Report from mechanic on new purchase LX450 150,900 miles (1 Viewer)

[LS1FJ40]

You need to move.

We were looking into one of those type of neighborhoods and when I asked about it and they said they prosecute....I said no thanks because THAT's my hobby. Some people play golf, some do model trains, some go bowling......I work on old cars. It's not like I'm burying them in the front yard, but that's what I enjoy.

Funny story:

When I lived in McKinney, TX I left my 92 in the driveway overnight one night after washing it. The next morning there was a note on the windshield “It is people like you that bring down property values by leaving your old car parked outside!”

I knew who it was. He had often given me sh!t for working on my 40 or 80 in the driveway.

Fast forward a year. I’ve moved. It’s 2009 and the housing market is spiraling down out of control. I get a text from a buddy that this guy’s house got foreclosed. I sent a text “Parking a vehicle in the driveway overnight once in a while does not bring down property values but a foreclosure sure as hell does!”

 

[BILT4ME]

Yeah, the neighborhood we were looking at is $400K-$1.5M USD. The covenants you had to sign to live there and pay the HOA dues, specifically state you cannot work on your cars in the driveway. The garage doors must be open for no longer than 15 minutes (so even if you're in the back yard mowing it has to be shut)

I could work on a car, but it HAD to be INSIDE the garage with the garage door CLOSED. Unless my garage was heated and A/C, that's not happening. ALL vehicles in the driveway MUST be licensed, insured, and drivable at all times. So, if I pulled the engine and put the hood back on and pushed it outside, I could still get dinged if someone decided to come challenge me about it.

We've lived at our current location for 22 years and our neighbors know what I do and are OK with it. We had a 70 GMC K2500 sitting in the driveway with no axles and just jack stands under the frame for 8 months. I propped the wheels under the fender wells and bungee tied them to the springs so from a DISTANCE it looked like it was on the ground. I always parked another car CLOSE behind it so they'd have to come up and look, then know what they were looking for. My neighborhood sometimes gets bitchy about these things, but the four direct neighbors (two on each side) have lived there as long as we have, so we're all OK with things and look out for each other. They also know I'll help them on a moment's notice, so there's a trade-off as well.

 

[BILT4ME]

Funny story:

When I lived in McKinney, TX I left my 92 in the driveway overnight one night after washing it. The next morning there was a note on the windshield “It is people like you that bring down property values by leaving your old car parked outside!”

I knew who it was. He had often given me sh!t for working on my 40 or 80 in the driveway.

Fast forward a year. I’ve moved. It’s 2009 and the housing market is spiraling down out of control. I get a text from a buddy that this guy’s house got foreclosed. I sent a text “Parking a vehicle in the driveway overnight once in a while does not bring down property values but a foreclosure sure as hell does!”

Funny....When we moved into our house 22 years ago, most of the new owners were pretentious wanna-be's and bitched about the littlest things. As I mentioned in the previous post, I work on stuff in my driveway.

At the time, my DD was a 69 Chevy K1500 with big tires, loud exhaust, a roll bar with a LOT of lights (just missing the gun rack). The president of the subdivision HOA came to my door to advise that we had a complaint that my truck was a problem and it couldn't be in the street. He also commented that "Well if that was in front of MY house, I wouldn't like it either!" I said: "Well that's my daily driver and you have a problem with what I drive?" At that point, he stammered a bit and advised that it just can't be in the street more than 24 hours without moving per the City codes. I told him I was well aware of the codes and since it was my DD, it was moved every day except on weekends.

When I asked who it was, he wouldn't tell me. I had a good suspicion about which neighbor it was, but both of them moved within the net year, so I was good.

I wish we could move back out to a farm someplace. I also wish I lived back in Iowa.......... Lots of reasons that prohibit that.

 

[decoco]

so did this guy buy the 1F, or are we still talking about incredibly inconvenient high net worth neighbourhood problems?

 

[mreedbmwm3]

 

[decoco]

so you bought and are working on it??where are the rest of the pictures.

 

[mreedbmwm3]

so you bought and are working on it??where are the rest of the pictures.

Bought it a week ago, mechanic sent me picture of the rear main seal. The opinion on here was that it probably wasn’t the rear main seal so I just posted the pic.

 

[decoco]

Bought it a week ago, mechanic sent me picture of the rear main seal. The opinion on here was that it probably wasn’t the rear main seal so I just posted the pic.

You bought it a week ago and have not posted pics of the truck or did I miss them ?

 

[mreedbmwm3]

You missed them, they are in my sig.

 

[LS1FJ40]

You missed them, they are in my sig.

In the 200 section?!?!

Most in the 80 don’t venture over there. <Insert @zona comment re: 100/200 Series>

 

[decoco]

You missed them, they are in my sig.

I usually am not a fan of the 200; but your build for that is pristine. Looking forward to what you will be doing to that beautiful lx, also efff off, great deal

 

[mreedbmwm3]

I usually am not a fan of the 200; but your build for that is pristine. Looking forward to what you will be doing to that beautiful lx, also efff off, great deal

Thanks Bro!! people are funny... lol

 

[Flywake]

Hi guys, man have y’all put the HG failure fear into my new purchase. LOL

Dropped the LX yesterday and had compression tested:

1. 200
2. 198
3. 191
4. 188
5. 190
6. 190

Going to do the following:
New heater valve: $121.84
Replace rear main seal: $857.30
Replace air boot and other misc. parts: $295.65
Replace seat motor: $371.61

Needs new antenna mast :$225, going to hold off
And New hood shocks: $109.94

He worked at Lexus of Tulsa for a long time and he said he only saw one HG failure do to the guy having a cracked radiator.

What are you guys seeing as the main culprit, and do you recommend any PM to address the potential issue?

Cheers,
Thanks

Hey Matt, Jason over in Arkansas that purchased your 450. Ran across one of your pictures in the 200 thread and recognized you. Enjoyed seeing some of your post about the 450. I am in process of replacing some of the heater hoses and was wondering if you remember if you did in fact change out the heater valve? That was on my list as well, but I read this post and thought I would ask. Thanks. We are really enjoying the 450 out in the woods!

 

[OffRoadScott]

You can source the heater control valve from @NLXTACY at absolute wits end and just do the work on your own.

As far as the antenna, if you want it to go up and down then replace it with a factory one but I went to Auto Zone and got a replacement there, cost me $15-20 at the most.

If you have another vehicle do most the maintenance yourself, it is a great learning experience.