I'm looking at spending about $3-4K on a second vehicle my wife and I can use to visit her family in Mexico and we can use it to visit my family here in the states. It will be driven about 90% on the highway. Here's what I'm looking for.

1) Vehicle has to be large enough to fit 4 people comfortable + luggage, etc.
2) A nice highway cruiser
3) Peferably a car, although an SUV would be OK

I'm not a big fan of SUV's. I would consider one, maybe an older CRV or passport, but I prefer driving cars and I want something that is smooth on the highway.

I've been on the Lexus forums and the LS seems to be a pretty good buy for an older car and seem to be very reliable. Most of the people that own them are older and if they are the original owner, had money to not only purchase the car, but to have hopefully done the maintinance.
I also like the legend, but the forums talk more about the overheating engines, head gasket, etc. than how nice of a car it is.
I've seen 93-95 LS400's and Legends going for around $3-5K with about 150-175K miles.

Are they money pits, or should they been good cars for highway driving. I will try and get a Texas car that hasn't been exposed to the salt from the north.

Any other ideas? I would consider an Accord, but I like the size of the LS.

 

I've been checking other forums and autotrader.com, what do you all think of a 97 TL or even a 99TL. I had an 01 TL, but was worried about the transmission. I don't remember of the 99's had the same issues. The 97 TL has about 150K miles and they seem to bee very reliable.

 

I've owned a '93 LS400. Very nice car. Lots of power/torque and it was very comfy. Got about 25mpg on the highway at 70mph too!

 

Easy choice LS 400 i'm an Acura man at heart but I've owned several Lexus 2 GS cars 93 GS 300 also 99 GS 400. Lexus cars are very quite, Acura cars so so, but Acura Legend will easily out handle the Lexus cars. So I hate to say it but it would be LS 400 because of the nice quite traveling ride. But if it handling the Acura Legend would be my choice I had 2 of those a 91 5sp which burned rubber al the way to second gear. And a 92 Automatic when I stated getting tired of changing gears.

 

Ls400 ftw

 

Ls400.

 

LS400 (though if it does break down, prepare to shell out some dough)...

 

Not necessarily true. New tranny, installed runs at just $1100 here in Florida. I replaced mine at 200k when I bought it. Besides the tranny install, it was the cheapest car to maintain I've ever owned.

 

LS400.. the 99 TL's had tranny problems too..

 

i love ls400s.
you really can't go wrong with one since most people take care of them beautifully and they were way ahead of their time.

plus after a few more years when it may not be so reliable you could turn it into a vip cruiser.

 

The 99 TL may have sporadic tranny problems but it was a 4-speed. Different from the horrible 00-03 trannies.

 

I'll go with LS400 but I'll also consider early model 3.5RL's. They are nice and roomy too.

 

There is something about the LS400. They are supposedly very quiet and comfortable. Not only that, they have a nice classy look and are seem to be very reliable.
I've got my TSX for driving around town, I just get nervous taking it to visit my wife's family so I'm looking for something I can pay cash for and still feel comfortable that it won't break down.

I was looking the other evening and I saw some late 90's RL's with about 150K going for about $4. I still prefer the LS, but I would definitly consider it.

Thanks for the advice...

 

Costs close to that to install a starter. Ive replaced 2 of them on my friends, its a 8 to 10 hr job.

 

a blown head gasket from a '93 legend is why i'm on the 3G TL forums now.

 

Don't forget about Legend head gasket problems. You're rolling the dice on every 2G Legend out there, just like every 2G 5AT TL/CL.

 

i'm voting for the ls400 too. its gonna be nice quiet highway cruiser

 

I don't know about having a nice car like that like in Mexico, though, even though it is older. Don't they have a lot of car jackings down there? I'd be nervous.

 

I dunno 'bout that. I looked at some 1995 LS's in my area on cars.com, and they're all around $12k-$15k and 75K+ in mileage.

 

As for cars getting stolen in Mexico, yes it happens, but more in the larger cities. My wife is from a small town so I'm not really that concerned. We've been traveling down there for about 3-years now and the roads are fine. It is a town about 45 miles north of Monterrey.
Anyways, as for the cars on cars.com, I'm in Texas looking around the San Antonio-Austin area and there are about a dozen in the $3-5K range with about 130-160K miles.

It seems as though everyone prefers the LS, I'll keep my eye out for an early model RL. I will stay away from the Legend, the gasket issue doesn't seem like a good issue to have.