When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Wonderful problem - hesitate between new IS250 or low mileage LS400
Hello guys and womens.
I'm reading all of you since a while then. But stayed in the shadow for quite a time.
I have a problem I can't really totally solve myself, but I had the pleasure to find a very low mileage Lexus LS400 that was rarely used by it's owner in my region and he wants to sell it. The car has around 40'000 miles and was driven here and there during short trips. You can clearly see that the car isn't that much used looking, whatever, the car will probably need a repaint and a little work on its appearance (it has an unusual amount of dents and other contact traces on every of his corners).
At the other hand, there is the LS250, that would also interests me. He looks more modern and will have the advantage to be recent, but he's extremely expensive and, lately, the 350 and 250 where discontinued on my market. So I only have the used market to buy them (or maybe an import).
As a car guy, I would appreciate one of those old V8's or V6's, before they got completely extinct and/or forbidden. Also, the LS400 is dirt cheap, around 9'000 dollars. Whatever, I'm afraid of hidden costs somewhere on such an old engine. What should I watch about ?
Another thing I worry about is the availability of spare parts, especially for the 400. Are they parts that you can't have of those cars anymore ?
What year is the LS400? I had experience in a 1992 and 1996- those engines are ridiculously good and in my opinion the smoothest engine Lexus ever put in the LS. They are a dream to drive. I wouldn't have any hesitations - my 96 had 225k on it when I sold it back in 2008. The 1998 to 2000 body style is cosmetically still one of the better looking LS's ever made in my opinion.
toyota being such a vast company, parts are generally not too hard to come by. also you haven't said what year the LS is. the thing that worries me is the LS only being used for "short trips here and there" since underusing a car can be even worse for it. it's an LS so you're probably ok though. the IS 250 doesn't really impress me, a 350 is loads of fun but the 250 is disappointingly slow. especially if you've just been driving the LS with its awesome V8. idk what the roads are like near you but the IS has a much harsher ride and is kind of cramped, especially more so in the back seats.
Don't know what gas prices are like in Switzerland, but that LS400 is getting 15-20mpg on premium fuel. I'd say probably on the lower end of that spectrum if you drive in town a lot or are going up and down the mountains. That's why big V8 cars in Europe are dirt cheap, they cost a fortune to operate on your expensive petrol.
Thank you all for your kind responses. The car was initially putted in operation for the first time in 2000, he's actually owned by some old garage dude if I remember right. Price of a liter of fuel in Switzerland is 1.62 $. Though I don't know the difference between normal and premium. We have simply two categories of unleaded fuel, the 95 and 98.
Originally Posted by Stroock639
idk what the roads are like near you but the IS has a much harsher ride.
We have a mix. In the plateau regions we have highways, jammed streets, suicidal bikers and all the thing other coutries with big cities have. But those living a little bit higher in altitude have some very interesting roads to drive everyday (see pictures below). There is a third category of roads, in the flatter regions that generally are twisty but flat. I'm exactly in this kind of region. I'm driving on twisty flat roads and highways 80% of the time.
Welcome to CL. My feeling is that if you really want the comfort of the LS, then go for it. But, IMO, the new IS250 would be a more sensible buy, providing you are willing to tolerate a stiffer ride, a more cramped interior, and somewhat more road noise. Hard to beat the comfort of an LS, yes, but I'm also a firm believer that there is nothing like a new car. And I have to agree with Steve that an LS would be ill-suited to those winding Alpine passes. The IS250 would have less power on the grades, but be far more responsive on those hairpin turns. Keep in mind, however, that, all else equal, any non-turbo engine, whether in the LS or IS, is going to lose power with altitude...the more altitude, the less power.....and the IS250 is no dragster, even at sea level.
05-02-18, 01:46 AM
Wonderful problem - hesitate between new IS250 or low mileage LS400
My feeling is that if you really want the comfort of the LS, then go for it. But, IMO, the new IS250 would be a more sensible buy, providing you are willing to tolerate a stiffer ride, a more cramped interior, and somewhat more road noise. Hard to beat the comfort of an LS, yes, but I'm also a firm believer that there is nothing like a new car. And I have to agree with Steve that an LS would be ill-suited to those winding Alpine passes. The IS250 would have less power on the grades, but be far more responsive on those hairpin turns. Keep in mind, however, that, all else equal, any non-turbo engine, whether in the LS or IS, is going to lose power with altitude...the more altitude, the less power.....and the IS250 is no dragster, even at sea level.
