The Prince and the Pauper: The U.S. Version. Lexus LS 400 vs Chevrolet Spark

                                         

Little Intro: "The Prince and the Pauper" is our new mini-series where we take a cheap, brand new car and compare it to a cheap luxury or sports car capable of everyday use. We're going to compare the two cars' running costs and capabilities and, hopefully, make non-car people make counter intuitive car choices. Enjoy!
   
      Bare with me for a second. What if I told you that you can buy and run one of the most reliable luxury cars ever made, for almost the same amount of money as a brand new Chevrolet Spark? You would probably gawp with  disbelief and go buy the Spark, because it's the most sensible option. Or is it? We'll find out at the end of this article.

  Quick History Lesson
   

The Lex most 90's rappers dreamed of

     So what is the Chevy's competitor? Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you: the magnificent Lexus LS 400 (series 1)! Introduced in 1989 at the North American International Motor Show, at Detroit, it was Lexus's flagship car. The first thing people noticed was, obviously, the styling. The LS resembled a W126 S-Class from plenty of angles, only that it was a bit more "rounded" than the Merc. Which was a splendid idea, because the potential clients were familiar with the shape and would have an easier time reconsidering the purchase of the BMW or Mercedes equivalent.  Mechanically speaking, the Lexus featured a four-cam, 32-valve, 4.0 litre V8 producing 250 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheels, via a 4 speed automatic and an open-differential. And for those who don't speak greek, it basically means that it could go from 0-60 mph in about 8,5 seconds and into a top speed of 160 mph. Having spent more than 1 billion dollars in the car's development, Toyota was able to muster up gadgets such as the first ever automatic tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel (with SRS airbag), power adjustable shoulder belts, the option of air suspension (self-levelling in the Japanese market, a world first) and no less than 300 (!) different technological innovations to garranty smooth and silent operation. It also got air-con, power sunroof, a 6 CD changer in the trunk AND a tape deck, power windows, leather seats and California walnut. When the car was new, it had an MSRP of 35,000$, obliterating its competition[1]. Now, if YOU want to buy a mint condition Series 1 LS400 TODAY (1989-1994), it's going to cost you about 3,500$ to 4,000$ [2]. Or, if you're lucky, even cheaper!

  Creme Caramele colored interior

      As innovative as the Lexus was in its day, it doesn't come with the 21st century gadgetry that the Spark offers. The base car comes as standard with USB and AUX ports, 4G wifi hotspot, an auxillary power outlet, Apple's "Car Play" and Android's "Android Auto", keyless entry and that's about as interesting as it gets. We've chosen to compare the Lexus to the Spark's base model, which has an MSRP of 12,660$ [3] and gets the 1,4 litre inline 4 producing almost 100hp (98hp to be precise) and 94 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels. You get five speed manual as standard or you can opt for the automatic at an extra cost [4]. Having finished with the stats, let's compare the buying and running costs of these two beasts.

Running Costs
 

Grandmamobile

     First of all, let's examine the insurance costs*. Bizarrely, the Spark is the most of expensive of the two for normal insurance, the first month costing 155.36$  and the 11 remaining 163.69$/month ( 1,790.75$/year)[5]. In case you chose the Lexus, the first month is going to cost you 109,71$ and 118,04$/month for the resting 11 months ( 1,242.75$)[5]. Nevertheless, we didn't choose the Series 1 for nothing: the cars that were made from 1989 to 1992 are considered as historic vehicles. Therefore, you can benefit from classic car insurance for only 170$/ 6 months or 336$/ year if you drive your car once in a while [6].
 

A feast for the eyes

    Secondly, we have the expense of gas. Let's say that the cars are driven 10,000 miles every year. Surprise  surprise, the LS400, with its 18,4 mpg (combined) will set you back 1,108.69$ in gas, whereas the Chevy, with 35 mpg (combined), "just" 792$. However, the Lexus has 150hp and 160lb-ft of torque more than the Spark so don't be flabbergasted that it uses more fuel [7].
    Finally, we have the price of pads, rotors, oil, tires[8][9] and the total cost of buying and running the cars for the one and three years respectively ( to add up the costs, insurance, gas and oil are multiplied by three at the 3rd year). For easier reading, the facts are presented in bulletin points.
   
      LEXUS

• Rotors: 84$ each for slotted discs
• Pads: 37$ per axle (every 20k miles)
• Tires: 380.40$ for all corners (Bridgestone Turanza Serenity 205/65R1594H)(max speed: 139mph)
• Oil: 28,88$ for 5 quarts ( 10W30 Mobil 1 Synthetic)

                      One Year                   Three Years 
    Car:           4,000.00$                     4,000.00$
  Insurance:  1,242.75$                      3,728.25$
              Gas: 1,108.69$                      3,326.06$ (10k miles/year)
               Oil:    28.88$                             86.64$
           Pads:          /                                  74.00$( front+back)
          Total:    6,380.32$                  11,215.95$  
   
    Chevy

• Rotors: 35$ each
• Pads: 37$ per axle
• Tires: 340.40$ for all corners ( Yokohama Avid Ascend 185/55R1582V)
• Oil: 28,88$ for 5 quarts ( 5W20 Mobil 1 Synthetic)

                           One Year                 Three Years
                Car:   12,660.00$               12,660.00$
   Insurance:        1,790.75$                 5,372.25$
               Gas:    792.00$                      2,376.00$
                 Oil:    28.88$                            86.64$
             Pads:          /                                74.00$ (front+back)
            Total:    15,271.63$                18,195.26$

The Verdict
     My fellow readers, you've seen it for yourselves! In the shorterm and the longterm, the Lexus LS400 (Series 1) is cheaper to buy and run than a 2016 Chevrolet Spark. Also, since it is becoming rarer and rarer to see an LS400 on the road these days, if you decide to acquire a well maintained example, you'll automatically become the owner of a really special automobile and look much richer than you would in the Spark. To finish of, here are a few articles that will be useful before and after buying the Lexus:

Buying Advice: http://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-1st-and-2nd-gen-1990-2000/634188-guidance-in-buying-a-lexus-ls400-please-maintenance-costs-repairs-etc.html 

Lexus Mechanical Restoration: http://oppositelock.kinja.com/fix-it-or-sell-it-a-jalop-s-dilemma-1764627523

Common Problems And Fixes: http://repairpal.com/lexus/ls400

What are you waiting for? Go on www.craigslist.com to find your perfect Lexus LS400!

Bonus "Regular Car Reviews" video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljpk_9X4xCY

* For the people who wondered why the insurance was so expensive, I've written down the insurance coverages that I opted for both cars:

24/7  Roadside Assistance
Liability/ Bodily Injury/ Property Damage : 25,000$/ 50,000$/ 25,000$
Uninsured/ Underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury: 15,000$/ 30,000$
Uninsured Motorist Property Damage: 3,500$
Medical Payments: 5,000$
Comprehensive/ Collision Deductible: 750$

Citations
[1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexus_LS
      http://ls400data.com/history.html\
[2] http://losangeles.craigslist.org/search/sss?sort=rel&query=lexus%20ls400
[3] http://www.chevrolet.com/spark-fuel-efficient-car.html
[4] http://www.leftlanenews.com/new-car-buying/chevrolet/spark/#
[5] https://www.thegeneral.com/TGRV2/QuickQuoteDriverController.gen
[6] https://www.hagerty.com/apps/QuoteMyClassic/Quote/Usa/Direct/39904865/Quote/Results
[7] http://inflationdata.com/articles/cost-of-living/cost-of-gas/average-cost-of-gas-per-month/
[8] http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mobil-1-5W-20-Full-Synthetic-Motor-Oil-5-qt./170181329
       http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mobil-1-5W-30-Full-Synthetic-Motor-Oil-5-qt./
[9] http://www.tirerack.com/