Gs 300 Buying Advice Wanted

DaveHH · April 13, 2009

Hello everyone. I want to buy a Series I GS 300 to use as my daily driver. An aquaintance is on his third GS and raves about them, I've had a good drive in his and I'm sold.

I've read about the steering issues but are there any other major things to look for? I know my way around a car but this is my first venture into Lexus ownership.

Also I've read how to clear ECU codes but how can they be read? For instance on my Calibra I can short two pins on the ECU plug and count the flashes from the EML, is the same true on a GS?

Thanks in anticipation and I look forward to joining in here, it seems a friendly place.

Dave

steve2006 · April 13, 2009

Hi Dave,

Welcome to the LOC.

Sorry I cannot help you on the GS ( I have an LS) but I am sure some of the GS guys will post up some friendly helpful replies before long,

Cheers,

Steve

Patch234 · April 14, 2009

Hello everyone. I want to buy a Series I GS 300 to use as my daily driver. An aquaintance is on his third GS and raves about them, I've had a good drive in his and I'm sold.
I've read about the steering issues but are there any other major things to look for? I know my way around a car but this is my first venture into Lexus ownership.

Also I've read how to clear ECU codes but how can they be read? For instance on my Calibra I can short two pins on the ECU plug and count the flashes from the EML, is the same true on a GS?

Thanks in anticipation and I look forward to joining in here, it seems a friendly place.

Dave

Hi Dave and welcome to the club.

Here is my two pennies worth -

You need to look at the upper wishbones and lower ball joints all around the car. Turn the wheel to full lock on both sides and check for uneven tyre wear. Drive the car and go full lock to full lock while moving, any funny noises? If there is is could be the wheel bearings. Hold each wheel and yank them, any movement? If there is again, wheel bearings.

Check the exhaust, especially where the downpipes meet the centre pipe as the joints (or the gasket/ring) here tends to go and check out the rear boxes. Check the springs (especially the sport version). Check the brake discs all around, test drive the car and brake hard, does the steering wobble?

Check the stereo, mainly the facia panel LCD, is it functioning? Find out when the cambelt was last changed, check the radiator, look for rusty water, if it is present it may mean the inners of the radiator have gone. Should be fine if Lexus/Toyota coolant has always been used.

Bar this, the usual stuff when looking at a car.

Good luck mate

Phil

Lexus2D · April 14, 2009

TigerFish · April 14, 2009

Welcome to LOC.

What steering issues are you referring to? Patch has picked up pretty much everything I would look for. Wishbones and bushes are expensive to sort. The bottom trailing arms on the front reguire the front subframe to be unbolted and dropped (with engine being supported) so not a very easy DIY job. the rest are pretty simple given the correct tools, i.e. ball joint splitters, breaker bar etc. On the Mk1 GS, the stereo fascia LCD is not a common issue (I believe it is on the mk2) so there isn't really any need to worry about that one. Check the air con blows cold as issues/leaks can be costly to sort. The Mk1 is not ODB2 compliant so reading the codes from the ECU is a matter fo shorting the pins and counting the flashes. You need to short pins TE1 and E1 in the diagnostic socket.

DaveHH · April 14, 2009

Hi, thanks for the answers so far, I'll feel a bit more confident in my search. Good to know the ECU codes can be read. The steering issues I meant were the wheel wobble at 65 ish that I read about but as said, check ball joints, discs etc.

Dave