Thanks for your help. I used to have an SC 430, and currently have an ES and a GX. I'm thinking about replacing one or both with one or two 2008 to 2012 LS AWD. What advice would y'all offer me? What should I look for, what should I stay away from? Is there a year that's better than the others? Any particular issues or problems? If there's already a thread that covers these types of questions, I would appreciate you directing me to you. Thanks again.

 

There's a FAQ at the top of LS forum. Lots of good info.

 

Before I bought my LS 460 (2017) I had the same questions as you do - what to look for and what to avoid. And the only place for honest questions and answers about the car is forums like this, so I spent as much time on the forums as I did looking for a car. And the first thing I noticed was posts from people who had air suspension. Several people had major issues with broken air suspension components, and were trying to decide what to do about it, since the repair cost was very high. So I decided from the get-go to avoid cars with air suspension; since the advantage of a few more inches of ground clearance on demand did not seem worth paying 4 figures if and when it broke down.

 

Mark Levison audio is highly regarded if music matters. Keep in mind miles on car and some of the issues that may have already are fixed because of higher miles vs low miles and not yet requiring repairs. Complete records are helpful. Do some searches as your question has been asked hundreds of times. Also, lately it's been noted that there aren't hundreds of LS available. Choices in option packages are also limited and only in certain iterations. Many suggest getting 2013 or newer as some of the issues had been addressed with mfg updated parts.

 

I bought a 65K mile, "little old lady" LS that had maintenance records to the moon. it's a crapshoot no matter what way you go. Mine has air suspension, and I'm a bit scared, but there are no guarantees. Find the best one as far as maintenance that you can, and you might want to avoid air if this will be your sole driver, and you don't have a big repair fund. I'm over the moon for this car, and the air suspension is like a cloud, but buying these out of warranty can be a risk.

 

If you want to stay within the 2007-2012 years, look for 2011-2012. Those seem to be the best years of those cars plus adds Bluetooth audio. Personally, I would jump to the 2016-2017 which gives you more tech and features and seems to have less issues. Good luck.

 

ANY used car is a going to need repairs eventually. Luxury models of any brand are more expensive to repair. Lexus is more reliable than other brands based upon research. Lower mileage cars are statistically less likely to have issues. Facts, not fear. It's OK to be fearful, just don't spread it.

 

My 2010 has bluetooth audio.

 

Regarding the FAQ listing known issues, some of those issues would have been addressed by the time the car has 50k miles on it. Newly designed control arms are likely on the car by now as an example.

 

The big 3 items on these are control arms, brake actuators, and the coolant valley plate leak. From watching well known The Car Care Nut master Toyota/Lexus tech on YouTube, check the front lower control arms (he may have mentioned the lower rear, specifically). That arm is the one that takes the most stress, and if it fails, it can cause all the others to fail. You might be able to get by without doing all 8 if you keep an eye on it.

The brake actuators are pricey at over $2k to replace. You need Toyota Techstream to bleed the system after replacement. Lexus extended the warranty on these, but it's a year/mileage thing, of course. Keep that in mind.

Coolant valley plate leak--look behind the engine on top of the transmission bell housing to check for any coolant residue.

If you buy an air suspension car, that system is extremely expensive to repair/replace.

Other than that, check all electronics and other items you'd normally look at when buying a used car. I'm in the market for one myself and spent hours upon hours learning about these cars and watching videos on repairs and common problems.

Best to look for a 13-17; really a 14-17 as most of those interior panel issues have been corrected. A couple of the ZLZ campaign items extended into 13 and early 14's. (console panels and lower instrument panel, so inspect those)

 

Good point about the sticky panel issue in earlier models. If they were replaced under the campaign, that's best. Another BIG reason to buy 13 or newer. Everyone who posted about sticky panels is very unhappy and frustrated that there's no quality repair other than replacement $$$.

 

Yes it does. 2010-2012. I prefer the 2011-2012

 

THANK YOU ALL!!! I greatly appreciate you taking the time to help me out with thoughtful, detailed replies. Tremendously valuable, and exactly the kind of wise counsel I needed. THANKS, again.