Stop spending $20K on plastic! CAR WIZARD shows how this '95 Lexus LS400 is the perfect car 

the hood struts work so well because the only time the hood ever needed to be opened was for a oil change 😂

When the Lexus LS came out, GM bought one, tore it apart and their engineers tried to see if they could build it at cost, they couldn't. I still remember the first time I sat in one, back in the 90's. It was an absolute tank. The fit and finish, how tightly the doors closed. I remember when I closed the door, my ear had a slight pulse from the air tightness. I have NEVER experienced that ever in any other car.

The first time I rode an LS400, and the only time, was once when our car overheated and needed to be towed in the middle of a highway. I was 7 with my younger siblings at the time, stuck waiting for help, and a lovely gentleman in a spanking new LS400 pulled over and offered us all a ride while dad stayed back to deal with the tow. I couldn't believe what I was in. I'd been in E classes and Audis. But this was something else. The leather. The character. The lighting. The solid feel. And just this warm gesture from the stranger. Something I will never forget.

Of course the hood struts work. You never have to open it!

My dad gave me his 95 ls400 and it currently has 285k miles on it and it's still one of the best car I ever own in my life I'll never sell this beautiful car.

My Dad worked for a Japanese company for years… the CEO picked him up in the Crown equivalent (brand new at the time) when he traveled… to this day, my Dad claims this is the best car he’s ever rode in, he stated “I was absolutely floored at the ride, quality, and luxury.” The ownership reviews on this thing are unreal. Truly a testament to how amazing they are.

I also own a 1995 ls400. I love the car today as much as I did when I bought it almost 17 years ago. It had 80k when I bought it and today it has 192k. I am a senior citizen and have owned many cars over the years and this Lexus is by far the best car I have ever owned. I have no intention of selling. Thanks for the excellent video!

I had to teach my wife not to try to start the car sometimes while it was running. The V8 engine on the LS 400’s are so well balanced you cannot see them vibrate or feel them run. I taught her to look at the tack to make sure. True story.

I have a 2001 LS 430. 260k miles on it and still runs great. So smooth and it feels like it'll never die. Just keep maintenance up on it, and it'll last. I'm shooting for that half million mile club.

A fun fact about that V8. At the time Toyota wanted to get into the small plane industry and was planning on using that V8 with a supercharger. So because of that it is FAA certified (which helps add to its reliability) and with stock components can take boost really well and reliable.

The Lexus LS400 and LS430 hands down, the greatest vehicles ever assembled. I own a 2011 Toyota Avalon Limited that’s almost like them but it’s not because unlike my car, these cars were made in Japan.

After working in the automotive field for 15+ years and retiring I can say this from working on and being a owner of a Lexus. These cars are highly underrated, easy to work on , and reliable than anything in the road today. You cannot find a finer car today . These cars are bulletproof . Everything he said in this video is 💯 l would not ever hesitate to buy any Lexus before 2006 . They are the best cars Toyota ever made and really the best cars made ever.

When a reporter asked Alan Mullaly, (Former Ford CEO and Boeing exec) why he drove a Lexus LS430 before he took the reigns at Ford in the mid 2000’s, he said it was the finest automobile in the world.

That was nice of you to give Scotty a shout out. Thanks Wizard. Scotty might be a little over the top, but he is a brilliant mechanic.

Older Japanese vehicles are today’s holy grail; easy to service for the DIYer , rock solid build quality and consistent reliability. Not at all surprised to see this Lexus still kicking at 300,000 miles. It will likely keep going past 500,000 , possibly more. 😁

A friend of mine has the Gen 1 LS400, with over 500,000 kms. It's running like a beast. Drives great, parts are still available, can easily do 160 km/h with no hiccup. I drove it from Khobar to Riyadh (420 km) in 45 C weather at 150 km/h fueling it once nonstop. Got decent fuel mileage too for a V8. It was ridiculously comfortable, AC was great.

Yeah baby! Bought my 1997 LS400 for $5000 in February after my 2004 Toyo Matrix (292k miles) got rear-ended and totaled. BEST car buying decision I've made, especially in this climate of crap cars selling for crazy money! Thanks Mr. & Mrs. Wizard for the information and making it fun to watch! (oh, and the LS400 had less than 200k miles on her!)

You are right wizard. I have a 1996 lexus LS 400 with 453.000 km ( = 283.000 miles ) and still runs smooth like silk. The best car in my life. I don't want to sell it. I also have a LS 430 and now I have bought a SC 430. Smooth and hard like rocks

My 94 LS400 has 356k on her, interior is amazingly in good condition for the age let alone the miles. EVERYTHING works on it as well, also paid only $900

I have a 2006 Lexus that I bought in 2011 and it had 65,000 miles. I bought it for $25,000 which was a great deal compared to all the others that were online. It still rides smooth, and I have no problems with it at all. I change the oil every 3 or 4 months and have 140,000 miles. The interior is leather and still looks new. I am very happy with it and paid it off 5 years ago. Saving Money is a good thing.

Toyota products are EXCELLENT vehicles. I have a 2000 Camry with 228K miles with the 2.2 Liter 4 cylinder. Great car, great gas mileage. Love the first gen Lexus 400's. They are overengineered and very well made quality cars. These cars were "coach built" to last and hold up well. Lexus and Toyota produce great products.

Whenever I watch CarWizard's video, things he says are almost always parallel with what Scotty have said now or in the past. That's why I like this channel.

I got a used 95 ls400 for in 2000 with 95k miles and end up putting 350k miles on it. Engine and tran was still good but suspension started to get bumpy. I gave it away to a buddy. Last year my buddy was still driving it. One of the best cars of all time

Absolutely the most comfortable quiet and reliable car I've owned. Besides the seats wearing and ripping over time regular proper maintenance makes them almost immortal.

I was recently inspecting my wife's LS430 and really enjoyed seeing just how overbuilt they made the LS. 20 years old and 120k and all it has needed is oil, tires, shocks and brake pads.

200k on my 96 LS400 and it's rock solid. It's a great highway cruiser.

My wife had this car we bought used in 2000. She drove this for 9 years with 180,000 Miles on it. We changed the timing belt, water pump and thermostat and regular oil changes. Did have to replace a glass headlight. Fantastic car.

My '02 LS 430 has close to 400k km on the odometer, and while its stock parts are rusting away after fifteen to twenty years, the engine is still perfect. It's just as quiet and smooth today as the day my parents bought it back in '04.

The LS400 and gen 3 Camry also inspired me to become a mechanical engineer. The build quality was so awe inspiring. It's hard to find that kind of engineering even in the aerospace industry

Totally with you on the older car more reliable thing. I sold a 17' ecodiesel 6months for the same amount I paid new and replaced it with 3 ultra reliable older trucks. 06 Silverado 2wd 5.3, 03 Tahoe 5.3, 00 S10 2.2 manual. Bought 2 LS 5.3 spare engines and still pocket THOUSANDS. Car market is insane and new cars are way more complicated than they should be.

I just picked up a 2006 LS430, solid car worth every cent.

That Lexus LS400 was made at the Tahara plant by TMC. The fit & finish at that plant is amazing. There may be things like LCDs that may go out, but they can be repaired by aftermarket companies. As long as you do preventative maintenance, that Lexus should last a long time.

These are one of my favorite Lexus models. Just a solid tank. My 2002 Toyota Avalon has 240k on it and drives better than many cars with half it's mileage. It makes a great year round daily driver. I also have a 1999 BMW 740i and someday I'd love to pick up a decent LS400 to go with it since they were competitors back then. It would be cool to compare them in a video. No question the Lexus would win in the maintenance and reliability categories lol.

i had one of these about 10 years ago. i got it with 220k miles and was still running super smooth at 380k miles but was involved in a wreck and was totaled. if it wasn't totaled i'm sure it would've reached a million miles! love this generation of Lexus cars

Definition of built to last. Almost like the car never wants to give up. Respect...

The LS430's are great cars too. I regret not buying one for relatively cheap about a decade ago when I had the chance.

The 1UZFE is such an under stressed motor, it's an absolute tank as long as you keep up on maintenance. Do your timing belt service intervals, do your oil changes and it will be a fantastic car. Plus the Toyota automatic transmissions from this generation especially late 80s to 90s are fantastic as long as you keep the fluid changed and filters changed.

I got a 1995 LS 400 in November and I'm blown away by how fantastic it is. I have had five Toyota products & they have all been great. The LS 400 takes it to a whole new level.

I'm from the UK; I visited California in 1990 and opposite the motel where I was staying was a Lexus dealer. I'd read about them but at that time I had not seen any in my country. After looking at the cars on display, I promised myself I would buy one eventually. It took until 2001 when I bought my first GS300 and I loved it, the quiet smoothness, the obvious quality of everything. Since then, I have owned a further two GS300s and a 1994 LS400, just like the one here. Apart from the normal maintenance, I never had any issues with any of them; all of them were utterly reliable.

Reliability is paramount in my book, and Wizard outlines exactly the reasons why I have a 90s Ford pickup, a Jeep with a 4.0, and a newer 4Runner - I like stuff that doesn't break all the time, or cost a small fortune to keep going between annual inspections.. especially since I drive at least 40k every year. I literally have zero time or bandwidth to deal with the bs that new cars bring with them. Give me something old school cool any day!

You have to understand that the LS400 is one of the best cars ever to roll off an assembly line, ever. This car was like a damn spaceship compared to everything else in it's day... even the Germans admit that. If you find a decent one, grab it!

I just got gifted a 1992 LS400 from my In Laws. It was originally my Mother In Law's Mothers car that was purchased New. They have a binder of every receipt and maintenance record since new. Currently it had been parked for a couple of months and they had put ethanol free gas in it. Car cranks but does not start. Removed intake and just sprayed some starting fluid in and she started right up, occasional spurts of fluid would keep the engine idling even. Stop spraying and car dies. Believe it is fuel pump, so just waiting for part to arrive and then hopefully that fixes the issue. Car has about 215k and is very clean.

My granddad was a TV repair man through the 70’s and 80’s. The vehicles these days remind me of something he said about TV’s in the late 80’s. He said “I’m going to be out of work in couple of years because TV’s are disposable.” He said “It’s getting cheaper to just haul the old one to the dump and buy a new one, than have me fix the old one.”. He was sooooooooo on point. 🤣🤣🤣 I remember that I did a Picture tube regeneration demonstration as a science project wayyyyyyy back in the 6th grade. 🤣 I use to tag along with him on house calls in the 80’s.

my grandpa has a 2018 Malibu with 15k miles and it has been sitting at the dealer for a month because there’s a part shortage for that model. it’s insane

Just got a 2005 Avalon yesterday. Not the same league as this, but what a well built car. At 128K miles I'd take it over 99% of all new cars.

My company regularly repairs the amplifiers and radios from the LS400 and LS430 vehicles. This is proof enough to me that these vehicles last for incredibly long and are also worth repairing when issues arise.

I read somewhere that back in 1989, GM secretly purchased an LS400 and disassembled it to look for any cost-cutting measures that Toyota did on it. They found none. Instead, their accountants estimated that Toyota was losing at least $1,000 for every LS400 sold.

I bought an '04 ES 330 four years ago for $6500. Had a little over 100k, with new timing belt, water pump already done. I'm 65yrs old, this is the best car I've ever owned.

I’m a mechanic and work on all makes, and I routinely come across cars I can buy for a fraction of their value due to a needed repair that requires almost as much cost jn labor as the car’s worth. I just got rid of my girlfriend’s nightmare of a 2012 MB ML350 with 180k miles and bought her a 2000 Lexus rx300 w 228k miles, for $1600. Had to put about $500 in it to make it up to my personal specs, but She LOVES it. I love it. I love most the fact that I don’t have to work on it!!!! And when I do, it basically takes Camry parts. Me, my boss and coworkers all drive Toyota/Lexus, Nissan/Infiniti, Honda/Acura and Ford pickups. The one exception? Our part time 17yr old who drives a MB CLS63 AMG, w 90k miles….guess which one gets towed in weekly? Lol

Every time I see one of these on the road (and I still see a lot of them), I'm like "wow! That person isn't on a first-name basis with their mechanic!".

I saw a one of these the other day and my girlfriend didn't understand why I was so excited about it. I told her that they were one of the best cars ever made and could clock a million miles. I almost bought one 2 years ago and the next chance that I get I will buy one and not look back.

I agree with him 100%. And I’ve been telling everybody this. The price of the cars are going up and yet the quality of built have came down. These cars are costing too much

My dad had a pristine LS 400 growing up. It ran smooth as butter and even when he traded it in for a new model (maybe 10 years ago), the dealership couldn’t believe how good of shape it was in. If you take care of them, they will take care of you.

My driver's license test was done in one of these..... when I sat in the drivers seat and the inspector was next to me I did everything right, then put it in drive and hit the gas but it didn't move! I didn't know why until the owner opened the door and released the hand brake 😅..... It was THAT quite! Love Lexus ❤️

I have a 2004 LS430 with only 60,000 miles on it and it is quite possibly the best car ever made

I have said this for years about cars and people laugh. But it’s so true. This is the same reason I keep my 18yo Volvo V70 in tip top shape as it’s a well engineered and long lasting car. Great video Wizard

I test drove a 2006 Lexus ES300 a few years ago and it was so quiet I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I was so tempted to buy it for $6K back then but was put off by the suspension noise and hearing that the air shocks might have cost $8K to replace. Still dream about a Lexus tho'.

I daily a 95 LS400 and it's definitely worth the cost of premium gas. 200k and drives like a brand new car. Ultra comfortable and smooth

I have 90’ LS400 with 130k 😮‍💨 best car I ever owned. If other RU-vid videos about the 400 didn’t raise the market enough, The wizard’s video surely will now

I will never forget being a kid in 1996 and seeing my uncle pull up with a brand new all white LS 400.. I’m 35 and the LS line is still my favorite sedan

My little sister needed her first car, when my parents asked for help finding one I told them PLEASE buy a Toyota. Ended up finding a 04 Camry with 140k for $5,000. Very well maintained and Runs like new, I bet it will outlast my moms ‘20 Chevy Equinox

I have a 1994 Golf Mk3(3 Door Hatch) with about 203000 miles on it. 28 years old all original, except for the paint, garage kept and still runs so damn smooth. Ofc it doesn't have NAV or any of those fancy things you "need" nowadays but its a time capsule and a trip to the old times. I especially love it cause I can perform the services on it myself basically due to the engine being a 1.9SDI (which is capable of reaching 1.5mil and still run smooth, theres video proof of it on YT) is so small and has a lot of space you could fit an adult under the hood. The filters are all easy to get to with your whole hand, nothing like plastic covered crap nowadays where you can barely work on engines. You really explained cars nowadays well Wizard and took the damn words outta my mouth since I was thinking the same. Nice video👍❤️

300k on a LS400 from the 90s isn't exactly a big deal. It's almost expected actually. And that's a testament to how well they were made then.

I was just given a 1995 Acura Legend with 41k miles as a gift and I’m seriously considering returning my GTI to the dealership. It feels brand new and it’s 27 years old.

I remember growing up, my aunt bought a new LS400, likely around a 96 or so. I was impressed how nice and quiet it was! They don’t make them like they used to. A mechanic myself I’ve owned a 1994 k2500 Chevy since 2005. Does it get great gas mileage, no, is it rust free, no. It is reliable as all heck, easy to work on, parts are cheap and plentiful, and I paid $4k for it 17 years ago. It has 304k and owes me nothing, and I’ll likely keep it until I die. Also picked up a 2001 Tacoma with a 2.7 and a 5 speed a few years ago. They just keep on going!

The L400 was probably one of the best cars ever conceived. It was so much on another league compared to its rivals, BMW, Mercedes, Audi and others. This is a dream car...

That could be true for Japanese cars from the 90's, but nowadays with so many electronics, reliability is questionable throughout all the Automotive industry. The key part is schedule maintenance.

My first gen Lexus is on 750,000+ miles. Still going strong 💪

i will never forget when i worked at bmw as a parts delivery driver. most of the part they sold were flimsy plastic. I didnt know about cars at the time and i remember being shocked by how most car parts felt flimsy, easy to break or plastic, yet were so expensive relative to the quality.

Picked up a ‘03 Toyota Sequoia 4 years ago, did the timing belt and brakes soon after. Outside of routine maintenance I haven’t spent a dime on it since. Got a good deal at the time and paid $3700. Getting close to 240k miles on it my mechanic said he would hop in it anytime and feel comfortable driving across country. I’m all in for about $5500 and use what I save in payments for vacations!

I’ve wanted an LS400 for ages for my daily, they’re getting quite pricey and hard to find here in the UK though. And with these fuel prices… think I’ll still get one eventually.

I understand your point completely. I own a ‘98 LS400, 111,000 miles in excellent condition. I’m the second owner and this car still drives and rides like a dream. It’s my second vehicle and my go to for most runs. I would advise someone looking for reliability to take your advice. Great video!

This is exactly the reason I refuse to give up my 94 Jeep XJ. Is it the greatest thing ever built? No, but it is dead simple, highly reliable, easy to get parts for inexpensively, and overall very easy to work on when things do need to be done. Also the aftermarket support for them is quite good.

Bought a 92 ls400 mint condition 7 months ago, everything works great

Wizard, I have a 2007 Hyundai elantra with 470,000 miles with original engine & trans. Runs great and the engine leaks no oil. In fact the engine cases are white with no dark stains from oil leaks or weeps and bone dry underneath. Absolutely drives great with no issues other than a cat. code which does not affect drivability! Curious if you have seen others like it.

Love your channel. You and Scotty are 2 down-to-earth guys that appreciate the reliable stuff and disdain the cheaply made overpriced crap.Hope you have 1M subscribes soon. By the way I do turn the heated seats often even when the weather/temperature are nice and hot...I have lower back pain too and the heated seats help a lot with the pain management.

Ls400 what a car,Lexus is the Rolls Royce of Toyota!Nice vlog Wizard!👌👍👍👍

Great video. Older is better!! I have an 03 Grand Marquis that is all original except for the intake manifold, alternator, and gear selector bulb. 394,000 miles and as smooth as butter... Sure it could die any day, but so far so good. In the family since new.

Those cars are classics nowadays! All the flaws that you pointed out with that car in this video are totally fixable and totally worth fixing too, and it will likely cost less than $5k. Hopefully the customer will keep it alive for many more years to come! As for the outside temperature gauge, I would not be surprised if that's something as simple as just a loose or broken clip which holds the temperature sensor on the bumper. I see that a lot on cars and if not and it does need a new sensor then I'm sure that can also be replaced for pretty cheap as well. Great car overall!

I remember when Lexus first came out and back in those days I kind of thumbed my nose at all of the potential stuff that would probably break. I am pretty old school and believe in K.I.S.S. keep it simple stupid. So I think I owe an apology to Lexus because of just how well these cars ARE holding up.

I only buy Lexus since 2003. I have gone through 8 currently owned RX450H(2010 plate) and NX300H (15 plate) Lexus king of reliability and comfort❤️

this is the car im working to buy right now such a beautiful and reliable car

Don’t forget the Crown Victoria’s! Body on frame tanks that protect and serve their new owners. XD

I purchased a 95 Camry last year. 75,000 Grandpa miles. These cars were also built with the same impressive build quality as the LS400. Everything on my car works and is not falling apart.

The Truth. Had an 2004 LS430 and it was the finest piece of machinery I’ve ever owned. Amazing in every way. Over 300K miles when I let her go.

While they may not be that much to look at, I love those LS400s, especially the facelifted ones from '98-'00. Those were solid, just solid, and so long as you did the maintenance, they were just like older Mercedes-Benz vehicles that were built to last. I also really like the Toyota Cressida from that era. I know a lot of folks like the Camry, but I was sad to see the Cressida go. That said, the Buick 3800 was definitely a great engine, so much so that Holden in Australia even had them in a RWD setup in vehicles like the Commodore. But I also want to say, the Ford 4.6L 2V is also a great engine, minus the initial issues between '96 to early '01 with the all PLASTIC intake manifolds and the '00 to early '03 variants with PLASTIC timing chain guides. The bean counters really need to stay out of the engineering side of things, what a way to ruin a great engine. But I've racked up hundreds of thousands of miles on those engines in Crown Victorias and Grand Marquis' and they've been nothing short of solid as well. Shame today's cars are so disposable. Older cars may not be best performers, but they were sure easier to work.

Paid $10K for a beautiful LS430 three years ago with 125K on it. Has 175K on it now. Most amazing car I have ever owned. Silent, glass smooth, comfortable and reliable as an anvil. Eats up interstate at 90 mph and 24 mpg all day.

Got a 2000 LS400 last October as a 40th birthday gift to myself. Lovin every minute behind the wheel of such a solidly built car. I prefer the styling to anything coming out these days too. 250000kms on mine and going strong. My mother has a 93 LS with 160000kms still going strong too. We absolutely love these legendary Lexus’s and will keep them on the road as long as we can. Gas prices be damned! 1UZ for life!🔥 Peace Wizard.

I have always regretted trading my 2002 Lexus LS-430 with it's big V-8. That car always got 26-28 on the highway while being smooth as glass.

I've been doing some work on my mom's, just changed the power steering pump, belt tensioner, serpentine belt, and alternator all at the same time for my very first mechanical job. Ls400's are very easy to work on, still running fine at 267,000 miles, almost at the 300k mark. Buy one while you can.

Great video. Love the Scotty Kilmer reference (feel free to toss a beauty cover!) & as per usual, Mrs. Wizards comedic relief. You two make a great couple. 👍

Hi wizard. My Australian delivered 2000 factory turbo diesel LC100 has 726 000km. (450 000mi) Towed and worked it's whole life. Had the sump off for a leak, there is still cross hatching on the bores, and does not discolour or burn oil!

older volvos like the 740 or 940 are really good alternatives. very reliable, cheap, larger trunk then most suvs and semi good on gas

What you have to watch out for on these cars is the oil leaks. Since it’s an old vehicle the Valve covers, cam seals and crank seals are the main suspects.

DUDE, you are so right, these cars are the ones that will last forever.. one of the best cars ever made right here. Most of these cars actually have over 275K miles and still going strong. Hard to find these cars because they do not come up for sale often. Been looking for awhile and the ones that have 300K are running around 5-7 thousand bucks

Proud Lexus owner here! and I can say that nothing beats the quality build and long term performance of my 2005 ES330!!!

I should've never sold mine. It was a solid car, reliable V8 and has full documentation.

A month ago I bought a brand new Lexus ES300h. I don't keep my cars forever but even though it is plastic it's not turbo, it gets 44 MPG, it's roomy, rides wonderfully and looks good. I agree though buy this older LS over say a Civic or Corolla or most 4 cylinder econo plastic boxes.

My wife’s 2008 highlander hybrid limited has 388k miles on it. Only issue it ever had was the abs module which went bad on all of them. She is still going strong. Don’t buy a new car. We bought that highlander used in 2016 with 299k on it.

My dad had one of these when I was kid and it was indestructible. He sold it with around 300k miles and it's probably still driving around somewhere. That one might be it, his was black too