On a side thread,i've seen some high mileage GS's go for quite cheap,avoiding all the "you can't get a nice one cheap",how do the engines hold up?

I've gone from Honda's,to Nissan's and now obvioulsy thinking Lexus,but i know my Civic's and Skyline's inside out,completely new to GS and unlike before with the previous cars,i knew it all before i had one,now i'm thinking of getting a GS within the next 2 weeks if possible,so need to catch up alot

Having a car with service history is what i'm after,but as said,is the car's mileage something that shouldn't really be worried about?

My dad's got an ol W123 Merc with 260k on the clock or more i think,but we know Merc engine's like the back of our hand as we've had so many over the years

Pretty much bomb proof like most things from Japan. We have an LS with no history that we all abuse when we need to get around. Its just shy of 300,000 miles now.

The engines are super reliable, my old GS was on 115k when I sold it and it was still super quiet and pulled like a train.

The GS is a big heavy car and the suspension is the main thing to check when buying a high miler as it will prob be a bit tired. Its mainly the bull joints joints and bushes that go first.

Mileage is never the problem with a Lexus it's age. Toyota always said when buying a used Lexus to get new with high mileage than old with low mileage. You'll often find that the low mileage town pottered ones need suspension, brake and steering overhalls. The ones that are 5 years old with 125k on them have pounded smooth motorways at fixed speeds all there lives so are generally in better condition.

My old series 1 300 Sport was Nov '96, 148K, full history and still ran like new. I don't think mileage is an issue if it's been cared for.

Concur with others.....as long as been looked after (full service history) then pretty much bomb proof.

100K seems to be the point when suspension starts to get a little tired and may need parts replacing - 02 sensors also tend to give up at that time - but thats typical life of any 02 sensor.

Only other thing - Check on various road surfaces that you dont get any vibration at all - particularly around 60mph - If so - dont assume its just wheel balancing that will sort it out - Many people have spent a lot of money replacing parts in an attempt to resolve (me being one) - and it seems there isnt a simple answer - these cars are just very susceptible to vibration and can be caused by many things....check out the US forum (where GS's are more prevalent) for an indication.

thanks alot for the tips guys,i've already checked the "what to look out for" section and taken those things on board,itching now for next monday for when the hunt officially starts for my GS

Hopefully this holds true with my new 2003 GS 430 Sport Series II I pick up tomorrow, it's five years old and has got just under 67,000 on the clock and has had one owner.

Just a baby at 67K

My 99 Mk2 GS300 has 126k on it and still out performs newer cars. It is still as quiet as when I got it. In fact I like it more than our Mk3 GS300. The front suspension needs some work on it, but otherwise it is great

I bought my dad a GS about a month ago, 76k with FSH which gave me peace of mind. However, the more I get to know the car I get the feeling that though it was well-maintained (being a former company car), it wasn't well-cared for...probably a reflection of the former driver not really having a personal attachment with the car. I guess when buying you just need to get a feel for the car and paperwork.

my series 2 sport has 80k on the clock and apart from replacing ball joints, aint had any problems in 6 years!!
top reliability..... compared to other Jap brands and especially the German counterparts....
my bro just bought a brand new audi S5 and that went back to main dealer after a week, crap electrics!!

Stop Press.

Our LS Hack has just passed 300,000.

wow 300,000 thats fantastic

well i picked up an example with 82k on the clock,already near 83k though,lol