handogg

How's everyone. When I bought my 1998 GS 300 -FIFTEEN- years ago, I had no idea I would still be driving it in pretty much the EXACT same condition as when I first bought it.

There have been a few bumps along the road requiring new...

Lower Ball Joints
drive belt
o2 sensor
Starter motor
Fuel Pump
door lock actuator motors
Spark Plugs and wires (Just changed them = 15 years on originals).
Valve cover gaskets
Rear wheel bushing (eliminated "clunking" noise)

Regular engine and Transmission oil changes
Brake pads, tires, batteries, light bulbs, AC Coolant

That is ALL I have ever changed on this car.

This car has NEVER been to ANY DEALER or MECHANIC

I went looking under the hood and realized, the brake fluid is the same fluid that has been in the car since day 1 !! Almost 200k miles on original Brake Fluid.

So on to my question. What else should I change on this car so that I can get another 200,000 miles out of it?

I've thought about changing the timing belt many times, but when I take the timing belt cover off, I can see the timing belt and while it has 192k miles on it, it appears just about brand new and NOT in need of replacement.

LuxuryGS3

iTrader: (12)

First off I just want to say congratulations on your GS lasting you so long with so little maint! Really, i'm not being sarcastic at all. Congratulations.

Well I want to touch base on that timing belt. You said that it looks brand new, but are you turning it over to see on the underside that actually has teeth on it? The outer side of it could appear new, while the grooves actually have cracks in them. It's actually a 90K service that Lexus provides for our cars to change out the timing belt/water pump.

With that being said i'd do the following;

-: Water Pump
-: Timing Belt
-: Spark Plugs (I didn't see that you said you've ever changed them)
-: Valve Cover Gaskets (If you're changing your spark plugs and you see oil on them, this is probably the culprit. If you're doing labor yourself i'd do it just as preventative maint)
-: Steering Rack Bushings
-: Sway Bar Bushings

I'd visually inspect all of your seal spots though and check for any oil leaks. Front main seal, rear main, valve cover gaskets, cam seals..

Also if you haven't changed out your alternator i'd check that too. Usually the diodes start to die in them once they reach high miles, so if you've just got money to spend on a huge maint service i'd check it and if anything change it out just cause.

Good luck friend.

handogg

I did actually already do spark plugs and vc gaskets but forgot to include them. I just edited them in.
Timing belt on BOTH sides appears brand new. ALL Teeth in tact.

Thanks for your suggestions.

I guess I should re phrase the question...

What "MISSION CRITICAL" things should I replace?

Something that would damage the car and I'd be thinking to myself = 200k miles on the original? Why the hell didn't I change that ?? How could I have forgotten to change out -that- part

Something like bushings or alternator, I could prob wait until they fail before changing them - I imagine anyway.

Money IS an issue. Must atleast try to keep costs down to a minimum! That is why car has never been taken to mechanic..

Thx All !!

handogg

Thanks a bunch

clos430

iTrader: (21)

I wouldn't care if the timing belt "APPEARS" okay, I would definitely replace it after almost 200k miles, it's made of rubber and rubber tends to stretch. I wouldn't wanna learn the hard way
But sounds like you've had a solid car through out the years

SaiyanGS3

iTrader: (8)

Wow. I think that you are the first person that I've read about that pushed his timing belt to 200k! This truly confirms what the Lexus technician told me years ago when I first started looking at this car. He told me that the Lexus timing belt can easily go 150k, but lexus is selling the 90k deal for revenue. In your case, the only major thing that I would change is the brake fluid, timing belt/water pump and bushings. I haven't done a lot of the things on your list but I'm sure it's coming down the pipeline. I won't touch the spark plugs and wires until I fell the slight hiccups at idle. My VC gaskets are not leaking, but I've replaced the TB/WP at 100k along with the cam/crank seals. Only made sense. Now i'm good for another 200k based on your post lol :-) Original alternator at 200k?? That's great. Run a test to see if you are still in volt range. Once the alternator dies, it's gone. Had one die on me on the freaking interstate with no warning in my old car!! Dash went dim and then I'm coasting to the shoulder.

SprtDesign

iTrader: (21)

I would do all the fluids. The only mission critical thing I cam think of would be transmission and differential. Also being that you are up north/Midwest I would lube the underside suspension and moving parts to keep them from rusting out

BayAreaLex

What in Gawd's name are wheel bushings? Do you mean bearings?

The timing belt issue is a tough one. Our family has owned several 200K mile cars with original timing belts and luckily never once had a problem.

It's one of those things that should be done, and in the unlikely event that it does break, it will be costly, you will be kicking yourself, and everyone will tell you, "I told you so"

If I planned on keeping my car for a long time, I think I would bite the bullet and do it. If I plan on keep the car for a few years, I might roll the dice knowing full well of the risks.

Also, don't think that you can look at the backside of the belt (the part that doesn't contact anything) and think that it looks fine. It's the underside that gets the wear, the has the teeth showing wear and tear, etc.

Also, I'd swap those lower balljoints! Have you seen the sticky threads that show what happens when they catastrophically fail?

handogg

Once you take that top timing belt cover off using allen wrench, you can see the timing belt. Using a flashlight and optionally a mirror, you can easily see the under side of the belt.

Still looks brand new.

LuxuryGS3

iTrader: (12)

Radiator. I forgot to post that. Mine went out at 160k miles last year, cracked on me, so i'd get that done also. It's a easy DIY.

mk2tmr2

iTrader: (1)

I would do the full 90k service.

Timing belt
Water pump
Cam seals (mine were completely toast at 120k miles)
front main seal (likewise bad condition)
Rebuild your VVT pulley and clean out it's little filter

The cam and front main seals are probably the biggest benefit to doing the timing belt service. Those *will* start to leak soon if they've never been changed.

Everything else...just fix things as they break. Suspension components, radiator and misc vaccuum hoses throughout the engine bay, electronics, etc. All of that stuff will begin to die out from old age in the next several years. Just keep fixing stuff as it breaks. But, yeah...do the preventative stuff now so you're not left stranded somewhere one day.

ThomasGS4

iTrader: (19)

No, rear upper control arm bushings. When they go bad, they are an attributing factor to the "clunk" you get when you put the car in drive.

raytseng

Most everything except timing belt may give you signs that it will fail.
So if money is an issue, then you don't need to pro-actively replace anything, just wait for it to clunk out and change minimally what needs to be changed.

Everything else, it's up to YOU being your own mechanic to inspect your car and replace things that are not right (even the folks compaining about balljoints, I doubt they passed inspection and would have been a flag if properly inspected).

You've already done this for awhile, so not sure what advice you're looking for unless this is a humble-brag post.

The issue with the timing belt is a gamble for catastrophic failure.
One way you can look at it is 1st belt lasted 200k. Just change it once and you are good for another 200k/15years (30years total) unless you see yourself getting rid of the car now. If you are frugal, justify this to yourself saying you will put bonus miles on the 2nd belt rather than the first.

While everyone says, while you're in there replace the seals, really you should inspect before deciding to replace.

lexo98

iTrader: (2)

I just did my timing belt and seals last year at 200k. My timing belt looked great until we took it off and flexed it. I would recommend you do the belts, water pump, tensioners and all seals in that area.

MrG4Life

iTrader: (14)

Approaching 200K without changing the timing belt I'm at 103K and will be doing my 90K service this summer. I'm not going to take that gamble. I get the feeling that you will be keeping this car so I'd suggest replacing the timing belt.