Facelift LS430 v 2nd Gen Facelift LS400

[Davey Blueeyes]

So, I have recently picked up a rather cheap '05 LS430 to go with my LS400, SC430 and Toyota Crown 1JZ. I must be mad!

However this my first dip in the LS430 water and, being used to a LS400, I want to calibrate my expectations! The car is not too bad condition considering it's hardly moved for a year. Needs new brakes all round and MOT. 

First, air suspension seems fine. I've run it through the cycles, measured that high and normal levels from the ground to the middle of the arch on both settings, all seems well. However it doesn't feel as 'wafty' and comfy as the 400? Plus the drivers seat doesn't seem to be 'sprung' on the 430 like it is on the 400? Are both these normal?!

Air con isn't cold but compressor is working, I know the rear pipes can corrode and leak gas so I'll gas it up and see if it lasts. Drivers steering column doesn't tilt or telescope, a common fault I believe. Overall, it seems pretty decent for the money, 100k miles only.

Question is, I've always avoided air suspension, mainly because I didn't want to fix it! If the air suspension does give up the ghost, what is a sensible way to go? Is there a conventional spring conversion kit? Coilovers (don't really fancy them on a car like this)? What is the route most go, who do not give it Lexus to fix?!

It was so cheap I do not have much to concern myself with but assuming all is well I am concious that I may have to choose between this and the 400 eventually, or maybe run both, who needs food?!

Photo for attention!

[BigBoomer]

Nice!! Can I steal your passenger door?  Mine is rusting along the trim

The facelift LS430 runs on 18" wheels and smaller sidewalls, so it feels less wafty than the 400 on 16" or 17", or even the pre-facelift on 17".
The benefit is when/if you throw her at some bends when the tyres and suspension do their thing and she grips!

The drivers seat is not as good as the 400. I have no idea why they went backwards on that.

Tilt/Tele will be the motors or possibly the connectors, but it's common as you say.

When the air shocks go, you can either replace them with new (£££) or used (£) air shocks, or with coilovers (££) which are pretty good, but not as good as the air shocks as they lack the dynamic adjustments done by the suspension controllers. You will also lose a little fuel economy on motorways as the car will no longer lower itself and it won't feel as planted in the twisties, again due to the lack of adjustment. Several on here have gone for the coilovers.

My 2004 is at 137k miles and the air shocks are fine. They could last to 250k (I know of one in the US) or could die tomorrow.
I don't let it worry me as they normally give plenty of warning, unlike the Merc S-Class air shocks that just collapse without notice.

[Malc1]

if it were me I would keep BOTH  ................. it's only money and you don't get pleasure from that unless you spend it on stuff you really really enjoy

 

Malc

[Davey Blueeyes]

Thanks both. 

As the MOT expired in June 2021 and it hasn't moved since then I drove it straight to MOT garage on collection and asked them to MOT it before doing any of the work as I was curious. Unbelievably it passed with 4 advisories, front discs and pads and rear discs and pads! That was it! Unbelievable quality these cars.

Obviously these have now been replaced, new spark plugs, oil and air change, cambelt, water pump and serpentine belt and power steering fluid change. I've been driving her a lot since and she's really growing on me and she's loosened up significantly (in a good way!) now she's being used again!

Drivers heated seat is dead and passenger seat is virtually dead. The rears work a bit. As it was so cheap I'd like to get these sorted but I don't know anyone that could replace the heating elements, which I'm assuming is the source of the failure.

Steering column motors are both gone but I've got breaker replacements so we'll see how they go. Plus I've got a decent breaker replacement sunroof as this one is really rusty along the front edge. So I'll treat the new one and swap them over, looks like 4 Torx screws and it's off.

I do love a fun, cheap project for the winter!

[Davey Blueeyes]

On 10/4/2022 at 12:10 PM, BigBoomer said:

Nice!! Can I steal your passenger door?  Mine is rusting along the trim

The facelift LS430 runs on 18" wheels and smaller sidewalls, so it feels less wafty than the 400 on 16" or 17", or even the pre-facelift on 17".
The benefit is when/if you throw her at some bends when the tyres and suspension do their thing and she grips!

The drivers seat is not as good as the 400. I have no idea why they went backwards on that.

Tilt/Tele will be the motors or possibly the connectors, but it's common as you say.

When the air shocks go, you can either replace them with new (£££) or used (£) air shocks, or with coilovers (££) which are pretty good, but not as good as the air shocks as they lack the dynamic adjustments done by the suspension controllers. You will also lose a little fuel economy on motorways as the car will no longer lower itself and it won't feel as planted in the twisties, again due to the lack of adjustment. Several on here have gone for the coilovers.

My 2004 is at 137k miles and the air shocks are fine. They could last to 250k (I know of one in the US) or could die tomorrow.
I don't let it worry me as they normally give plenty of warning, unlike the Merc S-Class air shocks that just collapse without notice.

No, you can't have my door! 😂 Have you spoken to Paul Frost? He's always my first stop for breaker bits? Yes, I'm less concerned by the shocks now honestly, they seem fine

[Davey Blueeyes]

On 10/4/2022 at 2:00 PM, Malc1 said:

if it were me I would keep BOTH  ................. it's only money and you don't get pleasure from that unless you spend it on stuff you really really enjoy

 

Malc

You are indeed correct Malc. The 2nd gen facelift LS400 is my favourite car ever. I really don't want it to go. And this LS430 is growing on me, it's clearly a different sort of car from the 400