Pros & Cons Of 90-92 Vs 93 & 94 [b]ls400?[/b]

[LS400~es]

I am trying to figure out the Pros and Cons of go with 1990-92 vs 1993 or 94 LS400?

I know they had dual air bags & larger wheels and brakes. Are there other differences or advantages?

I am aware that all things rubber (i.e. hoses, belts and "O" rings) tend to harden over time, so age is a factor to consider, but beyond that, are there other things I should weigh into the eguation?

I talked to a Lexus dealership mechanic yesterday, he said go 1993 or 1994 or jump to a 1996? Have any of you guys had experience to back that up?

Do you also agree that maintenance records speak louder than milage when considering which car to buy?

How many miles is too many on an LS400, if you plan on keeping it for quite awhile?

What options do you consider as "must haves" vs "ho hum" items?

Are there other things I should be thinking about that I have not thought of? ~es ;)

[LS400~es]

I am trying to figure out the Pros and Cons of go with 1990-92 vs 1993 or 94 LS400?

I know they had dual air bags & larger wheels and brakes.  Are there other differences or advantages?

I am aware that all things rubber (i.e. hoses, belts and "O" rings) tend to harden over time, so age is a factor to consider, but beyond that, are there other things I should weigh into the eguation?

I talked to a Lexus dealership mechanic yesterday, he said go 1993 or 1994 or jump to a 1996?  Have any of you guys had experience to back that up?

Do you also agree that maintenance records speak louder than milage when considering which car to buy? 

How many miles is too many on an LS400, if you plan on keeping it for quite awhile?

What options do you consider as "must haves" vs "ho hum" items?

Are there other things I should be thinking about that I have not thought of?  ~es    ;)

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I am responding to my own post! - - ???

After reading some more of your earlier posts, I found the following:

September 1992

A freshened LS 400 appears with more than 50 changes, many as a direct response to dealer and customer requests.

=

In 1993 there are few refinements, larger brakes and more reliable than its earlier siblings.

=My Recommendation:

1. Get a 1993-1994: Bigger tires and brakes

2. Standard Suspension: No expensive Air Suspension Replacement

=

1993 Larger tires and brakes, Passenger side air bag added, CFC free air conditioning with a pollen filter, Automatic headlamps, styling touch-ups and several interior refinements. ( '93 also rates as the most reliable of this reliable group.

=

'93 and later, both seats were 8 way power.

THANK YOU ! ! ! - ~ - Fellow members for sharing your research and experience! ~ ~ ~es

[99lsguy]

Yes, I would agree to go with the 94.........

Mileage..... around 150K is certainly not worn out by any means. Maintenance is crucial for any vehicle - and the LS will hold up a long time with solid service.

As you probably know - the PS pump & rack (&hoses) , front suspension parts (Ball joints, struts, strut bar & bushings), Brak pads and rotors, and a timing belt /\WP or two should probably have been replaced by now. If this is so, then you will be okay for another 100K....

[blake918]

Do you also agree that maintenance records speak louder than milage when considering which car to buy? 

How many miles is too many on an LS400, if you plan on keeping it for quite awhile?

←

I do not agree about the maint. record statement above. My '95 does not have a single maint. record to it's name...vin rather, and this is by far the best and most reliable car I've ever had. I'd say something like a good inspection and test drive speak louder than maint. stamps. This is just me, but I feel that maint. stamps are a little worthless save I think 60k-spark plugs-and 90k-tb(I think those are the right intervals). She just purrs along at 239, 8xx miles!! B)

I don't know how much your Lexus mechcanic knows...why jump to '96? It's the exact same vehicle as 1995!! ;)

How many miles?? The sky's the limit!! lol

LS400's of this era are all pretty much the same. The most common option package is the heated seats & trac package and cd changer; otherwise, they all pretty much have leather, sunroof, memory, etc. Air ride is not a very common option, but it's out there.

Everything else you aren't thinking of(as well as this exact question) is in the sticky: "LS400 Buying Guide." ;)

[LS400~es]

Yes, I  would agree to go with the 94.........

Mileage.....  around 150K is certainly not worn out by any means.  Maintenance is crucial for any vehicle -  and the LS will hold up a long time with solid service.

As you probably know -  the PS pump & rack (&hoses) ,  front suspension parts (Ball joints, struts, strut bar & bushings), Brak pads and rotors, and a timing belt /\WP or two should probably have been replaced by now.  If this is so,  then you will be okay for another 100K....

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:D ~ That would be PERFECT ! ! !

That is what I am hoping for, is a well maintained ls400 that with a little TLC will last me for years to come! ~ ~ es ;)

P.S. - What is " /\WP or two"? (Water Pump?)

[LS400~es]

Do you also agree that maintenance records speak louder than milage when considering which car to buy? 

How many miles is too many on an LS400, if you plan on keeping it for quite awhile?

←

I do not agree about the maint. record statement above. My '95 does not have a single maint. record to it's name...vin rather, and this is by far the best and most reliable car I've ever had. I'd say something like a good inspection and test drive speak louder than maint. stamps. This is just me, but I feel that maint. stamps are a little worthless save I think 60k-spark plugs-and 90k-tb(I think those are the right intervals). She just purrs along at 239, 8xx miles!! B)

I don't know how much your Lexus mechcanic knows...why jump to '96? It's the exact same vehicle as 1995!! ;)

How many miles?? The sky's the limit!! lol

LS400's of this era are all pretty much the same. The most common option package is the heated seats & trac package and cd changer; otherwise, they all pretty much have leather, sunroof, memory, etc. Air ride is not a very common option, but it's out there.

Everything else you aren't thinking of(as well as this exact question) is in the sticky: "LS400 Buying Guide." ;)

←

Just in talking to people (including owners and Lx mechanics), they seem to think a well maintained car is a safer bet. (And I agree.)

I would like a 1993 or 1994 LS400 with somewhere in the ball park of 120 K miles. I do want TracK Control and nakamichi sound.

As to the 95 vs 96, I have just heard that the first ones out of the shout had a few more problems. However, once they are this old, those problems should have been ironed out.

What do you mean by your statement -

"Everything else you aren't thinking of(as well as this exact question) is in the sticky: "LS400 Buying Guide." ;) " ??? ~ ~ es ;)

[99lsguy]

Eric,

YEs,,, WP is for water pump....sorry....

The pump is changed with the timing belt every 90k along with with plugs and a lot of stuff.. usually $1200+ service @ lexus :whistles: That and the PS pump & rack assembly..(another $2K @ lexus) - and the front suspension work(ball joints, etc - $800) and you're in pretty good shape.

IF you can find and LS with these recent services, you should be good to go for another 80-100K...............be aware you may still spend $2k a year in upkeep for perfect running LS.

[jvcn]

Blake,

When I bought my 95 I had to buy sight unseen. In that case, detailed service records were very useful information for me. They verified that the guy had indeed spent $5K fixing up all the things I would want fixed myself at 90,000 miles. The extra work he did just months before selling also verified his claim that he was careful -- in his words, fanatic -- about maintenance and that he had not planned on selling. This convinced me that buying the car was a good deal and a worthwhile risk.

If you can inspect and drive directly, it sure helps. But in general, good records will make it easier for you to sell your car to others, especially with very high miles.

Often, we are faced with a limited selection of slightly expensive cars or a wider selection of cars out of state that involve much risk at a possibly lower price. In the latter case, all info for the buyer is useful.

best,

jvcn

[blake918]

Just in talking to people (including owners and Lx mechanics), they seem to think a well maintained car is a safer bet. (And I agree.)

←

You are absolutely correct!! However, don't let some dealer maintinance stamps be your deciding factor on a car...that's all I'm saying! ;) My LS has no stamps, and it's an excellent car! My ES has all of it's dealer stamps up to 100k, and I'm not really all that impressed with it's reliability over the past few years-electrical gremlins, bad radiator, alternator...but it's all water under the bridge on a 11y/o car.

Personally, I'd never ever buy a car without driving it, sitting it, inspecting it, playing with all of the controls, etc...not even a new one. You have to go with the mentality that no one will ever be as meticulous as yourself in describing the car(JN, the seller said he was fanatical, but any fanatic would notice a grinding antenna! That noise could drive anyone insane. lol Case and point. The seller of my car said that it had every option, but my car is no where near the top model like yours. My only options are leather, sunrf, cd changer, and memory seats. No nak, heated seats, trac, or air ride.) and that this isn't the only good used car that you will come across in your search. You are very correct though; if you must buy sight unseen, dealer stamps are just about all you have to go on.

I bought my LS when it had 224k miles. It had no service records except for a recipt for a new p/s pump and a recent brake job. No timing belt recpits, no suspension recipts, nothing. But, I bought it anyways because it truely runs, shifts, drives like a new car. To me, a maintinance stamp will never be able to dictate how the car runs, drives, looks, but I will indeed know that it has a greased chassis and fresh brake fluid. As of today 16k miles and 7.5 months later-I'm at 240k and some change, this car is still excellent, and I know it will continue to be a superior car for 350k-400k. Not a single thing has broken on it. So, this is my reasoning for not puting the world into maint. stamps. Furthermore, except for a few services, they are not detrimental services -like changing the brake fluid, flushing the coolant, greasing the chassis, etc. They are all good measures, but I'll never be on the side of the road because I didn't get my dealer to change my gas tank cap gasket at the 60k mile interval. My car even had the origional plug wires at 225k miles.

What do you mean by your statement -

"Everything else you aren't thinking of(as well as this exact question) is in the sticky: "LS400 Buying Guide."  ;) "   ???   ~ ~ es  ;)

←

Everything you will ever want to know about 90-94 LSs: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=11775 :D Have you looked at an cars yet?

[jvcn]

Just in talking to people (including owners and Lx mechanics), they seem to think a well maintained car is a safer bet. (And I agree.)

←

(JN, the seller said he was fanatical, but any fanatic would notice a grinding antenna! That noise could drive anyone insane. lol Case and point.

Just to clarify. The antenna problem developed a week after I received it. I'm willing to cut him slack on that.

Again, you're right if you must drive the car. But if I did that I'd have to have paid $3000 more for a similar car in St. Louis or waited until a car dropped in my lap. Believe me, I enjoy watching the Lexus car market here and there's nothing I've seen that would make me say Gosh, I should have waited and bought car X in St. Louis.

The bottom line is not whether the car truly is worthy or not, it's how you convince the buyer of that. Great as your car sounds, I'd bet that you'd have a hard time selling it at a fair price to anyone but a friend or acquaintance who trusted you. Of course, that means your friends are blessed.

Happy Turkey Day and let us give thanks for our good fortune to be driving such wonderful autos.

[LS400~es]

Eric,

YEs,,,  WP is for water pump....sorry....

The pump is changed with the timing belt every 90k along with with plugs and  a lot of stuff..  usually $1200+ service @ lexus :whistles: That and the PS pump & rack assembly..(another $2K @ lexus) - and  the front suspension work(ball joints, etc - $800) and you're in pretty good shape.

IF you can find and LS with these recent services,  you should be good to go for another 80-100K...............be aware you may still spend $2k a year in upkeep for perfect running LS.

←

I have planned on doing maintenance and upkeep (I was hoping it would be a little less than $2,000 a year, at least if it had just had it's service completed). I don't plan to sell my LS400 once I get it, I would like to treat it right and have it give me many years of reliable service. By the the time it is old enough that I feel like I want a newer one, I will probably hand it down to someone in the family.

I do appreciate you giving me meaningful numbers on costs and such! ~ ~ es B)

[LS400~es]

Blake,

When I bought my 95 I had to buy sight unseen.  In that case, detailed service records were very useful information for me.  They verified that the guy had indeed spent $5K fixing up all the things I would want fixed myself at 90,000 miles.  The extra work he did just months before selling also verified his claim that he was careful -- in his words, fanatic -- about maintenance and that he had not planned on selling.  This convinced me that buying the car was a good deal and a worthwhile risk.

If you can inspect and drive directly, it sure helps.  But in general, good records will make it easier for you to sell your car to others, especially with very high miles.

Often, we are faced with a limited selection of slightly expensive cars or a wider selection of cars out of state that involve much risk at a possibly lower price.  In the latter case, all info for the buyer is useful.

best,

jvcn

←

I am hoping for something like what you got, I would like a 1993 or 1994 that had been well maintained. I hope to get one that will last me for a long time to come!

I would definitely prefer to find one nearby, but so far the only ones I have seen are older, and have more miles than I am looking for.

I have test driven a few LS400s. They did have everything (including the air supension), but they were older and had more miles than I prefer.

Safety is an issue, and the 93 was the first to offer the passenger side airbag.

Having snow here part of the year, I would also like Traction Control. For the fact that I frequently drive for a few hours at a time, I thought premium sound would be worth looking for. The air suppension sounds like it is likely to fail at about this age, so I am no longer seeking that (but, with the information from this site about replacements, I am no longer afraid of such). ~ ~ es :)

[LS400~es]

Just in talking to people (including owners and Lx mechanics), they seem to think a well maintained car is a safer bet. (And I agree.)

←

You are absolutely correct!! However, don't let some dealer maintinance stamps be your deciding factor on a car...that's all I'm saying! ;) My LS has no stamps, and it's an excellent car! My ES has all of it's dealer stamps up to 100k, and I'm not really all that impressed with it's reliability over the past few years-electrical gremlins, bad radiator, alternator...but it's all water under the bridge on a 11y/o car.

Personally, I'd never ever buy a car without driving it, sitting it, inspecting it, playing with all of the controls, etc...not even a new one. You have to go with the mentality that no one will ever be as meticulous as yourself in describing the car(JN, the seller said he was fanatical, but any fanatic would notice a grinding antenna! That noise could drive anyone insane. lol Case and point. The seller of my car said that it had every option, but my car is no where near the top model like yours. My only options are leather, sunrf, cd changer, and memory seats. No nak, heated seats, trac, or air ride.) and that this isn't the only good used car that you will come across in your search. You are very correct though; if you must buy sight unseen, dealer stamps are just about all you have to go on.

I bought my LS when it had 224k miles. It had no service records except for a recipt for a new p/s pump and a recent brake job. No timing belt recpits, no suspension recipts, nothing. But, I bought it anyways because it truely runs, shifts, drives like a new car. To me, a maintinance stamp will never be able to dictate how the car runs, drives, looks, but I will indeed know that it has a greased chassis and fresh brake fluid. As of today 16k miles and 7.5 months later-I'm at 240k and some change, this car is still excellent, and I know it will continue to be a superior car for 350k-400k. Not a single thing has broken on it. So, this is my reasoning for not puting the world into maint. stamps. Furthermore, except for a few services, they are not detrimental services -like changing the brake fluid, flushing the coolant, greasing the chassis, etc. They are all good measures, but I'll never be on the side of the road because I didn't get my dealer to change my gas tank cap gasket at the 60k mile interval. My car even had the origional plug wires at 225k miles.

What do you mean by your statement -

"Everything else you aren't thinking of(as well as this exact question) is in the sticky: "LS400 Buying Guide."  ;) "  ???  ~ ~ es  ;)

←

Everything you will ever want to know about 90-94 LSs: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=11775 :D Have you looked at an cars yet?

←

I agree, the buying guides and tips are a GREAT resource! ! !

Yes I have drive a few, as I mentioned in my last post.

I also agree that stamps are just stamps, but that is at least a good begining!

I am very pleased to hear that your LS has well over 200K and doing just fine. I think 320K is the highest I have seen for sale, but I am sure there are ones that are way beyond that!

I wish I had your level of knowledge as to "how to know if a car 'just feels right!'"

I do insist on test driving for myself, but I still need one (or more) mechanics to tell me what they see, hear or feel. ~ ~ es ;)

[99lsguy]

Eric,

That $2k a year would be from dealer work.......

You are correct - It won't cost that much at all for DIY....

Fluids, filters, and such will only run you $200/year to keep it ultimate shape.

Yearly stuff I do:

2-3 oil changes/filter

1-2 transmission pan drain/refill

1 differential fluid drain/refill

air filter

Brake fluid change/refill/bleed

Coolant change

PS fluid flush/refill

[LS400~es]

Eric,

That $2k a year would be from dealer work.......

You are correct - It won't cost that much at all for DIY....

Fluids,  filters, and such will only run you $200/year to keep it ultimate shape.

Yearly stuff I do:

2-3 oil changes/filter

1-2 transmission pan drain/refill

1 differential fluid drain/refill

air filter

Brake fluid change/refill/bleed

Coolant change

PS fluid flush/refill

←

Hey, I appreciate you telling me that, I was budgeting around $50.00 per month, and hoping that would do it. It sounds like if I am willing to get a little grease under my nails (I really am quite handy ~ when I have -want- to be). I think with this car, I will feel more like doing it myself, because I have put so much time and energy into research. I have a true "feeling" for the LS400 and what it stands for.

A freind of mine in Portland was part of the original American team to prepare the launch of the Lexus. He went to Japan various times and did test drives prior to the launch. He says that first model of Lexus was almost "hand built!" He says it is a car that will last and last if you just treat it right.

I just picked up a new "creeper" and some "Super duty" car stands today, so I will be able to work on it with a little more comfort and better safe than my regular stands.

Have you found a real difference between standard brands when it comes to oil and fluids? Some people say synthetics are better. Other people say taht all oil today is so well refined and of such good quality, that it makes NO DIFFERENCE. What have you guys found to be true?

Do you have recomendations on filters and any "special" tools used to these jobs?

Any body want to weigh in on to Slick-50 or not? ~ ~ es ;)

[92Lex]

Eric, take a look at this, http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=741

[99lsguy]

Eric,

I wouldn't put any slick 50 in it.........

Just good brand of oil ( you don't need syn.....although I use MObil one) and change every 4K. 6 qts and a filter every change.

2-3 qrts Toyota T-IV tranny fluid - use only toyota T-IV

2 qrts GL-5 gear oil 80-90 wt for diffy

I would use ramps instead of those "jacks".......much safer and easy to drive up on ....and away you go . Got mine from autozone...they are called "rhino ramps" and are a "low angled" ramp - very nice. I highly reccommend them. I guess you do neet the stands for brake/rotor / suspension work though.... :D

Standard set of metric sockets and wrenches. 3/8" drive torque wrench & a 10mm hex drive (3/8") socket for the diffy will do 99% of the work you need. A bigger 1/2 " torque wrench is handy for wheels (79 ft lbs)

[LS400~es]

Eric,

That $2k a year would be from dealer work.......

You are correct - It won't cost that much at all for DIY....

Fluids, filters, and such will only run you $200/year to keep it ultimate shape.

Yearly stuff I do:

2-3 oil changes/filter

1-2 transmission pan drain/refill

1 differential fluid drain/refill

air filter

Brake fluid change/refill/bleed

Coolant change

PS fluid flush/refill

←

Hey, I appreciate you telling me that, I was budgeting around $50.00 per month, and hoping that would do it. It sounds like if I am willing to get a little grease under my nails (I really am quite handy ~ when I have -want- to be). I think with this car, I will feel more like doing it myself, because I have put so much time and energy into research. I have a true "feeling" for the LS400 and what it stands for.

A freind of mine in Portland was part of the original American team to prepare the launch of the Lexus. He went to Japan various times and did test drives prior to the launch. He says that first model of Lexus was almost "hand built!" He says it is a car that will last and last if you just treat it right.

I just picked up a new "creeper" and some "Super duty" car stands today, so I will be able to work on it with a little more comfort and better safe than my regular stands.

Have you found a real difference between standard brands when it comes to oil and fluids? Some people say synthetics are better. Other people say taht all oil today is so well refined and of such good quality, that it makes NO DIFFERENCE. What have you guys found to be true?

Do you have recomendations on filters and any "special" tools used to these jobs?

Any body want to weigh in on to Slick-50 or not? ~ ~ es ;)

←

NO COMMENTS??? - or did everybody just eat too much turkey to feel like commenting for a few days? ~ ~ es ;)

←

[92Lex]

What are you talking about? There are replies above.

[LS400~es]

What are you talking about? There are replies above.

←

I apologize for that, somehow I did not see them, now I do. Thank you! ~ ~ es

[blake918]

The bottom line is not whether the car truly is worthy or not, it's how you convince the buyer of that.  Great as your car sounds, I'd bet that  you'd have a hard time selling it at a fair price to anyone but a friend or acquaintance who trusted you.  Of course, that means your friends are blessed. 

←

That's not my bottom line when car shopping. That's true if you are on the selling end, but I certainly wouldn't want to buy a car from someone that was just advertising a car one way, but it really isn't especially if I wasn't able to drive it. I take a sellers advertisement with a grain of salt since most don't know what they are talking about. When I talked to the guy selling my car, he said it had every option, but it really only had a few(no heated seats, trac, nak, or air ride). You are right; I would have a really hard time selling my car. Sadly, mileage dictates condition to most. I let the car speak for itself not the odometer. I'd maybe get a little more than half of the money I've put into it(about $9k) because it currently has 240,2xx miles(I think it'll be near 250k by the time we hit our 1 year anniversary. lol). I plan to keep this car for a really long time anyways...at least to 350-400k! :D

Happy Turkey Day and let us give thanks for our good fortune to be driving such wonderful autos. 

←

Indeed!!

I agree, the buying guides and tips are a GREAT resource! ! !

Yes I have drive a few, as I mentioned in my last post.

I also agree that stamps are just stamps, but that is at least a good begining!

I am very pleased to hear that your LS has well over 200K and doing just fine.  I think 320K is the highest I have seen for sale, but I am sure there are ones that are way beyond that!

I wish I had your level of knowledge as to "how to know if a car 'just feels right!'"

I do insist on test driving for myself, but I still need one (or more) mechanics to tell me what they see, hear or feel. ~ ~ es    ;)

←

It sounds like you have a great buying strategy...well put!! ;) There is a RX owner that bought a RX with all of it's maint. stamps, and is about ready to set it ablaze. Lloyd Laycook in Utah has over 555k miles on his '90. That's impressive stuff!!! :)

99 told me about his Rhino Ramps; I bought them, and they are a must have for oil and fluid changes. You don't have to worry about the car falling on you while you are under there change the oil and what not--gives peace of mind! Pay special attention to him for all of his excellent maintinance advise. ;)

[VGR]

Synthetic oils, oil additives, specialty filters are all basically gimmick products because any Toyota or Lexus can run 500,000 miles without using them. That's why Lexus does not use them at the factory.

Maintenance records should be your #1 priority when shopping for a used '90-'94. Mechanical trauma either from maintenance neglect and abusive driving are the greatest killers of used Lexus's. Example: running low on oil for just 20 seconds can wipe away over 100,000 miles of engine life as can one event of engine overheating. Or occassional events of street racing.

So the best used Lexus's are the ones that were gently driven, garage kept and

serviced frequently and religiously using factory original replacements parts, filters and certain fluids like antifreeze. You would be MUCH better off buying a well maintained 1990 Lexus than a 1994 model with gaps in maintenance or other uncertainties.

[LS400~es]

The bottom line is not whether the car truly is worthy or not, it's how you convince the buyer of that.  Great as your car sounds, I'd bet that  you'd have a hard time selling it at a fair price to anyone but a friend or acquaintance who trusted you.  Of course, that means your friends are blessed. 

←

That's not my bottom line when car shopping. That's true if you are on the selling end, but I certainly wouldn't want to buy a car from someone that was just advertising a car one way, but it really isn't especially if I wasn't able to drive it. I take a sellers advertisement with a grain of salt since most don't know what they are talking about. When I talked to the guy selling my car, he said it had every option, but it really only had a few(no heated seats, trac, nak, or air ride). You are right; I would have a really hard time selling my car. Sadly, mileage dictates condition to most. I let the car speak for itself not the odometer. I'd maybe get a little more than half of the money I've put into it(about $9k) because it currently has 240,2xx miles(I think it'll be near 250k by the time we hit our 1 year anniversary. lol). I plan to keep this car for a really long time anyways...at least to 350-400k! :D

Happy Turkey Day and let us give thanks for our good fortune to be driving such wonderful autos.

←

Indeed!!

I agree, the buying guides and tips are a GREAT resource! ! !

Yes I have drive a few, as I mentioned in my last post.

I also agree that stamps are just stamps, but that is at least a good begining!

I am very pleased to hear that your LS has well over 200K and doing just fine.  I think 320K is the highest I have seen for sale, but I am sure there are ones that are way beyond that!

I wish I had your level of knowledge as to "how to know if a car 'just feels right!'"

I do insist on test driving for myself, but I still need one (or more) mechanics to tell me what they see, hear or feel. ~ ~ es    ;)

←

It sounds like you have a great buying strategy...well put!! ;) There is a RX owner that bought a RX with all of it's maint. stamps, and is about ready to set it ablaze. Lloyd Laycook in Utah has over 555k miles on his '90. That's impressive stuff!!! :)

99 told me about his Rhino Ramps; I bought them, and they are a must have for oil and fluid changes. You don't have to worry about the car falling on you while you are under there change the oil and what not--gives peace of mind! Pay special attention to him for all of his excellent maintinance advise. ;)

←

I will look into the Rhino Ramps, that sounds like the way to go!

That is amazing about the guy in Utah with 500K miles! ~ ~ es ;)

[LS400~es]

Synthetic oils, oil additives, specialty filters are all basically gimmick products because any Toyota or Lexus can run 500,000 miles without using them. That's why Lexus does not use them at the factory. 

Maintenance records should be your #1 priority when shopping for a used '90-'94. Mechanical trauma either from maintenance neglect and abusive driving are the greatest killers of used Lexus's.  Example: running low on oil  for just 20 seconds can wipe away over 100,000 miles of engine life as can one event of engine overheating.  Or occassional events of street racing.

So the best used Lexus's are the ones that were gently driven, garage kept and

serviced frequently and religiously using factory original replacements parts, filters and certain fluids like antifreeze.  You would be MUCH better off buying a well maintained 1990 Lexus than a 1994 model with gaps in maintenance or other uncertainties.

←

I agree with all points. What I am hoping for is an original owner, who has pamper his / her "baby" and is now ready to move up to a newer version.

I appreciate your input on synthetic oils, oil additives, specialty filters. It sounds like if the guys at Toyota could design such a fine vehicle, they probably know best about how to care for it as well! ~ ~ es ;)

[027922]

I agree in general with the previous comments on Mobil 1. I do like Mobil 1 in my 90 LS for 2 other reasons - easier winter morning starting - I live in frigid MN - and better highway mpg - I went from 24 to 27 mpg after switching to Mobil 1.