Hi there

Newbie here from Denmark.
I’ve been a BMW enthusiast for many years, and have lately sold my beloved 7 series e38.
I simply got tired of the harsh ride, and decided to switch to Lexus.
I got interested in a currently for sale pre-facelift LS430 2001 model with 143k miles.
I’ve been reading up a lot on the LS430, which was the primary cause for choosing this specific model, as I believe it will serve my needs. I want a nice, soft and quiet ride for relaxing cruising.

I’ve attached some images of the beauty.

Some details:
I’ll be the third owner.
Documented service history
A very small portion of the lower passenger side window has delamination. According to the owner, this started several years ago and hasn’t gotten worse. So I hope it stays this way.
It’s not an Ultra Luxury, but it has dual pane windows, air suspension, navigation, and Mark Levinson sound system.

Does it make it Custom Luxury, don’t know for sure?

Anyway, I might need some inputs, since I’m completely new to Lexus.
I’ve been reading up on some weaknesses, and there seems to be one critical part, that bothers me.
According to many online sources/threads, these models tend to have major issues with the radiator, causing the coolant to leak into the gearbox, which results in a damaged gearbox.

Now, I’m used to do DIY on all my cars, so replacing a radiator won’t be a big deal.

So far, I’ve found several threads, where owners have installed an external oil cooler that eliminates the problem.
Others have replaced the stock radiator only, which already has the oil cooler inside. This seems to be a better thing to do in my eyes, since the radiator itself could be due for replacement anyway.

But I’m trying to understand, what is the actual cause of a leaking coolant into the gearbox situation?
Is the correct approach, to make sure to replace the whole radiator in time, or simply just install an external oil cooler to eliminate the problem?

Rgds,

Mario












This is the small portion of delamination on the passenger side window.