leadfootmelvin

Cheers, very helpful info.

Thanks for the "heads up" on the brake discs.

I may chop the X5 in for an LS600h that i like the look of (my fave colour)

any tips?

So, when my gorgeous LS430 went pear shaped, i threw the toys from the pram and bought a BMW X5, it wasn't MY idea. I'm now stuck with a bloody awful vehicle, still under "warranty" that has just had a "replacement" gearbox, under the terms of the warranty, with fsh and only 78,00 miles clocked, and we haven't yet owned it for 8 months only adding 2,000 miles, so it spent the last two months of that under repair. We just got it back this week, and it's monstrous, changing up and down, fluttering between 3rd and 4th. Absolute bloody nightmare. Other than, the rather obvious, drive it to a shady place, take a big box of swan vestas, does anyone have any helpful advice?

Exactly as Steve says, not an April Fool, i wish it was. Coolant in the gearbox, consequence=one fried gearbox.

I've really enjoyed the old LS, but a few recent garage bills have caused me to say farewell, gearbox has packed up, £4,000 to fix. So, I am considering a GS,£9,000-£11,000, to replace it. Thoughts, anyone?

still doing it but very faintly. Became much less noticeable when tyres discs and pads replaced. Seems less obtrusive, could a damaged/worn wheel bearing do that?

Passing lads, they're usually under 16, point at my LS430 and exclaim loudly to each other, Wow! & "that is the one that i want". I know my Dad would have loved the styling but......... i wanted a Ferrari Dino, but times change? I like the styling of the 460 much more than the 430 but then that may just be aspiration?

original wheels.

2001 reg, it's now got 139,000 miles clocked. I've had an object stuck in the tyre before, and this is similar but a much lower Thub, thub, thub sound which increases with road speed, but not engine revs. It isn't always present and doesn't appear to change with braking, road camber, or cornering. It definately originates at the front end. It's been to the garage, (not Lexus) and they've driven it miles, and found the same things as me. They did suggest the following in the chain of elimination. Change front tyres (very slight uneven wear on inner shoulders). Actioned, nearly new Dunlops swapped for Marangoni, still making the same noise. Replace front brake pads (they were getting a bit worn)- actioned Replace front discs (could be warped?) - actioned Um! There is a very slight reduction, but it's still there. It's hardly perceptible, but you all know just how quiet these cars are. The garage and the tyre fitters said it could be a wheelbearing but cannot be sure. My recollection of worn wheelbearings is much noisier than this. Anyway, all suggestions welcome.

she turns it off (and sport suspension) and I........ I switch them back on. nuff said

Thanks coolrides and shake. Almera 1.4 sounds like a good option. Looks like i could even get an Avensis under a grand. or even a Skoda Fabia (stop laughing) 8 years old with low miles for £995. I'm wondering whether to bother with a repair on the carina. Thanks for your assistance, i've added the nissan.

Hmmmm! i have 91 Carina which has been bombproof for 8 years (japanese built) and was about to relinquish it to my son, he's been using it to learn to drive. the clutch has just developed a fault, possible master/slave cylinder leak, which shouldn't cost too much to fix, but it occurred to me that if it looks like being a costly repair. what should i be looking around for, to replace it? so, like so many others have probably asked many times before, what would you buy under £1000? they have a good chance of crunching it so nothing too flimsy, and nothing sporty, clearly insurance issues here. reliability would be the primary goal so no citroens etc. civic perhaps? and noooooo! i'm not letting him anywhere near my ls430, except as a passenger, not till he's passed his test anyway.

yep, read the manual now. if ignition is off, you can safely jack it up. 345p manual is quite a read.

i may soon need new boots on the front. but, i've read that you need to deactivate air suspension via a switch in the tool box hole, well, i can't find such a switch on my 2001 ls430. if they jack up my ls430 to swap the dunlops will this jigger my air suspension? thanks, leadfoot

Hello Jim 0-30W sounds pretty thin, but then again, i cut my amateur motor maintenance teeth pouring duckhams 20-50W into (and sometimes right through) old triumphs. When i swapped to the castrol 10-40W it started much faster and mpg increased. but tended to find small leaks, I guess it seems like simple rules are......... If you crank high motorway miles at high speeds and high engine temperatures change often and use a higher grade. these days thats probably a 5-40w? if you run a lot of short trips where the engine just gets up to temperature, pour in the skinny stuff 0-30w sounds good, it'll flick around the engine much faster and get to where it is needed, short trips are really bad for any engine so stick a decent modern synthetic in. I remember some more professional mechanic mates of mine stripping a 60s vauxhalll cresta taxi for a decoke and new bearing shells, and it was perfect, even after 250.000 miles! amazing in those days, the mini cab owner said it was castrolite and filters changed regularly at a wincingly 3,000 mile intervals! I've never seen a lexus label on a replacement filter they're all badged toyota. There is a raging debate about using the japanese made filters or the chinese ones? resin vs paper. again, i think the answer is swap them often. today oil is better and engines are built to better tolerances, so "often" could be 12,000 (even 15,000) miles, but that's only if you stick to quality components.

i'd like to get some pics up, it's Canterbury blue (yeah, everyone thinks it's black, then goes oh wow! oh it's really blue) and it has gold badges, hated them at first but now i couldn't care less it drives like a dream. tickle the throttle and the only indication that you've hit 80 is how things all get smaller in the rear view mirror. bury the throttle and every passenger is silent! wonderful!

Ermmm! Hello We've had our LS430 for almost 4 weeks now, and WOW! what a car. ownership history 60's capri (hers) wolsley hornet (mine) some triumphs - tolledos, dolly sprint. little fiats -uno 55 alfas - sprint and a 33 sportwagon finally saw some sense and found a toyota corolla and a carina a honda accord and most recently ran a camry V6 estate for 7 years plus we've both driven a hat full of others (me professionally) no wonder chauffeurs pick this, and JD power puts it at the top (lexus 7 years running) I'm simply flabbergasted, it's fabulous, i've never driven anything that required less of the driver and the sporting performance is impressive for such a luxurious & comfort orientated car. SIMPLY BRILLIANT!