2001 LS430 Mot Failure for rear subframe

[Bind33]

Hi guys

I've just received the unfortunate news that my rear subframe has corroded and is dangerous and won't pass it's MOT which is strange as it has no mention of it in previous years, I was wondering if anyone has one in stock and or knows of anyone who has one that is avaliable? As well as how much it would be to purchase and ship? I've had the car two months and It seems i've bought a lemon..... It's been nothing short of a horrific experience . I'll upload some photos once i've returned from the garage for those of you who want the gorey details! 

Josh

[Malc1]

Josh welcome to the Forum  .  sorry to hear your news 

Have you bought a Ls400 that's a lemon or a Ls430 ?   and can you tell us a little ( or a lot ) more of this tale

Malc

[Bind33]

Thank you Malc it's a ls430 2001 REG MT51 GWW Feel free to check out the Mot history if you would like to see the exctent of it all.

Yes of course I purchased the car for 2600 pounds with 11300 miles on the clock, A real deal I thought as it came with almost full service history and I had a good going over the car with no visible rust in sight other than a few stone chips being my dream car I had to jump at the opportunity. I've since spent quite abit on the car getting a brand new radiator fitted. New calipers, discs and pads up front and same at the rear, a gearbox flush and fluid change.  Flash forward to today when I got the news the rear Subframe was "F*cked" I went down and took a look at it and it's a sorry sight it seems that the car is rusting from the inside out above the subframe. I'm still not sure where to go from here I thought about selling the car for spares and repairs but It just doesn't seem right.

Josh

[steve2006]

Hi Josh and welcome to the LOC.

Having looked at the MOT history it is a bit of a jump from no advisories to a “dangerous do not drive” failure of the subframe as you mention especially with just a few thousand miles between MOTs.

You also have to weigh up the cost of the sill repairs which given the multi layer construction and cutting back to good metal (which may reveal rot in the wheel arches also).

The rest of the failures regarding brakes is probably a seized calliper (pins never get removed and re-greased even at Lexus dealers), seized handbrake cable ( usually due to lack of use) and brake drum cleaning and shoe adjustment.

Finding a good used sub frame may also prove difficult and a new one if still available would probably cost more than the car plus the labour involved in replacing it.

Another member recently required a rear sub frame for another model and found one at a Lexus JDM breakers here in the UK in excellent condition ( no road salt and kinder climate in Japan).

It does make me wonder if the previous owner was aware of the upcoming problems and sold it with a short MOT instead of renewing it early. (I assume it was a private sale and not a dealer?)

Not good news sorry and worrying that nothing was mentioned on the last test before the current one.

[Malc1]

Josh .  so sorry to hear this dreadful news 

I would personally go to the person you bought the car from some 1800 miles ago and also the servicing people and the prior MOT garage .......  an inquisition maybe called for   .  a threat to advise the DVLA MOT people of possible " fraud " re the prior MOT and also maybe the police if the car was sold to you by a garage or even a car trader in cahoots, or even not,  with that MOT station !  .....  you paid over £1000 for the car, the limit below which no-one's going to take much interest legally I fear 

Maybe you're a member of the RAC or AA and can enquire of their free legal advice !

 ............ just some thoughts that might hep in your decision making

Malc

[Howplum]

Is the testing station one you have used before?

Theoretically it's possible to have a second test to get another opinion, but because your car is not to be driven it means getting it transported.

Another option is an independent professional opinion on the fractured near side subframe at least.

You have 14 working days to appeal to DVSA.

It does seem odd/suspicious that such rampant rust has manifested itself after only 12 months so it would appear that the current MoT tester and the previous one are poles apart on the matter of rust. Surely it would take several years for rust to actually cause the subframe to actually fracture. The LS400 is well known for the rear subframe to suffer from bad surface rust, as opposed to internal corrosion.

Good luck!

[ambermarine]

The rear subframe on the Mark 4, 97-2000 is of a tubular construction as against the ribbed flange version on previous marques. the design was better as it was less prone to holding dirt and moisture and easier to clean and protect with underseal.

You mention the body above the subframe is rusting from the inside out ,this infers the subframe anchors in the body are compromised which is an indication the cills are suspect forward of the rear arches ,if this is the case the car is terminal and a new subframe will not solve the issue.

[Malc1]

Wondering if the car has been subjected to flooding immersion at some stage 🤔

seeing the possible upcoming value of these cars might it be possible to consider investing a further £2/3k into professional welding etc maybe ? 

that’s if one had that spare cash …… or she goes, sadly to the Breakers 

Sad for you 🥵

Malc 

[BigBoomer]

Since it's at the rear, I would suspect more likely it had a leaky boot seal and the boot spent a long time very wet.
However, I would want to take a good look at it myself before spending huge money on it as I have seen MOT centres "highlight" stuff to make themselves money.
I use my specific MOT test station because they don't do any work themselves, just MOTs.

I guess it depends on how bad the rest of the underside is. They all get little surface rust on them but mine is at 140k (nearly) and the rear subframe and mounts is solid as a rock with only minor surface rust. Every year when I get it MOT-ed I get a look at the underside and she looks superb for a 19 year old car. My MOT guy showed me a 10 year old 80k mile Citroen in the next bay, and that was pretty much ALL rust underneath. He described it as scrap metal and a total MOT failure.
 

[Malc1]

I too always get my ( trusted ) service and MOT guy to pontificate on the likely rust issues ……. There don’t seem to be any so far, touch wood, just this blooming rust developing on my wheel arch these past couple of years …… and I just know the moment it’s sorted ( it can be they tell me ) some buggers going to zap me and I know it takes very little to write a car off these days ……. Especially our old and trusted steeds  …….. I’m already on Cat N from some years back …… just a simple rear door, quite small,  easily sorted bash ….. wrote her off …… and I just kept her going, of course 

We’re on “ borrowed time” with these old gals methinks 😎

Malc