I am thinking of getting an 04-06 LS430 at the end of the year as my next daily. I have seen a ton of northern IL/WI LS430s that have rust on the front two doors developing just above the chrome molding that runs down the center of the doors.

It's a very common issue in the salt belt states that seems to develop from water and salt getting inside the trim and being trapped around the clips that hold the outer plastic lower door trim to the actual frame of the door.

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/for...xus-uk/?page=2

That thread has pictures of the problem I am talking about.

My plan is to buy a vehicle from a southern state like CA or TX that wasn't exposed to the elements.

However, I'd like to see if someone found some ways to prevent this issue from happening? Would spraying a wax based undercoating inside the door cards help with this like Fluid Film or a petroleum product like Cosmoline (which is what I'm aiming for)?

I know German vehicles have cosmoline sprayed inside all the door and body cavities at the factory so you almost never see them rust out like Japenese cars. It happens but nowhere near as often.

Anyone have experience with this and how to prevent it before it happens?

 

I did see one LS430 here in Milwaukee that had that exact rust spot on the door. That's the only one I've seen. but as was mentioned in another thread, I don't see a lot of LS430's in this area. My 01 is clean and the 05 came from Texas, so it's virtually rust free. Even the undercarriage looks new.

 

Pretty sure that rust is not on the common problems thread, but if it is a common problem, shame on Lexus. As mentioned, you could see a 1981 MB 300TD driving around and it may have faded paint, but no rust.

And if that's common, the way to prevent it is to not buy the car in the first place. Rust is a cancer that would have to be cut out in its entirety. It was the downfall of my 1998 Nissan.

 

When I bought my '04 LS430 I sprayed ACF-50 along the decorative chrome type strips on the doors and also along the top of the door panel just below the windows.
A month later had the internal door cards off two doors to inspect and luckily for me here in the UK there was not rust whatsoever. The ACF-50 had penetrated through the holes in the outer panel where the plastic fixing studs come through holding on the deco strips.
This product will not damage paint or any electronics and most importantly it does 'encourage' rust after a period of time.

Can't give any guarantees but I am pleased with a simple treatment using a hand pump spray bottle.

Gave an extra dose around the external mirror attachment positions and for the trunk lid and hood.

The only inconvenience is that a film continues to run down the paintwork but that can be easily cleaned off with a micro fibre cloth.

 

Thanks for the replies.

It's definitely a common problem, if you google search it, there are many people that had it happen in the same place on the vehicle.

 

Decided to check my car while taking out the recycling, and it happens to be raining and has been for hours.

Look at the LF lower and I was like, WTH? It's rusting? So I go to the pass side and realize, no, that's not rust, the piece is plastic. Something was lodged in between the chrome and the plastic and was flicked away by my thumbnail, and left a rust colored residue.

Then, I examined near the mirrors. Water clearly collects, but it appears to be kept out by rubber trim designed to do so. imho spraying anything should be deflected by this rubber strip. From what I have seen online thus far, if I saw that rust and knew nothing about it, I would suspect body work. Again, I have experienced trying to fight rust on the Maxima, and it's a losing battle. Once it starts, it cannot be stopped unless cut away. You can sand, prime, repaint, and it comes back. And when it is from the inside out, it's really futile trying to do something from the outside in....just my .02.

This is a flagship car, and if it commonly rusts where trim is attached, shame on Lexus. I still wonder, if cars that exhibit the rust, are a result of bodywork. That would make sense.

No lie, a neighbor has a 1981 MB 300TD sedan. No rust, and it's been in the northeast all this time. Faded paint, yes.

btw my Nissan had the lower rad support collapse at about 11 y.o., and it's common at 9. Luckily I found someone who fixed it for $100, body shop wanted almost $2k. I just never expected a Lexus would have corrosion issues.

edit2 found one of the threads and the op didn't answer when someone asked if the vehicle were repainted. However, based on the number of respondents, one would not think all were repainted. Then another comment maybe this plagued 01-03's. Bummer. Anyway I went out again to check my precious LS aka moonlight rustbucket, and could not find any rust. Once it appears I know from experience it's game over. It's so tempting to burst and scrape those rust bubbles, sand down, prime and touch up. But it is truly futile.....