2004 gs430 with valve cover leak. should i buy?
03-11-18, 02:12 PM
#1
Rookie
Thread Starter
2004 gs430 with valve cover leak. should i buy?
Looking to buy a 2004 Lexus gs430 with 117000 miles. Water pump, timing belt and alternator have been replaced. Good cosmetic condition. Decent service history. Only issue is that the seller says the driver side valve cover is leaking. How much is this to repair? should i stay away? seller is asking $7700. Thanks!!!
03-11-18, 04:25 PM
#2
Price seems high to me but then again I haven't seen or driven the car. I think the book value on these is closer to $5K or less, but I suppose regional differences may influence value also.
At any rate, I have snugged up the valve cover bolts a couple of times on my car and the oil leaks stopped. Eventually the gaskets will need to be replaced. If you do it yourself its not really very difficult. If the spark hole gaskets need to be replaced it is slightly more challenging because you have to bend tabs to remove and reinstall. I don't know what a mechanic would charge. At any rate I would not think the gasket leaks would be a deal breaker if the car is otherwise in good shape.
At any rate, I have snugged up the valve cover bolts a couple of times on my car and the oil leaks stopped. Eventually the gaskets will need to be replaced. If you do it yourself its not really very difficult. If the spark hole gaskets need to be replaced it is slightly more challenging because you have to bend tabs to remove and reinstall. I don't know what a mechanic would charge. At any rate I would not think the gasket leaks would be a deal breaker if the car is otherwise in good shape.
The following users liked this post:
AndaleFish (03-12-18)
The following users liked this post:
AndaleFish (03-12-18)
03-12-18, 06:22 AM
#4
Driver School Candidate
Valve cover gasket repair on these cars aren’t that bad , sometime mechanics just charge hella money to do it or if you’re mechanically inclined you can do it yourself, the parts are cheap. To me personally the price sounds better around 5-6k
The following users liked this post:
AndaleFish (03-12-18)
03-12-18, 09:48 AM
#5
Lexus Test Driver
Not a problem at all. Had mine changed a few years ago and was one of the best things I've done. It's common as cars age. I would just discount a few hundred dollars for the work. With only 117k you'll have a lot of miles left in that car.
The following users liked this post:
AndaleFish (03-12-18)
Trending Topics
03-17-18, 09:52 AM
#8
Rookie
Thread Starter
I ended up buying an 06 IS350 which I like a lot but I feel I may eventually regret not getting a 430.
03-17-18, 10:02 AM
#9
Definitively reliably/quality was slightly lost/less in Lexus around 2006+ newer models. Technology was greatly improved and more features were added to vehicles but its a trade-off.
03-17-18, 04:39 PM
#10
Lexus Test Driver
IMO you can't go wrong with any Lexus vehicle. A 2GS is simply a preference. Having owned mine since new if something were to happen to it I would simply purchase another 2GS, no question. But it's mainly because I like the style. We now have three in the family - a '17 GX470, '02 SC430 and '99 GS400. The SC430 is our weekend vehicle. The only way we'll sell it is for a LC500 in a few years. We've seen one in person and it's an amazing vehicle. We'll probably pick up a low mileage one used in a few years as the price comes down (the most I can see myself paying for any vehicle is $50k lol).
03-18-18, 09:22 PM
#11
I'm just so done with Lexus still my favorite car in terms of reliability but no fun at at all no matter but the 06 430 to me is the best of both worlds
Last edited by daddyduke; 03-19-18 at 07:04 AM.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post