Back on the road

[NeilP1960]

Hey, 

It's been a while since I last posted. 2005 LS430 has been SORN-ed for 2 years since gearbox problems on the Isle of Arran in 2016..... recently put a new transmission/torque converter (breaker @ 43K miles) plus an independent oil cooler and voila... she's back! I put her through the MOT the next day and she sailed though.... welcome back to the quiet beast and special thanks to a Lexus fan in Darwen, Lancs for all your help!! ;)

[The-Acre]

Good news.  And was it the radiator coolant that did the damage?

[GrahamG]

Neil, pleased you are pleased.

Can you share more details?

Cost of the used box and cost of fitting if you did not do it yourself.

My local independent recommends a separate ATF cooler rather than renewing the radiator by way of preventative maintenance but there are doubts about the temperature being correct.

[NeilP1960]

Right, Some of you might recall that I visited Lexus Liverpool about 3-4 years ago and spent a relatively large chunk of £££ on a series of jobs including a new transmission and torque converter, new back boxes etc. To be fair to the dealer, they did me a deal on their labour (next to nowt in cost). Some on here quite rightly thought I should have called it a day but the bronze LS430 has sentimental value (never good I know) to me as I'd bought it both for business miles and to ferry my terminally ill parents around with it's magic carpet ride and they loved it which made me feel decent too. Anyway... when I left the dealers I felt like the car was as good as ever but alas I wasn't smiling for too long as some 10000 miles later I was having a day with my camera on the Isle of Arran and on leaving the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry the gearbox seemed to slip a few gears then became stuck in 3rd (?). I drove home stuck in gear (keeping revs below approx 3500 revs) in the snow/sleet and the 300 mile trip to Merseyside was somewhat stressful to say the least. Straight to the dealership the following morning and they confirmed the gearbox was shot, when I produced their invoice for the work undertaken previously they looked horrified but eventually argued that the gearbox was only guaranteed for 10K miles and  I'd done 423 miles over that - I was not impressed and told them so!! I thought I'd scrap it or trade in but as my FiL was on his last legs I decided to SORN it and deal with things later. I bought a used Skoda Superb 4x4 for work and kept the LS on the drive... to the chagrin of other family members.

Roll on the clock 18 months and a friend told me of a Wirral based auto gearbox specialist so late last year a flat bed vehicle took the LS away and I negotiated a price with the garage for a rebuild to get it back on the road. After Christmas, the garage called me in and gave me their tale of woe... on three occasions they had stripped it down and rebuilt and on each time it burnt out within a couple of miles... they were of the view that there must be a hairline crack in the unit or another inherent weakness, but they did confirm that the 'fitted gearbox' from the franchise wasn't consistent in their opinion with one that had covered just over 10K. They reported that there was no water from the radiator in the transmission fluid. They suggested if I could get another box, they'd fit it for free and see what they could salvage from the old unit though they did recommend an external oil cooler as a safeguard and it was only a small additional cost (£90).

So, a low mileage used transmission box including torque converter was picked up from a breaker .... thrown in and test driven for 40 miles.... success! Before celebrating too much, they put in for an MOT the following day and it flew through with no advisories!!  They replaced the transmission oil as I requested (not cheap) and so I insured it as a second vehicle for less than £200 and she's now valeted and back on the drive!! I've only driven 200 miles since but she feels and sounds amazing... again..... I'm keeping everything crossed this time. 

 

Costs... Gearbox and Torque Converter @ £600, transmission oil @ £170, external oil cooler @£90  ... I insisted on them charging me for some  of their labour after all the effort (£250 compromise) plus MOT, 12 months road tax and insurance. 

Hope I made the right choice and I won't be recommending a certain local franchise dealership to others.

Wish me luck and I'll post pictures when the weather improves

[GrahamG]

Neil,

If anyone deserves some good luck you are that man.

Dare I ask two more questions. What would have been the normal labour cost to fit that replacement gearbox?

Also is the external cooler in addition to the normal cooling within the engine radiator or does it replace it?

I know it is always easy to offer advice from the side lines but have you considered sending a copy of your post to Lexus UK? You might add my comment as an owner of two Lexus cars that for them to leave matters as they now stand is to flush down the drain an outstanding reputation.

[NeilP1960]

Graham, The external cooler replaces the radiator function in cooling transmission oil and sits independently from it leaving the rad to cool the engine and provide warm air to occupants. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/PERFORMANCE-TRANSMISSION-TRANNY-TRANS-OIL-COOLER-11-5X5-5X2-IS300-SC300-SC400/231534986336?fits=Make%3ALexus|Model%3ALS430&hash=item35e88f8460:g:9iAAAOSwnTdaFdxV

I'm no mechanic but would guess at £600-800 labour to replace Gearbox at a Lexus franchise and maybe half that at my independent? 

I still have all the bills from work undertaken on the vehicle by the franchise so if it drives ok in the next couple of months then I'll sit down and write to Lexus UK sharing my disappointment in the initial response of the local franchise and what that does to the reputation of the brand. 

[GrahamG]

Neil, thanks for the information which I know will interest others especially those who worry about the possibility of water in the main radiator contaminating the auto transmission and ruining it.

Please keep us informed of how this progresses; I will certainly have my fingers crossed for you.

If you still have faith in the expertise of the auto gearbox specialist could you give us their name?

[NeilP1960]

Graham, I'll keep folk informed and hope to be smiling for years yet with the 'second car'. Clearly early days still but the auto gearbox company were superb with me and I suspect significantly out of pocket with their time and component costs which weren't passed on.  

They're Wallasey based and have been around for since 1933 apparently. http://www.garageswirral.co.uk/automatic-gearbox-repairs.html

[SHELLDRAKE]

Lexus in Chester charge £104 per hour 

 

[steve2006]

4 hours ago, SHELLDRAKE said:

Lexus in Chester charge £104 per hour 

 

I think you may find that hourly rate is for sitting in reception excluding tea and biscuits but plus VAT :)

 

[NeilP1960]

Here she is btw

 

[cruisermark]

Hi Neil

That is a lovely looking LS -definatley a good decision to keep her on the road.

Did you suspension go flat whilst it was parked up?

[NeilP1960]

The suspension has surprised me, certainly very much on the low side when taken away on the flat bed but since she's been back on the road... a quick cycle through the sport/normal/high modes has resulted in the car air suspension seemingly sorting itself out. I know it's always a major concern with the LS 430 but all seems ok at present... not sure how good an option the coil over solution is tbh?

[DaKa]

Well done Neil, I hope that your patience and dedication is rewarded with many years of happy trouble free motoring.

It's also good to post the names of quality gearbox specialist, if they were a bit nearer I'd give them the rubbish Renault gearbox on my 88 Lotus Esprit to fix the whine present in 5th.

[cornershop]

On 2/24/2018 at 11:15 PM, NeilP1960 said:

but eventually argued that the gearbox was only guaranteed for 10K miles and  I'd done 423 miles over that - I was not impressed and told them so

Congrats on getting it back on the road

I would not have let this the mileage go however - i would have been onto Lexus HQ with a well chosen rant

[65mike]

Hi all.

Lovely looking motor you have there Neil hope all goes well

I agree with you cornershop give Lexus HQ a right going at i had a problem with the VSC on the car a month after i got it under warrant lucky and found out the problem had been on going for 2 MOT'S so gave the dealer a piece off my mind got to be done.

65mike.

[NeilP1960]

10 hours ago, cornershop said:

Congrats on getting it back on the road

I would not have let this the mileage go however - i would have been onto Lexus HQ with a well chosen rant

You're probably right but I to balance that against the fact that my FiL was on his last legs and my wife and I were caring for him for the final 3/4 months of his life and the stress associated with this. My real issue is that the franchised dealer advised  against me supplying them with a reconditioned transmission as they couldn't give any guarantee - hence the 'new' box from Lexus that clearly wasn't such a unit - outrageous imho

[NeilP1960]

Update, just sailed through its MOT with no advisories and running like a dream. New timing belt kit and waterpump fitted last week (additional 100K mileage) at local engine specialist - £600 all in.

[RgrWynne]

Off to Arran myself early next month and just read your blog.....wish me well 😂😂😂

[NeilP1960]

6 minutes ago, RgrWynne said:

Off to Arran myself early next month and just read your blog.....wish me well 😂😂😂

Enjoy, I was blaming the vibration of the Caledonian MacBrayne ferries at one point but I was just fitted with a poor gearbox it seems?😉

[royoftherovers]

On 2/25/2018 at 9:47 AM, NeilP1960 said:

Graham, I'll keep folk informed and hope to be smiling for years yet with the 'second car'. Clearly early days still but the auto gearbox company were superb with me and I suspect significantly out of pocket with their time and component costs which weren't passed on.  

They're Wallasey based and have been around for since 1933 apparently. http://www.garageswirral.co.uk/automatic-gearbox-repairs.html

Is this the garage you used Neil? https://www.robbsgarage.co.uk/

 

Who is your Lexus Indie?

[NeilP1960]

1 minute ago, royoftherovers said:

Is this the garage you used Neil? https://www.robbsgarage.co.uk/

 

Who is your Lexus Indie?

That's the one sir. 

As for the Indie, a garage I used for servicing the other car (Skoda) recommended them for all their 'specialist work' 

It was these guys http://www.birkenheadenginecentre.co.uk/  - the owner had the same model I beleive?