1989 Lexus LS400 review from North America

Lower balljoints @ 82K (warranty)

A/C compressor @ 92K (warranty)

Water pump @108K.

Steering rack @162K.

I have owned over 30 different cars since high-school – from Hondas to Explorers to Cadillacs to Corvettes – and my 1990 Lexus LS400 is by far the best. In fact, it may be one of the finest “machines” I’ve ever owned, be it automotive or other. It’s certainly not perfect…it’s needed some repairs – like replacement of the steering rack and ball joints - that I thought should have lasted a bit longer than they did. But considering that it has now provided 216K miles of service in very hard Houston stop-and-go driving (and three fender-benders), overall its reliability still rates much better than any domestic, and is comparable to that of any Japanese or German import. To really understand why Lexus owners such as myself love this car so much, I think you have to look beyond merely the not exceptional reliability statistics and high maintenance costs (especially if you have maintenance done by the dealer!). The car simply exudes quality: from the uncanny smoothness of the engine to the trim on the trunk hinges to the way the ashtrays glide open. And if the cost of maintaining this quality is a bit higher than “average”, so is the reward!

I bought this car used (with 10K miles) from a Lexus dealer; it now has 216K miles. I also have a 1999 LS400, which I also purchased used (with 24K miles – now has 95K miles) from the same dealer.