I have been an avid reader of this blog since I got my LS400 a few months ago. You folks have been my go to people to learn about my car.

Today, I had a wreck. It was totally my own fault, as I ran a red light and clipped another car in the front end.

Thank God, no one was hurt and the damage appears to be negligible on the car I hit. My car is damaged pretty good. No fluids are leaking and the car drives as good as it ever did (once I pulled the fender out of the right front tire).

So far far the only difference (beside the right turn signal not working and the obvious body damage) is a slight groan from the power steering pump when I make sharp turns.

Expext me to start art asking questions as I begin the fixing up process on her. I know my way around a tool kit and have repaired many things. But this is above my normal level and while I'm up for the challenge, there's a pretty good chance I'll put out a few lifelines along the way.

thanks in advance for any help you can lend!

 

You damaged a lot of expensive pieces. And applied a heavy hit to the weakest link in the LS400, the power steering pump. Make sure to take a look at your braking system manifold next to your air cleaner. It's the big block with all the steel lines coming in and out of it. Make sure none are leaking. Hoods alone are going to give you sticker shock. Don't even look at dealer prices. I know you have figured it out by now, but red lights aren't optional, they are absolute. I don't want to sound like a jerk but maybe this lesson being ruinously expensive is something you needed to have happen, but you do get points for admitting fault.

Good people admit responsibility and learn from their mistakes. A large part of the reason I drive big luxury cars on my daily commute is to protect myself as best I can from personal injury inflicted by texting drivers and drunks. Red light runners are another reason, and also why all my vehicles have wide angle view dash cams.

Unless you are driving an H1 Hummer, I'll walk away with minor injuries.

"Hey Debbie, why don't you play the radio or check your phone at stop lights like the rest of us?"

I don't want to be killed, by the rest of you.

 

Sorry to see that happen. Hope everyone is still feeling ok tomorrow. Pain usually comes the next day. It doesn't look like too much but I'm not really a body guy. How fast were you going? Hope you weren't texting. Good luck with everything.

 

I'm hoping no one is hurt tomorrow as well. I was doing about 35mph. I was watching the whole thing happen. It was surreal. Luckily I wasn't texting, playing with the radio, or anything else. You can't do those things and drive. Watching others do it infuriates me. I see it all the time.

I can't get over how unreal the experience was. It was like I was in a haze and it wasn't real.

Perhaps i will wake up tomorrow and it wont be real after all.

 

I'm sorry to hear this, Calliope. Glad you are both okay.

I had damage at low speed that was nearly identical from another driver running a stop sign and hitting me. An OEM fender, front bumper assembly (cover, foam, aluminum bumper), right signal lens, right marker light, right corner light, headlight assembly, and grille were sourced from a car with a bad engine. The right fender moulding was re-used, because it was still in good shape. Yours is as well, so I wouldn't be concerned about that. The total repair cost was in the $3k range. I checked in with the body shop regularly to take a look at repairs.

You may also have some minor frame bending, where the fender bolts on to the radiator core support. I would not be worried about this, as a shop can definitely sort that out.

EDIT: The hood can potentially be bent back with PDR. It's possible, but results can vary.

Hope all goes well and that some members can lend a helping hand. Wishing you the best.

 

I'll just get to the nitty gritty, and toss the life line. Start going to junk / wrecking yards and look for the correct color parts, 95 to 97 it looks like since you didn't post the year.
Keep insurance away from your car. Just pay the other guy. Insurance will total yours for no value and then the title is marked and no one will buy it ever if its even fixed perfect. Unless if you just want the $1500 to $2500. from insurance and then find something else.

 

Too bad you don't live closer to me. I have a straight white pearl hood and a decent pass fender with slight damage from a previous owner. The meat and potatoes are what is damaged under the skin though.

 

I won't be claiming insurance. I'll fix her myself. Way too good a car to send to the junk pile or ruin with a salvage title.

 

If you're really in love with that LS, I would buy a 95-97 parts car, maybe one that was squished in the rear end and pillage all the front end part off of it.

There was a guy selling a white 95-97 LS400 like yours, and like mine, for only 300 bucks that had transmission problems locally here in Phx a little while ago. So to save you the most money and to have tons of spare parts which you could sell given enough time and space for a part out, I would buy a wrecked LS400 parts car. That would be the most cost effective way of repairing your current one.

I'm not sure if you can see this or not but here is the link to his for sale ad on AZ Lexus Club on Facebook, he was letting go of the entire car, which still had a good 1UZ V8 for only 400, but lowered it down to 300 due to HOA complaints.



https://www.facebook.com/groups/azlexus/permalink/1197469050330111/?sale_post_id=1197469050330111

 

Source your parts from here http://www.car-part.com/index.htm. Also check ebay.

 

Just a little update. The hood may be salvageable. The fender, bumper cover, cross member under the right hand headlight and the one over the radiator may all be toast.

Having said that, anyone have a parts drawing of the right hand front of a 95-97 LS400? It'd sure help with the rebuilding process. I want to make sure I do this right.

Then there is the little problem sourcing the (046) opal white pearl paint. Was it ever used on any other US-spec Lexus/Toyota product?

 

good luck having a body shop color match, pearl is hard to match also a very expensive color

 

Will these work?

 

[QUOTE=sha4000;9813645]Will these work?[/QU

Thanks so much! That is exactly what I was looking for. The people on here are the best!

 

The only way to go is with a good used parts car with the correct color of parts. Don't let a body shop touch the car period. Your hood is no good the metal is stretched, and now week in the bend area, it is not salvageable unless your going to do demolition derby racing with the car.