http://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/cto/905927865.html

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With best regards

Al

Its just that car.... that one has been abused... heavily abused. Sad really. This car is a disgrace to Lexus.

I have a 1991 Lexus LS400 with 216K miles and the interior is still like new and 100% rattle free. My old 1990 Lexus LS400 had 260K and the interior was like new - it too, no rattles.

Also too, the SC models were not nearly as nice/well built as the LS models. The LS seemed to have higher quality interior materials than the SC, which was strange, because even Camry models during those years were built with very high quality materials.

My gosh... check out this one! It makes mine look like showroom! They say "clean"! Are they insane?
http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/ctd/905422639.html


Here is a nice example....
http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/906171063.html

Its a Toyota, it IS cheap.

Well, at least they've figured out how to design a cupholder that doesn't break in 2 years of usage

Toyota interiors, at least on their cheaper cars have been going downhill for about a decade now. Cheap GM-like plastics, peeling vinyl, etc.

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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

I have an '01 LS430 I commute in - interior looks brand new. If treated well, the Lexus interiors wear very well.

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- Brian


1989 500SEL Euro
1966 250SE Cabriolet
1958 BMW Isetta 600

They look cheap brand new nevermind with age.

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1982 300GD Carmine Red (DB3535) Cabriolet Parting Out
1990 300SEL Smoke Silver (Parting out)
1991 350SDL Blackberry Metallic (481)

"The thing is Bob, its not that I'm lazy...its that I just don't care."

I dislike the similar GM leather that has no form or structure and thus stretches out over time causing those permanent big ass prints in the seat bottoms.

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1974 240D 3.0L 4(M) - 250K -OM617.910 + 300D FW + Rajay turbo power!
1977 6.9 3(A) - 84k

I know a couple of people with older Lexus (5-6 years) and they seem to be holding up well. I can't think of anyone I know who keeps a Lexus longer than that.

My uncle's girlfriend has an 05 RX egg suv thing, its been a pig. Its at the dealer all the time she is always complaining about it. When the extended warranty goes up its gone.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Its not uncommon for a Mercedes owner to "diss" Lexus... its the same thing with a Mercedes to a Lexus owner.

Luckily I have a Lexus and Mercedes and like both. I have owned 3 Mercedes (1985 380SE, 1984 190D and currently a 1988 300SEL) and two Lexus (both LS400s)- all five were/are very good cars and I cannot complain about any of them. All cars have their good and bad points.

Yes, the Lexus is bland and boring, but its not a cheap or poorly made car my any means.. at least the older models when Toyotas were still made in Japan and not Kentucky.

It being nothing but a Toyota is not bad either... until the late 90s, even Toyotas such as the Camry and Corolla were well built, high quality cars (aside from oil leak issues on the 2.2L models- due to faulty oil seals). The interior materials used were top notch. I have had alot of Camrys too from the 80s and 90s. It was not until about the late 90s/early 2000s that Toyotas interior materials declined in quality. I agree.. the new ones seem cheap. I rented a top of the line Toyota Avalon (2009). When compared to todays other cars, it seemed common. I had a 1981 Toyota Cressida (which was the Avalon of the 80s) and even it had a much higher quality interior... instead of cheap plastic, most every interior panel on my 1981 Toyota Cressida was a high quality and padded material.... same for my 1993 Camry. NO rattles.

In late 1989 / early 1990, most car companies could only dream to have the build quality, quality of materials/workmanship as the Lexus, (except for Mercedes ), at the price Lexus sold these for. Remember, they were directly trying to get Mercedes owners. I think the base price for a LS400 in 1990 was around $37,000, which was tens of thousands less than a 420SEL that year and still be a super well built car. Of course Lexus caught on and the price went up a great deal every year so much so that by 1993-94 a LS400 was stickering for nearly $50K.

These were rated as the most reliable/trouble free car on the road and as an owner of one, I can see why. 17 years and 216K miles later, I have no major problems with my car... no leaks, no oil burning, perfect shifting transmission, no rattles, etc, but like all cars, even these have their trouble spots. On the 1990-94 LS400s, some of the trouble spots are power steering pump leaks (which is situated over the alternator and will over time ruin it - poor design on Lexus' part), the HVAC LCDs will turn black over time, power antenna will go on the fritz, A/C evaporators are known for some problems, the electroluminescent instrument cluster will go out after so many years/miles, but like Mercedes, the removal of the cluster is easy, but its a costly replacement/repair and motor mounts after about 15 years / 200K miles.

The only problems I had with my old 1990 LS400 @ 260K was the radio had went bad, A/C evaporator was bad and it needed motor mounts. On my current 1991 LS400 @ 216K, my only problems is that I have an internally leaking PS pump (it needs some sort of an o-ring replaced), power antenna is noisy going down and I need new motor mounts. Also, these cars are non-interference engines... if the timing belt snaps (on the 90-94s) no damage occurs... sling on a new belt, its fine... unlike the V8 Mercedes of those years... chain/rail/guide/tensioner breaks, its toast.

Now remember, the Lexus ES is nothing more than a Toyota Camry, which up until about 1996, was not a bad thing. True, Lexus has declined, but hasnt Mercedes as well?

Did I fail to mention that I also love my Mercedes?

BTW - who mentioned cup holders? My 88' does not have them! I thought a $60K car in 1988 would have them - did the 88 S-Class MBs have cup holders and are mine just missing? ... my $16K 1987 Camry had them.

No, your S class shouldn't have cup holders. I was just saying that MB has trouble designing durable cup holders in their newer cars. Cheap, thin plastic parts that break with use.

I think they have gotten better about them lately. They probably realize how important cup holders are to certain American buyers

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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

Mercedes shouldn't have cup holders. Even on the new ones they suck, as they should.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I think that this car was called the Toyota Soarer in Japan. The Japanese market does not have a Lexus brand (or at least it did not when I last checked).

When this model was out, I remember it getting phenomenal reviews in the British motoring press as a car that was technologically superior. I wouldn't mind one, I was just surprised at how battered the interior looked. Not so much the seats but the dash that looked like it used really cheap plastic.

I still would like to drive one though.

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With best regards

Al

Sorry fellas, but German interiors are boring. Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, VW . . . might be a primary cause of narcolepsy.

I still think the British do the best interiors. The new Auston Martin looks fantastic inside without that old English drawing room look.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Nonsense. If you are going to do something do it right. Don't half ass it especially when your customers are paying a lot of money.

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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi