Shold I Buy A Ls400

floggit · July 18, 2007

Hi guys, i am considering buying an early ls400 91-95 ish.Could someone please advise me on running costs as i can afford to buy ,tax and insure. I am worried about fuel consumption as this seems to vary greatly between drivers. I intend to drive it smoothly and in keeping with speed limits!!. Also worried about servicing costs and parts prices. I have heard that general parts like alternators and starters cost more than £500. Is it possible to have serviced at regular garages or do they shy away from it? as i guess lexus costs would be sky high. Many thanks fo any advice. Am ready to purchase very soon.

I currently own a mint mk2 golf and want to change to total luxuary and get away from the gti image.

cheers

davepruce · July 19, 2007

Petrol and Oil (obviously) are the only real running costs apart from tax and insurance.

My mpg is around 20 day to day in traffic, 17 towing my 1300kg caravan and 28ish on a motorway run (without the caravan!).

Change the oil every 5000 costs you whatever you can get oil for - Halfords own semi synth does me fine with a filter about a fiver.

Tyres last around 30k (well mine do anyway) - Vredesteins at about 120 a pop - not the cheapest but last well.

Other than than, things just dont wear out. I just had replaced the rear trailing arm bushes - £14.99 a pair and 2 hours work for ANY competent garage, ALL other bushes on the car are fine.

I replaced the original rear discs and pads last year - less than £100 the lot.

The things replaced above are standard LS400 things and at 168k I think mine is doing me proud

Only you can know whether these prices are affordable but if they are, and your purchase is checked out fine, then you have some great driving ahead.

Good luck

Dave

Chris Skelton · July 19, 2007

Agree with the info above. But add that....YES...'normal' garage can do the work. The car isn't wierd in any way.

Don't worry about the mpg. Unless you're doing mega-miles, it's not THAT much more ££s

JellyBean · July 19, 2007

I currently own a mint mk2 golf and want to change to total luxuary and get away from the gti image.
cheers

I went from a Mk2 Golf straight into my LS400 - three years ago. It has cost me less on parts than the golf.

If you are going to buy a luxury car and you ain't Bill Gates/Warren Buffet/etc, then you should really buy the most reliable one.

And I still get a frisson every time I drive mine.

You will love it!

floggit · July 19, 2007

Many thanks guys, ive researched the model a lot and know it will be a better experience for me than the golf. I will be looking around v soon.

Thanks again. steve

lutonmatt · July 19, 2007

mpg is very good for what it is and it will hardly very go wrong best car to buy

If you are going to buy a luxury car and you ain't Bill Gates/Warren Buffet/etc

i read somewhere that bill gates had a mk2 ls400 i think i saw it on eBay.us and he loved it

so if its ok for the richished man in the world its ok for us lol

IanCornwall · July 19, 2007

He did have one as I saw his LS on eBay as well, the man has some taste at least

Lexus is the best value per £ per smile you can buy, you can't go wrong if you gat a good un

Alex JB · July 20, 2007

If youre worried about the mpg and are going to do significant mileage you should look out for a car with LPG, if you find the right car without it, consider getting it converted, I had mine done for under 900quid and considering the 40p/litre fuel cost it works out the same as 40mpg and that's on my real bad stop start 10 mile run to work, I get 18mpg on petrol.

Other wise as people have said it's mainly easy to repair and they don't go wrong that often, I bought front brake discs and pads and a second hand caliper for less than 100 quid!