...and It’S “Hello” Again From Me...

[Tinonline]

Hi fellow Lexonians

It must be over 10 years since I last was last on these forums, with my GS300. I sold it and continued my long standing purchase of vehicles and kept my wife’s Jaguar S Type 4ltr. for a decent run or for a fun trip. Then flirted with a 4.2 XKR - wow - wife was cheaper to run and more reliable so it went...the XKR that is.

My next door neighbour gave up driving and this presented me with the opportunity of regaining a second car, I ended up paying £750 for his year 2000 LS400 with 71k on the clock and a regular
history with Lexus albeit essential services - as he did such low mileage.

Now before you think I’ve ripped my neighbour off here are the mitigating facts:

1) Car had no MOT

2) Battery was u/s

3) One ignition key had snapped, the other had a
flat Battery

4) Crease to front wing and ditto to rear wing,
poor paint up of parking damage to front & rear corners

5) Car is a metallic dark green

6) No evidence of a cambelt change

7) Wheels are rough

8) Bought as seen

The good:

1) 71k that’s a new car in Lexus world

2) I know the owner...

3) Lexus invoice history back to 2010 but full set of up to date service stamps

4) Interior superb

5) Non-damaged areas of bodywork superb

6) Last serviced November 2014 and the oil is clean and golden

7) I managed to get some copy invoices back to 2005 thanks to Lexus, Reading

8) Tyres excellent

9) Number plate worth a few bob

Work completed: the bad

1) New Battery

2) Carpet fixing clips - no excuse for not having these: get those carpets fixed down!

3) Remove paint overspray from chrome areas & fog lights...had to buy wife new bottle of nail varnish remover...

4) Repaired ignition key with superglue to be used as a spare and put new Battery in second key: all worked perfectly...I was worried about reprogramming etc. but there were no issues.

Planned: the ugly

1) Drive belt - looks solid, but it’s old and a bit thin (done today, take a look at the pic - whoops).

2) Thermostat - maybe the LS400 is a bit slow to warm up but hey it’s the original so...(fan clutch?)

3) Gearbox oil change

4) Cambelt kit plus waterpump

5) Tracking, steering wheel is not straight and I have experience of this...too many timesxtyres

6) Some shimmy on breaking, maybe above +/or warped discs

7) Washer fluid float is u/s

8) Bonnet struts don’t strut their stuff anymore

9) Bluetooth convertor for the aftermarket Nokia phone kit installation

I can’t believe the willingness and pull through the range. It’s not as quick as the S type...but it goes. I’m not saying that you can notice the difference either. For goodness sake the gearbox - how can this be so smooth? I can tell you I’ve read heaps on sealed for life gearboxes, here’s my take on it:

B****. Change the oil and filter on sealed for life boxes. Jags with auto boxes were fitted with ZF which stands for “zer f***ed”. Banging and crashing, delayed response, total failure were all design features. BMW and Range Rover suffered the same issues...all fitted with that ZF box. All sealed
for life but you had to have an expensive oil and filter (complete plastic sump bottom with integrated filter) change minimum although it was never in the service schedules. The ZF story is bad enough for me not to replace my year 2000 S type with the later 4.2 (sublime engine...). I have the earlier gearbox and that’s still complete rubbish too.

As for Lexus...the clue is in the drain plug...it’s designed to be touched now and again. The strainer etc. I wouldn’t touch until I had racked up high miles. But a fluid change every year will be good.

I’ve just completed a 500 mile round trip. Faultless.

So here I am again...

[bluenose1940]

Welcome back!!! Busy busy man!!!

Enjoy your car!!!

[Tinonline]

Thanks! :D

[steve2006]

Welcome back to the Lexus fold, have you seen the washer bottle float repair tutorial (costs nothing apart from time and a little of the wife's nail varnish).

Struts can be reconditioned at SGS in Derby.

There is also a good tutorial for the cam belt change on lexls.com if you are planning on DIY.

Should still be worth more than you paid for the car and maintainence when all the jobs are done.

[Tinonline]

Hi Steve

Thanks...I've read many of your posts.

I have contemplated the cam belt change but I'm not sure I have the range of tools/patience. I changed the thermostat yesterday (slightly faster warm-up and now temp gets to mid-point) but made such an easy job more complicated I'd be worried about getting stuck with the cambelt! Removing the rad looks like a pain and the crankshaft pulley torque... However I should be capable of doing it...

I have seen the washer float repair tutorial...I'm going to have a go at that.

Now I wonder what colour of nail varnish will be on offer..?

I tend to grade jobs in terms of number of swear words required.