12th year ownership report

[Nick W858]

Bit of a funny year (April to April) because for the first four months I ran the LS alongside my ISF. Sold the ISF in August and then ran the LS throughout winter which worked well on the winter wheels/tyres. Car had a full service at my local garage April 2016 which was £596 and included some minor bits to get through the MOT, since then and about 10000 miles no issues/expenses save for a broken spring courtesy of a pothole. Car has done about 252k although some days it says it has done 908000 miles and other days it says 8100 miles - I can live with a faulty odometer and I keep a manual note of the mileage when I fill up.

i have just purchased another ISF and rather than try to run two cars side by side, I have taken the LS off road as tax/ins/MOT were all coming to an end. I did have a go at seeing what the MOT would show, it failed but nothing too major, issues with the hand./foot brake, corroded front brake pipe and a front suspension bush. My plan is to leave all this until the end of the year when I will un SORN the car, get the car serviced and MOTD to run through the rest of the winter as having gotten used to winter tyres over the last 10 years, I don't fancy my chances much in the ISF should the snow and ice arrive and sourcing winter wheels/tyres seems both difficult and expensive.

My wife keeps encouraging me to get rid of the LS400 as she thinks it is a bit of an eyesore but as long as the car is running I intend to keep it and I have owned loads of cars over the years but never kept any of them for more than a couple of years, the fact I am now 12 years in says it all about how great these cars are.

[royoftherovers]

1 hour ago, Nick W858 said:

Bit of a funny year (April to April) because for the first four months I ran the LS alongside my ISF. Sold the ISF in August and then ran the LS throughout winter which worked well on the winter wheels/tyres. Car had a full service at my local garage April 2016 which was £596 and included some minor bits to get through the MOT, since then and about 10000 miles no issues/expenses save for a broken spring courtesy of a pothole. Car has done about 252k although some days it says it has done 908000 miles and other days it says 8100 miles - I can live with a faulty odometer and I keep a manual note of the mileage when I fill up.

i have just purchased another ISF and rather than try to run two cars side by side, I have taken the LS off road as tax/ins/MOT were all coming to an end. I did have a go at seeing what the MOT would show, it failed but nothing too major, issues with the hand./foot brake, corroded front brake pipe and a front suspension bush. My plan is to leave all this until the end of the year when I will un SORN the car, get the car serviced and MOTD to run through the rest of the winter as having gotten used to winter tyres over the last 10 years, I don't fancy my chances much in the ISF should the snow and ice arrive and sourcing winter wheels/tyres seems both difficult and expensive.

My wife keeps encouraging me to get rid of the LS400 as she thinks it is a bit of an eyesore but as long as the car is running I intend to keep it and I have owned loads of cars over the years but never kept any of them for more than a couple of years, the fact I am now 12 years in says it all about how great these cars are.

Both interesting and informative Nick.

If I were to write about my 14 years with my E Class Estate, I could not avoid mentioning the need for;

a new Electronic Ignition Switch

a new wheel bearing

a new digital readout ribbon strip

two new rear suspension coil springs

a new drivers window regulator

a new radiator,

a new air conditioning unit

various intermittent electrical glitches, etc,etc.

It had been the best car I had owned,but then 4years ago I bought my GS and since then.....nothing has required attention.

Lexus 100, Mercedes nil  !!

 

Regards

John

[Nick W858]

Thanks John, totally agree, I'd be lying if I said nothing was needed for the LS400 over the past twelve years but pretty much everything I have had to buy has been general wear and tear stuff which is quite different to what I read about the so called premium German brands. Long may it continue.