SC4ME

hey everyone, im currently debating on whether to buy an ls. i really want to upgrade, just wanted to know what i should look out for? i found a 94' ls400 alpine silver (199) over black interior. 144,000 miles, looks to be in good shape. what are the prices currently at? how is it when it comes to modding? or maintenance... etc. i appreciate any input

Legender

Check the FAQ section for more info.
Use the search feature... question has been asked / answered a bunch of times.
They are great cars when you find them owned by older person who took great care of them
Having the VIN number allows you to use the Lexus site to look up maintenance info.
For a 94, I'd be looking int he $3k to $4k range... and be careful with the impacts of the weather on an older vehicle in your part of the country.
Good Luck.. .They are awesome cars, even at 20 years old.

Sc0pe

iTrader: (1)

For a '94 with that many miles, shoot for a price in the neighborhood of $3-4k (at least that's how stuff is in FL), maybe more if it's absolutely pristine.

There are 3 categories of modding; suspension, drivetrain, and aero.

Modding the suspension is all good, since most coilover platforms were prototyped on the 90-94 chassis, and you have companies like SERIALNINE releasing things like bushings, and soon, control arms.

Modding the drivetrain will be reasonable, as most of the actual go-fast mods are built for the 1LS, as opposed to the 2LS, which is basically custom all the way.

Modding the aero will be a little harder since you don't really have many people making aero for the 1LS anymore, so you'll probably need to import something from JDM-land, or make your own.

Maintenance will probably be a concern due to the age of the car as it is literally 20 years old. The timing belt, while a big concern, won't annihilate your engine if it were to break, unlike on a 98-00 LS, due to its non-interference design. Suspension should certainly be looked at, and if the car you're looking at now is equipped with air suspension, I would suggest looking for another car. Air struts are expensive to replace, unless you just swap out the old struts for coilovers.

Aside from that, there's DIYs for most maintenance procedures at LexLS.com.

SC4ME

thanks for the advice guys. im really sad the ls i was looking at was sold it was only $2500. my max is $4000 but it would have to be mint, i hope i can find a private owner selling one, i hate working with dealerships. yea i heard of the air suspension problem however, cant you just install 4 bags and a compressor? and are there any differences between the 93/94? i dont want a 92- due to the major improvements they made the following year. sorry for posting similar questions but i like reading comments directed at me.

dc893

For a first gen you really do want the 93-94 due to the improvements. I don't personally see spending over $3,000 on a first gen unless it is in mint condition. Most people who have had a failing air bag replace them with a regular OEM suspension or do coilovers.

SC4ME

are there any other common failures with this car? any rare ones i should look out for? i only have 4k to spend including everything so im tryna get a bang for the buck.

Legender

Again, spend some time reading the FAQs

SC4ME

im a little lazy, if you guys have any links id appreciate it

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

It's right there on the first page of the forum.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...questions.html

SC4ME

i read thru everything, nothing interesting tho.

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

Gauge clusters are sometimes problematic as well as climate control LCD.
Got to watch out for power steering O-ring wearing out and leaking onto the alternator.
I think those years have the wiring harness that sometimes get damaged on the trunk hinge which can cause weird electrical issues.
And of course the ECU caps problem that LScowboy has a whole thread about.
All very fixable though.

SC4ME

i have a 92 sc400 right now so yea those problems are all very common, are there any special editions or color combos that i should look out for?