dtwolf

I was wondering how many people still have a 98-05 GS. I have a silver 03 GS430 and it has a 109,000 miles. Very well kept up. But it seems this forum has less members today. I know these cars are between 21-17 years old, but how long do you guys truly intend on keeping your GS. My personal opinion is that, this the best model Lexus ever made. All their others ones, not so good looking. I intend on keeping my car for the next 25 years plus. I am still hooking it up as I type. Let me know your thoughts fellow GS owners.

01Convert

iTrader: (1)

I've been thinking about this lately because I'm on my second GS and not quite as excited about driving it as I used to be. Currently drive an 01 GS430 with 90k miles. For me personally, it's a good all around daily driver and holds two car seats. Maybe I need to buy some headers or new wheels to rekindle the flame haha

MedicalDoc

2002 GS430 in my garage. Bought it when it was 17 miles old. I'll keep it until somebody takes from my 'cold dead hands'.

MedicalDoc

BTW, only 99,457 miles. Still not broken in yet!

GS400V8

iTrader: (4)

I honestly wouldn't have kept mine if I didn't do forced induction. I just love speed too much and I have driven too many 400hp to 500hp cars that spoiled me. I'd probably only sell it for something faster but I think it will hold me over for at least another 5 or so years if I ever do plan on selling it. I might keep it and build a 650hp to 700hp two-door SC400 or something. Keep in mind this is my opinion and the GS is my only car. If you're not into speed, want a cruiser, or this is not your primary car this won't really apply to you.

eicca

I intend to drive mine until it dies. And if it dies, I will almost certainly be getting another. They can be found cheap, the reliability is chart-topping, and a big one for me, SUPER easy to work under the hood. I've never worked on anything else that's this accessible to a DIYer. Yeah the starter sucks but even that's just a bunch of bolts and a straightforward job. I did the radiator in my 1992 Land Cruiser last week and that was a nightmare. Ease of access was not on their minds when they designed that.

So so long answer short, as long as I can get one, I will drive one.

kevin3344

My '99 GS 400 with 227,000 miles is not sale, ever. I have every service record on it since new and it's 99% dealer serviced to this day. If something goes wrong (not that much has) it is fixed the next week, no questions asked. If something were to happen to it I wouldn't even consider another car. I would simply look for another '98-00 GS 400 with low miles. Easily one of the most reliable cars ever made.

I have an SC430 for the weekends now (amazing how many stares this car gets for being 15 years old) but my GS is my daily and well taken care of.

On a side note: due to the reliability (and timeless looks) of my GS my brother-in-law picked up a '98 GS 300 with 282,000 miles this past spring. He loves it.

98GSOwner

This is a great question! I really love my 98 GS400, and it has only 106k. However, even great cars age. Two things I've noticed are some rattles to chase down, and soft parts such as hoses that need replacement. I just replaced two O-rings in my power steering pump, both transmission cooler hoses (one was leaking), and another hose on top of the motor that was cracking. I also recently had the AC Compressor replaced. I decided to keep mine for at least another 5 years, so I had the shocks replaced with Bilstein HDs. To me the issue is how many "old car" problems I have. All the above are arguably old car issues, but the overall reliability of the car tilted me toward keeping it. It is a timeless design imho.

firelizard

iTrader: (1)

Ideally I will be able to keep this 02 GS430 for a long time and continue to improve it as a project. I'm sure at some point the glamour will fade and I will want to sell it and get a different project.
It's at the point where a lot of small things regularly wear out, so it's a lot of upkeep. It's not ideal as a daily driver anymore but I like the GS enough to keep it.

mikekh10a

my 2000 gs300 barely has 120k miles, my dad gave it to me when it had 90k(ish) miles. besides old car problems, it still runs great. sad to say, but people don't respect others property and i've had a few dings and dents on it since then. but at this point i dont plan on getting a new car soon to save money.

dtwolf

I like the responses you guys are sending. I don't understand how GS owners over the years can put up to $7,000 to $17,000 into a car and then sell it. But are you guys adding anything to your cars as far as looks or performance. If you have, show pictures of interior and exterior.

lextout

fun fact the sc430 2nd gen gs share the same chassis and suspension components

kevin3344

Just wanted to add I've got every receipt on mine since new and outside of regular maintenance I've put maybe $5-6k into it. The timing belt / water pump has been changed twice but I consider that regular maintenance. All cars will need tires, brakes and oil changes but this one just runs. The only repair I've made that was of any issue was the throttle body assembly way back in 2004. I actually changed the OEM spark plugs for the first time this year at 224,318 miles. Try that on a BMW.

This was one of the reasons I bought it. I knew the problem areas with the engine and suspension (ball joints, vacuum hoses). I actually kicked my GS out of the garage and my +1 drives it more than I do...and she has a brand new GX470! I spent $12,000 for the SC430 which included shipping from Florida. There are not many cars that get as much attention as this one does. We are constantly getting thumbs up and stares. And it's 15 yrs old!!! Timeless design and bulletproof reliability much like the 2GS. With half the miles of my GS I know it will run for a long time. Even the engine still looks like new.

We will probably pick up a used low-mileage LC500 in a few years for half price. I saw one in person and they are beautiful. We're a Lexus family from here on out!!!

MedicalDoc

I agree with kevin3344 in that regular maintenance encompasses more than oil and filter. All, or at least most modern U.S. cars, are going to need a myriad of things that need/should be replaced at intervals and have to be included in maintenance and not repairs. To this point: oil and filter,fluids--transmission,brake,differential,power steering,cooling,...--.hoses,belts,filters,spark plugs, wires,...Of course, we can not forget tires and the most expensive one of them all: high-test gasoline.
Maintenance becomes a repair when we have to change something that wasn't scheduled. If the water pump breaks at 50,000 miles, that is a repair; at 90,000 miles is maintenance.
This simple line of thinking has two positive consequences. First, if you acknowledge and believe that ****** IS going to happen, it is easier on your psyche to part with your money. Second, it makes for a great defense when explaining to your partner why you spent all that money on parts. "Baby, that stereo and speakers were old and on their way out, so we needed this $5,000 system. These 20 in. wheels are better than the ones that came with the car and will last longer."
Of course, whenever possible we buy parts from Toyota and not Lexus, and we spend countless hours working on our cars. "Honey, all I'm trying to do is save our family money".
You will probably have to spend time practicing this alone before you are ready for an audience. Me? I still have my original GS, but I'm on the third wife...

plex

iTrader: (11)

I've only had my GS400 for around 18 months it's not my daily getting close to 200K miles. I'm lucky to have a company vehicle in addition to the weekend toy (Supra) but I'm getting a little bored of the GS in regards to the power it has. If there was an off the shelf turbo or supercharger kit I would jump on it. I may sell the GS400 get a 98-00 GS300 and do a vvti GTE swap. I would be happy with 400rwhp.