bhormann

Hello there. I have been exclusively driving Toyotas since I got my license six years ago (multiple tercels, supra, and the latest being a V6 Solara manual). However, yesterday evening I purchased a local one owner 97 LS400 with 141k well cared for, and well documented miles. Being only twenty-three years old I feel like a million bucks driving this car. It is a true cream puff!

Sadly, since these cars are becoming harder and harder to find in the midwest, especially one well cared for enough to want to buy, so I had to purchase it from a dealer. I ended up paying close to high retail for the car, although since I also traded the Solara I felt a little better about the situation.

There are very few scratches and dings which is nice. The interior is in pristine shape. Everything works except for the drivers heated seat, and a broken antenna mast. There is noise coming from the leaking power steering rack (dealer will split cost), but other than that the car is running perfectly.

My mechanic checked the car out prior to me signing papers and this is what he found :
-leaking power steering rack and light noise
-valve cover gaskets have a very slight leak
-the spark plug wires are original put the plugs oddly enough are not (car does not miss, runs and idles smooth)
-the front lower ball joints have play but I would never have noticed
-the timing belt was replace 7 years ago with 90k miles

Yet despite these issues, I paid a total of $6750 prior to tax and tags. The few others within a 500 mile radius with similar mileage were going around the same price so I figured to just jump on the car. Despite the high cost of maintenance and repairs these cars are rather reliable if taken care of.

I plan to keep this car as long as humanly possible and perhaps one day reach my goal of 500k miles. If anybody has any advice for me whatsoever regarding best oil, additives, DIY repairs, etc. please feel free to post.

RA40

iTrader: (6)

Welcome to Club Lexus and congrats on the LS.

The FAQ covers many of the aspects of the LS that could come to mind as supplemental reading on these cars.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...questions.html

Post up a pic, nice to see well cared for samples out there.

LScowboyLS

the rack may look wet with fluid, but it is not the rack that is leaking, it is likely either the o-ring between fluid reservoir and pump, high or low pressure hoses, or o-rings within the pump

regardless of which of these three it is, you do not need an expensive rack, the fluid has just migrated down there, however, you had better make fixing these power steering leak(s) your number one priority, or you will be buying a new alternator! (your alternator is getting soaked in power steering fluid as we speak, trust me!)


I would not worry about this at all, until after a few years when it gets bad enough to smell a burnt oil smell inside the car from the oil leaking down far enough to hit the hot manifold, which is annoying, in the meantime, just watch the oil level between changes.


definitely replace wires and plugs with NGK or Densos (amazon or rockauto.com are cheapest) - your wires are nearly 20 years old, c'mon man, it's time!

and replace distributor caps and rotors with the genuine Toyota parts from a discount online Lexus dealership such as Sewell Lexus where you get a large ~30% discount with your Club Lexus username


ball joints affect tire wear and safety, replace if they are indeed bad


replace it again at 180K - use the Aisin TKT-030 kit for a low cost way to get all genuine Toyota parts

usoff89

iTrader: (2)

Pictures please!!!! We have another member on here with a coach edition also. "Atlaslexus", you should check his out.

bhormann

Car is a little dusty and salty right now because we are still getting snow every week in Iowa. Will post better ones once I wax her up.

[IMG][/IMG]



As for the repairs, the power steering will be fixed by the end of next month, and I will certainly be doing a tune-up shortly after. This is the first vehicle I've owned where much of the maintenance will have to be done by a mechanic rather than myself, I'm bracing myself for the expense.

Legender

You can do the maintenance on this... It's just a nicer toyota... don't let it intimidate you. Plenty of help here on the forum.
Nice ride and nice job on finding such a clean specimen...
Welcome to the club.

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

I see they put the 98-00 wheels on there, the car looks real good.

bhormann

[QUOTE] You can do the maintenance on this... It's just a nicer toyota... don't let it intimidate you. Plenty of help here on the forum./QUOTE]

Do you really think I can do things like a tune-up with just basic hand tools and moderate knowledge? I've really only done tune-ups on 4cyl and my V6 solara which was a PAIN to get to the lower three plugs..

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

Tune up is abreeze. Most parts you can take off with a 10mm socket.

Greg5OH

10mm, 12mm, 14mm, 19mm. So far only sockets ive needed. Maybe a 21 on the front BJ.
10 mm ftw!

bhormann

Hmm. I've hear they're much easier on the 98-00 model years. I've been scouring youtube for tune-up videos for the 97. So far no luck, but you are making curious as to if I should it myself (which I would prefer to do).

dveneman

Nobody cares as much for your car as you do.
If I have the time and the repair is not pressing, I always feel better when I have done the work.
And usually grouchy about the job someone else did.

Legender

look at the lexls.com web site for tutorials...not that much different...

LScowboyLS

just don't fall into the trap of using Autozone/Advance/O'Reilly/NAPA parts for everything, or your incredibly reliable Japanese Lexus which is built out of the highest quality two brands of parts in the world, namely Nippon Denso and Aisin, will quickly become the same Chinese junk that the parts you are buying from those places consists of!

Better to get a 25-30% discount on genuine Toyota parts at real Lexus dealerships that sell at a discount online

● Sewell Lexus parts in Texas (you need to register your Club Lexus name for the large discount)
● Lexus of South Atlanta Parts in Atlanta (often lowest parts prices from a Lexus dealership on genuine Toyota parts)
● Lexus Parts Now (largest inventory, multiple dealerships, great pricing)
● Park Place Lexus parts in Texas (free shipping)
● Amayama in Japan (this one is 60-70% off, but takes two weeks)

RA40

iTrader: (6)

The '97 Coach Edition featured the '98 wheel style included as the standard option package. The center arm rest will also have an embossed Coach emblem on each side and the perforated seats.

I've seen so called "Coach" editions that were the standard LS400 but they had put the silver emblem on the trunk and tried to pass it off. No embossed emblem or perforated seats... I believe there were specific colors for the Coach Ed but I'm not familiar what they were.