Malc

I suppose the expansion tank cap is OK ? on my 92 LS400 the rubber insert was a bit dodgy and that caused fluid loss from the expansion tank Malc

Well, would you believe it !!!! There are two LS400s for sale on this site ..... I was just trawling thru' to check my Triumph Southern Cross Sports Tourer was still listed. Malc

I may stand to be corrected but the MK4 timing belt change is at 100k miles and the earlier models at 60k miles. Notwithstanding, I did read a report ( somewhere ) that failure of a belt would probably occur only at @150, 000 miles........................ don't wait to become another statistic tho ' Malc

I found that on my earlier LS400, the brake pad wear light gave me about 6 months notice before they really needed changing ! Better safe than sorry I guess for Lexus to err on the side of caution. Malc

any suggested / authorititive conclusion yet then guys ? even just in summary for the less technically able amongst us please. Malc

Hmmm .. but what on earth car could you get for £2000 of the same quality and longevity I wonder .. what a dreadful decision to have to make when the time comes. Malc

He is Malc

I lived with mine exactly like that for 3.5 years and nothing ever untoward ! Malc

Bugger ............ and there's me thinking my LS400 would see me out for the rest of my driving days ...... . about another 25 years in my reckoning.......... and that would make the car 42 years old ........... my classic Triumph is 80 this year so maybe..... just maybe Malc

Thank you ............ so at £1000 the car's going to be a scrapper at some time just because of the exhaust flanges ! Welding to rust isn't an option tho' .... so where does that take us ? Difficult to comprehend it's just terminal . Malc

Can we just have a rain - check with this please. Have we reached any sort of conclusion guys ? Am I reading that if the flanges are kaput or starting to go that way, that if they are remedied somehow BEFORE they get too bad then that will preserve the life of the cats ? and that if they are left to go too far in deteriorating then that will accelerate the death of the cats, where they too are affected by tin mice. Just some informed view and guidance please from someone who has the knowledge please. I'm confused ...... but that's not difficult ! Thanks Malc

Strange, I had the same problem with my Mk2 and could never think that the waterpump was leaking coz it never dropped any further ! even after just leaving it for months ........ I put it down to evaporation or pressure build up that popped the excess out of the header unit until it reached that critical level. Wouldn't the level just continue to drop until the tank was empty ( and more ) if the waterpump really was leaking ? Malc

And this is why, I guess, they quote different SAE viscosity grades for different likely ambient temperatures ..... in my Toyota 1995 Lexus LS400 Owners Manual pge 180 specification .... the ( common ) 10 / 40 oil looks to cover the range that I might experience in Kent. Malc

Can we ask why it's fallen ? Malc

Too much choice I reckon ............. and also some of them are only 4ltr packs ! Comma have been making oil for engines for ever I think, as has Mobil ........... and Castrol / BP ( same family ? ) Bet they ALL come from only one or two seperate sources really though. .......... including your favoured ASDA brand. Anyone ever heard of a LS400 engine failing for want of the " right type " of oil ? Malc

In my limited experience ( as an ex car dealer and trader, some years ago now tho' ) at auction you get to see the car, read it's history ( if there is any ) check out the MOT and documents, and then watch and listen to the car being driven through the block by one of the auction house staff as you make your bid. That's it ! You might even know the vendor maybe ( another car trader or garage ) to give you some inkling of it's quality or not. If the car is cheap ( as a Lexus LS400 will be ) it will probably be " sold as seen " with NO recourse. Drive away when you have paid your cleared funds to the auction house and expect it to have little or no fuel, maybe no road tax and maybe just a day or two's MOT possibly. And don't forget to pre-arrange the insurance OR get a car trader friend to help you, drive it away for you on his trade plates and then worry about the road tax situation and insurance at your leisure. More expensive cars from dealers and the like just might have some sort of warranted mileage etc and especially if they have come off lease rental or whatever. Bit of a chancy thing to do to my mind without some help from a friend who knows summat about the car you're thinking of buying ! But you might get a goodun and be laughing all the way to the bank .. don't forget that car dealers and traders also BUY cars at auctions and assess their likely purchase from a position of some knowledge and strength. Good luck if you go that route Malc

I'm using very successfully, Wilkinsons own Wilko semi-synthetic 10 / 40 at £14.50 for 5ltrs. It worked well in my Mk2 and expect it will in my Mk3 on, for me, it's first oil change. Daresay Mobil or BP or somene like that makes it for Wilko anyway. These are amazingly robust engines you know ! Malc

I have read the manual, Theft Deterrent section and quite honestly it's gobbledegook to me, a layman ! Does anyone have any thoughts here to tell me, quite simply, how to turn off the alarm sound but retain the whole remaining function engaged by that fuse ? Thanks. Malc

Hi, does anybody know a simple solution please. My MK3 alarm has a habit of going off sometimes for no apparent reason. I have the usual 3 button and red panic button on my keyfob. My car battery is new too. And I have removed metallic objects from the door pockets etc . I don't want to remove the appropriate fuse because that also powers up the steering wheel rake and remote boot release and also the central locking. Is there a simple solution just to turn off the alarm sound ? Thanks. Malc

I have had total and utter faith in each of my 3 Lexus LS400's and only rarely been let down in 10 years of sumptious and wonderful motoring. Just been to Wales and back in 2 days covering 740 miles at an average of 30.04mpg. Amazing but it just loves Motorway driving whatever the congestion and speed. Normal motoring it's just about 23 ish on a good day ! Malc

Maybe try to find someone on here who is selling a good one . that might take some of the sting from the trauma of finding one. Wasn't I lucky to find ACLex's magnificent Mk3 and get that,........... last June now ! Malc

That sounds a promising and cost effective solution then. Do let us know how you progreess with it. Thanks. Malc

Hang on a minute .......... I remember reading, maybe years ago of this sort of problem arising and maybe, just maybe there was a simpler solution ! I can't remember and I'm not at all sure where to look BUT there was something that was said to help on the wallet ! Does anyone have a longer memory than me I wonder. I'm saying this because my Lexus just had an emissions advisory on the MOT and my mechanic guy looked and used some gunge to temporarily fix the imperceptible leak . He said it will be fixable like this for ages BUT I would like to remedy somehow and very cost effectively. So can anyone help on here as to what the simpler and more cost effective solution might be for the future please ? Thanks. Malc

Quite honestly guys ..... and girls ................ a LS400 nicely polished and clean and sparkling will always be a very attractive car .... and at £1200 / 1300 / etc wot on earth can you get that good especially if it has service history and a new MOT and you have seen the advisories ( or looked at them via the DVLA facility ! ) prior. And if it drives well and you're happy visiting the petrol pumps not infrequently then just go4it. I really do like the Mk2s and 3s especially ! I'd be absolutely amazed if these aren't future classics too. Malc

The remote lock / boot release might be as simple as turning the key in the lock alongside it ! I had that problem on mine and someone here advised me that the lock adjacent probably needed turning ! Twas as simple as that ! Thank heavens. And the drip from the roof lining couldn't really be the screen leaking ... it's above that you say ? Very likely just the sunroof drain holes. I had that same problem.. Malc