What would be considered the most reliable used Lexus made?
12-27-18, 09:27 AM
#46
As far as the least reliable cars go. Here is what I have seen:
-1999-2001 ES300 (These had the new U140E transmission that were prone to going out. These transmissions are rare and very expensive from my experience with my 2001 ES)
-2006 GS300 (I was told it’s a piece of junk)
-2006-2013 IS250 (I’ve heard a lot of bad thing about the engines in the IS250)
-2007-2009 LS460 (We see a ton of these needing a lot of work on the control arms. I had an 09 briefly and it had a ton of problems)
-1990-1991 ES250 (It’s supposedly a piece of junk but their so rare that I haven’t messed with one. Everyone tells me to avoid them)
Other vehicles having the U140E transmission like the early RX I have seen had their transmissions go out but there are so many high mileage ones still around. The 97-98 ES300 engine had sludge issues but that can avoided if you stay on top of the maintenance. They were definitely more reliable than the 99-01 ES.
-1999-2001 ES300 (These had the new U140E transmission that were prone to going out. These transmissions are rare and very expensive from my experience with my 2001 ES)
-2006 GS300 (I was told it’s a piece of junk)
-2006-2013 IS250 (I’ve heard a lot of bad thing about the engines in the IS250)
-2007-2009 LS460 (We see a ton of these needing a lot of work on the control arms. I had an 09 briefly and it had a ton of problems)
-1990-1991 ES250 (It’s supposedly a piece of junk but their so rare that I haven’t messed with one. Everyone tells me to avoid them)
Other vehicles having the U140E transmission like the early RX I have seen had their transmissions go out but there are so many high mileage ones still around. The 97-98 ES300 engine had sludge issues but that can avoided if you stay on top of the maintenance. They were definitely more reliable than the 99-01 ES.
12-27-18, 09:33 AM
#47
Lexus Fanatic
Here is a question. When did Lexus start producing cars with the CAN buss?
As a mechanic I want to be SURE to avoid owning a car equipped with this nightmare tech [my two daily drivers are early '90s car/truck]. I've tracked down, and repaired only a few vehicles with CAN buss problems, and all of them required taking out the entire dash, and tracing the CAN buss wiring.
In short, any code related to the CAN buss is a nightmare. Usually its a code U1000, or U1001 that you never want to see.
As a mechanic I want to be SURE to avoid owning a car equipped with this nightmare tech [my two daily drivers are early '90s car/truck]. I've tracked down, and repaired only a few vehicles with CAN buss problems, and all of them required taking out the entire dash, and tracing the CAN buss wiring.
In short, any code related to the CAN buss is a nightmare. Usually its a code U1000, or U1001 that you never want to see.
There is definitely something to be said about simpler being better if auto repair is not one's occupation and one does want to fix things. For example, I used the BMW dealership software to replace my ABS, and it is very non-intuitive, and difficult to use, for a beginner. Heaven forbid one doesn't own a $600 power supply, is coding the DME, and power is lost (yikes)--bricked.
12-27-18, 09:45 AM
#48
Interesting...do you think "any" 2018+ cars can also be as reliable? I kind of think the reliability was a unintended consequence of building things well. I honestly cannot remember how I ended up being interested in the LS430 myself, only that I wanted to find something that stacked up to my 1998 Maxima for longevity. 300k+ was all day long on the forum there, and likely will be too when LS430s are old enough. It's interesting to see the "who has the highest mileage" threads across various forums. When things are old enough, the results are quite surprising. To include 335i BMWs, many over 200k twin turbo and all.
The LS430 is considered the most reliable car at my job, along with the LS400 and LX479. Many of our employees have LS430’s, LS400’s and second generation GS’. You made a good choice to get an LS430, I wanted Mercedes S600 at the time but I couldn’t afford the maintenance. I stumbled upon our LS430 forum one day and saw a ton of really nice lowered LS430’s. Back then the LS430 was the king of the car shows in Texas and I saw a lot of clean UCF30 Celsiors in Japan. That made me go for my LS430. It’s been an awesome car.
I have seen some high mileage 335i’s running around. My 328i has easily been the worst car I have ever owned and frequently had problems. I plan to replace it with a non turbo MKIV Supra or another Lexus.
01-07-19, 03:53 PM
#50
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What do you think of this car OP?
https://www.japaneseclassics.com/veh...ior-type-c-2/#
https://www.japaneseclassics.com/veh...ior-type-c-2/#
01-07-19, 03:58 PM
#51
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From my experience with owning older Lexus and also working for a Lexus dealership, the most reliable cars are:
-1995-2000 LS400
-2001-2006 LS430
-1998-2007 LX470 (Land Cruiser is even better since it comes with a conventional suspension)
-2003-2009 GX470
-1992-2000 SC300/SC400 (The newer the better. The early years had a low quality interior that falls apart)
-2002-2010 SC430
-2001-2005 IS300
-1998-2005 GS
-2008-2014 IS-F
These are considered the best cars by our technicians and parts guys. Ideally you want the later year cars for vehicles like the original SC but they are all pretty solid. Stay away from versions of cars with air suspension unless you plan on swapping over to a conventional suspension.
My 2005 LS430 has been my most reliable car so far. It’s never given me any trouble outside of changing the ballasts and air suspension out. My sister drives a 2002 LS430 and it runs well despite having double the mileage of my LS. My SC has been decent. The interior just falls apart on the early years. I have had to replace my ECU twice on it.
-1995-2000 LS400
-2001-2006 LS430
-1998-2007 LX470 (Land Cruiser is even better since it comes with a conventional suspension)
-2003-2009 GX470
-1992-2000 SC300/SC400 (The newer the better. The early years had a low quality interior that falls apart)
-2002-2010 SC430
-2001-2005 IS300
-1998-2005 GS
-2008-2014 IS-F
These are considered the best cars by our technicians and parts guys. Ideally you want the later year cars for vehicles like the original SC but they are all pretty solid. Stay away from versions of cars with air suspension unless you plan on swapping over to a conventional suspension.
My 2005 LS430 has been my most reliable car so far. It’s never given me any trouble outside of changing the ballasts and air suspension out. My sister drives a 2002 LS430 and it runs well despite having double the mileage of my LS. My SC has been decent. The interior just falls apart on the early years. I have had to replace my ECU twice on it.
Let me ask you another question. Were all of the older Lexus vehicles made in Japan, and if so, when did Lexus start making cars in America [if the do/did].
The reason I ask is that I just read something called, " Tagushi Laws (Quality Management Laws) of tolerance, " which means that every machine that was built in Japan it was built with 0% failed materials or failed parts tolerance. The production line uses only perfect quality of parts and materials.
01-07-19, 04:00 PM
#52
Lexus Fanatic
Originally Posted by mtraine;10402993
Let me ask you another question. Were all of the older Lexus vehicles made in Japan, and if so, when did Lexus start making cars in America [if the do/did
Let me ask you another question. Were all of the older Lexus vehicles made in Japan, and if so, when did Lexus start making cars in America [if the do/did
.
The reason I ask is that I just read something called, " Tagushi Laws (Quality Management Laws) of tolerance, " which means that every machine that was built in Japan it was built with 0% failed materials or failed parts tolerance. The production line uses only perfect quality of parts and materials.
The reason I ask is that I just read something called, " Tagushi Laws (Quality Management Laws) of tolerance, " which means that every machine that was built in Japan it was built with 0% failed materials or failed parts tolerance. The production line uses only perfect quality of parts and materials.
I just helped a friend buy a CPO 2016 ES350 and he was deciding between two, one was made in the US the other in Japan. The Japanese one felt better to me despite being twice the mileage,.
01-07-19, 05:47 PM
#53
Lexus Champion
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tahara_plant
Absolutely one of the best auto manufacturing plants in the world, if not THE best. Quality control is insane.
Absolutely one of the best auto manufacturing plants in the world, if not THE best. Quality control is insane.
01-07-19, 05:51 PM
#54
Lexus Fanatic
ESs built in Japan aren't built at Tahara though, they're built at the Miyata plant
01-07-19, 05:53 PM
#55
Lexus Champion
Noticed that. Yeah, per wiki that list I think the ES is the only Lexus that isn't built there. I only looked for a second but it looked like only exclusive Lexus models, none shared with Toyota other than LX. Also, it makes sense that Land Cruisers are made there.
01-07-19, 05:55 PM
#56
Lexus Fanatic
They build the Rav4 and the 4Runner there as well.
So we drove 4 2016 ES350s, all around the same miles, two Japan made ones and two KY made ones, the Japan made ones absolutely felt better. Tighter, younger, paint was better.
So we drove 4 2016 ES350s, all around the same miles, two Japan made ones and two KY made ones, the Japan made ones absolutely felt better. Tighter, younger, paint was better.
01-07-19, 06:30 PM
#57
Lexus Champion
Interior has some nice bits but huge step down from his older one overall. Heck, his old ES had leather stitched armrests. My LS doesn't even have that, ha. I do know I had that previous generation ES as a rental once in '14 and the doors shut so cheap and tinny it literally made me turn around and do a double take.
01-07-19, 06:42 PM
#58
Lexus Fanatic
My buddy just traded his trusty old '03 ES for a '15. I only sat in it in the dark, but I'm going to see where it was built the next time I see it.
Interior has some nice bits but huge step down from his older one overall. Heck, his old ES had leather stitched armrests. My LS doesn't even have that, ha. I do know I had that previous generation ES as a rental once in '14 and the doors shut so cheap and tinny it literally made me turn around and do a double take.
Interior has some nice bits but huge step down from his older one overall. Heck, his old ES had leather stitched armrests. My LS doesn't even have that, ha. I do know I had that previous generation ES as a rental once in '14 and the doors shut so cheap and tinny it literally made me turn around and do a double take.
They refreshed the ES in 2016 and the improvements had a big impact, they improved trim and touchpoints in the interior, added padded stitched areas, etc. Enough that had the 16-18 ES been what was available in 13 I probably would not have upgraded to the GS.
The 03 ES had stitched material on the armrests but it wasn't leather, it was a synthetic leather.
01-07-19, 06:53 PM
#59
Lexus Champion
My buddy just traded his trusty old '03 ES for a '15. I only sat in it in the dark, but I'm going to see where it was built the next time I see it.
Interior has some nice bits but huge step down from his older one overall. Heck, his old ES had leather stitched armrests. My LS doesn't even have that, ha. I do know I had that previous generation ES as a rental once in '14 and the doors shut so cheap and tinny it literally made me turn around and do a double take.
Interior has some nice bits but huge step down from his older one overall. Heck, his old ES had leather stitched armrests. My LS doesn't even have that, ha. I do know I had that previous generation ES as a rental once in '14 and the doors shut so cheap and tinny it literally made me turn around and do a double take.
The RX was the first Lexus model to be built outside of Japan. It started production in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada in September 2003.
01-07-19, 06:56 PM
#60
Lexus Champion
The 2015 model year ES was still built in Japan. Toyota started to build (facelifted) ES models in Kentucky for the 2016 model year. It is only the second Lexus model built outside Japan.
The RX was the first Lexus model to be built outside of Japan. It started production in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada in September 2003.
The RX was the first Lexus model to be built outside of Japan. It started production in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada in September 2003.
