GreyBeard

thank you to ken dood and claire. you've probably summed up the views of the silent majority, to add to those of the more vociferous.

novel idea, but some of the dearer std ones (comparable in price to this) will give a readout from each sensor, which would give you a better idea of what was where behind you. i saw one the other day which was a satnav system, where the screen displayed the sensor readouts, and would also show a picture from a rearview camera, but it was a grand, and now i can't find where i saw it!

you're right, but atwhat stage do you stop? the cars worth, maybe 4 grand. including my purchase price, i've paid altogether just over 8 grand. each time something else needed fixing, i had to weigh up what it would be worth if i sold it 'as was', and the conclusion is always the same, would i get a car in such good condition for, say, another grand?

however, watching eBay has shown that much newer ones go for very low money, tho you could still end up paying another 2 or 3 grand to bring it up to a first class level, and i've almost got one of those already!

it's like going out with an attractive girl, they cost more than the 'bog standard' variety, but what they do for you outweighs the extra cost!!

i've seen this mentioned before - if i recall, you gently warm the badge to make the adhesive 'softer' then you rotate the badge to break the grip of the glue. in the process you break off the pins that locate it properly.

then you stick it back on again, perhaps even improvise some new pins. or just buy a new one for £30 or so!

are you sure it's not one of the sophisticated new systems where it flashes your key ring when your car is driven more than a mile away from you?

the old fashioned way would be to re-locate the 16W bulb in the boot in a safe place where bulb heat isn't a problem, and just let it switch on and off with the stop lights, but where no-one can see it.

i posted a comment a couple days back about the survey where lexus dealers appeared to come out very well, however, it was only in their relationship with Lexus GB. i still feel that the relationship between customer and franchisee needs to be worked upon. i can't see that your lexus dealer has a leg to stand on, and i guess the MD (probably the owner of the franchise) will realise this.

thanks for the pearson link - he makes it look soooo easy!

This link gives you several options for obtaining Lexus servicing/maintenance information. Option number 6 in particular sounds like a great deal if you have broadband and can download all the info you need in one day!

TIS is only for american import version cars, and secondly, the biggest hurdle, they won't open an account for anyone without a USA postal address for billing.

i had my heart attack just BEFORE buying the lexus, so i'd already had the double bypass before i had to cope with the sort of bills you're talking about above!! mind you, i think the op affected my powers of reasoning, cos mines cost me over 6 grand since november, and i've only been able to drive it 500 miles so far!

it finally went for £9,700 BUT i don't think we should take this to heart cos it was bought by a new eBayer with ZERO feedback!

would anyone care if the server clock was 8 hours fast (or however much would be needed)? wouldn't this then cure the problem?

i guess it means if the valves are fully lifted, i.e., down towards the pistons, the pistons will still not hit them, even at TDC.

does this also apply to the V8 LS400 1990?

i've recently been quoted £160 for the three printed volumes!

i've got one of the mitchells sets for the lexus, but i'm not very impressed. the Beemer set is much more comprehensive.

[MANY THANKS TO MARIA AND DEREK

BACK LIGHT FOR MY LS 400 STEREO IS NOW WORKING

CONTACT WWW.dsautoelectrical.co.uk

DEREK 07796 268848

I AM SURE THEY WILL BE ABLE TO HELP.]

glad they could do it for you - when i get mine back from it's long-term parking bay in the garage(!!) i'll pop round and get them to do mine, after all a few hundred on top of what i've spent won't even ripple the surface!

if only i could rely on mine being running by then, cos i've just spent 2,250 getting it resprayed original colours! but until it runs for a week without breaking down, i couldn't trust it!

i'm using a non-franchise dealer who has a reputation for being first class, but his rates are a lot less than lexus dealer. someone somewhere will have a list! (if anyone want's to know, i've got a list of labour times for bodywork repairs (as used by coachworks)).

thanks for your input but keep looking!

thanks - i imagine that this information is not the sort of thing that a dealer would generally want to be bandied about. maybe i'm wrong, but i guess the proof of the pudding etc...!!

just been there, bought the book, tee shirt and paid off the national debt! warped head/s, only shows up when engine is good and hot. mine may have been triggered by a split in the rad and the water ran away, then the temp gauge stuck at half way and didn't show that the block was very hot, and the water level switch in the header bottle wasn't working or had been bypassed!

i do hope this isn't your problem! but don't let them fob you off with 'theres no leak in the gasket' cos they must test it when it's fully hot. if you want to discuss it, PM me and i'll give you a ring.

in the space of two months or so, i've been presented with repair bills of approx 4 grand, all to do with servicing, cam belt, new radiator, front pads, etc., etc., and the latest thing, warped heads, gaskets, skimming, etc.

so that i can argue with the garage, does anyone have a table of job times for a LS400 1990?

when i read the press release on the motor trader web site, it seemed to me that it was a survey where car dealer franchisees voted as to how they thought of their supplier, i.e., lexus, ford, bmw, etc.

on that basis, it seems that lexus franchisees get better service from lexus GB, than we, the consumer, get from lexus dealers. which begs the questions, if the manufacturer is so good, and the franchise holders are letting them down, why don't they do what MacDonalds do in the same circumstances, and just take over the franchise? or better still, buy out all the dealers (there aren't that many) and run the whole operation?

tescos wouldn't be so consistantly successful if their stores were all franchises.

WELCOME They call the ls400 The Magic Carpet for its smooth ride.

Nah! it's called magic carpet cos your money just goes up up and away!! :D

yep still there, and in eBay parlance "comms poor"!

when they did my four-wheel tracking and camber they charged £54 plus VAT which i didn't think was bad, especially as both rears camber was out by one degree. (old springs i suppose, and worn bushes).

it's now been with them 10 days and they've not been able to give me any info about what it is and how long it'll take.

good job i've got a coupla other vehicles!

i'm going to get a coupla window stickers made up saying 'my other car's a Lexus, but it's broken down, again!' !

i think it should be, but then i'm of the opinion that everything should work properly and if it doesn't, it should be covered by the 'unsuitable for purpose' legislation, which i recon water in the lights is anyway. there must be a solicitor in the club cos someone has to be able to afford the new lexus's that we all buy when they get down to our price! perhaps he/she could offer an opinion, the right sale of goods wording, and that stuff!

how can you post a personalised number plate without actually saying what it is?