Newbie question re: 99 LS 400
01-06-11, 08:55 AM
#18
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Thanks for the compliments. When I test drove the car, there were some issues with the leather - like something had spilled across the back seats and some on the driver's seat. The dealer brought in a guy to do some dye work. I was blown away by the finished product. The interior overall looks no more than a year or two old.
@tftimm - They had it listed for $11,900 when I saw it. I paid $10k even - plus i had them do about $700 worth of other work to it. Seemed like a pretty good deal to me. And you are correct. I bought it in San Antonio. Drove down from Austin to get it.
@tftimm - They had it listed for $11,900 when I saw it. I paid $10k even - plus i had them do about $700 worth of other work to it. Seemed like a pretty good deal to me. And you are correct. I bought it in San Antonio. Drove down from Austin to get it.
01-06-11, 12:55 PM
#19
Nice pickup, you got a more reliable car than most brand new cars...especially US cars. Nice pickup for 10K and I'd be curious if you could review the car.
What were you driving before and how does this compare?
What were you driving before and how does this compare?
01-06-11, 02:06 PM
#20
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
The reason I switched was because my wife and I both work out of the house now. When the lease ended on the BMW in August, we just went with one car for a while - 08 Expedition Limited - which is a great family car - and it worked fine. We both travel alot so there is no huge reason to have two cars.
However, me being me, I wanted a car. I decided I was willing to spend $10k, and I think this was about the best car available for $10k - age, miles, and all. Obviously I could have gone after a newer lesser car but I think I would have had more problems.
I doubt I'll put 5,000 miles a year on it, unless circumstances change unexpectedly, so it should last us for a while.
What kind of "review" were you looking for?
01-06-11, 02:28 PM
#22
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
It handles great. Nothing like the 550 though, but I certainly wasn't expecting it to. Even though it handles great, it feels like the 12 yo bushings might be getting a little stiff. I'm going to investigate changing them. I doubt it needs any other suspension work.
There is a little shimmy at about 60-65. I'm going to get a rotate and balance and see if that helps. The tires are fairly new, but they're Yokohama's and I don't know anything about them. I am strictly a Michelin guy, so they might have to get switched out.
Material quality is outstanding. The previous owner really took good care of it. Nothing is frayed, faded, or really even worn. The leather looks no older than a couple of years and still feels supple.
Audio is non-Nakamichi but sounds ok to me. I need to get the ipod and sirius hooked up though. Still reviewing options for that.
All in all, very happy. The previous owner (same guy owned it for 11 years) really took good care of it. I keep my cars pristine and I only buy used ones in the same condition. This one certainly qualified. No one who gets in it cane believe its almost 12 years old.
There is a little shimmy at about 60-65. I'm going to get a rotate and balance and see if that helps. The tires are fairly new, but they're Yokohama's and I don't know anything about them. I am strictly a Michelin guy, so they might have to get switched out.
Material quality is outstanding. The previous owner really took good care of it. Nothing is frayed, faded, or really even worn. The leather looks no older than a couple of years and still feels supple.
Audio is non-Nakamichi but sounds ok to me. I need to get the ipod and sirius hooked up though. Still reviewing options for that.
All in all, very happy. The previous owner (same guy owned it for 11 years) really took good care of it. I keep my cars pristine and I only buy used ones in the same condition. This one certainly qualified. No one who gets in it cane believe its almost 12 years old.
01-06-11, 02:29 PM
#23
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
oh, and when I was test driving others, I noticed that many of them have what looks like spider cracks in the varnish on the wood part of the steering wheel. Some were pretty bad. This one has very little -least I've seen.
01-06-11, 02:39 PM
#24
Great review! It looks like you got a "cream puff" as they say, just had to get rid of the stain I guess.
Nice car and keep us up to date on how it goes with the bushings and anything else.
How is the power?
Nice car and keep us up to date on how it goes with the bushings and anything else.
How is the power?
01-07-11, 07:51 AM
#26
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: FL
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wow, car looks great! I'm jealous, my driver seat sure doesn't look like that. Really nice buy.
As for the tires, have them rebalanced but don't rotate them at first. Every time I rotate I get a shimmy that won't go away no matter what we do. More than one person insists that something happens with the radials when you start running them in the opposite direction. Can't say if it's true or not but I've seen it often enough to not mess with it on my own car. I have staggered and directional tires now so I don't grease marker the tires anymore when I take it in, they can't be rotated.
Is it in the seat or the steering wheel? Take it to a good shop that can do on the car balancing. Something with that car and it's huge brakes, it can be sensitive. I usually have to on the car balance the back more than once. It might not be the tires even, but the brakes or even a bend in a wheel.
Yokohama are good tires. Would be worth trying to find the balance issue.
And again -- SWEET RIDE!
As for the tires, have them rebalanced but don't rotate them at first. Every time I rotate I get a shimmy that won't go away no matter what we do. More than one person insists that something happens with the radials when you start running them in the opposite direction. Can't say if it's true or not but I've seen it often enough to not mess with it on my own car. I have staggered and directional tires now so I don't grease marker the tires anymore when I take it in, they can't be rotated.
Is it in the seat or the steering wheel? Take it to a good shop that can do on the car balancing. Something with that car and it's huge brakes, it can be sensitive. I usually have to on the car balance the back more than once. It might not be the tires even, but the brakes or even a bend in a wheel.
Yokohama are good tires. Would be worth trying to find the balance issue.
And again -- SWEET RIDE!
