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Wow, sorry to hear that Rob, I was thinking cancer or something, and wow almost as bad, at least for you. And what a crook she was stealing like that. What goes around comes around though. Nice you have your car project, next get a good dog it will be more faithful. Take care.
I hadn't read through the whole thread here before posting, and crap about your car getting hit, maybe the old toilet plunger trick will pop it back out, or a good windshield suction cup lift tool, try not to paint if possible. If it has to be painted doing the whole car would be best, but with some of that rust and cracks??? Which should be welded up, don't know if that was done, the one near the suspension in #3 post.
sadly rust is a thing on this car. it was originally in the rust belt the first 10 years and thanks to that the underbelly is rotted to holy hell. cant tell anywhere else on the car but theres a small rust bubble starting at the top of the windshield on the right side.
Stereorob- I've read your story & can relate to the love of your 95. I too have a 97 bought it almost new (at 1 year old) so it has been w/ me & the family for 20 years. These Lexus LS400's are truly timepiece & considered one of the best cars ever made. Even though mine is 21 years old now but it still looks & runs flawlessly as I have been taking great care of it. Living in Southern California also help a great deal. I currently have 7 cars & 1/2 of them purchased new but of all the cars I've owned, I have to say I love my 97 Lexus LS400 the most. It has taken my family & I to so many places & also has given us so much memories than any other cars, that's why it really have a sentimental value to me. I've made a promise that I'll keep it forever.
Your story is well written & by far one of the best stories I have ever heard. Your perseverance in life & dedication to this car is simply amazing so try to get it back in shape. It'll be well worth it or at the least you'll feel a sense of accomplishment. Best of luck.
Stereorob- I've read your story & can relate to the love of your 95. I too have a 97 bought it almost new (at 1 year old) so it has been w/ me & the family for 20 years. These Lexus LS400's are truly timepiece & considered one of the best cars ever made. Even though mine is 21 years old now but it still looks & runs flawlessly as I have been taking great care of it. Living in Southern California also help a great deal. I currently have 7 cars & 1/2 of them purchased new but of all the cars I've owned, I have to say I love my 97 Lexus LS400 the most. It has taken my family & I to so many places & also has given us so much memories than any other cars, that's why it really have a sentimental value to me. I've made a promise that I'll keep it forever.
Your story is well written & by far one of the best stories I have ever heard. Your perseverance in life & dedication to this car is simply amazing so try to get it back in shape. It'll be well worth it or at the least you'll feel a sense of accomplishment. Best of luck.
thanks for sharing, this was nice to read
one thing i'll be forever bitter about is never being able to know what the LS was like to use when it was brand spankin new... it's still soooo nice now but ughhhhh when it was literally being driven out of the showroom it must've been THE best thing ever, even more so than it still is
Stroock639- Back then I was debating between the Lexus LS400 & the Infinity Q45. The Q45 was quicker but I didn't like the look of it so I went w/ the LS400 & I'm glad I've made the right choice. I still remember vividly that 1st day when I brought it home & parked in my driveway. My wife was shock & my kids loved it. My across the street neighbor w/ a new 3-series BMW literally ran over for a look & he was drooling all over it. I gave him a ride & he couldn't believe how luxurious & buttery smooth the ride was. I saw his face lit up & he was grinning from ear to ear. The next day, I drove it to work & all of my colleagues were drooling all over the car as well. Moments like those have left a lasting impression on me & that's why I still have the car to this day. It's priceless!
Stroock639- Back then I was debating between the Lexus LS400 & the Infinity Q45. The Q45 was quicker but I didn't like the look of it so I went w/ the LS400 & I'm glad I've made the right choice. I still remember vividly that 1st day when I brought it home & parked in my driveway. My wife was shock & my kids loved it. My across the street neighbor w/ a new 3-series BMW literally ran over for a look & he was drooling all over it. I gave him a ride & he couldn't believe how luxurious & buttery smooth the ride was. I saw his face lit up & he was grinning from ear to ear. The next day, I drove it to work & all of my colleagues were drooling all over the car as well. Moments like those have left a lasting impression on me & that's why I still have the car to this day. It's priceless!
i'll always remember someone on MBworld describing their old LS as "like a rolex on wheels" which i always liked lol
the LS is like lightyears beyond the 3 series as far as luxuriousness goes, i imagine he would be very impressed
BMWs have firm, stiff seats and a firm, stiff ride, but a 3 series is definitely preferred through some tight twisty corners
one thing i'll be forever bitter about is never being able to know what the LS was like to use when it was brand spankin new... it's still soooo nice now but ughhhhh when it was literally being driven out of the showroom it must've been THE best thing ever, even more so than it still is
i was lucky enough to be able to experience what one was like brand new, well damn close to it. when i was 16, back in 2000, i was working for a friend of my dads who was a real estate broker. id drive around, take pictures, and put signs up for him. my dad was a hardcore BMW guy. well, my boss (dads friend) just picked up a brand new 1999 Ls400. ill never forget it. navy blue with tan interior. i remember riding in it with 120 miles on it and i thought it was the coolest car ever. dad had a 740iL at the time and felt it was superior and poked fun at it. well, my boss was pissed at my dad for dissing his new car, so we all went to lunch one day, and my boss went kind of crazy and started driving it like a bat out of hell, scaring my dad half to death. ill never forget my dad with a death grip on the oh **** handle yelling "jim, what the **** man what the ****!!!" im in the back seat sliding across the leather seats laughing so hard i could barley breathe. them him dropping my dad back at his office, telling jim "**** you *******" and slamming the door behind him. i was cracking up. after seeing what the car was capable of it made me love it even more. from that moment on i was hell bent of *somehow* aquiring one. problem was a 16 year old kid making 6 bucks an hour wasnt gunna get a $68,000 new lexus lol. ended up saving every penny i had to my name, hustling as much as i possibly could selling off all my electronics, mowing yards, busting my *** to hell and saving for a year till i could get something at least close. i DID manage to get my own Ls400 when i was 17, -the cheapest, oldest, most rundown one for sale in the area, a 1990 pearl white on grey model with ripped up seats, a quarter of a million miles on it and hooned to death, but it was all i could afford. being that it wasnt a german car i had absolutley no help from my folks getting it (dad wanted me in an older 740i) but i turned it down and went for the lexus. they wouldnt even give me a ride to go look at it. ill never forget that bus ride i took 40 miles and walking 5 miles in the blistering heat, dead of summer, to get that car and how i could barley contain myself about how exited i was to be getting one finally. but thats a whole other story in its own. THATS the one i wish i still had. my first, that i had to go through hell and back to get, and went through so many phases of my life with. (i had the car 8 years)
Some 18 months ago, I'd just bought my near-mint '98 in Fjord Mist. It was my third LS400 and the one. One day I parked it at the train station and went to work. When I got back - walking towards the car - I just froze in my tracks as this is what I saw...
Amazingly, the woman who did this at least had the courtesy to leave her contact details under the wiper, but then there are cameras all over so she probably realized she wouldn't get away with it.
What was galling was the fact that her insurance company would not pay out enough to get the job done properly - so I had to foot the excess of £200 and use some second-hand parts. The paint job is pretty good, but the gap between the hood and the light is wrong to the tune of 2mm or so - nobody else would notice but I certainly do!
So my perfect car did not stay perfect for long....
the gap between the hood and the light is wrong to the tune of 2mm or so - nobody else would notice but I certainly do!
I also feel your pain with regards to fitment. I spent a good amount of time adjusting panel fitment, so I think I might be able to help. How is the fitment between your hood and fender? If the hood is a little higher than the fender at the front, you can turn the hood cusion clockwise on the hood to lower it, bringing it closer to the lens. Here's an image of what I mean:
Just note that you don't want to adjust it too much at once. If you're unsure, a quarter turn at a time will help you see how things change. Also, note the cushion's original position before adjusting.
If the hood lines up with the fender fine, the headlight bracket may need to be adjusted, but that requires more work and may just be worth leaving things as-is.
EDIT: When adjusting the hood, also check the hood to bumper spacing.
Originally Posted by Stroock639
one thing i'll be forever bitter about is never being able to know what the LS was like to use when it was brand spankin new...
I've thought about this too. Other than cosmetics, I feel the experience would be more or less the same, given good maintenance. Whenever this thought comes to mind, I always recall this commercial from 1990, "because any car can be new today. We want to be new, tomorrow."
When I was 16 my dads friend had a new Eldorado.He would toss me the keys,tell me be careful and be back in a half hour,hour,whatever.That was the coolest thing ever,a fond memory to this day.
i was lucky enough to be able to experience what one was like brand new, well damn close to it. when i was 16, back in 2000, i was working for a friend of my dads who was a real estate broker. id drive around, take pictures, and put signs up for him. my dad was a hardcore BMW guy. well, my boss (dads friend) just picked up a brand new 1999 Ls400. ill never forget it. navy blue with tan interior. i remember riding in it with 120 miles on it and i thought it was the coolest car ever. dad had a 740iL at the time and felt it was superior and poked fun at it. well, my boss was pissed at my dad for dissing his new car, so we all went to lunch one day, and my boss went kind of crazy and started driving it like a bat out of hell, scaring my dad half to death. ill never forget my dad with a death grip on the oh **** handle yelling "jim, what the **** man what the ****!!!" im in the back seat sliding across the leather seats laughing so hard i could barley breathe. them him dropping my dad back at his office, telling jim "**** you *******" and slamming the door behind him. i was cracking up. after seeing what the car was capable of it made me love it even more. from that moment on i was hell bent of *somehow* aquiring one. problem was a 16 year old kid making 6 bucks an hour wasnt gunna get a $68,000 new lexus lol. ended up saving every penny i had to my name, hustling as much as i possibly could selling off all my electronics, mowing yards, busting my *** to hell and saving for a year till i could get something at least close. i DID manage to get my own Ls400 when i was 17, -the cheapest, oldest, most rundown one for sale in the area, a 1990 pearl white on grey model with ripped up seats, a quarter of a million miles on it and hooned to death, but it was all i could afford. being that it wasnt a german car i had absolutley no help from my folks getting it (dad wanted me in an older 740i) but i turned it down and went for the lexus. they wouldnt even give me a ride to go look at it. ill never forget that bus ride i took 40 miles and walking 5 miles in the blistering heat, dead of summer, to get that car and how i could barley contain myself about how exited i was to be getting one finally. but thats a whole other story in its own. THATS the one i wish i still had. my first, that i had to go through hell and back to get, and went through so many phases of my life with. (i had the car 8 years)
I had a good laugh. One heck of a story. I'm sure we all have similar stories & can relate to that. Thanks for sharing.
now with 1000 solid new miles and several weeks of driving under its belt, heres whats going on..
general observations.
has a firmer, flatter ride then my 2000. rips through hard corners like an animal. the steering gear is shot but the shocks are much stiffer with way less body roll
its easier to hit triple digit speeds in this car. took it to about 115 the other day. on smooth asphalt it rides like the best. however if the road itsnt perfect, it can be scary.
highways that are currently under construction at high speeds are downright terrifying as the front end is shot to ****.
needs brakes desperately. the rotors are shot to **** and the steering wheel shakes violently when braking
master window switch started working again. for years it didnt and i had to roll each window down manually. now all four can be rolled down up front. woohoo!
check engine light back on. needs a sensor on the cat.
engine/transmission are rock solid, but the rest of the car is a rolling wreck still.
@Stereorob , I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I can appreciate that your baby has a very long and complex history. Definitely has character! Looking forward to the updates. And that I'm digging that Jade green
I've thought about this too. Other than cosmetics, I feel the experience would be more or less the same, given good maintenance. Whenever this thought comes to mind, I always recall this commercial from 1990, "because any car can be new today. We want to be new, tomorrow."
oh don't get me wrong i'm not complaining or anything, but knowing what i know about it's design process and that the LS 400 is a product of the relentless pursuit of perfection era of lexus, i just can't help but think that it must've perfect when it first rolled out of the showroom. to get to walk into the dealer to take delivery of your brand new LS 400, all freshly painted and detailed with not a single blemish, that's a genuine priceless moment to feel very proud about.
going from even a brand new 2018 corolla into a 20 year old (well maintained) LS is such a giant leap forward, i get all giddy just thinking about what it must've been like to step out of a 1998 corolla and into a brand new 1998 LS. and the corolla is a great car!
oh don't get me wrong i'm not complaining or anything, but knowing what i know about it's design process and that the LS 400 is a product of the relentless pursuit of perfection era of lexus, i just can't help but think that it must've perfect when it first rolled out of the showroom. to get to walk into the dealer to take delivery of your brand new LS 400, all freshly painted and detailed with not a single blemish, that's a genuine priceless moment to feel very proud about.
going from even a brand new 2018 corolla into a 20 year old (well maintained) LS is such a giant leap forward, i get all giddy just thinking about what it must've been like to step out of a 1998 corolla and into a brand new 1998 LS. and the corolla is a great car!
i know what its like to drive an almost brand new one. got to drive a 99 when it was only a few months old with about 50 miles on it. thats about as new as it gets. and yeah, it was amazing. thats what made me fall in love with these cars way back. i was 15, with a learners permit when i got to drive it about 20 miles. i remember every single second of that ride and have re-lived it countless times over the years..
heres the thing. no matter what, no matter how well kept, how low the miles are, it will never ever feel the same way as it did off the showroom floor. its impossible. yes, close but not exact. when i bought my 00 in absolutley pristine condition i was chasing that feeling. yes, miles are lower, it was absolutley babied and everything on it is perfect, but time is an enemy and will still age stuff. it doesnt feel like that 99 i drove in 99. ive driven several pristine low mile examples that showed up in the trade-in lot here at the dealership as well. still not at that level of being brand spanking new.
it was a once in a lifetime experience that i will never have again, and im grateful that i was able to.
oh don't get me wrong i'm not complaining or anything, but knowing what i know about it's design process and that the LS 400 is a product of the relentless pursuit of perfection era of lexus, i just can't help but think that it must've perfect when it first rolled out of the showroom. to get to walk into the dealer to take delivery of your brand new LS 400, all freshly painted and detailed with not a single blemish, that's a genuine priceless moment to feel very proud about.
going from even a brand new 2018 corolla into a 20 year old (well maintained) LS is such a giant leap forward, i get all giddy just thinking about what it must've been like to step out of a 1998 corolla and into a brand new 1998 LS. and the corolla is a great car!
It was quite something. I remember taking delivery of our 98 LS400 new very well.
Nowadays all cars are pretty quiet, pretty smooth riding, and pretty refined, but back then the LS REALLY stood out in those areas.
11-15-18, 06:19 AM
