OU303

Back on topic.


The guy has records from 1995-2002 with Lexus.
Nothing really of note. Couple coolant flushes. Transmission serviced at 45xxx and 102xxx. Was happy to see that.

He also had he showed me a few records - most from the past 2 years - from his personal mechanic highlighting major maintenance/repairs. He had paperwork on the timing belt, ball joints, a new radiator and cooling fan, hood supports, transmission mounts, power steering hoses, and I think he said bushings too - didn't look at the last one cuz I was distracted.

When he saw that I was wife and daughter he let us just take the car for a test drive with no collateral - didn't expect this and wouldn't have minded leaving him something. So my wife, my daughter and myself all got in the car. The car drove great from what I could tell. My first test drive of a LS 400. The car seemed to have a lot more power passing on the highway than going from a full stop and pressing hard on the gas. Not sure if this is normal handling or what. Seems like it would be. We were driving with the AC on full blast in 95 degree heat and Colorado altitude, so I know all that is a factor - just don't have the personal experience to know how the car is supposed to drive/handle.

The Bad:

The cruise control didn't work. When I came back from the test drive I told him this and we took a short 10 minute ride together. He seemed to think he had it engaged when he drove it for 5 minutes. It looked like it could have but I couldn't tell. I tried to look at his feet but I couldn't see if his foot was on the pedal. I think it may have engaged briefly for him. After that he couldn't get it to work. So then we switched and I drove for just about 5 minutes and I still couldn't get it to work. The cruise control seems near identical if not identical to my old '94 Camry so I am pretty sure I was working it correctly. Unless there is something odd and tricky I need to know?

So the cruise control was a point of contention with the gentleman. I know it didn't work for me and I am confident to a near certainty (like 95% at least) that I was doing it right. So it worked intermittently at best, being 1 time for him out of the 20x combined we tried to engage it (like 15 for me between both test drives and 5 for him). We live 30 miles outside town and we use the cruise for our drives into town. I cycle my work schedule and when I work nights I am able to run the cruise for the majority if not all of the drive to work. In short, cruise is very important to us.
I realize it could be something relatively inexpensive to fix so I wasn't making a big deal out of it, just saying it was not operator error, and he was a little defensive saying he thought we were both doing it wrong. Something about pushing the cruise stick inward and outward, which I didn't even do when I test drove it with my family. I need to do some research on the forums here.

There is an oil leak. Apparently it recently developed about a month ago. Unless it is coming from the head gasket or something like a rear main seal I am not too worried about it. Hopefully just a valve cover gasket. He said that if we could agree to a deal he would have that taken care of by his mechanic - whom he said has been working on the car for 15 years.

So to wrap this up he said he also has a lot more records, like oil changes every 3000 miles, more transmission and coolant flushes, etc, but that the mechanic, who is an older gentleman and not that computer savvy, had trouble printing the rest of the records because of the file size. I have no idea

I had made an appointment with a Firestone near his home to have the car checked out by a 3rd party. Wanted to make sure I am not into a fiasco with the cruise control or no hidden surprises like worn out suspension parts. Made an appointment for 4pm with Firestone. Our two year old was 3 hours past nap time and pitching a fit so when we ran out of places to putter around I showed up about 30 minutes early back at the gentleman's house to try to get the car early and just get there about a half hour early and hope to get in early, or just wait if need be. Just release my wife to take my daughter wherever. The gentleman wasn't there so I waited a few minutes and then I shot him an email and also called and left a voicemail that we had to run because my daughter was being so irate. There was miscommunication anyways, he was thinking I wouldn't even be back at his place until 4 when the appointment was at 4, so he wasn't there for 40 more minutes after we left. I am going to leave the wife and kid at home and try to meet up with the gentleman again tomorrow and get the car checked out.


What do you guys think????

RA010623

iTrader: (1)

look on kbb for value according to year and mileage.
All other maintenance and condition of the car would need to be weight base on your own judgement.

OU303

I had already done my due diligence in doing that already Based on my answers to the KBB survey it came up with "Good" condition, which is $4,355. He's asking $3,300 and him fixing the oil leak will be included in that price. I don't know if I can possibly get into a Gen2 for any cheaper than that. The car seems to be at a good point in the maintenance schedule with so much maintenance being done in the past 2 years. I plan on looking through the records tomorrow while I wait for the mechanic to look it over. I am sure there are cleaner '95 LS 400s out there but I think I would be VERY hard pressed to find one with anywhere near (say 175k+) the miles that is this clean.

The car also looks about as good as it possibly can being that it has been driven year round in Colorado for 17 years! The car got new paint a few years ago that needs minimal touch-ups - no micro scratching or swirls; The paint looks fantastic to my layperson eyes. It has just one or two handfuls of small scratches on the entire body on the white main paint area and some road rash to the bottom paint. I would call the amount of road rash more than minimal but less than moderate. The worst thing is probably on the interior. The leather is really well worn. Looks like it has been taken care of well but it is just very worn. The leather doesn't have any rips or tears, it is just very worn out looking from so many years and miles. Re-upholstering wouldn't be anything I would need to do in even the first year or anything but the leather is, unsurprisingly, very well worn.

Greyhorne

Check the maintenance.Check the maintenance.Check the maintenance. I saw you had a timing belt done. When was the last one? You should be 25,000 into the third.

When were the front suspension parts changed. Remember that $3300.0 to start can almost double in a heart beat. You mentioned that the cruise control was very important to you and it will have to be fixed. Now I haven't used cruise since the 80's but the fix needs to be added on top to estimate the 'real' cost of the car. My point is that you need to add up all the costs of the car including the repairs you are going to have to do and come up with a real price and compare it around. Badly worn leather in an LS usually means that the leather wasn't taken care of properly.

My advice is to keep looking. This car is weak on two of your personal hot list. Cruise and interior. A well taken care of; properly maintained 2nd gen LS's can always be found in the 3-4.5k range as long as your not color conscious. Keep looking and find the one you are going to love. Its an LS bro. Its going to be with you a very long time.

OU303

Good news. The owner said he had his mechanic replace the fuse for the cruise and that's all it is. Cruise is working now. I think that maybe I misrepresented the condition of the leather. I think it's just worn from someone sitting in it so many miles. The seller is s retired realtor. It just has more wear on the seats with 200k than ones with 100k.

The reason I like this one is cuz of the records. Seen some big ones so far and I am going to his mechanic to see the rest!

OU303

Tiny leak in the rack. Supposedly has only been leaking maybe a cup of PS fluid every 3,000 miles. Regardless, he is willing to drop the price $400 to split the cost of a new/reman rack. Other then that there a squeeky *** strut mount or the strut itself is squeeking on the front right. According to Firestone nothing else is needed - and in my extensive experience Firestone loves to tell you stuff is wrong - take that as you will.

JZCHAOS

Not being mean... Sounds like your trying to sell us on this car... I just bought one and was really pressed cause I sold my SC and wanted to be in a LS fast... After speeding time on here sand craigslist daily for about a month I found one. I was willing to go down Florida or up to New Hampshire to get mine.. I got lucky and found a 97 with 110k for 4700 in NJ... Theres not a lot of maint. history on it but it passed inspection with no problem.. The one problem is the radio display and the passenger mirror is off track.. To me thats Mint.. No rips in the leather and no leaks!!! Take your time and look around.. trust me.. you will be pissed if u buy it and see something better plus cheaper!!!

OU303

No offense taken. I'm not trying to sell anyone. Just trying to paint a complete picture with each bit of information I find out.

What I need is a stack of records. That is why I like this one despite the miles. I wanna grab one at a good maintenance interval where at least in theory I won't have to replace any of the known wear items for at least a couple years. In theory - but I can at least try to get one at one if the sweet spots of maintenance. Starter, radiator and radiator fan, timing belt & water pump & thermostat,hood struts, , ball joints, control arms, transmission mounts,all done the past three years. I don't know about multiple timing belts but the one now is new. Tires arealmost new Michelins.

johnnyg66

My two cents here. By the sounds of what you say it is a good car i think the only stickler for other members is the price. But if the seller is willing to knock off some for the power steering repair than i say go for it. The leather on my 92 when i bought it two years ago was decent. The seams popped on the upper seat back but overall its good.

Only you have driven it and seen it not us. By what you know if your gut says do it than do it. I am very happy with my 92 but i did spend alot on it after i got it. Even tho it had been seen by our local Lexus dealer prior to me buying it. They did the timing belt and water pump.

If you pass than i hope you find another one as good or better soon.

OU303

Here are some attachments on the interior. Driver, passenger, and then just then just some blemishes on the rear. Also a spot where the door isn't 100% flush with the body. Came back that way after being painted- in the past two years. There are a couple other similar blemishes on the rear seat leather but I could only attach 5 files. Sorry for the sucky camera work, taken with my smartphone, the sun was bright and I could barely see what I was shooting - plus I suck at taking pictures on my cell.

johnnyg66

The leather in these early cars are not that great by todays standards. They get tough and dry out. That door panel looks bad wonder why they couldn't get it back in position? That would drive me nuts to look at it every day. A must fix in my book.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

it could be fixed easily if it didnt need to be painted, there's just a few clips and a ton of high strength adhesive keeping it on.

OU303

How much would something like that cost to have fixed ballpark? I don't have the first clue. I never had any body issues on my old car and have never even been to a body shop.

j2b4o

I'm not sure it's just the panel that's loose. If you look closely it looks like the door seam starts to pull away above the panel and than extends to the bottom of the door.
I always pass on re-painted cars, there is almost always a reason. The car may have been in an unreported accident or something.

Greyhorne

Oh yeah, the respray. I NEVER buy cars that have been resprayed. The paint on these cars is outstanding and can usually be brought back with a big time detail. Resprays coupled with misplaced body panels is usually not a great sign. But you live in a very sunny state and you know better than me if there is a propensity for paint in Colorado to be destroyed.