Hes Upgraded To A Mercedes ?

[Bluesman]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1993-LEXUS-LS400-BEIGE-/271950722598?hash=item3f5186b626

[harrylime]

saw the same ad, had exactly the same thought

[oldhazey]

Does he have any idea what hes getting himself into !!

[steve2006]

Obviousl speeling error....should read "down graded" :)

[hihihi]

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[Titch LS]

A while ago a friend of ours thought he had "upgraded" by buying a used Mercedes. When the huge repair bills came in, he decided enough was enough and got rid quick. He saw sense and decided to buy a new Honda instead.

[runsgrateasanut]

I bought my car for that price - same year - same colour.

I've spent £2,000 so far in getting it to the state I am happy with and still some way to go. Replacing rustingbrake pipes and tired hoses, and some rust on the underbody.

I've said it before, I spent far less on my W140 S Class - but the rust on the Merc was just too much to bear. On Lexus only Drivers side wheel arch bubbling but glad its not that rear wheel arch as that is likely to be more trouble to deal with.

They are still great cars for peanuts - but hey doens't everyone moan about spending their hard earned on cars?

Funnily enough my own was owned by someone who had a Caravan site - no connection but too much time left over grass.

[joe384]

This one has been listed on eBay before but it didn't hit the reserve. If you look at the completed listings the guy answered some questions regarding it.

It looks very tidy and I think it looks well smart but I'd be worried that it's around the age where everything would start wearing out and causing issues. Maybe someone with more experience would be able to tell whether it was worth the money but I wouldn't trust myself not to miss something important.

Just out of interest, runsgreatasanut, what work have you had done on yours? Any more or just what you have mentioned?

[runsgrateasanut]

ALL FOUR brake discs AND PADS - labour costs
HANDBRAKE SHOES - not yet fitted as new may not bind as well as used and not advisory- yet!
CAMBELT, PULLEYS, TENSIONER AND WATER PUMP - £510 parts from Lexus - labour
TWO EXHAUST GASKETS - labour
ENGINE PLUGS AND LEAD SET - fitted myself
FRONT UPPER CONTROL ARMS - labour
REAR UPPER CONTROL ARMS - not yet fitted - will be labour cost
(Rear from Amayama - not cheap)
REAR SUSPENSION SPRINGS - not yet fitted - advisory - will be labour cost
FRONT LOWER BALL JOINTS - one fitted - labour
OFFSIDE ANTI ROLL BAR LINK - labour
BRAKE PIPES CORRODED - to be fitted next week - advisory - labour
BRAKE HOSES - S/S hose set to be fitted next week - labour
REPLACEMENT BORBET WHEELS - £160 cheaper than refurbishment
NEW TYRES (2) MAXXIS (2) NEXEN - advisory - fitted but not on car - when brake hoses replaced
TOW BAR FITTED - labour - electricals to be done

[Bluesman]

ALL FOUR BRAKE DISCS AND PADS - labour costs

HANDBRAKE SHOES - not yet fitted as new may not bind as well as used and not advisory- yet!

CAMBELT, PULLEYS, TENSIONER AND WATER PUMP - £510 parts from Lexus - labour

TWO EXHAUST GASKETS - labour

ENGINE PLUGS AND LEAD SET - fitted myself

FRONT UPPER CONTROL ARMS - labour

REAR UPPER CONTROL ARMS - not yet fitted - will be labour cost

(Rear from Amayama - not cheap)

REAR SUSPENSION SPRINGS - not yet fitted - advisory - will be labour cost

FRONT LOWER BALL JOINTS - one fitted - labour

OFFSIDE ANTI ROLL BAR LINK - labour

BRAKE PIPES CORRODED - to be fitted next week - advisory - labour

BRAKE HOSES - S/S hose set to be fitted next week - labour

REPLACEMENT BORBET WHEELS - £160 cheaper than refurbishment

NEW TYRES (2) MAXXIS (2) NEXEN - advisory - fitted but not on car - when brake hoses replaced

TOW BAR FITTED - labour - electricals to be done

WOW! Thats quite a list. Well done you, she will be a well sorted lady when you have finished. Mike.

[runsgrateasanut]

I'm hoping so Mike, will have to last me.

[Bluesman]

You will live a lot longer than other motorist as sitting inside that luxurious Lexus cabin as your blood pressure doesn't go any where near as high as all those other poor motorists who drive around in ignorance of that Lexus feeling. Mike.

[Scribe]

I understand that RHD Mercs are built in South Africa. So even if you pay for German design you don't necessarily get German build quality.

[Bluesman]

I think the German build quality left Mercedes & Audi etc years ago.. Many of the components are far below that which would have been expected from them 25 + years ago. Mike.

[Malc]

.......... and Lexus today too ??? penny for your thoughts !

Malc

[Scribe]

I often read Honest John's agony column, and am amazed (well, I used to be) by how many owners of 'prestige' cars face huge repair bills after only a few years. DPFs, dual mass flywheels, electronic gearboxes... all that super-sophisticated technology to go wrong, and it costs more to fix than I bought my Lexus for.

On Autotrader there's a 53 reg Audi A4 estate Multitronic (photographed on the back of a recovery truck) that needs a new gearbox at 52,000 miles. My Lexus is nearly six years older and has done three times the mileage, and still purrs along beautifully.

[Titch LS]

It seems to me that in most cases LS owners spend money on their cars replacing parts that have worn out over time as apposed to costly repairs due to premature failure of a component as in the Audi post above. That's the difference between Audi (for example) and Lexus. My friends have spent fortunes on repairs to their old Mercs and BMTroubleyous. In the States, BMW is known as Buy More Warranty.