MCA0092

Hi everyone,

I am a newbie here, but have been reading and searching many things on this forum throughout the past few months. This forum has been very helpful, but I am still trying to gain clarity on one final thing before pulling the trigger on buying a '99 LS400 with ~99,000 miles.

The car has a clean Carfax and Autocheck, no accidents, 3 owner. Also no service history. I was able to find some service history through the lexus drivers site by entering the VIN. Looks like the car was serviced regularly at a Lexus dealership until 45,000 miles.

I do not believe the car has had a timing belt and water pump replacement, which it is due for. I'm assuming it could also use spark plugs, and a few other things if it hasn't been serviced other than oil changes in the past few years.

2 questions:
1. What other things should I have my mechanic check for during the pre-purchase inspection? Through searching this forum I have found these: (Not sure if I'm missing anything)
Struts and bushings
Engine mounts
Valve cover gasket
Power steering pump

2. Assuming it hasn't been maintained since about 45,000 miles 8 years ago, what would generally be the cost to have an independent mechanic get this car in good working condition for the forseeable future? assuming it needs the things mentioned above as well as timing belt/water pump.

I'm not at all handy, so it would be going to an independent mechanic, or maybe even a dealership if the cost isn't too outrageous.
The asking price for the car is 4500, but if I'm going to have to put over 3k in it to get it to where I feel comfortable using it as my daily driver, i may just pass or need to negotiate a much better deal.

Also, I have used the search function, and have been able to piece together some of the above info, but was hoping I could get a more concise explanation from everyone here

eddievegas

Hello and Welcome 0092.

I would run a Carfax as it sometimes has maintenance from other than Lexus shops. I would also have a knowledgeable person eyeball the car for accidents or paint./body work.

Your list is a good start. I would also add checking the tranny mount. You can check the motor mounts. Search is your friend.

A good Lexus mechanic can find any major issues during a PPI. It should be $150 +/- $50 and is money well spent.

If the car has no major issues yet needs 90,000 mile services, that price is a bit high IMHO as that service is ~$1200+ to do the job right with OE parts.

Here's an example as I just went through this with my 2000 LS. Prices, etc are going to be a little different between AZ and NJ.

I paid $3,400 for mine and knew it needed the TB service. I spent about $1,200 for P&L, plus another $200 for rotting hoses, missing parts etc.

I'm in mine for ~5 grand but have a car that will need no major maintenance for 10 years.

Good luck,

Eddie

Superfast1

The Lexus LS400 is a beautiful & a very reliable car. I have been driving my 97 for 20 years (purchased at a year old) & am still loving it. It has a timeless design so even at 20+ years, it still look very modern & will last a long time if you take good care of it. In facts, I love it so much, last year, I've got lucky & acquired another 2000 model at only 46K miles in pristine & like new condition. The car still have the new car smell even after 18 years. Anyway, in addition to what you've already mentioned, the starter is another component that eventually you'll have to replace due to age but it depends on how it was driving in the past (longer trips, less cranking/starting), it could last another 5 to 10 years. It's really hard to tell until it starts acting up but the good thing is unlike the 90 up to 97, the 98 to 00 starters are much easier to replace. I've replaced both starters myself so I know. If the car is in great shape, you should seriously consider to acquire it. Since the wp/tb haven't been done which will cost you around $600-$700, you may want to use that as part of your negotiation. Best of luck.

Legender

If the car has been maintained to any decent level I don't see you putting anywhere near $3K into it post purchase. The price may be a tad high, but if the overall condition warrants it I would not be afraid to pay that for it. Follow the above advice to get the right info you need to make a decision. PPI results along with known maintenance items, including fluid changes can then be used to bring the cost of the car down. Often times the owner is not aware of all the things that should be replaced. They drive it so long they get used to it's shortcomings.

jsidesjr

Like any car purchase, it is really important to have a local mechanic you trust go over the car. If the seller is reliable they should not have any problem allowing you to do this. For about $100.00 a good mechanic will be able to get it on a lift and check for leaks, rust, fitment, or structural potential issues. I find it really odd there are no records available for the the last 45,000 miles. If you still have doubt after all of this, you may want to pass and look for some little old lady's Lexus that has the service records available as the repairs you have already mentioned could exceed the value of the car. Seriously- there are a lot of well maintained LS400's out there for a reasonable cost that do have documentation... and I would not hesitate to buy one with ups to 150,000 miles on the odometer.

lextout

MCA0092

Update: Got the car checked out, mechanic said it needed a valve cover gasket (oil leak) and likely a TB/WP since there was no record of one being installed. Also the tires were old and beginning to show signs of dry-rot. Car also had several small issues (trunk release non-functioning, tail lamp failure light on with all tail lamps working, discolored paint on side mirrors)

Long story short - the seller stood firm on the 4500 price, even though the car needed some money put into it to make it reliable for the foreseeable future. I was willing go up to 3500 but there was no negotiation to be had.

The search continues, and tomorrow I am checking out a '98 with 120,000 miles. Looks like this one will need a TB/WP, but it did have valve cover gaskets replaced recently. Assuming it gets a clean bill of health from the mechanic I am hoping to make a deal. Seller's asking price is 4,000 but has already told me it's negotiable. I'm thinking $3,000 is a fair price assuming all it needs is TB/WP?

Will keep everyone posted, hopefully i'll find the right one soon! I appreciate everyone's input.

spuds

Agreed.Keep searching.Maintenance records are worth their weight in gold on these vehicles IMO.Would be the first question I would ask.

spuds

What he said.I bought mine from an aficionado with records and 245,XXX on the odometer and she runs great.If the maintenance is done miles are kind of irrelevant as motor and tranny are great great quality.I paid 2500 for mine,she's clean and the ONLY,and I mean ONLY thing it needed was motor mounts.

I know,sounds crazy but its true.The fine folks here taught me that lesson and they were spot on accurate.Glad I know when to shut my mouth and open my ears when folks who know are willing to take the time to teach me something,Thank you AGAIN folks! 245,000 is a death sentence for most cars,NOT for a maintained Lexus.120,000 miles is a puppy in the LS400 world.

Legender

Good decision. Take your time and get the one that you're willing to live with. No need to make compromises that you'll regret later.
Keep us posted on what you find.

MCA0092

Ended up going with the '98 with 120k miles. 2200 final price.

The car needs some things. TB/WP, tires, and the front strut rods are the major things it needs, along with some small things (battery, windshield wipers, etc.) The thing I am most concerned about is the gauge cluster. The weather was a bit hot when I checked it out, and it had the speedo sticking issue as well as the gas gauge inconsistent measurement.

After doing quite a bit of searching and research, seems that the instrument cluster issue is somewhat common. From what I can tell, the circuit board of the cluster needs some work. This is really the biggest thing that is concerning me, because I do not want to have to mail my cluster across the country to be repaired, I am not handy enough to trust myself with this repair, and also do not want to overpay at the dealership to get the cluster repaired. Many independent mechanics I've talked to do not want to go anywhere near the gauge cluster, as it is more an electric repair job than a mechanical one. Wondering if anyone here knows of anyone in the Northeast that can do this kind of job? I'm from New Jersey but i'm willing to drive a bit if I can find someone who can do this job well and for a reasonable price. I really do not want to ship my instrument cluster to one of the repair shops in another part of the country/world if I can avoid it.

All in all I'm happy with the purchase. I know ill have to put some money into it to get it in tip-top shape, but with the price i paid for it I have no problem doing that. Will share pictures once I pick up the car. It's black exterior tan interior.

spuds

There is this guy,but in Calif.

https://lexusinstrumentclusterrepair.com/services

dicer

Good thing to walk from the $4500 mess, and any car what is most important is not how the engine or the transmission are, but how good the interior and body is and paint.
All that is the most difficult to get right and expensive as well. Suspension, and power train are the easy stuff.

MCA0092

Here she is, 1998, 121000 miles on the clock. Very happy with it.

spuds

I think you will like that beauty a LOT!AND it has a LOT of miles left on it!