Interested In Ls400..what Are The Good Years?

[chef]

hi guys, this is my first post here...i've been looking around at used lexus' , in particular the ls400's...are there any particular years that are better then others? i've had people mentione that the early 90's ones where really good and reliable...what do you guys think???

I've always been a "against all the computer stuff involved in cars" type of guy..so the simpler the better..

are there any particular items (engine wise) that make the car a little finiky? or more problematic?

do these engines have a timing belt or chain?

If i go see one, what should i look out for?

thanks

fabs

[jcrome04]

If you want the least amount of computer stuff to worry about..

Get a 95-97 LS400 w/o TRAC.

Makes DIYs MUCH easier ;)

[chef]

Thanks for the reply...there are 2 98's for sale around my area, around 7-8000.00CDN dollars...these cars really hold their value!

I asked about engine and if there are any finiky components...the reason i asked is that i currently have a 95 volvo 850 wagon..it's a good car, but looking at the engine, it has what's called a PCV system..(positive crankcase ventilation), which is a good ideas cause it recirculates the excess unused fumes/gas in the crankcase so it doesn't poolute as much, but this system is like the "Akilles heel" of the engine cause it eventually has to be changed and it's big $$$$ to change it...good idea, but could have been better though out...so that's why i ask if these engines have a similar fate? thanks

fabs

[90LS400Lexus]

They have timing belts.

The early ones are good cars and some of the most reliable of the era, but with age/mileage the power steering pumps end up leaking like a seive (sometimes steering rack too), valve cover gaskets leak and are $$$ to replace, motor/transmission mounts, HVAC display blacks out, instrument cluster lights have woes and a tiny wiring harness in the trunk can go bezerk because the wires get twisted and frazzled and the frayed wiring causes things to go nuts.

Of these, the only problem I have not experienced is steering rack leaks and instrument cluster lights and trunk wiring (already addressed).

If a LS dont have these problems, they soon will or already have had and it was replaced. Just dont buy a money pit like I did. Good luck.

[chef]

90LS..thanks for replying. yes i did read about the instument clusters going koo-koo..hahah Compared to the volvo i have, the ls doesn't seem that finiky. I like the ls as well cause it's RWD and even though we get lots of snow here in montreal, i love the drive of a RWD car....BTW i noticed you have a caprice wagon..very nice!!! my previous car was a 1996 chevy caprice police pack (with the L99 4.3L ) engine. Man do i regret geting rid of that car...by far the best car i ever had...good solid engine, amazing handling and the braking on it was the best! sigh...oh wwell.

hahaha

How is the Lexus in terms of basic maintenance? I usually do my own oil changes and what not...????

thanks again

fabs

[jcrome04]

My LS does great in the snow.

Most of the cars ability lies with the driver ;)

Just keep a full tank since it's right over the rear wheels.

[lasik124]

ya i mean i haven't really had any problems (with a speaker wire touching each other while doing subwoofers...my bad >_<) but other wise ya. Just get good tires for the snow. the wheels i had before SUCKED horribly for the snow haha. But ya i have heard of people taking this engine block and putting it in other cars like Supras and actually a mustang before. I think they average rated this car to 200k which is amazing but thats only wat i have read on some sights. but otherwise mine drives like the day it was bought from my previous owner(a.k.a grandpop lol )

[OmarG]

They have timing belts.

The early ones are good cars and some of the most reliable of the era, but with age/mileage the power steering pumps end up leaking like a seive (sometimes steering rack too), valve cover gaskets leak and are $$$ to replace, motor/transmission mounts, HVAC display blacks out, instrument cluster lights have woes and a tiny wiring harness in the trunk can go bezerk because the wires get twisted and frazzled and the frayed wiring causes things to go nuts.

Of these, the only problem I have not experienced is steering rack leaks and instrument cluster lights and trunk wiring (already addressed).

If a LS dont have these problems, they soon will or already have had and it was replaced. Just dont buy a money pit like I did. Good luck.

you did not buy a money pit. change out the motor mounts (its 200k + and 17 years) i think its allowed for a car man. Also after you fix that, what else will you need for the car? also all fan brackets fail after 14+ years. I had 4 brackets go out on these cars in fall- winter 07. besides that you have a reliable ride. Its easy to forget how many people break down in newer cars... and have MUCH HIGHER repair bills. trust me i have a buddy who works at pep boys... people drop 1k+ on a car and still have a crappy unreliable car.

just take care of the weaknesses and you still have a world class reliable sedan thats almost a classic! no car in this segement comes close!

[rickatups]

Hey CHEF ...... welcome to the club !

I have 2 cents worth of thought to add ...... if I could do it all over again, I would have been more careful about my first LS 400 ....... I have learned the hard way that WHO you buy your car from is just as important as the car itself ....... in my case, I bought a 95 LS400 with 101,000 miles on it and paid low book for it .... BUT .... it needed a bunch of service done to it .... like change all the fluids / filters ... brakes all around ... 4 wheel alignment ..... steering solenoid cleaning ... (and on and on). I did not know it until i had the car for a few weeks, but apparently some guy had spilt a great amount of cappuccino on the carpet on both sides in the front of my car, but it was hidden under the floor mats, so I never saw the problem until it was too late. I got a lot of the cappuccino out, but that kinda sucks ..... you know? Plus ... the car had not been garaged much in its life time seems to me, as now the paint is starting to fail. I am trying to keep the paint alive by detailing it very frequently to the point that my neighbors think I am out of my mind .... they see me working on my car quite often ....

If you take your time and really look for a low milage car being sold from a very fastidious owner, I think you will save money in the long run even if you pay more up front when you buy the car. For example, about a month ago I found a guy in San Diego that had a 1990 LS that had about 28,000 miles on it and it was FLAWLESS ..... you should have seen the write-up he did and the pics he provided! Wow! The day he bought the car new, he took it home and immediately took off the stock rims and put them away so that they would be available as perfect in the day he decided to sell his car ..... he had a heated / air-conditioned garage ... never drove the car in bad weather ..... detailed the car always .... had tons of maintenance records ..... obviously a very well financed owner where money was no object whatsoever, and fastidious to the 10th power. I think he sold that car for about 8 grand. Rarely have I seen a 90 LS 400 so mint ..... even the under-side was perfect front to back!

anyways ..... if you can just wait and be patient ... I would find a low milage car and the right owner / seller ....... the right guy will break out with lots of service records and be proud to show you .....

personally, I prefer the 95 - 97 series II cars cuz they are a little larger with a little more horsepower ..... but I love em all, to be honest ...... they are all very reliable, seems to me ...

As far as I can see, the root to all power steering problems with these older LS 400 cars is the little, tiny power steering solenoid filter which can get dirty and can clog over time, thus creating a higher than normal system pressure ... thus causing leaks. It is fairly easy and inexpensive to service and has been written about here many, many times ..... most club members here know this .... but non-club members do not. That would be the very first item I would service if I bought an older LS 400 today. The 98 and newer LS do not have this problem as there was an engine design change and this item was one of the things they improved ....

How about the timing belt? The service interval is 90,000 miles ..... many have gone longer than that .... but .... something you should be aware of. If Lexus changed it, you will see their unique service sticker in the engine bay where it is obvious ...

What would a fastidious owner really look like? Well ... I would look for an owner that always uses Premium fuel (Chevron I hope) and always used synthetic oils. Such an owner could be identified as the type who serviced his transmission and differential on time (as well as everything else of course), kept his car garaged always, detailed his car always .... and has all the receipts to prove the above ...

These cars are a BLAST! I have never regretted buying my car ..... the blessing of having to fix a lot of stuff on my car is that I learned a lot about my car ... so I am glad for that .... plus I know the work was really done and done right.

Hmmmmmmm ...... you are going to drive it in snow? I have never had to ... but if I did, I think I might consider buying a 90 lb. bag of cement and wrapping it up in 2 plastic bags and then put the bag of cement in the trunk. THAT should offer more rear end traction! hahaha!

Good luck ..... hope this helps ...... !

[dcfish]

hi guys, this is my first post here...i've been looking around at used lexus' , in particular the ls400's...are there any particular years that are better then others? i've had people mentione that the early 90's ones where really good and reliable...what do you guys think???

I've always been a "against all the computer stuff involved in cars" type of guy..so the simpler the better..

are there any particular items (engine wise) that make the car a little finiky? or more problematic?

do these engines have a timing belt or chain?

If i go see one, what should i look out for?

thanks

fabs

Check your PM's, I wish I could have that LS :( I will post pic's soon B)

[dcfish]

Here are the pix, Breaks my heart to see this cherry go.............................. :( :( :( My personal feelings on this LS is I would keep it for life, To the best of my knowlege every, EVERY maintenaince has been done. It hurts to type this.:cries:

I wanted this car soooo bad, Even the stock sawtooth wheels were custom chromed, The michelins are new, etc...:cries:

If you give it a good home I will sell it, If not forget it :cries::cries::cries: The car is located in Lake Havasu Arizona, Never even seen rain, Need I say more. Mods, Feel free to move this to the buy &sell and I will supply any and all details for the proper listing. This really breaks my heart, I mean REALLY. Whomever ends up with this LS is a VERY, VERY fortunate "Lexus Owner"

[90LS400Lexus]

90LS..thanks for replying. yes i did read about the instument clusters going koo-koo..hahah Compared to the volvo i have, the ls doesn't seem that finiky. I like the ls as well cause it's RWD and even though we get lots of snow here in montreal, i love the drive of a RWD car....BTW i noticed you have a caprice wagon..very nice!!! my previous car was a 1996 chevy caprice police pack (with the L99 4.3L ) engine. Man do i regret geting rid of that car...by far the best car i ever had...good solid engine, amazing handling and the braking on it was the best! sigh...oh wwell.

hahaha

How is the Lexus in terms of basic maintenance? I usually do my own oil changes and what not...????

thanks again

fabs

Yeah, I like the 96' Caprices too. Mine is a old-school 1972. ;) Rare car these days.

Basic maintainence should be fine if you are a normal DIY'er. Engine panel underneath has to come off I think. I take mine to the Toyota or Lexus dealer for oil changes. :)

you did not buy a money pit. change out the motor mounts (its 200k + and 17 years) i think its allowed for a car. Also after you fix that, what else will you need for the car? also all fan brackets fail after 14+ years. I had 4 brackets go out on these cars in fall- winter 07. besides that you have a reliable ride. Its easy to forget how many people break down in newer cars... and have MUCH HIGHER repair bills. trust me i have a buddy who works at pep boys... people drop 1k+ on a car and still have a crappy unreliable car.

just take care of the weaknesses and you still have a world class reliable sedan thats almost a classic! no car in this segement comes close!

Well, I hope not- I hope its not a money pit. After the engine mounts (which are quite costly for me), it will also need a power steering pump (although its stopped leaking since the weather is warm), probably an alternator (since the "brake" light is often always on - I was told this was a sign of a failing alternator) and coolant level sensor. I am going to try to change the transmission mount myself and see if that stops some of the vibations/shudders - its not near as costly or seems as involved as the motor mounts.

Here are the pix, Breaks my heart to see this cherry go.............................. :( :( :( My personal feelings on this LS is I would keep it for life, To the best of my knowlege every, EVERY maintenaince has been done. It hurts to type this.:cries:

I wanted this car soooo bad, Even the stock sawtooth wheels were custom chromed, The michelins are new, etc...:cries:

If you give it a good home I will sell it, If not forget it :cries::cries::cries: The car is located in Lake Havasu Arizona, Never even seen rain, Need I say more. Mods, Feel free to move this to the buy &sell and I will supply any and all details for the proper listing. This really breaks my heart, I mean REALLY. Whomever ends up with this LS is a VERY, VERY fortunate "Lexus Owner"

Hey, that looks kind of like my LS... just wish mine was that clean! :P (maybe it will after a good professional detailing?)

[jcrome04]

DC.... is that YOUR LS??? Are you selling her?????

[dcfish]

DC.... is that YOUR LS??? Are you selling her?????

Yes, Regretfully so.............. The car was my father in-laws and he passed, 100% Beautiful LS400. So I am in charge of giving her a GOOD home. I hate to let this one go. :( The car is soooo Cherry one would have to see it to beleive it. He kept all of his cars like he kept his Cesnas twin props. I stand by this car with my life.

[rickatups]

Here are the pix, Breaks my heart to see this cherry go.............................. :( :( :( My personal feelings on this LS is I would keep it for life, To the best of my knowlege every, EVERY maintenaince has been done. It hurts to type this.:cries:

I wanted this car soooo bad, Even the stock sawtooth wheels were custom chromed, The michelins are new, etc...:cries:

If you give it a good home I will sell it, If not forget it :cries::cries::cries: The car is located in Lake Havasu Arizona, Never even seen rain, Need I say more. Mods, Feel free to move this to the buy &sell and I will supply any and all details for the proper listing. This really breaks my heart, I mean REALLY. Whomever ends up with this LS is a VERY, VERY fortunate "Lexus Owner"

Wow! What a GREAT example of an LS !! What State is the car located in?

thnx ....

[dcfish]

Here are the pix, Breaks my heart to see this cherry go.............................. :( :( :( My personal feelings on this LS is I would keep it for life, To the best of my knowlege every, EVERY maintenaince has been done. It hurts to type this.:cries:

I wanted this car soooo bad, Even the stock sawtooth wheels were custom chromed, The michelins are new, etc...:cries:

If you give it a good home I will sell it, If not forget it :cries::cries::cries: The car is located in Lake Havasu Arizona, Never even seen rain, Need I say more. Mods, Feel free to move this to the buy &sell and I will supply any and all details for the proper listing. This really breaks my heart, I mean REALLY. Whomever ends up with this LS is a VERY, VERY fortunate "Lexus Owner"

Wow! What a GREAT example of an LS !! What State is the car located in?

thnx ....

Lake Havasu City , Arizona, Never been in the rain as long as it has been in the family. God this hurts :cries:

[chef]

hi guys, just another question..with descent maintenance...how many km should expect from these engines? as for basic maint. is it an easy engine to work on? not too many panels to remove? can an oil change be done rather easily? i can do basic things

Also..how do they drive in winter? here in montreal, we get a boat-load of snow...do these cars have a "positraction diff"? or equivilant?

...thanks

fabs

[amcdonal86]

How many km should you expect? Close to infinity! These are definitely among the most reliable engines produced.

These cars have an open differential with electronic traction control. With all season tires, it should be okay in up to 2-3" of snow. With snows, I've heard of people doing quite well with a bit more.

Although any model year LS400 will probably drive reliably, I would be wary of older LS400s (perhaps more than 10 years old) because there are a lot of rubber parts in the suspension that will inevitably dry out, which can cost a lot of money to replace to restore the original ride quality.