LS400 for sale - thoughts?

[HotSpur-Lexus]

Dear reader, I am looking to put a classic Lexus in my garage alongside my Benz and BMW from yesteryear....came across this...(apologies if this car has been discussed here before)...what do people think?

 

https://www.stonecoldclassics.com/1992-lexus-ls400/

 

Its a 92 LS400 with 25K miles and looks very clean...but I am no expert on these cars...

[BigBoomer]

Very nice if you have £17k in disposable income.
I'd be afraid to drive it unless I was a millionaire.
I also hate white cars. 🤮

However, it does look about as good an early LS400 as you will ever find.

[HotSpur-Lexus]

Afraid to drive it? - is that because it would decrease its value? or that there could be very expensive issues? not sure I follow...it looks nice...but don't want something that needs a lot of work, not scared of the costs per say but the hassle storing it off road whilst works are being done and the time it spends unusable...if that makes any sense hence looking at ready to go cars...

[Spock66]

I have never had an LS400, but from posts I have seen on the forum availability of parts seems to be an issue which ultimately may restrict the viability of keeping one on the road in the long term.

[hockeyedwards]

Lovely early car. I love white cars, but not the beige interior. I do agree with George on the not driving part, but mainly because it is so mint, you risk spoiling it, decreasing its value etc, unless of course you don't care about future values, but that would also pose the question of why spend so much in the first place?

I wouldn't be worried about reliability issues, they are great cars, tonnes of knowledge out there and although some parts for the early gen cars can be a little tough to get ahold of, a lot of items can be found on reputable websites, but require import from Japan or US. Both of which I have done and not had issue.

If you are buying as an investment/ once in a blue moon drive, probably one of the best examples, but if you want to swan about in it on the daily/ semi regular, probably not worth it.

[BigBoomer]

22 minutes ago, HotSpur-Lexus said:

Afraid to drive it? - is that because it would decrease its value? or that there could be very expensive issues? not sure I follow...it looks nice...but don't want something that needs a lot of work, not scared of the costs per say but the hassle storing it off road whilst works are being done and the time it spends unusable...if that makes any sense hence looking at ready to go cars...

Devaluation and fear of scratches, dings, dents, debris, potholes, other road users, etc. 😲
Additionally, when they are that low mileage they can often have issues related solely to age, such as perished rubber, hardened plastics, etc.

I guess different people have different mindsets. My vehicles all get used regularly and in all conditions so I don't buy anything that is "precious".
That looks like it needs to be parked in a nitrogen filled bubble and seen but not touched.

[Malc1]

Mr19  .  this looks a very fine example to keep in " aspic "  .  a collection car and to be used " high days and holidays "  but not too many holidays maybe

I have looked at this advert lots of times and have owned too a brilliant white J  92 plate Ls400 many moons past .  probably 15" wheels, brakes, tyres etc

A brilliant car back in it's day and I had 180k miles from her too  J 54 DAP  .  took me much over Europe in the day too 🥰

Couldn't fault it a great deal  BUT  these cars need using to keep everything in fine fettle and mobile .  rarely use her and you might never get a big bill for anything ........ BUT wot a waste of a brilliant driving car ......... 😥

Spares are said to be challenging for the Mk1 and Mk2 these days even thru Amayama and Rockauto maybe ........  it's an ancient car

I had my J reg one for maybe 70k miles and 7/8 years and sold her to a buddy at 180k miles for his dad who'd always wanted one  .  then immediately thereafter  my M reg Mk2 and then my now N reg Mk3 which is covering a blissful driving experience now of 246k miles with regular preventative and normal maintenance etc ............ BUT this is a car which really needs to be used to keep everything mobile and in fine fettle ...........  the same I would especially say for the Mk1 you're discussing here .

It's a Collection Classic methinks ..........  pays your money and enjoy  .  in this condition they could be very rare indeed and last another lifetime and have zero untoward expense  ..  maybe 😇

Good luck

Malc

 

 

 

[HotSpur-Lexus]

thanks for the responses gents, I am so enamoured with my es300 that I am tempted by an LS to use for shows - will keep looking perhaps at a 'cheaper' but more used, yet still good example - perhaps a later one too...

[Howplum]

This might be a viable alternative:

https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1597438

At 97,000 it's "barely run in", to use a hackneyed phrase. It looks good enough to show, at least from the pictures. However, there does seem to be some mismatched paint at the front so that would need a close inspection. I notice that although the seller waxes lyrical about the woodwork they don't show a picture of it! If you haven't driven one you're in for a treat.

[Cotswold Pete]

On 6/26/2023 at 9:09 PM, Howplum said:

This might be a viable alternative:

https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1597438

 

The paint is probably not mismatched, as when I had a Mk4 taking photos of it it looked mismatched when it was not.

My only thing would be prodding up into rear arches for tin mice activity, especially as this we a car always near salt water, and my Mk4 was riddled by 18 years old.

[Howplum]

https://classicsworld.co.uk/guides/lexus-ls400-buyers-guide/

[cruisermark]

this car was bought by a member last year and sold back to the garage

 

[Malc1]

1 hour ago, cruisermark said:

this car was bought by a member last year and sold back to the garage

 

wonder why ?  issues with it maybe ?  be good to understand the story behind this tbh

Malc

[steve2006]

I was initially thinking £17K for a 1992 LS400 was a little OTT but having looked at a similar JDM model with a mere 8000km shipped to Southampton for $13,000 plus taxes, plus registration etc and unseen maybe not a bad price after all.

That old 1994 I had cost me £3750.00 back in 2006 with 38,000 miles.

(Love to know what’s happened to this as it was resold again shortly after I sold it and now shows as MOT expired)

Prices have certainly gone up!
 

[Malc1]

Trouble for us seasoned Ls400 owners is that we really enjoy using our cars ………. these rare pristine examples are really great to find BUT I’d be a little fearsome to use one as my usual everyday driver …… go anywhere, anytime etc 

Theyre to be kept in aspic pristine nick methinks 😂

I’d worry that the underuse was going to cause me problems on-going ……. therefore I’d really only want another with warts and all those old age dings and dents that enable me to happily use the car for all and everyday purposes …… without getting steamed up and a gibbering wreck …… well, anymore than I am already 

Another Ls400  Mk3 would do me fine please 🙏

Malc 

[steve2006]

Batteries are my problem, the old Celsior must have had 4 or 5 in 16 years of ownership and I’ve just replaced it on the new one.

Problem is, as you mention Malc, lack of use, I am averaging 2K a year with just local shopping runs and maybe 4 x 40 mile round trips to the local airport where it then stands again for 2 weeks at a time.

Straight pass with no advisories on the MOT again @ 80,000 miles so another year to enjoy.

[Scribe]

I agree.  Most of my problems have been battery-related - it's a car that was designed to be used, and mine isn't very often.  I also have a 14-year-old Peugeot that's only done 33,000 miles, so it's in very good condition, but it failed an MOT on two tyres that were completely cracked/perished on the inside (not visible from outside) through lack of use.  So something to be aware of if you're lucky enough to have a 'garage classic'.

[BigBoomer]

3 hours ago, steve2006 said:

Batteries are my problem, the old Celsior must have had 4 or 5 in 16 years of ownership and I’ve just replaced it on the new one.

Problem is, as you mention Malc, lack of use, I am averaging 2K a year with just local shopping runs and maybe 4 x 40 mile round trips to the local airport where it then stands again for 2 weeks at a time.

Straight pass with no advisories on the MOT again @ 80,000 miles so another year to enjoy.

If it's parked outside, then fit a solar panel maintainer to the rear parcel shelf. They provide enough to keep the Battery topped off.
If mine is going to be parked for more than a week then I plug it in to the charger I rigged up during Covid. That keeps the Battery in good nick.

[Malc1]

mine's going to be parked up at Tilbury Port come this Friday for 12 days ..... .  hope she enjoys the sea breezes and air ..........   much like she does now at my Town Quay tho'  ✌️

whilst we're off cruising to that jolly summer cold in Iceland ,,,,  not the shop eh !

Malc

[BigBoomer]

On 6/30/2023 at 4:26 PM, Malc1 said:

mine's going to be parked up at Tilbury Port come this Friday for 12 days ..... .  hope she enjoys the sea breezes and air ..........   much like she does now at my Town Quay tho'  ✌️

whilst we're off cruising to that jolly summer cold in Iceland ,,,,  not the shop eh !

Malc

Have a Brennivin or 2 for me 🤪

[ambermarine]

I have been using a golf trolley charger that I found in a skip for the last ten years and it keeps my Battery topped up which is now seven years old.The charger is specifically designed to maintain a optimum charge within the Battery after a initial soft recharging that does not cause sulphating of the plates .The car as a need for recharge even after a 300 mile run because the system is designed to run from the Battery not the alternator, this causes the Battery to always be below its peak whilst the engine is running.

Short journeys with everything on will soon leave the Battery in a low state of charge leading to rapid sulphation of the plates.