W201 sweden

One difference between Lexus and Hyundai would be their view on keeping old cars on the road. As far as I know, Lexus still delivers all spare parts for all cars; no obsolete parts? On the other hand, Hyundai seems to think their cars can last for 7-8 years, tops. In a swedish board one professional body repair guy said that he could not buy a door to a seven year old Hyundai - it was no longer sold. That is a brand i will NOT buy. /Alexander

Very briefly: Personally I would look for a newer car. I think the series one LS are too "Cadillac" - too soft sprung and not really that quick. I've got the series two, a -95 with air suspension. The combination of ride and handling in that car is just amazing, I think. It is also quiet, which I see as a big bonus. The downside is the pure size - it is bigger that your average SAAB, Volvo, Peugeot or AUDI. (To name a few common cars in Sweden.) It is trickier to park and drive in crowded streets. Just my personal thoughts. /Alexander

Well, I guess I'm just really superficial, and really NEED that ego-boosting Porsche. ;) The strangest thing is that I cannot really define why I should have it... I don't need it. Perhaps I am just getting old, and realize that the SAAB is so good for winter driving and cargo, the Clio so practical and cheap to run, and the LS is so cushy and fast. Can the grown-up, common sense get so strong it kills the little voice that tells you to "have some fun" and "be a bit vain"? :o Or I am just a boring person. /Alexander Oh, and by the way. Porsche 944 cost as much in Sweden as a LS 400 that is about 4 to 5 years newer. (-90 Porsche 944S is approx as expensive as -95 LS 400, if both in really good condition.)

I fully agree. A couple of more points, though. - How wide are your tires? Wider=more drag. - How TALL are your complete wheels? Bigger total diameter means lower wheel rpm for a given actual speed. This causes your odometer to display too little => less odo miles per tank. It also reduces displayed speed vs real speed => you drive faster than you think, and get less mpg. It will also give the impression of slower acceleration, beacause of this. - Do you inflate tires to the right pressure? These really low sidewalls need a surprisingly high pressure to operate correctly. Yes - riding comfort goes out the window, but that you knew would happen... :whistles: :) /Alexander, who is not really into that kind of modifications. ;)

Regarding Swepco. I have used their products for more than 15 years, and I find them to be really good. They have no "snake oil" approach, the extended intervals are a part of a full program where you do oil analysis. You send in a sample of the oil, and the lab says whether it is ok, or you have to drain it. (Good for industrial use, or in machines where downtime or access makes it hard to stop for oil change.) I have used Swepco oils in both my Mercedes, my LS400, many SAABs, both N/A and tuned turbos, Renault, OPEL, lawn mowers etc. I have had absolutely no oil related problems, and I would not use other brand. (Even though I earlier could get the Mobil 1 for free, I prefer buying Swepco.) :) Their gear oil 201 is by the way officially recommended by the US Porsche Club for the sensitive transmissions on the 911. B) /Alexander from Sweden

OK, G.A.S. time again! (Gear Acquisition Syndrome, that is...) My girlfriend and I currently have three very nice cars, a very well kept SAAB 900 "classic" with very low miles (my car, but she drives sometimes), a still almost new Renault Clio (mostly her's) and of course the LS 400 (definately mine, she thinks it is a bit too big ;) ). Everything was quite fine, until my co worker told me is selling his black -84 Porsche 944. To me, the 944 has always been one of my two childhood dreams. (The other one was the SAAB 99 turbo, which I drove for many years and many kilometers. :) ) The 944 is not spotless, but the general condition is good. I tested it but was not impressed by the very primitive feeling - heck the SAAB is a lot more rewarding to drive, seriously. But the 944 is a looker, that's for sure. B) Still, I had no special feeling when I tested my LS 400, which in the longer run turned out to be a really good purchase. That car just grows on you in a very subtle way, i guess. Should I buy the Porsche for the same reason? Will I get used to it, or will it still be just a primitive poser's car. :P Buying the 944 means that my beloved SAAB has to find a new home, which feels sad. There is a certain obligation if you own a car in rare condition, I think. I'd hate to see it deteriorate... And, by the way; I intend to use it a bit on the local race track, sometimes for commuting, and as a back-up for the Clio (currently our daily driver). /Alexander from Sweden

Thanks Blake! I'm seriously considering starting to do all maintenance myself on this car, and use original parts from mail order. (Sewell's, I guess.) I was surprised -to say the least- when the Lexus dealer's mechanic (somewhat a newbie, but still) told me he had never replace a tranny filter or a fuel filter on the LS! Sure there are very few Lexus LS here, and even the official dealer workshop only has room for ONE car. (And some room for one more car for wash/wax/vacuum jobs.) I don't doubt they do what they charge you for, but who says they follow the recommendations? Then I trust myself more... ;) /Alexander

OmarG, you are right. I checked the german MB-site, and they state the AMG SL65 is limited to a pathetic 250km/h... ;) And Rillo, I REALLY apologize about my mistake regarding the UK and France! ;) Of course they both belong to Europe, but the Europe that UK belongs to is a much nicer one that the french Europe! :D /Alexander from Sweden (also a part of the good UK Europe...)

On german cars being top-speed limited: A number of years ago, Mercedes and BMW agreed to limit their cars to 250km/h - approx 155mph. Be it a C-class or an S-class. (But I think the AMG-versions are not restricted?) Some other makers did follow. Even the Volvo 850 T5 was limited to 250km/h, although it could only reach a bit over 240 km/h if it was not downhill... However, Porsche, Ferrari, Maserati, Lotus etc. for instance did not join in - they can reach their actual maximum speed. Software removal of speed limiter is a popular thing offered by tuning companies. :) And the original Lexus LS 400 was tested in Swedish magazine as it was introduced. They published a pic of the needle almost reching 280km/h!!! The speedometer is not really reliable, but the REAL speed was approx. 245km/h = 153 mph. The -95 and on can do 250 km/h, thanks to more power and lower wind drag. B) And by the way, jainla, United Kingdom IS a part of Europe! :whistles: /Alexander from Sweden

nc211, sorry about your woofer. Here comes a somewhat lengthy reply... :whistles: What does it cost, and what should be so special about it? I also see that most people recommends also replacing the amp when replacing the sub. I would like to comment a bit here. Speaker design is a work of compromising, especially for OEM car stuff, where everything is built to a price. Back in the time when LS was introduced, car amps were weak and expensive, or powerful and really expensive. Most car brands would go for the cheapest acceptable amp. Low frequency speakers (by the laws of physics) basically interact/fight three properties, small enclosure, high sensitivity and good bass extension. You can favour one or two of these properties, but on expense of the remaining one/s. Today cost per Watt has decreased a lot, and the demand for small enclosures has gone up. This means that most modern woofers have typical small box/good bass extension properties AND very low efficiency, which make them a bad choise for the original Lexus amp. (They also tend to have very big magnets, big surrounds and long voice coils, which YOU don't need and that add to the cost...) They will also, if used, not take advantage of the "enclosure" the Lexus woofer is mounted in. If you want to replace your original woofer without having an extra box (and amp) in your trunk, you should perhaps check other sources than car audio shops. I can imagine many home speaker woofers that could do a good job in your car. That kind of woofer has a lighter cone, a smaller (cheaper) magnet/motor and plain looking surround and suspension. It is not "cheating" or bad design - it is design for a different purpose. It will therefore also cost less to produce! Little enough to let the people at Lexus use it in a standard car audio setup. ;) This is a general, and somewhat simplified, description, but the basics are all here. /Alexander from Sweden

Hello SKperformance! Thanks for the reply! I had to pay 690 SEK = approx 98$ this time for the Toyota Type IV oil, 088682025. I am a bit puzzled regarding the sealant, though. My friend works for a company that among other specialized engine work also repairs automatic transmissions. He adviced me to never use the regular "silicon-based" blue or orange "gasket-in-a-tube" stuff when working with automatic trannys. Probably due to risk of stuff migrating into the oil path? I know for instance SAAB has a special compound used for the work on the 900 cars. It clearly is not silicon-based, that I can tell. :) Is the Toyota product really just a "branded" version of the generic silicone stuff? In that case, the price is plain robbery... /Alexander

I am draining/refilling my gearbox, and considered taking the pan down to clean magnet and filter. The dealer told me there is no gasket, only a sealing compound that costs $70 for less than 100grams! The lock-up solenoid costs an unbelievable $560, and the type IV oil was $87 for 5 litres (approx 5 qts). Is it only in Sweden, or are these prices for real? I've seen the prices for the hood struts are high in US, but here they cost $200/each, and the right hand mirror glass is a whopping $380! /Alexander

Anyone (almost) can do it, as long as you: - have information on the sensor data, temp vs Ohm (I don't have it) - know where to find the sensor in the engine bay - can use a multi meter Good luck! :) /Alexander

Check the motor that moves the seat. It seems likely it is the defective part, since you've replaced the ECU, and you say the seat switch triggers the relay. /Alexander

Like I said, let a mechanic test the temperature sensor to start with. Get the correct values, and compare it with what you've got in your car. It is a pretty quick and straightforward job. The tricky thing about fault sensors is, that they will normally not trigger the "Check engine" light. Why? Because the ECU just thinks you are driving a car that has not yet reached full running temperature - and that is not a fault in itself. ;) Please note! The temperature gauge uses a separate sensor, and may be correct in your car. /Alexander

No, I did not disconnect anything. I just pulled up the lid/dipstick and sucked out the fluid in the reservoir with a brake bleeding tool. A real disassembly would probably let you drain most of the system at once, whereas I have "diluted" and mixed new and old fluid. I did not want to remove any hoses, and as long as I got the dirt out of the system... :) /Alexander

Finally got around to do some maintenance in my -95 LS yesterday. (I don't run it in the winter.) Flushing and refilling of PS oil system seemed a good thing to start with, and it sure was. I used my brake bleeder tool to suck out as much fluid as possible from the reservoir - it was as black as OLLLD engine oil, awful. :o I then refilled it with Toyota original tranny fluid, about 0,2 litres. Then I started the engine and let it idle for some minutes, occasionally turning the wheel from one side to another. The new oil was very dirty after just a couple of minutes. After that, drain and refill again. And again. And again. It was still a bit dirty, but now I will let it run for a while, and then replace it again. It seems it was really good to clean out the system, and hopefully the steering will be smother now. It was not bad before, but with cold engine, the steering has been a bit "stiff"/reluctant. That's all, folks! :D /Alexander from Sweden

Sorry about the thirsty car. The fuel injection uses temperature sensors to determine the state of the engine. If the cooling water sensor breaks, it will cause the motor to run at incorrect mixture at warm engine. Ask your mechanic to measure the resistance in the sensor at cold and warm engine. Typical values are some kOhms at room temperature, and less than 100 Ohms at warm engine. Also, an incorrect knocking sensor can delay engine timing, which will reduce power and increase fuel consumption. Good luck! /Alexander from Sweden

What do you think of a diesel-powered Lexus? In Europe (but not here in Sweden) diesel cars have a very strong position. In some countries, I'd say close to 50% of all passenger cars are diesel powered. A GS D4D anyone? ;) Or an LS 380d? :o /Alexander

Due to the constant updates of this thread (and my age... ;) ), I'd say I was born in 1972! B) The gender (male) however remains the same. /Alexander

Just a short reply regarding leg room. Have you tried the Volvo 700 or 900 series, or the SAAB 9000? They both offer more leg room than many other cars, but the rear seat passenger in the Volvo has to suffer. Leg room in the back seat of the SAAB 9000 is bigger, though, similar to the Mercedes W140 SWB (-92 to -98 S-klasse). Newer models, like S or V 70 and SAAB 9-5 does not impress the same way. I'm 185 cm tall, 34" inseam (Levi's... :) ) and I find the leg room more than sufficient in my -95 LS 400. If something, I'd like the possibility to lower the seat a bit further. But I come from driving a Mercedes 190 with sport seats. ;) /Alexander from Sweden

Thanks for these brilliant replies! I REALLY appreciate that kind of detailed and technical answers. Not many Lexus in Sweden, the old LS being even more rare, and esp. black ones, so there really is nothing to use for comparison... :( OR - you can enjoy having a virtually "one of a kind" car... ;) As soon as the weather gets better (rain and thunder outside...), I'll take a couple of shots of the hood! /Alexander from rainy Sweden

Thanks a lot! (Just thought there was a shortcut :whistles: , but matching it to a catalogue sure is ok!) /alexander from Sweden

Does anyone here know, what paint code is used for the standard -95 LS wheels? The otherwise very good Toyota dealer here, tells me there is no paint code for Toyota/Lexus wheels. Period. I've sandblasted my rims, put on the primer, and am ready to buy some top coating. But since I don't plan to fiddle with the spotless center caps, I need the exact colour matching... Any help is appreciated! :) /Alexander

Thanks guys! And sure, I've been draining MB converters a number of times... ;) /Alexander Bejmar