1998 Lexus GS 400 - POV First Ownership Impressions

Filmed with ‪@TopherDrives‬
www.bridgestonetire.com/tire/...
Engine: 4.0-liter, 32-valve, DOHC, V8
Horsepower: 300
Torque: 310 lb-ft
0-60 MPH: 6 seconds
Fuel consumption: 13.7 (Automatic City) 9.3 (Automatic Highway)
Transmission: Wide-range 5-speed electronically-controlled automatic transmission with OD, ECT-i intelligence, lockup torque converter, and dual shift programs
Braking system: Four-wheel power-assisted discs with four-sensor, four channel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
Front seat dimensions: 39.2 in. front head room, 44.5 in. front leg room, 57.7 in. front shoulder room, 55.0 in. front hip room
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Thanks for watching!

[@SerPurple51]

The two Topher's together are a great pair!

[@boolji]

Love these old car reviews. Please do more! I think a lot of people are in search of beater daily's and really appreciate videos like this and the camry one recently.

[@ryanb8736]

These scream instant gratification. It’s the feeling of how it puts its power down in such a solid manner. This is the true definition of, “endless timepiece”. I hated when people compared them to G35’s. This GS was in a whole different class. Nothing to compare.

[@alpe6228]

Cant even compare a life lasting masterpiece like the gs to a dogshit g35,not even close to be in the same league.

[@spoonkies]

Man, this interior and color combo brings me back to high school, cruising around in a hand-me-down 1998 Lexus ES. Doing late night McDonald’s drive thru runs in sweatpants - good times. Currently driving a 2016 Lexus IS and the vibe in a modern car is just not the same, might pick up a GS300 just for the nostalgia

[@faheemabbas3965]

Toyotas in the 2000’s hit different. I just think of picking up video games back then and driving home. I miss those days.

[@kingdoge69]

I think it’s because of the simplicity of older cars compared to today. Now a days there’s so many lights on the dash and a touch screen all up in your face. Also the car brings you back to simpler times with your younger self, being a 90’s car

[@ddogg14]

Timeless car and a dynamic duo in the cabin! You two make an awesome team

[@ryanb8736]

In 1998, the GS400 was the world’s fastest sedan. It handled up there with a 1998 Corvette. The E39 M5 came in and took top position for fastest car. Another legendary car, minus the Lexus reliability. Lexus was ahead of its time. Is sad to see Lexus fall so low now.

[@awepossum1059]

Lexus just needs to do some refreshes, they do have some enthusiast cars just outdated

[@thebbiddim882]

Just mirrors the overall downfall of Toyota. Yeah they build reliable cars that last forever, but soulless.

[@ladder3257]

since when have lexus and toyota fallen? i think they still make some of the best cars in the world

[@summers232]

@@ladder3257Not even the biggest Toyota fan but it'd be a straight up lie to say they've fallen. Their sales and financial reports say otherwise.

[@faheemabbas3965]

Lexus yes, but Toyota? They’re seeing crazy hybrid sales, heck, I’m trying to get aGrand Highlander Hybrid and I’ve never owned a Toyota before! Lexus, imo, is becoming glorified Toyota. Four-cylinders in the RX? Idk….

[@d34thby1337]

The E-shift sets a maximum gear, rather than commanding an upshift. Even when they're used like that though it's still pretty slow though lol. Love these cars!

[@digitalgulby]

My G35 worked the same way

[@RedlineGaming007]

Even the newer Toyota's and Lexus's manual mode works like that too.

[@MrJMS814]

Every normal automatic has worked this way since the beginning of time

[@NoeLarios-qw7gs]

😊😊​@@RedlineGaming007

[@NoeLarios-qw7gs]

​😊😊

[@wrightcodyj]

This is such a beautiful example and you’ve done such a nice job getting in back in shape! And am I the only one who absolutely loves that steering wheel design? It looks amazing to hold and use.

[@timothybracken1728]

You guys always find these little gems, sounds amazing ! I love the analog gauges

[@donteadoss]

ECT=Electronically Controlled Transmission, standard 80/90s Toyota feature; in all the Toyota & Lexus models my family had, it seemingly did absolutely nothing when I’d use it, from my ‘89 Camry DX I “raced” as a teen up through the early 2000s 😂 - but congrats, Chris, dope find! 🔥

[@iaminyouout1813]

Lol me too had a bue 89 tough car solid

[@donteadoss]

@@iaminyouout1813 mine was blue too … wished I kept it but my family gave it to an old lady then a guy in a 5-Series t-boned and totaled it smmfh LOL

[@Milkinporsche]

I love it when you two do interviews together.

[@crunchyblack2224]

Love this older Lexus pov drive. Thanks for sharing!

[@jirikrajnak9047]

this thing is quick off its feet and looks to be in decent shape. enjoy, topher 2

[@hacob2004]

Agree on the five speed. Every time I drive a new car, even a good one with a ZF auto, I find myself waiting forever for it to pick from an infinite number of gears to start moving.

[@KyngBKJ]

ECT means electronically controlled transmission. I had an RX300 with the same button.

[@lewis3947]

bought an 05 ls430 back in october and man I love her so much. the transmission, the power, the class. it being the ultra model with all the luxury it just screams sexy lol

[@MrCarGuy]

Yeah, the steering wheel tilt motor is stuck. This isn't a motor problem, but the old grease thickening and messing up the motor brushes and gear movement. Remove the motor housing and all old grease under it. Clean motor brushes. Replace with a modern synthetic grease. See guides on the forum.

[@CPMUNSEY]

Love this stuff!! This is peak Lexus era. Glad to see it still on the road and in decent shape. 116k is just getting good and broke in on one of these,lol!!

[@aurinko2877]

This is the lexus all the rappers were rapping about in the 90s

[@maciejlesniewski7268]

That brings back some memories, had a 98 sliver on black.... got it at 60k , sold it at 190k, ran like new

[@111tombomb]

Wow this makes me miss my E39 540i 1998 that I had… it was also my same age and it was an amazing car. This makes me want one of these haha

[@Clovhis]

Wow, I love this car bro! Look that spoiler, is sick.

[@benjaminroy2946]

Well that's trippy! Last year, I was looking to buy a new base BRZ, and @TheTopher convinced me to go ahead with the purchase with his videos about the car. I even went ahead and mimicked the X-Ice rally-style setup and I drive it all year round in eastern Canada. Now, going back a few years, guess what my first car was? A 1998 Cinnabar Pearl GS400! I I still own it to this day out of sentimental attachment. It's even got most of the issues you showed in the video such as the broken Nakamichi screen, the noisy steering column motors, and the exhaust leak. It feels like our timelines are branched lol. @TopherDrives, let me know if you want to get in contact and keep in touch. I'm trying to find a way to add the wood wheel from the 430 (not as easy as it seems), an LSD from a supra, and other stuff. It's good to see these things are not all dead yet :)

[@MariAlejandraHC]

Los dos topher son lo máximo 🎉🎉

[@rightlanehog3151]

Chris and Chris, The top side of this car looks so good, it would be very instructive to examine the underside.🤔

[@eugew23]

Complete the sedan lineup with a '98-'00 LS400 and I think Substitute Topher will be the ultimate Lexus owner!

[@djjerryspringer4840]

Just bought a 2003 Lexus gs300 I loved it

[@danielchristopherdc]

This makes me miss my 1995 SC400 😢

[@Sm0kW]

Hello Topher! I love the honest review and the cars you post. Could you please do a 2007 subaru forester xt 2.5 automatic stock please. It would be my dream for you to do this car. Thank you!

[@MrNicolasBurylo]

nice sound !!!

[@dawnpoint]

If your brake booster unit ever goes (which they sometimes do) you can get the booster from an SC430 for a very reasonable price and then just swap over the big old pressure sensor thing on the front of it. Did that to mine and saved a bunch.

[@sabell1276]

Love it Love it Love it 💗

[@S44BBOI]

it turns on... so well

[@tahaakhtar776]

I just saw one video of another KZbinr with same car right now damnn I realized it’s you only Topher drives 😂👌🏻

[@huykhoi]

Amazing Lexus from 1998

[@naashuman5503]

Quality and reliability.

[@lexuskid98]

Love these cars owned two of them, one a 400 1uzfe and a 430 3uzfe both amazing cars. Super happy you’re about to experience this luxury beauty and beast of a car!! Have fun and enjoy that thing, one thing I will say that exhaust leak is normal on all v8 Lexus. It’s either gonna be the driver or passenger side right at the header where it meets the y pipe. Mine is leaking right now at the passenger side so when you revved it I was so happy and laughed because mine sounds exactly like that aha 😅

[@chuck994]

I daily a 93' SC400, a GS4 is in my future.

[@lexuskid98]

@@chuck994 nice man, thats dope! Definitely get one you won’t be disappointed. Ive always wanted a SC400 as well just so hard to get one in good condition in Canada for a ok price. Thats in my future as well

[@chuck994]

@@lexuskid98 GS400/430 are rare in my area, its rough out here. A few GS300 here and there, i am in Canada aswell

[@HoagMurkula]

To get the transmission to paddle shift properly, put it in snow mode! When you leave it in regular, flooring it kicks it down into the next lowest gear instead of rolling into the powerband like snow lets you do

[@FarhanAhmed-mx1wm]

Review and drive a 2004-06 LS 430 next! Ultra luxury if you're able to find that but base is very good as well :)

[@audiovisualautos445]

Would love to get in touch with substitute Topher and talk cars. Bought a 99 with 110k miles about a month and a half ago. Love my gs400 👍🏻

[@ElieAnquetil]

I would be interested to see you test a Lexus ct-200h.

[@beka5957]

this is the quality that shocks even nowadays Toyota and lexus ))

[@deimosphob]

That fuel economy is crazy. I get 14 minimum and avg 16 if I do mostly city driving. Keep in mind at 80 I'm at 3000rpm so 16 is my city mpg. I also got 0-60 in 5.6 before modifying, 5.2 after, however I did wheels, coils, tires, spare delete, cat delete, exhaust, etc all at once. Might want to look into what's causing excess fuel consumption. If its a transmission-related issue, you can try bumping up your line pressure, i did and it definitely increased my fuel economy a little bit, running premium fuel ofc "your car will knock when doing a pull if you don't" and check live sensor data for afr's, fuel pressure, and fuel pump voltage draw. If your voltage draw for the fuel pump is too high you may have to change your filter. Theres other things, but those are the biggest ones to look into.

[@jeree477]

this car just reminded me of the gs430 that was midnight club 3 dub edition

[@RNMAutomotiveAddiction]

The Optitron Gauges are still amazing. Need to lower it.

[@deniswauchope3788]

That car is exactly, EXACTLY, what I'm looking for right now, but every one I've seen is trashed on the inside, the driver's seat is usually ripped & so is the center console. Adding insult to injury they're asking like $7K to $10K. I'm not in a hurry, but damn I wish I'd find one in this kind of condition for a reasonable price- but like they say, "Lexus keeps their value!"

[@chuck994]

Paint looks in great shape, looks alot like the Infiniti G35s'

[@maxhager4187]

Speaking of big V8 luxury cars, you gotta try out a Cadillac DTS. The last big body V8 caddilac. i have one. It's pretty quick for a 275hp luxury barge.

[@beexiong2995]

Guys, you should find a GS460. That car is also pretty rare and like 360hp vs this one at 300 hp

[@AntLive29]

the good ol days when Lexus made awesome cars

[@jamest6850]

I'd love one of these but we only got the gS300 of this gen in Australia:(

[@gianniferrari1122]

This is what you drive and the 765LT is what goes on on the weekends. Every rich guy has to have a beater.

[@a.kblur04]

If you guys ever want to compare this to a 3rd gen GS350, I've got a pretty well sorted one you can drive here in Ann Arbor lol

[@ahuman9864]

@7:42 …. The cup holder door doesn’t open all the way because that partition is placed the wrong way. All you have to do is lift up, and turn it around. Then your cup holder door will open freely

[@rafayetrifti1800]

Sounds good anyway

[@mbank3832]

Topher, can you do one for 3rd gen GS ? You did this one and the latest one but not the 3rd gen

[@se.chino713]

Review a “97-01 “Lexus Es300

[@takingbackzach]

I think this video, more than any other, really highlighted for me how bad Michigan roads actually are 😅 enjoy the car, substitute Topher

[@TheTopher]

They are bad.

[@TheMetalGaia]

​@@TheTopherironic that our car-centric state has some of the worst roads 😂

[@vanopaniashvili]

This car reminds me of Test Drive Unlimited game

[@Ghost-Of-Kyiv-]

Daily my triple black gs 400. Just hit 165k

[@xavi0mg]

hi, pls tell topper that his windshield wipers are in winter mode. If he just presses them down towards the hood they will be in summer mode and won't hit the a pillar

[@Trillss77]

I had a 2000 pearl white gs400 lasted to 305,000 miles.. really a gem of a car

[@ryanb8736]

I’ve always said the GS400 was one of the most impressive cars. Along with LS430. The GSF was nice and ISF was nice, but these GS400 and LS400/430 were in a class of their own. People had to have owned them to understand.

[@Trillss77]

@@ryanb8736I now own a 2004 is300 and a 2016 1rst gen GSF. Love em’

[@productive23]

What happened to it at 305k miles?

[@diegohernandez8135]

What happened to it?

[@michaelsledge3904]

I agree! Gs 300 and Gs 400 may be top 5

[@reddevil6585]

Original price wasn’t $40,000 lol Base model gs400 52,900 With options $60,000ish I guess This was a great sport sedan @the time with same engine as the Lexus ls of That time (I had a used 2001 gs300 before) very reliable & good car

[@smeliscave]

do you get break noises with the brembos?

[@I.LikeCars]

The electro-luminescent (EL) guages look so good! I like that they matched it with a similar display for the climate control and audio controls.

[@possession3929]

Just wondering, have you done any transmission drains on it.

[@michaelsledge3904]

My dad bought this car in 2000 and it was my first vehicle in high school. Best car ive ever owned and I sold it with 285k miles for 6k to buy a 2015 mustang GT😅

[@maeng97]

I think the exhaust leak is from the flex pipe?

[@TheGSguy1320]

you can get a supercharger from an 04 terminator and this engine can hold quite a bit of power

[@theunusedchannel]

I think you can swap turbo auto mark 4 supra lsd in these.

[@theUltimateLord]

Man id love to work with you guys. Im from Columbus ohio. Got 2 toyotas myself 😅

[@Will-ue4gb]

Trunk won’t open cuz he may have locked it with the valet key button next to the trunk switch.

[@MrCarGuy]

Black interior is extremely rare for these.

[@bushikciwa]

Maybe a bad flex pipe, consider an after market j pipe

[@chaseteter]

This was never considered light but as heavy as cars have gotten, 3700lbs is really not bad. This is lighter than ISF. It has a light, little V8 shoved pretty close to the cabin. It is wonderful in OEM form as it is in OEM+. Toe me, a perfect OEM+ build for this calls for a Toyota W58 transmission and a GS300 rear diff transform this into (refined) hell on wheels. Forward Momentum executed this pretty well. There is a reason why the 1UZ is treated like the LS of down under.

[@angelquesadiaz]

an LSD from a supra will fit, but will cost a pretty penny. i just welded mine and its perfect

[@elijiahbrown6566]

Are the seats all the way back? 5:53

[@HotBoxTrucking]

cot dang ole toyoter tacomer

[@Moecean]

Had the chance to buy an all black one for only 5000 back in 2017, 120,000 miles and it was so clean. I still regret the decision

[@michaelsledge3904]

That was a steal !

[@Azspeedin]

98’ E39 540 6 speed was quicker than these at the time. If I remember Lexus crowned themselves as the quickest sedan. Btw, congrats on the beautiful GS!

[@Azspeedin]

@@blazerboiz5996 generally true but that first generation 4.4 L V8 was extremely reliable case in point my parents had a 98 540 6 speed purchased new and the only thing that was done to the car until 120k miles was clutch. And although no one would deny the Lexus for all quality and longevity, 90s BMWs were pretty darn reliable.

[@Phoenix1776]

Don't sell it (: I love this car😍

[@brandonxx9090]

Big Lexus guy eh?

[@RichardinNC1]

Back in 97-98, I test drove a BMW 540i for charity. I then drove a bunch of cars to compare, including a GS400, GS300, & SC300 (the SC400 was beyond my budget). The GS400 was very nice and a better value than the 540i but the BMW won my heart. I saved up and picked one up December 1998. PS: I thought I recall the 540i 6-speed manual to be a bit quicker, despite 20 less HP. Of course the E39 M5 was introduced the following year. PS: That looks like a well cared for example and like new inside.

[@porfiriato84]

How'd you even find this car? I did a search within 1000 miles of me and only 1 came up! And it's not in the best condition.

[@deniswauchope3788]

Yeah, I've been looking for about 3 weeks now and wow they're hard to find. I gave up trying "local" and now search "nationwide" but even then they're few & far between, & most are pretty well thrashed. Still looking tho!

[@DavidDLee]

Lexus scrapped the GS years ago. The IS is barely there. All people buy is the ES floaty couch.

[@BONAFIDEBENJI]

Throw a turbo on it no need to swap

[@MrJMS814]

That's just a regular automatic. No manual upshifts.

[@ryanb8736]

I had a 98 in same color. Did all the suspension with Coilovers, custom made adjustable control arms, custom exhaust, all poly bushings, driveshaft, etc. Handling was amazing after all dialed in. Superb engine and was one of the best built by Lexus. Lexus does not make them like this anymore. The leather and wood interior was ahead of its time.

[@ahuman9864]

The GS400 did indeed have 16 inch stock wheels. Infact, the 300 and 400 are identical beside the motor.

[@imsamuelbartz]

ECT = Electronically Controlled Transmission.

[@diegohernandez8135]

Please let me buy it😢

[@kyree5094]

i kinda want one🤨

[@ElectricusTus]

the perfect thing to eat pizza to and i believe the correct pronunciation is "GS fourhunned"

[@sebasjara1739]

Yoooo

[@gudnytX]

So owning 25 y/o cars as your daily driver isn't as bad as it sounds....??

[@SerPurple51]

Not if it's a Lexus/Toyota 😂

[@timw2083]

I bought a 2002 IS300 as a daily... I wouldn't dare do that with a Benz or Bimmer

[@neonreign2988]

@@SerPurple51Exactly, that's the caveat, it's a testament to Toyota's kaizen philosophy and manufacturing standards. There's very few cars that old that can hold up, and they're typically Toyotas (they're especially bulletproof from this era) or Hondas, maybe some American V8s from the 90s/early 2000s (Crown Vic and Buick Le Sabres). I personally wouldn't own anything other than a Toyota/Lexus after the experiences I've had of owning unreliable vehicles, no car is perfect but Toyota has unequivocally come the closest and I've seen so many of their engines go over 200k miles without any issues, even over 300k+ with basic maintenance.

[@hatemmohamed5097]

First 🎉

[@sebasjara1739]

Who cares??