Buying Ls400

[pmcneil]

I would not advise someone on a tight budget to buy a used lexus. Repairs are expensive.

However, these cars consistently get highest reliability and owner satisfaction ratings in any of the casual surveys I've seen.

If you feel lucky, and want a relatively safe bet, and are not afraid to spend a grand or two on those rare trips to the dealer, buy a used LS 400.

I would rather dump a large repair sum in a 400 than dump it in a focus or vw. Good money after bad? Your choice.

[John Ritterbach]

YAEMISH,

If you want a good used car, buy a Honda, Volvo or a Volkswagon. You don't want a LS400. The LS is like the old Harleys (nothing but a pain in the !Removed!). The LS400 is handful my friend. Don't know if the other Lexus models fear any better, but first impressions are lasting. I have owned other used cars and never experienced anything like this. You fix one thing and..."Wham"! something else breaks. I think the Japanese must be borrowing technology from Ford and GM.

WOW,

What Lexus did you own? MAYBE you could run in to a car or two that has constant problems...but that would be extremely rare. The LS is an especially realiable car...just check Consumer reports. They are better made than anything else. To compare a Lexus with a Harley is, well, just dumb....or at least misinformed. Someone has filled you full of....something...

Quote me ONE, just one, magazine, or anything else that rates cars, that does not put the LEXUS brand used or new at the top of the list in realiability!

Weeeeeeee

John

[fisher972002]

Lexus / Harley..

LOL.. I've owned BMW's, the 3 series and 5 series are good, but those 7 series are junk..

The LS 400 in the early 90's was built to compete with the Mercedes 420 SEL.. ANd it does it very well..

I think the power steering pump failure is due to the high pressure, how easy the steering wheel is to turn.. But guys, we can say this is a weak point, but most cars those pumps fail at 100K or little longer.. The one in my 1992 explorer whines like a pig.. But I guess it doesn't leak, the seals are bad and air gets in there to cause the whine..

And the LCD is a common failure. The PS pump and suspension, I mean beause the car insulates you from the road, the bushings take a lot of abuse, i've rebilt my suspension at 160 K, that's not too bad and it drive like new now.....

You will never have to mess with the engine.. No cylinder head issues, no intake manifold gaskets, none of that stuff, which if

any of you guys have owned cars other than Japanese cars you know about.....

But the electrical system on these cars is why then can be driven so long and are fixable.. Ther are literally no weird electrical problems..

I've never had problem with my insturment panel, I don't know about that? All the switches and buttons and motors and seat motors and all that, moonroof motors all work perfectly on my 1991,.... WHich on my BMW 750 IL, those things were constantly failing.. It had 160K and needed valve stem seals and new valve job.. I had to rebuild the transmission, my brother did that who is a mechanic.. The BB's in the tranny wore out and thus the clutch plate for Reverse and 2nd gear wore out and was totally burned out.. But in that car's defense, it was a real estate car and that V 12 was really tourque so I can see how it would wear out a transmission....

But still, that BMW was an 88 and my lexus is a 1991.. And the BMW wore out several years ago and just wasn't worth fixing anymore.. The lexus, is still going strong and doesn't miss a beat.. I love not messing with weird electrical problems and tranny problems and expecially engine problems...

Ever car has parts that wear out, it's just that you can drastically reduce your exposure to expenses with this car.. And i don't know about the starter, mine still has the original at 170K so that seems fine to me?

[88anthonyd]

I bought my 94 ls400 226.000k for 2k$. I just bought a timing belt and waterpump kit for 250.00 and my mechanic said he'll install it for 325.00. I think that's a pretty good deal.