Cam Belt And Water Pump Changed Today, But Bad News

[Bassman]

Hi folks

Had the car serviced today and the cam belt and water pump changed. All went well and was done in about 4 or 5 hours or so.and I thought a great cost of just £570.87 including the parts and labour for the service.

I asked them to check my suspension t make sure that this vibration I have been getting was not caused by worn suspension. They checked it and found the osr upper ball joint is worn, and the nsr lower arm outer ball joint is also worn. They got the prices from lexus and lexus told them that they have to change the complete hub as the ball joint that is worn is a part of the hub? They have quoted close to 700 for these two parts! So including fitting and geometry set up, its a bill for £930! Wow...Are the outer ball joints on the rear suspension arms actually part of the hub? Or can the ball joint just be changed.

The receptionist that I spoke to at 5.30 after getting home, suggested that I ask on the forum, if anyone has second hand parts for this? Or to see if I could also order them from the states for a cheaper cost? She was horrified at the price from lexus. I will get more information on the parts I have to buy tomorrow, and pop back on here with the exact parts so I can actually sort out exactly how much this will cost me.

Any advice folks?

[messi]

Im sure there is a place in Coventry called Thor Racing and they can sought you out some bushes for the arms at a fraction of Lexus prices. They did some for me on my first ls430 (now ofcourse i have an ls400 and wont be buying an ls430 again)The front bushes all fitted for i think it was £300ish.

[Bassman]

When I get the exact parts that I need tomorrow mate, I will call them and see what they say. Thanks a lot.

[lurch]

Don't buy from states get them direct from Japan. Www.amayama.com , genuine parts , great service and duty charges are fraction of what we get charged if from the states. I bought eleven gearbox parts for my rav4 from this company and saved over £250.00 on uk prices, and duty was £64.00, where as duty from USA was going to be £123.00.

[ManicMark]

Don't buy from states get them direct from Japan. Www.amayama.com , genuine parts , great service and duty charges are fraction of what we get charged if from the states. I bought eleven gearbox parts for my rav4 from this company and saved over £250.00 on uk prices, and duty was £64.00, where as duty from USA was going to be £123.00.

Just looked on that site at least 50% cheaper than here. Thanks for the link

[lurch]

Don't buy from states get them direct from Japan. Www.amayama.com , genuine parts , great service and duty charges are fraction of what we get charged if from the states. I bought eleven gearbox parts for my rav4 from this company and saved over £250.00 on uk prices, and duty was £64.00, where as duty from USA was going to be £123.00.

Just looked on that site at least 50% cheaper than here. Thanks for the link

I ordered my gearbox parts just before Xmas and had never used them before so was a bit concerned, but have to say they were brilliant and all parts were genuine toyota in genuine packaging and like you say a good 50% cheaper than here, example was the 5th gear I needed was £58.00 from them and £128.00 from toyota uk ! For the exact same part.

[ManicMark]

Upper wishbones £137 against £350

[Bluesman]

Don't buy from states get them direct from Japan. Www.amayama.com , genuine parts , great service and duty charges are fraction of what we get charged if from the states. I bought eleven gearbox parts for my rav4 from this company and saved over £250.00 on uk prices, and duty was £64.00, where as duty from USA was going to be £123.00.

Out of interest how long did it take for the parts to arrive? Mike

[lurch]

Don't buy from states get them direct from Japan. Www.amayama.com , genuine parts , great service and duty charges are fraction of what we get charged if from the states. I bought eleven gearbox parts for my rav4 from this company and saved over £250.00 on uk prices, and duty was £64.00, where as duty from USA was going to be £123.00.

Out of interest how long did it take for the parts to arrive? Mike

Once paid only took about 5 days to arrive but sat in customs for a week as it was Xmas.

[Bassman]

Don't buy from states get them direct from Japan. Www.amayama.com , genuine parts , great service and duty charges are fraction of what we get charged if from the states. I bought eleven gearbox parts for my rav4 from this company and saved over £250.00 on uk prices, and duty was £64.00, where as duty from USA was going to be £123.00.

Thanks mate, looks like a very useful link, especially for me.

When I get the part numbers that I need , I will take a look on there for them. Cheers.

Keith

[ipwn]

Cant offer much help other than this diagram for you.

[Bassman]

That could be very useful mate. Thank you.

Keith

[ipwn]

Are you able to save the image, open it in MSPAINT and circle what part the problem is?

Or give me the number from the picture, I can look into it for you a bit better,

[Bassman]

Not sure what parts I actually need at the moment, only had a quick phone call before the garage closed at 5.30.

Will get part numbers from them tomorrow, and see what I actually do need.

Thanks for the help mate.

Keith

Oh and I have saved the image. Cheers

[Bluesman]

Don't buy from states get them direct from Japan. Www.amayama.com , genuine parts , great service and duty charges are fraction of what we get charged if from the states. I bought eleven gearbox parts for my rav4 from this company and saved over £250.00 on uk prices, and duty was £64.00, where as duty from USA was going to be £123.00.

Out of interest how long did it take for the parts to arrive? Mike

Once paid only took about 5 days to arrive but sat in customs for a week as it was Xmas.

Many thanks, I will definitely use them Mike

[lurch]

Just don't forget to allow for duty and postage, they will get back to you with a price and postage costs, postage calculated on weight from Japan and not value i believe, Then once you have a price you can go on google and use a duty calculator to look up how much the uk will charge. My eleven gearbox parts cost £34.00 for delivery, £64.00, duty. But even with them added on saved over £250.00.

[Chris Skelton]

A major reason I sold my Ser 4 was the fear of having to replace these parts, bushes etc. Someone posted that the cost of fitting complete steering, etc bits (that inevitably wear!) was over £2K!!

When a car is 'worth' only - say - £3K......?

Now I get the bus!

[Lexmanic]

I have to say that when owning LS400 residual value should not be a consideration

After having my high mileage 98 LPG LS400 refurbished cosmetically Now I'm having it refurbished mechanically at considerable cost. Some would think I'm certainly spending more than its worth but I disagree. When its done it will give me many miles of cheap (LPG) motoring in a car that is unsurpassable in the league of luxury motoring.

Finally should I in the future decide to sell it any prospective buyer will know its been nurtured regardless of cost making it much easier to sell

[Bassman]

I tend to agree with that.

The LS is my car. It's the one I chose to drive.

If something costs a bit to sort out then so be it. What's the alternative to fixing the car you have?

Sell it? Buy another car, that will probably also need some sort of work doing and will probably be no match for the car you already have.

I will sort the suspension out, and when I have I know that the car will be now excellent. Serviced, cam belt and water pump done, suspension sorted out......So i will keep it and if something else goes I will fix it.. It's my car.

What does it matter that the car may be worth only 2500 and it cost you 3000 to get It in super condition?..its cheap super motoring..and thre are not many cars you can say that about.

[Chris Skelton]

I agree too! was just a bit 'chicken' at the time. Adding to the fact that I didn't use it much. But I do miss it!

Watching 'Ghostdog; way of the Samurai' where he 'boosts' a GS400 and cruises, I start getting the itch again.

There is nothing comparable.

Was in my neighbour's 5 year old Audi S8 recently, but wasn't at all tempted.

Thinks; does the GS400 cruise/ride as well as the LS? Never been in one.

[black400]

Toyotaly agree , if we keep skipping good cars because of service parts we will be driveing fiestas.

[Bluesman]

Well I have to agree with you all. Forget the residual value whatever car you have will need servicing and maintanace but keeping the same car means you arent having to fork out for another car to do exactly the same thing too.

Having just watched Wheeler Dealer who this week sorted a 50 year old Moggie Woody out our cars should never hit the scrapyard (barring total disaster secenario) if looked after because the technology & knowledge used in the designing and making of our cars is far superior to when the dear old Moggie was made.

Mike

[ManicMark]

I'm sort of setting a £500 a year budget for repairs to my LS400. I shouldn't need it going by my last one.If in a few years time I may have to spend say £2000 getting the suspension sorted out it will be good for another 150,000 miles.

It will work out cheap luxury motoring in the long run. As I said in a previous post I think ls 400s are going to go up in value rather than down If you have a mint example. Well worth the investment.

[Lexmanic]

With all the positive comments re values not being relevant & the intention of keeping the car may I suggest that now is the time to consider having it LPG'd to ensure cheaper motoring.

AND if there is more than one member intending to do it I suggest they form a list & approach an installer asking for a group price

[Bassman]

I would certainly be in that one..been thinking of going the gas route anyway..

It's a very good idea mate. Cheers

Keith