I had myself a 1991 ls400 that got totaled out...now I am onto looking for a 1998 LS400 in the Ohio area!

I have seen some basic changes listed on lexls.com but in practice, what changes are there between the two?

I have noticed so far...

More engine power 250-290 hp (much faster 0-60)
VVTI
5 speed transmission instead of 4
better fuel economy
Bigger and much better brake system
skid control
dual climate zone control with more than three fan speeds
R134 A/C instead of R12 (some would argue it's a downgrade in quality)
new dual bulb headlights with much improved reflector design
improved stock sound system
better front seats
digital information readout on instrument cluster
4 window auto down on key FOB
auto window wipers
auto headlight on
better steering response
more sound deadening
better body rigidity
more airbags
passenger seat has more power controls
improved suspension
new anti vibration system to control cockpit feel

Am I missing much? Main points only and do I have any of the above points wrong?

Are there any ways in that the 1998 is inferior to the 1991?
I am curious about how much better my R12 a/c system works compared to the R134

Any help or ideas would be awesome. I know there is a whole gen between the two cars.

I don't mind investing $7-8,000 if this car is pretty much the pinnacle of reliability and luxury for the next ten years of driving.

-P

 

check this out:

 

IMO, $7-8K is a little steep, UNLESS the mileage is sooooooooo low. I have a 2000 that I am getting ready to sell for 8500 with 175 on it and perfectly taken care of since new. As far as 98 over your old one, a world of difference. The AC should also be cold as hell.

 

I picked up a 99 with 67,000 in great condition for 8 grand. You should be able to find something similar.

 

I drove a 1990 LS400 from 1990 to 2003 and a 2000 LS400 from 2003 to now. I thought about keeping the 90 but I found myself not wanting to drive it after buying the 2000.

The 1990 felt more sporty to drive but my 2000 is infinitely better in every way. The dual control A/C in my 2000 is far more sophisticated than the A/C in my 1990 and my 2000 has its automatic "stink control" sensor which switches off outside air when driving in heavy traffic or through a toxic waste zone.

It's really hard to describe the difference between the two cars - about the only thing they have in common is the "LS400" name. IMO, the 98-00 is much more similar to the LS430 than to the 90-94 LS400.

 

these are different cars to me. of course the refinement you'll get with the newer one will not compare to the older. if you're a fan of old technology, stick to the older one. the majority of us will always lean towards the newer model, myself included.

the only upside i see in having the older model is that it's OBD1 where it's much easier to do mods, without the computer getting in the way.

 

You forgot to mention it's a NON interference engine with the strongest connecting rods out of the 1UZ/ 2UZ/ 3UZ series.

 

You mentioned better reflectors but what about self-adjusting HID's?

 

The OP is comparing the 91 LS to the 98 LS. Many 1998 LS400's sold in the U.S. did not have HID headlights although I've never seen a 99-00 LS400 without them.

I distinctly remember a Lexus dealer salesman expressing disappointment back in 1997 that all 98 LS400's arriving at the dealership did not have HID. HID was a $500 option and not many wanted the cars with halogen headlights.

 

Thank you for your comments (it is very good to know). I own an 93 LS since new. I have a soft spot for first generation LS because of its historical significance (when it came out it was much better than other high end cars IMO). One thing I personally don't like about Lexus over the years is I think the visual design of the car, both inside and outside, got worse after the first generation, but that's purely subjective I understand.

To me, the first generation LS felt like it was designed by one person (i.e. one person, or a very small team, in charge of the look and feel). Subsequent LSs to me felt like they were designed by committees (e.g. just kept on adding "features" just because they could.).

I know this is very subjective and everyone have different preferences. I'll just give one example of what I don't like: I don't like those half wood steering wheels. Why? Because they are there just for the look and to attract certain kind of buyers .... I don't like them because they are not very functional and I actually don't like the look either. I don't care for that kind of "fancy". Again, it's all very subjective when it comes to style and taste.

 

Well, yes, the early LS400 was pretty incredible compared to its competition - I bought a new one in early 1990 and my next door neighbor told me that he bought his the first week they were available in 1989. But the competition then got better and Toyota had to keep up. Most of those features added over the years were very useful and some very important. Even your 93 LS has features that owners of the 90-92 LS would have killed for ... e.g. I couldn't stand to ride in the front passenger seat of my 90 LS due to it not having lumbar and height adjustment like your 93 LS has. My wife complained about the 90 not having a passenger side airbag -- doesn't your 93 LS have this feature or do you consider it unimportant?

I've don't care much for the wood/leather steering wheel either and have thought about installing a leather steering wheel cover. But the wood/leather wheel seems to be holding up better - much less sun damage but that may be because the 98-up LS has UV resistant windows -- which might be another added feature you wouldn't like.

And maybe you wouldn't like the extra rear seat legroom of the 95-up LS400 ... or the "snow mode" transmission setting and stability control system of the 98-up LS400 that makes it fun to drive in snow. And maybe you wouldn't like having decent headlights ... the main reason I sold my gen 1 LS400 was it's pathetic headlights.

moat, I think you need to take a few test drives of newer cars!

 

You are certainly right about that. I admit, I am out of touch. I did drive the Hyundai Genesis a few months ago and was very impressed of the ride and workmanship for just $32k new. Everything I touched felt great, from the moment I opened its door, power seats, etc etc. I suspect the Hyundai Equus is very impressive. I will probably never buy another new gasoline engine car again. We now have our eyes on the Nissan Leaf and Tesla Model S, for general everyday around-town use.

 

Yes, the Equus is VERY nice. I test drove both an Equus and an LS460L AWD on the same day a few months ago. A 12 year old LS400 like mine is really just a "fender bender" from being totaled and I'm trying to decide what to buy if I had to buy another car on a moments notice. I preferred how the Equus drove and it's interior - I screamed around a traffic circle (no traffic - it was in an industrical area) and the Equus felt balanced and fun. The LS460L, on the other hand, felt huge - like piloting an ocean liner - even though it is almost identical in dimensions to the Equus.

At my age, my next car could be my last. I am leaning towards the LS460L since I would like all-wheel drive and power door closers in my advanced "geezer years" and those features are not available on the Equus. And maybe after 22 years living with Lexus LS cars, I should just continue on with them. And I don't own Hyundai stock but I do own Toyota ADR's.

Whoops, didn't mean to hijack this thread.

 

I am now looking at buying a 1997 with 132K and all records for $5500 or a 2000 for $6800 with 190K both very clean.. stock suspension and no nav or Nak audio.

I am leaning towards the 1997 just because of the miles... also.. I would like to know if the headlights on the 1997 are as good as the 2000?

Any other thoughts to keep in mind between the 1997 and 2000 besides the skid control and extra horses and VVTI?

 

there's a fair bit of difference, the '97 drives quite differently, and the '98-00 has a much more sophisticated traction control and has stability control.

'98-00 have a revised PS system that is far less prone to leaks
'98-00 gets better gas mileage than pretty much all the earlier cars.

full list http://www.lexls.com/info/lsgenerations.html

pound for pound, the '00 is a much better buy.