2 more potential LS430’s

[dendonc]

2 hours ago, mrdoofa said:

If the worst did happen and lightning did strike twice and the gearbox failed again, how much roughly would it cost to replace with either a new or reconditioned box?

You would have to ask your favourite lexus dealer for details on that. 

 

[messi]

I think a new gearbox would be around the £3000 - £4000, but reconditioned would be around  £1500 - £2000 but if the radiator leaks again after you've reconditioned the gearbox after a few good thousand miles, well you know what will happen again

[The-Acre]

I think it needs to be mentioned that these are not "common" problems that have been mentioned, just "known" problems.  If I mentioned the known problems of the LS400 it would probably make you think twice.  Anyway, come January I'll have had mine for two faultless years.  I've had LS's for around 9 years, but I've been seriously considering a GS300.  For that reason, and if you're interested, I'll decide in the next couple of weeks if mine is going to be for sale.

[mikeyv]

Realistically, gearbox failure would write most of these cars off, unless you are able to do your own repair work.

[Chasdad]

let me 

1 hour ago, The-Acre said:

I think it needs to be mentioned that these are not "common" problems that have been mentioned, just "known" problems.  If I mentioned the known problems of the LS400 it would probably make you think twice.  Anyway, come January I'll have had mine for two faultless years.  I've had LS's for around 9 years, but I've been seriously considering a GS300.  For that reason, and if you're interested, I'll decide in the next couple of weeks if mine is going to be for sale.

let me know when you want to sell. i asked a while back and we both got told off  because we weren't gold members

[mrdoofa]

The main issue to me is even if you change the radiator, how do you know the damage isn’t already done? If it’s already been done how easy is it to tell? Are there any telltale signs by looking at the fluids?

[The-Acre]

11 minutes ago, mrdoofa said:

The main issue to me is even if you change the radiator, how do you know the damage isn’t already done? If it’s already been done how easy is it to tell? Are there any telltale signs by looking at the fluids?

I think you're being over cautious, a good drive will reveal any issues.

[The-Acre]

1 hour ago, Chasdad said:

let me 

let me know when you want to sell. i asked a while back and we both got told off  because we weren't gold members

That's true, although I'm a gold member now so I'm OK!

[Malc]

4 hours ago, The-Acre said:

If I mentioned the known problems of the LS400 it would probably make you think twice. 

OMG  what are they please ?

Malc

[messi]

Main problems on an ls400? Please tell us. I've had afew mk4 ls400 and never had any MAIN problems on them, only wear and tear like pads and discs and y section of the exhaust that needed welding and that's all

[mikeyv]

48 minutes ago, The-Acre said:

I think you're being over cautious, a good drive will reveal any issues.

In fairness though, he has already had one 430 go down the pan, due to transmission failure, so he's entitled to be a bit careful.

[mikeyv]

1 hour ago, mrdoofa said:

The main issue to me is even if you change the radiator, how do you know the damage isn’t already done? If it’s already been done how easy is it to tell? Are there any telltale signs by looking at the fluids?

I think the only way to be 100% safe, is to buy with a warranty, though it would need to be a good one.

Failing that, as Phil said, a really thorough test drive, with a check of fluid levels and condition, before and after.

[The-Acre]

43 minutes ago, mikeyv said:

In fairness though, he has already had one 430 go down the pan, due to transmission failure, so he's entitled to be a bit careful.

That's true, but I had a 400 go the same way two years ago.

 

3 hours ago, Chasdad said:

let me 

let me know when you want to sell. i asked a while back and we both got told off  because we weren't gold members

Having looked online today at GS300's I've made up my mind.  Martin is welcome to have first refusal on mine if he is interested, otherwise 2k secures it.

[The-Acre]

56 minutes ago, Malc said:

OMG  what are they please ?

Malc

Upper and lower control arms, starter motor failure, steering motors, corrosion caused by leaking door tweeters, seat heater failure, y peice corrosion, leaking boot, leaking sunroof, alarm problems, vvti system complete failure, transmission mountings, brake pipe corrosion, parking brake seizing.  Just off the top of my head.  What I'm saying is they've all been reported on this forum, but for some reason we want to demonize the LS430 for its relatively few issues, and most often it's from those who by their own admission know nothing about them.

[Malc]

17 hours ago, The-Acre said:

for some reason we want to demonize the LS430

no I don't really think so, like you mention the ageing issues on degradation with the Ls400, owners of the Ls430 are seeing their own degradation issues.

None of the above are to be at all unexpected on any car with miles and age running against it.

It's just that  Ls430 issues apply which don't to the Ls400 simply because the ls400 is a different car, e.g no windows to delaminate for instance.

To say one demonizes is a bit strong imho

Happy Christmas whatever

Malc

[The-Acre]

2 hours ago, Malc said:

no I don't really think so, like you mention the ageing issues on degradation with the Ls400, owners of the Ls430 are seeing their own degradation issues.

None of the above are to be at all unexpected on any car with miles and age running against it.

It's just that  Ls430 issues apply which don't to the Ls400 simply because the ls400 is a different car, e.g no windows to delaminate for instance.

To say one demonizes is a bit strong imho

Happy Christmas whatever

Malc

My apologies if my comments offended, they weren't meant to.  Happy Christmas!

[Chasdad]

Happy Xmas all. I may be back with an ls next year . Be it a 400 430 0r a celsior

[mrdoofa]

Merry Christmas to everybody and a happy new year. I’d like to thank all members for their help, advice and banter over the last year, it is appreciated. I will hopefully be back in an LS very soon!!! Have a good one guys!!!

[Newbie1]

On 23/12/2017 at 4:36 PM, The-Acre said:

Upper and lower control arms, starter motor failure, steering motors, corrosion caused by leaking door tweeters, seat heater failure, y peice corrosion, leaking boot, leaking sunroof, alarm problems, vvti system complete failure, transmission mountings, brake pipe corrosion, parking brake seizing.  Just off the top of my head.  What I'm saying is they've all been reported on this forum, but for some reason we want to demonize the LS430 for its relatively few issues, and most often it's from those who by their own admission know nothing about them.

I don't disagree that the  LS400 has design faults but UCAs, LCAs, transmission mounts, brake pipes are all normal wear and tear. VVTi solenoid, cam gear and oil filter are 100k mile replacement on other Toyotas of this era (just did it myself on a 60k mile VVTi 1JZ Soarer to be safe but they last longer on the UZs.) Failure of moisture barriers in doors is common with any 20 year old car (yup, had to do them on my Soarer, too.)

This is not to bash 430s (which I have never owned) and the same normal wear and tear applies to 430 air suspension struts. They've always failed on Toyotas starting at 60k miles or 10 years (in the Crowns, Soarers, Centurys etc I've seen over the years.) Trouble is, I've seen two instances where brand new replacement struts fail in short order. Seems the spare parts age and perish just sitting on the shelf. Can't beat shocks and springs!

[The-Acre]

3 hours ago, Newbie1 said:

I don't disagree that the  LS400 has design faults but UCAs, LCAs, transmission mounts, brake pipes are all normal wear and tear. VVTi solenoid, cam gear and oil filter are 100k mile replacement on other Toyotas of this era (just did it myself on a 60k mile VVTi 1JZ Soarer to be safe but they last longer on the UZs.) Failure of moisture barriers in doors is common with any 20 year old car (yup, had to do them on my Soarer, too.)

This is not to bash 430s (which I have never owned) and the same normal wear and tear applies to 430 air suspension struts. They've always failed on Toyotas starting at 60k miles or 10 years (in the Crowns, Soarers, Centurys etc I've seen over the years.) Trouble is, I've seen two instances where brand new replacement struts fail in short order. Seems the spare parts age and perish just sitting on the shelf. Can't beat shocks and springs!

I could be wrong, but it would be my guess that keeping a car garaged would contribute greatly to some parts lasting where on others they fail, including the windows which can delaminate.  If it spends a third of its life protected from the elements, it seems to make sense to me.  As someone once said, we're at the lower end of the motoring food chain with these cars, but at least they go wrong far less than anything else comparable.  I've not had a major bill in 9 years with either LS, not bad going!

[steve2006]

Agreed, you leave a car outside in damp conditions and the discs go rusty OK the rust is removed as soon as the brakes are applied but this reduces disc thickness eventually requiring replacement, being cosseted in Japan and garage kept since in the UK mine is still on the original discs all round with virtually no wear lip.

As regards service history I will post up my Japanese ones when I return home next year, certainly make good reading.

[The-Acre]

24 minutes ago, steve2006 said:

Agreed, you leave a car outside in damp conditions and the discs go rusty OK the rust is removed as soon as the brakes are applied but this reduces disc thickness eventually requiring replacement, being cosseted in Japan and garage kept since in the UK mine is still on the original discs all round with virtually no wear lip.

As regards service history I will post up my Japanese ones when I return home next year, certainly make good reading.

I'm also thinking of various rubber parts/bushes.  Down here in the south we don't tend to get really cold nights, by that I mean below -2.  If we do it doesn't last long.  For that reason I wonder if rubber is affected more in colder climates like parts of Scotland?  Or should I just stick to carpentry?!!

[ambermarine]

1 hour ago, The-Acre said:

I'm also thinking of various rubber parts/bushes.  Down here in the south we don't tend to get really cold nights, by that I mean below -2.  If we do it doesn't last long.  For that reason I wonder if rubber is affected more in colder climates like parts of Scotland?  Or should I just stick to carpentry?!!

No Phil 

I have lived seventeen years in Scotland prior to returning to England ,my Mark1 spent most of its life there and was treated to a reasonable climate on the west coast.

About six years ago we had a very bad winter of ice and snow which went on for weeks and they ran out of salt , the local authority resorted to a concoction of grit and chemicals which unfortunately rotted the car including the subframe and all exposed metals because when I returned from my three months in Florida there were rusticles dripping from the car.

The roads are notoriously bad at all times on secondary routes so suspensions get an hammering.

Keeping it garaged does protect it from the generous rainfall as it would anywhere else but using the car up there is harder on the vehicle.

[dendonc]

On 12/23/2017 at 12:28 AM, Chasdad said:

i much preferred the interior in the 430 which is why I'm looking into importing a celsior

So what the customs procedure on this as regards duty? I know if you/I import most used items or 'samples' there is no customs duty, m I right in thinking there is no duty on a used car as well?

[Chasdad]

20% vat 10 % tax unfortunately.  Got some lovely celsiors and crowns out there though