thatfatbloke

Thanks Mark. I assume that would be similar for my '97 MK3. I'll have a go when I get a bit of spare time. For now I'll stick a bit of insulation tape over the light as it annoys me!.

I seem to remember that this can be an LS problem. Washer bottle full,but warning light is on. Can't see anything that resembles an electrical connection at the top of the bottle. Is there a quick/easy way to repair/replace the affected part please?.

Michael,a couple of websites were saying that Cophall services at Polegate no longer did LPG,but they do as I checked on the way to pick her up. Is yours LPG too then?. The car was in Maidstone,Kent. He wanted £2000 for it,but he didn't get that much!. It was/still is on Gumtree. Drove lovely on the way home. The nearside mirror won't adjust in/out,but does up/down,and there are some nasty marks on the glass but may be able to sort that. The floor mats now reside in the boot!. Only downside of LPG that I can see is that you have to have the spare wheel,a matching Wolfrace,in the boot as the 78 litre tank is in the wheel well. LPG was installed in 2008 at a cost of £2100. I will now search for someone local to have a look at it just to make sure it's all good. I filled up with LPG on the way home at East Peckham. It has a system where when full you have I believe 3 green lights down to a red light when getting low. It was on one green light and cost £25 to fill it @ 59p per litre. The seller claims he gets 240 miles on £30 of LPG. As he drives like a complete nutter (he's Polish you know) and I drive like the vicar's wife,I'm hoping for a bit more maybe!. More reports and pics later. Ta ta.

Pick her up this morning. I said I'd be back!. I know the colour isn't to everyone's taste,but beggars can't be choosers. Has had timing belt/water pump/tensioners done recently,as well as spark plugs and leads,new battery,new Westlake tyres all round on Wolfrace wheels (that'll upset the purists!),recent oil and all filters renewed and all new rear brakes. Fitted with LPG with certificate. Has a few shallow scratches on nearside and a few marks on rear bumper. No dents or rust at all. Drives as she should with no rattles,bangs or knocks and goes like the wind. 150,000 miles with part service history. All pixels present and correct. Unfortunately the nearest LPG supplier is about 15 miles from me,unless anyone local to Eastbourne knows better,but it won't be a big hardship driving out there to fill her up I can assure you. LPG suppliers seem to be getting fewer and fewer. Pictures are from the advert,but will take more once I've got her home. The last picture is of the colour I would really like. Who knows.

Thanks mikeyv,I'll pop down there this morning and take a look. As you say,the inspection report doesn't bode well. I'm going to take a look at a MK3 with lpg this afternoon,so may come home with that.

Seems a bit pricey but I'll wave pound notes under his nose,nearly always works!.

If anyone is able to have a quick look at the car in the link below,I would appreciate it. Thanks. http://www.routeonecars.co.uk/used-cars/lexus-ls-430-4-3-4dr-poole-201606034572984

Funny how we still call them 'wing' mirrors innit. I think the last car I had with the mirrors on the wings (where I personally prefer them) was a Triumph Herald.

Yes,the more I read about 430's,the more I'm inclined to stay with a MK3. I thought they were going to have to bury me in my last one,but a stupid woman in a 1967 Mini put paid to that when she crashed into the back of my parked LS and wrote it off.

I've seen that. Trader not doing himself any favours by saying that 'Parts for these cars are very expensive' I'd have thought.

Yes that's the one.

Taking my pension pot early in a few weeks time and will be on the look out for my mid life crisis car. Looks as if I'll be going for a 430 as there are fewer and fewer 400's around at the moment. I've only had two MK3 400's before,so know very little about 430's. Do they all have stainless steel exhausts?. Do they all have air suspension?. Do they all have all the rear massaging/reclining/separate stereo system stuff?. I know they can apparently have steering wheel 'in out' motor problems,but are there any other problems to look out for?. Is the timing belt any cheaper/more expensive to replace than the 400?. Is the stereo as good as the one in the 400?. (important). Should I go for a 430 rather than the Merc CLK55 AMG I've fallen in love with!!. Ta.

Hi. Hope you are all well. Still looking for possible LS's to buy. I've come across an '02 430 at a Croydon trader. No mention of MOT in ads on ebay or Autotrader,but more of a concern is when I check the MOT history on the Gov.UK site all I get is 'No vehicle that matched the data you entered could be found'. Does the website make errors?. Should I leave well alone?. Will try to contact the trader later to see what the situation is.

'Deposit now taken' on the green one in original post. Anyone here?. By the way,in a few weeks I shall be in the market for one again. A mint MK3 with 10,000 miles in black for £500 would be nice!. So if anyone hears of one................. I was considering a W220 S320 3.2 cdi Merc,but the cost of any air suspension or Command problems put me orf.

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/lexus/ls/1997-lexus-ls-400-1-owner-from-new-fsh-excellent-condition-full-years-mot/5657693?v=b Seems to have differing number plates!. The one on the front has quite a few advisories on it. The one on the back doesn't belong to a Lexus. Nice though.

Nice to see a decent,thorough description for a change. Needs a few little bits done,but she is 21 years old. I was falling apart at 21,and it's been downhill ever since. If I had the cash available I'd be up the M1 like a rat up a drainpipe waving £1000 under his snitch. Only paid half that for each of my previous LS's. One day.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Superb-1995-Lexus-LS400-Mark-3-Only-105-000-miles-99-classic-insurance-/272217588621?hash=item3f616ec38d:g:Sq4AAOSwd3dXFoZs Of any interest to anybody?. I'll have to stick to the Passat for a bit longer I'm afraid.

And another thing,we didn't see one LS in those 400 miles yesterday. Becoming quite exclusive now. Only one that came close was a GS300. Could have been on your manor Pete. Had to go to a campsite behind Michaelwood services on the M5.

Hi. Since my MK3 LS was written off last December,I've been tooling about in a '03 Passat 2.5 V6 tdi estate. ( I hear you say!). Whilst obviously not comparable to an LS,she has been reliable and comfortable. But the fuel economy is abysmal. Had to do a 400 mile round trip to Gloucestershire yesterday and she is only showing 28.8 mpg on the computer!. On similar trips in the LS I used to get 30 mpg. On my usual 20 mile round commute the LS did around 22 mpg,Passat does around 24 mpg,so not much of a saving really. I'm going to try an air filter change to see if that makes any difference,if not she'll have to go to be replaced by................................an LS of course. Looking forward to it. Ta Ta.

Financially this would have been the best option,but unfortunately I just don't have the space to do this. We have to squeeze both my old woman's Merc E320 and my car onto a very small drive - and that's it.

Sorry to say that I have had to purchase another car so I can get to work. Please realise that it will only be a stop gap car until another LS comes along!. I've gone for a 2 owner 53 plate VW Passat 2.5 V6 tdi estate. It was cheap because of the high mileage for the year (233,000) but I believe these engines last. She is in sexy black with unmarked bodywork and with sexy black leather! Apparently been chipped to get 190 bhp from the standard 150,I quite believe it as she does fly. Current owner has recently renewed engine oil and all filters,had the autobox serviced,repainted both front wings as they were getting scabby,all tyres are less than a year old and she's MOT'd 'til January next year with just a couple of small advisories. As for my insurance claim for Lexie,the assessors aren't budging on the £600 offer,as she was a total loss in 2003 and had a bit of pre - accident damage which affects the value quite dramatically. Fair enough,so I've accepted it,and with the £250 I sold her for that adds up to exactly what I'll be paying for the VW. Result - I suppose. The Passat will be my 64th car,and the first VW since about 1987 when I had a VW camper.

I've now agreed the valuation so am able to do what I want with it. The reason it was low was because it had been a Cat D total loss in 2003. The estimate to repair her this time is £9316.80!!. I got £250 for the salvage today,plus the £570 I'll get from the insurance so I suppose it's not too bad (she only cost me £500 15 months ago). But I still can't get another for that price,certainly not with only 136,000 on her.

She's now gone to a guy that's going to transplant the engine and box into a Toyota Hilux. Insurance company dragging their heels with another offer. Still have hire car 'til sorted. I'm afraid I won't be getting another LS,too many dodgy ones in my price range. I'll pop by now and then and keep an eye on things. Thanks to all that have replied to my questions. Ta ta.

Thanks chaps. That saves me a 150 mile hike. Doesn't look as if I'll be able to replace my recently written off LS with another one unfortunately. All that seems to be around are high milers for silly money,or dodgy ones. Looking at a 2001 B*W 320 CI SE around the corner at the moment at a reasonable price. You never know ,something may turn up,like a one owner,20,000 mile MK3 in pristine condition for £300!!.