What's better about aftermarket? I like the factory air suspension just fine.

 

I, too, lean strongly toward OEM. However, his point is about reliability.
Air suspensions (all of them) do eventually give trouble, but this all-in-one air spring/shock/strut assembly on the LS460/600 has arguably suffered from more glitches than the more "conventional" systems with air bags.

 

I can appreciate this fact.

Someone mentioned that the shock was redesigned between 2010 and now. Obviously I'd be getting a redesigned part as part of the repair if I chose to partake in the offer.

I'm leaning on going ahead with it as the OEM and for that matter the Arnott replacement are both on the pricey side. I mean, right now it's just a clunk but what does it truly have the potential to become short term?

If I have 20-30K miles or a year to deal with it, then I may just defer it until later or I find an exceptional deal on replacements. If it's more like 2-5K then I'm more apt to go ahead and put down the 1K now while the offer is on the table.

 

Well personally I wouldn't keep throwing money at a problem that isn't being resolved. Call it "fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me". You certainly have had way too many issues with your air suspension, actually the most that I've ever heard of frankly. Losing 3 struts under 100k is crazy and to keep paying OEM prices to resolve them makes no sense to me. YMMV

 

One was paid for by original owners Platinum VSA, second was paid for by the dealer pre-delivery. Both repairs are dealer reported by the same dealer.

They didn't stress an urgent need to replace the shock, but did suggest it to get rid of that knock sound.

 

Maybe someone knows of a noise cancellation technique to make the clunk "go away"!

Joking aside, I wish everything goes well with your car. It's not fun to hear these sounds and keep wondering whether it's going to get worse. Can you still get an extended warranty to cover such repairs?

 

Well, I can always turn up the ML!

All kidding aside...

It doesn't seem to hurt anything but I can't stand to hear that clunk/pop from the front end every so often.

It bugs me that a formerly $80,000 car with properly functioning suspension is making these noises. Not even so much from an "embarrassment" standpoint!

 

I haven't heard a clunk in my previous or current Lexus; I think of it as a heavy bassy sound. But a pop that you mention is different. I had a snap/crack/popping sound from the front end on my previous car (2012 LS SWB), especially while braking, that was due to seized bushings in the front control arms. Clearly, your Lexus shop thinks your noise is from the air suspension. But maybe there is another potential source for the sound.

So, maybe I am naive, can you still get an extended warranty that would cover such repairs in the future?

 

The only warranty that would honestly do anything for me is that of a CPO addition (5yr/unl mile) as I drive 25-30 thousand miles a year.

If I could get something similar in a Platinum package (Toyota/Lexus) I'd consider it and likely pay as much as ~$3,000 for it.

 

I know you didn't pay for the repairs, that's not my point. What I'm trying to say is something isn't right when you have to replace something twice where others can maintain their original. You have to simply ask the question, what's going on here??? Many get to 100k before losing a strut, you already lost 2. I say time to move on but that's what I'd do with my money. Who's to say the left rear doesn't go next year? The right front develops a clunk too? When I hear your story I think something isn't right. I had an LS430 for 12 years and only replaced one strut. And that's using a controller too! Your car dispatches struts faster than you do tires and that don't make any sense to me. I mean Michelins are warrantied for 35,000 miles right? Never heard of any vehicle replacing struts more often than they do tires.

 

I'll post the svc records regarding. Gimme a few.

 

1st RR shock.

Dealer Reported 02/20/2015 Sewell Lexus 65814 xxxxxxx REPLACED R/R SHOCK VSAxxxxxxx FOR $3,250.55 - CUSTOMER STATES THERE IS A LOUD THUNK NOISE FROM SUSPENSION WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS - 65814 FAILED RIGHT REAR SHOCK 300 TEST DROVE VEHICLE. HEARD NOISE FROM RIGHT REAR OF VEHICLE GOING OVER BUMPS. VEHICLE HAS AIR SUSPENSION. VEHICLE HAS FAILED RIGHT REAR SHOCK. INSTALLED UPDATED SHOCK AND ACTUATOR.

2nd RR shock

Dealer Reported 03/24/2016 Sewell Lexus of Ft. Worth 78773 xxxxxxx REPLACED RIGHT REAR AIR SHOCK THE VEHICLE IS SUNK DOWN ON THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL AREA - 78773 300 FOUND RR SHOCK LEAKING DOWN REPLACED SHOCK CHECKED OUT OK AFTER

Notes from LF shock

NO WORK DONE C/S THAT THERE IS A POPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END WHILE DRIVING UPHILL AT SLOW SPEEDS - 81606 - NOTICED LF AIR SHOCK IS MAKING NOISE, RECOMMEND STARTING WITH REPLACEMENT OF SHOCK AND CHECK VEHICLE AGAIN. CUSTOMER DECLINED REPAIRS

 

Definitely noticing the clunk a little more often.

I'm going to get a second opinion from Davenport Motor Co. Monday, but it looks like i'm going to have to suck it up, and spend the money to replace the shock.

 

Definitely looks like you got something going on there. No way you should be blowing a new strut in 12k miles. Are you adjusting the height a lot? Use a controller or "height high" often? I'm no mechanic but I'd have to assume something is contributing to the issue if you keep blowing rears and now the front.

 

The original piece lasted 65K on RR, The updated replacement lasted about 13K/1yr.

The LF is just now starting to make noise @ 81K, notice though they didn't state that the shock was failing.