Cotswold Pete

Totally agree, my house is a mere 250 years old, survived a few wars and neglect in the past, and never have I claimed, and will I still insure, YES, just in case. Also never needed claimed on my car insurance ever, so someone has made a nice profit out of me over the years.

There are times when mine sounds like it is pinking. But it is not pinking, not sure what it is, and only occurs from time to time. Been happening on and off ever since I had the car.

Excellent news.

Just dug out paperwork, and spring was £85 +VAT, and labour one hour - (as part of 5 hours worth of jigging around with other bits of suspension

Had a single rear spring replaced two years ago (hit a big crater). Not had any problems with other rear spring (since hit smaller craters). LS on 189K, so I would say just get the one replaced, and though I cannot recall price, was nowhere near what you're being quoted. If I get a chance I will see if I can dig out paperwork, but may not be at home until Sunday

A bit of a project, does not seem to have done many miles of late, but never seen such a long history of advisories on an LS. (unless it is a over zealous MOT tester in Nottingham) I would not be touching it unless I need a lot of spares. Shame, I love this colour more than the blue.

Interesting that you have to look under Toyota brand, but a useful site for part numbers, and ability to look at the scary prices of some parts. Touch wood I will not need anything any time soon.

Nick, You post got me roaming the Interweb, as I need roof rack about once or twice a year, but not for a roof box. Came across these (not seen them before), Soft bars. Some sites imply you can but a box on these (not sure how). Ebay price - Soft rack on fleabay Also I use Saris bones, and much prefer bikes in rear of car. I know it makes getting in the boot a faff, but in past when I have carried bikes on roof, the wind noise is higher, and fuel consumption higher than carrying on the rear. Plus in my head I always worry that putting the bike on the roof I will drop the darned thing and make a big dent, not that I ever did when I used roof bars, but that was 15 years ago, when I had muscles in my arms (and light road bikes, rather than mountain bikes)! Seem like LS roof bars (good old solid ones) are almost as rare as hens teeth.

I know what you mean, when the wife had an Accord, a lovely car for short drives, but not for long haul, though bullet proof as you like for a car that would have been a lot cheaper then an LS off the production line. Sounds like the LS 400 is tempting you back into the fold once more, and looks like a bargain for lugging music gear about. Hope whatever decision you make is one you remain happy with

Totally agree, full price MOT while using a good indy is the way to do it.

I would have a look at Nexen range, good wear, noise no worse than more expensive brands (from new I recall they were quiter than any others I had before). Not as grippy as Pirellis, or Dunlop in the wet, so be not good for pushing the envelope on a rainy track day, but good enough for nippy commute on Cotswold A roads with Z bends. I have found Nexen give good mileage, and as a result they last longer, and so the walls harden (as do all tyres) and this increases road noise as they get older, as well as noise due to lesser tread. Mine are Nexen N Blue, but not sure if they do them in your size.

Looks like £11K jolly well spent. Also on the trim, it might also be sweat and grease from fingers has attacked the surface, especially if you sit in the car with a bag of chips while tweaking with things on the console. Have seen how damaging chippy-fingers can be to paintwork (even when waxed). Best of luck getting it looking tip-top

My view would be to patch it up and make sure rust does not take hold, though would be a few years before the rust is really eating into the body work. I have same issue as this with about £400-£600 worth of respray needed for keyed doors, a tree strike on rear pillar (big dent), and pock mark on the bonnet, front buffer scuffs from inconsiderate numpties in car parks. I washed and waxed up the car a few weeks ago, and realised that the car has chicken pox (lots of small chips), and looks like really a almost full on respray would be the only way to get the car looking tip-top. I would say having shined the car up, it looks not that bad even though it has lots of damaged paintwork. Also the interior leather needs a good going over, the steering wheel needs a recover. So if I came into a few grand tomorrow, I would get it all done, as that would still be less of a cost risk than investing in another LS. So until I win some cash, I am coming to live with my semi-battered LS. When I had an Omega having jsut spend a few bob on suspension only to have the engine blow 10 weeks later, I know that feel of 'What the Heck'.

In my mind will any of the cars with spohisticated electronics be classics in the future, is down to two things. 1. Did Lexus, Audi, BMW, etc, use special IC chipsets in the control systems, if they did when these fail they would be hard to replace (in theory you could get someone to re-fabricate a chip). It would in theory be possible to build a new ECU that used more up to date software mapping techniques to 'copy' what the current electronics does. Neither option would be cheap. 2. The people who understand earlier generation firmware/hardware/software systems as they pop their clogs the new generation would have lost the knowledge and skill to even attempt to fabricate or scratch build such systems. This is why the Vulcan bomber does not fly, because the knowledge of its ancient electronics is making it hard to make do and mend. One could argue that if enough old lags pass on their knowledge then keeping LS400s (etc) running as long as a Ford Model T is possible, but not cheap by any means. I doubt whether in 50 years time there would be enough LS400/430/460 enthusiasts around to form a core of knowledge to keep these beasts going, but then again the valve stereo amp never quite died, and enough people revived the art of valve tech, (and vinyl, come to that), such that it is enjoying a resurgence. However there are probably more valve/vinyl lovers than there are Vulcan/LS lovers out there in the planet. A great shame, but no doubt any LS still around in 50 years time will be a classic, whether it would be better than the LS800 (or whatever is around then) is probably no different asking is a Triumph TR2 a better drive than a TR7, or a SC430.

Worst - Ford Escort Mk3 (was company car, and once it started stalling after first mile), I had 6 months of never knowing when I was going to get to work. Nearly got rammed a few times when stalling. Once has a Rover 200 series, no power steering, mechanically sound, but felt like I was driving a tank, (no power-steering). Thank god the company made me redundant and took the car back. Best - current Mk4 LS400, though used to think my Omega 2.5 was the best until Lexus showed me the error of my thinking. One I would like, a LS460, or GS450 (the missus knows, and just rolls her eyes, and says she needs to replace her X-type soon)

Phil, Amazing bit of research. Has helped me make sense of some of the names I have heard when talking to a few mechanics over the years

Malc, The front tyres are scrubbed, and just had tracking sorted, and will be getting tow new ones in next couple of weeks. Reason for thinking both pads and discs need doing is I get brake squeal (no ma Cheers. I suspect my tyres are a small part of the problem, just had bad toe in on fronts sorted, car drives and brakes in straight line, no judder or pull, but the fronts tyres well scrubbed on edges, so will be replaced soon, but probably have another 2k miles in them. Once all done hoping to get back that lovely smooth drive I expect from an LS when it has new rubber to roll on.

I agree with Garry some people are just not paying attention. However the problem has been amplified in the 10 years of driving an LS. I never beep, I just inch towards them, and eventually they get to here the gentle whine of the cam belt, or the crunch of gravel. I just love the look on their faces. The one thing is I think horse riders love a Lexus as at 10-15 mph, you cannot hear the car, and having (in the past) broken in cart and shire horses for working on roads, the quieter the vehicle passing by, the less stress on the horse (and its owner).

Phil, Thanks for that, the Shunitomo rings a bell. I have blueprints (and I think my discs are not OEM), and though okay, I feel the need to go 'proper' Lexus as on my Mk3 I had them, and the braking seemed 'better' than I get now on Mk4. I have not checked what make my calipers are, but might have a look over the weekend if the wife does not give me too big a list of things to do.

I saw a post the other day, which I now cannot find, where someone mentioned the company that Lexus use to make the pads for the LS (and quite possibly other Lexi). Just curious as to the name of the company, can anyone recall.

I am afraid the Toyota Century is no good for having a kip in the back, so the LS400 is a much better rear seat bed. Have kipped for 4 to 5 hours in back of mine a couple of times, and not too bad. I must say the Century seats look a bit like the 'naughty' seat the teacher would strap you into if you attended some well posh public school and had done something very naughty like support the labour party or got caught reading the Road to Wigan Pier. I once sat in the back of the Queen Mothers car on a private tour of the Jag Museum (just before Tata bought Jag), and it was a roomy and luxurious as you like, but not a place I would have liked to have been on a long journey. Not sure why it felt like that but the Century sort of reminds me of that feeling.

Malc, I echo your thoughts, was getting my tracking sorted on saturday so read a few mags while waiting, and one was a review of the LS500. Reckon on it being worth £47K after 3 years (assuming 10K a year), and I assume nearer 20K after 6 years or so. The interior is very 'aimed at the Park Lane set', but maybe in 6 years the level of bling will be even higher so the LS500 will seem a tad understated. Having given my LS a darned good wash and hand wax, I am now seeing more and more dinks and chips in my 18 year old LS, and so the appeal of a 6 year old 500 in 2024 might be too much, who knows.

I am not so sure they did, watched history program a few years back where they said the Ermin Street was twice as wide as the current M1 is. Thats a lot of donkeys/horses and sword carrying legions!!

I am no expert, but this is an interesting video to watch, might save a few bob if what the chap is saying works on LS You Tube - possible cheap boot cover fix

By 'eck, that looks like a car which suffered chicken pox Anyway that a professional dent puller can get rid of the ones on the boot, and maybe the others. Have seen hail punch holes in aircraft wings in USA not a pretty sight, and thank heavens I was not in the area when it happened.