spirtnoye

Owners,


I just picked up (last week) my first LS400. It's a Euro-spec model as I'm working in Germany for the next few years until I come back to the states. So far, I love the car. I did a lot of research on what to look for during the buying process and what I should feel for during a test drive. With all the paperwork being in German from the initial purchase, I think it's a 1990. It doesn't have any of the face-lift features the 1993 model had, so that's why I'm drawing that conclusion. I do have some German friends who will take a look at the original paperwork and tell me what's actually there. I'll update with that info when I get it.


But back to the car: What a car it is. Reading about it didn't do it justice. I was incredibly impressed with how it doesn't hurry you through corners or make you feel as if you ever want to get out of it. I find myself driving it short distances just to spend a little time with it. With about 95,500 miles on the clock (converted from kilometers), and at $1400, I think I did pretty well. It's not showroom condition, but for a car that's about 25 years old, it's in remarkably great condition. I'll post a few photos this afternoon when I'm out of work to add some visual appeal to this post, as we all love the photos. My uncle got me into these cars as he's owned LS models for years. He was just as excited as I was when I picked it up and sent him a photo of the car. Because it's 25 years old (I think), I might just bring it back to the states with me and replace the dash with imperial units. There's a few examples available online for around $150, and that doesn't seem too bad to ensure I can be within speed limit regulations once I make it back to the US for good in a few years.


Ok, I'll stop with the rambling. I could talk about this car all day. Photos to follow in an update a little later. Have a good Thursday, all.


Edit: Ok so I've got a couple of photos of the car from when I bought it. I need to transfer the photos from my iPhone over to my computer tonight as I keep getting the "storage almost full" notification. Next phone I buy won't be just a 16 gig. Taking a photo with full storage doesn't work out so well, and 16 gigs fills up faster than you might think. But without futher entanglements, here's a couple photos of it:

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

Welcome! Congratulations on the purchase, make sure to become familiar with the FAQ at the top of the forum as well as the LS Bible at www.lexls.com.

AandSC

CONGRATS and welcome! That car should be fun on the autobahn!

spirtnoye

It has been thus far. Excellent to cruise in and such a great place to be when you have to go between cities. Two hours spent driving in that car and I still don't want the journey to end.

Stroock639

exactly how i feel. it's because you know that wherever you're gonna be after driving the car won't be as comfortable as where you've just been lol

i can rant about mine all day too. that's awesome you have an original 1990 model, does it still have the computer it first came with?

spirtnoye

That I don't know, computer-wise. I'll have to read about how to figure that out. The guy I bought it from put an after-market radio in it, so I've been scouring for a stock one. Something about having it in its original specifications seems right to me. That and a replacement climate control, the usual failure of the LCD screen has occurred.

dicer

Have you tried looking at the tag on the b pillar on driver side for the year? You could also go to the website and use the VIN. Does it have a passenger airbag? Really a good price for the miles it has. Its due for timing belt. What color and what options? Is it right or left hand drive?

djamps

welcome! looking forward to pics.

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

Welcome to the club. I sure would like to open it up on the autobahn.

spirtnoye

The tags I'll have to check out again. I have googled the VIN in the past but because it's got a 0 for the tenth digit, most results show errors. Made me think about it before I bought it, but I've seen others with the same issue. It does not have a passenger side airbag which leads me to believe it's a UFC10 model. It's the dark green without the air suspension, but it does have some silly alpine aftermarket radio. Though the Bluetooth audio is nice, I'm still going to stick a stock Nakamichi radio in it when I find one. It's left-hand drive.

spirtnoye

Thank you! It's such a pleasure to drive on the autobahn, when there isn't a stau. Stuttgart is notorious for terrible traffic.

dicer

That looks great, lucky find, nice miles and price too boot. Yeah the radio has to go. Does it have the cd in the trunk? And it looks like trac and heated seats, headlite washer? The above ash tray switches???
Hard to see but looks like driver memory too. Its not a 93. Keep it nice, waxed etc.

spirtnoye

It was a decent find. I'm incredibly happy with it, which is why I've been scouring original-ish parts for it (like radio and possible dash swap for US use). I've already made an appointment to have a couple scratches looked at and appraised for repair. It does have the CD in the trunk though I haven't been able to get it to open the door and pop out the CD loading tray. Traction control and heated seats, yes, plus driver memory and power seatbelt height adjustment. So many things for a 1990. It blew my friend's mind that it has all of those amenities. Again, I can talk about this car all day, and my co-workers have begun to start looking into the LS series of vehicles since we've all been cruising around in mine.

It just needs a few things to be back up to a better, more showroom-like spec. Luckily, they're all cosmetic and not mechanical at this point. It's even got me thinking of picking up one of those LS430's from the 2001-2007 time period. I like the styling on those as well, so maybe when I get back to the states, I'll snag one of those. I still am in awe that it has everything on it that my '08 Range Rover does, and this is a 1990! It's more reliable than my friend's '04 BMW 325Ci (though I keep reminding him that it's the poor man's M3, since I've owned the E46 M3 in the states, it's only right to jab at him since he likes to remind me how old my car is).

Midengtoy

iTrader: (3)

Nice pick up I use to have one just like it which I miss much. It looks pretty clean do they use salt in Germany for snow and ice?

dicer

Just don't let them repaint any panels. A small touch up is fine not a whole fender or door or what ever, keep the factory paint if its good. I'd rather a reclear than a repaint, if the clear is fading out. The CD is likely unplugged and since there is no factory radio in it then it of course won't work right. Wait till the radio is found. It has power steering extend, and head rests if it has all that other stuff. So the extra button is head light washer then?
Dash swap? You mean the cluster ? Dash is the same. So was the timing belt done? Its due at 90,000 or so and especially with the age it is.