Lexus Ls400 Mk1 owners here ??

[Malc1]

Hello

I'm just trying to gauge how many Mk1 Owners are here on this Forum please

Well, there's me and  ???

Malc

[Tulpen]

Is it true that your Owner's Handbook is written in Latin?  😁

[Spacewagon52]

Please do a quick comparison of your MK1 and Mk 3 Malc.

 

I keep threatening to do a review of my Mk4

[Cotswold Pete]

30 minutes ago, Tulpen said:

Is it true that your Owner's Handbook is written in Latin?  😁

Quite possibly written with a the feather quill by a Buddhist Monk sat in the back seat enjoying the silence during the developement stages of the LS Mk1, so probably not in Latin  😂

[Malc1]

written in Olde English, well, not so ...... just normal English and the differences are ...

Mk1

non-interference engine 

remembering the seats are just as comfy as my Mk3 

indicator stalk the other side 

no cigar lighter in the back seat armrests but a centre rear one ok 

the front ashtray isn't as deep to hold my iphone  😥

the aircon works 👍

no under tray pax front seat ......  where I hide my gold sovereigns 

 ........... Mk1 seems a tad more powerful tbh, quicker and faster but maybe that's coz she's just been serviced and only done 97k miles ......  my Mk3   247k miles

 

Both are brilliant stunning powerful V8s .... .  my Mk3 has far more dings and dents and repaired Cat N rear door damage ...  the Mk1 in grey looks just " stunning " by comparison 

I simply alternate their use unless we're off to Sadiq Khan ULEZ  land when the Honda Legend has to suffice 

Now got 11.5 ltrs under the bonnets !

Malc

[b4u2]

I must admit hardly see them on the road but definitely notice when I do.

[Spottedlaurel]

Maybe just you and me then Malcolm?

Now on around 165k miles, I've done around 4,000 since getting it three years ago. Realistically too much to do on it as a long-term project, but I'll try and keep it going for as long as I can.

In a back-to-back drive with a Mk4 I reckoned it was smoother, although it isn't as fast nor economical. The magical smoothness of the engine and 'box are still a revelation, better in some regards than my hybrid, V6 RX.

There's a purity to the look of the Mk1 on it's 15" wheels that is lost on the later models.

[Malc1]

Looks the same as my Mk1  25 years ago  J54DAP.  
 

sadly my new one has lost it’s original 15” wheels and it’s original radio etc  ….. and I’m a little downhearted about that right now ….. nevermind  
 

Probably bonkers for me to spend. X££££ finding original wheels to refurbish and tyres too 

Malc 

[Spottedlaurel]

4 minutes ago, Malc1 said:

Looks the same as my Mk1  25 years ago  J54DAP.  
 

sadly my new one has lost it’s original 15” wheels and it’s original radio etc  ….. and I’m a little downhearted about that right now ….. nevermind  
 

Probably bonkers for me to spend. X££££ finding original wheels to refurbish and tyres too 

Malc 

I have a spare set of 15" wheels....

[Malc1]

Just now, Spottedlaurel said:

I have a spare set of 15" wheels....

OMG …….. needing a refurb ? 
 

Malc 

[Spottedlaurel]

Just now, Malc1 said:

OMG …….. needing a refurb ?

I'll try and take some photos tomorrow. I don't recall them being too bad, they're what came on it but I had another set with better, matching Dunlops which I used to have on my Camry, and I swapped them across.

[Malc1]

8 hours ago, Spottedlaurel said:

And might you have the elusive centre caps too ? 
 

Malc 

[Spottedlaurel]

Not elusive here, pretty sure I do. Will check in a bit....

[Malc1]

Nigel, the Lexus manual says tyres  205/65/15  ........  strange I seem to remember that qtr century back the size started with a 195  ?    your thoughts ?

Malc

[Spacewagon52]

Can we have some photos of your two cars please Malc?

[Malc1]

yes for sure. I've asked the Boss to use her Iphone ( much better quality than mine ) and to upload the photos here ( beyond the wit of man but hopefully not woman )

Not for a day or so .  get this stupid hot weather outta the way first !

Malc

[Spottedlaurel]

11 hours ago, Malc1 said:

Nigel, the Lexus manual says tyres  205/65/15  ........  strange I seem to remember that qtr century back the size started with a 195  ?    your thoughts ?

Yup, mine has 205 on it, and the same size on all the spare wheels too. Even that seems a bit skinny to me, but I doubt you could fit anything wider on the 6.5" wide rim. In any case, I'm sure those clever engineers spent an awful long time working out the optimum size so I'm happy to accept their judgement.

Dug out the spare wheels this morning:

 

Didn't realise I had five, will have to check and see what spare I have. Not immediately sure if I have nuts, but it maybe that your wheels were fitted using the originals? The important thing is you can see there are the handed pairs and four caps.

[Malc1]

Oh my Nigel .  you are soooo lucky .....  now this ridiculous £££££ dilemma for me just now  ............ with my existing perfectly good wheels and tyres ....  but not even my upper budget one's but are still very good for wear ..  and my wheels are ok ...........  I just really wish to prefer some " originality " for this rare Mk1 survivor ...... I would however have a possible home to hand them on to locally too ........  oh, and my spare in the boot is the original unused 32 y/o Dunlop DZ 8  ( is it )   blue and red lines around the circumference of the tread eh !

So Norfolk is a fair trek from deepest darkest Kent, Queenborough for sure ............ and the thought of a refurb to your wheels, locally @ £ 300  and new tyres .  takes me to about £800 as a starter !  .  Difficult to simply justify spending right now having just bought this dear Old Lady  🤫

What temptation !   a little to think about 4 sure 

Malc 

[Malc1]

As promised, freshly washed down and piccys of this dear old lady 32 years young on the Town Quay just outside my back gate 

Malc 

[Spacewagon52]

That looks a gem!

 

Congratulations!

[Malc1]

Thank you, but all credit to Malcolm C the prior owner who had her clay-barred a few years back and has kept her in fine fettle  .  ....  with some unshown blemishes of course 😅

 ...... but it's those wheels cause me a little angst !

Malc

[ROYT]

Re series one LS400

I have a full set of side windows free, if anybody wants to collect them.

I have a series two, the glass is thicker in a series one.

[Lexus saving money on series 2?]

[Malc1]

Roy, that's very good  ....  should we create a simple log of who might have what and where ?   

the Mk2 is also becoming rare too these days 

Just having new pads on my Mk3 and the indy is having to be imaginative in his thinking where to get them this time around !  ........  scarcity of bits and bobs is becoming a bit of a norm for these elderly cars ....  and maybe suppliers not wanting ( financial reasons ) to hold excess stock

Malc

[ROYT]

That's an idea, members should post what they are struggling to get, to see if any one can help

[Malc1]

BRILLIANT IDEA

I would be pleased to find an original Mk1 radio set-up AND the clock/temp display that works …… all my pixels have “ gone” 

not at all urgent but if anyone should have these hanging around then it would make my search simple, fruitful and fulfilling …….. and make an old bugger HAPPY 😃 

Malc