd. thanks
  • maxhonda99maxhonda99 Member Posts: 1,289
    you check in your owner's manual on what to do if your CD cartridge gets stuck? You may also want to run by your Lexus dealership and let them take a look at it.
  • rennyboschrennybosch Member Posts: 329
    This won't help you get your CD back out, but I have read here that you should never insert a CD that has a label stuck to it, because the tolerances are so tight that it can jam the mechanism. I would go to the dealer and ask for their help.

    Good luck.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Sometimes, even home burned CDs will jam - they're not just exactly the right size..... :cry:
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