getting nostalgic...

"dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford" (dtg11) 03/24/2018 at 09:53 • Filed to: WHY AM I EMOTIONAL ABOUT A CAR THAT COST ME $4600 IN JUST A YEAR

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Even though I know it’s easily fixable, the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! has been occupying my thoughts a lot. Amongst them are memories of the first car I bought, my 1998 Lexus GS300 (which was completely rust [but not problem] free). It lasted me a year and 5000 miles. It was the best first car I could’ve asked for, even if I put 1/2 the cars value in repairs into it. Pics from my year of ownership below:

(5/31/16) the day I got her...

(6/3/16) the first sticker, from !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ...

(6/3/16) when I first found out the sunroof leaked...

(6/5/16) the slightly-ricer-but-cool halo LED headlights...

(6/10/16) the first of many trips to lake...

(6/17/16) after I gave her her first wash... (look how perfect that paint is! Incredible for a 19 year old car with 261k miles)

(6/18/16) from when I entered her in a car show (I was a judge so it was free for me to enter, and it actually drew more attention than I expected)...

(6/28/16) another trip to the lake...

look closely at the wing

(7/9/16) here’s my real car, here’s my toy car...

(7/10//16) first milestone...

(8/14/16) first CEL (camshaft position sensor, goodbye $500!)...

(8/21/16) first random light...

(10/1/16) a trip to STL, across the river from Alton, IL...

(face cropped for privacy)

(10/8/16) homecoming...

(10/19/16) yet another picture at the lake...

(11/2/16) might’ve needed a new cabin air filter...

(11/11/16) stole the garage for a few nights...

(11/18/16) abandoned road pic...

(12/3/16) getting festive...

(12/4/16) and snow the next day...

(12/18/16) typical Illinois winter...

(12/29/16) sunset pic...

(1/5/17) cops called after some alleged snow-nuts (rwd is fun, what can I say?)...

(2/26/17) someone needs a wash...

(3/4/17) I’d often look out the window and just think, “that’s mine, I paid for that, I own that”...

(3/8/17) oil change...

(4/12/17) she was a thirsty girl (16 city, 22 highway, only took premium)...

(4/20/17) pollen season...

(5/3/17) so clean for 265k miles (pic is from a day or 2 before I listed it on CL)...

(5/13/17) before and after...

(5/16/17) 7 lights and I only miss one (battery and windshield washer fluid were both mystery lights, coming on at random and then dissappearing shortly after)...

(5/24/17) half and half...

(5/27/17) goodbye...

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 03/24/2018 at 00:13

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When I was quite young, my dad had a GS300 of this body style in maroon. Terrific car.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 03/24/2018 at 00:20

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I’ve always like those GSs so slick.

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 03/24/2018 at 00:27

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someday when I have a decent paying job I’m buying one again, either mint or to restore. I don’t regret selling it but I sure do miss it

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 03/24/2018 at 00:28

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I’m definitely going to buy another at some point, just when I have more expendable income to keep it perfect

jasmits > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 03/24/2018 at 00:47

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I went down memory lane too, yesterday. I do like my Tacoma a lot but that second gen 4Runner was me. I miss her.

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > jasmits 03/24/2018 at 00:58

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wow, looks like you had a lot of memories with her

jasmits > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 03/24/2018 at 01:07

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Took me across the country twice!

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > jasmits 03/24/2018 at 01:13

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impressive! i hope to do that someday, not sure what car I’d take though (my TSX or a future car)

jasmits > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 03/24/2018 at 01:47

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TSX doesn’t sound bad for it! My Taco’s going to be my go-to for that sort of thing for a long time so hopefully I’ll get to do it in that too

pip bip - choose Corrour > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 03/24/2018 at 02:02

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“Nostalgia is the last refuge of the moron, to paraphrase doctor Johnson

And they don’t make writers like him anymore” (drop the dead donkey tv show)

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 03/24/2018 at 09:27

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Also heads up gonna be an hour or so late today. Roads to the west are bad.

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 03/24/2018 at 09:48

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thanks for the update, no rush on getting here, just drive safe!

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > jasmits 03/24/2018 at 09:50

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it would definitely be fun but not the most comfortable, I’ve been thinking about either an Infiniti M45 or Hyundai Equus, both are getting cheap (less than 10k with under 150k miles) so it wouldn’t be that bad to get after college.

jasmits > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 03/27/2018 at 23:30

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I loved doing it in an old SUV, it just felt like an adventure. I had the seats folded down, my camping pad on one side and all my stuff on the other so every night I’d just find somewhere to camp and crash in the back.

Somehow road trips in the Tacoma just don’t feel as special, but real life has stricter deadlines than college life(I mean, does it realllly matter if things take a bit longer and I miss the first day of class?) so knowing there won’t be any issues that make things take longer than I expect is more valuable than a weird sense of adventure.

interstate366, now In The Industry > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 06/21/2018 at 21:51

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Anything to watch out for when buying one of these? Rust areas ? Ongoing problems? Asking for a friend...

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > interstate366, now In The Industry 06/22/2018 at 14:58

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leaking sunroof, oil burning, and transmission as far as i know 

interstate366, now In The Industry > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 06/22/2018 at 20:38

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2 of those would be remedied by a GTE swap. Uh, hypothetically speaking.

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > interstate366, now In The Industry 06/22/2018 at 23:34

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overall very solid cars though, the forums would have more info than me.

interstate366, now In The Industry > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 06/23/2018 at 00:03

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They seem like it. I’ve also been looking for 1GS’s because they’re even more low-key , but they’re few and far between and the ones I have seen are in rough shape. I could always just buy an Aristo TT, but that’s quite an investment.

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > interstate366, now In The Industry 06/23/2018 at 13:11

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1GSs are very rare anymore and it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a good one. Although pretty much all the ones I’ve seen are less than $1k

interstate366, now In The Industry > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 06/23/2018 at 13:13

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Yeah, this is the only one currently on a Virginia Craigslist. The rust bothers me more than the transmission issues, because again I would be doing a GTE swap with the heavier-duty transmission. I’m still thinking about it because it really is almost “why not” money.

https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/cto/d/1993-lexus-gs300/6614786403.html

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > interstate366, now In The Industry 06/23/2018 at 23:30

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I’d low ball with an offer of like $350 and see if they take it

interstate366, now In The Industry > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 06/24/2018 at 10:19

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I just may do that. I also considered an LS400, but I really don’t want to deal with air suspension.

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > interstate366, now In The Industry 06/24/2018 at 14:13

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I could be mistaken but I don’t think the 400 has air suspension, only certain 430 models do.

interstate366, now In The Industry > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 06/24/2018 at 18:57

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From what I can tell it was optional on 400s as well, and is denoted by the VIN. I’m actually a bit shocked at how affordable 1LS’s are.

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > interstate366, now In The Industry 06/25/2018 at 01:18

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they’re really cheap, but it’s also a 25 year old luxury car so not super saught after

interstate366, now In The Industry > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford 06/25/2018 at 09:21

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Yeah. It’d make a good project platform. Shockingly, the dimensions are almost identical to my TSX. It’s less than a foot longer, and the width and height are almost identical.