Don't knock the Lexus GS 400. Motor Trend did a review on the 98 model. It ran 14.3 @ 99mph. 0-60 in 5.7 sec. 300 flywheel hp back in 98 was unreal. Awesome car even by today's standards.
It is, but only if you’re in Japan; which sucks for the USA but it’s not incredibly hard to get parts just takes a lot of time planning and sourcing them.
This car aged beautifully. Actually all lexuses from the late 90’s aged well. At first glance you wouldn’t be able to tell if this car is from the 90’s.
I'd say their design was ahead by like 5 years, but it's not modern looking, I'm really tired of people saying "looks new" at a car we all know is 10-20 years old.
LOVE these Sedans. One of my favorite sedans of all time. Matt these cars are actually NOT overlooked. This car has huge cult following when you combine its a Lexus GS and Toyota Aristo. Basically two models in one. People have actually turbocharged and supercharged the V8 400’s. Fun fact for the people that don’t know back when the gs400 came out it was the WORLDS FASTEST automatic sedan. The design of this car aged so well. Still a great buy today. People in the know about this car know it’s one of the most tunable sedans on the market. I will never forget when I first drove a GS400 years ago. The engine felt so powerful. I remember hitting the gas and the front end would leap off the line. Just a tap of the gas pedal would send you and the passengers into the back of the seats. It was from that day I forever loved V8 engines and forever became a fan of Lexus cars.
Sadly not many mod these motors in the US. As far as kits go they are non existent. Aussie's love them but I've been debating getting rid of my 1uz 1st gen motor from my SC400 to swap to a 2jz or something else to make more power on a budget. Can't decide. Also Lexus went with much skinnier rods with these motors than the original 1 uz. So much potential but so much money needed to build it. The upside is it can take abuse and survive virtually anything.
Toyota4Life I have a 2000 GS400 Platinum edition... complete with factory spoiler. It was one of the last built in June 2000. As of today, 78k miles. It does have a nice response from the start and not bad at all in higher gears (mechanical throttle body vs. inferior response electronic throttle body of the GS430).
the 1uz is a fairly maniac motor. In Australia, they often go ape shit and turbo them. They rev really high; if I remember correctly, it's because they have quad cam, so they can rev really high. The type of shit that sounds like a V8 and enjoys having a turbo strapped onto it.
I daily drive a 98 gs400, 310,000 miles on it and it is an amazing car. outruns my brothers 2006 gt no problem and i only paid 2400.00 bucks for it. great video.
Ya they do, When I test drove it i went to merge on the freeway and was shocked by the acceleration of a 20 year old car with over 300,00 miles on it. 3500 to 6250 the car puts out some good sounds and pulls very well.
I bought a 98 GS 400 a month ago, it’s several years older than me but it makes a great first car. No muffler, makes an amazing sound. And it’s just slightly worse on gas than the naturally aspirated 2.4 Volvo I drove before it. Nothing in its price range has equal power or reliability, amazing car.
90s Amg will always be cool due to the fact that so few of them were built. The w202 C43 for example only had 3400 examples world wide. That's as many Lexus GS400s as were sold in a single month in the US alone
Just drove a stock one of these yesterday for the first time and it surprised me how quick it is. Has great balance, as well. Took traction off and the oversteer was very easy to manage.
@@d1sturb3d119 it's okay he probably owns a g35 and would still get whipped by our Japanese muscle.... No hate on vq35de (g35) but the gs was no joke a fast sedan for its size
Let me draw the picture for ya in 1998 , the corvette had 345hp the GS400 300hp and 310tq most of the cars back then could not touch this car power wise. I think 0-60 could get 5.2 to 5.7. Use the button and the manual shift and it changes the car. As far as the soft suspension a simple fix is just put on firmer shocks not to firm but a mix. I love mines and is still like brand new with 219,000 miles on it.
orangejuiceneggs 0-60 on the 400/430 was pretty much around 5.7 to 5.9 seconds it’s incredible for that time then by 1999 Mercedes Benz came out with E55 AMG and then BMW with M5 boom the HP sedan arms race began next thing you know MB and BMW were at each other throats at HP it was because of that era that lead us to cars being insanely fast today. Though my 13 year old 04 GS430 can still very much hang with many modern cars for alot less dollars.
Rain Santiago I think you are right about this car starting the horsepower wars with incredible amounts power we see cars with today. With the 5.2 0-60 it was a few articles i read years back where they were able to achieve it, not sure how but the did. My buddy had one in 98 and that car left me so far behind in a race with my acura it wasnt even funny.
219,000 miles and still tight. Love it man. I have a 2008 infiniti m45 Sport. With 100,000 miles and tight aswell. I have always had a huge love for older sport sedans
@@dorran962 If you want a comfortable ride and some sportiness but not super firm, handle corners pretty decent holds up well. Go with kyb gr2, lot of factory brand use those. bilstien I hear is firm I can’t tell you much about those.
This is a very nice car. Good sounding V8 that makes decent HP and Torque. Very reliable beater since it's a Lexus, and the car feels very nice inside with it's high end audio system, comfortable leather seats, and leather+wood surfaces. Best first car for anyone.
I was looking to buy one recently and was a little discouraged by how many miles they all seem to have on them, but I'm feeling a lot better about it after seeing this video.
And if the guy driving really knew the GS, and Lexus transmission programming of that era, then he'd also know that under normal acceleration the GSs shift came quickly, and EXTREMELY smoothly, the shifts were so smooth it was almost like driving a seamless CVT, but without the horrible engine droan and lack of responsiveness, but when you engage the power mode in the electronically controlled transmission (that's what ECT stands for) you can notice the rpms going higher, even though you're applying the same pressure to the throttle as you normally would. The car tries to milk more power out of a single gear, instead of rushing to fifth gear in the name of fuel economy, like it does when in normal mode. It was an early version of putting the car in sport mode. so far youre the first person I've seen that pointed out the fact that THE ECT BUTTON IS ABSOLUTELY FUNCTIONAL!
I remember the head of my university department had a brand spanking blue one, same year, that we gave him mad props for until he starting junking up the inside with empty big gulp cups :-0. That muffler delete is pretty nice and not at all obnoxious. I think you might be able to get a TRD or other supercharger (they make em for the V8 truck engines) for this thing. Surprising that people don't swap this engine into a bunch of things.
I got my 2000 GS300, with 220,000 miles on it, for $3,800 and there's nothing wrong with it at all. Never been modified, no damaged interior (other than minor leather wear, no cracks at all, and sun damaged steering wheel) no major damage to the exterior other than paint chips and small dings. I love it so much. Great daily and very, very comfortable.
Club Lexus best automotive forum / community, ever!!The design on the second gen GS is just timeless. I’m currently contemplating on a NAT or 2JZ swap for my VIP GS300 build with 60K on the clock. Excellent video BTW.
@@MPowerSubie12 accessories I think I’m good on, got the heated seats, nav and touch screen, sunroof, chrome rims. The only thing I know it doesn’t have is the nakamichi system or any limited edition stuff. Got it in black onyx with the tan interior, but I’m wondering if I should replace my driver seat since it’s starting to rip
@@scottoleson1997 Sweet! If you can find an exact replacement. I have heated seats as well not that I need them since I never drive the car lol it’s a garage Queen not a daily. Mine is actually quite the opposite. I have a like new Crystal White on tan 2000 GS400 with 43,000 miles. It has the Nakamichi sound system which sounds incredible and super crisp so no navi. Also I have the silver alloy 17” 5 spoke wheels not the chrome ones. And I have an OEM rear spoiler. It’s not a Platinum package but I don’t mind since I prefer the bigger wheels anyway. I do like the graphite emblems and perforated seats though. But it was traded in by a 64 year old grandma, who loved the car, for a Range Rover in North Carolina so absolutely zero rust. Also all the maintenance is up to date as she took it to Toyota for everything (no Lexus dealer in Wilmington). Yes it spent it’s life on beaches and golf courses in a great climate. Personally I have never seen more of a unicorn in terms of a GS400 and that’s looking for about the last 4 years.
I own a Lexus 03 GS 300, I simply love it! Smooth ride, handles very well. The car is well built and reliable, stylish as well!! Sage green, beautiful and luxurious , a real road presence.!!👍🏾👀
I had an SE in collage, such a fun car, agreed. Handled very well for not having independent rear suspension, and being kinda pig-ish compared to comparable cars from the era (approx 2400-2500 lbs I believe, i think the Civics were around 2100-2200, not sure exactly, taking a guess)
To the owner of this car, get some poly steering rack bushings! Totally worth the $30. The bushings on my sc400 weren't even that bad but the new whiteline ones still made a noticeable difference in steering feel.
Nice review! If youre ever in Florida come drive out my supercharged GS400. Headers, LSD, modified auto, paddle shifters from the IS350, sways, lowered, Supra Brakes, high stall converter, loud exhaust, Aluminum steering rack bushings, steering kit with 1 full turn removed from lock to lock, you name it!
I’ve had 2 ls400s and I’m now a forever Lexus fan. There just boring enough and reliable enough to forget about them when you get out of them, and just thrilling enough when you’re driving them to be fun.
I drive the first gen LS...put BC springs lowered it ..replaced the rear drive axles and replaced the lower ball joints....it’s a killer on the highway took it up to 130 mph and it’s super straight and no shakes...Double wishbone suspension is the best!...My next project is to get the cousco LSD installed. One thing at a time!, lol eventually want to upgrade the cams and fuel injection in the future..Old Lexus are fun to drive! Great vid! Since you own a LS I subscribed! Thanks again!
I've driven my 1998 ls400 for 9 years now and up to 290k.... I drive it hard, too many burnouts an donuts to count.... never had to fix a thing yet or replace anything.....(knocks on wood)...one of, if not the best car you can get for the money....
I had an 2004 GS300 and he is spot on as far as mods go. The only real mod is swapping out for a TT 2JZ. But other than that they are solid cars for people who want comfort and style. #IMissMine
So glad you finally did a GS Matt 😎 Too bad we didn't get the GS400 here in New Zealand.. Probably the only case I can think of where the Americans got a cooler version of a japanese car than we did 😞
Icemeister bummer I can really sense this car will slowly get its recognition. The late 90’s until 2005 was really the pinnacle of Lexus build quality and construction.
Rain Santiago Absolutely, the good news is also that there are plenty of mint condition GS300's for very cheap over here. Not only are the Aristo's in bad condition, but they're expensive because everyone just wants to rip the 2JZ-GTE's out of them..
Loved my 98 gs. had the same mods and it was incredible. ended up selling it and regretting it. Picked up a 1999 Toyota aristo out of japan. This body style is absolutely timeless. Hard to decide which i prefer more. The Gs is just so great with that v8 and is incredible on fuel. The aristo feels completely different to me, the engine and different transmission honestly make the car feel a lot more....unrefined. but more fun! And the sound they both make... different but both so tassstyyyyyyy. Some vids up on my page. Wish I could get this down to Matt!
Dorian W. The beauty of the GS400/GS430 is that out of the box it gets the job done nice wheels, good catback is all that it needs. Incredible DD the passing power on this is addicting.
I bought one for 200 with a title but a broken axle and passenger rear window busted. Needed an ignition and keys too. But totally worth it. 120,000 miles.
This car was 8 years ahead of its time . These were the first thick body sedans. Which later in early 2000s BMW and Mercedes addopted the bulky body look. Now every car company looks like a July luxury car.
My In-laws have one of these and honestly I can't think of a much better daily. Everything still works after a couple hundred thousand miles with basic maintainable, good power, comfy as a sofa. Only downside I would say is the gas mileage
pballer2005 for a V8 I’m running at 22-24 MPG but the smiles per gallon your getting on this from how responsive this V8 is on highway is well worth every dollar.
I have a gs430 2001 with a bunch more done to the suspension and more performance mods. I'd love if you had time to do a One Take! Love the channel too of course!
Don't knock the Lexus GS 400. Motor Trend did a review on the 98 model. It ran 14.3 @ 99mph.
0-60 in 5.7 sec. 300 flywheel hp back in 98 was unreal. Awesome car even by today's standards.
Would've been nice if the aftermarket support for the 1UZ was a lot more like the 2JZ/1JZ.
It is, but only if you’re in Japan; which sucks for the USA but it’s not incredibly hard to get parts just takes a lot of time planning and sourcing them.
@@patrickdabs Where would you go to import japanese parts?
@@stepbro1305 Japan duh 🙄
@@stepbro1305 password jdm used to be the place
@@boomboombaby9140 hurr hurr funny guy
This car aged beautifully. Actually all lexuses from the late 90’s aged well. At first glance you wouldn’t be able to tell if this car is from the 90’s.
Jank Paul except maybe the HOONIGAN sticker
I'd have to disagree with every other lexus of this era, as they aged very poorly.
Fungus Chamber The SC300/400 from the 90s still looks amazing today. Such a sleek look.
your nuts. these are incredible looking cars. This one is a bad example @@SuperPremiumDeluxe
I'd say their design was ahead by like 5 years, but it's not modern looking, I'm really tired of people saying "looks new" at a car we all know is 10-20 years old.
LOVE these Sedans. One of my favorite sedans of all time.
Matt these cars are actually NOT overlooked. This car has huge cult following when you combine its a Lexus GS and Toyota Aristo. Basically two models in one. People have actually turbocharged and supercharged the V8 400’s. Fun fact for the people that don’t know back when the gs400 came out it was the WORLDS FASTEST automatic sedan. The design of this car aged so well. Still a great buy today. People in the know about this car know it’s one of the most tunable sedans on the market.
I will never forget when I first drove a GS400 years ago. The engine felt so powerful. I remember hitting the gas and the front end would leap off the line. Just a tap of the gas pedal would send you and the passengers into the back of the seats. It was from that day I forever loved V8 engines and forever became a fan of Lexus cars.
Sadly not many mod these motors in the US. As far as kits go they are non existent. Aussie's love them but I've been debating getting rid of my 1uz 1st gen motor from my SC400 to swap to a 2jz or something else to make more power on a budget. Can't decide. Also Lexus went with much skinnier rods with these motors than the original 1 uz. So much potential but so much money needed to build it. The upside is it can take abuse and survive virtually anything.
Toyota4Life i own an 01 gs430 in black cherry pearl and i just love it so much, cant wait to start modding it
Toyota4Life So what are the specs on it? The 98 XJR Jag is pretty damn fast to.
Toyota4Life I have a 2000 GS400 Platinum edition... complete with factory spoiler. It was one of the last built in June 2000. As of today, 78k miles.
It does have a nice response from the start and not bad at all in higher gears (mechanical throttle body vs. inferior response electronic throttle body of the GS430).
Toyota4Life I own a 04 GS430 later models with the V8 are extremely rare. Lexus really hit the mark on this car.
I was gonna say damn that sounds like a v8, but it is a v8, i guess that's why i thought it sounded like a v8.
Bigshows93 😂😂😂
the 1uz is a fairly maniac motor. In Australia, they often go ape shit and turbo them. They rev really high; if I remember correctly, it's because they have quad cam, so they can rev really high. The type of shit that sounds like a V8 and enjoys having a turbo strapped onto it.
@JGD everyone loves the 2j though, but the V8 is still amazing. because it's a V8. he got the V8. the V8 is good. because it's V8.
lol, why was this so damn funny
[ Xzibit has entered the chat ]
I daily drive a 98 gs400, 310,000 miles on it and it is an amazing car. outruns my brothers 2006 gt no problem and i only paid 2400.00 bucks for it. great video.
#bulletproof
The GS and 1UZ has insane top end.
Ya they do, When I test drove it i went to merge on the freeway and was shocked by the acceleration of a 20 year old car with over 300,00 miles on it. 3500 to 6250 the car puts out some good sounds and pulls very well.
Dayne Fought the 60-110 is really the strong point of the 400/430 1/3uzfe motor.
Great car, I used to own one. Don't know how you're outrunning a 400hp GTO though
The 1uz vvti is just a very smooth and very reliable.
Not only smooth very strong these engines want to leap off the line. I will never forget the feeling when I first drove a GS400.
Toyota4Life They were overbuilt... less so with the 3UZ.
Arthur Wall i had the vvti on my sc400 with 250k miles. I swapped it with an aristo 2j. Now I can add more power.
It better be! Toyota spend 1 billion dollars to design the engine. 1uz is no joke.
Matt, I was born in 82. And I also remember this car on the front cover of magazines in the late 90s lighting the tires up.
Those cars are amazing timeless pieces. Came out in 98 and they still blend in.
I still get looks in my 400, greatest car ever made
Update: WE STILL GOIN!!! 💯 🤑
I love these Lexus models. 90s luxury cars are super cool
one of the most reliable engines EVER!
I bought a 98 GS 400 a month ago, it’s several years older than me but it makes a great first car. No muffler, makes an amazing sound. And it’s just slightly worse on gas than the naturally aspirated 2.4 Volvo I drove before it. Nothing in its price range has equal power or reliability, amazing car.
Sweet ride man sounds awesome...love the wheels, too. Everyone has an AMG so it's nice to see a Lexus with some balls
Banzai Runner "Some balls"? It's freakin stock lol. Least he could've done is do a proper exhaust.
90s Amg will always be cool due to the fact that so few of them were built. The w202 C43 for example only had 3400 examples world wide. That's as many Lexus GS400s as were sold in a single month in the US alone
Banzai Runner it has a man vag
Banzai Runner there really isn't much you can do to those V8s.
su1ac0 Not true *at all.* GS400 was not only a non-Japan exclusive (not sold in Japan), but was sold in much lower numbers. Google isn't hard. Use it.
A street pharmacist I knew had one of these brand new when I was in High school and have wanted one ever since.just a cool car fo-show!!!
Just drove a stock one of these yesterday for the first time and it surprised me how quick it is. Has great balance, as well. Took traction off and the oversteer was very easy to manage.
When the GS400 first came out, it was the fastest sedan in the world.
Cool story bro.
C Mendoza no sir it is you with the cool story. I saw your movie on lifetime and it moved me to tears, and gave me gas, bravo!
@@cmendoza1094 Lol this was quicker than the 1997 BMW M5. Cut the bullshit and know your history.
@@db9904 So? The point still stands. The blackbird was also the fastest motorcycle for a brief period. That doesn't change facts.
@@d1sturb3d119 it's okay he probably owns a g35 and would still get whipped by our Japanese muscle.... No hate on vq35de (g35) but the gs was no joke a fast sedan for its size
Club Lexus for life.
Mine is nearing 400k miles and still love it to death. Such an incredibly well built car, you will never find such build quality in a car ever again.
400k!!? Amazing!
Got mine with 188k two yrs later now reading 222k still drives like a champ no noise nor problems.
Gs400 great car 261,153 on my 2000 and it still purrs only maintenance needed with these cars, great vid
01:58 has got to be the slowest pass ever in TheSmokingTire history.
i laughed at that pass.
Were they just trying to show the sound? Coz if that was foot to the floor, that's pathetic
Haha
It's a WOT pull
From 2nd gear.
But these 1UZs didn't many any power at all. However it's bottom end was pretty stout.
Let me draw the picture for ya in 1998 , the corvette had 345hp the GS400 300hp and 310tq most of the cars back then could not touch this car power wise. I think 0-60 could get 5.2 to 5.7. Use the button and the manual shift and it changes the car. As far as the soft suspension a simple fix is just put on firmer shocks not to firm but a mix. I love mines and is still like brand new with 219,000 miles on it.
orangejuiceneggs 0-60 on the 400/430 was pretty much around 5.7 to 5.9 seconds it’s incredible for that time then by 1999 Mercedes Benz came out with E55 AMG and then BMW with M5 boom the HP sedan arms race began next thing you know MB and BMW were at each other throats at HP it was because of that era that lead us to cars being insanely fast today. Though my 13 year old 04 GS430 can still very much hang with many modern cars for alot less dollars.
Rain Santiago I think you are right about this car starting the horsepower wars with incredible amounts power we see cars with today. With the 5.2 0-60 it was a few articles i read years back where they were able to achieve it, not sure how but the did. My buddy had one in 98 and that car left me so far behind in a race with my acura it wasnt even funny.
219,000 miles and still tight. Love it man. I have a 2008 infiniti m45 Sport. With 100,000 miles and tight aswell. I have always had a huge love for older sport sedans
Hey what shocks or coil overs would you recommend? Thanks
@@dorran962 If you want a comfortable ride and some sportiness but not super firm, handle corners pretty decent holds up well. Go with kyb gr2, lot of factory brand use those. bilstien I hear is firm I can’t tell you much about those.
The GS. Mad I got a 300. Still love it just needs more kick
Agreed, love mine but that 400 sounds gorgeous
This is a very nice car. Good sounding V8 that makes decent HP and Torque. Very reliable beater since it's a Lexus, and the car feels very nice inside with it's high end audio system, comfortable leather seats, and leather+wood surfaces. Best first car for anyone.
I was looking to buy one recently and was a little discouraged by how many miles they all seem to have on them, but I'm feeling a lot better about it after seeing this video.
I came for the Lexus but stayed for the rope.
JBOsurf still laughing
I'm sorry but I have no idea, WTF is that rope all about?
Hammerhaus Kennel It's called a kintsuna knot. Mainly for the VIP car scene. It's also a religious item in Japan.
Thank you!
Lmao
that is one of the best cars ever in the world
The power button changes your shift patterns in auto mode. It allows you to use less throttle to up shift. IT DOES DO SOMETHING
And if the guy driving really knew the GS, and Lexus transmission programming of that era, then he'd also know that under normal acceleration the GSs shift came quickly, and EXTREMELY smoothly, the shifts were so smooth it was almost like driving a seamless CVT, but without the horrible engine droan and lack of responsiveness, but when you engage the power mode in the electronically controlled transmission (that's what ECT stands for) you can notice the rpms going higher, even though you're applying the same pressure to the throttle as you normally would. The car tries to milk more power out of a single gear, instead of rushing to fifth gear in the name of fuel economy, like it does when in normal mode. It was an early version of putting the car in sport mode. so far youre the first person I've seen that pointed out the fact that THE ECT BUTTON IS ABSOLUTELY FUNCTIONAL!
I got my 2000 gs300 for 1500 off of the first owner, it was a steal! Nothing wrong with it at all and I'm still keeping up the maintenance
Sounds pretty good
Better then any new car!
I love my 2001 Lexus GS430 V8... BEST car ever!
dxraaaaa I’m about to buy one does it carry 300 hp??
@@cousinriggs2073 Yes... Over 300 horsepower.
@Meks Corridos Motor mounts. Sensors.
buying one of these garage kept at 133k mile for 3k, im so hyped, gonna be my first real FUN car ive had, and cant wait to learn more about them!
I remember the head of my university department had a brand spanking blue one, same year, that we gave him mad props for until he starting junking up the inside with empty big gulp cups :-0.
That muffler delete is pretty nice and not at all obnoxious. I think you might be able to get a TRD or other supercharger (they make em for the V8 truck engines) for this thing. Surprising that people don't swap this engine into a bunch of things.
I got my 2000 GS300, with 220,000 miles on it, for $3,800 and there's nothing wrong with it at all. Never been modified, no damaged interior (other than minor leather wear, no cracks at all, and sun damaged steering wheel) no major damage to the exterior other than paint chips and small dings. I love it so much. Great daily and very, very comfortable.
Just recently got mine same year price and everything you just mentioned
Club Lexus best automotive forum / community, ever!!The design on the second gen GS is just timeless. I’m currently contemplating on a NAT or 2JZ swap for my VIP GS300 build with 60K on the clock.
Excellent video BTW.
Shut up, bitch.
Basically, one of the best daily drivers for under $5k.
Not $5k anymore unless it’s got 200k miles.
@@MPowerSubie12 gotta hold onto mine. I paid $5k with 140k miles
@@scottoleson1997 Good deal but also depends on condition, color combo, history, and accessories.
@@MPowerSubie12 accessories I think I’m good on, got the heated seats, nav and touch screen, sunroof, chrome rims. The only thing I know it doesn’t have is the nakamichi system or any limited edition stuff. Got it in black onyx with the tan interior, but I’m wondering if I should replace my driver seat since it’s starting to rip
@@scottoleson1997 Sweet! If you can find an exact replacement. I have heated seats as well not that I need them since I never drive the car lol it’s a garage Queen not a daily. Mine is actually quite the opposite. I have a like new Crystal White on tan 2000 GS400 with 43,000 miles. It has the Nakamichi sound system which sounds incredible and super crisp so no navi. Also I have the silver alloy 17” 5 spoke wheels not the chrome ones. And I have an OEM rear spoiler. It’s not a Platinum package but I don’t mind since I prefer the bigger wheels anyway. I do like the graphite emblems and perforated seats though. But it was traded in by a 64 year old grandma, who loved the car, for a Range Rover in North Carolina so absolutely zero rust. Also all the maintenance is up to date as she took it to Toyota for everything (no Lexus dealer in Wilmington). Yes it spent it’s life on beaches and golf courses in a great climate. Personally I have never seen more of a unicorn in terms of a GS400 and that’s looking for about the last 4 years.
vvti is amazing
jonny j I believe it’s vvti-L
@@jayb4965 No, it's vvtl-i.
Just picked up a 170k mile ‘98 for $1800. Black interior, fully loaded. Cant wait to put an exhaust and coils on it. Gonna be a cool budget build
I own a Lexus 03 GS 300, I simply love it! Smooth ride, handles very well. The car is well built and reliable, stylish as well!! Sage green, beautiful and luxurious , a real road presence.!!👍🏾👀
That rope on the rear view mirror just adds that certain something!
i think this is the best lexus body style of all time. i really haven't liked a lexus since. nice car!
I had one of those 200SX SE-Rs just like the one parked there. That was a fun little car.
I had an SE in collage, such a fun car, agreed. Handled very well for not having independent rear suspension, and being kinda pig-ish compared to comparable cars from the era (approx 2400-2500 lbs I believe, i think the Civics were around 2100-2200, not sure exactly, taking a guess)
topdeadcenter - Is that the crazy purple color changing paint? Mine had that. Actually it was my wife's car. But I drove the piss out of it LOL.
LIKE! Did not even have to watch. The GS is a Legend.
Car sounds nice 🙂 Also, that lake down below is super pretty!
And here we go again...............
Your face looks nice
Sarah I do not envy the creepy-ass comments you get on like every Smoking Tire video lol. Great channel btw, best of luck
Carson Ogden It's ok, it's worth it for all the good, down to earth people out there!
Trying to promote her online "personality" you suckers
I'd 100% daily this, sounds good, reliable and the ride in these cars are so comfy
To the owner of this car, get some poly steering rack bushings! Totally worth the $30. The bushings on my sc400 weren't even that bad but the new whiteline ones still made a noticeable difference in steering feel.
Did your steering wheel shake like crazy??
Did your steering wheel shake?
@@dabeztmashups2425 ur rims might be bent
@@anoncanon1100 hmm, maybe but it looks clean to me and CL says steering rack bushings from daizen but it's not too bad
Nice review! If youre ever in Florida come drive out my supercharged GS400. Headers, LSD, modified auto, paddle shifters from the IS350, sways, lowered, Supra Brakes, high stall converter, loud exhaust, Aluminum steering rack bushings, steering kit with 1 full turn removed from lock to lock, you name it!
I’ve had 2 ls400s and I’m now a forever Lexus fan. There just boring enough and reliable enough to forget about them when you get out of them, and just thrilling enough when you’re driving them to be fun.
Love my 04' GS430. 225,000 miles on it and still runs great.
Dan's Rods and Customs built the best Lexus
Suhail Sayed He will do whatever you want for 200 bucks
bruh your a savage lol
Yeah it's a custom pizza box table
AHAHAHAHA
Suhail Sayed Dans Meth and Ransoms
Just bought a GS 300 😍
I drive the first gen LS...put BC springs lowered it ..replaced the rear drive axles and replaced the lower ball joints....it’s a killer on the highway took it up to 130 mph and it’s super straight and no shakes...Double wishbone suspension is the best!...My next project is to get the cousco LSD installed. One thing at a time!, lol eventually want to upgrade the cams and fuel injection in the future..Old Lexus are fun to drive! Great vid! Since you own a LS I subscribed! Thanks again!
My 98 ls400 with 304k can still hang with a lot of quick cars, and beat more than a few. The 1uz is definitely a fantastic powerplant.
Anybody remember the GS400 used in the movie "Ghost Dog?" One of the best car scenes from in a movie from that era.
Great scene.....misunderstood....one of my favorites....for multiple reasons! I even remember the song he played out the tape deck
That was a strange movie. I saw it for the first time last year on Showtime or the like.
I love these cars. Really reliable
FINALLY a GS! now if only you could review a GS300 of the same year. i own one. would be great.
I have one also and the interior looks like new, engine is as sweet as a nut, yet its 20 years old this year! love it.
Ohhhh yes finally a 2GS! I've been waiting so long for one of these to pop up!
You always surprise me with great quality, tuned with love cars!
Ah so happy to see a 2gs on here! Wish I lived close enough to bring mine
God I love the first gen IS and the second Gen GS!
Great video! Nothing like a Lexus for a daily driver. They just don’t get any better.
I've driven my 1998 ls400 for 9 years now and up to 290k.... I drive it hard, too many burnouts an donuts to count.... never had to fix a thing yet or replace anything.....(knocks on wood)...one of, if not the best car you can get for the money....
1:35 the power button holds the gears longer. It does work. It does not when the gs400 is in “manual”(M) mode.
Love my 1999 gs400
Great cars! Love it that Matt has a million mile LS400! That's Toyota bullet proof engineering for you.
Is this Matt Farah's million mile Lexus?
Alby Eight-hundred no
Hell yeah it is
Alby Eight-hundred no it's the million horsepower lexus
MATT Lexus is an ls500
pretty sure it's an ls400
i love my 400...
I had an 2004 GS300 and he is spot on as far as mods go. The only real mod is swapping out for a TT 2JZ. But other than that they are solid cars for people who want comfort and style. #IMissMine
The Toyota Aristo version of this with the 2JZ-GTE is fantastic. Nearly bought one about 15 years ago but bought another Soarer instead.
Love older sport sedans. Got to get a 2008 infinity M45s on here.
I just bought a 1999 gs400 with 110k miles no check engine light no problems for $1200
Yeah it has like a wheels tires and bushings and stuff
bryan machuca right lmao
Matt, such a nice and professional man.
So glad you finally did a GS Matt 😎
Too bad we didn't get the GS400 here in New Zealand.. Probably the only case I can think of where the Americans got a cooler version of a japanese car than we did 😞
Icemeister but you guys get the privilege of importing the Aristo V300.
Rain Santiago Drift Tax my friend, all the Aristo's here are fucked and no one is really bothering to import any more of them..
Icemeister bummer I can really sense this car will slowly get its recognition. The late 90’s until 2005 was really the pinnacle of Lexus build quality and construction.
Rain Santiago Absolutely, the good news is also that there are plenty of mint condition GS300's for very cheap over here. Not only are the Aristo's in bad condition, but they're expensive because everyone just wants to rip the 2JZ-GTE's out of them..
I really have a soft spot in my heart for big displacement engine,big body 4 doors!!
If you can find a 2002 GS430 V8 this version of the 4.3 puts down 300Hp and 325 lbs of torque just like mine.
Just joined the Lexus fam with my gs and man have I got work to do!
Loved my 98 gs. had the same mods and it was incredible. ended up selling it and regretting it. Picked up a 1999 Toyota aristo out of japan. This body style is absolutely timeless. Hard to decide which i prefer more. The Gs is just so great with that v8 and is incredible on fuel. The aristo feels completely different to me, the engine and different transmission honestly make the car feel a lot more....unrefined. but more fun!
And the sound they both make... different but both so tassstyyyyyyy. Some vids up on my page. Wish I could get this down to Matt!
Dorian W. The beauty of the GS400/GS430 is that out of the box it gets the job done nice wheels, good catback is all that it needs. Incredible DD the passing power on this is addicting.
One of the best built cars ever. The ONLY issue is these cars get sketchy over 90mph. Then again, most of the enjoyment comes from your 0-60 pulls!
AHuman you would definitely need aftermarket sway bars for that and strengthening under chassis.
I just bought a 1998 Lexus GS400 with 34,xxx original miles for $2,100, with minor front end damage, runs like new.
What a steal. Great find!
You did well I bought my 430 for 1200 at 148K with same issue but these S161 chassis are tanks.
So this is where ONION's LEXUS ended up ...
Onion wishes his was in as good a condition.
He had a gs300
I bought one for 200 with a title but a broken axle and passenger rear window busted. Needed an ignition and keys too. But totally worth it. 120,000 miles.
LOL, noticed Matt slide the sunroof cover forward to stop it rattling at 2:19, ALL of the old GS's do that.
Not mine!
A simple weatherstrip replacement did the trick for me..
You need to drive my GS400 manual.
non-US car? The GS400 never came in manual in the US, and I didn't think the 1UZ ever had a manual at all, unless you did it custom.
MeowMr2 what trans did you use?
We used the r154 with 3.7 Rear gear, it is a bit short for technical courses, such as Streets of willow. Inbetween 2nd and 3rd gear.
Patrick, you are correct. The GS400 never came in manual. Me and my buddy we built the car. On going headaches and progress.
What was it like fitting a r154 in a gs?
Such an amazing highly underrated car
This car was 8 years ahead of its time . These were the first thick body sedans. Which later in early 2000s BMW and Mercedes addopted the bulky body look. Now every car company looks like a July luxury car.
Lexus are so damn awesome! They don't get the love they deserve...
Imagine if he put a full exhaust system! Holy shit that would sound bad ass!
I'd drive that just to hear that V8 music! Doesn't even need a stereo.
ive been waiting for this! I have a 98 gs400
bough an Gs400 2 year ago with 60k on it and now it at 110K , great car .....
squishy steering wheel cover... really bro?
MY FRIEND BRETT LOVES THIS
PLEASE DO A GS460
So so slept on!
Cool to see mat test driving some everyday sport sedans. More please.
SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES!
My In-laws have one of these and honestly I can't think of a much better daily. Everything still works after a couple hundred thousand miles with basic maintainable, good power, comfy as a sofa. Only downside I would say is the gas mileage
pballer2005 for a V8 I’m running at 22-24 MPG but the smiles per gallon your getting on this from how responsive this V8 is on highway is well worth every dollar.
I have a gs430 2001 with a bunch more done to the suspension and more performance mods. I'd love if you had time to do a One Take!
Love the channel too of course!
Bought 1 today for 2100 and I love it