LS400 Owners

[shuluke]

A friend of my father has a LS400 that he wants to get rid of. I was wondering what problems i should be looking out for when looking at the car. All i know so far is that the car has over 100k miles, but my dad said that the engines are built to last a while. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated. Another thing, how many miles can i put on it before i should start thinking of selling, or is it like a Toyota where you drive it till it starts having problems?

Thanks again,

Shuluke

[Razo-E]

what year is it..?

either way it has the 1uz-fe, which can last way over 300,000 miles without any major worries, but if it's an early model, (around 91 or so), then i'd say below 130,000 miles is good...

of course this is an extreme...

how much do you drive a year..?

[shuluke]

I dont know yet, I dont get to meet him till later this week. But im trying to look ahead.

Shuluke

So they last over 130k? Awesome.

[Razo-E]

WAY over 130k...


here's an exerpt from the Lexus SC300/400 (400 is same engine as LS400)FAQ


The Lexus 1UZ-FE V-8 motor used in the SC400 & LS400 models were reported to cost over $400 million in research and development (1990 dollars). And it has paid off too. Today the engine is still in production as a 2UZ-FE, and there is yet to be an engine-related recall or reported case of premature engine failure. Some 1989 LS400s have eclipsed 480,000 miles without needing any drivetrain rebuilds.

[RedAE102]

First of all, what year is the car. There are some common problems on most models, which involves faulty climate control and radio displays (many of them were replaced under warranty). Our 1996 LS400 is not far from 100,000 miles, and it's had a few problems. The "front castor bars" have cracked no less than three times and were replaced all three times under warranty (the last one was claimed "courtesy warranty," but I know Lexus issued a TSB on it). Didn't affect the driveability of the car at all. Another problem was a cracked EGR tube at 65,000 miles, replaced under California Emissions Warranty. One "small" problem was the electric antenna motor, which died at 45,000 miles and cost $180 to fix. Best advice I can give is avoid the Lexus dealer like the plague, unless you enjoy getting taken for a ride. On the other hand, new shocks all around only cost $150 from the Lexus dealer! The interior hasn't aged as gracefully as I had expected it to (poorly worn leather, warped wood), but it's still a gorgeous car. The Tahara plant (where LS400s are built) is still one of Toyota's best for quality, and it shows. The car is without peer as a rock solid highway cruiser but still handles twisty mountain roads with astounding poise (will get you there as quickly as a comparable BMW 740i, just not quite as much fun). The car returns about 17 mpg in suburban driving, but once out on the highway, it never moves from 25 mpg, even with the cruise set at 90 mph and the A/C going. The car does everything effortlessly... including venturing up to the 149 mph governor.