RE: SOTW: Lexus LS400

[ian_touring]

very nice shed. And with some hope of (relative) reliability too. That would turn the boring queue bashing commute into a kind of nonchalant stroll.

[collateral]

Always quite liked these.

Shame they are all slushmatics, but v8 barge powah + Jap reliability =

[FestivAli]

v8will said:

Seriously thinking about one of these to park beside my 850 T5

Interesting you say that. When I was shopping around for my first car a bit over a year ago (actually my fourth, but the first one I had to pay for) I cross shopped a 1991 LS400 with a 1996 850CD (yeah I know, not a T5). I ended up getting the 850 as it had few kms on the clock (157,000 versus 181,000 for the Lexus) and it was about 3 grand cheaper ($7000 vs $10000 $AUD). I would have been able to stretch to the Lexus but my mind thought it would have larger running costs with the V8. To my seat of pants impression, the Volvo was just that bit comfier as well, but that car wasn't so fantastic so I've still always wondered what if, especially as my friend got the same engine in a 1996 SC400 which has given him no trouble at all (and only $6000!!!).

Also sat in a 1988 Merc S class (either the 380 or 420, can't remember) - zero equipment next to the Lexus, certainly ominious though despite its barge appeal - the window specs said it had done 256,000kms, and the odometer showed 260,000 - which I concluded meant it had done over 4000kms of test drives with still noone wanting it!

And the point of this ramble? a brand new Fiesta 1.6CL manual for $17,000 to save on servicing costs.

[briancorish]

james_gt3rs said:

Article said:

Shed doesn’t trust ads with only one picture…

What a boring, soulless car.

So is an S-class, and the Lexus is better built, quieter, more comfortable, and the engine sounds brilliant...

[FastEff]

williamp said:

Great cr. I'm surprised Garlick hasnt bought one!

A Toyota V8 engine must be a good bet to be transplanted into something more....lightweight?

I've learned about this project on PH, but now is the time to post that Lexibug build thread again: http://www.ikcc.ie/forum/viewtopic.php?t=718&p...

Short answer: yes.

[Miguel]

Love it!!! Japanese-style wafting with bullet-proof reliability. Obviously, some things will eventually go wrong with anything of this age/mileage, but compared to most others of similar age, it should be really reliable--and very quiet. I want me a cheap, V8-powered Lexus.

Miguel

[Belfast Boy]

Great SOTW, possibly the best so far (since I joined!)

Considered one of these for a while, been in a few!

not sure of the 1st comment about the first true luxury offering from Japan, the Cedric, Crown might of been before that.

Love it thought, bring back pinstripes and uneffecient boot spoilers I say!

(oh MINI I forgot!

[big_rob_sydney]

I'm a huge fan of Lexus. This is coming from someone who's had 4 out of the last 5 cars being subarus. I never thought I'd like it, but the car grew on me, to the point whre I just love them.

I cant see myself wanting a german car just yet (I dont place any value on their badges, and what you get standard in the lexus you have to pay a fortune for in options on the others).

[Prolex-UK]

jbi said:

Prolex-UK said:

In japan toyota offered a supercharged version............(twas badged as a Celsior)

Yup... I've got one, and no it was not supercharged

Only real differences are the rear light cluster and the jap spec radio...

Won't pick up on UK frequencies as they are too high for it's range...

No biggie... radio was one of the first things to be swapped out

Absolutely love my car... would have another in a heartbeat.

Edited by jbi on Friday 22 January 20:06

not all JDM are supercharged one specific model was....trust me...........there are a few people who have used those superchargers on V8 soarers

[forzaminardi]

Good big waft-o-matic, when it comes to value for money you can't beat an ancient Japanese luxocruiser.

I'd give this a dead heat with the Alfa from 2 weeks ago. The Alfa is probably more desirable and fun but a Lexus will just run and run and run for all eternity.

Alfa - 1
Renault - 0
Lexus - 1

[XB70]

Prolex-UK said:

jbi said:

Prolex-UK said:

In japan toyota offered a supercharged version............(twas badged as a Celsior)

Yup... I've got one, and no it was not supercharged

Only real differences are the rear light cluster and the jap spec radio...

Won't pick up on UK frequencies as they are too high for it's range...

No biggie... radio was one of the first things to be swapped out

Absolutely love my car... would have another in a heartbeat.

Edited by jbi on Friday 22 January 20:06

not all JDM are supercharged one specific model was....trust me...........there are a few people who have used those superchargers on V8 soarers

I am really curious which LS this is. In Oz, there is a massive following of the Soarers and, with it, interest in forced induction. This spills over into interest in the the LS's due to the oddball insurance market in Oz where an import (the Soarers) get slammed on insurance but domestic sold but still imported cars (the LS) does not. Anyways...

I recall speaking to THE Soarer/LS guru in Sydney (he took an LS400 in the Targa Tasmania then an SC in the next two Targa's I believe) and did modifications to Soarers from all over Australia. I asked him this specific question way back then since I wanted a supercharged LS400 and he assured me that no LS left the factory with a supercharger.

Tom's and C's used to do a kit for them but to my knowledge, there has never been a factory LS with a supercharger.

Would love to be corrected though so I can get one of these beasts

[300bhp/ton]

Personally think the LS400 is way cool. Not only is it the best looking Lexus to date, as well as the original. The story behind how it came about is a pretty good rear too, as is the whole ethos behind the car and brand.

I think owning one today on a budget is quite cool, even more so if you add a noisy aftermarket exhaust on it, so you can hear that lovely V8 roar and be just that bit of a rebel while wafting around in luxury!

[XB70]

300bhp/ton said:

Personally think the LS400 is way cool. Not only is it the best looking Lexus to date, as well as the original. The story behind how it came about is a pretty good rear too, as is the whole ethos behind the car and brand.

I think owning one today on a budget is quite cool, even more so if you add a noisy aftermarket exhaust on it, so you can hear that lovely V8 roar and be just that bit of a rebel while wafting around in luxury!

There was an LS400 that I used to see every one in a while around Sydney. Now, Sydney is full of Holden HSV's and Ford V8's so the rumble of a large capacity V8 is nothing new. However, what I heard sounded like this



so you can imagine my surpise to see an LS go by.

Had thought about this on my LS but my wife would kill me. Am sure that my baby daughter would like it though.

Edited by XB70 on Saturday 23 January 13:06

[rapidude]

Bargeshedtastic!

[VAGdave]

Hmm, initially didn't do a lot for me this one, however I'd probably be fairly easily swayed if got to drive one - I usually like this type of thing.
Was expecting the interior to be horrendus beige leather affair, but it actually looks ok. Would prefer a Soarer coupe though...

[gavzdc5445]

"We particularly love the early 1990s coachline and the boot spoiler, too.".....EH???


What an engine though....4.0 V8, cracking shed this week, id definately buy for a big smoker up and down the motorway. I have an IS200 at the moment...but heard of a few conversions of this engine into the 200....hmmmmmm

[jbi]

lots of aftermarket support for the 1uz-fe v8...

i'm currently putting one in a mk1 discvovery with a manual gearbox

[300bhp/ton]

jbi said:

lots of aftermarket support for the 1uz-fe v8...

i'm currently putting one in a mk1 discvovery with a manual gearbox

Sounds very interesting, would you be able to pm me or post up any more info on this swap?

[XB70]

Some info here, including the original C's advert

http://www.lexusaustralia.org/technical_pages/supe...

The more I think about this, the more I am tempted to take down the advertisment for my LS and supercharge it.

[Escort Si-130]

Yes of course I would have an M class over a g-spot wagon anyday.
The reason why I said its nothing to shout about is the person on PH who wrote the article mentioned the performance of it as though it was fast. Even by 1990 standards that isnt really that fast.

Garlick said:

keith2.2 said:

Escort Si-130 said:

0-60 in 8.3 secs in a 241bhp car isnt nothing to shout about.

Umm

Have you seen the size of it?! Besides, this car isn't about speed.

Indeed. Didn't you also prefer the M Class to the G-Wagen?