Tulpen

Scribe said: I'm trying to use the car every week at this time of the year. I know we all have different life circumstances, but I can't help thinking 'Why own a wonderful car like a Lexus, if you aren't going to use it all the time?' In my 19 years of LS ownership, they have always been my ' every day' transport. I can understand if you have a specialised work vehicle or live on top of Ben Nevis :) But for everything else.......it has to be the LS.

I'll be driving past my friendly dealer next week.......I'll pop in and ask.

In my Owner's Manual, under 'Fitting Spare Wheel' it gives the following set-up sequence: Set parking brake. Put gear lever into P Switch off engine. After changing the wheel it just says to lower the car and remove the jack. I have no idea if this sequence will stop the problem as I haven't had to remove a wheel yet. Actually, thinking about it, I have my parking brake set to 'Auto' and in this mode it doesn't apply till the gearshift is in P. Perhaps they mean you must, first, manually set the parking brake THEN put the gear lever to P.

Totally agree with you, Abdallian. I've had my 460 since 2012 and, so far, it has been as reliable as my 400. The only thing I have had to pay out for is annual service, brake pads and tyres. I had my annual service done last week (at a Lexus dealership) and asked about some of the problems our American cousins seem to have - particularly the upper and lower front suspension joints. The Service Manager said they changed all 8 joints on one 600............at the 300,000 kms point. Sounds good to me. I've never owned a 430 but, since 1997, an LS has been my main car - in daily use for everything. Like you, I think the 460 is a better overall car than the 400. And the 400 was/is fantastic. Oops......I forgot......I did have a corrupted self-parking module programme which cost £250 to fix :)

Just as a matter of interest Malc, are you going to use a local driver or, Heaven forbid, drive yourself? Having spent an awful lot of time there, over the years, it is one of the few places in this world where I wouldn't drive :)

Thanks for the reminder, Steve. I'm only interested in a swop. Also, I do pop across to the UK quite often.

Are they 18"? If so, I would be interested. I have 19" on my 2007 LS460 and find the bigger wheels a bit noisy.

I've got a 2007 460.........I have never experienced this problem, if I select the heated seats on they stay on until I de-select them. Trying to think logically, the seats have variable heat (or cool) settings, therefore there must be some sort of thermostatic control. Steve's suggestion of a relay problem sounds very likely. Try selecting various temps and see if that makes any difference.

I don't know if there's a shortcut or not, but that video covers everything. If it was me, I'd wrap some masking tape round the screwdriver blade to protect the trim.

Try this:

During the time I had my 400, I had to have the windscreen changed twice and watched them do it both times. This is not an easy process (forget the old days with bent wire coat-hangers), it involved special sealant and precise curing times. Removing the trim and sealant was a delicate operation. You might consider taking it to somebody like 'CarGlass' and getting them to reseat it for you.

Dale, Re: the power steering rack problem.........did you have various warning lights and the steering wheel off-centre?

9,000 pounds, ouch! Could you give us a list of what it is that needs repair/replacement? Also, how many miles has your 460 done?

I've been the owner of a 2007 LS460 for over four years. Previous to that I had a 1994 LS 400 which I bought in 1997, and kept for 15 years. I've had no problems with the 460, apart from a corrupt programme in the parking computer, which was fixed by the Lexus garage very cheaply. The car will be 10 years old next year and still looks new. All the various gizmos still work as advertised and I hope to keep the car, at least, as long as the 400. I toyed with the idea of upgrading to a 600 but, in my opinion, it is just a bit too complicated for really long-term ownership. Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful machine - but I think the hybrid drive has the potential for some very expensive bills down the road. My Lexus 10 year care package runs out in a few months and I have already found a really good Indy with all the kit to look after the car. He did say that the test equipment needed for the 600 was too expensive for his garage. The 400 was, and is, a lovely machine.......but they are getting pretty long in the tooth. I'm sure many will continue to give years of trouble-free motoring. However, if you are thinking of updating, the 460 is a great way to go.

I totally agree with Malc. I have a 460 which is on 19" tyres and I'm looking for a set of standard 18". The LS is all about quiet and serene travel. Apart from that, it looks a lovely car.

Sorry, it posted twice.

Jason, You might as well get rid of the is200........you've driven an LS, from now on everything else will be a disappointment

I wonder if the litter thing is, in part, a legacy of the IRA problems. Remember, they had a habit of placing bombs in bins........so the authorities removed them all. Even now, it can be difficult to find a convenient bin. Or, maybe, we are all just getting lazy! :(

Yes, Malc, but you EXPECT that in Italy. Surely we (British) can do better. Don't you think it is a sign of a certain malaise when, instead of fixing something, we say 'Well, OK, it isn't very good.........but it's better than X,Y, or Z?'

I've spent quite a bit of time in the UK over the past year and the first thing I notice, when I get off the ferry, is the state of the roads. They are appalling!! I'm not surprised there are suspension problems.......just think how awful it must be for people who have to drive 'lesser' vehicles. The other thing I notice is the rubbish - disgusting. I'm a proud Brit..........but.

Of course, it's possible that a previous owner had them re-sprayed like that because that is what he wanted. There are loads of pictures on this forum of LS models with 'different' colour schemes.

I'm across in the UK at the moment and, yesterday, I was driving from Aviemore to Ayrshire over the Perthshire hills. It was a winding road and I was only doing about 35mph when a deer jumped over a stone wall and landed in the middle of the road. As it landed, I hit it.......I had no time to swerve or brake. The deer was winded and, after about 15 mins got up and legged it. I was really pleased that I hadn't injured it. When I checked the car, it seemed OK with only the impact zone being indicated by a slight crazing of the paint on the bumper. However, I've just done a really close inspection and things aren't so good. A couple of bits of trim had come loose but they were easy to fix. The driver's side foglight (LHD, remember) had popped out of its housing but I refitted that. The worrying bits are the cracks which are at the rounded apertures for the foglights and trim. The impact point is pretty obvious and I'll have the rear of the bumper checked in Holland to see if there has been any delamination behind the impact zone. I believe that, if the safety integrity of the bumper has been compromised (delamination or cracking) this can cause a failure in the MOT. The other bad point is that the deer's horns or hooves appear to have impacted the front of the bonnet which will mean a bonnet re-spray.......at least. The good news is that the deer and ourselves are OK. I've attached some pics - excuse the flies..........

Welcome to the 460, Wayne.

Brian, I do tend to agree with you. The problem is that ALL cars are now stuffed full of gadgets......I think that it's imperative to find a garage where the guys are real technicians - not just component changers. I have to say that my 460 has been faultless up till this electronic glitch.

A couple of weeks ago I returned to my 460 after shopping in a supermarket. When I started the engine I had a Master Warning light, two messages on the display - Check VGSR and Check VSC - and the steering wheel was offset at 45 degrees. The car had been perfect up till then. For the uninitiated; VGSR is Variable Geometry Steering Ratio and VSC is Vehicle Stability Control. I had read about this problem on the US forum and there, they were quoting about $5000 to change the steering rack, including labour. I took the car to my local Lexus garage in The Hague. I know the service manager very well and they have been looking after me since my LS400 days. They took the car in and plugged in the diagnostics. Amongst the possible problems was a failed steering rack but the service guys refused to believe that - they are old-style engineers and like to use logic. They decided to do a complete diagnostic test of ALL the electronics. Would you believe that the problem was in the 'Park Assist' module. It had gone out of limits. They did a complete reset of ALL the electronics and a realignment of the front and back wheels. The car has been perfect since. Oh, the cost?............260 euros. A good garage is worth its weight in gold