New here, new to Lexus.
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Driver School Candidate
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 10
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From: MO
New here, new to Lexus.
I'm new to the forum and just bought my first Lexus. Looks like a great place with a lot of good info. I am a DIYer, so it's great to find a forum that talks about more than leather care products (nothing wrong with that, I just like my forums to go into more complicated issues).
While this is my first Lexus, I am an old hand with Toyota products having owned several 4Runners over the years. I just picked up a 99 GS300 in silver with just shy of 200,000 miles. I got a great deal on it, and best yet, it has full service records from the Lexus dealer from the day it was new.
I drove it six hours home this weekend and was astonished. At 200,000 miles, the thing is quieter, smoother and slicker than my wife's Audi with half the miles. Unlike the VW/Audi products we have had, there are no rattles, squeaks, creaks or other noises inside. Everything works, and the interior still looks like brand new. None of the crappy rubber-like finish on the VW/Audi products that peels off after two years and makes the interior look like crap.
There are two flaws with the car: one is a 2" tear in the leather on the driver's seat. I will probably try and find a skin someplace and replace it. The second flaw is that the backlighting on the factory stock head unit is not working. Radio and CD Changer all work fine, there is just no backlighting. I am going to take out the factory stereo and install an aftermarket system. I have not listened to a CD in six years. So give me a head unit with iPod support and Satellite radio, and I'm happy.
Otherwise, I have no plans to modify the car at all.
I will be availing myself of some of the DIY threads around here from time to time, I suspect.
No pictures yet. I have to leave it in the garage until I get license plates on it (you don't want to know how I got it home without license plates since the DMV is not open on weekends!
), and the cops in my neighborhood are militant about booting cars parked outside that don't have license plates. But one of these days, I'll probably post some.
Thanks again for what looks like a phenomenal resource!
While this is my first Lexus, I am an old hand with Toyota products having owned several 4Runners over the years. I just picked up a 99 GS300 in silver with just shy of 200,000 miles. I got a great deal on it, and best yet, it has full service records from the Lexus dealer from the day it was new.
I drove it six hours home this weekend and was astonished. At 200,000 miles, the thing is quieter, smoother and slicker than my wife's Audi with half the miles. Unlike the VW/Audi products we have had, there are no rattles, squeaks, creaks or other noises inside. Everything works, and the interior still looks like brand new. None of the crappy rubber-like finish on the VW/Audi products that peels off after two years and makes the interior look like crap.
There are two flaws with the car: one is a 2" tear in the leather on the driver's seat. I will probably try and find a skin someplace and replace it. The second flaw is that the backlighting on the factory stock head unit is not working. Radio and CD Changer all work fine, there is just no backlighting. I am going to take out the factory stereo and install an aftermarket system. I have not listened to a CD in six years. So give me a head unit with iPod support and Satellite radio, and I'm happy.
Otherwise, I have no plans to modify the car at all.
I will be availing myself of some of the DIY threads around here from time to time, I suspect.
No pictures yet. I have to leave it in the garage until I get license plates on it (you don't want to know how I got it home without license plates since the DMV is not open on weekends!
), and the cops in my neighborhood are militant about booting cars parked outside that don't have license plates. But one of these days, I'll probably post some. Thanks again for what looks like a phenomenal resource!
Welcome to club Lexus!
Check out the DIY threads, their are a lot of different ways to setup your stereo system. From using majority of stock components, to showing you how to wire up an indash. Good luck and keep everyone updated on your progress!
-Yamada
Check out the DIY threads, their are a lot of different ways to setup your stereo system. From using majority of stock components, to showing you how to wire up an indash. Good luck and keep everyone updated on your progress!
-Yamada
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Thread Starter
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 10
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From: MO
I will, and thanks. I have a spare Alpine head unit that is a media center. Does not have a cassette or CD player, but is designed to hook up to almost any portable media device imaginable. It's a decent double-din system. I'll probably install that with a decent amp and a small free-air sub in the rear (where the sub on a GS400 is). I'm not going into a competition with the thing, just as long as it sounds good and supports the technology I want.
Thread Starter
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 10
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From: MO
You should hear our rattle-trap Audi. There's this one annoying rattle under the dash I've been chasing for over a year, but I keep getting distracted by fixing things to keep it on the road. Good thing it has a good stereo system; you can just crank up the music and drown out the squeaks and rattles. And the interior does not age gracefully. The soft-touch rubber coating crap they spray on all the plastic looks and feels great until about 9 months later when it all peels off...
Overall, I'm really impressed with how the GS seems to have aged. It still drives and sounds like a new car.
Thread Starter
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: MO
