My New LS430 pics + questions
11-13-10, 10:41 AM
#1
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
My New LS430 pics + questions
3 months ago, I picked up a 2005 gray/blk LS430 with 72k miles for $20k. It is ML with smart key and 18" chrome wheels. I would have liked the better leather, laser cruise and cooler, but I didn't really want to pay alot more for it. It has a few minor scuffs in the paint and some minor curb rash on 2 of the wheels, but the interior is near perfect and everything works great. I have replaced the battery and upgraded the nav map disk, but other than that I can't find anything wrong with it. It drives so quiet and smooth. I love this car! Did I get a good deal?
Future mods:
-35% ceramic tint
-Ultimate Lockpick for a/v hookup, nav/blutooth while driving and to get rid of "I agree" crap
http://www.coastaletech.com/DELUXE_LOCKPICK.htm
-some type of video/DVD system in the back for the kids (would like to put monitors in the headrests, but not sure how much $ I am willing to spend)
-small sub/amp to add a little more bass
I like the Mark sound system, but I was slightly disappointed after reading all the rave reviews of it. I think that a little extra bass will give me what I want, and then I can turn down the bass to the existing speakers to make them sound even cleaner. I'm thinking Infinity Basslink II so I can save trunk space and $. I don't want a huge booming system (I have that in my Escalade).
http://www.amazon.com/Infinity-Refer.../dp/B000A6GK4E
Are there any limitations for adding a sub to the stock ML system? I am thinking to pull the signal from the stock 8" and run 8 gauge wire under the door trim to the trunk. Any thoughts on if this will work or not or if it is a good idea?
Any suggestions for other mods?
Sorry about the crappy pic in my garage! I was trying to show off the 23's on my Escalade, and now I took them off for the winter so I can't redo the picture.
Future mods:
-35% ceramic tint
-Ultimate Lockpick for a/v hookup, nav/blutooth while driving and to get rid of "I agree" crap
http://www.coastaletech.com/DELUXE_LOCKPICK.htm
-some type of video/DVD system in the back for the kids (would like to put monitors in the headrests, but not sure how much $ I am willing to spend)
-small sub/amp to add a little more bass
I like the Mark sound system, but I was slightly disappointed after reading all the rave reviews of it. I think that a little extra bass will give me what I want, and then I can turn down the bass to the existing speakers to make them sound even cleaner. I'm thinking Infinity Basslink II so I can save trunk space and $. I don't want a huge booming system (I have that in my Escalade).
http://www.amazon.com/Infinity-Refer.../dp/B000A6GK4E
Are there any limitations for adding a sub to the stock ML system? I am thinking to pull the signal from the stock 8" and run 8 gauge wire under the door trim to the trunk. Any thoughts on if this will work or not or if it is a good idea?
Any suggestions for other mods?
Sorry about the crappy pic in my garage! I was trying to show off the 23's on my Escalade, and now I took them off for the winter so I can't redo the picture.
Last edited by brow1231; 11-13-10 at 10:50 AM.
11-13-10, 11:31 AM
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Hey Brow1231,
Nice looking car! I see you’re in MN (me too). Where did you get your LS (from one of the Lexus dealers, private party, non-Lexus dealer)? Aside from the chrome wheels, it looks like our cars are equipped the same. I have the Modern Luxury pkg., SmartAccess and the 18” alloys on mine. It’s Crystal White with tan leather. The interior is immaculate, and there are a couple of tiny scratches on the paint. Wheels were like new. I bought my ’05 LS from Lexus of Maplewood 2 months ago, with 61k on the odometer, for $24,500 (it has the Lexus Certified Pre-Owned Warranty on it). They were asking $28,900 for it. If you bought yours in MN, I’d say that at $20K, you got a pretty good deal (a SMOKIN deal if you got it from a Lexus dealer, Certified Pre-Owned!).
Interesting that you should mention your disappointment with the Mark Levinson system. I too have had problems getting it to sound the way I want it to. A week or so ago, I posted about whether anybody has successfully added an equalizer to their ML system. https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...on-system.html No word from anybody who has done that yet. I’m looking at the AudioControl EQL trunk-mount equalizer. http://www.audiocontrol.com/t34/5248...-Pre--amp.html I had one of these in a previous car, and it did WONDERS! I’m just uncertain how much of a pain it will be to incorporate it into the existing system (I want to know how the CD changer and external amp connect to the head unit - I hope Lexus used line-level RCA connectors, which would make for the cleanest, easiest install). The EQL sells for about $165 but I’m sure it will cost at least that much to have it professionally installed.
Since we just got our first snow today, I’m wondering whether you’re running winter tires on your LS or all the season rubber?
-Nick
Nice looking car! I see you’re in MN (me too). Where did you get your LS (from one of the Lexus dealers, private party, non-Lexus dealer)? Aside from the chrome wheels, it looks like our cars are equipped the same. I have the Modern Luxury pkg., SmartAccess and the 18” alloys on mine. It’s Crystal White with tan leather. The interior is immaculate, and there are a couple of tiny scratches on the paint. Wheels were like new. I bought my ’05 LS from Lexus of Maplewood 2 months ago, with 61k on the odometer, for $24,500 (it has the Lexus Certified Pre-Owned Warranty on it). They were asking $28,900 for it. If you bought yours in MN, I’d say that at $20K, you got a pretty good deal (a SMOKIN deal if you got it from a Lexus dealer, Certified Pre-Owned!).
Interesting that you should mention your disappointment with the Mark Levinson system. I too have had problems getting it to sound the way I want it to. A week or so ago, I posted about whether anybody has successfully added an equalizer to their ML system. https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...on-system.html No word from anybody who has done that yet. I’m looking at the AudioControl EQL trunk-mount equalizer. http://www.audiocontrol.com/t34/5248...-Pre--amp.html I had one of these in a previous car, and it did WONDERS! I’m just uncertain how much of a pain it will be to incorporate it into the existing system (I want to know how the CD changer and external amp connect to the head unit - I hope Lexus used line-level RCA connectors, which would make for the cleanest, easiest install). The EQL sells for about $165 but I’m sure it will cost at least that much to have it professionally installed.
Since we just got our first snow today, I’m wondering whether you’re running winter tires on your LS or all the season rubber?
-Nick
11-13-10, 12:00 PM
#5
Pole Position
Nice car,welcome to the family!
Taking the sub amp signal from the speaker out of the factory sub amp should work fine. Bass-only doesn't need as clean a signal as much as full range input does to still sound ok.
Taking the sub amp signal from the speaker out of the factory sub amp should work fine. Bass-only doesn't need as clean a signal as much as full range input does to still sound ok.
11-13-10, 03:52 PM
#6
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Hi nkoppy,
Nice ride you have too. My wife and I were being picky. Had to have ML or better with dark interior and paint and chrome 18" (smart key should have been a must too now that I know how great it is, so I am very glad ours has it). Found my LS in Kansas from a private dealer. It was kind of a gamble, but I didn't give him any $ until we drove down there to check it out. I almost walked because of the minor flaws in the paint and wheels (that the seller failed to mention when I asked, but I guess what do you expect from a used car salesman), but now am glad I bought it. Based on what I found in the glove box and Lexus.com the car seems to have been well maintained. Lexus.com says it was a certified preowned at 67k miles at Reliable Lexus in Springfield, MO. I think they couldn't sell it and then it ended up at an auction. The dealer that I bought it from drove it for 5k miles and then sold it to me.
-regular tire rotations oil + air filter changes
-coolant service
-2 alignments
-front brakes at 60k and front and rear brakes 30k (~$1000 for the 30k brakes and looked like the bill said new pads and resurfaced the rotors, seems very expensive!)
-Goodyear Eagle tires, I plan to run these in the winter since I live 1 mile from work and will use the SUV for all winter traveling, I was nervous about winters with a rear wheel drive, but figured I would always have a second 4WD vehicle since we make alot of trips to northern MN. How was your GS in the winter?
You going to tint yours? MN law is 50% I think. I think I can get a waiver from my eye doctor, but I am nervous about getting pulled over at the worst of times (not that have much risky behaviors, but if I happen to have one too many beers while at a ball game or something like that). I figure 35% on this type of vehicle won't attract much attention though.
What are you planning to do for maintenance? Tranny service? Synthetic oil? Anything else you think we need to consider to keep our rides running great for many miles?
Adding an EQ would be great, but seems like it would be expensive and open you up for new issues by messing with the factory stuff. Let me know if you have any success with that and maybe I will try it too.
Nice ride you have too. My wife and I were being picky. Had to have ML or better with dark interior and paint and chrome 18" (smart key should have been a must too now that I know how great it is, so I am very glad ours has it). Found my LS in Kansas from a private dealer. It was kind of a gamble, but I didn't give him any $ until we drove down there to check it out. I almost walked because of the minor flaws in the paint and wheels (that the seller failed to mention when I asked, but I guess what do you expect from a used car salesman), but now am glad I bought it. Based on what I found in the glove box and Lexus.com the car seems to have been well maintained. Lexus.com says it was a certified preowned at 67k miles at Reliable Lexus in Springfield, MO. I think they couldn't sell it and then it ended up at an auction. The dealer that I bought it from drove it for 5k miles and then sold it to me.
-regular tire rotations oil + air filter changes
-coolant service
-2 alignments
-front brakes at 60k and front and rear brakes 30k (~$1000 for the 30k brakes and looked like the bill said new pads and resurfaced the rotors, seems very expensive!)
-Goodyear Eagle tires, I plan to run these in the winter since I live 1 mile from work and will use the SUV for all winter traveling, I was nervous about winters with a rear wheel drive, but figured I would always have a second 4WD vehicle since we make alot of trips to northern MN. How was your GS in the winter?
You going to tint yours? MN law is 50% I think. I think I can get a waiver from my eye doctor, but I am nervous about getting pulled over at the worst of times (not that have much risky behaviors, but if I happen to have one too many beers while at a ball game or something like that). I figure 35% on this type of vehicle won't attract much attention though.
What are you planning to do for maintenance? Tranny service? Synthetic oil? Anything else you think we need to consider to keep our rides running great for many miles?
Adding an EQ would be great, but seems like it would be expensive and open you up for new issues by messing with the factory stuff. Let me know if you have any success with that and maybe I will try it too.
Welcome aboard man. I see that you have tasteful mods planned.
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11-13-10, 07:08 PM
#8
20K for an 05 with Nav is a good price.
11-14-10, 12:54 PM
#9
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@ Brow1231,
My GS 430 was a great winter car - once I put snow tires on it. She had ultra high performance summer tires, which were flat-out dangerous in the snow. The first year I owned it, I didn’t get the winter tires on before our first snowfall (they were on backorder at TireRack.com). It was sheer, white-knuckle TERROR driving it in only 2” of snow! However, the snow tires arrived, I put them on a spare set of replica rims, and it turned my GS into an AWESOME winter vehicle! I have a 52-mile daily commute, and never missed a single day of work in the winter, never got stuck, never slid off the road, etc… in the 5 winters that I drove it. In fact, I routinely went around front-wheel-drive cars (with balding all-season tires on them), as they couldn’t get moving at stoplights or on inclines. With a 1-mile drive to work, and having a 4x4 backup in the garage, the all-season tires on your LS should be okay, but beware of the effects of sand and road salt on your chrome wheels.
Funny you should mention window tinting. The windows on my LS were tinted by the previous owner. They had to be at (or maybe beyond) the legal maximum for MN; they were REALLY dark. As a condition of buying the car, I made Lexus of Maplewood remove it. The super-dark tint just didn’t look very good on my white car. However, against a darker paint color like yours, I think smoked windows could look pretty sharp. You’re right about not going too dark with the tint, as cops around here definitely use tinted windows as a pretext to pull people over.
For maintenance, I bought a lifetime alignment from Tires Plus ($149), and a discounted pack of oil changes from them, for about $15 per oil change. (I did this for my GS too). Tires Plus also has complimentary tire rotation. So, every 5,000 miles, I go to Tires Plus and get the oil changed, tires rotated, and the alignment checked/corrected. I’ll stick with Lexus of Maplewood for the major service every 30,000 miles (and for brakes too), as I did with my GS. Non-Lexus pads can tend to squeak and they don’t seem to last as long. For as infrequently as I need brakes, I find it’s worth the little extra $$ to get them done at the dealership. Unless your LS has had a steady diet of synthetic oil, I wouldn’t introduce it to synthetic at this age/mileage. I’ve heard that if you intend to use synthetic oil, you should start using it early in the engine’s life; switching at higher mileage can cause problems. I used the conventional 5W-30 in my GS’s 4.3 liter V8, for over 5 years and nearly 90k miles, with no issues. Yesterday, I was reading the controversial thread on transmission fluid changes in the LS. https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...ion-flush.html It sounds like we’re good in our ‘05 LS’s until we hit 100k on the odometer - there isn’t even a dipstick to check the fluid level! I think our coolant is good to 100k as well.
I’m going to do some more research on the equalizer before I proceed with it. If I do put an EQ in my car, I’ll definitely let you know how it works out…
My GS 430 was a great winter car - once I put snow tires on it. She had ultra high performance summer tires, which were flat-out dangerous in the snow. The first year I owned it, I didn’t get the winter tires on before our first snowfall (they were on backorder at TireRack.com). It was sheer, white-knuckle TERROR driving it in only 2” of snow! However, the snow tires arrived, I put them on a spare set of replica rims, and it turned my GS into an AWESOME winter vehicle! I have a 52-mile daily commute, and never missed a single day of work in the winter, never got stuck, never slid off the road, etc… in the 5 winters that I drove it. In fact, I routinely went around front-wheel-drive cars (with balding all-season tires on them), as they couldn’t get moving at stoplights or on inclines. With a 1-mile drive to work, and having a 4x4 backup in the garage, the all-season tires on your LS should be okay, but beware of the effects of sand and road salt on your chrome wheels.
Funny you should mention window tinting. The windows on my LS were tinted by the previous owner. They had to be at (or maybe beyond) the legal maximum for MN; they were REALLY dark. As a condition of buying the car, I made Lexus of Maplewood remove it. The super-dark tint just didn’t look very good on my white car. However, against a darker paint color like yours, I think smoked windows could look pretty sharp. You’re right about not going too dark with the tint, as cops around here definitely use tinted windows as a pretext to pull people over.
For maintenance, I bought a lifetime alignment from Tires Plus ($149), and a discounted pack of oil changes from them, for about $15 per oil change. (I did this for my GS too). Tires Plus also has complimentary tire rotation. So, every 5,000 miles, I go to Tires Plus and get the oil changed, tires rotated, and the alignment checked/corrected. I’ll stick with Lexus of Maplewood for the major service every 30,000 miles (and for brakes too), as I did with my GS. Non-Lexus pads can tend to squeak and they don’t seem to last as long. For as infrequently as I need brakes, I find it’s worth the little extra $$ to get them done at the dealership. Unless your LS has had a steady diet of synthetic oil, I wouldn’t introduce it to synthetic at this age/mileage. I’ve heard that if you intend to use synthetic oil, you should start using it early in the engine’s life; switching at higher mileage can cause problems. I used the conventional 5W-30 in my GS’s 4.3 liter V8, for over 5 years and nearly 90k miles, with no issues. Yesterday, I was reading the controversial thread on transmission fluid changes in the LS. https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...ion-flush.html It sounds like we’re good in our ‘05 LS’s until we hit 100k on the odometer - there isn’t even a dipstick to check the fluid level! I think our coolant is good to 100k as well.
I’m going to do some more research on the equalizer before I proceed with it. If I do put an EQ in my car, I’ll definitely let you know how it works out…
11-15-10, 11:37 AM
#11
brow1231 & nkoppy:
Welcome to Club Lexus! We, too, bought our LS 430 from Lexus of Maplewood, in Sept 2008. It had 45k on it then and we're just about to hit 80k. We have used the stock Dunlops (18 in) for the past two winters with no issues. We grew up driving RWD in the late '70's-early '80's so it wasn't that big of a deal. Plus the cars now have so much more tech than the '76 Ford 500 wagon I grew up with.
We haven't modded our car at all but I would like to do the tint. Maybe in the spring.
As you can see, I don't post very often but I wanted to welcome two fellow Minnesotans to CL. Glad you survived the first big storm. We live in Brooklyn Park and got 12". Can't wait for spring.
Dave
Welcome to Club Lexus! We, too, bought our LS 430 from Lexus of Maplewood, in Sept 2008. It had 45k on it then and we're just about to hit 80k. We have used the stock Dunlops (18 in) for the past two winters with no issues. We grew up driving RWD in the late '70's-early '80's so it wasn't that big of a deal. Plus the cars now have so much more tech than the '76 Ford 500 wagon I grew up with.
We haven't modded our car at all but I would like to do the tint. Maybe in the spring.
As you can see, I don't post very often but I wanted to welcome two fellow Minnesotans to CL. Glad you survived the first big storm. We live in Brooklyn Park and got 12". Can't wait for spring.
Dave
11-15-10, 01:12 PM
#12
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Hi Dave,
Thanks for the warm welcome! I'm just down the road, in St. Anthony Village. I think we picked up somewhere around 10" here. I'm glad our first snowstorm hit on a weekend. If something like this hit during the week, I'd probably have spent more time in traffic than at work!
Best,
-Nick
Thanks for the warm welcome! I'm just down the road, in St. Anthony Village. I think we picked up somewhere around 10" here. I'm glad our first snowstorm hit on a weekend. If something like this hit during the week, I'd probably have spent more time in traffic than at work!
Best,
-Nick
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