Wow ! |£12500. 17K On The Clock

[Bluesman]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1991-LEXUS-LS400-TOYOTA-CELSIOR-AMAZING-TIMEWARP-VEHICLE-/171544962474?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item27f0e065aa

Will be interesting to see what this goes for. Mike

[Malc]

Are these the guys who said they were importing one at £11500 ................. guess so, besides the new buyer having to be able to read Japanese ............ their brains are in a timewarp too I guess

Totally bonkers !

Strange how it has the Mk1 style gear selector but no front fog lamps individually, bit like the UK Mk3. ............... wonder if it has air suspension too. A rare car of course BUT would any numpty pay £12.5k for it.

Malc

[steve2006]

Does look a very nice example, no apparent wear on the seats,steering wheel or shifter but £12.5K no way.

It would appear from the engine bay picture part of the intake is missing?

Yes it is on air suspension,you can tell by the extra switches by the shift lever and the strut top covers.

It also has the C-F package so rear massaging reclining seats etc.

Almighty contrast to the 1994 Celsior C-F one I have that I paid £200.00 for and that includes factory sat nav, Ok it has done 200,000 KMs and still has one or 2 problems yet to sort but now I know I can ask £6K+ for it I'll crack on :)

Mine also came with full Japanese Toyota service history and UK service history no mention in this listing.

I can see this being around for some time gradually dropping in price or Lexus UK will buy it for promotional reasons.

[steve2006]

Are these the guys who said they were importing one at £11500 ................. guess so, besides the new buyer having to be able to read Japanese ............ their brains are in a timewarp too I guess

Totally bonkers !

Strange how it has the Mk1 style gear selector but no front fog lamps individually, bit like the UK Mk3. ............... wonder if it has air suspension too. A rare car of course BUT would any numpty pay £12.5k for it.

Malc

The headlights/foglights (yellow on the JDM models) are a single pirce unit on the series i and II Celsiors, UK/US models have the 2 seperate units in one housing

[hihihi]

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[cruisermark]

he given away where he buying these from

[Malc]

they are easy to find from Japan, the art is to have someone on the ground inspecting the car you want and making sure it's not been radioactivised at all !!!

Malc

[Titch LS]

I agree, Lexus U.K. have plenty of dosh, perhaps they'll buy it for their heritage collection. I think the asking price goes to show that any early immaculate Celsior/LS400 will be very collectable in the future. Lovely car, lovely price tag too.

[n4chv]

I've yet to be convinced that some of these older vehicles with such low mileage will really become collectors cars but then I could be wrong.

The main issue with these kinds of cars is that with all the electronic gadgets and other hardware, these cars need to be used and driven otherwise things start seizing up (internals, brakes, etc.).

There is still a Toyota Celsior with a cloth interior from the 90s up for sale on Autotrader with an asking price of £7,500

Personally, I think whoever pays this kind of money is nuts !

[ambermarine]

I would agree with that analagy to a degree as there are so many good examples about in Japan the other problem with the Celsiors is the control switches are Japanese language and it does 'nt look right somehow.The other aspect is the discontinuation of spare parts.The rear subframe on the Mark 1 was unavailable as far back as 2008 so other parts will now have fallen in to that category.

If someone wants a good example to use occasionally for High days and such, then getting a good example at a reasonable price is what I did but to spend that kind of money is non viable.

[messi]

For that money i would rather get the ls460.

[Malc]

I think the beauty of " real " classics is the simple technology they have. Even the earliest Ls400 / Celsior is electronically complex by classic car standards.

It's not difficult to get classic spares for most cars, even if they are bespoke manufactured somewhere.

And the electronic technology is often just a screwdriver, hammer, points, plugs and HT leads.

Malc

ps my 1932 Triumph is such a creature and after 84 years bits are available from somewhere or if really desperate can be made-up to fit.

[cruisermark]

still available