1st owner! 2000 LS400. TOTAL NOOB BUT STARTING OUT

[SanantonioLS400]

First ever time I've owned a Ls400(year 2000)

paid 4650. 123k original miles with major maintenance done. Inquiring on here about whether or not certain swaps are capable or even recommended 

by swaps I mean i have the Lexus premium sound and have heard nothing but legend on the nakamichi 

I have sourced the parts but it doesn't strike me as a simple swap 

but what's limiting me is I also came across the phone Lexus had for the car. Now I've read the two are not compatible (nak with phone won't work )

which is holding up future progress 

and even if the phone is working in 2018 (something about it being analog or is that bad info)

I have access  to the car with the phone and truly would like to get it up and running in my car if possible 

only reason I'm reaching out here as this is my very first post and this is a well established community 

[SanantonioLS400]

Using this as reference point 

 

would welcome feedback from 1990ls400 out of Kansas but I'm unfamiliar how to send a message on his profile 

[sha4000]

Forget about the phone it's old tech and will not work. You can't swap pioneer for the Nak system either without incurring lots of cost, The wire harness is different if I'm not mistaken.

[1990LS400]

The wiring harness for the Nakamichi is VERY different than the one for the Pioneer - not even the same number of connectors on either the head unit or amp - I forget which.

Nobody repairs Nakamichi anymore.  The right channel in the Nak in my 2000 LS400 failed for the second time in 2012 and no one could repair it due to lack of parts.  The original Nakamichi went bankrupt in the early 2000's.  The current Nakamichi is a different company.

Both the fixed and portable versions of the Lexus phones used in the 2000 LS400 were analog only - not even TDMA.  Analog service was discontinued in the U.S. about 10 years ago.

When my Nakamichi failed in 2012, I had Best Buy install a Kenwood double-din head unit that didn't have nav since I preferred to use the Garmin I had mounted - see photo attached.  The Kenwood also had hands-free phone feature that worked very well but I preferred the Garmin's.  I sold my 2000 LS400 in 2014.

Because I had the Nakamichi, the Best Buy installer had to fabricate an installation harness that allowed using the Nak amp and all the Nak speakers.

If you want to install an aftermarket head unit, it will be much easier for you since interface harnesses are commercially available for the 2000 LS400 Pioneer system which should allow using the Pioneer amp and all the Pioneer speakers including the subwoofer.