Just don't buy the first you see. Go be a test pilot, try the cheapest you can find and try one that is just outside your budget.
2k will get you a car, but that is only the start of it. £400 for insurance fully comp with the RAC. I think the most important thing is service history. You need to find an ex directors car cos they got maintained at Lexus stealers and every thing will have been fixed and sorted.
You will need to understand the models. LS400 goes from MkI 1989/90, then MkII in 93, III in 95 and IV in 97/98.
MKI & I are generation I and III & IV are generation II, the LS430 is generation 3 and LS460, coming out soon is generation 4. WHen is is launched, prices will drop again.
See
http://www.lexus.co.uk/approved_preowned/specification_index.asp?model=LS%20400%20Series%20I%20(from%20June%201990)&spec=AUDIO for all the specs etc.
Mk I & II are similair, but there were still 200 improvements.
MkIII had a face lift, no fog lights in the front skirt, mived into main cluster and bonnet lines from the top of the grill go back to the mirrors instead of paralell to the base of the screen.
Mk I & II has 240 bhp, Mk III 260 and MK IV 280.
Mk III has 16 inch wheels instead of 15, also much bigger brakes.
Mine has a real bad wobble on braking, warped disks.
These are 1800kg cars and that is heavy, one big stop from 80 to rest and the "rotors" are well hot, you next stop will be more of a glide around the obsticales in front of you. But remember this is a luxury car NOT a sports car. It was designed from the ground up, clean sheet of paper, no parts robbing, no copying, all the best design possible for the most reliable, luxurious, high performance world class car. They did a good job.
You will see threads on the lexus forum of 300k milers all over and someone in the USA has done 550 on the same engine and transmission.
2k will get you a reasonable MkII car. look for good history especially oil changes. 3-3.5k will get you a good Mk III. I got mine from auto trader, an ex-lex salesman, soletrading now, but he takes all tradins from his local 3 dealers. I paid 3.2 and I spoke to the previous owner and he got 2.85 as a trade in..... against his nex Lex.
Really, go drive a couple, think about it and then look hard. No one really wants to buy a 4 litre gas gussleing 50 grand car that will cost a fortune to run. That is why there are so many bargains out there. BUT, they do not have to cost a fortune to maintain. I get 26mpg overall, and have done a lot of spirited driving but also a lot of motorway use, when the M25 is moving.
This one looked like a minter,
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=50175&item=4605639302 and often they come up with just 60k on the clock for less.
Also , there are so many in the USA, petrol is so cheap, and the resourses are good, they sold thousand in the states so the forums are richer.
Oh yes, the sound system, so load and CRYSTAL clear, I can't hear the DS and lots of missed calls on the mobile. 6 stack CD player.
There was only ever 1 dealer option because the cars already have everything. Gold Badges.
Look at
www.lexls.com the webmaster has a MkI or II and every thing is listed even for the big jobs like cam belts. Lex quote 7 hours, but some forum users get it done for £185.
Oh and £70 to fill up sometimes only gets you 380 miles, but I have had 500 from a tank. Bloody boring driving at 50, but only took 5 more mins to get to work.
Oh YES, I lurve my Lex. so much easier to drift than the GTA.
"The Fast and Luxurious"
ps: sorry, can't bear to reread and spell check all that lot.
did you enjoy it lee
No offence Simon! Would still like some advice! 
