OmarG

thanks billy! I'm really enjoying it. Once i'm done renewing my 93 LS400 i will do a more in depth comparison with pics and all. The old 93 needs alot of minor things, coolant temp sensor, rear diff fluid, rear carrier bushings, front right UCA, coolant flush n fill, power steering flush n fill, tranny flush n fill, new fuel filter... i have everything just haven't had the time. I plan on doing a full detail of both in the spring. I just need to find a good deal on a porter cable 7424 and some lake country pads

i redline on the daily... the sound of ripping silk is addictive. I really think you should change the coils too. They aren't expensive. Also if you drive with bad coils for a while you could F up your cats. Thats what the PO did on my 90 project... which i still haven't finished....

alright i got some pics of my 95. They aren't the best. I dont think i ever told you guys the price 2425- ebay bid for car 150- 1 way flight to ME about another 150 for gas and tolls needs passenger mirror and housing >$100 (hopefully) speedo needle became half unlit( 2 hours after i picked it up) >$75 needed remote $22 shipped from ebay Needs brakes and maybe rotors at least $130 (oem pads and turnin rotors) passenger corner light $40 so as is will be $2725 thinkin when i'm done with it it'll be around 3k. not too bad for a clean,112k miles 2nd gen huh might need strut rod bushings and ball joints due to age. They are originals for sure. I want this car too feel like new.... pedestrian damage (don't worry it was pedestrians fault, and he wasnt hurt!) interior shot should i replace this for $60. Convince me its worth it guys.... last two are the bumber rips from a low speed accident (they paid him like 1k for it soo...) Don't think i'm gonna fix. there you have it guys. Lemme know how you think i did! PS I'm poor don't make fun of my fugly house. :D

So i havent got any pics yet but i will soon. SO maybe its all mental but i feel that the 2nd gen LS is quite a step up for the 1LS. Its -faster -quieter -more nimble -more fuel efficient -more interior space -better leather -padded armrests -more storage -better brakes -better sound system -dual zone climate control -one touch open sunroof -all auto-dim mirrors -better furnished trunk -smaller turning radius -easily replaceable shift knob -gated shifter -better headlights -209 lb's lighter All i can say is WOW am i impressed!

thanks for the link bud. I will work on it soon and get back to yall! Gonna just try to re solder some of the points first.

So I bought a 95 model on ebay. Its white over tan with heated seats and trac. Has 112k miles. The car is only a two owner and its been in Maine its whole life. No body rust, shiny paint, clean interior. Check engine light was on, got the the code p0420 and po430 catalyst below efficiency. I was like.... oh crap, but i cleared the code and drove over 1k miles home and the light hasn't come back. Car avg'ed 27 mpg without even trying. The reason i got it so cheap was because the vehicle had been involved in two minor accidents (1 with a pedestrian!). The bumber has two tiny tears at the indicator lights, a broken corner light, small repairable dent right above corner light, and . The real selling point was that the 90k service was done in early october at the dealership. The car needs brakes and rotors (hopefully just turning em will be fine) and exhaust gaskets. Needs little things here and there but all in all very solid, smooth, clean vehicle. All in all i got a great deal on a low mileage well maintained vehicle. I've been looking for a newer LS since my 93 is still nice, but it has almost 290k on it now. Decided she's been reliable and I'm gonna retire her to spare car duty. I DO NOT plan on selling it as i wont get any money for it(just changed all the suspension, $600 incl new and used parts). will update with pics and 1st gen and 2nd gen comparo soon

I made a cover for mine. Used black plastic from from motor oil quart and some black electrical tape. Later when i found a 90 LS400 at the junkyard I just took the whole PRND cover. I like the button.

i have the same problem on a 95 i just bought. nothing lights up but everything works. anybody have any ideas. thats a bit strange isnt it? I doubt all the bulbs would go bad at once. also the display backlight still works when the main light switch is off...

hmm, considering your current situation i guess it makes sense to get rid of the LS. Especially if you can get $2400 for it. To be honest you have had a lot of probs considering it was only 20k miles. I would like to see some pics of your other cars man!

dude, i can find you a PS pump for like 100 or less. Your lexus is not a POS. its just a 45k machine that is 18 years old. put up an ad on craigslist for a mechanic needed. I'm sure you can find somebody out of work with skills. I'll break it down for ya. You need 2 motor mounts. buy new for a total of 190 with shipping from parts.com (OEM toyota parts) you need a PS pump. I'm sure you can find a used one. If not i think i have an extra one I could sell. 50-100 for used. about 150 for new/reman. Look up all the procedures on how to replace everything. http://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls400/4500...eplacement.html (motor mounts) http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/steering/pspumpremoval.html (PS Pump) Put up ads on craigslist. Do some bargaining. Explain how everything is straightforward. I bet you could find somebody to do everything for 200-250. So 240-350 for parts and lets say $250 for labor @ 50 an hr for 5 hours. (shouldn't take longer than that if they have the right tools) So your realistic range for fixing the LS400 that your mother wants so much, and you already have 4k into is... $440-600. its up to you to decide whether that is worth it. Depends on what you can realistically sell it for not repaired.

I'd love to ask the engineers of the car why the revs are so damn high on the hwy. I've had 4cyl and 6cyl rental cars that don't come close to the rpm range that the LS does on the hwy, and they did just fine running the rolling hills we have here. I believe the Gen I cars run a little faster than Gen II, but my '99 runs...-70mph = 2200rpms -75mph = 2400rpms -80mph = 2600rpms Sounds like you might need a tune-up if you are getting less than 23mpg. Despite the gearing, I get great hwy only mpg, 27-28 mpg with the a/c on, and I always run 5-10 over the 70mph limit. I inflate my tires more than most since I hate how mushy 30psi or whatever they call for feels, I run a good synthetic oil, and I keep on top of all the maintenance items. My 93 usually gets about 22-23mpg in steady 70+ highway driving. can get about 25 at 60-65. i've been meaning to buy a new fuel filter, might help things out. What do you think guys? is oem worth double the price of an o'reily/autozone filter? I've wondered the same thing blake. I think its for better, more responsive highway driving in overdrive. i've driven other higher geared vehicles (like a 92 mercury g-marquis) and most have to downshift to speed up moderately. not so in the LS. Also wringing out 150mph top speed with only 4 gears takes some careful consideration. my 93 runs is geared at 30mph per 1k rpm. -60mph = 2000rpm -70 = 2300 -75 = 2500 -80 = 2700 SC400's are geared even lower for more response.

i think its cool you took on a challenge. For me though i woulda sold the car and scoured craigslist for an 93-94 for 2-3k. There are plenty decently maintained cars out there unloved... needing a new owner. My dad and i tried out body work one time. It didnt turn out well. I thought a dented rear quarter panel looked better than our fix. I might try to paint my 90's bumpers with the rustoleum method though...

just inspect the belt. if it looks good and the pulleys aren't noisy you will be fine. my project 1990 ls400 is on its original belt at 223k. its old but fine... second gen ls400's are even more reliable than earlier models. Use the overdue TB/WP service as a bargaining point. knock off a grand i bet....

sorry bud! nice fix on the car! you did a great job. Glad to hear the car is mechanically unfazed.

I am talking about 80s-90s volvo's and Mb's. I'm just relaying info i've gathered from other people. I've had quite a few friends with volvos (athens GA is a blue spec in a sea of red) ranging from 240's(pretty good but crude and electrical probs) to newer s70's with major engine probs. Most of my friends cars are also on engine #2 or second tranny. All the cars have quirks. Even my friends 2003 v70 has electrical problems. I was looking at a buddy's 1989 740 service record. and it had the engine replaced in 1995 with a new one OUT OF WARRANTY!! I guess i'm basing my MB experience to a buddy who bought a 1993 420 SEL and has had lots of electrical probs. and basically unserviceable AC. It is a class above the LS400 though. Wowowow that car is HUGE. 90LS400Lexus, the problems on your car can all be fixed and fixed for good. engine mounts, and hoses are replaceable wear and tear items. especially after 17 years. has your car ever failed to start? has it left you stranded anywhere? my guess is no. Your power steering prob was fixed with a new hose! I am very happy that you have had good experiences with both volvo and MB but i'm confident that your LS can be just as trouble free. My 93 ls400's service record indicates that the spark plug wires were defective and replaced in 1995. Other than Upper control arms,bushings(2005,190k), first and only AC Flush and refill(2005,200k), fan bracket, and idler pulley(2007,245k) my car has only had routine maintenance done to it. 285k and it runs like a dream. Yes the steering is tired, but now that i replaced all shocks and struts(2009) (i blame chicago's harsh salty conditions ) my car is uncannily smooth. My engine mounts are tired, but i'm not gonna replace em. They aren't tired enough. :) My starter is sticking occasionally, but its ok, after 16-17 years of service it's done its job. Correct me if i'm wrong but thats an impressively short list of problems isnt it?

That is exactly the reason why I bought my 94 LS400 a few days ago. My daughter is going to be 16 in April and I don't want her to be driving around in some small tin can with no protection whatsoever. That was my intention from the very beginning. My other choices were MB and Volvo, but I think I made a pretty good decision by choosing the LS. you made a great choice with the LS. Another good thing is that the car is never begs to be pushed. Just cruisin in the LS is so satisfying. MB's and volvo have strange expensive problems. ls400's dont. Fixing an LS is easy and with the internet, the few problems you might run into are easily fixed. Plus we have LS veterans that have been with lexus since day one. one quick tip. Go to your toyota dealer and get some toyota silicone spray(aftermarket silicone spray can be harsh on plastics trust me). spray all the window seals and you notice a vast improvement in speed. reducing drag on the window motors prolongs their already long lives!

you need a new sunroof cover. its an updated part basically. My car was leaking for more than two years. Replaced this 1 little piece and voila! i'll get the part number as soon as i find it.

go with used oem rims. 17" and 18" ls430 rims look nice. GS430 rims might fit too but dont quote me. The LS430 has massive brakes

you should really test drive each model thoroughly to see which one meets your needs and expectations. They are all fantastic! I bought an 94 ES300 for my sisters boyfriend and he loves it. I drove it for about a week and they are very nice! Build quality is high, but the LS is unmatched for its era. Expect the same for es330's and LS430's. Both great but the LS is legendary

just bought a 94 es300 green. Has 197k on it. Runs good, good ac, decent interior. Smooth ride. Needed o2 sensor bank 1 sensor 1 . Got it for $1400. has oxidation on decklid and scuffs but no dents. 2 owners. Local Athens, GA car. Complete dealer service records till 150k, 2005. Just brake pads and oil changes since 2005. all mats, keys (keyless only needed a battery still works!) everything works! What it needs mechanically o2 sensor (came on during test drive for first time, hence low price) ball joints 2 rear tires alignment slightly off, no vibration or pulling, steering wheel just slightly crooked when driving straight. owner doesnt remember last time coolant was changed( 2004 prolly) the oem red fluid isnt the freshest looking what it needs cosmetically good detail (good buffing) driver seat worn with some rips (not terrible though) driver side mirror cracked rear view mirror needs to be epoxied gauge needles unlit will take pics so you guys can see. I feel pretty confident i got a good deal. $1400+300 for parts, tires,align. $1700 total what do yall think?

did the engine light ever come back on? i have the same code. I think i changed the wrong oxygen sensor though. Autozone told me wrong... or are they both the same?

i need to find some good 95+ seats for my LS... hopefully soon!

haha bring it down. we can talk about the cars intricacies. :) I know why your window rattles. My white LS did the exact same thing because a short screw fell off the bottom of the window pane guide. Its very easy to replace. I can even take pictures if you need me to. Its funny how all ls400 have similar problems at the same time ages. Theres almost never a mystery prob with a lexus... at least the LS

I just replaced the positive battery terminal on my sisters black jade LS and i cant believe how easy and cheap it was! OEM toyota parts made in Japan are made so well, i cant imagine using any aftermarket chinese crap. I also replace her hood struts. after almost three years. Also Lexus of Pembroke Pines has some of the best prices (online)on parts around. Trust me i searched. They are very friendly and helpful and carry everything you could need. ALso if your missing a certain bolt or screw, they carry it! I also got that some PCV valves and the dealer part was cheaper than autozones!! I got some wiper blade inserts and they were only like $4 a piece and covered in graphite(!) for smoothness. You just dont get that quality from anyone else. Especially at that price. If you use OEM parts your lexus is gonna last forever!... kinda sorry about the disorganized rambiling. I just love my cars soo much. Well i love precision, and quality and Lexus delivers. Considering the cars age and mileage its hard to believe its running so well. Now if i can take care of that oil leak...

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!