Are ls400's worth restoring?

[Malc]

there's one of the " ten " sitting around the corner from me ...............  looks in every day use and good too !

Malc

[royoftherovers]

On 7/28/2018 at 5:46 PM, Malc said:

and your thoughts please for a trouble free and expense free model from Mercedes, BMW, Audi or indeed any other marque ?

They don't exist 

Malc

Daihatsu are remarkably reliable, but they are not imported any more.

[Ben01]

2 minutes ago, royoftherovers said:

Daihatsu are remarkably reliable, but they are not imported any more.

It is not suprise (both statements), they were connected with Toyota for decades, Toyota controlled them last 20yrs, and own Daihatsu now. So it was like Toyota quality in simplified cars and with 75% price tag. But now Toyota logic is "we don't need  internal competition on mature market like EU".

[royoftherovers]

1 hour ago, Ben01 said:

It is not suprise (both statements), they were connected with Toyota for decades, Toyota controlled them last 20yrs, and own Daihatsu now. So it was like Toyota quality in simplified cars and with 75% price tag. But now Toyota logic is "we don't need  internal competition on mature market like EU".

not surprising to you and me Ben, but most people do not know that I agree.

[RgrWynne]

On 7/28/2018 at 5:46 PM, Malc said:

and your thoughts please for a trouble free and expense free model from Mercedes, BMW, Audi or indeed any other marque ?

They don't exist 

Malc

Try Honda, Mazda 6

[Spacewagon52]

17 minutes ago, RgrWynne said:

Try Honda, Mazda 6

I think Malc was referring to European make, particularly German.

[RgrWynne]

32 minutes ago, Spacewagon52 said:

I think Malc was referring to European make, particularly German.

Sorry missed the point, and agree with him. Having said that i do know that Skoda actually make a car for the Eastern European market specifically designed to cope with abuse, such as lack of servicing etc. I only know this because a friend of my son’s had one here and maintained it was “bullet proof” His job?......... an engineer with Asto Martin !!

[Malc]

4 hours ago, Spacewagon52 said:

I think Malc was referring to European make, particularly German.

yes I guess so ............ comparing the high quality end of the market, comparative to Lexus

Modern day Lexus maybe conk out as regular as BMWs etc but gladly not our elderly ladies !

Malc

[The-Acre]

11 minutes ago, Malc said:

yes I guess so ............ comparing the high quality end of the market, comparative to Lexus

Modern day Lexus maybe conk out as regular as BMWs etc but gladly not our elderly ladies !

Malc

Very true, in my 10 years or so of LS ownership never once have I broken down.  The only mishap was a duff coil pack in my MK2, but I forgave it for that!

[RgrWynne]

15 minutes ago, Malc said:

yes I guess so ............ comparing the high quality end of the market, comparative to Lexus

Modern day Lexus maybe conk out as regular as BMWs etc but gladly not our elderly ladies !

Malc

Malc where have you got that dodgy info from..Not supported by any reviews that I have seen. 

Roger

[Malc]

54 minutes ago, RgrWynne said:

that dodgy info from.

simply from what guys have said on here from times past

and also my indy tells me that in his experience BMWs and Mercs are such money pits that he fears for his customers wallets.

He KNOWS my Lexus are not such squeamish creatures and go thru' thick and thin for very little money ...........  by comparison and in his experience over very many years.

I've not had the benefit of BMWs or Mercs personally for very many years and have zero personal recent knowledge.

Malc

[Spacewagon52]

Personal experience confirms the quality of  1999 BMW Diesel - a wallet full of expensive repairs by the previous owner - and the gearbox went on mine AND it had a full BMW service history!

 

Once I have been bitten I am reluctant to go back for more - Volvo the same. It is down to personal experience for me.

[The-Acre]

50 minutes ago, Spacewagon52 said:

Personal experience confirms the quality of  1999 BMW Diesel - a wallet full of expensive repairs by the previous owner - and the gearbox went on mine AND it had a full BMW service history!

 

Once I have been bitten I am reluctant to go back for more - Volvo the same. It is down to personal experience for me.

I agree with that. I've had Volvo's for years, going back to the early eighties, and as much as I love the V70 I have now, more has gone wrong than in any of my earlier ones.  Not broken down, but annoying faults.

[dendonc]

Quote

Are ls400's worth restoring?

Well, the link below is to a guy and his LS and who gives his opinion & experience

https://bit.ly/2AUR1vU

.

 

[Spacewagon52]

I am not mechanically literate - what is a rear toe arm?

[royoftherovers]

5 minutes ago, Spacewagon52 said:

I am not mechanically literate - what is a rear toe arm?

I`m sure it was a grip used in Wrestling on a Saturday afternoon !

[Ben01]

18 minutes ago, Spacewagon52 said:

I am not mechanically literate - what is a rear toe arm?

Or "rear toe link", like on diagram. But I bet the car was simple pure undriveable after "customizing", and first crashed, next guy blamed suspension broken on crash probably, not own moronity.

[Cotswold Pete]

Cannot see how that link would snap and then cause a crash.

Bet he was miffed at such a short time driving that around.

Each to their own, but that style was not my thing.

[Spacewagon52]

It is still a bit gut wrenching for him after putting all that time, effort and money into the project.

A friend of mine treasured his MG Midget, cleaned and polished it all the time - it was immaculate. His pride and joy was written off by another car hitting it while it was parked. His attitude to cars completely changed overnight. He no longer cared about his next car. He has bought new 4x4 pick-up's for his business but he does not pamper or worry about dents and scrapes any more. When he gets a scrape, scratch or dent - he says it adds to the patina! 

 

I struggle with the efficacy of trying to keep a car immaculate. I am drawn to Malc's philosophy of just keeping it mechanically sound and safe.

[Malc]

20 hours ago, dendonc said:

Well, the link below is to a guy and his LS and who gives his opinion & experience

https://bit.ly/2AUR1vU

M584UMD  his Ls400 ............ is actually a Ford Mondeo with zero MOT ....  so not sure how this all stacks up ......  maybe his write-off just wasn't insured whatever

and maybe whatever snapped underneath wasn't able to pass an MOT ..............

Malc

[Ben01]

2 hours ago, Spacewagon52 said:

I am drawn to Malc's philosophy of just keeping it mechanically sound and safe.

Welcome in my world, mates 😁 and did I mention I nearly smashed my GS today into the barrier? It could be sad day, but much much worse in really mint GS, not fu(n)gly barge.

(BTW pro-tip: in GS430 and with some effort, you could follow audi RS5 over curvy Scottish road for the moment, but try to avoid barriers 🤪).

[Spacewagon52]

52 minutes ago, Ben01 said:

Welcome in my world, mates 😁 and did I mention I nearly smashed my GS today into the barrier? It could be sad day, but much much worse in really mint GS, not fu(n)gly barge.

(BTW pro-tip: in GS430 and with some effort, you could follow audi RS5 over curvy Scottish road for the moment, but try to avoid barriers 🤪).

Did the red mist come down when he overtook you?

[Ben01]

31 minutes ago, Spacewagon52 said:

Did the red mist come down when he overtook you?

Nay, I accidentaly catched up him, and next he pressed a bit, so did I (because I am a petrolhead of Very Little Brain 🤪 and didn't remember if RS5 got 50, 100 or 150HP more, looks like 150HP more). And next I follow for a moment (the guy has driven out to petrol station), but with some troubles and road became strangely narrow and barriers everywhere, when RS5 simple flies.

BTW I am far away from road rage for nice cars overtaking me. For last audi R8 somehow I had no time 😂 , but I have given thumb up to previous one, mint bmw 850 - it was exactly in topic "should I keep nice car forever?". The grandpa and grandma in 850 were definitely "YES", and very happy about my appreciation.

[Matt1986]

That's a pretty good illustration of all the arguments for just keeping them going rather than putting to much on cosmetic condition but you could say that about any car. Why bother it could be written off. On that logic we should all drive old  bangers. I have done that and it is liberating but I couldn't treat my ls400 like that. I feel sorry for that guy but can't say it's my style! 

 

 

[Malc]

10 hours ago, Matt1986 said:

On that logic we should all drive old  bangers

not quite......... .  there can be quite a difference between ' old '  and  ' bangers ' ............. and ' old bangers ' ....  we like to think we have old and quality 

Malc