Almost Got Rear-ended By A 95-97 Ls400 Today &

90LS400Lexus · July 7, 2004

It was looking very close there for a second. The rear of my Buick almost got destroyed by a gold 95-97 LS400. I initially passed the car on the highway, as the owner was slowly cruising 55 on the highway, but I was in a little more of a hurry, so I went around @ about 65 mph. :P We both turned off onto a 2-lane highway-which I make a turn off of, only about .2 of a mile. I had my blinker on, and had slowed to nearly 20 mph to make the turn, when I looked in the mirror and seen the big LS400 headed toward the rear of my car at about 55 mph. :blink: :o I though- "oh no" this is the end of these cars, when suddenly he swerved to the left very quickly. Luckily, there was no one in the oncoming lane. :wacko: I am sure he was relieved as I was that there was not.

On another note- I seen a "sailing" LS430. I was heading out to the local mall for lunch today and seen something interesting. At one of the mall entrances at the intersection I always use, there is a bit of a bump as it enters the mall, because it also serves as a shallow water passage and it is quite a wave and requires that one drives slow over it, or else you will literally "bottom out". :o Anyway- I was setting at the traffic light (red) and all of a sudden entering from the other side of the road is this 01-04 LS430 (not sure how to tell what year is what), literally "sailing" over the bump at about 30 MPH. I could see the front of the car hit the pavement and the rear end sharply bottomed out as the car hit the ground. :blink: :cries: Has anyone else ever seen a "sailing" LS400 or LS430? I guess this was the first one I have seen..... :unsure:

my ls430 · July 7, 2004

u can tell by the bottom front bumper.also the fogs ar "longer".04 is the second make over..

1UZ-FE · July 7, 2004

i haven't seen any sailing 430s but i once (actually multiple times) piloted an airborne mazda. my previous car was a 94 mazda 626 which i didn't give two sh*ts about. at the local movie theater in the far parking lot (which is usually empty) there is perfect ramp (no kidding). it is paved parking lot and the lane that runs inbetween the rows of parking spots looks something like this _____/¯¯¯¯¯¯¯. i made the mistake one time driving from right to left (down the ramp) at about 20 mph. the nose of my car didn't "kiss" the ground, it made out with it. when driving the proper direction (up the ramp) the angle of the slope and the weight distribution of my mazda were so perfect that every time i landed, all 4 wheels hit at the same time. the body never touched the ground but i tore up my strut mounts from bottoming out so bad. the fastest i ever hit this ramp was about 35 mph. i think i got about 4 or 5 feet in the air. thats an insanely great feeling.

90LS400Lexus · July 7, 2004

i think i got about 4 or 5 feet in the air. thats an insanely great feeling.

:blink: WOW. :D That is a pretty big jump in a passenger car. I have "sailed" a few times across some bumps in my 92 Buick, when I am running late for work, but I would never do this in a new Lexus, such as this person today did. I have been known to give my Buick some uncalled for abuse, which I really should not do. I do not always swerve to miss potholes and have at times took those "jumps" like you mentioned too fast. :whistles: There is a railroad track that runs thru town, as well as a series of other tracks that feed off of the main tracks. Many of the crossings have ramp-like crossings on all of the main roads where the tracks are. One time I took the Buick across one a little too fast and the front suspension actually "topped" out when it was up in the air, then it bottomed out pretty hard. Still, last check, my front supension was perfect and it is still in perfect alignment. I would never drive my Lexus like this. I take it very easy across the tracks and dodge pot holes. Actually, even now in the Buick, I go slowly, because I do not want to damage it and also too- you never know when a train may be coming and the lights/bars may not be working. :o Its just that I have in the past.

my ls430- thanks to the distinction between the LS430s. I am not sure what this one was, but I am sure that lower bumper took quite a hit. :P

VBdenny · July 7, 2004

when I was in high school, my buddy Mark Brown sailed his rusted out Galaxie and the frame broke in the middle. Made a lot of sparks before it was towed to the boneyard.

I have seen several cars do it on TV and I can't imagine that the same came completed the scene. I heard they went through a whole bunch of 69 Chargers "General Lee" on the Duke's of Hazard.

I would try it with someone elses car but probably not one of my own.

1UZ-FE · July 8, 2004

just to clarify: i was driving my beater POS mazda at the time. NOT my lexus. i would never do anything like this in my LS. not only would it just be soooo stupid, but the suspension is way too soft to handle any landing even from 2 inches off the ground.