1999 Lexus LS 400 advice on a wreck

[ThomasD94]

Hey Lexus friends,

I was wondering if I could get some advice on a '99 LS 400. There is an unloved LS in my neighbourhood that has not moved in over 8 years, it also has a smashed rear window that means there is evidence of mould on the dash.

Should I offer a some money and try restore it (the lexus lover in me is hating seeing it in a bad state) or shall I just let it be?

Thomas 🙂

[lex - eleven]

I'd have thought it was a breaker

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[jpjsavage]

How deep are your pockets?

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[Howplum]

Does it have any redeeming features?

[scudney]

Take a gamble,assess the damage,work needed doing and take it from there(better still if you are good with your hands and can do some of it yourself)🤞👍👍

[ThomasD94]

2 hours ago, lex - eleven said:

I'd have thought it was a breaker

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It could be an ideal breaker as after the owner died the kids have left it to sit...

[ThomasD94]

2 hours ago, Howplum said:

Does it have any redeeming features?

It is £200 😛

[ThomasD94]

48 minutes ago, scudney said:

Take a gamble,assess the damage,work needed doing and take it from there(better still if you are good with your hands and can do some of it yourself)🤞👍👍

I am semi handy but my last project was a 1986 BMW e30 (which was very simple)
I am unsure if the electrics on this would be a nightmare?

[lex - eleven]

Yes of course it's salvageable. It's just whether you want to spend more on it than it would cost to buy a decent one. Looking at it objectively:
F/door, r/door, r/wing, r/ bumper, wheels,4 tyres, brakes, brake discs, exhaust system, fuel lines, fuel tank, rear window, interior, keys, radiator, hoses, aircon, paint, Battery and who knows what amount of electricals. I just don't see a future for it except as a donor car... possibly.


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[ThomasD94]

2 hours ago, jpjsavage said:

How deep are your pockets?

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That is a good point, I have the IS and RX to keep my hands full. I was not sure if it would be worth reviving / sorting out an eye sore haha

[ThomasD94]

Just now, lex - eleven said:

Yes of course it's salvageable. It's just whether you want to spend more on it than it would cost to buy a decent one. Looking at it objectively:
F/door, r/door, r/wing, r/ bumper, wheels,4 tyres, brakes, brake discs, exhaust system, fuel lines, fuel tank, rear window, interior, keys, radiator, hoses, aircon, paint, battery and who knows what amount of electricals. I just don't see a future for it except as a donor car... possibly.


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Thank you!! Ill probs just leave it then 🙂

[jpjsavage]

That is a good point, I have the IS and RX to keep my hands full. I was not sure if it would be worth reviving / sorting out an eye sore haha

It could get pretty £££ quickly.


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[MotorDevil]

Are they DHP wheels?

Looks too far gone going by the look of the doors and sill, pity. 

[ambermarine]

The wheels look like DHP if so the centre caps are worth a hundred pound also there are parts within that will still have a value.

If you have plenty of room and places to store the parts for £200 you get an education and some parts for a decent project.

[cruisermark]

The broken window is the key factor which makes this car probably good for parts - we have already seen some damage done by moisture to internal hidden parts in a recent thread.

If the window was not broken and it had circa 100k mileage and paintwork did not have major damage then it would have been an ideal restore vehicle

[Malc]

a good donor car maybe ....  remembering the days when the engine etc was already prior certificated for USA use as a straight into a small aircraft with no further certifications apparently and that alone valued the engine at @£1k

Maybe those days are long past though now !

Thomas, did you pick up on my earlier mention of the RX300 rust issues and your one having that mentioned at the 2019 ? MOT     ?

Malc

[ThomasD94]

42 minutes ago, Malc said:

a good donor car maybe ....  remembering the days when the engine etc was already prior certificated for USA use as a straight into a small aircraft with no further certifications apparently and that alone valued the engine at @£1k

Maybe those days are long past though now !

Thomas, did you pick up on my earlier mention of the RX300 rust issues and your one having that mentioned at the 2019 ? MOT     ?

Malc

Hey Malc,

Oh no I didn't see that I don't think. It passed this years MOT, will probs get it looked at somepoint. The car hardly gets used as it was bought for dump runs and taking the dog out etc. (mind you now quarantine has hit)
Thanks, will get it looked at 🙂

[ThomasD94]

3 hours ago, cruisermark said:

The broken window is the key factor which makes this car probably good for parts - we have already seen some damage done by moisture to internal hidden parts in a recent thread.

If the window was not broken and it had circa 100k mileage and paintwork did not have major damage then it would have been an ideal restore vehicle

Yeah that was my thinking, the rear window has been broken a while and the moisture probably would cause a lot of damage internally 😕

[Howplum]

3 hours ago, cruisermark said:

we have already seen some damage done by moisture to internal hidden parts in a recent thread.

That'll be mine then!

[Mikaelse]

On 4/13/2020 at 10:23 PM, ThomasD94 said:

It is £200 😛

Thats a good price.  A pair of working ok shape side mirrors can be sold for that. 

[Howplum]

There's a market for the engine amongst the modifying fraternity. It seems to have replaced the Rover V8 as the weapon of choice. Retrorides would be a good start, assuming the owner wants to sell.

[Mikaelse]

Many parts can be sold off if there is a practical way to handle it.  Fenders,  mirrors , engine , transmission, rear axle.  Radio.  Some parts are expensive and hard to find. 

 

[MLW]

As a bits car, maybe. You would need to store them, sell them post them, then get rid of the remaining skeleton. Work out what you might make, plus a labour charge of Xhours work. Is it worth it?

Some cars like a classic Mini might be recoverable, but not a big Lexus. The key to buying here is, is to buy the best you can afford, not a scuffy one and 'hope to do it up'. That is a money pit.

[Malc]

Thomas, if you had a spare barn or whatever on your estate you could pop it in there unmolested for 20 years and then get Bangers & Cash to lift it out to go to their auction house nr Pickering.....  then it will be a true barn find and worth £££ zillions  ( or nowt  )

Malc

[39buss]

On 4/14/2020 at 8:29 AM, ambermarine said:

The wheels look like DHP if so the centre caps are worth a hundred pound also there are parts within that will still have a value.

If you have plenty of room and places to store the parts for £200 you get an education and some parts for a decent project.

DHP centre caps worth £100.  I've got a set in my garage that I'd sell for that.