chillin245

Hey, i'v decided im gonna go for a 4 door sedan, i was considering a sc400 but the 2 doors just isnt practical.

Anyway my decision is down to the 2 cars from the title.

the ls400 would be 92-94 with about 100-150k miles on it.

while the buick would be 97-02 with about 75-125k miles on it.

Basically i know the lexus is more reliable, but how much more? and also which car is safer? and is the lexus drive quality and suspension really that much better than buicks? thanks.

I posted here a while back but never bought a lexus as i didnt need a new car for a few more months.

Basically i have a few questions about the ls400 and sc300.

Basically im trying to spend under 6 grand on either a ls400 or sc300

I like the SC better but my concern is , with so few around it may be really hard/expensive to get parts if something breaks.

Im gonna be doing a lot of highway cruising so i needed a car good for that, and i love the old lex's, i have a question also about the sc300's suspension. Is it really stiff or would it be more simlar to a luxury cars? I hate having a bumpy ride.

Thanks.

Would you like to buy mine?.... it has a little first aid kit in the trunk

Mine cruises like a dream....about 28 mpg hiway...beautiful blue..leather seats...doesn't burn a drop of oil...automatic trans...moon roof...very deluxe...needs a water pump... :)

I would but its gonna be about 2 months before i make the purchase, don't have enough right now and i need to do some more research.

Thanks, I'll definately check around ebay.

A few more questions, which one is better in terms of safetey? i'd estimate they're pretty close to the same.

Same weight class and all. I could be wrong though.

Thanks for all the helpful answers.

Thanks, I'll definately check around ebay.

A few more questions, which one is better in terms of safetey? i'd estimate they're pretty close to the same.

Same weight class and all. I could be wrong though.

Thanks for all the helpful answers.

Hi everybody, i posted this on the ls400 boards too but i felt it would be just as relevant too because i have a few questions about the sc400.

I posted here a while back but never bought a lexus as i didnt need a new car for a few more months.

Basically i have a few questions about the ls400 and sc300.

Im trying to spend under 6 grand on either a ls400 or sc300

I like the SC better but my concern is , with so few around it may be really hard/expensive to get parts if something breaks.

Im gonna be doing a lot of highway cruising so i needed a car good for that, and i love the old lex's, i have a question also about the sc300's suspension. Is it really stiff or would it be more simlar to a luxury cars? I hate having a bumpy ride.

Thanks.

Thanks, I did some reading and it was good to know information.

I have a few more questions, Which one would cost more maintanance wise? i heard they are pretty similar cars so im assuming the costs would be similar?

How much yearly maintanance roughly will i expect?

Also im really worried about the low amount of sc400's i see in my area, could make getting parts hard.

I posted here a while back but never bought a lexus as i didnt need a new car for a few more months.

Basically i have a few questions about the ls400 and sc300.

Basically im trying to spend under 6 grand on either a ls400 or sc300

I like the SC better but my concern is , with so few around it may be really hard/expensive to get parts if something breaks.

Im gonna be doing a lot of highway cruising so i needed a car good for that, and i love the old lex's, i have a question also about the sc300's suspension. Is it really stiff or would it be more simlar to a luxury cars? I hate having a bumpy ride.

Thanks.

Hey, I'm debating whether to buy a 98 GS or a 94ish ls.

I like both cars but would prefer the GS, i have a question though.

With a sports sedan , will i have a bumpy ride? the only car i've driven with sports suspension is my 98 mystique but i'm tired of bump rides, drove a civic and mazda before and those tiny cars were really bumpy.

Anyway my question is , with the sports suspension i will i still feel every bump on the road? or is the GS suspension more luxury like?

Definately invest in winter rubber if your going with the RWD LS.....especially for us in the Southwestern Ontario or GTA (it's a mix of freezing rain & ice pellets currently here in London).

that sucks, right now we have just mass amounts of snow.

Would an LS with winter tires be okay to drive in these large snowfalls? I like to go skiing a lot and I don't think it would be practical to have an LS if i couldn't take it out. I mean i don't plan on intentionally driving in snowstorms but sometimes you have to.

Definately invest in winter rubber if your going with the RWD LS.....especially for us in the Southwestern Ontario or GTA (it's a mix of freezing rain & ice pellets currently here in London).

that sucks, right now we have just mass amounts of snow.

And yes, the investment paid off later.....

Lol

yeah that gave me a good laugh too.

Yeah; i know Buick's are good; my dad has owned them for most of my life. He loves them and tells me they're solid.

But I'm pretty sure my mind is made; I'm gonna go with the Lexus even if it does cost a bit more.... I just can't go against Lexus lol.

But yeah days like today (13 cm of snow) I think about getting a truck; maybe a 4Runner.

I wonder how a LS400 would do if i invested in winter tires.. I read a post on here about that but I'm not sure in the difference between Toronto and American winters.

if you spend $1000 a year on maintenance in an '93 LS400 you'll run out of stuff to replace after about 5 years.

...unless you're driving 50k miles a year, then $1000 would be about right.

realistically, if you averaged it you'd probably be closer to $250-$500 a year in maintenance, including oil changes. stuff like Timing belt and water pump do cost over a grand to get done, but also last 5+ years (at 20k miles/year, more than a lot of people drive).

also consider that once you go past 94 you are dealing with an interference engine, which in the event of timing belt failure will completely toast your engine. I put about $3k into my 130k mile '93 over the last year because nothing had been changed but the oil and power steering pump since it left the factory.

A 93/94 sitting around 125-150k with the timing belt/water pump done sounds ideal for you, and will certainly not cost $1000 a year to maintain.

Yeah most of the LS's i see aound here are about 93-94 with 110-140k miles.

If I was 19 I'd be definitely looking at an IS300 instead of an LS. I'd be zippin' around like I did in my Scirocco rather than laid back cruisin'. Do yourself a favour. Before commiting yourself to an LS check them both out and compare. In the IS, try to find one with a stick.

The IS is out of my price range. In Ontario if you go 50 km over the limit they impound your car; so im going to try an avoid a car that will tempt me like the IS will.

Okay so then my best choices would be an ES or Impala..

I'd really like to get an LS; would it be possible to find one that wouldnt cost me 1000+ to repair each year?

If not i'd hate to give up on the lS, but the ES is good too, little small but good. Then i've got the Impala.. which would be much cheaper and newer.

its gonna be hard getting over the idea of owning a LS400 though.

If you take your time & find one in good enough condition that's been well looked after, sure that's possible.

You won't be able to compare driving an Impala to any Lexus though.....one you drive all 3 (LS, ES & Impala) you will more than likely take the Impala off your list all together. :)

How much are you looking to spend (ballpark)?

Yeah everyone seems tos ay taht, about 5-8000

If you're thinking of an Impala, be carefull with the 3.8L. They have a well known problem with their intake manifolds. They're made of plastic and deform from the heat creating leaks. The replacement was redesigned so look for one that's been done. The Regal with the same 3.8 is a tighter package and arguably better built. Less rattles and squeaks as they age, although some of them have a/c issues. If you find one that's been well maintained and not abused, should last you until you put together enough scratch for a Lex.

The intake manifolds are a problem for GM on most of their V6 (OHV) engines.....not just the 3.8. In fact, they are one of the better V6's overall that GM offers in the midsize class for the early 2000's models.....I'll take GM's new 3.6L V6's any day however. ;)

Okay so then my best choices would be an ES or Impala..

I'd really like to get an LS; would it be possible to find one that wouldnt cost me 1000+ to repair each year?

If not i'd hate to give up on the lS, but the ES is good too, little small but good. Then i've got the Impala.. which would be much cheaper and newer.

its gonna be hard getting over the idea of owning a LS400 though.

It really depends on the year Lexus you get & naturally the condition.

Do you have a rough time frame on when your looking to buy? :)

about 2 months. again i think 1000-1500 a year by itself is manageable, but insurance + gas will kill me.

Will i be spendin that much money repairing a 2003 Impala?

Thanks for all the good input everyone; I'm in the west end.

Again I'm really considering this car; but if the yearly costs are really 1000-1500; i might be broke all the time; to the point where it might not even be worth it.

Might want to give the ES some serious consideration (I'm on my second one myself) in addition to the LS & GS (drive all of them to find out what you like). Lexus or not, I'm more than happy to assist when the time comes though. :)

Yeah; i like the ES; except for the front grill. The GS is nice too.

Im just wondering; is it really gonna cost that much to maintain? i mean 1000-1500 a year assuming no major problems is a lot, even for a Lexus.

Anybody have any idea on whether these numbers are accurate; so far i have 2 people saying they spend about that much; anymore input from early 90's LS400 owners would be greatly appreciated.

And would maintanace costs for the ES300 and GS300 be comparable to the LS? or would they cost less?

Hi; im new to these boards and i'd like to start by saying thanks to take the time and read my post.

I've spent some time lurking reading posts and i'v been intrested in a Lexus ls400 in a while.

The Lexus i was looking at was a 93ish ls400. I have some questions though and some stiff competition.

the problem with the Lexus is that its such an old car and it has high km's; the ones in my price range (5-8 thousand) have fairly high mileage. 200k km's on average which is about 120k miles.

my other options are a 1998-00 Cadillac De'ville at about 60k miles; or a Chevrolet Impala 2001-2004 with about 20-40k miles.

Basically I like the Lexus the most, but im afraid it may not be the best option, i want this car to last and not have to buy another one for a while; and i don't want to spend much on repairs. The 2 American cars are newer and probably cheaper to fix.

I really love the ls400; i jsut need a car thats practical and most of all is gonna run and serve me well for a while; im afraid that with a 15 year old car i may not get this; even if it does have the quality of a Lexus

Welcome chillin! B) Where abouts in the Toronto area are you located? Also you check your PM's.....I've sent you a message.

Thanks for all the good input everyone; I'm in the west end.

Again I'm really considering this car; but if the yearly costs are really 1000-1500; i might be broke all the time; to the point where it might not even be worth it.

Keep in mind that whent he fine members here mention spending 1000-1500 a year on their vehicles maintenance, they are talking about keeping one of the silky smoothest vehicles on the planet running as if it was brand new still, not just keeping it alive. And I know the insurance in ontario is killer, unsure why you guys ever went private.... I am $119/mo in manitoba for my insurance, and was $145 a month in BC. Definitely take your time and be happy with what you get. Something tells me that if you are looking at caddy''s and lexus' that an impala or taurus or corrolla just isn't your type of deal...

yeah youre right about that, insurance is killer.. Cheapest i can find is 350 a month.

and yeah . i'd much rather own a lexus than, i'v loved lexus for as long as i can remmember.

Would a GS300 Cost less in maintanance? maybe thats a safe middleground.

Good advice TexLex. For the quality of the build, parts, and ride, I sure wouldn't consider anything else.

I don't really care about trade in value because at 17 years old there's not much of that left unless your selling to someone who knows Lexus and can appreciate a car that's been impeccably maintained. Besides, I'm not getting rid of this one anytime soon, even if I get a newer version.

Check out the reliability reports for the German cars in particular. I have friends with Audis, Porches, and Bimmers. Just about all of them tell me of the latest issues with these cars and how often they're in for repairs. It's got to be a pain to be spending all that cash and have the car off the road that often.

Whatever car you find that you're interested in buying, do your homework as Tex says. If the car comes with no documentation, history, etc, walk away. There's more than enough out there with all the credentials for a smart purchase. Get it inspected as well, especially for accident damage.

yeah thanks for all the advice; i'll definately do my homework no matter what i buy. The only car i've ever owned is a mazda 323; which is incredibly cheap to repair. So really i have nothing to compare to; 1000-1500 a year seems like a lot; would a 95ish gs cost that much to maintain?

I'm almost certain the impala wouldnt cost that much; but i could be wrong. I don't really want the impala anyway. but right now it seems most practical.

Yeah i'm in Canada and the weather isn't too great on our cars.

1000-1500 a year is a bit expensive to maintain .. damn i really want a lexus but i don't know if i can afford that ontop of insurance. which is about 4500; and gas... which is steadily increasing.

I'm no expert on cars but i don't think an impala would cost that much to maintain yearly; and i definately agree with the above poster; i know the feeling won't be the same in the impala.

so you think the repair costs of a 99 deville or 2003 impala would about even out with the 93 ls?

I'm also somewhat intrested in which is going to live longer. I don't want to buy another car for a while.

Over the long haul I think they would be close. As for which will last longer, I think you can keep any car going for as long as you want. What it comes down to is whether the cost is worth it? If maintaining a 15 year old car is costing you more than what it would cost to lease a newer one, then it doesn't make sense. Unless you're dedicated to that car or you're a collector. Everything wears out sooner or later. Having a warranty is something else you might consider. It's can provide some peace of mind for someone who is not a diy.

Yeah; youre right. I know its impossible to predict, but what would the ballpark area where a lex would get as expensive to repair as it would be to lease a new car?

I wouldn't compare maintenance/repair costs on an older lex with the cost of leasing a new one. A new LS would be much more expensive. I would compare it with leasing/buying a newer domestic or a slightly used Toyota.

i can deal with lets say 100 a month in repair costs; but anything else would be a pain; especially considering gas and insurance for a guy my age (19)

also i've been looking on the net but can't find the J.D power auto consumer guides. Anybody have a link?

so you think the repair costs of a 99 deville or 2003 impala would about even out with the 93 ls?

I'm also somewhat intrested in which is going to live longer. I don't want to buy another car for a while.

Over the long haul I think they would be close. As for which will last longer, I think you can keep any car going for as long as you want. What it comes down to is whether the cost is worth it? If maintaining a 15 year old car is costing you more than what it would cost to lease a newer one, then it doesn't make sense. Unless you're dedicated to that car or you're a collector. Everything wears out sooner or later. Having a warranty is something else you might consider. It's can provide some peace of mind for someone who is not a diy.

Yeah; youre right. I know its impossible to predict, but what would the ballpark area where a lex would get as expensive to repair as it would be to lease a new car?