Well I am considering going from a 94 LS400 to a 98/99 GS400. I have been looking at a few for sale and like the power and sporting nature of a newer GS vs my LS. Funny though, over on the LS board some said I should stick w/ my older LS! Well I have liked it a lot, it is very well built and thoroughly engineered; just might be time for an update and some more fun in the drive! So... LS or GS?

Questions for the GS gurus on here, give me some ideas of what to check for during a test drive or a walk around, some typical trouble areas if any, or signs that the car has an issue. Also what are some things to notice during a drive, tranny, noises, this or that. Interior trim or functions that may go out or switches that act up. And what are some clues under the hood for trouble spots or work done. I checked with the local Lexus service and it looks like from 50k to 100k the recommended service items are pretty minor, except for the timing belt/water pump at 90k and it was $989 for that.

I am looking at 65k plus mileage cars that are not certified, so I will have to go over the car pretty well. I am up to work on my cars when needed, just would like to be a well informed buyer so I don't over pay!

My price range is 17k to 19k, how low a mileage car will go for that price range or is it too low? (non NAV) ...

So post up what breaks, creaks, rattles, what might be a nuisance and what might be a $$$ big repair!! Hopefully the list is short!! Leaning towards white and the tan interior.

Thanks!

 

well both cars are rock solid so there is no real problems i can tell you

for around 19k, i think you can get a pretty decent mileage 98 or 99, maybe around 70k miles?

and between the two cars, i really say depends on what you want. the gs4 is quite a bit faster i believe, and it's a lot more sportier than the ls. however that also means a bit more road noise, and the comfort level might not be as good as the ls. also, the ls will have more space, so if you are big build that's a plus