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The spoiler is hard to see from the front. We're aware of the marketplace forum for selling cars, but unfortunately one can not post there until you've been registered for 30 days, and also made 30 posts. We're new to the forum, so we just dropped a mention here.
We're having a house built, and I'm moving in with my honey. 3 cars to fit into a 2-car garage so one has to go. House won't be finished with construction until June, so there's no urgency to sell. Based on research, and knowledgeable expert advice, we think the $28,500 price is quite fair, and we'll stick with this price for a while. The car has been meticulously taken care of. Thanks.
Hi all. Just joined. Looks like a fascinating forum. I have a cherry low-mileage (32.5K) 430 that I am selling. No accidents, no problems, excellent condition. I will post here when I am fully active. Til then feel free to email if interested.
Yes, Lexus recommends the timing belt be replaced at 90,000 miles or 9 years. My mechanic is the most honest I've ever met, and a former NASCAR technician. He will NOT just replace things because the manual says so to make more money. The Lexus guideline is just that ... a guideline. He inspected my timing belt and said it "absolutely" did not need to be replaced. He certified that there was no undue wear, cracks or weathering. So why replace something that an expert says does NOT need replacing?? The car has 32,500 miles on it, and the timing belt is rated for 90,000 miles. There should definitely be quite a few years left on it. Thanks.
Yes, Lexus recommends the timing belt be replaced at 90,000 miles or 9 years. My mechanic is the most honest I've ever met, and a former NASCAR technician. He will NOT just replace things because the manual says so to make more money. The Lexus guideline is just that ... a guideline. He inspected my timing belt and said it "absolutely" did not need to be replaced. He certified that there was no undue wear, cracks or weathering. So why replace something that an expert says does NOT need replacing?? The car has 32,500 miles on it, and the timing belt is rated for 90,000 miles. There should definitely be quite a few years left on it. Thanks.
I have a 2007 and it just passed 35k miles. I will change the following components in the next month or two.
timing belt
water pump
tensioner
tensioner pulley
idler pulley
drive belts
hoses
it’s piece of mind...
Its your car and a very nice SC430, but like you said, your mechanic certified your car. Does that mean he will replace the engine if any of those components fail and destroy the engine?
BTW, since this is only a nine year Lexus guide, how far over nine years will the belt last?
Does the Florida heat reduce the lifespan of rubber and plastic components?
Welcome to ClubLexus!
We hope you enjoy your time here!
There's nothing wrong with "peace of mind," especially if one's income is so large that unnecessary expenditures are irrelevant. Mine isn't.
Bottom line for me: I'm not a mechanic. We all have our areas of expertise, and I've learned it's generally wise to listen to the experts. An important point here is that my mechanic is not the local guy from the nearby gas station or car dealer -- he's a former NASCAR mechanic. That raises the stakes. You can listen to the young guy in your local bank who's telling you to buy a CD, but you might trust a financial advisor that works for a reputable Wall Street firm more. When a mechanic with a NASCAR background tells me there is "absolutely no need to replace the timing belt," I listen.
Florida, like many of the more southern states with lots of sunshine, is a great place for cars, and it's well known that cars from such sunshine states are in much better shape both mechanically and body-wise. [The "Sunshine State" is Florida's state motto, by the way.] Unlike northern states, we don't have all that mud, grime, winter salt, and loads more rain splashing the under-body and into the engine compartment. A low-mileage timing belt may well need to be replaced within 9 years in New York, but perhaps not in Florida or southern California. Another factor is that Lexus makes a LOT of money by specifying routine replacement miles and years, and it's hugely in their interest to specify those guidelines EARLY. They have to set that guideline for the worst part of the country, not the best. Since it makes so much money for them, it's reasonable to assume they err on the side of "early" rather than "late." I see nothing wrong with replacing a component when it's "time to replace it," and relying on a top expert with eyes on the belt, rather than relying on a suit in Nagoya who has set an arbitrary guideline.
And yes, wear may develop later, and when it does subsequent maintenance visits will detect that, and replace the belt when it's necessary. When you go to sell your house, if all the walls are in good shape, and show no signs of wear or damage, do you repaint your house??? I think not. I appreciate the feedback though.
Yep, I also live in Florida and I am a flight test engineer by trade and a mechanic because I like to work on my own cars.
i was hoping you could let me know how far beyond 9yrs a belt will last?
if you don’t know please ask your mechanic! He sounds like an awesome person.
i am always ready to learn something new! When stop learning, you either stopped listening or your six feet under.
anyway, I am very interested in knowing that value and if the Florida heat helps speed up the process...
BTW, you can pick up an Aisin, OEM timing belt kit for about $160 from Amazon or Rockauto...
then again, I think you said you were selling this little gem next June!
patiently awaiting your answer...thank you in advance!
Bgw70,
Yes, there happens to be a simple answer to your question as to how far beyond 9 years a timing belt lasts ... the answer is: it lasts until there's some tangible indication that it needs to be replaced. I'll grant that that's a bit of a sardonic answer, but then so was your question. Since you're an engineer, and more versed in math than average, you know that solutions to many math problems use limit analysis. Sometimes taking things to extremes helps make sense of a subtle problem. I think this issue is subtle, as the guideline says to replace it, so not replacing it is wrong, but then there's no evidence of any problem with the belt, and fixing sumthin' that ain't broke is also arguably wrong.
So here's the limit analysis example. Let's suppose someone buys a 2006 SC for investment purposes only. He drives it home, prepares it for storage in a climate controlled garage, and puts it on blocks with 20 miles on the speedo. It's now 12 years later. Does he really need to replace the timing belt? I would hope you would agree not. So my opinion is that the real life factors -- mileage, climate, proper routine maintenance and inspection, etc. -- are factors that should be considered, and "may" override the established guideline from Lexus.
Actually, all of this is moot now, as I believe that "perception" is more important than "reality" in determining how other people will make decisions. Since it seems everyone perceives the timing belt to be a huge issue, then it IS a problem for a seller to ignore that. Sooooo... the timing belt is being replaced soon. Y'all win, but that's the whole benefit of having a forum in the first place -- an honest and cordial exchange of ideas, which hopefully people can learn from. Thanks to all for the good feedback!
kmaen528, if you are wanting to talk hypothetically, then taking it a step further I'd suggest that the timing belt would still be questionable after sitting for 12 years with only 20 miles on the speedo. I'd be concerned with the rubber taking a set after sitting for 12 years, stretched out around sharp bends/pulleys. That will take its toll on rubber also.
When it comes to T/B, it is very rare a Toyota T/B break
but it is the other wear items( IE Waterpump, tensioner
drive belts etc ) that will wear over time.
Regarding if you should go with years or mileage
I actually changed my T/B, WP and tensioner
out at 47K at 14 years out.
I really think for $1,500 is it worth even 10% chance
for the belt to go taking the engine to go.
My thinking is I rather pay $1,500 to protect a $15,000-$25,000
property . The risk outweighs the cost in my opinion
Hey everyone, great to find this community of enthusiasts. I just finished the paperwork on mine. It's a 2002, dark blue with cream interior and only 49k miles. I paid 15k for it. Super happy with it so far. The previous owner babied it, but I'm afraid I'm driving it too hard. I just love the power.
Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your acquisition. It sounds like you have a similar color combination to mine, dark blue (Indigo Ink) though I'm not sure as to which color you mean by cream (mine is called saddle,). I suspect that it is the lighter leather though. Be sure to post some pictures of it.
When you get your SC430, please introduce yourself and your vehicle here!
Tell us some details about your new SC430;
1. Exterior color
2. Interior color
3. Audio options (Mark Levinson)
4. Other major options or packages
5. Any modifications
6. Anything you want to mention (others considered, previous Lex owner, etc)
7. If you are INTERNATIONAL, state which city/country your representing!
8. Post pics or links to your car (you can upload pics in our gallery)
and congratulations from Club Lexus!
I'm so excited to be here, everybody! I purchased a 2004 SC with 53k miles on her about six weeks ago. Let me tell you, its been a blast to own. I've always wanted one, but it came down to three choices of cars. An SC, a Corvette, or a T-Bird. And I couldn't be more happy with my purchase. I have loved every minute of this car over this last month. The look, the ride, the comfort, the elegance. It's truly a great car. The build quality is exceptional. And this is for a 14 year old car. Amazing! I own two other cars, a Tacoma and a Miata. And I love those cars, too. My Toyota Tacoma I purchased new in 2003 and it just now turned 100,000 miles. It's still beautiful with no squeaks or issues. It drives better now, I think, than when I bought it new. But, with the Lexus SC, the Toyota/Lexus corporation brought the quality up more than just a notch.
The color of my SC is Desert Sand with Ecru interior. I have the full service history where the previous two owners were meticulous about having the car serviced every 5000 miles at Lexus of Beverly Hills and Lexus of Glendale here in California. However, the one thing that I can't seem to find is if the Water-Pump and Timing Chain has been replaced. So, since I'm a bit extreme with keeping my cars serviced, I'm going to have those items replace at the beginning of the month. I don't want to have issues with the car breaking down, and I want to have a little piece of mind. I've been quoted at about $2300. to have those items replaced at Lexus of Westminster. I know there might be cheaper alternatives out there, but I like going to a dealer because I believe there's a little more recourse for me if things go wrong. Anyway I'm attaching a couple of photos. And, I'm really glad to be here. Cheers!
Last edited by WaynesWrld; 11-23-18 at 03:10 AM.
Reason: Photo doesn't show on first post. I'm not sure why...
Congrats on the purchase - that's the same color combination I have on my '02 and I love it as well.
Re the service records, did you see them on https://drivers.lexus.com/lexusdrivers/history ? As long as all the work was done at Lexus dealerships, they should have been documented there. For example, mine says the previous owner had the timing and serpentine belts replaced at 43,300 miles seven years ago which is great for me since it now only has 60K on the clock.
Congrats on the purchase - that's the same color combination I have on my '02 and I love it as well.
Re the service records, did you see them on https://drivers.lexus.com/lexusdrivers/history ? As long as all the work was done at Lexus dealerships, they should have been documented there. For example, mine says the previous owner had the timing and serpentine belts replaced at 43,300 miles seven years ago which is great for me since it now only has 60K on the clock.
Hi Mooton,
LOVE it!! 2004 SC 430 w/53k
Thank you for the link to lexusdrivers. But, I had already reviewed that site which was very comprehensive. The previous two owners of my car did all the "basic" service that was needed, it appears, with the exception to the T.C. and W.P. . I'm so overkill on maintenance with my cars that I just want to be safe than sorry. Also, I'm not sure if I'm posting correctly. Should I be putting this post under "Title." I tried posting a photo of my car but it doesn't attach to my post. Go figure? I will eventually figure it out. Again, thanks for the reply!
11-11-18, 06:57 PM
