Faults:

Air Conditioning Compressor went out two weeks after I bought it at 150,000 miles. $1500 for a new one.

When I bought it, the LCD display for the clock and stereo was already gone, and at $600 to replace it, it will stay that way.

Power window/locks switch in driver's door steadily going out, first the passenger door wouldn't lock, now the window won't roll down, and now the rear passenger window won't roll down. $500 for a new switch.

Rear main seal went at 160,000 miles. A clean $500 fix.

General Comments:

Smoothest, quietest ride I've ever experienced. Like riding on air. The V8 is so smooth, you don't even realize you're accelerating until you look at the speedometer.

Tons of power from the V8, but handles like a tuna boat.

Leather seats are in good shape at 165,000 miles, but they are hard compared to newer cars.

This car is smoother, and more pleasant to drive than almost all of the new cars on the market.

This car is in great shape for its age, but when something does go wrong, it's costly.

Fuel economy isn't bad, at around 22mpg, considering the V8, though you have to use premium gasoline.

Faults:

I have owned this car for one year.

When I purchased the car the only thing that didn't function was the display for the heater and clock was not functioning. Apparently a known issue with 90-92's.

For the first year I owned it the only maintenance I paid for was regular oil changes. A few months after that I started to get a power steering leak, just a $2.85 hose and $150 for labor.

Around the same time my A/C stopped functioning. The A/C compressor seized, and the dealer tells me it will run about $1500-$2500 for parts and labour. I have not bothered to get that fixed yet.

General Comments:

For a car with over 300,000 KM's it still runs like a brand new car. My goal is to hit atleast 500,000 KM. I bought the car with 292,000 KM for $13,000 + tax Cnd.

The car has great power for a 92, 0-60 Mph in high 7's-low 8's, and even with a V8 still gets respectable gas mileage. It has an 80 liter tank, and I seem to at times get as much as 750-800km out of a tank (highway). For anyone looking to buy a new car in the 15-25 thousand range, why not consider a early-mid 90's Lexus?

The only problem I have with Lexus is the fact that I am 19 years old and whenever I go into the Lexus dealership (Halifax, NS) I get terrible treatment. Their basic oil change costs $79.99, and when I ask them what the difference is between getting an oil change in an LS 400 and a Toyota Avalon, they told me nothing except they give you a car to use and they clean your car when it's a Lexus. Yet every time I have had it in for an oil change neither have I been offered a car to use nor have they ever cleaned my car. I assume the fact is because I'm so young. So I started taking my car to the local Toyota Dealership and getting the same oil change for $24.99.