I'm trying to get back to a 400 again....I have been in the Wilderness.

[moriwaki]

A short story......some on here will have heard some of it....if so I apologise.

I joined this site back in 2005 I think it was....I had just bought a 120.000 mile LS400 Mk3.

I did another 84.000 miles of the BEST motoring in my 35 years of driving.....That Car was simply Amazing....

I did all my own maintainance on that car and it was a pleasure to work on too.....so well put together....that it also comes apart beautifully too.

Anyway....I was a bit worried that it really needed a full Respray as it was getting some rust around the arches and windscreen....though long and hard about the cost....

and made the decision to buy a nearly new LS460....and I gave my friend the 400 as he needed a car at the time.

I tried so very hard for approx 18 months to Love that 460....and I have said on here before as to how disappointed I was with it....I was just not enjoying it at all.

So I went and traded it for a 1 year old Touareg V8 Diesel......

the VW was a nightmare.....great to drive but at the dealers over and over with problems....mostly electrical causing Limp Mode.....

So sold that ....as I just could not trust it to get me anywhere....I was using my wife's MX5 to make sure I got to appointments...even the RAC men were getting sick of it.

Well....here I am where I started....with lots of lessons learned... and thousands poorer to learn those lessons....looking again for the Best Car in the World.

I have been a Fool...and when I find a good one....I will keep it for as long as I can keep it running....and if it needs a 5 grand paint job...it will get it ....Believe Me  !.

 

 

[dendonc]

52 minutes ago, moriwaki said:

made the decision to buy a nearly new LS460

I think I remember your post on the 460 from maybe 6 or 7  or more years ago, you had not had it very long but you thought it was not as comfortable as the 400, you had started to regret it then, I remembered when I saw the same or very very similar landscape photo.....so, are you now on the lookout for one? 

[Cotswold Pete]

Steve, do recall your story from a few years back, and your trouble with VW sounds like a horror movie. I had a Passat Diesel drank oil like I drink tea.

I have never been in a 460 (430 I have been in, but do not like body shape), but completely get why you want another 400. 

On the rust front, I have a few small problem areas, but even on my previous Mk3 there were some bad bits of rust, but in the 4 years I owned it, the rate of rust growth was negligable.

Also rather than 5 grand on a respray would a vinyl wrap be cheaper.

By the way the rear window aerial is that for a DAB radio, if so where does the cable run to it. 

[cornershop]

Quite like the JDM (?) light clusters? Do you have a source for these?

[moriwaki]

Hello lads...the Aerial ?......the car had an old style phone in the armrest....I took it it as for that back in the day..

Looking for a very nice MK3... with Black Leather if poss.....Aspen Green.....or basically....Can I please have my old car back !.....

Black Leather is very rare it seems.

Oh....and the DHP wheels too .

Err....and an unused Toolkit with the torch and Battery still in cellophane please lads.

Are the D8Zs still available ?  

[cruisermark]

Hi steve are you not considering a Mark 4? - there is a nice one on AT although very over priced

[moriwaki]

Hi Mark......no...I want another MK3....I prefer the look at the front.....headlights mostly...

and the simpler engine with less gears in the box too.....sorry....but I also know my way around the older model maintenance wise.

I have trawled the net and found a couple.....but hanging out for Black Leather .....but we'll see....I don't like the Caramac Bar Dashboards.......sorry.

[Bluesman]

7 hours ago, moriwaki said:

A short story......some on here will have heard some of it....if so I apologise.

I joined this site back in 2005 I think it was....I had just bought a 120.000 mile LS400 Mk3.

I did another 84.000 miles of the BEST motoring in my 35 years of driving.....That Car was simply Amazing....

I did all my own maintainance on that car and it was a pleasure to work on too.....so well put together....that it also comes apart beautifully too.

Anyway....I was a bit worried that it really needed a full Respray as it was getting some rust around the arches and windscreen....though long and hard about the cost....

and made the decision to buy a nearly new LS460....and I gave my friend the 400 as he needed a car at the time.

I tried so very hard for approx 18 months to Love that 460....and I have said on here before as to how disappointed I was with it....I was just not enjoying it at all.

So I went and traded it for a 1 year old Touareg V8 Diesel......

the VW was a nightmare.....great to drive but at the dealers over and over with problems....mostly electrical causing Limp Mode.....

So sold that ....as I just could not trust it to get me anywhere....I was using my wife's MX5 to make sure I got to appointments...even the RAC men were getting sick of it.

Well....here I am where I started....with lots of lessons learned... and thousands poorer to learn those lessons....looking again for the Best Car in the World.

I have been a Fool...and when I find a good one....I will keep it for as long as I can keep it running....and if it needs a 5 grand paint job...it will get it ....Believe Me  !.

 

 

A majestic setting for a majestic car.

[Colin M]

Good luck with your hunt for another Mk 3, Steve. I am sure a good one will turn up if you are prepared to wait.

[The-Acre]

I did a similar thing, sold my LS430 and bought a very high spec Volvo V70 two years ago with 33k.  Lovely car, but not long after I missed the LS so much I bought another!  Now I've got two cars again but the LS will always be my first choice when I go anywhere.  They really get under your skin!  I drove a friend somewhere in it this week, it's so quiet he said it sounds like an electric car!

[dendonc]

The one below seems v good, the only thing is that he has had the cambelt changed by lexus dealer but they dont seem to have replaced the pump or tensioners etc, at 100.000k that would bother me a bit.

https://www.gumtree.com/p/lexus/lexus-ls400-v-reg-98k-lexus-service-history-mot-july-2018/1261042904

 

 

 

 

[moriwaki]

That is a nice looking car Denis .....I had seen it and saved it....and love the Black interior....but I will keep looking....it is out there somewhere.....Thanks pal.

[ISJason]

I like the look of the shape that has just been phased out, but I also love the brand new shape.


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[Newbie1]

Interesting to hear about your journey and the 460. There sure are a lot of stories about the complexity of the 460 causing problems; I am sure the Lexus is not alone in this and it is just the way luxury barges have been for the past 10 years. Good luck with the hunt. There are still a lot out there but when I was looking earlier on this year corrosion is becoming an issue on the underside, especially around the rear sub frames and associated mounting points. The trouble is the cars wear the years on the top side very well...

[Malc]

hey, just about zero rust on mine, tiny tiny bubbles not yet breaking the surface at the rear edges of a wheel arch ................  just up to 198k miles ....  might change it when it reaches 400k, oh, I'll be 85 then and maybe the oldest boyracer in Kent 

Really really wouldn't know what to change it for nor indeed why i would 

The Dunlop D8Zs vanished long ago .........  mine's aspen green too, lovely colour

Malc

[JohnDavis]

Most LS400 owners will agree that they are the best, I think that if they need money spent, think of the cost of replacing them with something equivalent (but not as good) and ignore the car's resale value - if you are going to keep it, that's irrelevant. I'm thinking of ordering a new rear subframe, having it galvanized, and swapping it at some opportune point, as I think that these are starting to result in the demise of otherwise good cars. I am also having a new stainless exhaust, as mine has flange disease, it will cost but only about the same as 3 months payments on a new Mercedes or BMW. I quite like caramac, too.

[Malc]

the flange disease cost me about £40 to have welded a few years ago now .............  everything else is good with the now 22 years old exhaust

Just about everything else is good ...........  FULL STOP 

Malc

[Newbie1]

John, let us know the price of a new subframe if you look into it. 

I had my subframe checked last week and it was pretty good but will benefit from the Dinitrol treatment I'll have done soon.

[JohnDavis]

Phil - Last enquiry it was about 700 - left it then, thinking 10 quid waxoyl, so I hope they've still got some - probably have as I wouldn't think they've sold many in recent years - that may change as the best cars become appreciated.

[JohnDavis]

Malc - I thought about welding it but the cause of the problem seems to be dissimilar metals (stainless and mild) setting up electrical gradients with salt and heat, leading to electrolytic corrosion. As I want to keep the car (even in the garage after we plebs are forced to call for self driving electric mobility pods) I have booked in to an excellent local company (Demand Engineering of Earl Soham, who did a classy job on my Volvo 760 Estate) and have a lifetime warranty, and a little bit of V8 rumble built in too!

Sir Henry Royce, who made some cars that are next best to the LS - said 'the quality remains long after the price is forgotten'.  

[Malc]

John, that was always the issue, Lexus decided to make just a small part of the exhaust system from mild steel, those flanges and setting up of technical electrolytic issues or not the simple fact is that a £40 repair for me has given many years of extended life and all is still ok.

Water, salt on mild steel sets up electrolysis and rust sets in .....  a simple, inexpensive and good repair at the time ( age 18-20 years I guess ) sorted mine out ok

700 squid is a lot to spend on something that might be nearly 100% all ok 

But these cars deserve money being spent on them .....  well, until those darned insurers decide a little knock is just one too far . I know my excess at about £400 is just about write-off value if it gets damaged....  and that's not even a tiny paint and repair job at a bodyshop.

Best wishes with whatever you decide to do, I'm keeping mine, dents, dinks and all until the day it won't drive ( or i can't drive it more likely ) anymore 

Malc

[Newbie1]

Last night I had the wonderful experience of being driven as a passenger in the back. My wife was driving and it was pure bliss. 

[royoftherovers]

35 minutes ago, Malc said:

John, that was always the issue, Lexus decided to make just a small part of the exhaust system from mild steel, those flanges and setting up of technical electrolytic issues or not the simple fact is that a £40 repair for me has given many years of extended life and all is still ok.

Water, salt on mild steel sets up electrolysis and rust sets in .....  a simple, inexpensive and good repair at the time ( age 18-20 years I guess ) sorted mine out ok

700 squid is a lot to spend on something that might be nearly 100% all ok 

But these cars deserve money being spent on them .....  well, until those darned insurers decide a little knock is just one too far . I know my excess at about £400 is just about write-off value if it gets damaged....  and that's not even a tiny paint and repair job at a bodyshop.

Best wishes with whatever you decide to do, I'm keeping mine, dents, dinks and all until the day it won't drive ( or i can't drive it more likely ) anymore 

Malc

Exactly my sentiments too Malc.

I think that as one gets older and gleans more experience, one`s perspective and values change significantly.

 

Regards

John

[Mikaelse]

Agree with yout thinking moriwaki.

I have a 2000 LS400 with 100.000 miles on it. Nice dent and rust free condition and all the gizmos work. The records indicate very little
has needed to be done to it over 17 years. A new starter is the only thing that sticks out. 
My second LS400. I have a 1995 also. They like petrol a bit much but other costs are not bad and the ride is hard to beat.
I also DIY most things. LS400 is a fine piece of engineering which I enjoy working on.
Made to last or at least that was a spinnoff when they made it reliable.  
    
Mikael