The Nikasil problem was in the 1995 BMW 740 which had the 4.0 liter engine. The 1997 should be the 4.4 liter which is not affected by that problem. The E34 5 series 1993-1994-1995 (530i 3.0 V8 and the BMW 540I 4.0 V8) were the other cars affected during this generation. Are you sure that your friend's sister had a 1997?

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1989 300CE Astralsilber/Schwarz
1992 300CE Schwarz/Schwarz

Not 100% sure I'll ask.

What about a newer XJ8? For like $17k you can get an 01 XJ8 with under 80k on it.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I love the clean sleek look of the car. Where my buget is, I can't afford a 2001, it would have to be more like a 1997. I know that since Ford's takeover that the cars are much better now, but I'm still scared. I owned 2 Jaguars a long time ago. One was a 1987 1/2 XJ6 and the other was 1990 XJ6. I paid dearly in expenses. I do realize that the new generation is a new breed, but I am not in a position to take chances. I need some reassurance to feel better about going that route. Also, I need to drive the car I decide to buy in snow, during winter.

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1989 300CE Astralsilber/Schwarz
1992 300CE Schwarz/Schwarz

well... considering the fact that my 300E is an '87 and my ES300 is only a '98, it's a bit difficult to determine which is more reliable.

the ES300 is indeed a fabulous vehicle - plenty of power, comfortable, etc. i've never had any significant problems with it. definitely reliable.

my 300E, sadly, has seen a couple owners before me. if i could have been the first owner she still wouldn't look a day old. i spend hefty amounts of both time and money on trying to bring her back up to par with the lexus. but this certainly doesn't mean that the 300E's unreliable, she's just not in supreme condition. the only time she's ever died on me was when the (probably original) alternator went kaput [naturally, it happened at 1am, going home to san diego from LA... and in the pouring rain. cost me about 200 bucks to tow her all the way home... it sucked].

as far as reliability goes, i'd say the two are about neck and neck.
but when it comes to styling and downright beauty... the 300E wins by a landslide. in my opinion, the w124 chassis is by far the most gorgeous piece of machinery ever built. everything about it is perfect... i could just sit and look at one all day.

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1987 300E - champagne
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...-tiny-w124.gif

560 is a little under power compare with my other cars (it only has 239HP..... i really wish i got the euro 300HP version)
e420.... eat as much gas as a E320 (i am surprised)... silky smooth... powerful and very quiet!
S500... another M119 family member, smooth and powerful, and it is a 97...feel like it is more powerful then my E420 in hi rev.

S600.....
when u start the car....Burrrrr......ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM
it is a little noiser than my S500....o well.... i enjoy the engine sound anyway

no big problem with my car....
560 got monovalve problem, which is a cheap and easy DIY job
E420, AC still blow ice cold...
S500, luckily i dont have the troublsome ADS system, but the rear suspension start making funny noise... maybe time to replace
S600......i will let u know if i get any problem.....

From the Lexus Forum

>>I'm replacing my upper control arm bushings today, and I noticed that my left lower ball joint is shot. P/N 43340-59016, Dealer price=$129.83, Napa=$114.45, the cheapest on-line is about $70, so far as I've found. I seem to recall a post on this site a few weeks ago, where somebody found balljoints for $45! Were they for the Gen I?
John <<

The lower ball joint for my 124 was $28 Cdn. from the dealer. I think you will find the Lexus very reliable but parts prices are high. You can find more examples on the forum.

Jorg

#5 740 is a beautiful car. I don't know on how reliable the car is... but it has this "w126" look to it that I really like.

From what I gather at the Lexus club, I would avoid 1995 LS400. That is the first year of Lexus Gen II. 1990-1994 is Lexus Gen I. Nothing I read there indicates that ANY dealer repair is cheap. I have complete dealer records for my 1990 LS400 from the OO and there are some wallet busters, i.e. p/s. Lexus labor is not cheap and neither are the parts. I haven't done any repairs yet to the Lexus, only driven it for 10k, but in checking brake parts, the Lexus is way more than the W124. I enjoy driving the Lexus more because 1) Trying to conserve miles on my 300CE, 2) the previous Lexus owner upgraded to bigger wheels and low profile tires so it handles pretty nice, 3) the AC/Heater in the 300CE is primitive compared to the Lexus.

glenmore
1991 300CE
1990 LS400

The newer Jags are very reliable cars in my research people recomended an XJ8/6 over a W140/740IL. Also over the Lexus, sure most of them are reliable but when they do break it isn't cheap. Not to mention the interiors are not as nice and they are kind of bland. For a cheap to run high end car I would stick to a:

E320/420/430
XJ6/8

maybe, maybe an S320/S420.

http://forums.jag-lovers.org/index.php3
Try these guys almost as good as this forum.

I don't know much about BMW's except that they can be pricy to keep in good shape. I am pretty sure Gilly has a 540I similer to the one you are looking at. 99 maybe? Maybe you could shoot him an email, I remember him saying it cost more then his MB's but was a fun car to drive.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

How do you feel about the E38 1997 BMW 740 compared to the 1995 LS400?

Lino,

I do not have a lot of information on the BMW, but I would say that the handling on the E38 will be better than all your other choices. At the same time, it is more likely that the BMW was driven like a sports car, increasing wear on the suspension componets, engine and transmission, compared to the LS.

On a 95 LS, 90,000 miles service at the dealer is from $1000-1500 and includes timing chain and water pump replacement. The other item which is difficult to access is the starter. The instrument panel/AC panel may require attention. The engine computer on the 95 was updated. Around 100,000 miles (10 years), some suspension componets may require attention. The tires are V-rated as the maximum speed is 149 mph. Avoid the air suspension. Other than these items, you should only have minor problem (eg O2 sensor). Some of these items can be fixed fairly easily without the dealers assistance.

The 95 E320 issues are Evaporator ($2000), wiring harness ($850), head gasket ($2200), throttle actuator ($1400).

W210 has rust issues, spring perch failure, harmonic balancer failure, window regulators, early 5 speed transmissions etc.

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Zafar
94 E320 58000 Miles

We've had 2 E38s in our family- a 740i, and later a 740iL. Let me tell you, they are among the best driving cars on the planet. Silky smooth ride, every power/convenience feature you an think of, very powerful (the '96+ with the 4.4 more so than the '95, which was lacking in low end torque. Our 740i was a '95, which we got rid of due to the Nikasil issue), responsive handling (handled amazingly well for their size), incredible stability at high speed, excellent brakes, lots of safety features, solid structure and build quality, great looking, I could go on and on....

However, those cars are very costly to maintain. I would not even think of one without an extended warranty. The V8 has some cooling system issues, and the electronic gadgets are suspect to failure over time. Also annoying was the pixels constantly burning out on the interior displays. The car, due to its weight, went through brake pads like they were going out of style.

Overall, the E38 is in a class of its own, and I think it is easily a better car than the W140 (bring on the flames!), but the cost to maintain that car was just too much in the long run. I guess if money were not an object, we would still have those cars, but due to maintenance costs we ended up getting a W210 E430, which has been fairly bulletproof, with far lower operating costs. Still, the W210, as nice as it is, does not compare with the E38; The E38 (excluding upkeep) is a far superior car.

I would say that maintenance-wise, aside from the headgasket issues on the '97 E320, and the possibility of some tranny problems (being the first year of the 722.6), overall maintenance will be cheaper. I also think a 5-series would be a little cheaper to maintain than a 7, particularly the 528i, which has a less complicated interior trip computer/digital display setup than the 540 (far fewer pixels to burn out), and a more reliable engine/cooling system.

The W124 is a solid, reliable car with few issues, and the styling still looks fantastic even today. However, the newer BMWs have surpassed that platform in regard to ride and handling, and the W210 E320 is a much more modern car, and should be fairly reliable also. As for the LS400, we have also had Lexuses in our family and their operating costs have been substantially lower than the German cars, but at the same time the Germans are simply more fun. I think the 2nd and 3rd generation GS, the original SC and the IS cars are the only really exciting Lexuses made. However, if you want something reliable, Lexus should be up ther eon your list. The V8 engine is super-smooth, and the ride is excellent. The LS even handles surprisingly well, given its plush ride.

Also, if you don't mind a large coupe, you should look into the Lexus SC300 and SC400. You should be able to pick up '92'096 models is your price bracket. They are solid cars, and very reliable. The 300 has the same inline 6 as the non-turbo Supra, so there is plenty of power to be made there is you go to the aftermarket. The SC400 is more of a cruiser, with effortless power, and more standard equipment. Most SC400s came with the optional Nakamichi sound system, which is one of the best systems ever installed in any car, regardless of price. Even the standard Pioneer system is impressive, and far better than anything MB has put out. These cars are comfortable, reliable, and handle well (the 300 more than the 400, due to its lighter weight and better balance). Plus, I think their bodystyle is beautiful and original, which can't be said about many Japanese cars.


In any event, good luck with your search.

-Nabeel

I can't remember when I was able to get something from the dealer for $28 Cdn lol. The ball joints cost me $100 + tax each for my Legend. Maybe it's a Japenese thing. They last a long time though. Mine were original and the car was 13 years old.

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1989 300CE Astralsilber/Schwarz
1992 300CE Schwarz/Schwarz

I have read that the 1990-1994 Generation 1 is a greay buy. They're not that easy to find with low mileage. I did miss a 1993 that had 40,000 miles.
http://www.familycar.com/RoadTests/Lexus1stGen/Lexus1stGen.htm

I haven't heard anything bad about Generation 2 though. You got me curious now. Do you know anything that should definitely stop me from buying a 1995?

The power steering pump matter has a an alternative fix that is more reasonable than the dealer's outrageous price. Same with the cluster issue.
http://www.lexls.com/tutorials.html

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1989 300CE Astralsilber/Schwarz
1992 300CE Schwarz/Schwarz

Thank you for the Lexus info! The E38 BMW 7 series owners if older will drive it tame typically. On the other hand, BMWs tend to tease you and encourage you to speed...just by design. That's the affect they hav on me anyway. They're just so fun to drive. I can spot a hard driven BMW and any car I buy will be getting a PPI (Pre Purchase Inspection).

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1989 300CE Astralsilber/Schwarz
1992 300CE Schwarz/Schwarz

Thank you very much for your very detailed response. The E38 is the car I desire most, because it has a balance of everything. Your words of desribing your experience is driving me crazy!!! You make me want to buy one without rationalization. I would not consider a 1995 Nikasil though that's why I thought about a '97 iL. I actually learned how to drive on an E23 BMW 7 series when I was 14, so there is love there. The LS400 maybe boring, but is plush and spacious and has high respect in the reliabilty scale. The SC400 is too cramped for a daily driver. My loss. I do like the performance and driving characteristics of the car though. My friend owned one. The GS and IS are out of the question. I had my fun in an is300. Good car ..too small.

When you talk about head gasket jobs and tranny problems on the 1997 E320, I already feel turned off. My silver coupe is getting a new tranny right now. The head gasket was already done. Maybe I should get a Camry or an Accord. But nah...that would be too easy. I have to get something that will keep me coming back to the forum .

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1989 300CE Astralsilber/Schwarz
1992 300CE Schwarz/Schwarz