My LS430, and list of work needed!

[Antharro]

I recently bought myself an LS430 in blue, cream leather interior. I bought it cheap with 144k on the clock, Cat C, knowing it would need some work doing, inspected it in the dark on a wet evening then drove it back from London to Bournemouth. It drove beautifully on the way home, except for the brakes!

The Cat C was from a swipe to the bumper, front wing and driver's door which caused the car to be written off and sent to auction, where the previous owner bought it. He repaired the damage but bodged the trim back on.

Unfortunately during the auction process, the service history was lost - the dealer can only see history to 60k miles, and there's not much of it. But looking it over I get the feeling it was very well looked after before it was damaged.

First thing was to get it properly washed and polished and the interior valeted which made it look a WHOLE LOT nicer - it was seriously grimy. It's pretty clean under the bonnet and no rust at all that I can see. Apparently it's not due for a cambelt for another 20k-ish miles.

I know it needs:
- 4 tyres - it has an odd pair of winter tyres on the front and an odd pair of non-winter tyres on the back, all bar one are on pretty much minimum tread
- brakes fixing - judders badly on braking (probably warped discs)
- A/C not working, probably needs regas
- Fridge not working, assuming same reason as I believe it works off of the rear A/C
- Replacement subwoofer and driver's door speaker
- Repairs to various areas of the leather (previous owner had kids in the back...)
- Repairs to paintwork and trim
- Alloy wheel refurbishment

None of this is hugely expensive and I am hoping that the cost of the car and fixing the various bits and pieces will come to less than the price of a good second hand car!

- Tyres; I have a really good place for part-worns, aiming for Michelin Primacy if available!
- Brakes are due to be inspected next week by my mechanic, along with a general check-over
- A/C, I will get regassed with plenty of dye so they can see if it's leaking
- Fridge will hopefully be working when the A/C is fixed
- I have done a lot of research into the speaker replacements and have a pair of door speakers and a new subwoofer on order (aftermarket, not genuine Lexus parts)
- Leather will be taken care of at some point
- Paint and trim will be done in due course, alloys will come first
- I've read that the vehicle height sensors can seize up and cost £150+VAT each to replace, so I'm thinking of asking my mechanic to lubricate them to make them last a little longer.

Questions!
- Does all of the above sound reasonable?
- Is the rear A/C re-gassed from a different location to the front?
- Is there anything else I need to look at doing at this time?
- I've heard a pump going off from time to time from the O/S/F and understand this is the air suspension pump. I'm pretty sure I shouldn't be able to hear this - is it going to be a big repair if/when it goes?

All of that aside, it's a beautiful car that with some TLC will return to its former glory; albeit without much service history.

[cruisermark]

1 hour ago, Antharro said:

I recently bought myself an LS430 in blue, cream leather interior. I bought it cheap with 144k on the clock, Cat C, knowing it would need some work doing, inspected it in the dark on a wet evening then drove it back from London to Bournemouth. It drove beautifully on the way home, except for the brakes!

The Cat C was from a swipe to the bumper, front wing and driver's door which caused the car to be written off and sent to auction, where the previous owner bought it. He repaired the damage but bodged the trim back on.

Unfortunately during the auction process, the service history was lost - the dealer can only see history to 60k miles, and there's not much of it. But looking it over I get the feeling it was very well looked after before it was damaged.

First thing was to get it properly washed and polished and the interior valeted which made it look a WHOLE LOT nicer - it was seriously grimy. It's pretty clean under the bonnet and no rust at all that I can see. Apparently it's not due for a cambelt for another 20k-ish miles.

I know it needs:
- 4 tyres - it has an odd pair of winter tyres on the front and an odd pair of non-winter tyres on the back, all bar one are on pretty much minimum tread
- brakes fixing - judders badly on braking (probably warped discs) could be - when replacing make sure the hubs are totally clean - try to stick either OEM or good brands. Blue Print and Pagid have mentioned here on the forum
- A/C not working, probably needs regas - this could be just a regass or it could be other problems which could be expensive - such as air conditioning condenser or mre known problem where the air con pipes rust behind the fuel tank - the fix for this is either cap of the rear air con and regass or to replace the pipes which is a big job and involves dismantling rear suspension and removing of the fuel tank.
- Fridge not working, assuming same reason as I believe it works off of the rear A/C - as above more than likely it has corroded pipes hence rear air con is not working
- Replacement subwoofer and driver's door speaker  - door speakers are very easy to replace - normally its just the surrounds which fray and can be replaced for about £14 - the subwoofer is a bigger job as it required the rear seats to be removed - do a search on this forum as i think one member loaded a write up including pictures.
- Repairs to various areas of the leather (previous owner had kids in the back...)
- Repairs to paintwork and trim
- Alloy wheel refurbishment

None of this is hugely expensive and I am hoping that the cost of the car and fixing the various bits and pieces will come to less than the price of a good second hand car!

- Tyres; I have a really good place for part-worns, aiming for Michelin Primacy if available!
- Brakes are due to be inspected next week by my mechanic, along with a general check-over
- A/C, I will get regassed with plenty of dye so they can see if it's leaking
- Fridge will hopefully be working when the A/C is fixed
- I have done a lot of research into the speaker replacements and have a pair of door speakers and a new subwoofer on order (aftermarket, not genuine Lexus parts) I might be wrong here but aftermarket woofers are not compatible  - most members have had theirs repaired
- Leather will be taken care of at some point - I use glipton leather cleaner followed by glipton leather feed - the cleaner has evaporating qualities which helps not to clog the perforated leather and you can clearly see the dirt getting transferred to the cloth - key is to take your time and clean a small section at a time before moving to the next
- Paint and trim will be done in due course, alloys will come first
- I've read that the vehicle height sensors can seize up and cost £150+VAT each to replace, so I'm thinking of asking my mechanic to lubricate them to make them last a little longer.good idea

Questions!
- Does all of the above sound reasonable?
- Is the rear A/C re-gassed from a different location to the front? - no same location - its just one circuit
- Is there anything else I need to look at doing at this time? check the cabin filter - this is often overlooked and also check the radiator and coolant - the 430s have a fault whereby the transmission oil gets mixed with the coolant due internal components rusting so as a preventative measure it might be worth changing the radiator
- I've heard a pump going off from time to time from the O/S/F and understand this is the air suspension pump. I'm pretty sure I shouldn't be able to hear this - is it going to be a big repair if/when it goes? - this sounds like the bushings it sits on need replacing - the extra noise is caused by excess vibration - you can buy the bushings from lexus which cost only a few quid and then replace these by accessing the pump via the front wheel arch liner

All of that aside, it's a beautiful car that with some TLC will return to its former glory; albeit without much service history. they sure polish up well so put some pictures up when you get a chance.

 

[Antharro]

Thanks, cruisermark. :)

Brakes - definitely OEM or similar quality. Cheap brakes aren't worth it, especially on a heavier car like this.

A/C - thanks for the info. I'll first get it regassed and if that doesn't help I'll have to look at the pipe work. I'm not keen on cutting off the rear A/C so I'll have to see how much my mechanic would charge to have the pipes renewed.

Leather - needs repairs as well as a good polish; previous owner's kids have ripped several small pieces out of the shoulder of the driver's seat which will need to be repaired.

Speakers - ClubLexus have several members in the States who have replaced their subwoofers and door speakers. I also found a thread or two on here. Unfortunately my sub is beyond repair - previous owner tried to repair it with what appears to be bathroom sealant. I haven't seen the door speakers yet. I have matched the impedance and size as best I can with what's on the market, and I *think* I have picked suitable replacements. Fingers crossed; I'll be trying on the weekend.

Air suspension pump - Thanks for the info, I'll look into it. I have to go to the dealership on the weekend so I'll ask about prices then.

The info on the filter and coolant/oil is also useful - I recall the late 90ies Mercedes E class having a very similar problem. Radiator is £92 from EuroCarParts, so it's not the end of the world. Should the radiator fail, is it instant death to the transmission as with the Mercedes, or will I have a "notice" period?

I work away during the week, so pictures will come soon assuming it's a nice weekend. :)

[The-Acre]

Just so you know, the suspension sensors are actually £350 each+ fitting.  But as you say, they can be taken apart and lubricated and resealed.  I had one replaced, and one freed up and resealed.  If the radiator coolant leaks into the transmission you won't get any warning as such, then it'll be too late.  A very easy job to replace the rad, about 1-1.5 hours.  it also means you can refill with fresh coolant from Toyota for about £25.

[Antharro]

£350? Ouch. I think I will definitely ask my mechanic to lubricate them then.

Is there any particular physical indicator to tell the state of the rad? ie, if it's badly corroded on the outside, would that indicate poor internal condition?

I have a somewhat urgent problem though - I've been talking to Lexus regarding getting an additional key - they're not sure if they I have is a master or not. If it's not a master then I'm apparently in for a very big bill indeed. Apparently of the size that I may consider just selling the car on as-is and looking for another. Which is a bit of a downer.

[cruisermark]

1 hour ago, Antharro said:

£350? Ouch. I think I will definitely ask my mechanic to lubricate them then.

Is there any particular physical indicator to tell the state of the rad? ie, if it's badly corroded on the outside, would that indicate poor internal condition?

I have a somewhat urgent problem though - I've been talking to Lexus regarding getting an additional key - they're not sure if they I have is a master or not. If it's not a master then I'm apparently in for a very big bill indeed. Apparently of the size that I may consider just selling the car on as-is and looking for another. Which is a bit of a downer.

hi

 

if you look at the posts by acre - he done the radiator change and put some pictures up - according to him the rust actually starts at the transmission pipe inlets which are inside the radiator and not really visible so cannot tell from the outside. There is some speculation that using Non - Genuine coolant causes this - however there is no definitive proof.

Ref the key - the master key  should have 3 buttons on it - lock unlock and boot release - provided you have that you should be able to get another from the dealer for around £180 including programming the smart functions.

1 hour ago, Antharro said:

£350? Ouch. I think I will definitely ask my mechanic to lubricate them then.

Is there any particular physical indicator to tell the state of the rad? ie, if it's badly corroded on the outside, would that indicate poor internal condition?

I have a somewhat urgent problem though - I've been talking to Lexus regarding getting an additional key - they're not sure if they I have is a master or not. If it's not a master then I'm apparently in for a very big bill indeed. Apparently of the size that I may consider just selling the car on as-is and looking for another. Which is a bit of a downer.

 

[GrahamG]

I have read of owners finding that their valet key [smart key that is not the master] has in fact been programmed at some time as a master and works as such. So even if your key does not have all the buttons of a master key worth checking if will operate as such.

Radiators have cracked [some plastic part] and been replaced irrespective of the ATF cooler function. So by way of preventative maintenance it might be a better option to replace the radiator rather than opting for a separate ATF radiator.

[PCM]

I assume you'll do the basics as well - oil and filter, fluid checks etc ...?

[Dicodonal]

I love my Lexus ls430 and I habe done the following so I convince myself the car is as good as new

Replaced front and rear bushings

air con pipes replaced as they were corroded

replaced air suspension pump mounts to stop small vibrating noise

replaced sub speaker surround

transmission and engine mounts replaced and this makes a huge difference 

atf oil changes new filter and strainer

got new fitting kit to hold carpet mats in place

have replaced parking sensors when needed

installed vaistech music system

thanks to this forum all these niggles have been sorted and car drives beautifully 

always buy genuine parts such as wiper rubber, brake pads, filter etc and they are not much more than blueprint in a lot of cases

 

[GrahamG]

Hi Donal,

             Were the corroded A/C pipes those to the rear cabin and if so did the fuel tank need to come out to replace them? 

             What were the symptoms of the old engine mounts?

How many miles on your LS430?  Mine has done 84k and like you I love the car and keep a watch for the items you have dealt with.

Intend an annual/summertime spray underneath with ACF-50 in the hope of keeping corrosion at bay.  

 

 

[Dicodonal]

Yes the rear pipes were corroded. I am sure only one or the pipes was replaced. The pipe itself was reasonably priced but it took the mechanic all day to sort out. I also needed to get new compressor so I essentially have a new air con system and I was like you in that I did not want to cap the pipes. If you need new compressor I can send you details of shop in USA that supplied denso original compressor. Get pipe from Lexus and get an independent mechanic to do the fitting. The fuel tank had to be dropped but my mechanic was not too bothered taking this on. Try the gas first but you might find that the air con will work for a few days and then warm air returns 

Mounts did not need to be replaced but by putting new ones in the car is much quieter during idle and very smooth and I would highly recommend changing them. When putting car in and out of gear it got a little jumpy but tranny mount fixed that. 

My car has just over 152k miles and I have done 80k of them myself. 

On reflection I also replaced the struts on the bonnet and boot as they stopped working properly. 

Best tyres are Michelin primacy 3 

gliptone leather cleaner will get seats back nice and clean and smelling great.

Also got io play hands free kit but a word of warning that none of the reccomended iso cables work for these cars and the installer spent hours sorting out the wires. 

Jo is Lexus Birmingham is fantastic for getting any parts you need but compressor was a couple of grand so I got in the states for a few hundred 

[GrahamG]

Donal, thanks for all that information.

[Titch LS]

".....but the compressor was a couple of grand"  and  "got it in the States for a couple of hundred".  These two statements sum up why this country is called 'Rip-off Britain' and 'Treasure Island'. Makes you want to spit. Why can't you get one here for £200?

[mrdoofa]

My gearbox suffered instant death 2 weeks ago, I suspect coolant got into the gearbox and killed it as there was no warning, I just lost drive in all gears on my way to work. It has now lead to the demise of the car as repairing or replacing the gearbox simply made no financial sense as it would've cost more than the car was worth and I don't have that kind of money to spare anyway. Even if I did, as much as I like cars I don't get attached to them and keep them going regardless of expense.

Dip the transmission oil to check the colour and smell. My air suspension was actually OK but costs a bloody fortune if it does go wrong hence many opt to replace it with coil over suspension when it goes although some say this affects the ride quality. Steering column motors are a big expense if/when they fail, genuine subwoofers are expensive however I was going to try fixing mine with some silicone sealant as many have reported success using this method and you don't need to take the rear seat out to do it, just prise the speaker grille off. The heated and cooled seats were a waste of time in mine.

If I do decide to buy another Lexus One day I will probably go for a good LS400 as there is far less to go wrong than the LS430. I did enjoy my time with the LS430 but I must admit it felt like I was driving a bit of a time bomb expecting something expensive to fail at any time which of course it did!!! I just didn't expect it to be the gearbox.

Please don't laugh but I now have a  Ford Mondeo Diesel and am actually enjoying stress free motoring because if it does go wrong I won't need to remortgage the house to fix it not to mention the huge fuel savings I'm making right now and the heated and ventilated seats actually do make you warm or cool. The heated windscreen is fantastic.

I still really like Lexus but I'm quite wary of getting another one now.

[Dicodonal]

Sorry to hear about your loss but there is no way you feel as good driving the mondeo than you did driving the lex ? I am scared something is going to break on mine but I'm prepared to take the chance. If all fails I'll get a fiesta 

[mrdoofa]

I had the same attitude that when something goes wrong I'll cross that bridge when I come too it. Unfortunately I did come to it in a rather catastrophic way!!! There are many faults you can get on cars that you can either live with or repair later when you can afford it but the gearbox is quite an important part.

One day I may get another Lexus but I am very wary now especially as the LS430 did have other problems I was slowly getting around to dealing with until the gearbox had other ideas. I'm quite happy with my mondeo at the moment, it might not have the same street cred but at least it has no faults and it is a Ghia X so still have a lot of toys on it.

Ironically, Lexus are supposed to be the best engineered and reliable cars on the planet yet I have owned over 30 cars over the last 20 years and the only 2 that have left me stranded and calling the breakdown service are both the Lexus's I've owned!!! Just bad luck? Probably yeah, but you can see why I'm very wary now.

[Titch LS]

Martin, you should have gone for an LS400 mk4 instead. The LS430 has more known potential expensive faults (as you found out, unfortunately), and it seems like the 430 design faults are now beginning to show up. My 400 is not perfect, but, certainly more 'bulletproof' than anything else I've driven over the years. In 43 years of driving, nothing has come close to giving me the driving pleasure that my Mk4 does and that includes big American cars and Porsche.

[mrdoofa]

If I do get another Lexus it will almost certainly be a mk4 LS400. I don't think I would risk another 430. As you say the design flaws are now starting to show and most repairs are in the 4 figure area. I feel that if I would've sorted the gearbox the suspension would probably go wrong next!!!

I feel the LS400 is more robust with the original Lexus over-engineering.

[Oldboy]

I have had my LS430 for 5 months now and love it !! But stories from other owners about gearbox failures, air suspension and VSC lights do scare the crap out of me .... Until I jump back in the car and the fire up the v8 and I put it into drive. I probably didn't do things the right way round as I bought the car first and then joined this fantastic forum. I wish I had done it the other way round and compared 400 v 430 to see what all the fuss is about on the 400.

So far, touch wood and fingers crossed...everything works !! But I did pay over the odds. It was local to me, It was the first car I test drove ....and loved it. So far I have had the cam belt / water pump changed as per 10yr schedule and full service with oil, brake, coolant changed. Next job for this year is the radiator and hope I can continue with trouble free motoring.

Can anyone recommend a good mechanic to do the radiator and grease up suspension bits as preventative measures. Mechanic Location around slough, reading, Watford would be ideal or if anyone on the forum does any private maintenance on the side drop me a pm.

Keep up the great posts, tips, tricks and banter.

Sent from my Iphone using Tapatalk

[The-Acre]

1 hour ago, Oldboy said:

I have had my LS430 for 5 months now and love it !! But stories from other owners about gearbox failures, air suspension and VSC lights do scare the crap out of me .... Until I jump back in the car and the fire up the v8 and I put it into drive. I probably didn't do things the right way round as I bought the car first and then joined this fantastic forum. I wish I had done it the other way round and compared 400 v 430 to see what all the fuss is about on the 400.

So far, touch wood and fingers crossed...everything works !! But I did pay over the odds. It was local to me, It was the first car I test drove ....and loved it. So far I have had the cam belt / water pump changed as per 10yr schedule and full service with oil, brake, coolant changed. Next job for this year is the radiator and hope I can continue with trouble free motoring.

Can anyone recommend a good mechanic to do the radiator and grease up suspension bits as preventative measures. Mechanic Location around slough, reading, Watford would be ideal or if anyone on the forum does any private maintenance on the side drop me a pm.

Keep up the great posts, tips, tricks and banter.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I wouldn't worry too much about the things you read.  I've said this before, but you only tend to hear about the things that go wrong, and not about the majority of cars that go on for years without major problems. 

[PCM]

2 hours ago, Oldboy said:

Can anyone recommend a good mechanic to do the radiator and grease up suspension bits as preventative measures. Mechanic Location around slough, reading, Watford would be ideal or if anyone on the forum does any private maintenance on the side drop me a pm.

Keep up the great posts, tips, tricks and banter.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

JAPEX must be close to you?

They are very good.

[Oldboy]

I'll give Japex a call for radiator quote... And let's have some more good news stories of cars with astronomical mileage's and MOTs with no advisories or minor ones ;-)

Sent from my XT1092 using Tapatalk

[Titch LS]

Chas, welcome to the forum. I can echo Piers' recommendation for Japex. They are an excellent garage to deal with. Having said that, replacing a radiator on your car is a pretty straight forward job, not hard at all. Depends if you like tinkering and saving some pennies at the same time.

[Oldboy]

My mechanical skills are basic...I can do headlight bulbs and the that's about it ? I even got Lexus to to the rubber wiper blade as it didn't come with the metal arm and that threw me. If it is just unscrewing the old one and replacing with a new one ...I could do that.

I will have a quick look on YouTube to see how complex it is. Or alternatively if any one is local to me I am happy to learn under instruction and supervision to make sure I am doing it correctly.

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[The-Acre]

1 hour ago, Oldboy said:

My mechanical skills are basic...I can do headlight bulbs and the that's about it ? I even got Lexus to to the rubber wiper blade as it didn't come with the metal arm and that threw me. If it is just unscrewing the old one and replacing with a new one ...I could do that.

I will have a quick look on YouTube to see how complex it is. Or alternatively if any one is local to me I am happy to learn under instruction and supervision to make sure I am doing it correctly.

Sent from my XT1092 using Tapatalk

 

Even your headlight bulb skills will be stretched on the LS430!!  Because the radiator is a straightforward job any decent garage will do it, and it shouldn't cost that much, but I would certainly use it as an opportunity to have completely new coolant, about £25 for 5 litres from Toyota.