Johnhav430

Hey here's a question....when you got the car with 49k, were the rear LCA bushings still shot? If so, it's an age thing....mine were shot at 80k.....addressing them later this month, got an appt to install OEMs. Ready for this? toyota said they would do it for $900. I passed, but was surprised yes they will install customer parts.

49k is low, I was hoping for 60k myself, but it never panned out as some wanted near 20k lol I settled for 80k and under 15k

venting--you guys are lucky, I cannot find an indie around here. One guy even said he really doesn't want to work on my car, it's not worth his time. Sorry, but I am kind of sour to this idea of a Japanese specialist!

RushNatU

Word! I put 100 miles a day on my 06 with 108k and wont look back. I take care of my vehicles like children and drive gently (most of the time), but they are daily drivers simple as that. No collectors plate, just the junk yard lol.

LS430Lexus

First, I am not sure how you define low mileage. In August, I was fortunate to acquire a pristine '03 ML/Nav with 64k from a family member and disposed of a '02 UL with almost 170k. Within the last 10k miles, the prior owner replaced the new timing belt, brakes, plugs, fluids and any other maintenance item recommended by the Lexus dealer. The interior was pristine and it came with an additional set of almost new Michelin X-ice snow tires. The only flaw was a blown sub-woofer which I had re-foamed and re-installed. In addition, I put in a new AGM battery.

The '02 UL would have gone to 250 to 300k. That said, I notice the difference in mileage. 100k less miles just feels better with less wear and tear. I am also free from major maintenance for a while. I enjoyed my UL but only miss the soft-close doors. The important thing in these cars is condition, care and maintenance. Don't worry about color and option package. Find the best cared for, low mileage example and you will love it.

2KHarrier

John; The suspension was/is as tight as a..., well you fill in the rest...
I don't imagine I'll have to do anything to the 05 for quite a while.

I can't believe they quoted you 900 bucks for the labor? When I do the LCA bushings on my 2001 in the summer, I'll be doing it myself. Granted if you don't have the tools/knowledge/wherewithal to accomplish a job like this, than, yeah you need to find a shop that won't break the bank. Hope you find someone reputable and reasonable!

Jabberwock

My 06 LS430 has 92k miles on it. Bought it with 13 k miles. I will keep the car for maybe 5-6 more years as it still runs and looks like new. I just bought a 2004 SC430 that has 28k miles on it. It looks mint inside and out but the mechanical elements (engine bay/hubs/undercarriage/etc) have more rust and corrosion than my LS because the SC had lived its life in a coastal environment. I have noticed that while the interior is absolutely mint, the 2004 SC has significantly more aging than my 06 LS on the rubber and plastic parts on the exterior and in the engine bay. Even low mile cars age over the years. I love the SC and will keep it for many years but I am driving it everywhere every day rather than preserving its low mile status. If the cars depreciate more because I am putting heavy miles on them I am more than happy with that result because it means I enjoyed the &*^$ out of them.

Johnhav430

I found a place to do it for about $75 more than the price I saw in a thread, maybe FLA is cheaper than NJ.....I'm ok with it and looking forward to seeing the results. If none, I will be upset lol But mine are visibly cracked. I'm curious now, since I've established that the Toyota dealer does install customer parts, what would they get if I bought the OEM timing belt kit and paid the labor? How would this stack up to the $775 I got from the indie....then again, with the LCA's, it showed they are not too familiar with the LS430 even though it's a Toyota product.

DavidinCT

I guess mine does not fit here... :-/

2001 - ML (ML audio, navi, etc Modern lux ?), sitting at 239K daily driver where I put about 110 miles on a day...

Let's see, it's now a 16 year old car (OMG) take 239,000 and devide it by 16 years and you come up with almost 15K a year... I guess a little high..

Johnhav430

I seem to be on track for 16k per year....shoot just got the car Oct. 1 and am up to like 4,400. I'm ok with it, I feel confident about the car.....not losing any fluids etc. I just checked oil and coolant again. Eventually I won't bother, but it seems to be a 2-3 wk. thing now.

JffGRY706

when I was approaching 100,000 miles I was pricing ball joints and control arm bushings because people in this forum seem to think that at that point everything is going to have to be replaced. I now am at 122,000 and all is well. I have my car serviced at the local Lexus dealer and believe me they would try to sell my that stuff if it was needed. it must depend on the road conditions where you live because here in Texas the roads are great and we don't get much salt on the surface. my control arm bushings are fine. car drives straight and does not pull to either side when braking. the 120,000 mile service was $750. the 90,000 mile service was $1,550. the other services are up to $167 including oil change, tire rotation and a car wash. a lot I admit, but I am no mechanic and do not like working on cars. I do enjoy washing my car and often spend a lot of time washing the underside and inside fender wells. a complete waste of time as they get filthy when it rains. but my bushings do not stay dirty for long periods of time. I have put 50,000 miles on the car in just under 4 years. 48 month loan, 2 payments to go and it will be all mine. best and most reliable car I have ever had, and I have had a few real lemons. first car was '73 Vega and I had to replace the engine twice before 50,000 miles. second was a used "73 Pinto and I had to replace 3 timing belts before I said good bye to it. still love my Lexus.

Johnhav430

What's interesting about Lexus, is they follow the old business model, where a car needs service every 5k. I find that to be very odd. To illustrate, BMW has a bunch of common services needed, and one could argue, since they provide free maintenance, they will want it done less frequently. Well, there is some integrity, such as brake fluid is every 24 mos. Plugs are 45k on a 335i. They used to do oil 12 mos. regardless, but have stretched it to 24 mos. My point is if you look at plugs, that's a $450 job retail, and brakes, is $140 retail, that they are requiring under free maintenance, with reasonable intervals.

Anway, the other thing I was gonna say, is that if you look at Lexus' 5k services, almost everything is check this, check that, check this, check that. Not as much actually doing things. So, when I paid Lexus $59 to flush the brakes (I feel that was a bargain), and $129 for coolant drain (not such a bargain but the coolant is so expensive, double BMW), they necessarily performed a multipoint inspection, for free. They did suggest LCA bushings, as well as the arms, which is their way of doing it, plus an alignment afterwards. So let's say I paid just $59 for the brake fluid, and they do the multipoint. How is this any less than someone going in for a 75k, 80k, 85k service, and being told their car needs x after the check this, check that? Doesn't seem logical to me....seems old school and revenue generating....I used to get postcards from the Nissan dealer, "Your car may be overdue for it's 237,500 service!" huh?

mafpolo

My 2002 Silver black with rosewood UL has 99,900 on it. Every time I go car shopping, I get back im, drive mine home, and decide I still like it too much to get rid of it.

Walker231T

My 2003 LS430 Pearl White Ultra just flipped 29,000 miles yesterday.

Johnhav430

My neighbor is retired, really nice guy. From conversation has a decent pension from the gas co., inherited money, and lives fairly simply. Hobby is golfing 8 days/wk. his '98 grand marquis has 40k. But he now leases Nissan's and returns with 15k or so. I told him he ought to take road trips but he says nowhere to go....