LexusAl

Hi,I'd like to get some input on which LS is the best to buy for reliability and which LS will holed up the longest.I know each year model I'm speaking of are very fine cars.But which has the least amount of trouble in your opinions?I have a 1995 Lexus LS400 and the 1999 LS400 and I'm thinking of buying the 01-03 LS430.Should I sell my silver '99 LS and buy the LS430 or do you think I should keep the '99?Honest opinions please. I did find a couple great deals on the LS430 in the last two weeks.
The only problem I'm having right now with the '99 is the steering wheel tilt feature has quit working and it will be a pain to fix it as it is probably the motor gone out in it.So it will be very expensive.The '99 has only 135K miles on it.And I feel the tilt motor should not have gone bad this early.And I don't think a tilt motor is available on Ebay.Thanks in advance for your answers.

Gronemus

Al, the LS430 is one of the most reliable cars ever built but that doesn't mean that you won't run into any issues if you happen to buy one. It's like the old saying: It's a recession if you lose your job but it's a depression if I lose mine! So any comparison between generations at this point especially now that these cars are starting to get old is really pointless.

You are almost always better off repairing your existing car versus dumping it and getting another. Assuming of course that there isn't a whole bunch of other issues or repairs coming up on it...

BTW, have you checked out this ? Your tilt steering issue might not be so difficult to resolve. The gear goes for about $36...

Daspyda

iTrader: (1)

I made the leap from a 99 400 to an 04 430. In my deliberation, quality was down a few pegs because I knew both cars were reliable. ANY car will have issues. The chances of SOMETHING breaking on a machine with thousands of parts is 100% certain.

The 430 is superior in comfort, refinement, safety (side and knee air bags), looks, sound suppression, performance, and driving experience.

Reliability? Meh. It's built-in.

LexusAl

BTW,if the 01 to 03 LS is as reliable as my 1995 LS has been,then my questions have been answered.It's at about 216K miles and I've owned it since Memorial day(May 26th 1998).It has been and still is a great car,one of the best I've ever owned.And I've owned a lot of them over the years.I've never owned a car this long(19 years).But it would be so hard to let go of it now.
The rack 'n' pinion and power steering is fixing to be replaced on it and it's ready to go many more miles after another front end alignment.My driver door window needs fixing since the glass came out of the actuator.But I will take care of that soon.I believe Gorilla glue will hold it in place very good after it dries good.I just used it on a couple of my kitchen table chairs where the legs came undone and it's working great.I've heard of some owner's having some problems with the 430's so I'm just not sure yet.The old saying,"if it ain't broke,don't fix it still applies".
My master switches for the door windows and locks quit working a long time ago.But I'm not worried about that.I do need to get some new speakers for the front doors.But the radio/CD player still works good after all these years.Just recently,I had to have a small amount of freon added to the A/C so it's blowing cool again.Back in 2006,I went to Butler Lexus in Macon,Ga. and bought 4 new brake pads for the '95 and Wiggins Toyota in Warner Robins,Ga. put them in.They are still on the car today after 11 years and still in good shape,folks,it's true.My Mechanic in Centerville next to W.R. said he couldn't believe it until he saw them.
I also had the timing belt/water pump done at that time with Lexus parts.At the time,the pads cost me $86.00 after taxes.They would cost much more at today's prices.The timing belt/water pump is still with the engine today.They have about 66K miles on them and 11 years.You guys don't have to believe these things I'm saying but I'm telling you every word is true.This is how good that car has been to me over all these years.There is only 2 times it let me down.An electrical problem due to a fuse stranded me and then the ECU went out about 3 years ago.Those issues were taken care of quickly.I did have a new windshield replace a couple years ago with safelite auto glass.I'm still not tired of the '95 after 19 years of ownership and driving it.And I've never had a ticket in it(knock on wood).I'm an 80% service connected Vietnam Veteran with a back condition from Vietnam and Ft. Campbell,Ky.And the lumbar support does my back so good when I'm sitting in it and driving.Without lumbar support,I wouldn't drive the Lexus or any other car.I wouldn't be able to.
It's all I can do to wash the car when it needs it.I was really blessed good with this '95 LS.22 years old and still going strong.

LexusAl

Hi Gronemus and Daspyda.Thanks very much for your replies.I bought some tilt nylon gears on Ebay for about $15.00 each and they're good for the '90 to the '97 models.But won't work on the '98's and after as far as I know.I took the bottom cover almost off under the steering column for the '99 and could find no nylon gear.It's totally different than the earlier model years.I had to use a tilt nylon gear on my '95 when it quit working and that's what fixed it after being lied to by Butler Lexus in Macon,Ga. in '98 when they told me it was a motor.A bunch of sorry no good crooks.It was still under factory warranty and they wouldn't fix it.It was at 49K miles at the time.
They told me either the motor was bad or a harness was too short.All the while knowing it was that nylon tilt gear that was bad.I wasn't about to fall for their lies.That steering wheel stayed in the up position for at least 12 years or longer until I did some digging thanks to my great mechanic Mike Coleman in Centerville,Ga.He's got to be the most honest mechanic in the state of Ga.He will not tamper with no ones car and tear something up that ain't tore up already.He puts his reputation first.His work is a little high.But I'd rather pay a little more for his honesty.He's a great mechanic and knows his stuff.
Once, when he replaced my power steering pump the first time,he forgot to tighten the nut to hold the pump pulley on.The nut came off a couple days later when I was about 4 miles from the house and it stripped the gears on the shaft the pulley goes on.The serpentine belt had come off and the pulley was spinning around when I opened the hood.I called Mike and told him what happened and he knew right then he screwed up.I did get the car back home and the next day,a wrecker came to the house and picked the car up and he fixed it all at his expense.And I'm 65 miles away from his shop.And he paid for the wrecker at a cost to him of $165.00.
Lexus dealerships will try and rip you off if you don't stay one step ahead of them.I'm going to have Mike replace the rack and pump once again.Hopefully it will be the last time.I have had some issues with the instrument cluster but it's taken care of right now.I sure do like the 01-03 LS430,especially the interior and the front grill and tail lights.When the 430's first came out I didn't like them.But they have grown on me over the years and wouldn't mind me getting one at a good deal.BTW,when I first got this '95 LS,it had the Lexus battery in it made by Panasonic and it lasted until around 2006,amazing for a battery to last that long.I don't have to worry about losing my job.I retard from my Civil Service job @ Robins AFB in Warner Robins,Ga. in Jan. 2009 after over 28 years and never looked back,what a hell hole that is.I have a decent income for a disabled Vietnam Veteran.It could be better but I'm not complaining.

LexusAl

One more thing,there is an '01 LS430 not far from me,maroon color,tan interior.But it has 318K miles on it and something is draining the battery,possibly a short somewhere,$3K?You have to unhook the neg. to keep it from going dead over night.My mechanic Mike told me it would probably take him a couple days to track it down and fix it.Not sure about anything else wrong with it.My better judgement is telling me to leave it where it is,@ the bank parking lot.Evidently,an owner didn't take as good of care of it as he/she should have.But the other two I found is quite a bit costlier but an amount I can still afford.Thanks to everyone for your help.