thatfatbloke

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201411108888956?radius=1500&model=ls_400&make=lexus&postcode=bn228ew&onesearchad=used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew&page=1&price-to=1000&sort=default&quicksearch=true&search-target=usedcars&logcode=p MOT history search reveals mileage at MOT last September as 184,000. He also has a V plate Camry with 50,000 on.

You've not put diesel in it by mistake have you?. Or maybe a bad batch of petrol.

Aah W124,had a few of them. Still miss my late 300TE.

Got mine replaced on the insurance. Paid excess of £75. AA did it. No problem with the screen itself,but ensure the fitter has replaced the wiper blades in the right position before he leaves,as they could either bang on the scuttle or on the pillar.

Yes,got a 14 plate diesel Insignia until this is all sorted.

Car has been deemed a Cat C write off by the way. Have had a few enquiries from people wanting to buy the car as it is (banger boys etc) but will have to enquire as to the procedure for this as not done it before.

Insurance company have made their first offer. £600 !!. Told them to 'go away'. They told me to e-mail proof of a higher price. I did. Two on Autotrader, both '97 MK3's like mine but with 60-70,000 more miles on for £1089 and £1500. I await the reply with bated breath. Am I being unreasonable here?. Surely as the innocent party,I'm entitled to look for a 'like for like' car,which £600 ain't going to get.

Whilst on the subject of MK4's,they (according to Autotrader) have a few more B.H.P. and a five speed box,but have identical fuel consumption and 0-60 times for some reason. Are there any other differences such as suspension,wheel size etc.?. Will do my best to get a MK3 when the time comes,but want to be prepared for a MK4 if I have to go down that route. Ta.

As some will know my MK3 was recently written off. I've not had a MK4 before,so does the sat nav system actually need the disc to function properly as there seem to be a few (not just Lexus) about being advertised as having no disc?. Is it worth messing around getting a disc or should I just stick to my old Garmin type portable system?.

Thanks for all your kind thoughts and advice. I guess all cars have an achilles heel as I once had to replace a brake light bulb on the LS. Rotting floors and knackered autoboxes however are a different kettle of cod. I have been looking at other types of cars of course,but the top of the list is still a MK3 LS400. Here are some others I may consider: GS300 (seems to have the same sound system as the LS,which is nice) S-Type 3.0 X-Type 3.0 or 2.5 sport (please don't mention the Mondeo connection!). Drivers eye view in picture,looks a nice place to be. Saab 9-5 2.3 Aero Mercedes W124 E320 CE (getting way too much money now) Wolseley 6/110 and so on,blah blah. It will all depend what is about when the cheque turns up,but I will go to the ends of the earth (almost) to get another LS.

Went down the the body shop yard yesterday to retrieve the rest of my clobber out of her. The boot floor is very bent. As I left I had a tear in my eye as I said goodbye to her. A 20 stone truck driver with a tear in his eye ain't a pretty sight!. Anyway,onward and upward. The bloke at the body shop has an S-type Jag that he is willing to let go reasonably cheap!. As for the hire car,a 2014 Poxhall Insignia,what can I say. You feel every little bump,I smack my melon every time I get in and out,it's almost dangerously impossible to see when reversing,seats are like sitting on concrete,the autobox hesitates and the tyre/road noise is quite loud. On the plus side,the turbo diesel does pull like a train and the fuel gauge hasn't moved yet (probably broken).But as the bloke from the body shop said 'It's better than walking'.

Insurance company giving me a brand new Poxhall Insignia 'til the claim is sorted. That'll get a ragging then!. It won't be a patch on The Shed,but it'll do for now.

Thanks. A definite write off according to the repair shop. I bet you can't guess what she was hit by. Would you believe a 1967 Mini,and on a 30 mph road. She managed to hit a taxi first,which span the Mini around and into my car.

What a pi**er. She was parked up outside the yard minding her own business,and this happens!.

I replaced Bosch with Bosch last winter. It has done this ever since I have had car. Windscreen replaced a few months ago. Had to adjust this arm as it hit the scuttle after screen replacement. It sits nicely in the park position without hitting the scuttle now,but still hits the pillar when turning left!. Will have another look at the weekend to check the arm. I have a 14lb sledgehammer on stand-by.

Strange one this. When driving in a straight line,the wipers work fine with the drivers side one going to within about four inches or so of the screen pillar most of the time. However,when I turn left,the blade will hit the pillar with a resounding 'clonk'. Soon as I straighten up,things go back to normal. Turning right doesn't affect it. I've obviously adjusted the arm so that it 'parks' correctly and sits just out of sight when wipers switched off. Nut securing the arm is not loose. Weird - any ideas?. Ta.

Another vote for Magnatec here. I've used it in virtually every car I've owned. Never been a problem.Got the last lot at ECP.

Brings back memories of my old E plate Rangie I had a few years ago. Paid £300 for it,so you can tell it was a good one!. It was fine until you hit 44 mph,then it would make a beeline for the other side of the road in quite dramatic fashion. Kept it a few months,then sold it for what I paid for it to a guy who was starting up an offroading school. Those were the days.

'The Shed' failed on both front brake hoses and a binding brake (probably a sticking caliper). Here are the prices quoted for the hoses and new brake pads all round as they are low. Lexus - £191 An internet brake specialist - £125 Euro Car Parts - £99 ECP parts are 'Pagid',Lexus are Lexus (supposedly) and the other one a mixture of Ferodo and something else. Pagid sounds good to me!.

Just phoned Lexus Tunbridge Wells,they want £88 with a 3 year warranty. Forgot to ask if that's plus vat. Could have been a lot worse.

I'm using an ancient West German (Absaar) charger on 'normal' setting as opposed to 'fast'. Should be cooked in 24 hours. I'll just have to sit in 'The Shed' and make broom broom noises til then. Wait - it's an LS,they don't go broom broom. I'll have to make very quiet purring noises!. (I believe I purchased the Absaar from Halfrauds in 1984,when I needed to keep a few batteries charged up in my banger racing days.)

Got in 'The Shed' half an hour ago and - nothing. Someone who will remain nameless didn't shut the drivers door properly two days ago,and now the battery is as flat as a witches t*t. Question 1. Would the interior lights completely drain a good battery in two days,or should I be on the lookout for a replacement battery? It's a Bosch silver something and less than two years old. Question 2. Why on earth didn't the interior lights switch themselves off after a while,even with the door ajar?. Other cars I've had did. Ta.

I think the chauffeur must have been Jason Plato. And re. the suspension rattle,mine does that too over bumpy ground even after changing the anti roll bar bushes.

Blimey - £245 for cambelt/water pump/tensioners change. Is that price just the parts,or did it include fitting?. I keep being quoted three times that amount for doing the whole lot. I believe Lexus still do a belt change (only) for £295,but sure as eggs is eggs,they are bound to say everything else needs changing as soon as they get in there.

I was sorely tempted,but it's been sold now though.