TexLS

I've been seeking to replace my first car, a trusty '90 Infiniti Q45, for a while, and recently I took a look at a '96 LS 400. Silver with gray interior, Nakamichi stereo, no heated seats or air suspension, 123k miles, excellent condition except for a parking lot scrape on the rear passenger side door (quoted at $750 to fix), offered at $6800.

A few observations from the test drive:

-Wow, the ride is incredible! I'd driven a couple of 1st-generation LS's before, which I thought were pretty smooth, but this one far better! The seller mentioned that he had recently replaced the shocks, struts, and front brakes.

-All of the power options work perfectly except for the power antenna (the motor runs, but the antenna clicks and stays down- I have the same problem with my Q45). Also, the keyless remote is missing (the owner says that he'll look for it). About how much would it cost to correct these issues? I could probably live with the antenna (if I could just get it to stay up all of the time), but I've gotta have remote entry.

-The A/C is ice cold (after the test drive condensation had appeared on the air vents!), but whenever the A/C was turned on I could hear a slight hissing/liquid noise from the engine compartment...it was hard to describe. It couldn't be heard from inside the car, and it seemed quieter after the car had warmed up. The owner said that his mechanic had mentioned that the A/C system was low on refrigerant; could this be causing the noise, or is the A/C compressor about to die? The compressor didn't knock or groan, it just made a hissing noise.

-The owner mentioned that the car leaked power steering fluid, but he wasn't sure if it was from the pump or from a hose. During the test drive the pump was silent, even when the wheel was cranked from lock to lock. How much would it cost to replace the pump or a hose?

Are there any particular issues to look for with these cars? Our mechanic agreed to take a look at the LS this Saturday, so hopefully he can catch any obvious problems (he highly recommended the car, by the way). We can afford to spend up to about $2000 getting this car in shape (if I can sell the Q45 for a reasonable amount), but we don't want to buy a money pit.

singh99999

The car sounds to be in pretty good shape, but having it checked out by a trusted mechanic first is always an excellent idea. As for the power steering problem, the second generation LS's are notorious for having to have the pump replaced. You can find a rebuilt pump or purchase a new one....so the price range for that will vary depending on which route you decide to take. Not too expensive to fix, but also not the cheapest problem....if it is leaking, get it fixed cause the dripping fluid tends to cause alternator problems and you might have to get the alternator replaced if you negelct power steering....it's kind of like this domino effect. So, best thing to do....just fix the power steering problem! The only other things I could think of from the top of my head would be to see if the bushings on the control arms are okay and see if the transmission/motor mounts need replacing. Hope this helps.

GRAND_LS 4

iTrader: (2)

I thought they fixed the power steering pump in the 95+? I know for sure it was a big issue for the 90-94 lexus models.

ychachad

I'd pass on this one. I just purchased a mint 1995 LS400 for $8k, without a scratch, or problem, and with more options that you have with 122k miles. But in addition, when you consider all the other things you'll have to do to maker her perfect, you can easily add another $2-3K, in addition to all the problems you have discussed, which I think will run another $2-3k to fix or patch. For example, if you don't have all the records, then, immediately, you should look at oil/filter, transmission flluid, bleeding brake fluid, PS fluid, spark plugs, air filter, wheel alignment, tyres, wipers, differential fluid, serpentine belt, timing belt, coolant flush, better headlamps, etc, etc, you can see what's going to happen. Get a better maintained LS400 without damage for slightly more money, you'll be happier in the long run.

TexLS

Thanks for the advice guys. We went ahead and purchased the car today; we'll be picking it up this Monday. Our mechanic wasn't able to make it to look over the car, so we checked all the obvious stuff ourselves; we looked at the fluids, drove at low speeds over rough roads with the windows down (no noises/clunks from suspension or bushings), and took an extended highway drive (no vibrations noticed at any speed, so alignment/driveline/suspension seem okay). The car drove perfectly, just like new, so hopefully we won't need to do too much work off the bat aside from replacing the P/S pump and changing some fluids. The car seems to have been kept up pretty well; the owner had Lexus service records up through 75k miles; after that he took it to independent shops for routine maintenance. I noticed that the A/C noise disappears as soon as the car warms up; it sounded like a belt (serpentine belt maybe?), so hopefully the compressor is fine.

Wow, ychachad, you got a great deal on your car! Here in South Texas these big Lexuses are always in high demand, and consequently the prices on Gen-2 LS's rarely dip below $10k. For example, yesterday we found another '96 LS advertised locally with about 120k miles in slightly better condition (and without a scrape) that was being offered at $11,500.

ychachad

Congratulations on your purchase. I lived in Big Spring (boonies) TX, a few years ago. I did most of the work on my car by myself, so if you need to do any maintenance, simply ask. It can save you a ton of $$$. All it takes is an investment in some simple tools, a bit of patience, time, and hard work. But the satisfaction of a job well done, and the rewards of a silky smooth running car are great. Enjoy your ride.

GRAND_LS 4

iTrader: (2)

congrats on the purchase.

RedAE102

I know this is a bit late, and congratulations on your purchase. Here's a few of the problems we've had with our '96 LS:
>Electric antenna failed, did exactly as you describe. $130 for parts (I installed it myself, Lexus dealer wanted $180 total to do it)
>Front castor bars cracked 3 times, all 3 times Lexus replaced free of charge (longitudinal bars connect the front subframe to the steering knuckles) (last two times were at 55,000 and 75,000 miles, respectively)
>EGR cross pipe cracked, causing exhaust noise for first few miles in the morning, and then, "Check Engine" light came on. $300 to replace, as I recall.
>There was a starter switch recall back when the car had 19,000 miles on it. Check to make sure that was remedied. They came out, picked up the car on a flatbed, took it to the dealer, fixed it, and brought it back, freshly detailed.
>Rear carrier bushing has cracked twice, but that's because we're in Southern California, where ground-level ozone is high, eating plasticisers in rubber bushings (and tyres), making them crack... so probably not a concern for you
>Electric tilt/telescope steering wheel occasionally hiccups and doesn't retract fully. putting the key back in the ignition for a second and pulling it out remedies this.
>In the past few months, something has been causing the HEIGHT HI light to come on at random times... and I say this because ours does not have the air suspension. electrical gremlins... gotta love them

That's it for now...