nc211

I concur with Blake. I got a 95 as well, and it all depends on how you drive. When I set cruise at 79mph, I pull off about 26/27 hwy. If you on and off the throttle, it's quite a bit lower. This past weekend I went to the beach, about 130 miles southeast of Raleigh. It usually takes me about a quarter tank, with just a slight tick more. But, due to the traffic this weekend, I was not able to set the cruise, and was speeding up, slowing down, speeding up, slowing down. Went from ranges of 55mph to 95mph. Took almost twice as much fuel to get there.

rock on man, please post your results if you don't mind. I'm in co-pilot seat and need to know how you did it. Thanks man,,,,,,,,, ps...i'm drunk.

are you saying the tilt and mirrors don't work at all? or not based on the memory settings?

I thought the exact same thing, but yeah, they're brand new too, had the dealer do it "part of learning curve = don't do that again". I think it's the pads shifting around or something like that. Oh well, I'll just let it be until it's time to update the brake system with new pads and rotors. The rotors are getting close.

Sorry man, I haven't gotten that far yet with mine. It's next up on my list, please post your results when you get a chance!

slide the front passenger seat forward and tilt it forward as well. You'll see a plastic cover on the floor board, secured with 2 screws. That is your amp. I've got a 95 with same stereo. Don't know if it's gen2 or gen3. I know it's gen2 design, and I think gen3 came out in 98 with the new headlights. I know the body style didn't have a dramatic change until 95.

I know when mine were replaced at 92k, the tranny one looked fine, but the two motor mounts were shot. I had that "thump" when you started the car, and could feel / hear the engine more throughout the frame. They made a big difference in my case. But, mine is also 4 years older than yours Tom and that might have been the difference.

Oh yeah, forgot about the spring compressors. Branshew is right, don't do this without them. You can rent them at autozone as well. You'll also want a bottle of asprin handy too, you'll be sore, trust me.

I've been named! I'm famous! Honestly, it's to each is his own. SWO3ES has every right, it's his responsibility. I agree that it's no fun getting your toes stepped on simply becuase you've expressed your opinion or shared your knowledge, like swo3es did and got called out in a somewhat rude way. It makes the offended not want to return to the forum, which is the wrong result. We want people here, who have knowledge to share, and questions to ask. It's how we all can afford these repairs and enjoy our cars. So, Mr. Manager....stick to yer' guns. ps....remember, nobody likes the boss, that's why they're the boss.

lexusless, I assume you're talking about Johnson Lexus here in Raleigh? I'm here too, and bought my 95 from them in May of 04 with 84k miles. I know they've got some older ones up there now too, mostly 95 and 96 models. They do charge a bit of a premium for their cars, but you can negotiate with them, and you will KNOW it's ready for the road! I had the 90k service done as condition of sale. I also got them to change out the ecu unit with their 90 day / 3,000 mile warranty! 95 and 96 models have a funky flaw in the computer that creates an "off throttle shock" situation around the 40mph range. I do recommend checking them out. I would insist on a new timing belt, and ecu unit as condition of sale, and you'd be good to go. If you need a recommendation for an EXCELLENT local mechanic for your pending ls400 that doesn't rip you off, contact premium imports down on wake forest ave., inside the belt line, right across the intersection where Snoppy's Hot Dog's Restaurant is. You know where I'm talking about? Ask for Steve, and tell him you were sent by the Black 95LS400 that had all the rear control arms, suspension and differential mounts replaced last week. He'll know who you're talking about.

I've read a few posts where the owner states the drive shaft in their car was replaced. I'm curious, why replace the whole thing and not just the flexible couplings and so forth? I mean, I understand if the thing is broken, but if it's a vibration issue, wouldn't the parts fix the problem instead of the whole driveshaft? If you can't tell, this and my brakes are next up on my list of repairs. Got a mean little vibration from the driveshaft. You can really feel it when you put your foot in the gas and she's winding up and putting lots of torque on the shaft.

I've really begun to notice my front brakes making a horrible noise, and a funny sound when pressed hard. It happens in motion, or sitting in park. As I press the pedle down about an inch or so of travel, I hear this clicking noise. It sounds like a cable being stretched. But pressing further, I hear this sound that sounds like a pistion firing. It's always the right one first, then the left. I really hear it when pulling into a parking place and turning the wheel while applying the brakes, it clicks like mad. I also notice when i'm going like 10 mph and I slam on the brakes, I hear and feel a clunk. All the suspension parts are brand new, including outer tie's and ball joints, so it's not bushing related and the car stops fine "as far as I can tell anyway". Any suggestions from the lords of the boards?

You can do them yourself, but it does take some work. The rear seat needs to come out for the back shocks "not that hard to do". You'll want a breaker bar, torque wrench and a set of deep sockets. Honestly, I would just order oem shocks from one of the online vendors. I did my 95 recently, and the shocks weren't but $45-$50 each, and they're oem lexus shocks/struts.

Don't know about the 99 model, but my 95 was a pain in the *** on the passenger side. Driver's side was cake.....or so my mechanic said.

LOL!!!

yeah, every single time I have to take it to the dealer for service! :o

Jacob, no you don't have to remove all of that stuff. The strut rod is 3 bolts total. One on the car, two on the lower control arm. I highly recommend having a floor jack handy to push up the suspension to it's normal sitting position first. And...mark the alignment settings with a sharpie before you remove it. The strut rods are set in at a specific point, you don't just put them on, tighten the bolt and go. You'll tear up the bushing if you do it that way. Look at the angle with the car sitting on the ground, then put the new one on at the same angle "or as close as possible.

Just curious, any update on this thread? Dan, did you get it fixed? Driveshaft?

Well, sounds like you're ready. Welcome to the club! You'll love the car. One of the things I enjoy the most about it, is this web site and the knowledge of understanding what this clunk means, that rattle or vibration. I'll always have one of these cars now, no doubt about it. I've learned soooo much about them from the guys on this site, I feel it's the only car for me. You'll get ticked every now and then with it. You'll spend money on one thing, only to find it was something else. But, knowing that each dollar you put into the LS400 comes back to you 10X everytime you put the key in the ignition, and the steering wheel moves down into your hands. You'll also love the fact that you've got a V8 that gets the same MPG as a V6 "for the most part". Good thing about these older cars, every new part makes it that much better! I've had mine for over a year now, and I'm still amazed every single time I drive it! That's really something, especially being 10 years old w/ 100k miles! Nicest car I've ever driven. Even more so than my dad's "perfect" Italian imported 87' MB 500 SEL with 37k original miles. I would suggest after you've droooled, waxed, buffed and fallen a sleep in it at night due to new car love, get a bottle of "eagle one wax as you dry" spray. Mine is black, and I find when I wash the car and spray that stuff on it when wet, then dry, it really helps keep the shine! My personal opinion, I like the 95/96 wheels the best, looks like a big ole' benz. But, that's just my own opinion. I love the 98+ headlights! They're like cat eyes staring at you! Warning: Your wife will grow tired of your obsession with the car....truuuust me! ;) My next car: A 10 year old LS430!!!!

Simple, park a chevy next to it and tell it "this is your replacement if you don't get with the program." That sucker will fire right up and run like the wind! Hahaha Honestly, I haven't a clue how to squeeze one more crank out of it. Is the starter moving at all or just dead as a nail? I know these cars are tough to jump start due to massive amperage needed. Have you done a search for how to jump start an LS400? I saw something about it not too long ago. Something like "LS won't start..." something along those lines.

Any car you take to the dealer at first sign of trouble will cost you 3x what it would cost to have it done somewhere else. I'm looking at a 1995 oem LS400 starter on newlexusparts.com right now for only $231. Figure at shop rate of $65 per hour, two hour job, you're at $375 +/-, not $800. 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/

Oh lord, please tell me we're not about to bust out the HP12c's and run calculations on lease v. buy again. Hahahaha. My solution: To each is his own. I love the new car feeling, but can't afford the depreciation or fees at lease turn in. So, a used car and a $12 bottle of new car smell will have to do. :whistles: Now, if only a Ferrari would depreciate down to Honda levels, then the world would be a peacefull place!

SWO3ES, Got any suggestions or threads I can read up on for a 10 year old, black LS with thin paint? I've seen some of those photos of "before and after" at completion of a detail job...truley amazing! I'm not familiar with buffers "been afraid of burning paint", and have always done by hand. I usually clay bar everything first, then a coat of wax, polish, wax, polish, polish. I use Mequires stuff. But on this car, it's clear it's giong to require more maintance than my others. I just don't have the arm anymore to do all of that detailing. By the time I'm done with it, I can't even brush my teeth.

It's really a personal opinion on which one you want, both will require repairs. It's a decision of "which one do I like the best and want the longest?" I agree with 1990LS400 on the styling cues of the 95-97, I think they're timeless and still to this date, look sharper than most new cars today. A classical design. I get lots of looks from people, and a few gas station offers to buy it from me. Mileage isn't really a concern too much on your two situations. Know this though, timing belts, water pumps, ect... are to be changed every 90k. So if you can negotiate that into your purchase price of the 95, you're good to go for another 90. If you buy the 94 "assuming timing belt changed at 90k", you'll have to do it again at 180k, that's not too far off into the distance if you're a normal mileage guy "12-15k a year". Either way, if you buy an older LS400, you're in for repairs. Not to say they're mechanical nightmares, they're not, but they are older cars. The repairs they need are normal operating wear and tear repairs, not design flaw repairs "like some other cars in it's category". My personal opinion, if you can negotiate the 90k service bill into the 95 offer, I would get that one. If you can't, and funds are tight for repairs, then "not to be mean" but this isn't the right car for you at the moment. For the same price, I would look at an Infiniti I30 series. Essentially a smoothed out luxury Maxima that has taken a massive depreciation hit "good for used car buyers".

Does this cause a propeller shaft vibration? I've noticed I've got that loud clunk from the transmission area when putting the pedal down in a more aggresive manor. But I've also got what feels like driveshaft vibrations. The control arms and so forth reduced it quite a bit, but it's still there. I really notice it under normal speeds "35-40mph" and going up hill when the load increases. It's a vibration that seems to run through the whole car, not just the front or the back. Feel it in the wheel, and in the seat.