Hey guys my name is Dave, im new here but have been lurking around for awhile and have always been a lexus fan (well car guy in general) the ls400 has always been one of my favorite cars since one of my friends had one back in highschool. I recently got hired as a lexus salesman (have been in sales and management over 12 years) the problem is my daily driver is a mercedes lol. I just recentenly got out of payments and since I own my benz, im thinking my next move should be to buy an older ls400 for cash and stay out of payments and keep my benz as a weekend car. My logic being that i can keep miles off my less reliable more expensive and maintance heavy car and have a very reliable daily driver. So my question is this.. i looked at a 97 ls with 197k the other day and it runs and drives fine has a little dent on the front fender that id get fixed and the rear bumper needs paint other then that its ready to go. I can buy the car for $1350 (he wanted 2k) or should i try to find a same year es300 thats 100% ready to go for the same price? I know the ls is more powerful and more car but the es is just as reliable, cheaper to maintain, and more fuel efficant.. i also came across a 2005 es330 at a small dealer today that i can buy for 5k. Although not sure i want to spend that much. I just want something clean reliable and cheap that i wont be embarrased to drive to work and if a customer asks i can say “i have a lexus” instead of saying “i have a mercedes” lol talk about first world problems

 

Welcome to the world of Lexus Mercman. We will all agree you're headed in the right direction. Of course, this is the LS forum so many of us are biased that way, so don't expect recommendations toward an ES. The LS is just a level above and a completely different car/ride. There is a reason it's the flagship. With our experience many of us would recommend the 98-2000 model years of the LS400 as that is the best of the best and does not have some of the lingering problems of the earlier models and will hopefully have less miles on them. We believe they look better and ride better than the older models and the ES won't compare at all. Lot's of choices for you to make to narrow down what you want and how much you're willing to spend. TB's are due ~100k miles so the 97 you're looking at may be due and that's another ~$1k or so depending on who does the work that you'll need to consider.

There's a lot to consider when looking to buy older used cars, even if it is a Lexus. Take some time and read the forum about what others have learned to look for on these cars to see what you also need to look for.

Have you driven either one of them? Have you considered the LS430? Does that appeal to you? Little more money, but you're getting more car also. Good luck on your search and welcome to the club.

 

Thanks and yea the ls400 i looked at has almost 200k so od assume the belt had been done at somepoint (but maybe not my 02 tundra has 230k on the original belt) i am pretty familiar with the ls line actually more so then the es line which is why i was posting in the ls section. If i went es i could go newer mid 2000s vs a late 90s ls. If i were to unload my benz i could even move up to a newer lexus but at that point i would be giving up 2 cars for 1. And i would like to stay away from payments

 

I would highly recommend the 98-2000 ls400 if you can find one. I've driven some ES models in the past and they are nothing like the LS... I currently drive a 98 ls400 that I purchased 10 years ago on this forum and it's NEVER left me stranded once. The only major issue I had with the car was when the alternator started to go at 155k but other than that, car has been awesome. Keep up with regular maintenance and you'll see why these cars get the rave reviews that they get. I recently upgraded to an LS430 and I'm working on getting it roadworthy atm. From what I can gather, the LS400 gets better gas mileage and has the same power, so you really don't get much of an advantage unless you're getting a 2nd gen ls430 or newer if you're concerned with power.

 

Thanks, i deff love the ls but im looking for a lexus to make my daily while the benz is my weekend car. So build quilality and luxury isnt as much of a concern as reliablity and cleanliness

 

At that mileage, I would look out for:

-TB and WP, cam and Crankshaft seals
-lower balljoints and sway bar end links and bushings
-lower control arm bushings
-EGR pipe
-strut rod bushings
-motor mounts and tranny mount

Basically everything I listed is a rubber component aside from the EGR pipe...since it's a 97, you have to consider that 20 yrs of time takes its toll on even the best kept LS' out there.

I had to also go over the entire engine compartment and replace vacuum lines and associated rubber hoses because they were dry rotted and cracked.

I'm not trying to sway you away from these cars, it's just that they're becoming older and as a result, rubber components will start to fail....so just be prepared for that.

10yrs ago, you could probably put a new TB and WP and call it a day and go another 100k...but you'll have to be a little more attentive to these details as it ages.

 

Sounds like you're just looking to get into the best possible Lexus for the least amount of money... If that's the case, then a newer ES may be what you're looking for. Ride/comfort/room won't be the same but it will have the 'Lexus' emblem on it. The ES is cheaper to start with and will be cheaper in the used market also. Good luck with your search. Though, a used one owner LS, with proper maintenance and garaged could easily meet your reliability and cleanliness requirements. Just might take some time to find one.

 

Thats exactly what i want the best possible car for the cheapest $. Ive seen some ragged ls’s here in south jersey and same with es’s. Suprisingly For clean late 90s/early 2000s models they are not that far off in used prices. Ive seen some clean es’s for 2500-3k and same with ls’s. The gs seems to be more rare then the others

 

Or i could go buy a newer one and get a payment but im thinking thats a dumb move since in the last few months i just got payment free. However being a lexus salesman I feel like pulling up in a mercedes isnt the best look for the job. So i need something clean with the “L” on the hood

 

Hi Mercman,

I can relate to you in a way. For a short time, I worked at MBUSA and I always got strange looks pulling into the parking lot with my LS... But I refuse to give up my car! A MB diesel is always welcome to tag along though, if the price is right.

With regards to the car, I agree with you - it's for the best to be payment free and have your cars paid for. Personally, I don't like to go above 150k miles when buying a used car, unless I can tell the vehicle was very well cared for and the maintenance records are present and up-to-date. Since the 1995 and newer LS 400 models have interference engines, I would make sure that at least the timing belt has been done on time (every 80k miles, I believe), and I would check out the items Losiracer2 listed. With conservative driving, I average 21-23 mpg in my 1991 during a combined city and highway commute.

An ES is not a bad choice either; it all comes down to condition, maintenance, and price again. I would choose an ES if it had lower miles than the LS with accompanying records.

 

I found 2 lexus’s that are decent an 05 es330 that has 150k but was always dealer maintained with records, i can buy that for 7k (which seems alittle high to me but the cars clean and loaded with all the 05 options) or a 2011 es350 with 100k and all records, i can buy for 14k but for that id have to finance. I may end up selling the benz anyway. I just spent $500 onit in the last few weeks doing the 100k service (plugs/trans/filters/coolant check/suspension check ect..) the car is flawless in and out and always draws attention but im not sure I want the $ tied up in 2 cars. I might be better off selling my benz for 6k putting that money in my account and getting a $250 payment on a car and having the liquid cash in the bank. I got laid off back in oct from my job of 10 years so with only having unemployment coming in my savings is droping every week. I have bo debt right now but my monthly bills are more then im geting from the state. Hopefully next week when i start working i can start generating some real money again

 

Personally, I would be more attracted to the 2005 ES for the reasons that it's simpler than the 2010 and you won't have to finance it with the limitations of your current budget, but the $7k price tag is a little high for a car that's only "decent" with those miles. $6k sounds fairer, especially after checking Edmunds. Perhaps consult the ES forums to get some thoughts from owners(?).

Hang in there, Dave. Don't feel the need to rush into a buying a Lexus yet, if the funds are tight.

 

Money isnt tight “yet” but its getting there and im tired of watching my savings drop I also hate using it to cover living expenses but I guess thats life. Thats part of the reason that if I were to get into a payment maybe it wouldnt be a bad thing bc I could sell My car that i own for cash and throw 5/6 grand back into the bank.. the flip side of that is im taking on debt to temporarly add back to my savings and at that point ill have a payment every month again.

 

Or i wait a few weeks see if i can get some money coming in then buy one for cash and have no payments and have 2 cars.. thats probably the most logical choice. I built my benz to be my reliable daily driver, had i bought it just as a flip i wouldnt have done all the maintance to it that I have. It didnt need anything when I got it last month but I know how important preventive maintance is with german cars, and for the most part as long as you stay on top of it they are reliable. When you ignore things with them is when you start having problems

 

welcome aboard Mercman! im in "the system" as well. started out as a salesman and now in a technology specialist. ive worked at a lexus dealership for years and im the proud owner of a 1995 Ls400, which sticks out like a soar thumb as the oldest car in the employee parking lot. it almost looks out of place in a sea of IS200Ts and GS350s lol