Cotswold Pete

Hugh, to echo Malc, a fine looking car, and priced well. I know what you mean about stewing over the decision, I keep stewing over whether to move on from my Mk4 (with 217,000) on the clock. not as pristine as yours, with more bits starting to fail and show there age. I sat in a mates Merc CL550 (ten years old) full of gizmos, but when I got back in my LS, I knew why the LS has really stolen my heart. I do a 24 mile round trip to work, so does get daily usage, and like you say hopefully someone can give your car the miles it deserves

Curious as to why the front seats look so rumpled for a car that has done so few miles

I would agree, the Impul Granz do at least look different as a statement, where as the ebay offering seems to have taken a Mk3 wheel and made it look 'well tacky and naff' IMHO. The fun and gmaes I had as a teenager with my chromed racing bike and trying to keep that looking nice on UK roads, no way I want chrome on any car of mine these days.

Great photos, but no more Lexus porn please

I had something similar on my Mk3 LS 400, I did wonder if it was engine mounts or transmission mounts vibrating at certain RPM, but never did poke around to find out. It was not anything in the running gear casuing the vibration at such a narrow band of speed.

I have had rust stains on parts of the car for last 8 years, but so far no eating right through the metal (only place the tin mice got seriois was in rear arches). Noticed some slightly more aggresive rust spots the other day, but I would think even if i do diddly squat the car is okay for another 4 years, but plan to do some treatments later this year. Not that I wash and wax that often, but when done only notice the bits of rust and other knackered bits of paint. I even have key marks down drivers side and most people do not notice them. If I could afford a full respray I would, but I have other minor stuff to do, and the missus would not understand the point of a paint job. I do suffer a bit of envy when I see a well sorted LS 400, but the Saw one the other day which looked great from the rear, but side on looked like it needed a lot of work. (Never judge a car by one bumper view alone!!) I look at cars in my neighbourhood, and see rust eating the doors, bonnets, arches, etc and we are talking 10-15 year old cars, mainly German ones.

When out in USA, had a colleague who survived Elk crash while in the company Porsche - a reward for being top sales of the month. I assume being a Porsche low enough to only have roof ripped off not crushed. What I learnt is that Elk (and Moose) stand in the road because the tunnel effect of the road in a forest means more of a wind, the wind is disliked by midges, so a bit like midge control (especially at night). Nothing like a 2 ton creature on the car to re-arrange the roofline

I am a mere junior with 150,000miles driving a 400 (Mk3 now Mk4), and with 13 years under the belt and could not agree more with amazing. I wish I had the space to buy and drive a 460 while I gave my day runner 400 a jolly good re-furb, but not likely to be happening anytime soon, unless I can tunnel under my wife's parking space and build an underground garage. Thats the problem with living in a 250 year old house, they did not have much need for parking spaces back then.

Be interested to here experience of using PSB bushes. I would expect it would firm up the ride a little and possbly increase road noice a little. I have a few more bushes in need of sorting, but to date my local garage has always been able to get rubber bushes (bit of a wait) and appear to be not a lot more than Amayama, but they did not reveal their source.

Bought parts from lexus Swindon, to date always been genuine in Lexus/Toyota boxes. Had new front discs and pads (and shims) 3 years ago, certainly much better than the Blueprints in use before

As a UK citizen who has travelled a lot, and read a heck of lot on world history as well as UK history, I always fail when I take example tests for living in the UK, and I know 90% of UK citizens would fail. My advice is to somehow remember 'off by heart' as many of the answers as you can. The challenge is whether your brain is better at taking tests or not. My brain is rubbish, and I mainly fail tests, even on subjects where I am classed as an expert. The trick is to know how your brain stores and retrieves info, then at least you stand a better chance of knowing some techniques to improve memory. If you want to Private Message me, I can send over some simple tests for you to take that would help me see how your brain helps you learn, then maybe that could help.

I think Poly Bushes need to be re-greased every few years, otherwise you get a squeaky car.. Rubber v. Poly My nephew who is forever fiddling with his cars, reckons rubber is best unless opertating in extreme environments that eat rubber (whatever they are)

Had front bushes done just before covid and rear a few weeks ago (along with new drop links all round), and it make the car a lot quieter (way less background rumble), and also rolls a heck of a lot less. Still got a slight knock on front, but not sure if that is upper or lower control arms needing a look at. Need o get my service records out and see when the control arms last replaced, but car is on 215,000, and not as 'tight' as my wifes 4 year old Mazda 2 By the way be interested to hear whether transmission mount makes that much difference when you fit, as I cannot detect any difference in creaks and rumbles from being in gear or coasting, so assume mounts okay(ish) for now

They are solid guys, ex Lexus folk who know there stuff

Totally agree, my LS roof works a dream, gets used most weeks including winter. I check drains every few months as well. I find cars without sunroofs a little gloomy, and I like getting a sunburnt bonce now and again

Good God - reading this thread makes me think I will stick with my pile of OS maps on back seat and a head turn every now and again to check the OS.🤣 Only times I have ever got truely lost is when relying on Sat Nav (inbuilt) or relying too much on Google (which is better, but too much for an old g*t like me). I would add (in support of LS400 satnav) it did a better job of getting me to Cadbury World then my brain, but that was a one off IMHO

I get my wipers from Blades direct. Last lot I had seemed better than Bosch, and cheaper. Just ordered new ones for my LS400, so hopefully as good as before LS460 (wiper set)

I did a proper switchback run yesterday, and made a note of MPG as follows. (Running on E10) Steady 55mph (nearly a full tank) - From M4 Membury Services to A34 Sutton Scotney Services - got 38.5mpg Steady 65mph same trip in reverse - got 34mpg Reason for this is this drive is up hill and down dale, but you can keep constant speed (apart from J14 change of M4 to A34) I have new plugs, just had new oil filter and oil change, so in theory as good as it could be I know fully loaded up the M5/M6 from Glos to Manchester (not uphill land down dale) at 75mph I can get a smidge over 30mpg Comfort levels and relaxed driver a given, and I found driving at 55 so brilliant that maybe this should be my default speed, and on 100mile run does not add that much time. Maybe 4litre beasts will be a steal while people try and off-load them

I used Little Trees (the trees), they look a bit odd dangling with their plastic wrappers, but on the way home every day I come around a certian bend and I get a waft of lavender. Never worked out why that particular bend, but when the waft goes, I knwo it is time to break out a new Little Tree

Spot on

As one of the Youtubers commented Once you have had a UZ, you cannot live without one. I second that motion

One other thought, not that I have had this on lexus, but on other cars have had lumpy engine at speed and idle. The petrol filler cap, which if the seal has gone might be a problem. It is highly unlikely but worth a check. My money would be on leads or distributor playing up.

Just got car back from garage, where I had new front and rear drop links fitted, and new bushes on rear anti-roll bar. (They had to grind the original drop links out, rusted to heck). Car feels much much better, not totally sorted, I think maybe offside lower control arm is getting tired, but need to through my service history to check which control arms were done since I owned. Also realised I have had the car for 100,000 miles now, never had a car that long, mighty pleased. Next work is new cover for steering wheel, complete flush of autobox (going to cost £234), get aerial sorted, and save up for cambelt change. A few niggles, like leaky nearside indicator and cabin boot release not working, and minor leak in rear arch (just needs patching when weather is good enough to get under the car) Only two more years I could retire and spend my days wafting around a bit more, rather than commuting to work, but maybe petrol will be more expensive than beer by then?? With early 15 years of Lexus driving under my belt, the only way to be is happy

It makes me sad all this stuff with a little bloke and his Napoleon complex, I was wanting to goto Lviv, was planned for 2021, but Covid got in the way. I have got way too drunk with Bulgarians in Bulgaria, with Romanians (not in Romania), with Russians in Russia, hated their politics back then, but loved the people I worked or holidayed with. Time to do the same with Ukranians in Ukrania when I am allowed, and try whatever the local rocket juice is.

Technically the Vodafone network is near true 4G, so where available gives better data speeds. The others have 4G masts, but a mix of 3G and 4G backhaul links, which is why you can get good signal but naff speed. So EE, O2 and 3 going about upgrades slowly but surely.