thatfatbloke

My old MK3 was L400 UFO and gold in colour. Sold it earlier this year to someone in the London area. Showing as SORN at the moment though.

I see he doesn't mention the two different shades of gold paint , the usual radio display LCD problem or the banging from front nearside under hard braking at slow speed, I assume he must have found a used power steering pump from somewhere and replaced the u shaped pipe too. I thought MK 3's were 270 BHP too, not 284. I knew he was a small time (Polish) trader though I think the bloke selling it is his son. You never know I may buy her back as I really loved her, just didn't have the time the space or the finances to fix her.

I listed her on ebay on Thursday at 15.00 and within twenty minutes a bloke hit the buy it now button. I thought it would be a messer, but the guy duly travelled 80 miles yesterday to pick her up and drive her home leak and all. He's a trader in the North London area and he reckons on getting her fixed up and re-sold. So keep an eye out for her. 'L400 UFO' plate, gold MK3 with LPG, MOT September, 162000 miles. My long suffering wife asked me if I would buy another LS, I said probably not as the three LS's I've owned have all come to a sticky end. The first one failed at the hands of the MOT tester (all four coil springs broken plus another couple of things which would have cost around £800 to repair). The second one was written off when a 1965 mini collided with the rear end, and this was the third one. I have always had to buy at the bottom end of the market so should expect problems, but there again I could have spent considerably more and still had the same problems. I am now the (not so) proud owner of a 1997 Volvo V70 2.0 non turbo estate which the previous owner seems to have been using to demolish gate posts and street lights with!. Oh well, who knows, one day I may return to the fold of LS ownership, but only when I have enough money to pay for repairs too. Happy New Year.

Had the power steering leak looked at today (see previous thread). The pump is leaking as is the pipe that runs close to the radiator. The garage phoned around everywhere about the pump, but kept being told 'main dealer only'. Main dealer want £1900 for the two items!!. Can't really use her anymore as fluid is leaking on to the alternator and making the electrics cut out. I could wait and see if I can find a used pump I suppose, but I need a car to get to work every day. So I am afraid she will have to go to the great scrapyard in the sky, which is a shame as I really loved her.

Booked in to be looked at on Thursday as seems to be affecting alternator. I've now lost the lights on a couple of occasions early morning on way to work. Not ideal!. Fingers crossed.

I am having to top up my fluid regularly now. About a quarter of a cupful when it starts hollering after about 200 miles. I know that this is a known issue with the LS, and the fluid can leak on to the alternator, messing that up as well. No problems with the alternator so far. I'm too old 'n fat to go messin' around under cars these days, and space looks in short supply from the top. Where is the most likely place the leak is liable to be so I can inform Mr Mender Man next week?. Ta.

The old girl went straight through the MOT on Saturday with one advisory for 'offside front seat lower support loose'. When I enquired about the slight squealing from the front brakes, I was told that it was possibly due to 'anti squeal shims' or something similar. Apparently plenty of meat on discs and pads which was my concern. I'll have to get my man to have a look, it's not very Lexuslike and I want it to stop.

Now there's an idea. Cheaper than the respray I was pondering on, and I wouldn't have to park it six miles away from the Tesco car park to avoid the dings and scratches.

Hi. It's been a while. It's about time I did something about the slightly different shades of gold on my old girl. It seems that the bonnet roof and boot lid are a lighter shade, also strangely the fuel filler flap. Is there anything available that would get her back to being the same colour all over please (other than a respray)?. I can't seem to find a product similar to T-Cut specifically for gold. Thanks.

Phil, was this somewhere local to us (Sussex)?. I sold my old written off LS to a guy in Peacehaven 2.5 years ago as he wanted the engine for his Hilux. I doubt if he would have kept it this long though.

Appears to have had an under bonnet fire to me, but may be just very bad paint work. I suppose the number plate could be sold to someone that lives in Bala………..possibly.

I may have asked this before, but can't find the post. Do I need 'ordinary' spark plugs when running LPG?. I notice on Fleabay a seller knocking out Bosch Super Plus for £16 for all eight plugs, whereas Denso Iridium come in anywhere between £40-£80.

Thanks mate. I've got this to look forward to in a few weeks!.

Anyone else having trouble finding LPG at the moment?. My two local ones were expecting deliveries last Friday, but are both still without.

Happened again on Saturday. This time in slow moving traffic, dashboard lights went out and lost power steering, engine still runs and driveable albeit with heavy steering. Into park, ignition off, start engine again, no problem for rest of journey. Forgot to fiddle with key to see if it's that. Off to the mender man it is then.

My old girl will be 21 years old on 20th August this year. LPG fitted about 10 years ago. Now on 160,000 miles and a pleasure to drive. Originally an 'R' reg, but couldn't resist buying the number plate.

Yesterday evening I was wafting down a fairly fast A road, when all of a sudden the headlights and dashboard lights went out. I won't say what I said on here, but a quick off/on of the switch restored the headlights, but the dashboard lights needed a swift slap on top of the dash for them to come back on. Didn't do it again for the rest of the journey. I'm about to go out and test the battery connections as that's the only thing I can think of that may cause that. Any other ideas please?. Ta.

Not if I can help it!. I have had to do a small job on her '05 Mercedes C320 oil burner today (again). I knew she would ask to borrow my LS to get to work, but I had pre-empted that one, telling her I needed it to go and get stuff for her car as hers was not safe to use until fixed. It meant having to give her a lift of course, but heyho. She is a wonderful, calm and patient woman - until she gets behind the wheel, then she grows horns. The road is hers, nobody else has the right to be there at the same time as her. Woe betide anyone who even thinks of overtaking her or burning her away at the lights. Don't bother, you won't win. The language sometimes is quite shocking from someone who otherwise would say nothing worse than 'damn'. Having said that she has never had an accident in the 25 years I've known her (probably caused a lot though). She was taught to drive by an ex Met. Police training geezer who apparently preferred his pupils to use the gearbox for slowing down, touching the brake pedal was a last resort and reserved for emergencies or 'pansies' only!. It took me years to get out of the habit of hovering my right foot over the imaginary brake pedal when I was a passenger and thinking 'I would have been braking by now'. She absolutely loves the LS, as do I, and admits that it is a far superior car to her Merc. though the LS is 8 years older. We have had no amount of older Mercs, W124's a W126 and a few 190e's all far better cars than more modern Mercs. They were great up until about '95, then took a nosedive. Must go, I've got to go and pick her up. Guess which car I shall be taking.

Unbelievably she was MOT'd (straight through) and taxed in June this year. MOT was done in East London, when the car still lives in Eastbourne. Hmmmm......................

I seem to remember a while ago reading of a system whereby there was a flap (or two) in the exhaust which when a switch was activated on the dash,the flaps would open and give the sound desired. With flaps closed the exhaust would sound normal. I personally prefer the quietness of my MK3, but every now and then I get the wind up my jacksy and would love to hear a mighty 'burble' even for just a few seconds,then shut the flaps again. A long time ago I had a V8 Range Rover with a decaying exhaust,she sounded lovely - until the Plods gave me a tug.

She went straight through the MOT yesterday with no advisories. Well chuffed. The bit that miffs me is the fact that I don't get a reduction on RFL for LPG. The CO limit is a max of 3.5% and mine was 0.0%,the max for HC is 1200 ppm and mine was 64 ppm.

I too had a W124 300TE a few years ago,so easy to work on (if ever needed). God,I loved that car.

I have arms like a gibbon. There was no way I could have got my blubbery body actually under the car. Most awkward bit was locating the rear screw of the under tray into it's hole to reattach,but realised afterwards that I could have left the two rear screws in place to complete the operation. It would have meant having to hold the bowl to catch the oil as the bowl would have sat on the under tray at an angle. Had to lay on my left side for most of it,and that's the side that I had a hip replacement on six years ago. I paid for that the next morning,hip hurt like hell.

A bit out your way,but closer than Wales - New Farm Motor Services in Alresford near Winchester. They serviced my LPG last December.

......all went well,but hate the plastic cover thing under the engine!. Managed to do the whole procedure without using any jacks or axle stands....just. Sump plug a bit tight,but for once the oil filter hadn't been screwed on by a gorilla. Did consider leaving the cover off as the four screws (I think) in the middle were all missing,but persevered and got there in the end. Five litres of oil got to the full mark on the dipstick,but will check after a few miles and top up if necessary. Six litres of Castrol Magnatec 5/30 £41.99 and a Fram filter £6.99,both from Fleabay. The jobs a goodun. Now on with tiling the bathroom.............