Hey guys,

I'm currently in the market for a GS300 in the NY area. I currently own a 1997 Supercharged Nissan Maxima and I'm getting a little tired of having more of a show car than something I can drive every day. I've spent a nice lump of money on it and I just feel that it's time to move on to something nicer and somewhat newer. I have a few questions to ask you:

-Are there any problems the 2nd generation GS300 tends to have?
-What should I expect to get for $8000-$11000? (I'm looking to buy one COMPLETELY stock)
-Anything that would help me during my search in general?

So far, from reading, I noticed that the 100k service is very important and the timing belt should be changed around the same time. If I buy a GS with a little less than 100k on the clock, will the service be costly?

Thanks.

 

My 2 cents:
1) a 100k GS300 should be a 2 owner car ideally so the previous owner should be able to tell you whether the timing belt has been changed out or not (or show you the service receipts). Timing belt is a pricey piece of work (guessing $600 minimum with labor)
2) a 100k GS300 would have had a 30K, 60K and 90K service done (these are the big and expensive services for a car of this age). Again try to get proof these were done. Typically the timing belt would be done at 90K service.
3) at 8-11K, I think you're looking at a 1998-2000 GS300. 2000 GS is supposed to have a better braking feel than the 1998-99s. At $10K, expect to have 80-110K miles on the clock. At $8K, maybe 140K or more miles...
4) Typical problems tend to include ball joints (every 70-80K miles on avg I think). You can get this diagnosed by a mechanic before you buy
5) Get a prepurchase inspection before you buy (unless you are mechanically inclined)
6) When I looked, a GS400 did not run much more than a GS300. Consider the V8
7) Maintenance is expensive but breakdowns are rare.
8) Look at undercarriage for rust issues (specially in NY)
9) Buy from a knowledgable owner. Chances are if he is a car guy and knows Lexus, he would have taken better care of the car.

Good luck

 

The owners manual has a space for mechanics to put their service records, and the 2 Lexus GS300s I looked at had this filled in...

Spend the 230 dollars to have the Lexus dealer do their "certified" inspection on it. They will turn up lots, but review it with the Lexus service manager, most of it will be minor. I asked to talk to the Mechanic who did the inspection, and he gave it verbally a good review.

Also ask Lexus for any service records they have, they will have a bunch...

 

Thanks for all the tips man. I'll take a look into the GS400s.

I'm definitely going to bring it to a Lexus dealership to have them look it over. Will they have service records even if the service wasn't performed at their dealership? Thanks for the advice.

 

Nope, but most Lexus owners will use Lexus for a couple years at least.

Lexus service departments are also pretty good at retaining customers, even if they are a tad high ....

 

No. They only have service that was performed by the dealer. Any work done at a local mechanic wont shop up.

 

Well these are a few things I found while researching the net.

Trouble Spots
Air conditioner: The A/C fails to operate accompanied by failure of the temperature gauge, transmission-selector light, and the outside-temperature indicator just displays two dashes, but the system returns to normal if the key is switched off and on, requiring replacement of the A/C electronic-control unit. (1998)
Audio system: If the CD player stops working, but returns to normal when the key is cycled, or the there is cross-talk on the AM band, the company will replace the radio-tuner assembly. (1998)
Electrical problem: Using the wrong cigar-lighter element (wrong size for the socket) can cause a short circuit. (1998-2000)
Oil consumption: Excessive oil consumption caused by sludge buildup on the cylinder heads. Company is extending warranty. (1998-01)

My biggest concern here is obviously the oil consumption. Any of you guys have significant problems with this?