Malc

..... Brian, have you ever experienced driving around southern Italy ? our roads and litter problems are miniscule by comparison I will never overly criticise roads GB again. Malc

hahahahaha ........ and a Mk1 Ford Escort today is worth mega money Malc

...... I remember my first experience of a Camry about 15 years ago when we had one to come in p/ex at my garage. WOW, what a fantastic green estate 3ltr beauty, fabulous car and in those days ( and especially now ) so, so rare in the UK ..... it might have been an " import " I suppose BUT wow, what a fabulous car it was, both to see and drive ....... enlightened engineering and presence, put most UK cars to shame tbh just thought I'd reminisce Malc

why would anyone buy that when this is available, a Mk4 with Full Lexus Service History they say and only £1300 ..... if it's true, but it does look good ! https://www.gumtree.com/p/lexus/lexus-ls400-year-2000-fully-loaded-with-extras-/1175366720 woops, just noticed it's in Antrim ,,, so isn't there some potential tax clawback too maybe ? Malc

>>>>>> I can't see they have any interest in actually selling the car tbh ........... if they did it should be £5000 off and then halve again in a couple of months It's just an interesting piece of Lexus history for their customers to view and admire Malc

....... I think over 15 years and 3 x Ls400s I have changed two rear stop light bulbs, it's a regular and common occurrence when the Ls400 bulbs reach about 16 years of age : Tut tut, your Ls430 is only 14 years ! Just pleased I could help Malc

....... but not the records at DVLA MOT Records eh ! ............ are they sheisters ??? Malc

................... it might just be a blown stop light bulb causing the dash light to come on Malc

... that bottom front bumper piece, I finally removed mine after some years of it getting worse from those extra high kerbs etc. .............. I read on here ages ago that a replacement was £70+ and decided not to bother. It looks much better, clean and tidy with it " gone ". Malc

..... I managed for years on my Mk1 with a shortened broom handle ! Malc

....... a few years ago an impoverished nephew " borrowed " me and my beautiful Mk2 Ls400 for their wedding car ........... I felt proud of it, certainly unusual at the time to see a Lexus in this role Malc

..... somewhere on here i remember seeing someone showing and mentioning complete units of pre-fixed springs and shockers as a complete unit and the ease of replacing ! ( I think it was on this forum somewhere ) Malc

Nigel, hi, welcome back. I do remember you getting your Lexus and going to NZ, didn't realise it was two years ago though. You've come up against the fearsome air suspension debacle and I'm sorry for that. I know nothing of the practicalities of this but I'm sure someone will advise the options here, possibly ( but not with Lexus main dealer ) just changing all 4 legs to non-air and at a total possible cost of just the one air replacement too !. In the time you've been away it seems to be the given advice that the radiator should also be changed at some near time to avoid ruining your gearbox ! There's threads on this. Now, brand new Mercedes and economical 43mpg makes me chuckle a little with such amazing fuel economy being achieved at a capital cost of £70,000 ......... one could buy many many Ls430s and get normal comparatively uneconomic fuel economy and save loadsa dosh in capital spend ...... and I suspect Mercedes Main Dealer servicing costs too which I guess might be comparable to Lexus. I've personally deferred my Ls600 purchase indefinitely, well until my own Mk3 passes on, which if I'm lucky might co-incide with me ! Good luck with the air stuff. Malc

......... engine air filter for me seems to be every year, it gets so crappy after about 10 / 12000 miles in my neck of the woods ............... others might well be able to eek 30,000 miles from their's but I know mine would be a solid lump of grit by then and totally useless in fulfilling it's purpose in life Malc

not quite what I meant really ............ notwithstanding everything is reset to the correct parameters at that moment in time, if the bushes or whatever are not quite right, the resetting won't repair the damaged or worn bushes and that means that the alignment might immediately go awry again once the car is driven and those components are under road driving stress. Does that make sense ? I'm just a novice trying to think it thru' logically ! Malc

Chris, that really puts it all into perspective. A whole car for the cost of a couple of dastardly repairs on the Ls600 maybe. Malc

....... but seeing all the Green does indicate that the alignments are correct ( I guess ) at the time of resetting and adjusting AT THAT TIME , whatever the condition of the bushes on the steering gubbins. Malc

Dunlop D8Zs ? made for the Lexus Ls400 specifically but Dunlop stopped making them very many years ago Malc

maybe buy a single bulb from Lexus/Toyota ? Malc

I guess the Ls600 has always been a bit of a limited market BUT let's not forget the price new was @£100k + and doubtless spares will cost a fortune ( especially at lexus ) whatever age car one has. I was just observing,............... the bottom might have been reached, but what would I know Malc

this looks as though it might get a little litigious maybe ! If it might, I would consider getting an independent review done, say by the RAC or AA if you're a member, or at least their advice before you do very much at all. Malc

Just checking these out again and there seem to be some stunning Ls600s on Autotrader today and starting at just £12+k Has the bottom dropped out of this Top-End market do you think ? ... and maybe it's the time to buy ! Just doodling really, can't see me ever changing to another unless the unthinkable happens ( like being a write-off ) Malc

I'm told the Falken 225/60/16s aren't made any more. They sell me Maxxis ( £80 each, everything included ) and they seem ok but cover about 1000 miles less per tyre than the Falkens they replace. The fitter was telling me that it's pretty much the Ls400 being the last car to take these size tyres Malc

...... and how we all aspire for our cars too, to be in similar condition, as new, whatever the age and miles ........ and how lucky we are that these cars were so well built to enable our aspirations to often be realised in some small measure Malc

....... my indy is in Thanet in Kent ..... . if anyone would like his details for servicing, repairs etc you may contact me directly ok also his nephew has a bodyshop and is good too, also in Thanet Malc