Lexus LS430?

[raytseng]

If you have the folding side mirrors, the gears may wear out with use. It is better to leave it in fixed position unless you truly have a need to fold in the mirrors Additionally, if someone bonks the mirror it will strip the gears too and ruin that mirro, and that will be an expensive repair to replace it.

The hood and trunk struts likely are weak at this point, but this is a simple DIY and you can get replacement parts on amazon or somewhere else for not too much.
Other than regular basic maintenance the car is pretty bulletproof. I suppose the only other thing to know is it is a big (older) car with not great MPG. but if you had an LS400 you should be comfortable with that.

 

[edwardh1]

air suspension is not good

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted By: Astro14


Besides, it's a parent's prerogative to embarrass their children, right?

You got me there.

 

[BigD1]

I go to Hendrick Lexus in Charlotte, NC every now and then, and they do a free wheels off inspection if it has not been inspected in the last 30 days. If there is something wrong, they will more than likely find it. They even check water pump bearing play. See if your local Lexus dealer will do a free inspection. Additionally, you can join Lexus Drivers, and input the VIN, and will have all the recall information if any, and what work/repairs have been performed.

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted By: BigD1
I go to Hendrick Lexus in Charlotte, NC every now and then, and they do a free wheels off inspection if it has not been inspected in the last 30 days. If there is something wrong, they will more than likely find it. They even check water pump bearing play. See if your local Lexus dealer will do a free inspection. Additionally, you can join Lexus Drivers, and input the VIN, and will have all the recall information if any, and what work/repairs have been performed.

The car in question was bought from a Hendrick dealer - Lexus of Pleasanton, from what I extrapolate from the Carfax. In CA, we do have the right to take a car to a mechanic for a pre-purchase inspection. Not sure how I'm going to pull that off.

 

[hazmatuser]

So, your primary concern is about the air suspension?

 

[BigD1]

Originally Posted By: nthach
Originally Posted By: BigD1
I go to Hendrick Lexus in Charlotte, NC every now and then, and they do a free wheels off inspection if it has not been inspected in the last 30 days. If there is something wrong, they will more than likely find it. They even check water pump bearing play. See if your local Lexus dealer will do a free inspection. Additionally, you can join Lexus Drivers, and input the VIN, and will have all the recall information if any, and what work/repairs have been performed.

The car in question was bought from a Hendrick dealer - Lexus of Pleasanton, from what I extrapolate from the Carfax. In CA, we do have the right to take a car to a mechanic for a pre-purchase inspection. Not sure how I'm going to pull that off.


See if you can get Hendrick Lexus to email you the PDF of the inspection that was done. They always email me a PDF, and it tells what was wrong if anything, and how much it will cost.

 

[Tomioka]

Does it have the UL "Ultra Luxury" package? The UL pkg has air suspension, dedicated rear A/C with a UV germ killing light, special filter and rear seat storage refrigerator, adaptive cruise control, headlight washers, 18" wheels, and other stuff. Base version has the regular coil spring suspension and has basic luxuries which is good enough for the everyday driver.

I service a 2004 Lexus LS430. The backbone is still a Toyota so it's no different than a Toyota Tundra. With less than 50K I would recommend changing out the ATF if the dealership hasn't serviced it yet. Filter kits are easily available at most auto parts stores BUT they do not come with the filter oring gasket. You will need to buy that part at the dealership (if you don't want to pay dealership prices for a filter.) The pan is easy to remove since it does not use the common Toyota FIPG but a regular non-reuseable rubber gasket instead. The fill plug is hidden by a plastic cover on the driver's side of the transmission (nice try lexus) where you can refill with WS.

IMO they are very nice cars, very timeless design since it carries most of it's design from the LS400. V8 power coupled with that smooth shifting 6spd this 4,000lb fullsizer can definitely move!

 

[NothingNew]

Looks like approximately $1500-3300 over fair retail according to kbb: KBB

I'm not seeing any Lexus dealer service on the carfax: carfax

Car itself: 2005 LS430

I wonder what amount the dealer would quote if you clicked on the GET EPRICE button.

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted By: NothingNew
Looks like approximately $1500-3300 over fair retail according to kbb: KBB

I'm not seeing any Lexus dealer service on the carfax: carfax

Car itself: 2005 LS430

I wonder what amount the dealer would quote if you clicked on the GET EPRICE button.

My parents have an appointment to see the car, I will be at work. I'll call up a Lexus dealer(probably Oakland or Marin) and see if they'll run the VIN, they've done that for my car. I think they'll try to haggle to bring the price down.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: nthach
Originally Posted By: NothingNew
Looks like approximately $1500-3300 over fair retail according to kbb: KBB

I'm not seeing any Lexus dealer service on the carfax: carfax

Car itself: 2005 LS430

I wonder what amount the dealer would quote if you clicked on the GET EPRICE button.

My parents have an appointment to see the car, I will be at work. I'll call up a Lexus dealer(probably Oakland or Marin) and see if they'll run the VIN, they've done that for my car. I think they'll try to haggle to bring the price down.

You can run the VIN yourself on the Lexus Drivers website. All customer-pay and warranty-pay work will show up.

 

[NothingNew]

Originally Posted By: The Critic

You can run the VIN yourself on the Lexus Drivers website. All customer-pay and warranty-pay work will show up.


Thanks. Good to know.

 

[KitaCam]

The 05/06 Camry is the beer-budget Lexus...so said a body-shop guy who was painting part of it, commenting on the mods I'd made, upgrading its appearance...I hadn't thought of that at the time.

Since then I've noticed in a side-by-side comparison that that Camry iteration does have a lot of the LS430 champagne-class exterior design cues on the Camry, (boring/staid saloon styling), but there's none of the brut-brew's engineering or interior amenities that make a Lexus a Lexus...so I can really understand someone wanting the real deal....even for the $10K premium.

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
Originally Posted By: nthach
Originally Posted By: NothingNew
Looks like approximately $1500-3300 over fair retail according to kbb: KBB

I'm not seeing any Lexus dealer service on the carfax: carfax

Car itself: 2005 LS430

I wonder what amount the dealer would quote if you clicked on the GET EPRICE button.

My parents have an appointment to see the car, I will be at work. I'll call up a Lexus dealer(probably Oakland or Marin) and see if they'll run the VIN, they've done that for my car. I think they'll try to haggle to bring the price down.

You can run the VIN yourself on the Lexus Drivers website. All customer-pay and warranty-pay work will show up.

The car was indeed serviced at Lexus of Pleasanton, but it was purchased in Oakland as a dealer trade.

 

[nthach]

So they bought the car - they got the car to around $15K. I haven't seen it yet, but I will this weekend. Dealer put on a set of Goodyears, I was fearing Primewell/Sailun/Sunny/Milestar and they did the usual used car "prep" to it.

I'll let my parents enjoy it for now, at the next OCI I'll change all the fluids and give it a quick detail.

 

[RooflessVW]

Awesome!

I'm sure it will serve them well for years to come. Post some pictures when see it!

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
Awesome!

I'm sure it will serve them well for years to come. Post some pictures when see it!

As soon as the rain dies down, I've been thinking about carnapping it and driving over to the bourgeois part of town for a quick snap or two.

 

[RooflessVW]

Originally Posted By: nthach
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
Awesome!

I'm sure it will serve them well for years to come. Post some pictures when see it!

As soon as the rain dies down, I've been thinking about carnapping it and driving over to the bourgeois part of town for a quick snap or two.

Please do! I have a soft spot for the big Lexuseses.

 

[nthach]

Just a quick shot of the car, my parents had the timing belt and WP replaced over at the local dealership, I changed the PS/diff/brake fluids and a quick wash and wax with Griot Garage's 3-in-1 wax and Klasse AIO on the bumpers. It was too drab of a weekend and all my preferred picture spots (the ritzy part of Berkeley, the UC campus) were busy. All taken from my phone, I'll bust out the dSLR when I do a full detail over the summer.

 

[RooflessVW]

Man I'm jealous.