Looking At A 93 Gs300

[tom woolner]

I'm interested in a 93 gs300, 90,000 miles. It has no service records, so I'm assuming I will have to do a timing belt/water pump. How much should that cost in Northern Cal, and what else should I look out for in a car that old? How do I avoid a money pit? I had a Mercedes 500e that cost me more money than i car to relate.

Also, anyone recommend a mechanic in the Bay Area? And what is the deal with interference and non-interference engines?

Thanks

Tom

[dcfish]

I'm interested in a 93 gs300, 90,000 miles. It has no service records, so I'm assuming I will have to do a timing belt/water pump. How much should that cost in Northern Cal, and what else should I look out for in a car that old? How do I avoid a money pit? I had a Mercedes 500e that cost me more money than i car to relate.

Also, anyone recommend a mechanic in the Bay Area? And what is the deal with interference and non-interference engines?

Thanks

Tom

Have the car thouroughly checked over by a mechanic or bring it to a lexus dealer . for $100.00 they will inspect it and run the vin# in there system and pull any/all records.

[Scott Gordon]

Hi I own a 1993gs300 with 178000mi and sttill running strong. I also owned a Mercedes 300e and they are truely a piece of crap talk about a money pit.

OK to your questions the 1993 gs 300 is a non interfearing engine, what this means is if the timing belt breaks the valves will not drop and destroy your clyinders thus in effect causing you much financial pain.

I would suggest you have the car checked out by lexus dealer it costs about $100, also IO would totally change all fluids such as transmission ( use only toyota brand), break, diffrential, power steering, antifreeze,etc.

I see timing belts specials at local toyota dealer for $200.00 that seems cheap it cost me a bit more and the fluids will cost about a $100.00 for each flush and change plus the cost of the new fluids.

The gs is a good car mine has been very cheap to maintaine. there are however some common problems like leaks in main gasket seperating engine from tranny, powersteering leaks, and outside trim pulling away from windows on driver side.

Good luck

[tom woolner]

Actually, my 300E wasn't too bad. it was the 500E that put me in the poor house. $20,000 in repairs over a three year period.

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. I will get it checked out, since it has no history.

What sort of mileage can one expect with this GS300 version?

Tom

[dcfish]

Actually, my 300E wasn't too bad. it was the 500E that put me in the poor house. $20,000 in repairs over a three year period.

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. I will get it checked out, since it has no history.

What sort of mileage can one expect with this GS300 version?

Tom

Around 150k, So 90k is very good milage. These cars can go 500k or more if well maintained.

[rickgus]

Another Benz owner "coming over"! B)

I've been hanging with that mark for several years now,I have heard similar stories form aquaintances on the 500E/E500. awesome car, if ya can keep it on the road! ;)

[tom woolner]

Another Benz owner "coming over"! B)

I've been hanging with that mark for several years now,I have heard similar stories form aquaintances on the 500E/E500. awesome car, if ya can keep it on the road! ;)

But, the saying is true - the purchase price of an old MB is just thefirst repair bill. Because they have such great body integrity (even a 20 yo Benz can feel like a new car) it sieasy to be lulled into thefeeling that it will last forever. well, any car will last forever, depending how how much you want to replace. Unfortunately, the 500E had some design flaws - there was not enough room in the engine compartment of all that engine, and electronic parts tended to cook. I replaced a throttle body, a $1200 part, three times, and it had been replaced onece before I bought it.

I know the early GS 300s were marketed in Japan as a Toyota - are parts available from Toyota, and if not, does Lexus charge a premium for comparable parts?

Tom

[dcfish]

You can get alot of parts through toyota. There are a number of great online sites to get inexpensive oem parts from.

[dario]

I have a 1993 Lexus GS300 with 218568 miles and it runs and looks mint that just tell you about quality. Also the first generation of Lexuses always look very modern many people think it is like 1999 and I love that pearl white color.

[lxs300g]

Scott Gordon is right. The problems are minor. But there is the main gasket thing and the window trim panel seperation from body. Nice cars. just change oil every 3000 and use STP additive every oil change.

[lxs300g]

Dario,

People who say that the 93-97 lexus gs300 looks like a 99 dont know about cars!! lol

[DArustik]

Another Benz owner "coming over"! B)

I've been hanging with that mark for several years now,I have heard similar stories form aquaintances on the 500E/E500. awesome car, if ya can keep it on the road! ;)

Hahaa I like that quote!!