~ Auto Buzz ~: Junkyard Find: 1997 Lexus LS400 Coach Edition (with Bonus Failed Anti-Tow-Away Note)

Monday, 20 July 2015

Junkyard Find: 1997 Lexus LS400 Coach Edition (with Bonus Failed Anti-Tow-Away Note)



33 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin

Three years ago, after becoming obsessed with 1990s Japanese luxury cars and, failing to find a non-thrashed Infiniti Q45 (or even a nice J30), I bought a very clean 1997 Lexus LS400 Coach Edition. It’s still my daily driver and still in great shape, but you always have a need for a few bits and pieces when you drive an older car. The early LS400s are extraordinarily common in low price, self-service wrecking yards these days, but the UCF20 1995-1997 LS is still worth enough that it’s a rare sight at U-Wrench-It.

Last winter, I finally found one in a Denver yard, and it has stories to tell.
21 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin

Even five years after moving to Colorado from the San Francisco Bay Area, I’m still not fully on board with this snow-covered-junkyard business.

13 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin

This car had all the signs of a rapid fall from luxury-car glory; there was plenty of body damage outside and trash inside, but it still had all the original dealer paperwork and factory inspection certificate.

60 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin

I’m pretty sure that the TO BE TOWED note I found was written by an enraged apartment manager or neighbor, after the car became immobile due to some expensive-to-fix mechanical problem, and that the angry response was written by the car’s owner. As we all know, heartfelt notes to tow-truck drivers don’t work.

42 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin

But according to the auction sticker, the car starts.

There is nothing sadder than a broken wind-up crab toy crawling through the junkyard slush.

64 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin

The only part I really wanted for my LS was the factory radio, because the LCD display on mine has some bad pixels. However, I learned from parting out an SC400 on eBay that certain 1990s Lexus parts are worth good money, so I grabbed a few more bits.

 

21 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 02 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 04 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 06 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 08 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 10 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 11 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 12 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 13 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 15 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 16 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 17 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 18 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 19 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 20 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 23 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 25 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 28 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 29 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 30 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 33 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 41 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 42 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 43 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 47 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 49 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 50 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 55 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 60 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 64 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin 66 - 1997 Lexus LS400 Down On the Junkyard - Picture courtesy of Murilee Martin

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