Malc

Ah, but my 13yrs continuous ownership has been with three cars ...... Mk1, Mk2 and now my Mk3 .......... does that count as classic ? or maybe it's me being a classic, due to age and looks ( old and slightly knackered ) ............. :outforcount: Malc

no earthly reason for a Ls400 to be in a garage for any length of time unless it belonged to the proprietor or a mechanic there and yippeeee ........... it might well have had a bit of a charmed life and the guys there will tell you lots of its history and give you some useful provenance which garage was it in Rye btw ? Malc

Probably only if it was sufficiently noticeable to warrant one and a possibility that the ball joint(s) might need attention before the next MOT. However Advisories are just that and many members have had advisories for rust where the look of dark oxidised, otherwise steel bright metal, is showing ............ where there's absolutely zero likelihood of structural rust al all !! ....... ever Malc

You can also now check the MOT Advisories with the DVLA. It's probably still a free service and might help you Malc

sorry to hear that you have been infected by that lowlife disease. Welcome to the club in any event. Your's is surely getting to be quite a rare beast these days ! Malc

If you can't justify running, tax and insurance costs then maybe you could pop it away in a buddies garage / workshop / warehouse somewhere and SORN it .......... save it for later !! Malc

the ultimate " electric chair " ........... enjoy Malc

My advice would be to sell one of the others. .......... I just cannot imagine living without an Ls400 .............. but I have had one for 13 years now ...... would feel like chopping off an arm :doggy: Malc

I can still get parts for my 1932 Triumph Southern Cross Sports Tourer but doesn't mean to say the the Triumph Motor Company provides any support ........... or BMC ......... or British Leyland ............. hahahahaha ............ but I can still get all the bits I need from somewhere and there's only 8 of these little buggers left worldwide too. :outforcount: Malc

Kev, you are talking to aficionados here ............ . we are all probably a bit potty .............. or very very canny in keeping our Ls400s ................... for ever. Malc

Buy them soon ish if I were you if you want them. I understand the EU is about to ban the sale of chrome stuff and re-chroming due to the nasty stuff in it and people being infected with Chrome disease or whatever ............... . I jest not guys Malc

Saga, well, my experiences of them are as absolute shysters of the first degree ...... wait till next year's premium comes thru .................... will any of them ever be honest and ethical ....... sorry, rhetorical question .... we all know the answer Malc

I thought LV was possibly one of the ethical insurers left in this world ..... clearly not .......... £50 increase in premium for a substitute stainless back box system .............. arrrrgghhhhhhhhhh .... when will the insurers stupidity ever end !! Malc

send us some piccys of your new beloved won't you !!! Malc

The 430 telescopic stuff might well cost you a grand to sort out. The window will be several hundred possibly too. I would steer towards the Ls400 Malc

C'est la vie Malc

I wouldn't know in this instance BUT I would have thought all new Lexus would come with Toyota branded batteries. When I bought a new battery for mine in April 2012 I bought it from Lexus and of course it fitted well ( the Mk3 only fits properly the correct Toyota battery ) and is guaranteed for 3 years BUT they told me it would probably last 5 yrs minimum. I don't think I remember seeing anywhere in the Full Lexus Service History with the car any mention of a new battery. I might have replaced the original too. Malc

Servicing and maintenance costs likely to be ............ ???? Malc

If it was mine . and at £1400 it should be if i was looking for one now ....... I would not worry about the lower ball joints, they are NOT expensive to sort out ( unlike the upper wishbones which you say are ok ) and I would not bother with the cambelt at only sub 100k miles having beeen rerplaced at 63k miles.( albeit some time ago now ) you will probably get many years from the cambelt if truth be known, otherwise it's going to cost you at least £500 to do that alone. i would be more concerned with the tyres quite honestly ( £100 a corner ) and having a simple oil change, filters and fluid checks service. If it drives and sounds ok to you, and your happy with the bodywork etc. At £1400 it sounds a bit of a gift to me. Malc

Incomprehensible that the owner hasn't got some service history to prove it over the last 5 years. Look at the last MOTs for Advisories. You can do a DVLA MOT Advisories check too with the right log book info. and it's free ( well it was ) But on balance, if it drives and sounds ok and you have done the MOT checking stuff then maybe just go4it and buy it. Doesn't seem expensive for a sub 100k motor if you're happy with all else. Malc

Ok, just thinking aloud here now ......... the Lexus diagnostic check said you needed 4 new camshafts and thank heavens you didn't BUT just goes to show how incorrect even the very best diagnostics, with zillions spent developing the kit, can show up wrong issues. In any event the engine had to be taken to pieces BUT it then comes down to a simple expert guy with his hands on the job sorting a slightly different issue. How do we ever get to trust diagnostics for the future I ask !! Malc

Thank heavens it's sorted. Now for many years of trouble free motoring. Malc

Wow, if the front wishbones have been replaced recently then that's a real result for you ...... if they used genuine Lexus parts .. at@£350 a side |!! ... the non Lexus parts seem to crap out after a year or two, genuine parts seem to last for, well, 17 years. It probably doesn't have a radio code. Locking wheel nuts, well, if you have a flat tyre I'm sure the tyre fitters will have the appropriate method ...... maybe ask them to sort it for you now and maybe save the £30. Malc

I remember reading several posts on here about Ls430 batteries discharging prematurely. It seems to be in the nature of the Ls430. Not sure what the solution might be BUT guys do use solar chargers to support the battery life. The batteries in Ls400s seem not to suffer the same issues !!! . fingers xd. Malc ( remember: another reason not to change to a 430 )

I've got the girlfriend Malc