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Way cheaper than buying a $50,000 rolling laptop with a year subscription for heated seats.

My 98' Lexus LS400 is still running great and would fix anything that ever goes wrong with it. I'll rather fix my Lexus than go buy any newer car bc I guarantee my LS400 will out last it

You may not like the lexus LS but someone else does. He is called 'the car care nut' and he restored one way beyond what's reasonable. It was a great journey.

LS 400, no rust, good condition, always fix. This is the car that changed everything in the luxury automotive world. It took Mercedes and BMW that had decades of refinement and almost immediately surpassed them in every way, and for a lower price point , and let’s not even talk about reliability. Not even close.

Good video! This is a VVTI 1UZ engine. Yes, all the parts are expensive. However, this car will run forever. I bought a ’99 SC400 (same engine) with 160,000 miles. I bought it for $2500 and have since put $13,000 into the car between new timing belt/water pump, other engine updates, new stereo, paint, body work, and needed repairs. The car now has 205,000 miles and will go on forever. These cars are tanks. The vvti 1UZ is so incredibly smooth. I love it.

It might cost "thousands" to fix but at 25 years old it isn't depreciating _at all._ Also it is likely costing peanuts in personal property tax (depending on the state where it is registered). Both these reasons are (two of the reasons) why I am still driving around in a 2003 Accord, that has had _two_ engine swaps. .... The NC PP tax on my Accord is less than $30.

With inflation and interest rates, $5-7k isn’t bad and you aren’t in debt for the next 5-7 years and have a reliable daily driver. You may never sell it for as much as you put into it, but the money you save not having a new car payment is nice

it’s 26 years old car and if spending 7k will make run for another 26 years then I’ll just pay the 7k. most cars don’t even last for half of that time without major problems and constant repairs but this one managed to make it because it’s a Lexus.

I’ve owned over 50 cars , 4 of them have been LS400”s ,, it’s the best luxury car model I ve driven

The nicest thing about these older cars is that they cannot be shut down remotely because of the technology involving GPS

Personally, I'd rather bring a car like that back to full health rather than buy some of the trash on sale today. You know the car will treat you right.

As a technician, i personally havent done many timing jobs. But the few i have done I always spin the engine 2 full rotations by hand and verify if all the marks line up and I can spin it freely without nothing binding.

I've had an 06 Durango since new and have performed all the recommended maintenance. And if something broke I've had it fixed. A couple of years ago the MDS system died on me. So i had the engine rebuilt.. I've spent approximately half of the original purchase price. But only about 1/3rd of what a new car would cost. So I can appreciate what the owner of the lexus is thinking. If you maintain the car until it starts to fall apart, you are actually saving money over the long run

We’ve got a ‘99 LX470 with over 200k miles and is still used as a daily driver. Admittedly, it has been well cared for by our independent mechanic and is in tip top condition for its age. We have no desire to replace it yet as it has proved to be a reliable and practical car. Sure, the gas mileage isn’t great, but performance is still awesome.

I have done a timing belt on an LS400 as well as other Toyota/ Lexus vehicles, I really hope for that price you are using Toyota OEM replacement parts. The aftermarket parts really suck and you'll be redoing it again before its time. I will say also, if you like this style of vehicle, a LS430 is a better choice all around in my opinion. The LS400 are good but the LS430 have earned the title of the best Lexus ever made and I fully agree with that

I spent $3400 on the transmission in my 2004 Honda odyssey one year ago. I bought the van for $900 with 187k miles on it in May 2018 and it now has 240k. Only other major repair was water pump.

Didn't finish the video (YET,) BUT I can tell you that fixing your OLD vehicle is absolutely worth it---------because they don't make them like that anymore. Not everyone likes modern designs with their nearly allll-back interiors, tiny windows, etc.

Yup, while I was a young tech, one of our regular customers came rattling in with his 70's Plymouth Satellite. His oil pump drive shaft snapped while he was driving into town. Oil light came on but he kept driving to our shop. The poor engine was screaming as he pulled in. My boss recommended he trash the car due to it's age, mileage, and cost to repair. Poor old guy looked so sad but he wasn't a push over. He came and asked what I thought. I said the only person who can place a value on the car is you ... only you can decide what it's worth. There was no rust on the car and apparently garage kept since the factory paint was flawless. So he was estimated a used engine, or a rebuilt engine, and he chose a rebuilt engine. I pulled the engine, a local shop rebuilt it .030 over, and I rei stalled it... he was advised on the breakin period and he was right back at the shop for the first post breakin oil change ... OMG he was like a teenager with his first new car! He was so happy with his new peppy engine! 😆😆😆

If he spends this money now and gets another 200k to 300k miles out of the car, I'd say he will come out ahead. As long as he keeps it properly serviced!

I've been a follower of Car Wizard for a while and bought my 1998 LS400 back in May last year. The previous owners did almost ZERO maintenance so I've been having to replace over half the parts in the vehicle. I still think this is the best car I've ever owned besides my 93 Caprice wagon. The parts are reasonable cost wise, besides actual body parts (don't get in an accident lol) These cars are 100% worth fixing and keeping on the road for years to come.

A car is the sum total of two kinds of parts,moving and non moving. In many instances if the non moving parts,body,undercarriage,interior,glass,etc are sound then it can make great sense to replace,rebuild moving parts. I have a 03' raised roof conversion Astro from Arizona,rust free,paid $6K eleven yrs ago. I have a new Chevy crate engine,I personally rebuilt the entire front steering, suspension,hubs,ac components n lines and many other parts. Have owned it for 11 yrs now with total of $16 K invested and is now a near "new" vehicle. Of course I saved thousands doing most everything myself. I am 72 yrs old and have never bought a new vehicle,no need for it.

Repairing an older vehicle is almost always cheaper than the payments, insurance and maintenance of a new vehicle.

It’s called doing the work yourself and learning something. I’m no mechanic, but I’ve been doing the same work to a 2006 Lexus LS 430. There are a ton of videos that can help you accomplish all of these tasks if you’re willing to put in the work.

When I bought my 02 Silverado Z 71 4x4, I knew it was in need of a lot of neglected services and had several leaking gaskets, drive train seals, and noisy wheel bearings. I had my mechanic go through the truck and the list of work needed in order of importance. One thing at a time as i was able and now everything is up to snuff. I know I have more in it than I could sell it for, but I'd rather have it than a newer one with the cylinder deactivation system. I like my old Chevy, and everything still works, even the power mirrors.

I would love to see a dedicated video about is it worth fixing a car or buy another. The way prices are on cars now days, as well as parts and labor, it'd be interesting to hear your opinion about when does it make sense to let a car go or hold on to it.

This is the most iconic car of the 90's. Like Wizard said, you can't go buy a new car today that will last as long as the LS. I would buy an older LS 400 in a heartbeat. In fact, I'm confident that I will own one in my lifetime. The components mentioned above, are typical wear/tear due to age. So happy we got another LS video.

Love the LS content! I have a '99 LS400 with 137kmi. which is running great. I do have a few leaks to work through, but otherwise in great shape at 25yrs. old.

Have u seen new car prices??? 7k for another 100k is cheap AF

The average new car payment in 2023 was $725 (which I'm shocked by, btw). So if a major repair costs less than $8700 (a year's worth of payments) you're better off getting it fixed.

I own a top flight 430 LS, it’s fully loaded. ( same money as a secondhand Ford fiesta) , It’s 18 years old and everything works as it was when new new, eerily quiet (almost silent) too, All you can hear is the tyres on worn road Surfaces , Interior is like new, slight sagging of the drivers seat, but otherwise Unmarked, It’s One of those cars you can’t wait to get into And drive … My one was £6000 But the more Basic models can be bought for far less ! The old saying “ you get what you pay for “ is true with the LS 430 Ultra Luxury model…

My 98' lexus gs400 I've spent about $12k last 10 yrs., 235k miles now on odometer. Most things I've replaced have been because of age of my car, best car I've ever owned & really love driving it, very well worth it for me!

Love you wizard. Impressive you are almost at 1 million subscribers looking at the production level. I love this way of putting out the content so please keep it up! Much love from the Netherlands!

I am restoring an 05 lx470 for my familys do everything vehicle and it has been my favorite project yet. Lexuses are brilliant platforms. Timing belt service cost me $50 and some elbow grease :)

I recently bought a 2004 LS430. It was love at first sight. I got it for 5,000. Gives me "room" for extra repair expenses.

i have a super clean 91 LS, and my only issue with it is just its age. so many small things start to leak and/or fail. outside of that, it's the best car ive ever owned.

I had that exact thing happened with a Camry V6 they changed the belt and it was a couple teeth off on one of the cams it ate itself over the next 1000 miles fortunately a valve job fixed it and I ran the car another 70000 miles but it is so disappointing to realize that somebody has screwed you by not fixing your car properly.

Let's say the owner bought this for $7,000 and for Wizard to fix everything and it costs $8,000. $15,000 for a vehicle that now will have at least another 100,000 - 200,000 miles (other nickel and dime expenses over time won't be that bad) it seems like a good buy!

A Toyota without rust is always worth the investment. My 450k mile Land Cruiser will never be replaced.

i own an LS430, the successor to this car. when i brought it in for a timing belt and water pump i was shocked at the 1300 dollar repair bill. but, seeing as i checked my timing belt myself a few weeks prior and it looked even worse than this LS400’s belt, i knew it was either 1300 or 7000 for a new engine.

We have that same car. Color, year we are even in the same state! We live in Salina, Ks. It’s the wife’s car but I enjoy driving it. I drive a huge crew cab dually duramax. The Lexus is fast and reliable. It’s old yes but driven daily.

Has anyone ever heard of a Lexus 1UZ-FE with a GENUINE timing belt EVER letting go? I haven't. The most important part is "burping" this engine at the last phase. Cheers from Sunny Australia.

any car with that age will have these issues, once you fix them though then its good again for another 10-20 years. definitely worth to just fix here and there over time. its only bad when you let it pile up.

Ive owned 2 Lexus SC400s ( Same V8 Motor ) and they are good motors . You do need to keep up with the Rubber Timing Belt service and if the Starter goes out , you have to pull the intake manifold to get to it . The Power Steering usually goes after about 150k .

Fixing the old car is the best investment you can make better than the new cars

This is a great video. I did this recently with a 2005 LS 430 that had 235,000ish miles on it when I bought it. I paid $7800. I ended up putting almost $11,000 into the car but because the car was still in pretty good shape it was well worth the money. I now have one of the best made vehicles of all time that runs amazingly and I couldn’t be happier.

So true what you say about most garages replacing parts instead of repairing them! I just had my car serviced at the franchise dealer and the quoted $1036 for a rear exhaust box (not inc labour). All that was wrong was that the upstream pipe was bent. A real mechanic straightened it for $30!!

We are looking at buying our neighbor's 2003 Camry. It has been started twice a month for the last three years and starts easily enough. So we are paying the $189 for a pre-purchase inspection. Even before that, I did a quick inspection ti make sure ir was safe to drive to the shop only three miles away. Just in doing that, coolant is bad, but brake fluid is worse, so all fluids need to be replaced. Battery cables corroded (cleaned them and they appear in (otherwise) very good shape). Engine VERY rough, but I suspect the three year old gas is the problem so I have told the shop to drain the tank, dump in some conditioner (or whatever they feel is needed) and put in however much fuel they think is needed to do proper diagnosis of the car's fuel system. If there is no Carfax report on the timing belt, that will (probably) be needed (and water pump). The 2003 V6 is known for sludging, but we have been told time and time again that flushing the oil system leads to even greater problems so, if we have an issue with that, I will seek out a Toyota specialist (several here posting regularly on KZfaq) what to do about that. So, just right there, there may be several thousand for a car that was running when they bought their new car three years ago and loved this one so much they did not want to let it go. But it is in the way now and my brother had to sell his manual trans Saturn after a stroke left his left leg paralyzed. He needs a car fairly fast and this one MAY be it. The purpose of my post here is that, even though the car LOOKS really good and you know it's history, and the person is someone you trust, the $189 inspection BEFORE purchase can save you a HUGE amount of money. I don't know how much Wizard charges, but I bet is some of the best money you could ever spend. This 2003 Camry has 200k miles on it. But it will be well worth buying if we can get it with less than $4,000 in repairs needed to take it another 100k miles (or even 200k).

I had a friend 2 days ago ask me how I am a "mobile mechanic" at times. I never went to school and am not certified for anything. I told him a lot of light to intermediate stuff you can do yourself as long as you have the proper tools and...KZfaq TUTORIALS😂😂😂

We had a 1998 Toyota Avalon with 245K miles. We loved that car. We loaned it to someone and it got wrecked. Even a 1998 we got $2,000 from insurance. I’d buy another used one. I have a 2006 SUV I love and has 200k miles. Replaced engine a couple of years ago. Replaced transmission last year. I don’t drive back roads at night. I total it hitting a deer, I’ll get $3,000.

I love these generations of LS400 and 460,I only had an ES300 but woow it ride amazing even with 270k miles on it,I love the LS460 in the grey color they offered,tint the windows and your good

I'd love to see an interview with Ichiro...one of the best hitters ever in MLB.

Would take that Lexus over any European luxury car of similar age.

Ive had my 2000 for 20 years. At 370k miles now and have only replaced strut rod bushings. And still drives solid tight with no knocks. This is car you buy to work on yourself. Teach yourself! It can be indefinintly maintained on the cheap.

Awesome and outstanding as always.Thanks for sharing and taking us along

Just discovered your channel , love it . cheers from England 🍻

These older LS' from Lexus are reliable.

I see one currently driving around my area, same silver spec as this example, probably a 95-97 model. Looks like the driver is an elderly lady. Car looks a bit beat, but it still is stunning. I guarantee that thing runs like a legend. It has this certain presence, that only the big barges of this era possess. This car is still one of my affordable dream cars. I have the LS430 right now, but would one day like to own the 400. I would install an aftermarket parking sensor unit and reverse camera, and try to make it look OEM as possible.

Great video as always. I love how the 66 Chevelle is always in the background. Lurking. Looking forward to your next video.

I had a timing belt slip and the pistons kissed the valves. The valves were bent so I had the head rebuilt for $400. Pistons were fine they just had little valve stamps on them. Piston protrusion was equal and within spec so I didn't rebuilt the bottom end. I put another 60k on it before I totaled it in a wreck. Engine ran smooth with no problems.

❤mr wizard u are the most honest guy out there u don't scam or lie to clients people will trust u some may be envery of u but pay no mind big fella and the family are good ❤✌️✌️

I have a video where I bought a used Honda Odyssey that had its water pumped and belt change but the tensioner was never changed and went completely loose. Broke the belt and bent all the vales for a $7000 engine swap. Its real folks….

Absolutely worth it. This car took down Mercedes back in the early 90's. The LS 430 is a better car then the LS400 but either one is worth putting $ into it. they will last forever if maintained properly. Almost 3 years ago i bought my 1 owner 2002 ES300 w. 161k miles. The original timing belt, water pump and valve cover gasket was replaced at 88k miles by a Lexus dealership. Dealer serviced for nearly its whole ownership. Ill be doing the timing belt, water pump, tensioners this fall when i hit almost 190k miles. Nothing beats the quality of these early gen lexus's especially my 4th gen ES 300.

Drove a 1995 Toyota Celsior for many years. It is definitely worth the investment as these cars are incredible if maintained correctly. Also if you are doing the water pump and timing gear I would suggest looking into replacing the alternator as it's stuffed deep inside there!

Great cars. Def worth it.

Judging from the front license plate, the original owner could have been former MLB great Ichiro Suzuki

Nice video, sir! I have to get the timing-belt changed on my ‘05 4.7 soon also!

If rust free, in good cosmetic condition, YES. The equivalent new vehicle will be dead on the side of the road with impossible, and or incredibly expensive to repair electronic issues, while this Lexus will keep rolling on.

Car Wizard love all of your videos!! Question: I need a good mechanics opinion on the new Chevy Trax/Envista using that teenie weenie GM turbo. Great looking cars and a great price considering the price of a new car today. Would this be a reliable choice for somebody looking for a new car ? Thanks !!!

Just sold my 95 LS and i really miss it, i was hoping to take it from 180k to 500k+ but i needed 4wd and i now have a GX470

Im not a mechanic and have done 3 timing belts on different models, a 1990,1995 and 2005 LS models. The job would take me around 10 hours as there is a lot to remove. First one took a lot longer as l tried to do it with the radiator still in. I always changed crank seal, water pump and bearings on the pulleys. The seals on the cams were left each time as they were dry and would have been a ton of extra work. Parts alone were around $500.

“Worth” is in the eye of the beholder. If a person really, REALLY likes a car and isn’t enamored with newer cars, or just doesn’t want another car payment, spending more on repairs than a car’s book value may still be worth it to that person.

Great video. I've been browsing Craigslist a lot lately. And I discovered a 2000 Jaguar S-Type with a 3.0 L V6 that I'm seriously considering. It's been listed for about 2 months, priced at $3200, then recently brought down to $3100. It has 155,000 miles on it and is said to have been well maintained, may even has been a 1 family car. And Those S-Types are in low demand. I'm finding this video very helpful as to what all I may be up against, as well as a couple Jaguar S-Type Buyer's Guide vids.

All the typical SC/LS400 problems, but that 1UZ will probably outlive us all. Being a previous owner of a SC400, I know that pain, but I'd buy another one in a heartbeat. Toyota put over a billion dollars into R&D for the 1UZ drivetrain back in the 80's, which is reflected in the engineering.

I rebuilt the top end on the earlier version. It was recommended to turn the engine over 3 times ( six revolutions) and confirm marks. It took me 3 times of resetting the marks to get the slack side correct. That car has over 40, 000 miles since then and still strong. It was a 92 version.

LS430 here. Dropped $1500 on it last week for starter job, parts, and labor…..still ride or die

I would enjoy following this car through the rest of the repairs. Make it a series

Lexus has nothing close in their current stable that could ever come close to the quality and durability of this car. The Car Care Nut loves these models.

Leaking doesnt equal broken.

I love that it will be coming back because I actually want this car for some reason

I have a 98 gs400 with 107,000 miles on it. Runs great, love it.

Those Tokyo's Build Quality Dependable Vehicles Car Wizard!🤤

Your customer is approaching his repairs in the correct manner. And you are attacking the priorities correctly also. Not going cheaply, but efficiently.👍 My ONLY complaint is with TOYOTA. There's no money in stocking old parts, but someone needs to. I just love seeing ppl reviving old Toyotas. Is it any cheaper purchasing Toyota parts that are on a Lexus, than buying Lexus parts? I could never afford a Lexus.

Take my 10 year old Mustang. Seeing the new prices at $50K+ (yikes!), suddenly spending $5K to have it last another 10 years seems like good money in preventative repairs. That's like 6 months of a new car payment given current rates. Back when cars were $20-$25K, $5K in repairs was "just get rid of it", but now, you are better off keeping what you have if it's nice.

I just sold my ls400 and am buying a sc400 tomorrow can’t get enough of the 1uz

I didn’t go through all comments but would suggest the owner to order all parts from Japan where prices are much more reasonable for OEM and refresh the car step by step. It requires some research but makes a huge difference for the same original parts.

My options for a new Truck was $50,000+Reg/Lic.Tax's $6,000++ Ford/Chevy or Renew my 2001 Chevy Silverado Truck, cost $4000 bucks. Mainly rebuilding the suspension con.arms/bushing/wheel bearings hubs/shocks/u-joints/tires/windshield. Was it worth now Yes * I love it more than ever ! will it be worth it fix it in the future * Hell Yes.

My LS400 was the best car i've ever owned, but in New Zealand its too expensive to run on the price of fuel over here. I now drive a 2018 diesel Jeep grand cherokee (pretty nice also).

I've always loved this car and I've just realized how much it looks like the older Mercedes, and that's not a bad thing.

Can you do a video series where you detail all the repairs that will be made on this car?

I’ve never really had a issue putting a bunch of money into my older stuff. Mostly cause I keep buying the same make and models so parts go from truck to truck. My engine and transmission in my 86 k30 is on its 3rd vehicle. Way cheaper then a car payment

A complete rebuild on one of those (engine, trans, chassis, everything) would still net you a better car than anything new for less money. Save it!!

I have a 2006 LS with the original timing belt 68k miles. My dad just had his first timing belt job on his Tundra 240k miles. The wizard is right though, but man these timing belts do last forsure.

I had a shop one time tell me $2,700 to repair my Ford ranger. I bought all the parts and did it myself for less than $300. And it wasn't that difficult to do.

Thank you for making this

These ls400 were ahead of their time when they came out. Beautiful cars

Fun fact: This LS400, aka 20celsior in Japan had been used as a Japanese "secret service" car with anti bullet windows. Also police were using this car as an unmarked highway patrol car back in the day. I like this car because of that reason. Back in the day, when we saw LS400 with some weirdly long antennas on the trunk cruising on Japanese highway at the speed limit, we usually slow down.

14 RX and 18 GS owner here and hoping they'll be my last cars. I do all the PM's ahead of schedule so time will tell. I have Mobil 1 in my basement stacked to the ceiling.

I worked for a shop and the head tech (owner) misdiagnosed a timing belt job on an early 5V 2.0VW. I tore it down, found that the belt had already failed but was told to replace it anyways. In the end the head was destroyed and the job got super expensive. Glad I didn't have to make that phone call.

I used to have one of these. What a GREAT car. I only got rid of it because of the exact reason explained here - the repairs cost more than the car was worth. I still miss it.