DEALER Couldn't Fix It & Nearly Broke This Lexus LX450

[@martinfromseacity2010]

I stopped by your shop and had my Subaru scanned. Your mechanic cleared some codes and pronounced me ready to travel. I'm in SE Alaska now the car ran well. Thanks for all you do.

[@francomtz7115]

Clearing codes doesn't fix unless they are inactive, unlesss it was already fixed prior .

[@anthonykiedis1765]

​​@@francomtz7115 you've clearly never owned a Subaru. They throw codes if you look at them the wrong way.

[@Ryan2022]

@@anthonykiedis1765 there must be a cousin to Mercedes-Benz

[@goodbyemr.anderson5065]

@@anthonykiedis1765 so then why bother having them cleared? Save for the lights on the dash cluster.

[@TheIncredibleJumpman]

I work at a Chevy dealership. My last shop, most of the technicians were 25 or under with little experience. We were all basically thrown in the water and told to figure out how to swim. Main reason being the company that bought the dealer figured it was cheaper to higher people with no experience than hire people with ASE's or a decade of experience. I am/was one of those 25 year olds, and while im grateful for the learning experience of working on cars and getting paid for it, I and anyone else is going to make mistakes along the way and i dont think the customer should be paying full price for novice work.

[@alb12345672]

Better off DIY if that is the case.

[@donaldlee6760]

I find your experience really exciting. I'm a somewhat advanced DIY mechanic and would like my kids to get some auto shop experience, even though it's unlikely to become their full time career. If auto shops are dumb enough to hire inexperienced kids just because they are dirt cheap, then my kids can gain a ton of valuable experience really fast and make mistakes on someone else's car. I also feel that mistakes are an important part of the learning experience (but ideally not on our family cars).

[@BubblesTheCat1]

That dealership should refund the Wizards bill in full to the customer or waive their bill for the botched job. I hate dealerships. No wonder they're called stealerships. My Mom bought a brand new Corolla 1.3 rear wheel drive in 85 in South Africa. Cars, back then only had a 10,000 kilometre/1 year warranty. When the car went in for it's second service at 20k kilometres, she was presented with a massive bill for a new clutch, new driveshaft, etc. What a load of bollocks. That's when I said never again, "Will I ever go to a dealership again. I (an 18 year old schoolboy) then serviced her car from there on, and it only needed oil changes, filters and brakes and tyres until she sold it at 340 000 km 😠🤬😡

[@TheIncredibleJumpman]

@@donaldlee6760 oh yeah. There were a couple of green UTI graduates that got hired on after I did and while they only knew marginally more than I did they were still having to pay off their school loans. I assume most auto companies are the same but GM does a good job of providing paid training online and in their training centers. The current dealership I'm at now is kind of the opposite, mostly old/er guys but management can see the writing on the wall that times running out and they need some younger help sooner or later. If your kids are interested, get in asap while these older guys are still around to pass on their tricks of the trade. They'll need all the help they can get on flat rate!

[@rawr51919]

​@@BubblesTheCat1shoulda bought it from her, easily could take it to 500K or more

[@yoshimitsu1896]

The Car Care Nut would definitely love this Lexus

[@instasingingvids3529]

I immediately thought of him too

[@BubblesTheCat1]

And the Wizard could've asked him as well, and I'm confident he would've given him the same answer as that other experienced guy. Hell, this owner could've taken the vehicle straight to the ccn... but well done to Omega for sorting it out 😊

[@amross64]

My tundra was just at the Car care nut a few weeks ago, He's a fan of the Wizard. I made it very clear that I'm a big fan of his and the wizard and value both their channels equally.

[@trdrav4]

@@amross64 One of Wizard's videos from last year on a Tacoma, AMD commented and David was jazzed about it

[@ralphabreu5022]

​@@instasingingvids3529 Scotty Kilmer would love this truck.

[@jayswartzbaugh8553]

You are so right. Our local Ford dealership diagnosed a miss in cylinder one on our Fusion. They charged $165 for a coil and a total of $536 to replace the coil and one spark plug. When we got the car back the check engine light came on soon once again and the car hesitated on acceleration. Since the engine is a simple 2.5 liter I pulled the plastic cover off of the engine and noticed that instead of replacing the coil on cylinder one as the OBD 2 reported was missing, their tech replaced the coil and spark plug on cylinder two. Thus trashing a good coil and leaving the bad one in place as the technician obviously didn’t know the firing order on that engine and didn’t bother to look it up. The dealership would not acknowledge their mistake, so I bought 3 new quality brand name coils on line for $32 each and 3 new iridium spark plugs for 8.95 each and replaced all of the old units in the remaining cylinders for a total cost of $162 including tax and shipping. The car runs fine now. Needless to say, that dealership will no longer work on my car.

[@JBM425]

I hope you let the service manager or the general manager know about your experience and that you are done with them because of that.

[@peterkubilus5972]

I would let Ford corporate know too.

[@jayswartzbaugh8553]

@@peterkubilus5972 Good idea. I’ll do that.

[@DMountains]

Be sure to dispute the charge to your debit/credit card used to pay, if that's how you paid. In addition you can also take the shop to court for fraud. Provide the evidence an you will win. After that notify the BBB and Attorney general's office to provide further encouragement.

[@dddevildogg]

@@JBM425 Yeah- like he might even give a damn.You know,this isn't the first complaint on this (ha!) TECHNICIAN

[@goodday126]

I miss the days walking into any auto parts store, and the men working there were just like your dad. They knew their business, all about cars, helpful, and if you're lucky they'll crack a dirty joke or two.

[@CGJ7755]

Now i walk in and its all 20 year olds and its hit or miss if they know their shit.

[@HaveBikeWillTravel-t3v]

@@CGJ7755 Trump was right. Not sending their best

[@goodday126]

@@logicthought25 that’s not a theory, they keep announcing their plan to do that. In 2035 it will be illegal to sell an ICE car in CA.

[@mikemayne001]

F*CK CALIFORNIA ❗️❗️❗️

[@LowEnd31st]

@@logicthought25doubtful, because I’m sure parts guys in the 70s didn’t know anything about cars from the 30s/40s. Plus technology is exponential.

[@BillofRights1951]

What a beautiful vehicle. That owner is lucky to have it...and Omega. I used to have a '90 LS 400 that I bought from an employer in 2000, with 165K on the clock. Best car I ever owned. Ran it up to nearly 400K when it was totaled in a rear end hit at a stoplight. The previous owner always had it meticulously serviced at Vista Lexus in Woodland Hills, CA, so I continued that tradition when i bought it. Great dealership, with great people, and terrific mechanics who got to know you personally... until.....the family that owned it, sold it. New owner forces all the employees to re-pitch their jobs....quite a few people left, and the experience was NEVER the same. Service was mediocre at best. I found a highly competent independent mechanic after that...was done with them...end of an era.

[@ovid4]

Where’s the new shop please. I need an alternative to Keyes Lexus in Van Nuys

[@iabarrera]

This 27 year old car looks better than most 7 year old cars on the road. Bravo Toyota! 👏

[@glennbeadshaw727]

Bravo owner

[@johanndork5364]

No rust either, amazing.

[@gregculverwell]

@@iabarrera it's all gone downhill since then.

[@redsidebiker]

Believe this or not. In the UK, I've got a 27 year old GM car. Its a Vauxhall/Opel Calibra V6 SE7. 98000 miles on the clock. The bodywork is straight and original. The chassis got welded last year (before I bought it). Its epic. Just got to get the headliner sorted.

[@vw5056]

It was obviously a garage queen with only 117k miles.

[@dragineeztoo61]

Love the call out to Jared, he correctly diagnosed the problem over the phone in no time. That's the value of EXPERIENCE!

[@christopherlewis7626]

I'm relived you said it was a Toyota dealer because as a Lexus tech i and many others wouldn't have let this leave without being certain it was repaired properly. i just checked TIS (Toyota Information System) and there is two available SST's to use to remove the pulley. either they tried to beat the flat rate clock or didn't have the proper tools.

[@jeffwilliams8277]

Good luck finding those tools or a qualified person to use them. I have worked at a Toyota dealer for 14 years and dealship life for 43. The sad news is I'm the only one over certified level except for one guy that is expert in one category. Yet they want 150% productivity. So all they do are are maintenence jobs and parts cannon repairs.

[@nayBobb]

So does Lexus have a database like identifix for this situation?

I thought he said it WAS a Lexus dealership ?

[@SRT_Hefe]

11:34 he said it was a Toyota dealership

[@obsoleteprofessor2034]

I had an 80's Taurus leaking from the same place for so long every rubber item was swollen plus the rubber on the harmonic balancer came off. I pulled the engine out to clean everything up. When I went to pull the socket hex bolts for the oil pump cover, the one in the recessed area stripped out. Had to drill the head off. When I finally got the cover off, the remaining bolt piece came out with my fingers. Steamed everything down, put engine back in and it was a sweet car for another 20 years.

[@jeffwilliams8277]

I have worked at dealers for 43 years and am proud of the work I do. But I am the only one left at our store. I can say most techs at our store have no idea or desire to work on the old cars. Part of it is the management pushing for more production, the other is they were never around when those vehicles were common. I have worked at Toyota for 14 years of my 43 at dealers and have never had one of those engines apart. You are correct in that they should have a data base of common problems but manufacturers don't do that because as soon as it got out everyone would want it for free. My advise would be for older cars to never drop your car off at the dealer without talking to the technician. Don't expect a 20 something year old technician to know the common problems of your 25 year old car. We have 16 guys and your chance of me getting your car the first time are slim.

[@lordcorgi6481]

This happened with my 05 Mustang. It had kind of a ticking noise and I took it to Ford and they had it for the day and said it was the lifters. My friend who used to be the head of a Ford dealership's shop in New York said instantly it's 99.9% an exhaust leak without even hearing it or seeing it. I pulled off the exhaust manifolds and replaced the gaskets with his help over facetime. It was $40 for the gaskets, Ford wanted $3,000 to replace the lifters. I'll never go to the stealership ever again. He told me he retired because it's happening all over. The owners don't want to pay the mechanics what they deserve so when they hire a mechanic the majority of them are fresh out of school or very little experience. Anybody who is a great mechanic goes out and starts their own shop since they have to buy everything except the lift anyways. Basically, he couldn't get good mechanics because he wasn't able to pay them enough to keep them.

[@marko7843]

From what I can tell, a lot of the Triton engines have exhaust manifold problems. You know, it's always difficult when an automaker is dealing with brand new technology like an exhaust manifold...

[@phildavis3105]

The local Chevy dealer won’t work on my 2000 Suburban anymore. The local Lexus dealer won’t work on my 93 SC400 anymore. Too old. Evidently, I am blessed they were straight enough to tell me they couldn’t find qualified techs. The Lexus dealer has even helped me find hard to source parts to take to my independent shop.

[@vw5056]

I often spend more at my local dealer for parts just to support them because even though they rip people off their parts departments are a life line.

[@johnrock2022]

I spent a year and a half riding around the deserts of Yemen in the mid 90's and Kurdistan in the early 2010's in the diesel version of this vehicle. Bullet proof. Literally and figuratively.

[@boblachance7014]

The quality of the maintenance at a dealership depends primarily on the quality of the employees. Years ago, I used to work at dealership in a support job. The owner of the dealership hired a new service manager who upon starting his job laid off 1/3 of the mechanics. One problem, the ones whom he laid off were their BEST mechanics. What was left were mediocre mechanics at best. They went from 1 or 2 very pissed off customers per week to 7-10 pissed off customers per week. It only became worse as well!

[@crisnmaryfam7344]

Sadly thats industry wide... not a one off.. This is why there are so many "shade tree/back yard mechanics". Nobody wants to work for a dealer who wants to take 3/4 of the job and offer you jackshit in return.

[@johncornell3665]

Great job on sorting this issue out. It is disgraceful how these dealerships treat their customers. And lack of experience evident. Thanks Wizard!

[@kb9oak749]

Dealerships don't want to pay experienced techs what they are worth. Turnover is massive.

[@CAepicreviews]

Can confirm. I had college education, great grades, amazing attendance, advanced brand specific training, extremely low comeback rate, and up to 2y experience; I've never made more than 20/18 an hour as a tech. I can find basic jobs in my area at those rates. (The lower of the 2 I was earning more recently as half of each time was spent at different dealers in different parts of the country as I moved around a little) I essentially got payed almost nothing extra for all of that effort compared to a normal basic entry level job. While doing 50-55h a week consistently and busting my ass. Within 2 months of being at my most recent dealer in an "Apprenticeship" I was told by the foreman that "he wasn't sure if I'd ever be able to be a tech" because sometimes I would struggle as a new tech on Mercedes - and I wasn't really ever being given any pointers. Just criticism of "What's wrong with you, why aren't you done/doing it right". I've even had that "trainer" just walk over, tell me to move, do something I didn't even know was an option for getting that part loose (A punch into the shank of a rusted exhaust flange to break the halves apart) and then just said "That was hard wasn't it" and walked away. Real helpful. I've also had the shop foreman question my "thought process" to the service manager when I inadvertently took 2 clamps off a hose on the very top of the engine. A sub $1 clamp that takes all of 15 seconds to replace if we're generous. Which yes, that was a mistake. But you're going to question me on that, when meanwhile another car comes in, gets a fuel pump replacement under warranty - and then stops running and wont restart, reading around 1/3rd full. Instead of making the previous tech who did the work check and see what's wrong, he makes another tech replace the tank while the initial tech (and only for warranty when it should have been "customer pay" to the tech, you'll see why) was in the shop at the same time. Because you know, the tank's gotta be bad right? Nope, initial tech just forgot to reconnect the siphon tubes. Both pumps worked perfectly. So he makes a mistake on the shop's behalf while also forcing someone else to fix the mistake for less pay than they should have gotten. So will the shop pay for the new tank even? Fuck no, we're just going to lie to warranty and hope they don't figure it out. But my judgement is really what's questionable here. I recognize I'm biased because obviously, but thats clearly bullshit. You can force the car to stay here for weeks for a back ordered $5000 fuel tank, punish another tech with a different tech's mistakes, but my clamp is such a big issue you need to personally bring me into the office to complain about that officially? I've had another foreman argue that I made a mistake that I "Didn't check to see if the oil filter was leaking" on a car I did (The level was good - No complaint, car was clean. It was by cam that he said he saw this) because "You didn't open the hood to check for leaks" (the other part of this was I went 5 mph over the lot limit which was 15 which I won't argue, because I did). Meanwhile that vehicle is a G550 which has an oil filter mounted on the bottom of the engine. No amount of checking the top would have ever told you there was a leak. It was checked on the lift. And that was the only write up I ever got.

Because they'd have raise their already stratospheric labor rates.

[@spades9048]

Why would they need experienced techs to work on nearly 30 year old cars? Why would you bring a 27 year old Lexus into the dealership?

[@kuebby]

@@spades9048 It's a fancy Toyota, you should be able to bring it anywhere.

[@spades9048]

@@kuebby Great. It’s a fancy Land Cruiser. How many total Land Cruisers/LX vehicles from the 90’s are still on the road? I don’t know why people think techs should be familiar with limited production vehicles from 30 years ago.

[@billtodd6509]

You never fail for impress with your knowledge and professional service that you offer. We have already decided to just have an enclosed car carrier pick up our car and send it to you as soon as it turns 100,000 miles and have your techs give it a thorough inspection and repair or replace whatever it needs to make it another 100K. We have no faith in the current lineup of mechs around here. Thanks, Bill

[@thetreyrich1]

that truck probably older than the toyota tech that worked on it.

[@sneakerfreak2002]

Ok, and …..

[@JKHTX]

Lexus more durable and reliable​@@sneakerfreak2002

[@duddaman254118]

Agreed

[@2015BLOXXER]

@@sneakerfreak2002they probably have less experience

[@spades9048]

@@sneakerfreak2002And that’s why they don’t know how to fix it because most of these cars have already been at the scrapyard. There’s not too many 30 year old Lexus vehicles left and the ones that are around probably aren’t being taken to the dealership for service.

[@gregculverwell]

A slight correction - the front axle does in fact have CV joints, not U joints. They have a special name though - Birfield joints. I have never seen crank seals leak on the 1FZ, but love to leak at the oil pump cover. Mine is leaking slightly - just enough to make dust stick but no drips I have left it alone I also have a 1997 80 series, but the 3rd world version so it has a Carburettor (=no engine electronics) and part time 4x4. The only weakness with the 1fz is head gaskets. Mine blew explosively while towing up a mountain pass - a blast of steam out the exhaust. I spoke to a specialist who told me that 30% of them were replaced under warranty and that the failure rate is 100% by 220k miles. Apart from that (very expensive) gasket I haven't had to spend a cent in repairs in the 190k I have done. It's worked hard here in South Africa - I use it in the bush, mostly towing on un-maintained dirt tracks.

[@scootypuffjr.]

So, the head gasket is really the only main failure point on these? Are the replacement head gaskets improved at all?. I really like these things. I want one to park next to my FJ Cruiser. Thank you

[@gregculverwell]

@@scootypuffjr. I don't know the answer. Given that mine was from the last year of production it seems that they didn't do anything during the production run. However they continued to make the engine until recently as an industrial engine for things like forklifts, so maybe they made improvements later. I believe that there is also an improved aftermarket gasket.

[@TheQuestionableGarage]

Had that same exact conversation with David, the seals don’t leak, it’s always the oil pump gasket.

[@drewlinton3472]

​@@scootypuffjr.Yes they have an updated gasket that is better. This was the first land cruiser engine with dissimilar metals from the black to the head, couple that with the fact that asbestos had recently been outlawed as a gasket material and you have a first iteration engine that (only) gives 220k before you have to worry about a head gasket failure.

[@davidpye2002]

Gah! My '97 is at 218k 😢

[@BCNeil]

The dealer wanted them to buy a new one. They will break the old one if they have to

[@yoshimitsu1896]

Doesn’t surprise me at all

[@djmtndew]

I've seen it too

[@hotpuppy1]

Nothing changes. I had an issue with a '88 S10 running poorly with a engine light on. This was in the mid '90's. It had over 130k on it. Dealer gave me a salesman's card, botched the diagnosis, told me a bunch of things needed repair that it didn't need. I took it home and went back to basics. One of the new plug wires I had put on the week before had gone bad. I avoid the dealers if at all possible and am skeptical of most other shops too.

[@carholic-sz3qv]

or they dont have an experienced person on this older vehicle model

[@lincmerc1581]

And, then repair, detail the old one and sell it for twice what it's worth because....FINANCING.

[@rogerlovin9236]

I’ve always said, if you have an automotive problem, the dealership is the last place you want take your vehicle, unless it’s a warranty issue. Thank you, as always, Mr. and Mrs. Wizard.

[@underachievingwatchcollect1878]

That Lexus 450 is a better vehicle than the new ones!

[@AntonioVargasJr-rx3bs]

I go to a lexus dealership for my 02 gs300. There are 2 techs who know how to work on older cars. All the new techs no the computer stuff but when it comes to mechanical diagnostic it's a dime a dozen. All the old timers are just done with the industry. Their knowledge is going away and it's sad to say will never come back.

[@smal1393]

I have a 1990 LS 400 and a 1992 SC 400, they arein great shape, are now collector cars, and not our daily drivers. They are older than the tech's in the dealership, and they have no idea what to do what with my cars.

[@LowEnd31st]

@@smal1393that’s sad because shouldn’t the service manuals still exist? It’s not like these were complicated cars

[@daveallen8248]

I'm an enthusiast - not a trained mechanic, but I do 100% work on my classic car. A few years ago I started working on my daily driver (dealer serviced for 12 years) and discovered the mediocre quality of the work done. Just little things, like forgetting to tie up the cables after some electrical work. But that led to the cables getting rubbed and cut. I went through the car and fixed everything they didn't. Then checked my Wife's newer car. Same lack of attention to detail. Never going back to a dealer. Thanks for the video - nice 4x4!

[@2SlayZGTE]

Loved this video! As an aficionado of older Toyotas and Lexuses, it’s always great to see them featured! I really appreciate your approach to problem solving and attention to detail. I’m glad you (with some help from Jared) were able to fix the leak and get this beautiful beast ready for many more happy years and miles. You and Jared are my favorite automotive geniuses, keep up the great work 👍🏻

[@anthony-i1k8c]

I love Lexus. I have two and had one other. All 10+ years old. My experience at the dealer has been terrible. In fact, I've owned Ford, GM also. The only dealer I've been happy with is my local Toyota dealer but haven't been there for years. My mom has a Honda and that dealer is ok, not bad or great. So I was going to local shops but in the last year or so I've been doing a lot of my own work.

[@timothyambre831]

Don't think we all missed the 280ZX in the background! Would love to see it here. Amazing LX450! Had almost that exact one until 2009. Thanks Wizard family!

[@joecool5403]

Inside is just as important as the outside. Thanks Mrs. Wizard!!

[@cherokeelaketennessee7895]

When you we describing the problem, I knew exactly what it was, replaced several of them. Also the distributor o-ring is another problem area for leaks. If the small heater hose ( PHH pesky heater hose ) section on the left side of the engine hasn't been replaced, that's another problem area. When you see these with a bad head gasket, 90% of the time it was because that hose started leaking and the engine overheated. I've owned a dozen of the 80 series Land Cruisers and they were the last of the great cruisers only because it was the last model to get a solid front axle but the 100 and 200 series are very dependable. I have a 1989 FJ62 now with 329,000 miles, she runs and looks like a new one.

[@markstafford399]

hi wiz,, i’ve been watching this video,, i took my 04 land cruiser to the dealership ( toyota ) so the shop manager brought me out and told me i need a radiator replacement! for 1700 dollars! lol are you high? i told him the radiator was just replaced not to long ago! so i found the leak myself! it was the round o ring next to thermostat,, the round piece, and was running down to skid plate, then the fan was blowing coolant all over! so yeah, i usually try to do work myself but I have severe back problems and knee problems so it makes it hard for me to do certain things but I did fix it. Thank you, car wizard you are the best. Keep the videos coming.

[@jnljnl8485]

The front axle shafts are not ujointed they have a brifeld joint that is basically a giant cv. Anytime you have one in the air may as well fill the knuckles with grease. The factory brifelds are harder than woodpecker teeth and will last as long as they have grease. Mine stripped out the splines and drive flange at 480000 miles. If you want a clean one you better talk your way into that one.😂

[@rudolphvanthoff1391]

Mum took her little buzz box in for a major check up (under my advice) as she was pondering spend money to make it right or trade in on a new car. She took it to her local Toyota because they were the dealers for that make she has… they stated so much had been done that hadn’t. Spare tyre was flat 3 weeks later when she needed it. A year later (3400km) the brand new tyres they fitted to the front were scrubbed completely to steel belts on the inner edge. (They had performed supposedly a wheel alignment and charged her for it with the other work). She will never return there again. They fixed it after I got involved and another good friend of hers. The alignment was so far out and was corrected along with two new tyres at no additional cost. You are spot on….. the dealers are losing the plot. Hiring amateurs but charging the same sky high prices for everything….

[@caseyalexander2244]

You’re correct about the quality of work, however, as cars become increasingly proprietary and require multiple specialized diagnostic equipment for the increasing number and complexity of onboard modules - independent shops will not be able to afford the equipment and/or diagnose and repair the new cars. What this is doing and will do, is funnel customers to the dealerships. What’s worse, is that with planned obsolescence people will reach that big repair bill vs vehicle replacement crossroads sooner than later.

[@rogerbasker6970]

Most mechanics don’t want to call another shop to problem solve. Not everyone knows everything so having people you can call on for information is a must. A good network of mechanics that talk to each other is a great thing. One thing about dealers is they have a time limit on most jobs and young mechanics are pushed. Great video thanks for sharing!

[@5265060]

Sad thing is you have to pull the harmonic balancer to get the pump cover off in the first place. THEY WERE RIGHT THERE! And by pull I mean break the 30mm bolt loose and gently remove, not pry haha. It sounds like the owner loves this truck so please let them know that they should being use the V style belts not the cogged ones. No real harm done but the V belts are soooo much more quiet. I always enjoy seeing more 80 series content! Good save Wizard!!

[@joelamosun9341]

I used to work at various car dealerships in the UK. With the exception of a few Master Technicians, that is guys who have years of experience working with certain brands, it's all about profitability and getting as many cars through the workshop as quickly as possible. So they hire young technicians because they are cheaper to pay them. Train them from manufacturers programs and things like this. Then they are under pressure to diagnose faults really quickly and get the car out. Their thinking is the more cars they can get out, the more money they can make. If a fault is misdiagnosed, the customer will still have to pay especially if the car is out of warranty. Even with warranty, you have to read the snall print very very carefully. My experience is take your car to someone who is a very good and experienced mechanic or a specialist in that particular make of vehicle that you have. You can take your car to the main dealer if you have a service plan, so get them to do the simple things like oil changes. And then when they tell you other things need to be done, take your car to another mechanic or a specialist.

[@garywalker9753]

I have a 2011 Toyota Avalon that has been a fantastic ride. But watching your videos has made me totally paranoid about most shops. So I am on a fixed income and if I need to spend money on repairs I really need them done right the first time. Glad you are around. Wish I was in your neighborhood.

[@jayburris6252]

Mrs Wizard. That’s not faux wood in a Lexus. That’s real wood.

[@timotheegoulet1511]

They still using real wood like they did decades back?

[@JohnSmith-pl2bk]

@@timotheegoulet1511 Trees are still growing????

[@timotheegoulet1511]

@@JohnSmith-pl2bk indeed my friend

[@Seazap]

I miss the days when the wizard reviewed the interior.

[@peterdevreter]

Wood by Yamaha. At least it was in my Lexus from that era.

[@olhofalcao]

A wise man once said, if you want to go to the end of the world, get a Land Rover, if you want to come back, get a Land Cruiser😅

[@ahmadghosheh3104]

Very True

[@daniels2761]

There's only 1 rule: Once it's out of warranty it never goes to the dealer again. And frankly I wouldn't take it to the dealer under warranty for so much as an oil change unless it's an actual warranty issue.

[@Dwigt_Rortugal]

All those steering wheels do that. After having a leather cover over it for a long tjme, I replaced the one in my gen 1 Tundra limited with a new aftermarket one that has the "Lexus like" faux wood grain and leather that matches the rest of the interior. It cost me a couple hundred bucks, but man does it look sharp now. The steering wheel is just the metal skeleton and you transfer over the airbag and cover, buttons and cruise control.

[@ozracin81]

Unfortunately the good old mechanics are retiring and the new ones can only diagnose if they can find it via computer.

[@brian7940]

Have a 98 Lc100. Love it. For every reason you said. Own an independent shop and an 18-year mechanic. Primary work.on Asian vehicles. Love older toyota products. With you all day wizard.

[@alpine1600s]

Customer service that actually assists a customer is rare these days... Microsoft is a huge company, and they have been providing terrible customer service since day one.

[@richfarfugnuven6308]

The Wizard should do a video on how to make enough power pit if the inline 6 to make it up CO mountain passes. Maybe just a cold air intake, better exhaust, electric fan, etc...

[@JohnDoan-iu7sm]

Someone has taken excellent care of this car. I wish I was that meticulous with my cars.

[@paulsthormes251]

When I worked for Lexus it was the only truck only came in Oil change and brakes.very dependable these trucks great will last a lifetime.

[@Slim1962]

So many of those stealerships have let the long term high paying techs with years of experience go to save money. That’s why you’re not getting great service with those new car shops anymore.

[@BubblesTheCat1]

When I worked as an experienced semi truck driver in South Africa, our company let all the old white drivers go, as they deemed them too expensive...Replaced them with young kids to drive the rigs with little pay. Shame, so many of those boys died on the road, and the company went bust within a year. LOL!!!

[@PeterWilliamson-nn9et]

You put out a great show car Wizard, interesting and educational keep up the good work!

[@riverexplorer]

There’s no faux wood in that Lex. It’s all real wood in that era of Lexus.

[@keptinkaos6384]

Land cruisers Exceptional for the odd tow job like horse floats and boats and this old model was one of the best.

[@charleswildman137]

I've personally experienced exactly what you are talking about concerning shotty work at a dealership service department. Wound up fixing the problem myself.

[@freddixon2902]

I started watching this KZbin channel when I purchased a used Mercedes Benz E350. It's saved me a lot of money because I have knowledge of common problems associated with my vehicle and what to expect to pay for the service.

[@randybeard6040]

Inexperienced Mechanics are in every Dealership in America, it is hard to find a Good seasoned Mechanic these days, I watch about 4 different Mechanic shows on YT including yours truly so I know that they can be found. Sometimes people will drive a thousand miles to get their vehicles worked on by a good mechanic. My next door neighbor retired from a Dealership after working there 35 years and opened his own shop, he is a very good mechanic and everyone knows him thus he is constantly overflowed with customers....

[@bobbates7343]

Junior Mint was smart and very fortunate to get his job back . Hopefully he sticks with it and I assume in the USA you have licensed mechanics so he should stick with the job and work on getting his license

[@richardepstein3494]

He didn't last long at the other shop! LOL

[@bobbates7343]

@@richardepstein3494 Wizard said he quit as he did not want to work on cars anymore. Then he came back for a few days and worked on the roof of the building for a bit .

[@mrivantchernegovski3869]

I worked at a Toyota Dealership as a Tech ,It was chaos most of the time ,They went through staff in the service department like flys ,It was all about cutting dollars and cents ,3 Teir pricing first the Book price and dollars and time ,Second the price billed to the customer and quotes and 50 percent mark up on Genuine Toyota parts is standard ,with little things like caps fastners hoses always put on the bill,Third then theres what it actually cost in hours and what the true price of the parts cost to the dealership ,after few months i quit and got as better paying job at a Toyota dismantiling / import place where there is honesty, morals and integrity and a loyal customer base because they get a good deal and many are in the Auto trade and know there stuff lol

[@paulandres8979]

I love the interior on these and this one is no exception, so clean. Is there going to be a video on the 280zx in the background??

[@bunning63]

Had a similar issue with a 99 Odyssey with a J30. Had an ongoing leak from early in the cars life that everyone claimed was the front seal, oil pump O ring. When we replaced it there was evidence that early in the cars lfe someone had already been in there, just didn't replace the O ring, who knows what went on. Cars still running, appears to get more reliable the older it gets.

[@TheZl9000]

I own a 40th Anniversary 97 landcruiser. 330 thousand miles on the clock. I would not hesitate to hop in and drive it coast to coast. These trucks are the zenith of Toyota engineering and reliability. Today's Toyota not so much. I do my own maintenance and would not trust the dealer. Simple to work on by todays standards and using Toyota parts only is key to making them last. Really amazing vehicles !

[@bsteimel]

Have you had to replace the head gasket yet?

[@TheZl9000]

@@bsteimel Never replaced it as long as I owned it. Bought it with 120k on the clock. Its imperative that you not overheat these trucks. I run a scan gage to get real time accurate coolant temperature readings. These later 80 series have a 3 inch piece of rubber hose that connects two coolant pipes that is almost impossible to see let alone repair. If it goes you loose coolant and they overheat. It doesnt help that toyota temp gages are notoriously inaccurate. Once it gets into the red its already too late. I believe this has led to many head gasket issues. These also have no electric cooling fans. Just a mechanical clutch fan.

[@JohnSmith-qq9jp]

This issue is a known and common problem with the 80-series LCs...simple fix and there are a few YT videos about how to fix it. The front main seal is a "while you are in there" replacement so you don't have to go back and do it again. The biggest problem with removing the oil pump cover is that you can have corroded screws...when I did ours, I use an impact driver on the lowest settings to get them out safely. The other know leak point on that engine is the o-ring on the distributor...$4 part, easy fix. The wizard got right...no techs at the dealer has seen one of these, but that is no excuse. Simple google search would have given them all of the info they needed.

[@overlander6117]

Vehicles owners should report any misleading information to Better Business Bureau to stop dealerships from that mess with the customer’s pocket.

[@user-JLee1]

I'm glad we have a great mechanic that's smart and knowledgeable as you wizard keep up the great work 👍

[@roymeyer6837]

I don't mess with the dealership anymore. I'm fortunate to have a couple different shops in my area that specialize in Toyotas, staffed by experienced mechanics who drive Toyota trucks themselves and are passionate about them. If you don't have shops like that around, you're better off learning to DIY.

[@my3boysonly]

That’s why I never take my 2005 Land Cruiser (308k miles) to the dealer. I take it to an independent shop that specializes in Toyota/Lexus that uses OEM parts. Not cheap but you get what you pay for.

[@daniels2761]

I don't think the best shop in the country charges more than a dealer, lol

[@gloryholdofficial]

I absolutely love late 90s early 2000s Lexus products they really hit their peak in these years and it’s been downhill since

[@user-tb7rn1il3q]

They’re much better now. People forget all the issues from back then.

[@damonmatlock5148]

I've never seen one of those yet very, very nice. Sad too hear what happened to them. Thank god mechanics like you guys at OMEGA still exist.

[@malonlabe8806]

It’s a common leak spot on these. When I bought mine back in 2016, it had that leak. The guy I bought it off of said he thinks it’s burning oil, so he dropped the price. I looked under the truck and saw it was covered in oil and told him it’s not burning oil. It’s leaking from the pump and it’s an easy fix. He considered it a hard fix and kept the price low, so I took it off his hands. Head gasket if original needs to be replaced. When it fails, it can hydrologic the engine.

[@JohnSmith-pl2bk]

Other comments re the head gasket say the chances of HG failure = 100% by 220k miles. @gregculverwell 4 hours ago (edited) A slight correction - the front axle does in fact have CV joints, not U joints. They have a special name though - Birfield joints. I have never seen crank seals leak on the 1FZ, but love to leak at the oil pump cover. Mine is leaking slightly - just enough to make dust stick but no drips I have left it alone I also have a 1997 80 series, but the 3rd world version so it has a Carburettor (=no engine electronics) and part time 4x4. The only weakness with the 1fz is head gaskets. Mine blew explosively while towing up a mountain pass - a blast of steam out the exhaust. I spoke to a specialist who told me that 30% of them were replaced under warranty and that the failure rate is 100% by 220k miles. Apart from that (very expensive) gasket I haven't had to spend a cent in repairs in the 190k I have done. It's worked hard here in South Africa - I use it in the bush, mostly towing on un-maintained dirt tracks.

[@TheLetsboogiedown]

The message behind this video is wonderful. Bring back "right to repair"! Bring back tinkering! Stop internet connected cars!

[@ian0841]

Badass rig, thanks for sharing!

[@joelamosun9341]

Also, when you want to buy a car, do some extensive research on the model you want to buy. Find out about the common faults, service schedules, gearbox oil changes if it's an automatic or even a manual gearbox. You tube has all this information now so always be willing to check for these things. Oh and by the way, car dealerships are only interested in selling new vehicles or models no older than 5 years. So that's why you may find it hard for them to keep tools or parts for older models.

[@erikcharrier5943]

FJ80 rear suspension and full float axles are pretty good. The front end leaves a bit to be desired. The geometry and ride are great in stock form. They even stuck the tie rod behind the axle. It’d be the perfect axle for a little Hilux (fj80 high pinion 3rds tend to migrate to pickups and 4Runners). But it’s just under built for a fully loaded FJ80. Of particular note is the FJ80 steering arm studs. If they get loose, they will shear off and separate the knuckle. It’s a common enough issue that ARP even sells studs for a higher torque rated stud. Completely stock or near stock, it’s a good enough front end. But it doesn’t have the safety factor people expect when unfitting a Toyota solid axle. Aussies seem to like Nissan patrol solid axles a lot more. Americans seem to go with Dana 60s or Ford 9”/ Dana 60 hybrids when pushing them hard.

[@steveshoemaker6347]

Thank you David and your wife..... Old F-4 Pilot Shoe🇺🇸

[@robertgeddes511]

I have a 1994 with 550,000km. And still running the original starter motor, alternator, injectors, The AC has never been regased in 30 years and still is cold.

[@JettaRedIII]

Holy cow! The prices on those things are outrageous now. Thanks Wizard!

[@johnjohnmcclane1818]

They've been outrageous for awhile.

[@videowsatcher]

In Aus, had good experience with Mercedes dealers; if they broke it they fixed it and if they couldn't initially figure something out, they were willing to tare the car apart to resolve it, all the while we had a replacement vehicle for free. Some non dealers are horrendous too. Have gone through 3 and have not been impressed with their service even when giving them a more basic Outback. One couldn't get something as simple as brake discs and pads properly fitted after two attempts, I have given up and waiting to the next service. At another, an employee drove a vehicle out on a test drive with clearly flat or blown tires and the manager had to run out and chase the vehicle and they forgot part of the job I had asked them to do, until I asked them at payment time. Another claims the tires require a special tool to remove and replace which turned out to be bull.

[@Paul-k5r5n]

I totally understand and agree with what you said about dealerships and their reluctance to work on their original vehicles, I have been told by a Main dealership technician that he doesn’t get dirty that’s for the old Guy’s I am a tech not a dirty mechanic, I fit clean new parts. Says it all to me and all I was after was a roof antenna 👀.

[@module79l28]

4:37 - If the first thing I saw about this vehicle was the rev counter, I'd immediately think it had a diesel engine. 😄

[@andrewh7599]

I have a 96 with that oil leak. I refer to it as rust-proofing. That thing is in excellent condition. Mine has been used well with twice as many miles and it's been my daily driver for 10 years. Love that FJ80. Can't beat them.

[@robertgeddes511]

I Have a 94 with 550,000km on it and still running the original starter motor, alternator, injectors and the AC has still has never been regased in 30 years and is still cold.

[@cichlid43]

Its an antique vehicle, can't expect the current batch of dealer techs to have much experience with the failure patterns with them, but should clean off the area and check if your repair fixed the issue or not.

[@adrianruiz8690]

Are there any car mechanics in california like this guy! I alway see amazing work from people like you on KZbin but they are always so far

[@johnwalters6025]

The good old 80 series chassis. There's a guy here in Australia with one of these making 1000hp. My ex-girlfriend had one it had 340,000kms on it, and it had been badly neglected. It still needed money spent on it after I spent money on it

[@joey_still_learningw579]

Love the vids I'm not super great at the working part myself the but love how the Wizard makes it simpler to understand some of the fixes 👍

[@xXTECHxKNIGHTXx]

I've never had a good experience at a dealer, they have always tried to scam you out of money or make it seem like your vehicle on the verge of death to scare you into buying a new car. Their shops are a freaking joke.

[@vw5056]

Sounds like Toyota or Honda dealer antics. They're the worst.

[@oneeyedjack4727]

I've found that the similar oil pump seal on Camry 2.0 and 2.2 four cylinder engines is also prone to leak. I've replaced an unknown number of those while doing timing belts. The 4.5 inline six is also a great engine.

[@jrbuch]

Love the 80 Series. Back in the day, many of my friends parents had these when they were new (Here in Australia) with different trim/spec options depending upon how they used them.

[@PDLM1221]

Whoa !!! That front axel you are right ! That’s the biggest I’ve ever seen ! Dam look’s military grade!

[@JohnSmith-pl2bk]

Rebel forces all over the world swear by them....oh wait...

[@cliffvictoria3863]

Cool! Jerod's in it. Guy knows his stuff.

[@bernardshaw7585]

I have 2 really bad experiences with Toyota dealers on on 2009 Highlander. left one dealer because of a bad experience, went to another, went from bad to worse. Mis labeled work at the first dealer, second dealer either lied or were incompetent around a potentially known defective part, I asked for the old part and easily determined it should not have been replaced, refused a refund. I wish I could find a mechanic in the area that was honest and competent, don't mind paying hate getting ripped off

[@kennethburton9165]

I worked at a Toyota dealership in the 80’s as a young mechanic. I replaced a lot of oil pump seals, that was where the main oil leaks came from. Back then the old timers would help out the new guys, probably not the case anymore.

[@marktruscott3254]

service here in japan is very good

[@Mumblix]

Got a 1996 Landcruiser. Over 333,000 miles. Love it. I bought an LX470 after Hoovie declared it the Best SUV (It's pretty darn great), but I like the LC better.

[@kerrylewis2581]

Dealers are losing the top techs. We have two former master Mercedes and Subaru master mechanics who now manage our manufacturing facility. They were sick of the dealership life and wanted out. They are amazing and can tackle any issue that comes their way.

[@CHIEFS8214]

Outstanding explanation. What a vehicle 👍

[@spenserak]

Since you have to pull the harmonic balancer on the 1FZ to get to the oil pump cover, they probably replaced the front main seal while they were in there, and then didn't keep going to fix the actual leak. Which is strange, since even if you take the HP off because you DO need to do the front main, "while you're in there" you should do the oil pump cover seal even if it doesn't need it. Double fail. Seems like they just gave up after messing around with improper tools. For context, it's important to remember that despite these being a Toyota vehicle sold in the US, they were never nearly as well known by techs as anything like a Tacoma, 4Runner, etc. Way less of them out there in comparison, and they rarely needed much work in their initial years. Especially these days, the specialists for the 80 series (and cruisers in general) are largely lost. It's a commonly asked question on the mud forum, looking for shops that actually know what they're doing with these trucks. If I didn't do all my own work, I would still never take my vehicle to a dealership. I even have an elderly friend up here in AK with an imported diesel 80 who doesn't let anyone touch it but TorFab down south, so he takes a road trip every time he needs special work.

[@robertcollins8853]

So far I enjoy watching the wizard. I do enjoy the videos of vehicles to buy and not to buy

[@donschroeder5194]

Laziness! I was a Toyota Dealership ASE Tech and I left in 2013. It started to go downhill fast even back then. They can’t find good techs so they hire unskilled parts changers and things get messy and lazy.

[@flybobbie1449]

My Z4 E89 dealer couldn't fix rear axle knocking noise at two BMW dealers. I finally found an old 20 plus year bulletin on earlier BMW's about knocking noises and rubber spring mount rebound. So i cleaned the rubbers, applied talc as per bulletin and turned spring through 45 degrees. Noise never came back this last 10 years. Why couldn't BMW dealer find the bulletin.

[@stephenpetersen354]

The interior review takes me back to high-school days when our family had a toyota like this. Now I'm scrolling for used car sites 😅.

[@jgcruisers]

Awesome lexus, I have the same one, same color, a bit lifted and the coveted lockers. Super rare. Have my leather seat covers on the way to replace them. And yes you will absolutely like it.

[@Navin.R.Johnson]

This is a common issue on these 1fz's, and a pain to replace because the phillips (JIS?) are made of butter. So you usually end up drilling them out to get the pump off. Just order new bolts when you do the job. Also, the distributor has orings that are flat by now and need replacing too.