nice nige NZ

Hi there, You shouldn't be able to feel anything when at idle. It should almost like the car hasn't yet started! The only way you can tell is by checking the rev counter!! Do you have a good Lexus dealer nearby? They should be able to diagnose. Mine is a 2005 too, wonderful cars with a soul. I had one in the UK for 4 years, nothing went wrong. Missed it like crazy when I sold it to move to NZ, so bought another one which is now loved up!! Is your sat nav working? Nige

Hi Justin, You must have given up expecting a response from your post! The LS430 is the best car in the world! I had one in the UK for four years and 85,000 miles without a problem Now living in NZ and missed it so much I bought another and imported it from UK. Mainly because the LS430 on sale here don't have the sat nav screen. That's important because it controls the audio and air con through touch screen Yes the mark levinson system is totally awesome. I have bought and fitted an iPod/iPhone connector which you can control from the screen and the resultant sound quality is outstanding! You must get the updated LS 430, it has 6 gears and a better looking front end. The wheels are the only vulnerable item, subject to corrosion, but a refurbish sorts it out. The car is so quiet some people think its a hybrid when it pulls away! I get 12.5l100km on average and on a steady run will get 9.8l100km. My car is very cherished, stays in the garage if raining, the underside has been shot blasted, galvanised and epoxy painted!! The inside is like new, everything works perfectly and has had full Lexus service history with 50,000 miles. Not everyone's choice in colour, it's gold, and I had the wheels refurbished in body colour. I think it looks amazing. My friends think its a new car, I tell them it's 8 years old and they don't believe it! The Rolls is a great idea, but the Lex will be a better drive, with amazing performance too. Nigel

Quick update, The new DVD box is installed and it's working brilliantly! News! The unit includes all the Australian states too! So, if I bring he car over to OZ, it'll be at home there too! Nige

Update!! Quick update on this issue. Good news, I have got it sorted! The Lexus techies around the world weren't able to give me a definitive solution, but.... I found out the Lexus did supply NZ new Sc430 with sat nav that worked from 2005. I thought if I could find an owner and swop DVD drives it might work. Issues were, would the connectors work as the UK DVD is an AISIN Unit part number 86841-50100, whereas the AUS/NZ Unit is a DENSO unit part number 86841-33070. And would the head unit recognise the new part! Well, after a month of searching I found one Sc430 owner with sat nav and she was willing to let me do it. As you've guessed, it powered up and initialised, showed NZ on the screen rather than Europe, and all worked functionally! Trouble is - a new part cost me NZ$3,800 at current exchange rates And that's after a huge discount! It's a shame that Lexus weren't able to tell that this would work- well it does!! Nigel

Thank you for the link to Sewell parts, very helpful indeed, and I hadn't come across it in all my Lexus searches so far. Great Diagrams and part number references, why can't Lexus provide this service?

Hi There, Love the colour and the wheels set the look off perfectly. Well done on tracking the transponder, are you going ahead? BTW, my Lexus Dealer in Auckland gives me special discounted prices on Lexus parts, why not ask for a better price? They can only say no! Nige

Hi There, I have the same problem, I have imported a LS430 2005 from the UK and the sat nav system won't work. I have found out that the DVD player is not compatible with NZ and it needs a new unit, but I also am trying to find out if the new unit will work with the existing screen if I buy it! Lexus NZ and Lexus Aus are most unhelpful, just saying they don't deal with imported cars, and all I want is some info! Did you manage to sort yourself out in the end? If s, any hints or tips? I am going to get this fixed if its the last thing I do!!! Nigel Auckland NZ

Hi Guys, Need some help. Just imported a wonderful LS430, low mileage, Full LSH and radar cruise! Does anyone have any good ideas on how I might get my sat nav to work on my LS430 from Europe, without replacing the DVD player in the boot (and does that work?) I tried loading an NZ disc after ejecting the european one, but the display just said it couldn't read the disc! Nige