Johnhav430

Ok I can see now it's not perfect, being an 11 y.o. car....

Many questions of course, but one oddity off the bat.

The rain sensing wipers seem to work, but are very quirky. At times they seemed to be working perfectly. I checked and I have a Lexus windshield. Seriously, when I press on the sensor from the inside, the wipers activate, that can't be normal, right?

And the left wiper arm is so odd, I haven't seen anything like that since I had a 1970 Pontiac! Is it supposed to be perpendicular to the ground, when fully extended? Mine is not.

Anyway, enough of the questions....looking forward to years of chatting! So far the car drives very well.....

moonlight pearl / cashmere

edit: seem to have posted the pic 2X, removed one..

asujithdr

Very cool. Enjoy the ride.

toantran99

Very nice, paint is super clean

Johnhav430

Thanks....I actually really like the way the LS430 looks, and drove it in 2005 at Lexus event on Long Island. I think of it as a gigantic Camry! Not literally, but imho there is something very Toyota about it, in a good way....

asujithdr

Very true John. I moved to Lexus after driving Camry for 10 years. Loved Camry, now loving my LS, very refined and elegant ride.

Lavrishevo

iTrader: (1)

There is a gel pad between the rain sensor and the windshield. A rather cheap part. I would replace this and see how she acts. It is normal for the wiper to activate if you press on the sensor plastic backing.

Johnhav430

Interesting...the weird part is my perceived "unpredictability" of the wipers sweeping......I have used them before on other cars, and they were seemingly predictable, where the sensitivity was adjustable, and also there was intermittent function as well (nice to have both). I thought for sure I had replacement glass, but no, Lexus. Glad that pressing on it activates it (or others do it too), there could be absolutely nothing wrong with my setup.....thanks.

Johnhav430

I think I gotcha, the fact that the sensor can be pressed and something happens, it's pressing on that gel pad....to be honest I never paid any attention, as our other car has a plastic housing and a little "eye." The glass also was replaced with OEM (as I understand it there are 3 grades--OEM, Premium (same as OEM without mfg logo), and replacement, where like on my Maxima, it's $119 or something. It was over $600 and I argued for 40 min. with that lizard co. I hear the LS is over $1000?

My other car is a '07 BMW which I purchased new, and the two best features are rain sensing wipers, and auto dimming of the rearview and sideview mirrors....the LS430 has both...yippee!

btw I got a 2016 nav disc on eBay for $13, and it works fine. Being in the trunk, I saw that the spare is full-sized with an 18" rim....Dunlop SP summer tire, never used. Maybe this is why the car has new tires that are not a/s, but I've got new Michellin Xice3's on rims, 225/55-17 (from memory). Also, the tools are missing--I didn't know what that slot was for. But overall, still satisfied...

Lavrishevo

iTrader: (1)

I guess rain sensor tape is the correct term not gel

http://www.lexuspartsnow.com/parts/l...d-wiper,,89944

MR ED

Car looks very clean. Enjoy it.

Johnhav430

Thanks a bunch...is it even humanly possible not to love a 3rd gen LS?

True story, when my wife and I got a Buick in 2011, my mom said, why did you get a Buick, that's for old people. When she saw this car on Saturday, she absolutely loved it and said I hope you really enjoy it. This seems nicer than my friends' Lexus'.....(I don't know what models they have)

Johnhav430

This morning, I thought of what I was really trying to say....it's like a giant Avalon....so I really meant Avalon!

FatherTo1

Congrats and very nice find! White on cashmere was my top choice but I couldn't find any near my area. Yours must also have some pretty low miles seeing as your headlights are still crystal clear.

Duck05

When we were looking for a car for the wife in '04, we test drove a new 2004 Avalon and thought "what a nice car".

We were also looking at new 2004 GS300s and when at the dealership glanced over in the used lot and spotted a 2001 LS430 for sale. Since it was a color the wife was interested in, we got in and took it for a test ride. At the end of it, we both thought that the new Avalon was not EVEN CLOSE to what a 3 year old LS430 had to offer. (We bought it and still have it today.)

As for the wipers, when on "auto" the rain sensors are dynamic and seemingly have no pattern. Hard to say if you have a problem at all.

Welcome to the LS430 platform.....

XJSFan

Your LS 430 looks great. Enjoy! Seeing yours is giving me the idea of adding another 06 Lexus... LOL.

I am thinking about a fully optioned 2006 GS430 with 30K miles but am having a hard time putting a value on it. Thinking of having a GS in the garage next to my current 06 LS 430 would really finish off my garage. LOL.