seen this but looks to be sat very high

[ste42]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1992-LEXUS-LS430-400-16k-12-months-mot-1-owner-stunning-car-RARE-Bargain-/20168847

[mikeyv]

Does look very odd, I agree, nice miles though!

[steve2006]

Could be due to having 15" wheels fitted, looks like the driver's floor mat is for a LHD model,front offside bumper damaged.

[steveledzep]

Drivers floor mat could just be upside down.

Yes, does look high.  I'd have thought smaller diameter wheels would have been married with a higher profile tyre ?

[Malc]

.............. looks to me like an old 1992 Ls400 with a bit of front bumper damage and old knackered house carpet cut for the front foot wells !

But the upholstery looks quite pristine ( the front anyway )

Too low a mileage to have ever been usefully used, worn out tyres as per DVLA MOT records which at 16k miles just doesn't ring quite true even though the tyres would have needed replacing from age alone and side wall perishing but not otherwise worn maybe....... 195.15 size tyres if I remember from my Mk1 Ls400 days.

Steering column bearings worn too ???  wot's all that about in a 16k mileage car !

Sits ridiculously too high ....................  and 24 year old worn mechanical stuff generally that's been totally underused ( maybe )   Not quite right methinks unless one knows the history of the car.

Maybe I'm being unreasonably sceptical in my dotage 

Malc

[mikeyv]

Just checked mot record, 200 miles in ten years, probably to the mot garage and back, once a year.

I'd already have it on my drive though, if it was a MKIV, at that price, or less maybe, as it says offers.

The ride height is a bit of a concern, I wondered if it may have air suspension?, but if it's just passed an mot without mention, there shouldn't be a serious problem, surely.

[Cotswold Pete]

I can certainly believe some rich old bodkin from Knightsbridge bought it to drive to Harrods every day to get a pint of milk, and on Saturdays off to Richmond Park to bag a deer.

So the car needs a darned good run up to Inverness and back to blow the cobwebs out.

I would have thought bagging a deer and strapping to to the roof every weekend (redneck style) would have lowered the suspension a bit more

[ls400storm]

With any old classic car, I would go for a car that has been driven regularly and has done a fair amount of mileage for its age (around 100k).

The reason being is that from my experience cars with such low mileage often suffer from engine oil leaks because they have been sat for so long and the gaskets being deteriorated/hardened due to non usage. If it is the oil pan then that is a minor issue and can be sorted easily. I have seen front and rear end engine leaks and that means a complete overhaul.

Therefore proceed with caution, or remove covers/undertrays and check carefully for any oil leaks. 

[cleverdick]

It does have air suspension - which could explain the ride height.  (And those zebra mats: What wouldn't i give for a decent set of those?)

O/S/R wheel is wrong polarity (all others are correct) which suggests it could be the spare. And is the headlining sagging, or is it just the grab-handle?  Not sure...

Still, you can tell from the steering wheel that the mileage is very low.

[steve2006]

It is on air suspension, there are 3 switches on the centre console one of which is the ride height switch and the top hat front strut covers give it away.

Car mats are OEM type.

[Malc]

wow, is this a rare Japanese import then ?  I wasn't aware that the Mk2 ever had air suspension nor those style mats.

Malc

[mikeyv]

10 hours ago, steve2006 said:

It is on air suspension, there are 3 switches on the centre console one of which is the ride height switch and the top hat front strut covers give it away.

Car mats are OEM type.

It was the console photo that made me wonder about the air suspension.

Take back all I said about it being on my drive.

[runsgrateasanut]

view revisions.

That engine bay looks somewhat dirty for a 16k mileage car. Never new Harrods was located in a dust bowl.

If the seller has known it all its life and it was a UK purchased Car when new, would it have air suspension.  Did people import Japanese Cars  individually in 1993?  I know it became popular later on, but why import a Japanese spec car which if brand new at the time I imagine would cost far more than UK spec.  Can't see dealerships saying we've got this new UK stock but why not have a Japanese spec? 

Could the car have seen the middle east in its early years, I wonder?

 

 

[steve2006]

It would appear to be UK specification, a JDM would be badged Toyota at that time the same as mine and JDM models don't have EGR which is clearly visible in the engine bay shot.

The mats are OEM Lexus not Toyota see the difference in the picture.

It may have been a one off demonstrator or customer specified air suspension when new, either way the first I have seen with this specification and Lexus badged.