Alphaman19

400DGRZ

iTrader: (2)

diamondgs4

SynDragon

Trying to decide what to do with my 1998 GS 400 - 110k Miles.. It's in pretty mint condition but starting to fall apart since its kept outside and been slowing fighting off problems.
- Biggest one - Passenger side back carpet is getting soaked over and over from maybe Sunroof, cleared both fronts but have not got the backs yet, just bought heavy guage wire and will try to poke it down tomorrow.
I can feel the carpet underlay is still wet even thought I dry the carpet by sticking my fingers down where the seat cables attach - still all went under there.
Probably need to pull seat and carpet up to dry it - sigh
- Had to replace the exhaust - so bought a $400 Steel Catback of Ebay - deleted a bunch of resonators and now it looks and sounds nice. Wrooooooom
- Still have NOT done the Timing Belt (was due at $100k) as this will cost about $1800 and the cars worth $5000 max. Also it does nothing for me, its just preventive maintenance as it drives perfectly fine. Always a little weary of timing belts on old cars my old Honda Accord was perfect
until I had the timing belts done - then it was never the same. But can't let it go forever either have to decide sort of all or nothing and I am already $1000 into it with the custom exhaust.
- Spent a couple hours cleaning up the Sunroof Area - all still works but the actual sunroof top trim is pretty beatup in between the glass and edge is some 1cm of not sure what that is, something that's now hard and crunchy if it was rubber at some point. Can't tell...
- Bought the 3M headlight cleaner gonna buff em up they are not bad and new ones cost $1000 for two little too much to bother with that and I already replaced the HIDs couple years back.
- Disabled the steering wheel so it doesn't come out and SQUEEEEEEEEEEEK at me every time I get in.
- The front ball joints OR the newish control arms(replaced 2 years ago) are Squeeeking like a mouse constantly on turns and over bumps. Eee ee eeeee eeee eee makes it sound like an old beater. Last mechanic just packed with grease said nothing wrong they just make noise.
Taking it to a good shop up the street from me nice guy I know get him to look it over as well as my 3 Check Engines lights which is 02 Sensor , Transmission, something else. Thing is the shifting is all totally fine - no idea. O2 will just ignore.
- The weatherstripping is starting to peel off from doors - just bought some glue from Can Tire for that to start gluing back on the doors.
- Car needs a good interior detailing
- The outside is nice as I have had many panels repainted except the top, no one really see's the top much.

So I have spent about $1000 and need to spent $1800 Timing Belt, $500 or so Leaks and Detailing, $500-$1000 Ball joints and squeaking, whatever else comes up. So all in would be about $4000 sunk into a car worth $5000 lol none of this really increases the value much I could sell for same and not do all the extra work really.

Who here is still driving their 1998 GS 400 around?? You keeping it ?

1998 GS 400 Black on Black stock everything

TrueGS300

Its a beautiful car and well worth fixing. But for most people using the forum, it's a DIY kind of mindset. My suggestion is to lean to do the work yourself, save money and gain experience, or sell it as is to someone that will be happy to get a low miles GS4 and wont mind doing the maintenance at all. As you said, you wont be making more value in the car. The maintenance is expected for its millage and blue book value doesn't increase. If you aren't mechanically inclined, it's probably best to let it go. It surely needs a lot of suspension and engine maintenance. The cost of which will be beyond it's value to have done professionally.

Alphaman19

kevin3344

Same here, original owner '99 GS400 w/233k. You definitely need to break up the repairs as it can get expensive to do them all at once. With my indy I was able to take care of a lot of big items at my leisure (like TB/WP, spark plugs and motor mounts). I just did one large repair at a time. Once the major items are done it's just regular maintenance after that. Is it worth it? I think so. Even at 20 years old it is almost the perfect daily - comfortable, reliable and still fast enough to pass someone in traffic if I need to.

sbagdon

We are, and yes, we are.

Yet we do all our work ourselves, and if we can't fix it, we replace it.

Lexus repairs performed at Lexus will make most 20yo Lexus' have zero-value. Yet great cars if you can source and install the parts yourself.

Alphaman19

SynDragon

Okay thanks all you guys for replying, simple stuff I CAN do but I have no garage and very little tools. I do stuff like - I can replace the HID. I can resand and paint my mag wheels. I can use compressed air and poke stuff into drain holes. For this wet carpet stuff looks like taking the seat out is simple and getting the carpet up enough is also pretty easy so will try that. I am not good enough to tackle a timing belt, and I also use the car as a daily driver. So it's more I don't have the DOWN time to screw around on it. Has to be fixed FAST and not be out of commission for a week on simple stuff. Even pulling the carpet my friend who runs a body shop said PRO 2-3 hours YOU - 1 full day. So it's more that I only drive 2000 KM a year so I can make most cars last for 100 years lol. The Interior of this car is also almost MINT, probably the best looking GS I have ever seen in looks. And yeah most people LOVE the car and think its brand new lol.. So I like the fact no one has them, its a ****ing beast V8, it looks NEW and its super cheap to insure. No one complains when they sit in it, even my Auto Maniac buddies can only knock the "janky touchscreen" lol. But I make ****loads of cash so if I replaced this it would be either 2017 Alfa Romeo Gulia TI lusso , Kia Stinger GT, Genesis G70. Now most of these three cars blow the old Lex away in everything. looks, handing, speed, luxury... But at a price of $50,000. And even despite the 20 year advantage, with the Lex fully up to par, its almost a competitor.. The V8 can go as fast or faster then the V4 banger versions of the above. But the Lex destroys them all in cost per value. If I put maybe say $4000 into the Lex it's back to primetime and I saved $40,000. I can even go overboard a little as I would be comparing to what ELSE could I get for $10,000 - probably nothing as good given its 112 Miles. Also I don't goto Lexxus since they wanted $300 for a key. I take it to small auto shops with 5/5 ratings and low prices but excellent service - all old guys in beat up looking shops but give you amazing service and price. They try NOT to charge you, only do whats necessary and make me source the parts etc. Since I make $300/hour it's not worth my time to sit there screwing around. I do like taking a break from the computers so anything I can do in like 3-5 hours - sure I am down. More then that - or requires Jacking it up, or welding tools etc etc I take it in. So I guess I am leaning heavily towards keeping it for at least 2 more years. My Drivers door actuator just failed on me tonight lol - so I am just wondering how much am I going to have to do? 1 back door actuator was already down - just left it no worries - my door - must be fixed. So for say 2 more years can I just forget the timing belt given I would only put 4000 miles on it? What do I need to lookout for or must I do to keep this beast alive for say 5000 more miles?
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- Wet Carpet - OK will do this as I can't leave it like that its a crime
- Driver Door Actuator - must do or I am manually locking it .... depends on cost
- Weatherstripping - can do this pretty easy
- Ball joints - not sure cost but can't drive it SQUEAKING so must do it
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Big stuff or stuff that can wait
- O2 sensor - don't care
- Timing Belt Kit pro install - $1800 - no
- any other major stuff that won't die in 5000miles

So I think just putting like $2000 more into it for day to day stuff would make most sense then sell it in 2 years for someone else to start doing major work?

firelizard

iTrader: (1)

Honestly, as much as I would like it to be true, these 2GS aren't anywhere near the level of car that a new sports saloon like the Giulia, Genesis, or the Stinger are. If Lexus tried to sell the 2GS as a current model, it would get laughed out of the showrooms. At it's peak, it wasn't even really the top of its class (BMW M5 takes that title), now it's a relic. An actual 20 year old car, even less so, since (as you're finding out) you will be fixing problems for the rest of its life. There will always, always be something wrong with it. So unless you are actually prepared to spend the time learning how to repair it on an ongoing basis, these cars are not worth keeping around. It will just continuously leak money while providing mediocre performance in every aspect, compared to a modern car. If you make $300/hour and you don't like actually working on your car, just get something new and all you have to worry about is washing it and taking it to the dealer for its service schedule, instead of trying to figure out why this or that solenoid stopped working, or where that rattle is coming from, or how long you have before your balljoints let out. At this point in its life cycle, the 2GS is an "old car". If you want a project car, the 2GS can be rewarding. If you want a reliable sports saloon that "just works" all the time, you need to get something more recent.

SynDragon

Yeah well the Gulia may be fun under warranty but I think a nightmare when its not. Really I guess maybe I have been lucky but I bought the Lexxus in 2012 for $3000, in the past 7 years i have done
- brakes - reg maint
- $500 two control arms
- $500 new starter
- $100 new battery
I can't think of anything else , its never broken down on me once, never left me stranded, never cost me much other then gas for 7 years running. So I have already gotten unbeatable value of it.
It's just now started to seem like OH OH the fun is over. Poor old car just time is beating her down. Maybe I will just fix the water leak and call it a day, drive it till the Timing belt explodes.
but you can see that with 7 good years it's hard to let it go haha. I will see what the shop up the street wants for the Squeaking fixing, fix the water issue myself , then stop there I guess.

SaiyanGS3

iTrader: (8)

MODERATOR EDIT - SaiyanGS3 exit this thread. No need for rude personal commentary

SynDragon

Hey Alpha those are nice headlights did you buff them out or replace them?

SynDragon

So I have pulled the Seat , easy, and taken off 1 piece of Carpet Trim, but I am bit hesitant to take off a bunch of trim , not worried about getting it OFF but with 20 year old clips etc they tend to break off vs come off nice. Took me longer to get the seat bolt covers off then the seat, and 2 cracked on the way off. Not a big deal but don't want to bring up carpet and then have it look like a sack of loose skin from there on out... Debating cutting a small hole or two to dry out the underlay similar to one that was done for the seat cabling. Anyone pulled carpets and put them back clean?