Listing snapshot
| Spotted | October 2022 |
| Asking price | $17,785 |
| Listed on | Cars.com, dealer |
| Status | Ad expired. This page is our archive of the listing. |
We spotted this 1992 Lexus LS 400 in October 2022, listed on Cars.com for $17,785. We did not record the mileage, and the ad has expired. We keep the record because a first-generation LS 400 at this price is unusual, and it gives a useful upper reference point.
What this car was
A dark red metallic sedan with tan leather and a sunroof, photographed on a quiet road with dry hills behind it. The paint is glossy, the chrome around the grille and windows is bright, and the factory alloy wheels look unmarked. On any first-generation LS 400, a buyer would also ask for records of timing belt changes and check that the instrument displays are bright and working.
Inside, the tan leather on the front and rear seats looks supple, with no obvious cracking or tears, and the wood and door trim look complete. The rear seat in particular looks barely used.
Lexus LS price history
Every Lexus LS we’ve spotted for sale, oldest first. These are asking prices, not sale prices.
| Spotted | Car | Asking price | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2022 | 1992 LS 400 (this car) | $17,785 | — |
| Jul 2023 | 1999 LS 400 | $17,999 | 40,000 |
Range: $17,785 to $17,999.
Was $17,785 a fair ask?
It was a high price for a 1992 LS 400. Most first-generation cars sell for a fraction of that, because there are plenty of them and many have very high miles. An ask like this only makes sense for an exceptionally low-mile, well-documented car, and since we did not record the mileage, we can’t say whether this one earned it. The photos show a very clean example, which helps. A buyer would want service records and a mileage figure before getting anywhere near that number.
A little LS 400 history
The LS 400 was the car Toyota launched the Lexus brand with, revealed in January 1989 and sold as a 1990 model. It used a 4.0-liter V8 and rear-wheel drive, and it set new standards for quietness and build quality in the luxury class. The first generation was updated for 1993 and replaced by the second-generation LS 400 for the 1995 model year. Its launch is widely credited with pushing the German luxury brands to rethink their quality and pricing, and well-kept examples are known for covering very high mileage.
More cars from the archive
- 1999 Lexus LS 400, another Lexus
- 1993 Acura Integra LS, another 1990s Japanese car
- 1995 Honda Civic EX, another 1990s Japanese car
- 1990 Acura Legend, another 1990s Japanese car
