Cornell87

I just purchased a 1997 LS400 in a private sale. It has the glovebox 6-disk changer and the stereo head unit is labled "Lexus Premium Sound." Is this the Nakamichi stereo? The prior owner didn't know if it was, and the owner's manual is not on this -- it has a generic picture of the radio controls and says the buttons on the Nakamichi unit might look slightly different. On a related topic, other manufacturers (e.g., Mercedes) have codes in the VIN for major options (like leather vs. cloth, sport packages, etc.) -- does the Lexus VIN have similar codes? If so, does anyone know the Lexus VIN codes for various options? Thanks, Cornell87

I just bought a 1997 LS400 with just under 100k miles. It's first maintenance visit under my care will be to the local dealer (Lexus of Rockville) for Maryland state inspection and probably some brake work (the front pads were at 30% at the last service). But after that I'm wondering if it's worth returning to the dealer, or if I should just find a good independent shop that "specializes" in Lexus. This is my first Lexus. My prior cars were older Mercedes (70s/80s/90s vintage), and it was just not worth taking them to the dealer – anyone who’s owned an MB will know what I’m taking about here. One of the reasons I switched to Lexus was because of the great reputation for dealer service, but I'm wondering if I can save money (without sacrificing the longevity of the car) by going to an independent mechanic. Also, to anyone that might be in the Wash DC area -- any recommendations for independent shops in the DC suburbs? How about the local dealers? Is there one with a particularly good (or bad) service department?