A few decent looking MKIV LS400 on ebay at the moment

mikeyv · May 10, 2017

As per the title, there are a couple of well priced cars, around the 100,000 mark, one with LPG that is a normal auction, and one buy it now at around 1200 quid, which I don't think will be there long.

There is also a lower miles car, on normal auction, starting at £3K, but, as I type, yet to get a bid.

Obviously, I'm only going on their listings, but they all have promise imo.

cruisermark · May 10, 2017

Yes i noticed that too ! - the blue one with cream leather looks lovely and a bargain price too

messi · May 10, 2017

Old Baz is up to his tricks again, selling another ls400 with paint fade and saying it's in fantastic condition and the reason he's selling it is because he wants an LPG ls400 and would do a swap. Who in their right minds would swap a lovely ls400 LPG with one that hasn't LPG and paint has faded?

Bluesman · May 11, 2017

16 hours ago, messi said:

Old Baz is up to his tricks again, selling another ls400 with paint fade and saying it's in fantastic condition and the reason he's selling it is because he wants an LPG ls400 and would do a swap. Who in their right minds would swap a lovely ls400 LPG with one that hasn't LPG and paint has faded?

I dont know how people like him sleep at night. Another West Midlands Arfur Daily.

runsgrateasanut · May 11, 2017

The blue one does look nice. Not sure about the cambelt situation. Six years since replaced though very low mileage added since. Would that bother me? yes probably. Every five years or mileage if mine reaches that stage with me..

The Car with LPG it always bothers me when I see a Petrol guage with a level below empty. OK its got Gas but you need to leave a bit onf petrol in the tank and I'd say not less than a quarter full to be on the safe side not to drag in muck or if the gas plays up - which it shouldn't of course. If it was the blue Car with the LPG I might have been tempted as not so far away from me. Probably a good thing. Why do I need another?? Its an age thing I find that I often buy a second of something, be it tools, clothes or whatever. Daft b**gger

messi · May 11, 2017

Check this one out. Looks nice

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201703283780519?onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&postcode=b95hb&advertising-location=at_cars&sort=sponsored&model=LS 400&radius=1501&make=LEXUS&page=1

mikeyv · May 11, 2017

34 minutes ago, messi said:

Check this one out. Looks nice

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201703283780519?onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&postcode=b95hb&advertising-location=at_cars&sort=sponsored&model=LS 400&radius=1501&make=LEXUS&page=1

Checking the mot history gives very odd results

HERE

messi · May 11, 2017

What's so odd about the mot history?

mikeyv · May 11, 2017

13 minutes ago, messi said:

What's so odd about the mot history?

10 year gap, under a thousand miles between 2006 and 2016.

messi · May 11, 2017

Oh I've just seen it. That's very odd.

mikeyv · May 11, 2017

8 minutes ago, messi said:

Oh I've just seen it. That's very odd.

It is isn't it, might be a reasonable explanation, who knows, but certainly would need looking in to.

mrdoofa · May 12, 2017

Might've been in dry storage for 10 years, looks tempting but I'm always wary of cars that have done too few miles and stood not being used for a long time. £5995 is very expensive too!!!

messi · May 12, 2017

I make enquiry and they saying it was dry stored

ambermarine · May 12, 2017

That next to mine is probably the best example you will get in a Mark 4 mine as done 35k and as been used more in the last five years than it was in its first 14 it had 19k on the clock when I bought it and I do not subscribe to this notion than under used cars are in some way suspect. I have never had any trouble with the car in the 18k Ihave done in it except the iffy ignition switch which seems to be a common fault on the Mark4.If I was in the market for one at the moment bearing in mind how rare these cars are I would pay that price.

gkkes · May 12, 2017

22 hours ago, runsgrateasanut said:

The blue one does look nice. Not sure about the cambelt situation. Six years since replaced though very low mileage added since. Would that bother me? yes probably. Every five years or mileage if mine reaches that stage with me..

I've just had a cambelt replaced down in Brighton. It's my first one in 8 years of ownership of LS400's. It's for my second MkIV.

My first I bought at 134k, now 218k and still going strong. Flirting with disaster since the cambelt had only been replaced once before, prior to my ownership at 103k in 2003. It's the 10 year longevity which worries me more than the mileage, even though, like so many of these cars, had covered less than 4k in the 4 years preceding my purchase. The service book recommends changing every 65k, so it's done 52k over expectation (almost 80% more) and outlived its expectancy by 4 years too.

The new model is 5 months younger (July 2000) but has only covered 76k. Average yearly mileage since 2005 is only 2200. Lee suggests the belt may have been changed recently, but after extensive investigation I can find no evidence of this. Can it be that the original 17 year old belt having covered 75,000 miles still looks as good as new? I wouldn't be surprised, after all, as we know, this is one of the best cars ever built.

Malc · May 12, 2017

I suspect it's the original belt

The first Ls400s didn't have any recommended time or mileage change, the belt being made of a product including kevlar ( indestructible material )

Then they said ( for UK cars ) 65k and 10 years BUT in the USA with exactly the same car they say 100k miles and /or 10 years

Mine was last changed 90k miles ago in 2007 .... just the belt

I'm planning on having mine changed, along with the original water pump and peripherals next year at the 100k mile interval

Malc

runsgrateasanut · May 12, 2017

42 minutes ago, Malc said:

I suspect it's the original belt

I'm planning on having mine changed, along with the original water pump and peripherals next year at the 100k mile interval

Malc

No data to show if my belt had been changed previously but changed at around £115k and mechanic said Water pump beginning to weep. Now this is another reason for perhaps changing the belt, even though the one taken off I could see still looked in excellent health. Water pump lifetime expectancy? Consequences of just topping up that unexplained missing water?

ps Wasn't that Amethyst Grey Car on eBay a year or so ago with 65 photo's? Failed to meet reserve and withdrawn at under 2k - Ipswich seller at that time?

mrdoofa · May 12, 2017

5 hours ago, ambermarine said:

That next to mine is probably the best example you will get in a Mark 4 mine as done 35k and as been used more in the last five years than it was in its first 14 it had 19k on the clock when I bought it and I do not subscribe to this notion than under used cars are in some way suspect. I have never had any trouble with the car in the 18k Ihave done in it except the iffy ignition switch which seems to be a common fault on the Mark4.If I was in the market for one at the moment bearing in mind how rare these cars are I would pay that price.

You must be lucky!!! I suppose a lot is to do with how the car has been stored. In my experience cars generally don't like sitting around not being used!!! Rubber perishes, seals dry out, oils and fluids deteriorate with age unless it's been serviced regularly regardless of mileage. In my opinion £5995 is far too much for any LS400 especially when there is nothing really to gain from buying an ultra low mileage example. These cars handle mileage that well that you might as well spend a lot less and get one that's done a higher mileage because the car won't really be any worse for it as long as it's been maintained properly.

ambermarine · May 12, 2017

Martin

I cannot agree with you on the issue of higher mileage being of no consequense I have owned these models for over twenty years and my Mark 1 needed all the suspension bushes doing by the time it had done 130k also the exhaust flange on the Y section had rotted away the brakes rotors had all been renewed the gear changes were not as smooth as they were a 100k earlier and the leather interior was worn.

The rest of the running gear would be a lot more worn than a 50k model and the paintwork was not as good as my present car simply because it had been used and when I sold it after 16 years of ownership it had 180k on it ,I bought it with 50k on it and it was at that time mint.

I look after my cars but no amount of care will stop them wearing away on constant use.

As for the seals and rubber theory there are better products fitted to these models than most other run of the mill cars and we are not talking 1970s FORD or BMC.

If the car is stored dry and the fluids are changed as per service schedule the integrity of these items will not be compromised.

mrdoofa · May 12, 2017

42 minutes ago, ambermarine said:

Martin

I cannot agree with you on the issue of higher mileage being of no consequense I have owned these models for over twenty years and my Mark 1 needed all the suspension bushes doing by the time it had done 130k also the exhaust flange on the Y section had rotted away the brakes rotors had all been renewed the gear changes were not as smooth as they were a 100k earlier and the leather interior was worn.

The rest of the running gear would be a lot more worn than a 50k model and the paintwork was not as good as my present car simply because it had been used and when I sold it after 16 years of ownership it had 180k on it ,I bought it with 50k on it and it was at that time mint.

I look after my cars but no amount of care will stop them wearing away on constant use.

As for the seals and rubber theory there are better products fitted to these models than most other run of the mill cars and we are not talking 1970s FORD or BMC.

If the car is stored dry and the fluids are changed as per service schedule the integrity of these items will not be compromised.

As I said a lot depends on how it's been stored and still being serviced as per schedule. We'll have to agree to disagree with the whole mileage thing, I've had low mileage cars which have quickly become money pits and high mileage cars that have never had a problem. It's the luck of the draw I suppose lol!!! £6k is still too much though.

The-Acre · May 12, 2017

Strange how there's no photos of the interior as such, loads of the exterior, but you would want lots of internal pics before viewing surely.

gkkes · May 12, 2017

£6k? For me to pay top dollar like this, the original Lexus First Aid Kit would need to be immaculate, complete and in its hiding place.

Haha. When has anyone even mentioned this kit in regard to a used LS?

gkkes · May 12, 2017

There's a nice one here too

http://www.usedcar.co.uk/sales/6587-burgundy-lexus-ls-saloon-bristol.html

Malc · May 12, 2017

those photos were taken 12/2/2011

Malc

mrdoofa · May 12, 2017

I noticed the small spanner is missing from the toolkit lol!!! It's a bit strange that you would go to the effort of photographing the sunroof, boot, spare wheel and toolkit but not the rest of the interior. I'd be very wary, especially for the ridiculously high asking price.