Series I GS300 Sport

[eMJay]

Hello all!

I'm new here and this is my first post.

I like these cars in both colours, but wondered what everyone else thought.

I've been a fan of Lexus for a while, excellent build quality, comfort and style, and am getting ever closer to buying the one I've wanted or a few years: the title says it all.

My Dad has owned a 1994 LS400 and currently has a 1994 GS300.

The Series I GS300 Sport is a favourite of mine and I'm going to look at a black one soon, is there anything specific I can check on the car to ensure it's a genuine factory Sport as the mods could be performed after market to achieve the Sport look?

Also, in general are there particular things I should know or look out for with this model?

Thanks in advance and I hope to be a Lexus owner soon.

[Steve]

Black is certainly an eye catcher... I must admit i like silver too... and I was deciding myself which to go for.. but I am now actually happy with black... I get more looks and good comments then I did with my silver soarer

Take a look at mine with aftermarket wheels

http://www.lexusownersclub.com/gallery/album02/IMG_0951

When test driving make sure you give the car a run on the dual carriageway.. if you have any vibrations then it could be a buckled wheel problem... thats why i have aftermarket wheels now

[mudzs]

Both nice colours ,i think black is nice but hard to keep clean.not sure there is a way of checking you have a genuine sport other than asking dealers to check chassis number etc.i think they are bullet proof pretty much but watch out for buckled sport alloys as this seems to be a problem

[jaybo]

check for vibration when driving at 60/70 mph

when was the cambelt changed ?

has it got service history 'pref lexus'

otherwise there bulletproof, mines done 150k and still going strong. the only part what i have changed in 2 years of ownership is a starter motor

[eMJay]

I hope it doesn't suffer the vibration problems, I love those standard Series I Sport wheels.

It's a late '96, so the revised model, has the 10" wide rears and has 74K on the clock; the cambelt was done last service, I've been told it has a full Lexus history.

The previous owner was head of a valet company and the car is supposed to be immaculate.

[ColinBarber]

Sounds nice.

I would have thought the log book would state if it's a sport or not. A dealer should also be able to find out via the chassis number. I personally wouldn't mind if it was a modified SE except it would need to be insured as an SE with the mods and would therefore cost more than insuring a standard sport.

[Steve]

my log book has sport written on it too

one snag.. be carefull you do not ground the car.. these are pretty low and only a few days ago i bottomed the car out in a car park on very uneven ground.

most garages moan how low these are as sometimes they cannot get the jack underneath!

Also make sure you buy a new wheel brace as the standard one does not fit the TTE wheels.. its really daft!

mine is rock solid!

[eMJay]

Also make sure you buy a new wheel brace as the standard one does not fit the TTE wheels.. its really daft!

Okay, I'm having a memory blank: what's the wheel brace for and where can I get one for the Sport alloys?

[ColinBarber]

The thing used to undo your wheel nuts.

[Steve]

best go into Halfords and pick up a new wrench for £11

[Tim750R]

All the black ones I've seen have cream leather whereas the silver ones seem to have grey, so that might be a factor to consider - its all down to personal choice in the end. My neighbour thinks the privacy glass makes mine look like a gangster's car...!

My 10" rears aren't buckled (checked when new tyres fitted recently) so they don't all buckle despite a high mileage - perhaps its because its mostly been cruising round the M25 - its just a shame Lexus couln't find a way to make the lacquer stay on :duh:

By the way, my service record says 'sport' on it too, so perhaps that's a fairly good indicator, and someone told me if its an import rather than a UK model, all the warning labels in the engine bay won't be in English...can anyone else verify whether this is a good check?

Good luck with your purchase - owned by the head of a valet company, it really should be totally spotless or its not a good advert for his/her company

[Steve]

good point on the leather color.. the grey put me off a silver one i was looking at.

yesterday i spotted a couple walking past the car the the bloke said to his wife.. "oh thats one of those posh motors"

She had obviosuly asked what the hell it was.

Shame about the driver

[eMJay]

The thing used to undo your wheel nuts.

I've never heard it referred to as that before.

Why did they supply one with the car that doesn't fit the wheel nuts?

Did the Sport come with any anti-theft wheel nuts or were they all normal ones?

My neighbour thinks the privacy glass makes mine look like a gangster's car...!

I've had the windows tinted on my last two cars (one was silver and one was black) and I like the privacy aspect. I'll be getting the Lexus windows tinted too.

[Tim750R]

I think the colour of Mudzs car - a sort of darker grey-green is a good compromise between black and silver - very 'up-market'.

My Sport has locking wheel nuts - but you have to get the centre wheel caps off first and I reckon thats an even better anti-theft deterent :winky:

[eMJay]

I think the colour of Mudzs car - a sort of darker grey-green is a good compromise between black and silver - very 'up-market'.

I saw one for sale last year in that colour and it looks very nice.

[ColinBarber]

Why did they supply one with the car that doesn't fit the wheel nuts?

I guess they left in the factory wrench. The car is modified in the UK to become a sport and I guess Lexus GB left the old one in there. I thought they supplied an extra one that does fit but most seem to get removed.

[sjrainsford]

I can't fully agree about the build quality though... interior is a bit Toyota still in places.

I would expect they've improved a great deal over the years though. And i'm not saying it's rubbish though either, just not what I expected.

Exterior and engine is bang on though, just what Toyota do best!

B)

[mudzs]

something else to consider is the cream leather comes with a brown dashboard which can make the car seem a little dated ,personaly i would go for the silver it's a much more modern colour and once you take of the side repeaters and indicaters and replace them with clear ones it realy make a difference to the look of the car . grey leather don't look that bad after all it's still an option on most new cars :)

[ColinBarber]

grey leather don't look that bad after all it's still an option on most new cars

and it doesn't have that nasty brown dashboard.

[jaybo]

i like MY grey leather................. :)

cream leather and brown dash.................. IMHO

sorry if i upset anybody !

[Steve]

I can't fully agree about the build quality though... interior is a bit Toyota still in places.

I would expect they've improved a great deal over the years though. And i'm not saying it's rubbish though either, just not what I expected.

Exterior and engine is bang on though, just what Toyota do best!

B)

i agree with the series 1 dash.. its fugly.. only thing that put me off.. series 2 dash is much better

but the rest of the car is ace.. I had more comments today... every day I get comments on my motor.. especially when polished.

cream leather on the doors is nice... the dark brown is not that bad... just the dash display i dislike. But easily get used to it and when i get into any other car mine always looks better

[mudzs]

Biggest niggle for me is the boot space ,with two kids under six i realy struggle sometimes .

[Steve]

yes must agree there tony.. my windom had double the space and ski hatch

but i guess having a full size spare instead of a retarded one is better.. but then again I would prefer a space saver.

[mudzs]

Also were the eck do's everyone keep that four star brace, with a boot that small i need all the room i can get

[Steve]

4 star brace.. dont have one of those mate

my tool kit is unused.. looks prestine