New 1993 UCF11 owner - story and questions
11-10-12, 07:45 PM
#1
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: CA
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
New 1993 UCF11 owner - story and questions
Bought a 1993 UCF11 LS400. But first there's a backstory behind my purchase:
>>>
Back in '93 my freshman year in college, I had a propensity to drive a lot of different cars, whether it be my friends', car dealers, or clients when I worked as a high-end mobile auto detailer. I had a long trip between North and Southern CA planned and back inside a weekend. At that time I drove a red '89 Civic Si hatchback. My girlfriend of 4 years at that time, high school sweetheart who followed me over to college (bad idea for my first year grades!). Anyway, I convinced the resident dorm manager to rent a silver/black '93 LS400 from Enterprise with only 990 miles on it under her name and I paid the $400 (!!) tab for the weekend getaway.
I remember the distinctive smell of brand new Lexus leather, softness and the comfort of the back seats. Took it up north where the GF's parents being Mercedes' folk, impressed with it.
Hit 145mph on the I-5 a few times, but I passed a 18-wheeler doing so one time and the windforce threw the suspension off and the car bounced from side to side. Lesson learned.
Returned the car 600+ miles later in 3 days. I was jaded.
Fast forward to 1997, me (single and lovin' it) during my last year in college (I took a year off in '94 and moved to the SoCal OC area) I got involved with a 38yo "cougar", newly divorced with two kids, a $5500 alimony payment and an affinity for ahem..."partying."
And she drove......yes, a white/tan 1993 Lexus LS400!
For the good part of a year to year half we beat around in that car, all over SoCal.
I saw the commercial and tried this myself: take a foam cup brim-full of water and place on intake manifold. Rev engine to 5k rpm. Water stays still without the cup spilleth over.
I did 145mph again running three people in the car. Borrowed it a few times for weeks at a time. I really dug luxury and 4 cam V8 power at the time.
Yes I was fearless and crazy at that day. Not so much now.
Fast forward to today. I own several youngtimer classic Mercedes. All LS400's I've seen were always trashed, so I thought nothing of them until a friend had one and was selling. Same silver/black as the one I rented back in 1993. This same LS400 here has the same distinctive interior smell indicating a well-cared for and non-smoker car, which I like. Timing belt done and all records. 138K. Tool kit intact and pristine. So I bought it. I have seen many LS400's go to garbage courtesy of ghetto owners and deferred maintenance. But not this one.
I don't like Toyotas in general for their appliancey, vanilla-like stature but I like the first-gen LS's and firsthand experience with a couple led me to believe the best bang for the buy and for kids safety, this was a slam dunk.
>>>
So I am happy with the car, especially for the price. The engineering that went into designing these cars was top-class for its time, and I appreciate fine craftmanship. The later Lexus'es seem to be lacking in this regard as they progressed from quality to quantity in the later years.
Questions I had:
Hesitation: The white one I drove back in 1997 had this BAD. This one not so much, but I do feel some stuttering intermittently. Cap kit of the ECM as described in other thread a good start?
Fuel/temp needles - Some fading, needles are not lit all the length-wise. Is this a cap-kit solution, or are these indicative of the bulbs/neon tubes (?) going bad, like fluorescent tubes do? See pic below.
Leatherique: The interior was VERY well preserved, though a small minor amount of sun got to some parts of the seats. I'd like to make the leather soft and supple. Leatherique been used on Lexus leather with good results here? Different makes have different leather, hence my question here. I've had good results with my MB's and Recaro seats.
LCD panel for climate - Common blacked-out syndrome. Anyone have a UCF11 panel they'd like to sell?
Glass idle: The car does not have the glass idle I had grown accustomed to when they were new. Though it is close. Feels like a misaligned pulley/fan, of sorts. Is it normal to feel minor vibrations on the gear selector lever? I may just be too perfectionist, as this is a 20 year old car though if there is room for improvement, I like to take it!
I bought this car for my kids' safety, did not want car payments to deal with, so all in all I am extremely happy.
I was thinking of upgrading the rims to chrome OEM 1993-4 ones. Anyone w/ a set they'd like to sell, LMK!
Here's a few pics:
>>>
Back in '93 my freshman year in college, I had a propensity to drive a lot of different cars, whether it be my friends', car dealers, or clients when I worked as a high-end mobile auto detailer. I had a long trip between North and Southern CA planned and back inside a weekend. At that time I drove a red '89 Civic Si hatchback. My girlfriend of 4 years at that time, high school sweetheart who followed me over to college (bad idea for my first year grades!). Anyway, I convinced the resident dorm manager to rent a silver/black '93 LS400 from Enterprise with only 990 miles on it under her name and I paid the $400 (!!) tab for the weekend getaway.
I remember the distinctive smell of brand new Lexus leather, softness and the comfort of the back seats. Took it up north where the GF's parents being Mercedes' folk, impressed with it.
Hit 145mph on the I-5 a few times, but I passed a 18-wheeler doing so one time and the windforce threw the suspension off and the car bounced from side to side. Lesson learned.
Returned the car 600+ miles later in 3 days. I was jaded.
Fast forward to 1997, me (single and lovin' it) during my last year in college (I took a year off in '94 and moved to the SoCal OC area) I got involved with a 38yo "cougar", newly divorced with two kids, a $5500 alimony payment and an affinity for ahem..."partying."
And she drove......yes, a white/tan 1993 Lexus LS400!
For the good part of a year to year half we beat around in that car, all over SoCal.
I saw the commercial and tried this myself: take a foam cup brim-full of water and place on intake manifold. Rev engine to 5k rpm. Water stays still without the cup spilleth over.
I did 145mph again running three people in the car. Borrowed it a few times for weeks at a time. I really dug luxury and 4 cam V8 power at the time.
Yes I was fearless and crazy at that day. Not so much now.
Fast forward to today. I own several youngtimer classic Mercedes. All LS400's I've seen were always trashed, so I thought nothing of them until a friend had one and was selling. Same silver/black as the one I rented back in 1993. This same LS400 here has the same distinctive interior smell indicating a well-cared for and non-smoker car, which I like. Timing belt done and all records. 138K. Tool kit intact and pristine. So I bought it. I have seen many LS400's go to garbage courtesy of ghetto owners and deferred maintenance. But not this one.
I don't like Toyotas in general for their appliancey, vanilla-like stature but I like the first-gen LS's and firsthand experience with a couple led me to believe the best bang for the buy and for kids safety, this was a slam dunk.
>>>
So I am happy with the car, especially for the price. The engineering that went into designing these cars was top-class for its time, and I appreciate fine craftmanship. The later Lexus'es seem to be lacking in this regard as they progressed from quality to quantity in the later years.
Questions I had:
Hesitation: The white one I drove back in 1997 had this BAD. This one not so much, but I do feel some stuttering intermittently. Cap kit of the ECM as described in other thread a good start?
Fuel/temp needles - Some fading, needles are not lit all the length-wise. Is this a cap-kit solution, or are these indicative of the bulbs/neon tubes (?) going bad, like fluorescent tubes do? See pic below.
Leatherique: The interior was VERY well preserved, though a small minor amount of sun got to some parts of the seats. I'd like to make the leather soft and supple. Leatherique been used on Lexus leather with good results here? Different makes have different leather, hence my question here. I've had good results with my MB's and Recaro seats.
LCD panel for climate - Common blacked-out syndrome. Anyone have a UCF11 panel they'd like to sell?
Glass idle: The car does not have the glass idle I had grown accustomed to when they were new. Though it is close. Feels like a misaligned pulley/fan, of sorts. Is it normal to feel minor vibrations on the gear selector lever? I may just be too perfectionist, as this is a 20 year old car though if there is room for improvement, I like to take it!
I bought this car for my kids' safety, did not want car payments to deal with, so all in all I am extremely happy.
I was thinking of upgrading the rims to chrome OEM 1993-4 ones. Anyone w/ a set they'd like to sell, LMK!
Here's a few pics:
11-10-12, 08:09 PM
#3
looks awesome, and great story behind it. As far as your questions, I've had some similar issues, as I have the 93 also.
Hesitation: the caps are a good start I'd say, I haven't tried it though to know if it will solve it
Fuel/temp needles - mine did that plus the whole panel not lighting until warm. I took it to Circuit Board Medics and got it fixed for like $175 but there are a ton of places to do it, and the needles as well. Theres a mother thread about it
Leatherique: couldn't tell u, I've always just used armor all leather wipes, and lexus leather conditioner from sewellparts.com
LCD panel for climate - they sell rebuilt ones on ebay for like $80 if you send them your broken one
Glass idle: gear shift vibration usually means a worn transmission mount
Hesitation: the caps are a good start I'd say, I haven't tried it though to know if it will solve it
Fuel/temp needles - mine did that plus the whole panel not lighting until warm. I took it to Circuit Board Medics and got it fixed for like $175 but there are a ton of places to do it, and the needles as well. Theres a mother thread about it
Leatherique: couldn't tell u, I've always just used armor all leather wipes, and lexus leather conditioner from sewellparts.com
LCD panel for climate - they sell rebuilt ones on ebay for like $80 if you send them your broken one
Glass idle: gear shift vibration usually means a worn transmission mount
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Stereorob
LS - 1st and 2nd Gen (1990-2000)
25
12-13-15 12:39 PM
