Hey, Burnaby - I still have a dwell meter and timing light to go with my feeler gauges.

But I remember, too, when we would gap the points with a match book cover in an emergency. Ditto for the voltage regulator when THOSE contacts stuck!

And remember those balky automatic chokes that liked to stick?

Those were the good old days ...

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Hey, how could I forget overhauling a carburetor? Now that was Hi-tech. Darn things never seem to go together the same way every time. But they worked... (Ooops, shhh! the young 'uns are listening)

 

I remember trying to "save time" and subsequently dropping a jet or spring down the carb intake.... profane rage ensued.

It's funny to look back. I never thought as I was driving my '64 Chevy pickup with a 3 speed column shift that we'd end up with 8 speed autos.

 

Wow, I didn't know spark plugs only lasted for 10k.
Just had mine replaced at 110k with my 04 LS430.
I think they can go up to 120K but I did the 90k and 120 service together.

 

They don't.

Well people spend more on the German competitors knowing there will be issues and no *****ing/whining from them. What do you mean by you get what you pay for in a $25k car? Seems like an elitist comment no?

Sure parts nowadays are better than before but you didn't take into account the amount of electronics/gadgetry and complexity which were not present then.

I'm looking for an LS460 and am expecting issues, with the amount of technology that car has I highly doubt nothing will go wrong. Test driving the LS, honestly there was absolutely no thrill when compared to driving the s-class/7series. The thing the LS has is the fact that it is more reliable and more affordable, that is not meant as a bashing comment since that is basically what drove the LS to success.

 

By the way, the quality of my kid's $25 Honda CRV ($28 actually) is comparable to Lexus. Not the fit and finish, not the better materials, not the more refined ride. But "quality" as defined to mean reliability and good build.

 

Here is a question for you former carburetor re-builders: How many carburetors did you have to rebuild before you had enough parts left over to build an spare?

 

My experience WAS similar. Bullet proof cars dating back to 1991 (3 LS, 1 GS).

Enter my current 2007 LS - all changed. Mainly the unresolved wind noise. A couple of TSB's. Lexus attitude that the wind noise is a feature not a problem. Some design issues ( the inside moldings on front doors tend to scrape - since redesigned).

Some vibration when new - fixed.

The car is still very reliable - but in my opinion Lexus no longer has the edge it enjoyed and no longer justifies the higher LS price.

4 months to go and LEASE ENDS...... Yeah...

 

This has to be the 1st time I can remember the LS model(LS460) having issues of this amount ever. I'm hearing more disappointed buyers/leasers than I can remember in years! Im very saddened by this because I could always tell Benz/BMW/Audi/Jaguar buyers why the Lexus was the best. Mainly I leaned on less problems and it being priced lower as well as reliability.

I'll admit, I never liked the new exterior of the LS460 and it looks to much like a Mazda or a cheaper model car(nothings wrong with Mazda but, I expect more from the luxury brands when it comes to exterior-Benz/Jag/Audi/BMW/etc.) and thats not cool. That said, the one thing about the Benz, I never saw a bad looking one nor the BMW. If Lexus intends on keeping people who lease or buy there cars they must either keep up with having minimal complaints and or make a better looking exterior car on the next body style change! Still a Lexus fan, just dont want to lose the reliability edge Lexus has!L.G.N.M

 

Oh, by the way. The new Acura TL looks amazing to me as well as the new VW! The VW looks like the Jaguar but, looks great anyway to me. Lexus needs to look into better designs for there cars. If your going to have wind noise then might as well make sure the car looks great exterior wise. The interior of the LS and all the models of Lexus are tos in my book. L.G.N.M