Mr. Bill

Sorry I didn't do a thorough search, but it's late and I hoped y'all might take pity on me.

I have been driving a '98 BMW 740iL that I love. Problem is, it's got 150K on it and it's time to retire it to short range maneuvers. I drive about 20-25K a year and I have found if I find a well serviced, luxury car, I can drive it 50-75K miles and not lose much money and can usually sell it even with high miles. I take care of my cars and do almost all of my own repairs and maint.

I found (at a Lexus dealer) a '98 LS 400 that is as close to mint as a 12 year old car can be. It was a CPO car and has been serviced at the dealer. The car has 105K on it, but it has had the big service with the timing belt done. My question I hope to get answered is, even though this car has 100K on it, with it having had the 100K service done, can I expect to get 2-3 years of pretty trouble free driving out of it? What kind of things can I expect to replace at 125K, 150K and how much $ a year should I budget? I have always heard Lexus doesn't cost you an arm and a leg to drive...even for 150K. Any advise will be appreciated. Oh, the dealer will sell it for $8500.

Thanks in advance.

j three

These cars are great! I bought my 99 last year with 90k miles that had the major service done, and besides getting a tune up just to be sure and oil changes I have had a trouble free ownership. I now have 115,xxx miles and she still feels new.

From my understanding, the only thing you will have to look into with these cars at this age is minor stuff like bushings. I honestly haven't read anything else that was repetitive for these years on the forum.

Try to get the price down a little bit more but if the car is in great shape I would scoop it up. One last thing I'm curious about, have you driven the LS? If so how would you compare it with your 740il?

vietunit

iTrader: (5)

First of all, it looks like you've found a great deal if you can lower the price a bit more. As j three said, if its been babied and properly maintained, it will drive like butter. My 93 is at 120k and still runs strong while my cousin's 96 is at over 140k running like a champ.

I don't think you need to expect much to change since you have the 98+ model. My favorite generation of the LS series since they were very well built. Only things I can see are the cluster lights but that seems to be a 1st gen problem. Aside from that I think bushings will need to be replaced seeing my cousin and I encountering the same problem.

I'm also with j three on how does the LS compare with the 740il. I've always been a great fan of the 740's and I would love to know how it compares to the 98+'s endless acceleration. Good luck and hope to see you join the Lexus community!

Schnitz

iTrader: (5)

I bought my '00 with 60k for $9k. That being said I read the crap out of this and a couple other forums. All my research pointed to these cars being relatively bulletproof. Seeing as the major service has been done (approx. $1200) I'd see if you could drop the price a little but don't let it get away. It sounds like a great car.
The only thing that can get pricey in my experience is the starter. If that goes it's about $800-$1200 to fix at the dealer. I got a local mechanic to do mine and it only cost $600 including the starter and a 1 year parts/labour warranty.
Good luck.

Mr. Bill

Good info. I haven't really driven the LS more than around the block. I'm going back today to take it for a little road trip. I'll report back this evening.

Thanks for the thoughtful responses and warm welcome!

Kansas

I've driven LS400's over 260,000 miles since I bought my first one new in 1990 and drove it to 183,500 miles and a used 2000 LS400 in 2003 at 38,000 miles which is now at about 116,000 miles. My 2000 LS400 is essentially the same car as the 98 LS you are looking at.

Based on my experiences with my first 90 LS400, I expect to replace most front end suspension components, except the shock absorbers, on my 2000 LS400 by the time it reaches 160,000 miles. The shocks should last "forever". The cost of suspension work on a Lexus LS isn't particularly high -- especially if you are used to paying BMW 7-series repair prices -- and even if you have a professional do the work.

You might want to verify that the front strut rods/bushings have been replaced on the 98 LS you are looking at. Most on a 98-00 LS are thoroughly worn out by 80,000 miles -- about a $500 repair if a pro does the work.

If you have done any reading on Lexus forums you probably already know to avoid cars with air suspension and the "generation zero" (sort of describes its functionality too) navigation. It has become virtually impossible to get the optional Nakamichi radios repaired although I think rebuilt ones are still available from Lexus. You might want to look for a car with the standard Pioneer audio system.

A common issue of the 98-00 are steering column tilt/telescope system failures -- verify that the tilt and telescope motors were replaced with the redesigned ones under the relevant TSIB's.

Here are the specs/options for the 98 LS: http://www.lexus.com/contact/pdf/1998/1998LSspecs.pdf

If you like HID headlights, make sure the 98 LS has them -- lot's of 98's didn't.

$8500 seems quite high for a 98 LS with those miles but of course you are looking at a Lexus dealership

steveski

Welcome Bill.

Since the timing belt has been done, these are possible items you "could" see by 150,000 miles:

Struts
Lower ball joints
Upper ball joints
Upper control arms
Strut rod bushings

TO help you reinforce your decision to buy or not, I have 256,000 miles on my 95. I drive it 80+ miles round trip daily. Even though it has been significantly modified it is still ultra reliable, comfortable and a pleasure to drive. I am on original AC, alternator, power steering, etc. I have only changed starter (now twice) and timing belt twice.

Mr. Bill

Great responses. I agree about the price, but that's usually the up/down side of buying from the dealer. If it wasn't an outstanding car, they'd wholesale it off. Because it is so nice with a full and up to date service history, they want "all the money". Since it's such a small amount, I'm willing to pay top dollar which is HIGHLY unusual for me LOL.

Jasbmo

Mr. Bill

Finally got a chance to drive the '98 LS400. Some of you asked for my impression/comparison to my 740iL so here goes.

First off, this was a '98 with 105K on it. My car is also a '98 with 150K on it but it has been well ($$$) maintained by me, NOT the dealer or indi) I drove both cars over the same stretch of road for a fair comparison which was mostly highway. I tried to make the same kind of turns and lane changes as well to get a good sample of how the two cars performed.

Ride quality: The Lexus glides down the road very quietly. However, quick lane changes produced an unexpected bounding as the car changed direction. At first, it really took me by surprise. With 105K on it, and from reading here, it might be needing a new set of struts. The BMW rolls as smoothly as the Lexus and sudden lane changes cause no unsettling of the car, very solid and controlled. If you've never driven one, you should. Advantage BMW

Cabin noise: The Lexus' engine purrs like a kitten and when you open it up, it sings a 32 valve song that's very pleasing to the ear. The BMW purrs like a big cat and when you punch it, it growls like a panther, very smooth and powerful. Both cars are quiet to outside noise and wind. Tie

Interior: You sit higher in the Lexus and the seats and instrument layout and lighting are incredible! The Lexus has no wasted frills or gimmicks just a REALLY fine execution of form and function. Nice! The 740 sits lower and the cockpit surrounds you more than the LS. The instrumentation is a little dated compared to the Lexus but the shape and use of wood is a little nicer IMO. The BMW leads this category until...you turn on the radio. The Sound system in the Lexus blow away the BMW's and I have the heralded DSP system but the Lexus beats it hands down. So I'd say it's another tie

Styling: The LS 400 is a beautiful, clean design that has always made my head turn. However, this is where I might get accused of being biased but the long sleek muscular lines of the 740 IMO makes it one of the most beautiful cars ever made and like the LS 400, it's timeless. I just happen to like the lower, longer look. Advantage BMW.

And the winner is...BOTH. You can't make a mistake with either of these cars. They both deliver exactly what they were designed to do for the consumer they were intended. The Lexus of course has a better reputation for reliability and lower maintenance cost and the resale value is MUCH better, probably due to the latter.

Not sure this exact car is going to be the one that unseats me from my 740, but I'm going to keep looking for a little newer one to try. I don't think I can go wrong.

Broker404

I bought a 99 LS400 almost 4 years ago with 113k miles. Now it has 148k miles. I have not paid for a single thing other than oil changes, one set of tires at 140k, and one set of wiper blades at 120k

j three

Mr. Bill, thanks for sharing your review with us. A lot of us sort of feel the same way you do about the handling of the LS. Some of us have addressed this by upgrading to a coilover suspension instead of purchasing new stock items to put some sport into these luxo barges. I too have always loved the lines of the 740il, especially the post face lifted model like you have. I think that model has aged better than any BMW short of the 745. I was considering one but the orange interior lighting, the perceived BMW reliability, and the fond memories of driving my dads 94 made it an easy choice for me . Take your time and shop around a while. I looked for a while and by the time I was ready I found the exact car I was looking for. The strange thing I found when looking for a while is that there are times when there are many cars that fit your criteria, followed by dry times. They come in spurts. Good luck with your shopping!