General Car Conversation 2024 - part 1
01-28-24, 02:34 PM
#842
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
no, just different strokes... some people enjoy driving 100 year old cars!
01-28-24, 02:40 PM
#843
Lexus Fanatic
I never said a Lexus "lasts forever" and you didn't prove any point. And I'm tempted to take my LS to the shop right now and see if they can find anything wrong, let alone 5 grand worth, lmao just to prove you wrong.
The car has zero leaks, I replaced control arm bushings yearrrrrs ago. I had them do valve cover gaskets preventative just because it's easy when I replaced spark plugs. Timing belt is fine, not something to address for years. The car needs nothing.
Nothing but oil changes, that is.
The car has zero leaks, I replaced control arm bushings yearrrrrs ago. I had them do valve cover gaskets preventative just because it's easy when I replaced spark plugs. Timing belt is fine, not something to address for years. The car needs nothing.
Nothing but oil changes, that is.
Timing belt needs to be done per Lexus at 90k miles or 10 years, so it should be on its second timing belt just by the years.
Of course you could find 5k worth of work that could be done. He could go replace the tires. Doesnt mean it needs to be done. My 2004 LS doesnt leak from anywhere and it has 128k miles. Ive had it on a lift to check, it doesnt need anything replaced because it's worn out or even close.
One thing you wont have to do on it, replace 25k worth of batteries.
One thing you wont have to do on it, replace 25k worth of batteries.
And EVs don’t need $25k worth of batteries either lol.
This is not a knock against Lexus in the slightest, it’s just that nothing lasts forever and ANY car that is 20+ years old has the potential to need significant and expensive repairs. You get to a point where the car’s intrinsic value is worth more than its financial value, with that $7k of work that LS will continue to be a great car that will deliver a much better driving experience than what $12,000 could have bought the owner (assuming he paid $5k for the car). Plus, a lot of that I would just not do.
Last edited by SW17LS; 01-28-24 at 02:56 PM.
01-28-24, 03:11 PM
#844
Lexus Fanatic
This is not a knock against Lexus in the slightest, it’s just that nothing lasts forever and ANY car that is 20+ years old has the potential to need significant and expensive repairs. You get to a point where the car’s intrinsic value is worth more than its financial value, with that $7k of work that LS will continue to be a great car that will deliver a much better driving experience than what $12,000 could have bought the owner (assuming he paid $5k for the car). Plus, a lot of that I would just not do.
And EVs don’t need $25k worth of batteries either lol.
Last edited by Toys4RJill; 01-28-24 at 03:16 PM.
01-28-24, 03:16 PM
#845
Lexus Fanatic
People have posted in this very thread that their 20 year old Lexuses need nothing but oil changes lol.
Saying nothing lasts forever is not anti-Lexus, it’s just reality. Lexus makes very reliable cars but they don’t cheat time.
Ask people who own old high mileage Teslas, they don’t have issues with batteries. Will they eventually go bad? Absolutely. Because nothing lasts forever
Saying nothing lasts forever is not anti-Lexus, it’s just reality. Lexus makes very reliable cars but they don’t cheat time.
Ask people who own old high mileage Teslas, they don’t have issues with batteries. Will they eventually go bad? Absolutely. Because nothing lasts forever
01-28-24, 03:34 PM
#846
Lexus Fanatic
I am sure this exists for some, it’s possible based on low miles and how used on on the road etc, this is likely true for many with cars that are less than 10 years old . But, the saying is not to be taken literally. When someone says “all it takes is oil” and then say their Lexus is “26 years” old, then that is BS. When someone says all “all I do is oil changes” that means I have had this car, and it hasn’t given me much hassle. They are not referring to their 26 year old car where they never did anything other than oil changes.
Last edited by Toys4RJill; 01-28-24 at 04:01 PM.
01-28-24, 03:50 PM
#848
Lexus Champion
Even at 10 years old with normal miles a Lexus is going to require more than just changing the oil, you have to be prepared for repairs...especially on an LS or GS etc. I've owned them, I know...all of the Lexus vehicles I have owned past a warranty lease term have required repairs at or before that time.
On an older car, worn out components become maintenance. For instance if you put AJT's LS430 up on a lift, I bet you could come up with $5,000 worth of work that can be done to it. Great example are the flex discs in the driveshaft, something you're not going to find unless you look for it. Worn control arm bushings are another example, may not be creating a clunk yet but they're worn and could be replaced I'm sure. You'll find oil leaks that may not result in a puddle on the ground, for instance valve cover gaskets, transmission pan gaskets, that steering rack leak. My ES300 has several leaks but leaves no fluid on the ground, you would never know unless you put it up on a lift and looked for them. I don't recall him saying he had the timing belt done anytime recently. I'm sure its due for a timing belt.
People absolutely buy old Lexus vehicles like that and expect that they are going to need nothing but oil changes. Like the Wizard said, the owner commented the repairs were more costly than the car itself. Striker has seen the same thing with his customers.
On an older car, worn out components become maintenance. For instance if you put AJT's LS430 up on a lift, I bet you could come up with $5,000 worth of work that can be done to it. Great example are the flex discs in the driveshaft, something you're not going to find unless you look for it. Worn control arm bushings are another example, may not be creating a clunk yet but they're worn and could be replaced I'm sure. You'll find oil leaks that may not result in a puddle on the ground, for instance valve cover gaskets, transmission pan gaskets, that steering rack leak. My ES300 has several leaks but leaves no fluid on the ground, you would never know unless you put it up on a lift and looked for them. I don't recall him saying he had the timing belt done anytime recently. I'm sure its due for a timing belt.
People absolutely buy old Lexus vehicles like that and expect that they are going to need nothing but oil changes. Like the Wizard said, the owner commented the repairs were more costly than the car itself. Striker has seen the same thing with his customers.
I regard all rubber bits as wear items and that's why I replace them all on my cars when I buy them. The 430/460/4.0/W12 all had/will have their entire sets of driveline mounts and suspension replaced, same with the wheel bearings and driveshaft disks/support. If it has an issue come up with one it gets all 4 etc
Age kills rubber and honestly to really be able to feel a car in it's true form you need all that to be tight.
EDIT: I expect my stuff to at least meet all as new performance metrics so it bothers the hell out of me when they can't so I fix it. I also drive them extremely hard here and there so I need confidence they are working otherwise I can't drive them how I want to. That's why I have indexed lug nuts etc so I can tell with a glance if TQ is correct/haven't backed off. Same reason that before I drive I check all fluids etc so I know all is well.
Cars I don't care past conveying me somewhere like my work Jeep or the other daily drivers it's whatever if they move and all gears are there etc. The Jeep is not gonna get all new suspension bushings just to have that nice tight new car feel again because it doesn't matter to me.
I had to drop $5600 in parts for my W12 to reset everything, totally worth it to me since to get something I actually would want more/enjoy as much would cost at least $140k. No one else would have even know stuff technically needed to be replaced or carbon cleaning done since it was smooth and quiet but I require to be able to cold start it with a nickel standing on its side. Cold. Every time. It was only able to pull it off 3/5 attempts so new mounts and carbon cleaning was the "fix"
Now I can't stop driving the thing and when I started the 4.0TT for a second I actually thought something was wrong with the engine lol! A solid month of driving the 12 has made V8s feel "off" to me now
Last edited by Striker223; 01-28-24 at 04:10 PM.
01-28-24, 04:12 PM
#849
Lexus Fanatic
I am sure this exists for some, it’s possible based on low miles and how used on on the road etc, this is likely true for many with cars that are less than 10 years old . But, the saying is not to be taken literally. When someone says “all it takes is oil” and then say their Lexus is “26 years” old, then that is BS. When someone says all “all I do is oil changes” that means I have had this car, and it hasn’t given me much hassle. They are not referring to their 26 year old car where they never did anything other than oil changes.
On the other topic of me and SUVs. I drove the S560 today after having driven that QX80 all week, yeah I’m not getting an SUV lol
01-28-24, 04:19 PM
#850
Lexus Fanatic
QUOTE=SW17LS;11658763]I
On the other topic of me and SUVs. I drove the S560 today after having driven that QX80 all week, yeah I’m not getting an SUV lol
Body on frame SUVs make the perfect compliment to a nice sedan. IMO. Never a replacement
01-28-24, 05:04 PM
#851
Lead Lap
01-28-24, 05:15 PM
#853
Pole Position
Yep, and I think some type of EV as your car/sedan really takes it to another level. Going from driving our EV to our big SUV around town is just crazy. I truly enjoy driving the EV.
01-28-24, 05:18 PM
#854
Lexus Fanatic
Complete opposite for me. Much rather drive my SUVs in the city. Especially in downtown city traffic.