My eBay LX470 (1 Viewer)

[6LCJ7]

After a couple months of looking for a local vehicle at a sane price and not finding anything, I got desperate and bought one off eBay. The pictures looked great, the CarFax showed a 1 owner Florida vehicle with no red flags at all, and it had a sticker claiming the timing belt has been changed. So I did it ...

For the most part it looks like a great vehicle. I don't think it's ever seen a night outside of the garage and it's pristine underneath. The interior is very clean and comfortable too. For being something like 17 years old (2001), she looks good.

But I have found a number things needing attention:

The only key it came with was a valet key, but I have already had new master keys cut and programed.
Telescoping steering wheel motor is shot.
The inside and outside edges of the front tires are worn, and it drives a little floaty, hopefully just needs an alignment (and new tires).
Today is the first time I really drove it and I smelled oil burning as I got out. Valve cover gaskets?
Crunchy sounding steering wheel when turning. Clock spring?
I hear something under the dash buzzing sporadically. Maybe the brake booster motor, or something to do with AHC?
Vibration in "D" when stopped, goes away in "N". (My LX450 did this too).

I knew I would probably spend some money on it making it right, and hopefully the list doesn't keep growing.

Also I picked up spark plugs, and heater t's to do while I am messing with the VC gaskets.

My plan is to build a mild overlanding rig, like everyone else and their dog too.

 

[yotasavg]

Wow looks great. I'm totally scared to buy off ebay, but I love the idea of it!

To address a couple things:
Oil burning smell for me was valve covers. The nuts were loose to the touch... yikes. Yours probably just need a quick tightening, unless it's leaking from somewhere else.
Buzzing under dash is most likely the brake booster pumping. I notice mine while sitting at a light, on for a couple seconds then gone again. Sounds like a faint pump or motor on the other side of the steering wheel.

Let's see some more shots!

 

[geanes]

Is that Eucalyptus Mint? If so, super jealous. Congrats on the new rig! Seems nice based on your description. Very good call on doing the Heater Ts right out of the gate. As mentioned above, the oil smell is likely the VCs and a tightening of the bolts can very likely do the trick. Though, I would still consider replacing the gaskets since it's relatively inexpensive and you'd eliminate any future worries for quite some time. The telescoping motor for the steering wheel seems easy enough to replace and it's well documented on these forums. Finally, I would flush the AHC using the Paddo method which is a super easy 1 banana job. I changed mine out and it made a difference in the way the AHC performed.

 

[KillerBox]

This fixed my clock spring noise and it took 5 minutes!

Steering Wheel Squeak Be Gone

 

[ogsuv]

Looks like a great score.

I bought my 80 on ebay without seeing it in person and couldn't have been happier. It was risky, but a lot of fun. A ton of pictures helped me feel more comfortable.

Fast forward 17 ish years and I did it again with my 3rd LandCruiser. When I have planned travel, especially outside the rust belt. I am usually tracking vehicles that might interest me on craigslist or ebay. I did this on a trip to Vegas and ending up driving home a new to me LandCruiser, rather than fly. No regrets. Found it on ebay with 120 high quality pics, some on a lift with the wheels off.

They have much salt/rust issues on Uranus? Is that in Idaho? Nice Corvette in the garage.

 

[6LCJ7]

I registered on Lexus.com and was able to get all the service history going back to 2001.

The timing belt was actually done, and is not just a sticker. Very pleased to find that.
Just 1k miles ago the steering rack was replaced and a 4 wheel alignment was done, so I guess I'll save my cash. I wonder why they didn't rotate the tires? That's probably all it needs I guess.

The color is Vapor Blue Metallic or blue vapor or something like that, it's just dirty and tricky lighting making it look green.

I'm starting to amass parts to chase down all the little stuff it needs. I want to get all those items fixed before anything else.

 

[abuck99]

Check around the ujoints for grease slung on the exhaust. That will also give off a burning oil smell. The brake booster pump will cycle on for 30-40 seconds after you turn the key on, then should shut off. On a truck of that age you may want to replace the coil boots and gasket. You'll see the boots when you remove the coils to change the spark plugs- typically cracked, crumbling. Denso has a 8pc kit for about $30.

 

[6LCJ7]

This fixed my clock spring noise and it took 5 minutes!

Steering Wheel Squeak Be Gone

Yup. Worked for me too. Thanks!

 

[6LCJ7]

Passenger valve cover is definitely leaking. Not sure if it's the only leak yet.

 

[bls72bmw]

Nice rig...if it's still out there how bout posting a link to the ebay auction?

 

[dasgeek]

Denso has a 8pc kit for about $30.

Where did you get this deal? I think I paid more than that for each coil pack.

 

[fooldall1]

Have you already gone though the Baselining steps in the FAQ?

 

[ellexx470]

Looks like a 2002 or 2003 Vette Z06 in the garage - nice. Is that Electron Blue? I had a 2002 Electron Blue coupe. 6 speed of course!

I bought a 2001 LX470 locally (117K miles) in October, and have been baselining it with the help of this forum (lurking until today). Highly recommend going through the FAQ list.

As for "floaty ride", have you used the suspension control to adjust the shocks more toward Sport vs. Comfort? For me, I had two leaky rear shocks when I bought it, which I've since replaced. Will replace the fronts in a few months.

 

[6LCJ7]

The Vette is Le Mans Blue. It's a 2004 Z06 Le Mans Commemorative Edition. It's also new to me, so I'm dividing my attention between the two.

I guess you could say I'm baselining without the "official" baseline. I have been through the FAQ a few times and I guess I have missed it, but I did find a few things to check out from there and there's stuff from the maintenance schedule and I have some general automotive knowledge.

I haven't messed with the shock settings because I'm afraid of breaking something (lol), and I can live with it on comfort, but on that subject I rotated the tires yesterday and filled to the inflation specs on the door jamb and it did improve the ride.

Also put in new headlight bulbs, which may be slightly brighter, but was probably a waste of time and programmed my garage door opener, but no one cares about that stuff.

 

[6LCJ7]

Washed! I think I'm going to accelerate my tire purchase because it looks just a little too soccer mom right now. Some KO2's would look good.

 

[ikarus]

Washed! I think I'm going to accelerate my tire purchase because it looks just a little too soccer mom right now. Some KO2's would look good.View attachment 1616556

Lookin good! New tires will be awesome. I've got an identical truck, 01, same color:

 

[jhanley]

I bought an LX site unseen off eBay 2 years ago. Took me a great deal of time and money to make it right. I'll never do it again, unless there's someone around who can conduct a proper PPI that knows these trucks. Buyer beware.

Beautiful truck by the way.

 

[6LCJ7]

I bought an LX site unseen off eBay 2 years ago. Took me a great deal of time and money to make it right. I'll never do it again, unless there's someone around who can conduct a proper PPI that knows these trucks. Buyer beware

That sucks, been there done that. I've lost my ass on the last couple of beaters/projects I bought, I'm due for a good one.

 

[6LCJ7]

Welp, my telescoping motor showed up so I tackled that job after work. The only difficult part is getting that top bolt out that holds the motor in. You have to just the right length socket in just the right position to get it loose. This thread, which I think I found in the FAQ, was very helpful.

I think someone had already messed with it because the adjuster nut was loosened and when I put the new motor in it just spun around without actually moving the column. (Maybe it was making a bad sound or something and this was their fix.) When I tightened it up it was indexed wrong, it wouldn't go all the way down and it bound up before getting all the way out. So I had to take the nut/bracket off, crank the motor out using the switch, yank the steering wheel all the way out, thread the nut back on so the bracket lined up with the holes, and finally bolt the bracket back on. After all that it works perfectly now. Not sure I would tackle it again, hopefully never have to.

 

[joseywales]

Where did you get this deal? I think I paid more than that for each coil pack.

That’s just for the boots, not coil packs.