tasmisr

hi,,
I'm stuck between two offers:
1- lexus LS400 1991 V8, it has 116,000 miles in excellent conditions (except a scratch in the rear pumber). the seller asks 6400$
2- a Honda Prelude 1994, S model with 116,000 miles in prefect shape and looks like a brand new honda. and it's for 4800$ ..

I know there is mush difference between the two cars, the Lexus is LEXUS!! , and it's so nice to ride,have a nice engine , but 1991 is kinda oldee for older people (I'm 26 years old)...alsooo I will spend a lot on Gas,, and the most Important thing I'm worried about is if something goes wrong with the car,, how expensive are Lexus Parts....

the other option, the prelude, it got a small v4 engine, it looks very sporty car...I would spend 1600$ on it to get Body kits and Wing and CD Player...but I'm kinda aware of how much Hondas parts cost....

I need an input ,
Thanx

By the way, I have right now a Camaro 1998 convertible.

ychachad

Getting the LS400 is a no brainer. However, at your age, I'd be also looking into long term repairs and insurance costs which may work in favour of the Honda. Hondas are not put together as well as Tototas. Looks wise, the LS400 1st gen wins hands down, it still looks fresh with its smashing looks, and not just for older people. The Honda looks outdated, and gives you the boy-racer look. All-in-all, go with the Lexus.
Y. Chachad

BAWLEX94

but the guy also asked how expensive parts are for the lexus....i don't know exactly how much LS400 parts cost cause i drive an ES....but i know that the parts for lexus will defintely be more expensive than honda parts...

and also, lets not lie and say nothing will go wrong with his lexus...lets face it, things do happen to cars and LEXUS is not impervious to that........but basically, if affording parts is going to become an important issue, it might be best to go with the honda, because lexus will defintely cost you in that department.....things dont go wrong OFTEN with lexus, but they DO go wrong from time to time.....good luck

tasmisr

thx guys for your help....
I think I will go for the honda ...less expensive to maintain..,, lower insurance ..easier to sell later...
but deffinitly I will buy a lexus someday ,, I loved it from the test drive.

Lextreme

Beside LS400, Lexus also make few other lines. For your age, SC300 will fit you best. The SC300 is very sporty too. SC300 is way better than the Honda. Repair, lexus will be higher, but you will driving the best of the best from Japan.

RichChild

I have to cast my vote for getting the Lexus too.

I got a '93 LS when I was 24 and a bunch of my friends teased me for getting an old guy's car....but then they rode in it and the teasing stopped....

I still have the '93 but I just got a '00 LS too. I still like the '93 though. There is just something about that first gen LS that is intangible and timeless. Sure, it isn't as quiet, a little rougher ride (but I need new tires anyway) but I still love it. I had a Honda, an Infiniti and a Diamante and, seriously, they are all more or less disposable cars. The Lexus, even if you drive it into the ground, you won't forget it and you'll always find yourself comparing future cars to it. It is a bit pricey to get the Lexus fixed at the dealer, but, considering that you shouldn't have any major repairs to deal with, it all works out. Check for the power steering pump though. I would hope that the original owner got that taken care of. I did have the right rear coil spring snap on my '93 but that is a bit of a freakish thing and is not normal. Other than regular maintenance, costs shouldn't be much of a problem.

ATSOU

It has nothing to do with your age. Instead of buying me a brand new GS400 couple years ago,my dad passed his LS to me when I was only 21 and bought himself a boat and an brand new SUV Driving an LS doesn't make u look old, it makes u look mature Get the LS and some nice wheels, later when u see someone at ur age with a Prelude driving next to ur LS on the street, then u'll know that u made right decision.

Losiho

Agreed. I wish the 2nd gen LS400s came with visible dual tail pipes like the original LS400s did, the rear end looks so much more aggressive with them.

azari

Losiho,
You are totally right man; The 2 tailpipes are the bomb on the 1st gen LS400s So cool and they make a big difference in the way the car looks. I wonder why they stoped it in the later generations! Also, as someone else put it, the LS does not make you look old (like a Buick or Avalon would), instead it makes you look very classy and like someone who has a taste for cars. The first generation LS400s have the most timeless/classic design. I love them. [oh, I've seen the picture of the guy who designed the 1st gen LS400!]

Losiho

Something to do with improved aerodynamics and airflow underneath the car. I dunno, I prefer agro styling to aerodynamics, I've always loved the dual tailpipe design on XJ Jags too.

ychachad

That is one thing I hate about my MB S420, no tailpipes seen, and then only on one side.
And it is a pain to put chrome tips on it too since it needs the bumper to be cut away.
I love the dualies on my 1gen LS400.

Lextreme

Have you guys seen my tail pipes? 2 3" straight pipes with two 3.25 magnaflow chrome tail pipes.

tenpointed

Actually, the maintenance cost really wouldn't be much more than on the Honda. I had a 91 LS4 years ago and maintenance and repairs are fairly inexpensive, especially when compared to a Benz or BMW. Remember that Lexus is built by Toyota & Toyota parts are relatively cheap. Also, expect to average around 20 mpg on the Lexus, which wouldn't be much worse than the Honda.

Lastly, the Lexus really won't depreciate much over the next few years while the Honda will. Three years from now that Lexus will still be worth at least $5000 while the Honda will probably be worth about $1500. You could probably get the Lexus seller to come down at least $500 off the asking price, which makes the deal even more attractive.

dunn378

please go with the lex!! the ride home will convince you that you made the right choice!