I'm After A Bit Of A Steer, Please...

[danbobnix]

Hello LS400 community, pleased to meet you,

Been lurking and posting in the newbies section on and off for some time now, and the time has come and i'm going to view /(wanting to view, if it's still available) a 2000 LS400 with a fair few miles on the clock.

The steer I'm after is, using the information handed to me, photos, email dialogue and service history proof, is there anything i should be wary of or look out for when i go and view it?

I'm very excited to see her and test her as it looks good and is well priced, 4 hours away however. The interior looks immaculate and the parking damage is no drama, a friend who has experience in the industry has seen it and thinks its minor repair work.

Hopefully the seller won't mind me posting the couple of extracts from the ad ,and photos which i will remove as soon as i'm told to do so:

http://1drv.ms/1lZVkaw

"MoT May 2015 with no advisories. Tax Jan 2015. Service history to 152000 miles, Lexus main dealer to 123000 miles. Air and cabin filters changed in the last month. Recent invoices for brake pads, Battery, starter motor solenoid repair and coolant change.Two oil filters and sump plug washers will come with the car.
Lovely smooth drive, no clonks or knocks from the suspension, gearbox changes smoothly and quickly. Four matched Goodyear tyres with plenty of tread left, full sized alloy spare."

Any information or advice is welcomed

Many thanks,

Daniel

[keybasher2]

Hi Daniel,

I recently purchased a 99 mk4 and love it. It looks like a nice example to me. Only thing I notice is that coolant looks a little low,maybe had air in system after the change but I would be looking carefully for leaks (coolant and oil) Ask if "everything works" and push as many buttons as you can to check. Looks like the cam belt sticker (s) are present. A longish test drive should show faults up. Mine has similar mileage but is still very quiet. Good luck,hope its a good one.

Simon

[Cotswold Pete]

Daniel,

Check spare wheel well for any signs of water having sat in there, indicates the common leaky seal problem. Easy to sort out, but had both LS Mk2 and Mk4, where seller never spotted this, and one had a badly corroded spare where water had sat in boot.

Also make sure brakes behave with high speed and low speed braking, even if no clonking etc.

These cars run pretty smooth even when they have faults, and also start to keep an eye out for odd idling judder (very slight - usually), which might indicate time to consider looking at capacitors on engine ECU.

Check seat heaters work but on Mk4 less of a problem than earlier versions.

What's with the gaffer tape on the rear bumper?

[danbobnix]

Thanks for the replies gents, I will write up a little list and take with me.

Pete,

The tape on the bumper is where the previous owner had a scuff with his second car- a nissan 4x4.

Thanks again guys

[gkkes]

I have a 2000 MkIV

I bought mine with 134k and I've put another 50k on her.

Still drives as good now as then.

Confirm all keys are working!

Check the a/c, if it doesn't run cold, it may not be just a re-charge, a new condenser and/or pump can soon add up!

Boot seals as above. If you find signs of damp, check the compartments either side, which contain the SatNav and the phone wiring.

Check the SatNav discs. Always good to have a recent set (incl Europe).

Falken Tyres are £95 a corner so consider the tread.

Bonnet struts should do their job.

My drivers wing mirror notches outwards every time I turn the key, but I may be "special" ;-)

2 cambelt stickers suggest she has been looked after.

Best of luck

[gkkes]

Just spotted this car in the topic "Shed of the Week"

Best take a look!!

[danbobnix]

Haha yes, he has mentioned to me it's on the SOTW part of the site as of this morning.

Thanks for the items to check, I'm just wary, usually I don't mind buying a car with mileage on the clock- hell, I bought my current car with no service history and 80k.

The LS400 is a different beast, and I'm wary of anything expensive going pop. A risk I think I'm willing to take, but yes, service history and photos suggest it's been well maintained!

Regards

[fred81]

Good price, and it has a desirable wooden steering wheel (trade with me?!), 2000 model so will likely have all the latest updates/revisions and thus common faults should have been ironed out.

Hope you enjoy your purchase if you decide to go for it. Looks like its spent time being worked on at Lexus Manchester, which is my local - a very friendly bunch!

Regards

[danbobnix]

Well, Saturday night I got an email saying he sold it to someone who offered the cash without wanting to look at it, which he couldn't have refused which is totally fair enough. Just gutted it wasn't 24 hours later!

The hunt continues!

Going to look at one in Liverpool that is on eBay this week, however I'm a little skeptical. Will check the checks that have been posted here and in other threads and see what comes of it, and if it's good, offer what I feel is correct based on all of the above :) watch this space!

[SHELLDRAKE]

Where in the pool are you going to?

[danbobnix]

Well, I didn't go to Liverpool, something just wasn't feeling right with it.

I'm writing sat outside a car dealership, who I tried to contact several times during the week and only got one reply, already not feeling great about it- it's up for a rather premium price based on mileage and I anticipated maybe getting the price down by using the service history or any lack of (anticipating a cambelt change very soon) - so thought id make the trip.

Got here after an hours drive and just walking round the car on my own I saw niggles that would bug me, front number plate wasn't on the bumper, looked like something had possibly broken maybe? Centre armrest was cracking in places and looked more worn than I thought it did on the photos.

Passenger wing mirror was in bits/ glass hanging out of the wing mirror housing.

So I've not even test driven, just walked away to make the 60 mile trip back home.

Frustrating this car buying thing! I'll keep looking!

[cruisermark]

have you looked this one:

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C501559

[danbobnix]

No I haven't, looks good! Is this anyone on here by any chance?

[Malc]

Seems a bit short on piccys methinks ! also when was the cambeltt done ( if at all yet ) and that will set you back several £'00s. Also how on earth can one get 40k+ miles from the front tyres, just not possible. I manage about 20k fronts and up to double that rears.

Btw, I've had Ls400s for 12 years+ now and I think I'm correct with the tyres forecasts

Bit expensive maybe

Malc

[danbobnix]

Cheers for that Malc, i don't doubt your estimations either!

I'm going to have a look at it this week, I've only really looked at '00 models thus far, were there any changes in features from 98-00 with the mk4?

Done a few searches and lots of google-ing, can't seem to see much. I take it there were no further revisions within the mk4 age bracket?

[Troubleatmill]

Hello. :)

I'm the guy who bought the "Shed of the week" on PH.

To danbobnix. My mechanic is about to relieve my wallet of some of my hard earned green.

So far:

=====

Brake line pipes to the rear corroded. Had to be all fully replaced on safety grounds.

Water pump and timing belt replaced. (It is due )

Full service.

Replace front wheel bearing. (totally shot)

Wheels balanced to eliminate steering wobble.

Drivers side mirror replaced. ( A £4.99 eBay mirror was placed onto of the real one- which was totally knackered. Lexus quoted me £237 just for the mirror! )

Still to do.

========

2nd Key is an eBay cheapo. Hasn't been cut - and no-one will cut it. Remote plips work though. Being sorted tomorrow.

Rear bumper to be fixed. Being done by the end of the month

Rear body panel to be "undented" and painted. As above.

Small rust patch on roof - just above windscreen. Sand back and make good.

Replace passenger headlamp. Tried the polish the toothpaste to remove oxidisation trick. Didn't work. Looks crap. Need a replacement.

Cigarette lighter not working - will check at the weekend

2 bulbs are out on the passenger and driver aircon temperature display

[Mybikes a cx500]

You could try 1200 wet and dry on the headlamp, followed by cutting compound and then polish- nothing to lose

[Troubleatmill]

I used a dremel type tool. I think it is FUBAR. :D

[Cotswold Pete]

Scott,

I went into Timpsons the other day, they appear to have Lexus key bodies that they can do for £20. All you need is the electrics from original key if you have them.

Not sure if Timpsons do a good job, but will find out some time when I get a new key cut

[Troubleatmill]

Timspons said they would do me a new key and relocate the electronics. Couldn't do it on Sunday as their key cutter was on holiday.

[danbobnix]

Hi Scott,

Sounds like you're all over it getting the necessary work done, very good to see. Were you aware of anything before buying or did you kind of account for it?

Malc et al, what would you expect to see the car on car and classic be going for in a private sale? I'm heading there on Thursday for a butchers but don't want to be 'bent over'! Pardon the filth.

[Troubleatmill]

I bought it sight unseen. Worst case; if it was a lemon - breaking it for parts would more than cover the cost. So couldn't really lose.

I had a budget put aside for remedial things. It may be a Lexus - but it isn't immortal. :)

If I'm gong to use a car - I like things to be put right. The replacement driver's mirror was about £60 from a scrappy.

Also - the car is too good to be consigned to be broken up.

[cruisermark]

hi

a local locksmith here will cut the key no problem for £10 - i would be happy to help if you want to post the blank

[Malc]

Danbobnix ..... wouldn't really expect to see a Ls400 on classic car websites just yet !!!

The only one's I would like to see there, if any, would be very early pristine Ls400s from 1990 and prior ... so very few left and I for one think that they, and they alone,might command a premium.

After all, Classic cars really shouldn't be younger than 25 years ........ should they

BUT all Ls400s are I think POTENTIAL classics

Malc

[danbobnix]

Well, seen a few cars since I last surfaced. And missed a fair few good ones whilst only being able to view at weekend, bit of a PITA.

Just got back from a 380 mile round trip to Scotland to look at and arrange the purchase of my LS400 :) Good price, good service history, both exterior and interior in great condition. Couple of things to sort out, namely bonnet struts (pair already ordered) and doing some digging into service history and the cambelt change or possible lack thereof. Seller was a top bloke too!

Hopefully should be picking her up either this next weekend or the one after, depending on work. Very excited, can't wait to not hate my commute so much any more!