Malc

hahahahaha, the Isle of Sheppey is quite tiny ...... and upgrade ??? ................... I think my Mk3 could be with me till the end of time tbh ...... or until it's a write-off or summat else dreadful befalls me.... but i must admit that the Mk4 would be a natural progression from my Mk1 and Mk2, both of which had premature fatalities Malc

... I think I remember getting @32mpg once many years ago, fully loaded on the motorway on cruise control at 80mph ............. never manage it otherwise but then that wasn't in a Mk4 Malc

me, but I've not seen it ... the car only made a visit here before getting scared-off and returning to somewhere more normal ............. hahahahaha It's not cheap methinks ................but just ok .........and now at a rarity price maybe for one that sounds and seems so good Malc

you won't regret a moment of your time spent in a Ls ......... just make sure you're happy with the condition and service history etc .. The cambelt and peripherals need changing at @100k miles and that job is quite expensive whoever does it ! The radiator should be changed by you as a new owner to prevent irreparable leaks into the gearbox ( and those leaks probably writing the car off ! ) and the air suspension can be a £££££ challenge to fix when it goes pop. Other earlier issues that I remember reading on here, but not of late, are around rust spots coming through the doors and boot lid. If caught before 12 years old Lexus seemed to replace the door etc but if it's showing now on any car then I guess the Warranty Claim Timeline has probably expired..... and sometimes delamination of the double glazing which can also be an expensive fix. Buy well and you will be rewarded with a fabulous car with superb engineering, comfort, ride and longevity. Don't hesitate, buy one they are becoming a rare car. Malc

Chris NEVER NEVER NEVER Mellow into Retirement ...... it's a potential killer .. YOU really must continue being super active ....... I'm 67 and 18 months ago started a completely new, and new to me business, and it's keeping me brilliantly busy and I'm always thinking about another Lexus or several to add to my " stable " of cars Malc

do mobility scooters need DVLA stuff then ? or are they all electric I guess Just wondered about an after-life for my old Mk3 Malc

a thought, would it attract road tax in the UK ........... could I use this example as a mobility scooter ? Malc

the gubbins is the conglomeration of steel pipework ( hidden from view ) above the pas pump above the alternator and is the power steering fluid pipework itself as is the cooler pipe that runs in front of the radiator. Looking at my post earlier ( as mentioned ) might help " Catastrophic power Steering leak " or summat like that Malc

Hope you get that issue sorted soon ........ what is there above the alternator that could leak oil ? isn't it just the power steering fluid from somewhere in the system ? I had a catastrophic pas oil leak ( thread on here from a while back ) and the leak was from the gubbins steel pipework above there somewhere. It didn't cause any collateral damage and all the fandangled steel pipework was replaced with appropriate flexi hose and clips ...... and a copper tube for the cooler pipes ( which do go usually at this age ) and all at my indy guy's very economic repair costs............... plus of course the car being transported to him £100 BUT ever so much cheaper than Lexus doing the job whatever ......... and my local garages would only replace the " gubbins " with OEM Lexus parts at some enormous ridiculous cost. viz: the copper tube run cost £3.84 I think ( plumbers merchant ) and the Lexus steel pipe was about ?? £180 if my memory serves me .................. it's all on my old thread if you want to look it up. Malc

... I've got an old leather armchair too that i bought 2ndhand from a hotel clear out about 10 years ago, even more knackered now but i won't be changing or repairing it anytime soon ........... the Mk3 however ..... maybe i should just stock up on a " spare " for panels etc when mine get bent and insurers ( and me too ) would otherwise write it off ! The Ls600 def isn't for me, nor the 460 now i guess, but maybe a cossetted 430 with changed radiator and non air suspension might do me at the time decisions decisions ......... do we have to make them ?? Malc

If it drives and feels as good as it looks in the piccys and everything works ok then i would buy it ! Cambelt change next due at 210k miles or 2025. This car should last you many years ..... and probably relatively trouble free and carefree and brilliantly comfortable motoring. Be hard to find another like this methinks Malc

I removed mine a couple of years ago now, It was forever just a tad too low for kerbs, anything really; and it doesn't look at all odd without it, in fact it looks better removed than constantly bashed about a bit Malc

Phil, the Mk1 is a good car ( I loved mine, my first and some 15 years ago now ) but don't forget the brakes and wheels were only 15" and even when they made the Mk2 it was a definite improvement on handling, braking etc. The same body shape, but mine handled just a little better than my Mk1..... and we hear of rear end rot in the Mk1's now from time to time .... but at nearly 30 years old maybe that's not too surprising And the Mk3 is really a different car and tbh is markedly improved handling etc over the Mk2. The Mk1 and Mk2 have non-interference engines ( cambelt issues ) and the Mk3 onwards doesn't I'd have thought that the P717HMM car with the cambelt being changed some 10 years ago now ........ funny how they haven't really used the car over this time ............. would have some huge longevity / life left in it....... even the cambelt I would buy it if i wanted another, and probably pay £1500, BUT would buy the cheapy N reg one at @£250 if i just wanted spares, body panels etc I wonder if I'll ever have a Mk4 ? Malc ps paid £1400 for mine in June 2011 with about 125k miles and full Lexus Service History....... now touching 191k miles

hey, see what I've just said, and compare ............ about P717HMM for sale Malc

hey guys ... just seen this for sale on ebay P717HMM owner says he's in London but don't forget i saw it in Sittingbourne / Faversham It looks good in the photos and reads well too .......... price seems Ok too I'd have thought, what with the cambelt having recently ( mileswise ) been done Malc

hahahahaha ................ us oldie Ls400 owners just do the usual " kick the tyres " to check the pressures I jest but hey, why does technology seem such a useless innovation sometimes Malx

All the European travelling I have had in my Ls400 has taken me to some spectacular places over the years BUT maybe one of the most memorable, because it's UK based, is the west coast of Scotland .............. must be one of the world's best road trips for scenery Malc

I don't know about your car but on later Ls's they have double glazing and often those windows delaminate and i guess that might cause some issues such as condensation maybe ! Malc

yeh ........... unless you're like Mr Dubereaux ? on here ( from Sittingbourne ) who already has 3 .......... and does Steve 2006 have 3 ? Come on guys, if there's going to be rationing it should really be to 3 alone Malc

but is the Lexus price £2500/£2891 PLUS fitting ? Malc

I hadn't realised that the centre caps are painted. I had ( wrongly I guess ) assumed that the plastic was a solid colour right through ...... which makes more sense Malc

just looked on ebay and there's lots of brand new what seem to be OEM centre caps for 95-97 Ls400 @US $ 60 a set of 4 ............ + post i guess Malc

I don't understand .... why can't the refurbished wheel colour be an exact match for the prior cleaned plastic centres ? I'm assuming that the plastic is a solid colour throughout ! Malc

it's good to understand that an elderly Ls400 has an after-life ............ it's brilliant Malc

wiper blade rubbers ...........about every three or four years i need a new pair, about 40/50k miles ..... and i replace with Lexus/Toyota blades, last pair were @£22 I think but they sure have longevity.The Mazda blades are " normal " cost about £8/9 and last about a year or so. Malc