Bargain Or Banger

[39buss]

Banger or Bargain. Time will tell. It's an 02 LS 430 Platinum Ice Sussex Leather 162000 miles MOT Sept. 2016.

I will post more pics and a full description but you'll have to wait till next year.

[cruisermark]

looks the business from where im sitting

[Scribe]

Yes, smart machine. Looks great in that colour.

[Chasdad]

How much was it

[steve2006]

A the post says details next year so I would assume the price will be revealed, in the meantime asking the same question 3 times in as many minutes will not reveal it any quicker :)

[cruisermark]

A the post says details next year so I would assume the price will be revealed, in the meantime asking the same question 3 times in as many minutes will not reveal it any quicker :)

lol

[39buss]

Now that the hols are over I'm making up a snagging list and I'm doing what I can inside the car because of the weather.

When I bought this car I tried the CD and Cassette and both worked. It had a Sony Ericsson thingy stuck to the dash so I cut the wires and pushed them out of sight. I know nothing about car phones. First on the snagging list was a new Battery and I tried things to make sure they all worked but the CD showed Error Code 3 and CD Error. I took the CD changer out and wondered if you know what this yellow wire is for. Could it be some sort of power lead for the Sony phone kit. I pulled it out but the CD still showed an Error. Do you think I've been unlucky and the Changer needs further investigation.

Nobody?. I assume its the changer as it worked before and pulling the yellow wire out didn't make any difference.

[39buss]

Next on the snagging list. The tele motor on the steering doesn't work so I've taken it off and adjusted the steering wheel to suit me by turning the square on the bottom of the threaded section with a 10mm open ended spanner. Behind that you can see a plate with two holes in it. This is where the motor bolts on. It helps if you're wiry, skinny and made of elastic with long fingers and can work whilst lying on your back in the dark. I used a quarter drive ratchet with short reach 10mm socket on the bottom bolt and a long reach 10mm socket on the top bolt because there was restrictions and the bolts go in from behind.

[cruisermark]

how difficult is it to change the motor - there are some for ale on that auction site

[ambermarine]

Good thinking on the steering solution, if only you drive the car it makes no odds as to the positioning of the steering wheel every time the ignition is turned and as you are (skinny) the wheel should'nt obstruct your entrance and exit to the seat.

With regard to the Sony addition it looks like this was wired into the circuit of the CD and Tape player and by removing it you have cut both of those circuits, rewire it as it was so you can determine that was the case.

You will be able to rewire the units as to where they should be after you find out how the Sony thing was integrated.

[39buss]

Hi Amber..... I'm a 12 stone 6 footer but my bodys' full of old bones. I meant it would be better if a "skinny" was on hand to help.

Cruiser......Like most jobs once you find out where everything is it'll be so much easier to reassemble.

[39buss]

I've always wanted an LS430 but learnt from here it could be costly. I decided on a contingency plan that I'd put £2000 aside to cover any problems.

Bargain or Banger. Why I bought this car.

Nice straight bodywork, couple of very small rust patches, refurbed wheels, leather interior in lovely condition, interior fittings unmarked, scratched or scuffed, nearly everything worked. MOT Sept 2016, 6 x Lexus stamps up to 70,000mls, 1 x Indie stamp 78000mls, 2 x Lexus Newcastle stamps at 147000mls and 150000mls.

Invoices from Lexus N/cle. Sept 2007 95000mls. New rad, discs & pads, auto fluid, tyre, plus bits = £1437.

Oct 2007 New N/S/F & N/S/R window glass replaced, new floor overmat = £840

Jan 2011 130000mls. New Acis valve, valve assembly vacuum. = £325.

Sept 2011 130162mls. Brkts and mounts on air pump replaced = £220.

July 2012. 143000mls. 4 x new height sensors. = £1700

FEB 2013. 148000mls. Full service, 4 x new Nexen tyres, 2 x S/S tail pipes, Disc pad, S/Absorber F/R, lower arm bush, control arm, boot supports, fuel tank, Total. £3999.47p

Sept 2013. 151000mls. Service, MOT, filters, fluids etc. = £250.

That lot covers many of the expensive problems associated with the 430 so on that basis and the fact that is was only 20 minutes away as a P/X at an indie Merc specialist in Boldon Colliery and it drove well, its now mine. Bargain or Banger!!! We'll see in the near future. I'll post the bad points later. It looks like this today.

[Malc]

........... so 14000 miles ago some poor bugger became even poorer to the tune of £4k, WOW, lucky you buying the car with all that nonsense out of the way.

Well done

Malc

[Cotswold Pete]

Heck,

That was a lot of money splashed out over the years, but no mention of cam belt!

And an LS looks good even covered on snow.

[39buss]

Cotswold Pete, you've pinched my next line.

Banger or Bargain.

Why I shouldn't have bought this car. Up to now there's no confirmation of a cambelt change. Lex N/cle have had this car 7 times but only stamped the book twice. I rang them but their records only show the last 2 stamps. I'll go over and speak to the service desk to clarify it in person. I now have the previous owners number (he owned it for 10 yrs) so I'll contact him but I'll need to tread carefully as the car was on disabled tax and he may enlighten me on other services carried out by local garages. The oil is lovely and clean so some ones done it. Considering the money he's spent I'll keep my fingers crossed he's had the cambelt changed. Who knows.

The dealer balanced the wheels and re-gassed the A/C but I needed a Battery so £65 of my contingency's gone.

The cars on a SORN and I've only put in a few hours work with the weather and holidays not helping. This is the first car I've bought with such high mileage so it makes sense to bleed the brakes, check all the pistons are free from sticking and either change the master cylinder or renew the seals.

[39buss]

Because of the weather I've had the brake fluid changed at a local garage and both fitters think the brakes are ok so peace of mind there.  The new Battery goes flat over about a week or so but its ok if its charged and left disconnected so there's a short some where and I'm thinking its the Sony phone kit where by I cut and taped the wires and tucked them behind the dash. My garage said check the boot light so I put the video camera in there for a few minutes and the replay showed it was switching off as normal.  I removed the radio fuse from the fusebox on the left side of the passenger foot well but the radio still works.  Bit baffled by that?.  The steering column tele motor doesn't work so I removed it and thats the only electrical bits I've done. The CD doesn't work but it did till I snipped the wires on the Sony kit. Open to suggestions.  Thx.

[runsgrateasanut]

Did you change the CD's and put them in upsidedown? Just a thought.

[39buss]

No.  The CD changer worked when I looked at the car before buying. If memory serves me right the changer lights up green and the door opens.  On mine now the door wont open and after a minute or two an error message comes up so it wont accept the disc at all. I'm thinking this has some thing to do with snipping the wires on the Sony phone kit.  Senior moment///.  There's a couple of good car radio/audio/ice leccys up here who I've used before so it'll go there when I insure it.  Trying to get a two car policy so I'm not without a car.  May have to do a temp cover for 7 days and get the other out standing jobs done and sorted.

[39buss]

Taxed & insured the car on Monday so its now on the road.  Only done about 30 miles since but a couple of points to raise.  It wanders a little at 70mph, got to correct the steering a touch, not exactly arrow straight but its fine at 60mph or below. The temp gauge takes quite a while, about 5 miles or so to come up to normal. Starts to move after 2/3 miles and eventually reaches normal, "quarter to nine".  Is it thermostat and/or temp sensor.  Where abouts are these items.  As the Battery ran down when it was off the road I put my camera in the boot to make sure the light went out and it did, so not the boot light to blame.  I removed the radio fuse but the radio still works but the controls dont.  No volume adjustment and it wont switch off but the controls in the rear work fine. Any thoughts on these problems.  Thanks.  PS   It is very comfortable and relaxed.

I have been asked what I paid for the car. Lets put it this way....I was £450 better off by selling my car privately than taking the dealer P/X offer.