Malc

..... I had to have a new headlamp bulb fitted for the MOT a few years back, the bulb had physically deteriorated ( 19 years old I think ) to the point that the butt end was a little fragile and wasn't permanently making a sound connection, the light from it was ok but a bit momentarily losing it, not to the naked eye though ! £6.84 for the bulb I think + labour, about 5 mins my indy told me ! Malc

.... electrical gremlins often are ! . a mystery that is Malc

P939UHR .............. it might of course have just been exported ............... and finding a superb use in Accra or somewhere ! Malc

just thinking .......... if you have RAC or AA or whatever " At Home " breakdown cover might that be a route to go down ? Even if it's just to get you to Lexus Oxford. Malc

....................... that's the way I would be if I changed and kept Lexii Mk3 My g/f could always use my Mk3 I s'pose !!! Malc

Dale, thank you ..... it will be good to see how your experiences unfold, I'm quite terrified to change from my now elderly ( but fantastic ) Mk3 to a state of the art technology replacement that I fear will be nothing more than a moneypit ......... I sincerely hope it's not BUT as you know, these elderly Ls400s cost just about nothing to keep on the road and that's been my experience for 15 years of Ls400 motoring. The Ls460 would be my immediate choice too for replacement but I am seeing Ls600 prices collapse and maybe, just maybe, I'll have courage one day to experience my own 460 or 600 too. But like you I really can't see my Mk3 ever being too far away from me................................... Malc

Dale, hi............ so which do you prefer and why ? Malc

but it's NOT a Mk3 front bumper, it has the fog lamp holes ! Malc

........ an example, my indy mechanic guy has just offered me a 55k miles Suzuki whatever 06 plate for £1700 fully repaired and on the road .......... it has had front bumper replaced .............. he bought it as an insurance write-off, claimant got value £2550, insurance estimated repair cost £3500+vat ! Replacement front bumper £150 from a breakers and the headlamp issue ( £'00s ) required a new plastic clip to fix ! ( pennies ) + his minimal labour to fix + profit. ( My gfs 22y/o Mazda might need replacing this summer ..... tin mice are rampant ) Malc

Really sorry to hear your dreadful news .............. is there the opportunity to accept it's a write-off and to purchase the " wreck " from the insurers for you to have an independent bodyshop undertake the repair work at minimal cost ....... and run the car as a Cat ? or whatever ? OK, the repair won't be to world class standards but it will maybe suffice for a 18 year old car, even though it is your baby ! That's the way I would approach the problem I think Steve 2006 on here has had some practical experience of this type of scenario Malc

Nigel hi, I was just buying replacement wiper rubbers from them only yesterday .......... £ 21.20 incl vat ............ but they do last 4 years and 50k miles ! Yours must be a later Ls400 then with folding mirrors, thankfully mine don't. I have taken each of my 3 Ls400s ( Mk1, then my Mk2 and for 4.5 years now my Mk3 ) to a mechanic in Margate for 8+ years now, Rob, and he has kept them going fantastically well and at minimal cost too......... nearly at 183k miles He welded my blowing exhaust years ago and it's stayed fine since then ok ........ about £30. I'm not saying cease going to Lexus Canterbury but I do know he has saved me £££££££s over the years and my car is always in tip top nick ( mechanically wise ) and I don't hesitate to drive across europe every year, 5/6,000 miles or so with nothing other than a normal full service beforehand. Malc

I wonder what scrap value these could command ? I don't like the wheels and it does look rather " dull " Malc

............before you change over maybe have a think about and remember that the Ls400 was designed at a cost of zillions and with a specific wheel and tyre size in mind for maximum efficiency and comfort. Your choice whatever ! Malc

David and Hugh: I've just returned from India where I have put to bed a deal with a Foundation that just said to me after only some 6 weeks association " you are the only guys that I have met that I want to do business with " ( in my field ) We have a part time preacher as a senior guy in the business and the Foundation has an existing, and prior collaborative partners they have dealt for many years in my ( new ) field of business. I feel privileged .................. and know just how you both feel ............. I want to and think I have, left the rat race behind ( I hope ) Malc

I s'pose text language doesn't help either ! but to get a name wrong, well, that's the first signs of .................... ... hahahahaha Malc

I was told a few years back that Dunlop invented the DZ ? tyre specifically for the then brand new LS400 Malc

I so dislike obvious spelling errors in professional adverts ............. it shows summat about the seller or owner that doesn't quite fit with the quality car being sold ! Or am I just old fashioned and getting like a Victor Meldrew !?! Malc

Stuart ........ I have a simple Nationwide Flex Plus account and pay £10 a month which covers UK and Europe wide breakdown, recovery etc .... even for old bangers like ours ! ( with value conditions of course ) in addition to 0.5% cash back on credit card spend and worldwide Travel Cover I remember when age of my cars precluded European cover and RAC wanted about £250 plus huge excesses Malc

I'm advised that Falken no longer manufacture 16" ( my size ) tyres Malc

Shelldrake, hi ............ everyone knows I had a traumatic time with SAGA a couple of years back and went with Markerstudy and saved £££££s This year Markerstudy price went ballistic ( heaven knows why ) so out of pique I contacted SAGA and ........ blimey.... they now have my business again and I saved many £00's I can't fathom out car insurance at all .................................. so maybe just try SAGA ( sorry guys I have been in Delhi for a month but have been reading all posts ) Malc

.............. some of you may remember the Saga saga for me a few years ago now ......... well, I'm back with them, their prices were just unbeatable this year ( lots of surprises there too ) and the Ls400 is £268 for 12k miles fully comprehensive with a ( what now seems standard £350 excess ) and £138 on the Mazda 323f ( limited 5k miles and £250 xcs ) ................that's with a full ( and more ) 9 Years NCD and zero change in my circumstances Beat my last year's local broker's quote, now with Sabre Insce, by about £225 for them both .............. my suggested premium for the Lexus with Markerstudy ( last year's Lexus insurer,) which last year was @£323 they wanted @£2k ...... barmy. Malc

... nope, it really is 100k miles in the USA Malc

....... I really don't understand this cambelt change period nonsense of the UK models requiring change at 62k miles and the USA models at 100k miles ....... when they are exactly the same engine and set-up. Can anyone give a rational and sensible explanation why the UK cambelts might fail so early compared to the USA ones ? when in fact the first Ls400s had no change period specified and the belt is known to last probably 150k miles before rupture ! being made from Kevlar type material. Thanks Malc

hi and welcome .. there was a very little something on the forum somewhere quite recently, well maybe end of last year, on the AWD Ls460 concept and it is so rare here in the UK that you might actually be the very only one owner of such a car in the UK Malc