Year, Miles And Cost Relationship For The Ls400..

[akewlguy]

For the past month I have researched the LS400 mostly on this website and prices on KBB and Cars.com. This is the general range of fair prices I have found on these years and models.

Anyone know of other places to look for used LEXUS's?

Anyone pay any good deals for any of these years?

93-94 LS400

100k miles 6- $8,000

150k+ 4.5 - $6,000

95-97 Nice dashinterior

90k 9.5-$13,000

130k 7.5- $11,000

98-99 Nice rims

75k 15-$18,000

Thanks NC211 FOR THE REPAIR TIME FRAMES (90k miles) AND COSTS POST:

akewlguy, get to know this site very well, and you'll be fine. We know where the hook ups are and most of us have done most of our repairs on our own. That is how I learned it, and saved myself countless hundreds of dollars. You can take 2 approaches to the front end problems. You can diagnose which specific part and replace as you go. Or you can realize that they'll all need replacing soon anyway and do the whole thing at once, and on your own might I add. I don't know if you're a DYI type or not, but with a 24 inch breaker bar, a 150lb torque wrench, some sockets "deep set at 14mm and up", a floor jack and some jack stands you can fix anything you want to. My approach is to hit it all at once, suck up the costs, and get to enjoying your sweet ride which is like new, for WAY under the normal sticker price these days of most cars of $20k. The parts you'll probably need are:

Front upper control arms (2) @ $269 ea.

Front lower control arms (2) @ $190 ea.

Front Strut Rods (2) @ $89 ea.

Front struts/shocks (2) @ $48 ea.

Front lower ball joints (2) @ $70 ea.

Front outer tie rods (2) @ $42 ea.

I recommend:

rear struts/shocks (2) @ $47 ea.

Motor Mounts (2) @ $89 ea.

Tranny Mount (1) @ $31 ea.

Rear Carrier Bushing fix kit @ $45. "might want mechanic to do this one, requires press".

There is $1,719 in parts alone "excluding rear carrier". Now say you find a good indi mechanic at $65 an hour, expect about 12 hours of work for them to do it all. Or, spend another $150 in tools, rent a pitman arm puller from autozone and do the front suspension yourself, plus the tranny mount "takes 10 minutes" and have that same mechanic do the motor mounts at 2 hours, and you're in a new riding LS400 for $2,000 in upgrades. THAT IS TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE 90K SERVICE IS PART OF PURCHASE PRICE. If not, you better tack on another $800-$1000. Now, there will be rear suspension issues to come down the line later on, expect another grand in parts. But if you tell yourself "I'm going to have a Lexus LS400 for less than $16,000, which I know will last for another 100k miles in pure comfort" then really it's just a matter of patients with repairs. You tell me what you can find out in the market place that is even close to a LS400 for that price that won't wack you every single month for parts due to poor design flaws? You don't buy a car like this to make money when you sell it. You buy a car like this to enjoy it! You'll be flipped over, no doubt. But you'll be the happiest SOB you ever saw who owed more than it's blue book value!!

parts site used to quote is....http://www.discounttoyotaparts.com/

I say dont forget to throw in TAXES, title and registration for another $1000 bucks.