Newbie From Lincs - Ls400

[lincsnick]

Hi folks,

I'm new to Lexus ownership having just bought this: http://cgi.ebay.co.u...#ht_1178wt_1163

It all looks good and drove well and I pick it up tomorrow. Fingers crossed!

Best of all was the insurance, £182 for tpft with the Post Office. I suppose there has to be some upside on getting older.

Nick

[BenIS]

Well done mate, the car looks very nice indeed. The paintwork looks in very good condition for the milage and age. Let us know how it goes.

Happy motoring

[lincsnick]

Well I picked it up today. All pretty good, a couple of clonks on the front suspension on deep potholes which I didn't notice on the smooth roads I tested it on but it has had some bushes in the front arms in February according to the history so a look is in order. There is also a slight wobble on the overrun that didn't occur until I filled it with fuel thus adding a lot of weight to the rear. Or just coincidence. The car hasn't been used much for a few months so I can only guess that a propshaft U/J is worn or sticky or is there a sliding spline on the prop? I've known these to stick on other cars. The service history is good, fully stamped book and lots of Lexus bills until very recently when the chap who owned it before kept a book of everything that has been done and the cost. Looks like fully synth oil has been used as well which is a bonus. Cambelt is ok until November 2015 or 183k and the oil is due at 143k. Nearly new Pirellis too. So a few quid thrown at it should sort it hopefully. The satnav is better than I expected, a bit clunky but it has a 2006 CD so not too far out of date. Everything electric is working.

Overall, very pleased, a lot of car for the money. Here's to hopefully reliable and comfortable motoring.

[kevinsgs300]

welcome to the club

[steve2006]

Hello and welcome to the LOC.

I like the way the seller went on about the exhaust costing £3k to replace, the're stainless steel most of the way so should never go.

Front clonks could be the upper control arms or lower ball joints, wobble on the rear probably worn suspension bushes.

[lincsnick]

I picked the car up yesterday and checked the tyre pressures this morning. Over 40psi in two and upper 30's in the others! I've dropped them to 35psi and it's made a big difference. The clonk from the front now only happens over a deep pothole and the whole car is so much better. I'll go with whatever pressure Lexus recommend for this tyre/wheel combo when I can find out what the pressure should be. It has 245/50 ZR17 99Y Pirelli tyres, nearly new thankfully. I assume it has the Dynamic Handling Pack though how I tell I'm not sure. The sticker in the CD compartment only gives pressures for the 16'' wheels.

Update: I've found the clonk. I've just had all the wheels off as I like to have a good check over when I get a car and the top outer joint on the rather weedy-looking wishbone on the driver's side had loads of play. The other side is fine and all the other joints and bushes look ok. Oddly enough, it looks as though the bushes have been changed so why not change the wishbone? Unless the joint has just failed but there's loads of play so I'd imagine it has been like it for a while.

It looks easy enough to replace so the question now is do I bend over at the Lexus dealer or get an eBay special for a fraction of the price?