1998 Lexus LS400 review from North America
"One of the finest cars on the road"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Original serpentine belt started to make noise at 135,000 miles (my fault for not replacing it earlier).
Had to have the front rotors turned at 140,000.
General comments?
The LS400 is in my opinion one of the finest cars in the world. I picked mine up back in early 2004 with 120,000, it looked great and had all of the options you could possibly want including air suspension.
The car is amazingly quiet with little road noise or wind noise.
The LS400's 4.0 liter is very quick off the line and has plenty of passing power.
Braking is amazingly strong for such a large car.
Handling is good, but not sporty, body lean is evident, but TEMS (Toyota Electronically Modulated Suspension) helps that a bit.
The Interior is laid out nicely and is of very high quality materials, the instrument cluster is very clear and easy to read, and radio and climate controls work well. The leather is durable and very soft at the same time.
Overall this is one great car, this was my second LS400 and I am now Hooked on Lexus.
Recommended Reviews:
  | A top quality machine all in all |
| Expensive, heavy, and boring |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model Year | 1998 |
| First year of ownership | 2004 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2005 |
| Engine and transmission | 4.0 1UZ-FE Automatic |
| Performance marks | 9/10 |
| Reliability marks | 10/10 |
| Comfort marks | 9/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 8/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 120000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 150000 miles |
| Previous car | Lexus LS400 |
| Date of Entry | 1st December, 2005 |