lexusls4302001

Thanks for your help and input guys - its a great help

Hi Guys

I need some help please. I recently bought a 2001 LS430. It has full Lexus service history. Every 10k, it has been serviced by Lexus until and including the 150k service. It has now done 160k so is due a service. However, the service history is from print outs rather than a service book so I do not know what needs doing for the 160k service (and each 10k service beyond the 160k ie 170k, 180k etc). Ive gone through the print out and worked out that:

Every 10k – oil and filter (obvious)

Every 60k – spark plugs (Is it every 60k or 5 years – which ever comes sooner?)

Every 100k – cambelt (Is it every 100k or 5 years – which ever comes sooner?)

At 20k, it had a GEAR OIL change? Does this need to be done regular and if yes, when?

It has a “ELEMENT, AIR REF” done regularly – approx every 20k. What is this and how often should it be done? Is that the pollen filter?

Nearly every service, it has a FUEL CLEANER added – do members recommend this?

AIR FILTER been done every 20k – is this correct?

Had an “ATM FLUID” changed at 40k – again what is this and how often should it be done?

BRAKE FLUID done at 40k and 100k. How often should it be done?

COOLANT done at 40k, 80k and 100k. How often should it be done?

Castrol SYNTRAX DIFF OIL done at 60k, 80, 100k and 120k. What is this and how often should it be done? Is this something to do with the differential?

POWER STEERING FLUID was changed at 80k. How often should it be done?

AIR CON SERVICE done at 100k. How often should it be done?

The thing is I do not want to take it to Lexus – I have a good independent and want to make sure they are doing what Lexus would do – it’s a safety check for me.

I would greatly appreciate any help and advice and hope you don’t mind trawling through your service books!!

Many thanks

Hi.

What do you think of an LS 430, 04 plate with 117000 miles on the clock for 9K? is it worth it? Am a bit tempted..or shall I wait a bit longer for a lesser milage one?

av heard of some transmission problems on the 04 plates. Can someone clarify this.

And is 117000 too much on these cars? how often should the timing belt be replaced?

Also, for 117000 miles, how many service stamps should there be or how many services should the car have had (or is that a daft question?!)

whats the average cost of a service at Lexus for an LS 430?

Finally, av also heard of suspension problems on LS 430s....is this correct?

Hi

Its great that your thinking of a 430. I can give my experience based on my 2001 LS430 which I bought about 5 months ago. At the moment, these cars are a buyers market. No one is buying big V8s so if its the car you want, I think you can get a better deal than £9k.

Personally, I dont think mileage is a great important factor when buying such a car. It depends on how well has it been looked after. I would go for a high mileage one rather than a low mileage one as I will know that it will have been sat on the motorway with little wear and tear compared to town driving where it will have been subject to more strain. Even though my 430 is 160k, it feels really tight and spot on! It has full Lexus SH and was owed by a Chairman of a company who went up and down the country in it. I have all the print outs and what ever it needed, it had it done! Thats why the 160k didnt bother me. Obviously, I checked (which you should do) that everything works and in order. It also helped when it was for sale for 5 months for just over £4k!! Yes £4k!

Not sure about transmission or suspension problems - wasnt aware of any

Timing belt every 100k, so you would have some time before you had to replace it

Service should be every 10k or 1 year- which ever comes sooner

Not sure about servicing from Lexus, but I use a good independent that has done all my past cars. They charged me £145 for a full service including brake pads at the rear

Good luck!

£4k to £8k for a nav screen!!! Incredible! You might as well buy a new Lexus with that kind of price!

Yes, the more I drive, the younger the car gets!! Thats a Lexus for you!!

Hi Mike

Im like you in the sense I do very little mileage in my LS430. Ive had it for 5 months and I have done 800 miles - and that includes 3 motorway trips of 400 miles!! My Battery kept on going flat. Now I lock it with my key - even though its on my drive way. Battery is absolutely fine. Touch wood - I know it will start even if I havent driven it for a week.

Its a crap time to sell - but a great time to buy!!! I bought my LS430 2001 1 company director owner full LSH (ok its done 160k but its been very well looked after) last August for £4.3k! Thats how bad it is!

Ive only had 3 cars previous to my LS430 since 1995!! I keep my cars for a long time!

1995: 1990 VW Scirocco GT II - 1.8. Great car but regret that I didnt get the scala as it was effectively a GTI

1999: 1994 BMW 318i coupe - another great car but was abit harsh drive as it was lowered

2003: 1998 Audi A6 1.8 Turbo SE - first automatic / triptonic. Never gave me any trouble apart from when the turbo went. In fact it wasnt the turbo - it was the oil pipe from the engine that feeds the turbo corroded so there was no oil getting to the turbo. A £20 pipe cost me £700!

2008: 2001 LS430 - the best by far!

As you can see, i have moved up in category from each car: sports, sports coupe, executive saloon, and then to the best!

If you use the key you are still operating the door solenoids and activating the immobilizer etc? are you not?

Yes from what I see when I use the key, it still operates the central locking and I persume the immobilizer, however, it does not switch on the smartkey facilities and in the interior alarm - which are the ones that really drain the Battery

Hi

I thinks there has been a few postings on "dodgy" batteries for the LS430, some of them started by me as I am in a similar situation!! Firstly, I got my bettery and alternator checked. My alternator is fine. My Battery is weak because I dont use my LS430 enough (approx 25 miles a week for short journeys).

In past postings, they say common faults for the Battery is a unsuspected drain. The main one being the boot light always on - so please check this first. Also, the alarm uses power, so Im trying to use the key to lock the car rather than the smart key / alarm - hopefully this will use less Battery power.

I suggest going through the past postings and see what has been said

Good luck!

Thanks guys for the advice.

Can I ask, by using the actual key in my fob to lock the car (instead of pressing the button on the door / key fob), will that way of locking it use less Battery power to secure the car?

Hi again!

Ive also noticed that my drivers side window is slow going up and down - and I know its not coz of my weak Battery! It does it even if the engine is on. The other windows are fine. Im just wandering if I should spray some WD40 down it to help its lubrication. Does anyone else have any idea what simple checks / tests i can do? Im hoping its not the motor or something expensive!!

Many thanks again for any advice

Hi guys

Ive had my 430 for 3 months and I do on average 20 miles a week in it - mostly short journeys. I know its not great mileage but thats how much I travel. I'll drive it a couple of times a week for a local run around. Coz the Battery is not getting charged up properly, it is draining and stays weak. Often I have to jump start it. The alternator is fine.

I need your ever helpful advice. Im considering getting one of those solar powered trickle chargers (£10-20 from Maplin kind of thing). What does anyone think? They mostly have adapators so they charge your Battery through your cig lighter. Is this ok? Does anyone know if this will damage my electrics? If you recommend I change my Battery, what type / make would you suggest?

Any advice would be great to prevent me from being left stranded!!

Thanks

Hi Pete

Sorry to hear about your back - sounds very painful! Hope you continue to pop into LOC as Ive found you very knowledgeable and helpful. By the way, good choice of car. I like the look of Versos

Hi Angus

I have exactly the same sort of rust on my boot lid around the number plate area. I had not expected to see that on a 2001 plate. I rang Lexus and have arranged to take it on Tuesday. To tell you the truth, the after sales manager wasnt the most welcoming on the phone - maybe he is fed up of paying for resprays!

Hi Guys

On my LS430, I have the DISP 2 button onmy steering wheel. Does it have any use apart from switching on / off my outside temperature display in the instrument console?

Also, on the boot of my Lexus servived LS430 2001 model, I have a rust spot near the number plate area the size of a 50p piece. Amazing I know!! I went to a body shop and he was very surprised to see rust on a Lexus!! How long is the Lexus rust protection? I would like to know this before I ring them. Ive had a look in the manual and can not see it anywhere. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

best wishes

That is really really cheap for a group 18 insurance car!

Hi

I got my insurance through Broadsure Direct (a brokers). £330 NCP for my ls430 2001, £100 excess, 35 yrs old, 13 yrs no claims. Clean licence. Still a bargain!

The front ones dont look too bad! The ones on the USA eBay do look better than the ones on the UK eBay - they dont look as "sticked" on!

The rear ones are really crap! Definitely to avoid!

Hi guys!

Ive had my LS430 for 6 weeks now! Sheer luxury! Even better now that unleaded is £1 per litre!!!!

Not been driving it much as its my "weekend" car as I dont do that many miles (about 5000 per year as I work from home) and also Ive got a little run a round punto that I use to drop the kids off to school - cheap as chips to run! (By the way - why do you need a Q7 to drop off your 1 kid to school who lives 1 mile down the road - and blocks the whole of the narrow school lane - p***ing annoying that!)

Anyway, Im a very careful driver. I bought the ls430 for the experience rather than its speed capabilities! Yesterday I was at a roundabout on an A road alongside a Subaru Turbo...... Something funny came all over me! I wanted to beat this Subaru! Dont know why but I had to do it! I go round the roundabout quite quickly. As soon as I enter the A road with the Subaru alongside me, I put my foot down...... S**t in hell!!! I froze & had a mini heart attack! Ive never experienced anything like that before!! Subaru man was no way to be seen behind me! One doesnt realise what a immensely powerful car it is, even when most of the time it just glides on the roads!!

Hi Pete

This is fantastic - very helpful. This is what i really like about LOC!

Thanks Pete - you're a star!

Hi all!

Just a quick (and I hope not too much of a dumb) question!!

On my LS430, is there anything that tells me that Ive locked it (ie any constant flashing LEDs etc). I know there is a flashing red LED light inside near the steering wheel, but that is quite discretely position. Basically, I want to look out of my bedroom window and see something flashing, telling me the car is locked. i dont want to sound paranoid but its good to quickly glance at the car and see that its locked!! For example, on Audi's on the driver and passenger doors, there are flashing lights that tell you its locked. Am I not looking at the right places on my LS430 for something similar??

Thanks

Thanks - it works now great!

Thanks mate - its greatly appreciated. For a second, i thought I had to spray something like "Flash Power Spray" into the nozzles to unblock them (and ruin my bonnet!!)