Spottedlaurel

Thanks Phil and Piers. Good tip about the PCV valve. Just enjoyed a trip out to take daughter to work - any excuse! I think last week I used my 1973 Datsun 1200 which is the most ludicrously basic car you can imagine, so it was a bit of a contrast.... It definitely feels like something to keep, even if I have to store it for a bit until I can get it really nice. Everything here seems to work, and more importantly go out when it should. The floating effect is so cool. I built this Tamiya 1:24 kit version of the Celsior back in the early-mid '90s, never thinking I'd end up with a real example one day.

Crikey, the one I've just purchased was a rather small percentage of that price! As noted in another topic, I found yesterday that some insurers don't list any Lexus models, of whatever age, as 'classics'. After 25+ years of being involved with various Japanese car clubs, forums etc it's amazing that there is still this prejudice.

As alluded to in my message yesterday about classic insurance (thankfully resolved at sensible cost), I've just got myself back into LS ownership: Camry and Lexus by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr 1992 Lexus LS400 by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr As purchased, unseen after I first had a chat with the owner back in 2013 and left my number with him. Have seen it every so often since then, he finally rang me in the week and we agreed a price that meant I could try and give it a long-term future. It'd sat unused in his garage since Christmas but fired-up first time on a battery I took with me. MoT was just about to expire, but just today it got extended so I can use it sympathetically and then work out what to do with it. Treated it to a wash on the way home. Three related cars here. Very interesting to see the similarities between the Camry and LS. LS has more sense of occasion to drive than the RX, lovely as that is. It's done 161k and runs nicely, temperature good. Cam belt probably well overdue, if it doesn't need too much else on brakes/suspension/bodywork then I'll get that done as a priority. Edit: Just found that it was changed in 2011, 15,000 miles ago. So OK on mileage, but probably several years beyond the recommended change interval? All the family mucked-in with giving it a good clean-up inside, for the mileage it's worn its years well. Most things seem to work. I think the pearl white and silver colour scheme is fantastic. All present and correct, barely used. The chap I bought it from said he got it from someone who'd had it as a company car. It was sold new by Cooper Park Lane, London, and I still have the Club Lexus cards for the first keeper. Looks like Park Lane serviced it until 2001/118k miles. It drives really well, looking forward to enjoying it over the next few months then thinking about its future. Always wanted a Mk1 and this seems like a good start.

Interesting that you're also with FJ, presumably for several years? You might not get the same offering if going to them as a new customer. My renewal also went down last time, apparently because a couple of no-fault accidents were sufficiently far back in time to be disregarded. Slightly odd that my premium rose when they weren't my fault............

Thanks for the prompt response Alexander. Happily, FJ have seen sense and they've just added it to my current policy until May 2021 for a mere £36 🙂 I have all my other cars down for commuting and business use. I couldn't get business but they did offer commuting which is good - in these current times it's not like there's much other driving that I do...... More to come about the car itself at the weekend.

I'll tell more about the car soon, but for now I would be grateful for a quick bit of advice please. My current insurers, who I have five cars with including my daily driver RX and four classics, are saying their list specifically includes the LS400 as a classic. Without any additional NCB I dread to think what the quotation is going to be. They currently insure my '93 Camry, apparently that's OK as it's been with them for several years before this list came in ('grandfather rights' effectively). They might be able to use some discretion as I have been with them for a few years and have the RX as my modern car, but in case they come back with a "no" I need to look at someone else. I used to go to RH Specialist Insurance before swapping everything over to FJ, is there anyone else that others on here use successfully? I'm looking to collect it over the weekend so I'm hoping to get this sorted ASAP. I'm 50+ and live in a quiet rural area.

There's a place I drive by regularly that specialises in 4x4s and SUVs. He's had an RX or two in previously, the last 450h went fairly quickly. I noticed a smart red 60-reg RX appear on his forecourt earlier in the week: https://www.tradex4x4.co.uk/cars/lexus/rx/450hv6vvt-ie-cvtautose-i/345344/ I had time to stop today and have a look at it, when I found he'd got another one as well: https://www.tradex4x4.co.uk/cars/lexus/rx/450hv6vvt-ie-cvtautose-l/346876/ Red car would be the one for me if I had to choose with the great colour and interior combination, lower mileage, one less owner and no air suspension, and it's £1500 cheaper. Both had full matching sets of tyres and looked like decent examples, interesting to see what mine could look like in a few years' time. He might be a buyer for mine in years to come (although I'm still thinking I'll buy mine at the end of the PCP, with fairly low mileage and known history I'd be silly not to). Cheapest RX at Steven Eagell is a 2011 with 66k miles at £15.975. I haven't noticed any signficant price drop on any of their cars, wonder how they'll do for sales in the current climate? I bet if they were offering a part-ex valuation, they'd say the market is flat and no one's buying anything, but if wanting to make them an offer the opposite would be the case.....

Lots about mine here: And after my first year with it: From my experience, don't assume that if you buy an approved used car it will be really good and you won't need to give it a good lookover yourself, or that if there's a problem it will be smoothly dealt with. I won't be travelling to a certain dealer in Kent to buy any future Lexus.....

I have a 2014 RX450h, which I think is equivalent to what you're looking for? It's now on about 37k, I bought it last year with a low mileage of about 23k. There has been no appreciable wear and tear during that time, I wouldn't worry too much if you have to go for something of 40-50k which is probably more in line with cars of that age. At 40k it should have a major service, if you get something with 30-something bear this in mind or see that its gets done by the dealer. The spark plug change comes at 60k, regardless of age. RX definitely has a bigger boot than NX, having gone through two young children that's definitely something to bear in mind. I wouldn't say the RX has a particularly big boot, certainly not as large as the Avensis estate I used to have. I'd say the nex RAV4 is better in that regard. On the RX you can slide the seat forwards, which would be OK with young children who don't need the legroom, but then it opens up a gap between the parcel shelf and the back of the seat. As others have said, RX will cost a bit more to run and fuel than NX, but it is a lovely thing to drive.

Indeed. A low miles car can be neglected/abused, and a high-miler honest and well-maintained. Before my current RX I had a 14-reg model with relatively low mileage (30-odd thousand from memory), but that had some issues with damage to the underside from a less-than-careful previous owner. The dealer wouldn't fix it so I exchanged it for what I have now.

There's an expensive service at 60k, when the spark plugs need changing. If yours is beyond that then you'd want to see they were done. I'm getting similar MPG to Robert with my facelift model (I don't think there were any significant mechanical changes). Economy definitely improves in warm weather.

Could you jump it from a loose battery, so you don't need to worry about getting another car close to it? Mine went flat several weeks ago, but 'luckily' just enough to mean it wouldn't start but I could get into the boot etc. Not having a reliable set of jump leads and being frustrated that a £75 charger I bought didn't work, I got the AA round. He jumped it OK but said the battery was in need of replacement, However it's been fine since I've used the RX more regularly again. Maybe something to watch for in the winter, but I'd like to avoid spending £200 right now if I can.....

Sterling work Barry. After it recently went flat enough not to be able to start the RX I need to keep an eye on mine. The AA man reckoned it needed replacing but it seems to be working OK again for now, will see how it goes when I put the car back into everyday use next week.

I've just ordered one of those (also branded as Sealey). My RX's battery no longer has enough power to start it......

Cartell says it's a Luxury, and DVLA says first registered Sept 2014 so similar to what I have. Most of the Luxury models I've seen have the Design pack with undertrays front and rear. Mine doesn't, which gives it an odd look from some angles. MoT site says it'd done 54k at its last MoT, going up by about the typical 10-12k a year. It'll be close to 60k now, if not already passed it, so you'll want to see that the expensive 6yr/60,000 miles service has been done including changing of the spark plugs. If the dealer has changed tyres for the sale then in my experience they'll fit Dunlop or Bridgestone. It'd be nice to see it with a set of Michelin CrossClimates or similar all-seasons. I can't do much more than look at mine at the moment, and give it the odd run up and down the track - I look forward to doing some decent drives in it one day.

Fair point, that doesn't always mean they give anything back to us!

Got my renewal from FJ today. With all the current bad stuff happening, plus the issue with Lexus/Toyota hybrids and cat thefts, I was expecting a rise and to have to search for something new. Not easy with five cars to consider. But, the all-in cost came through at less than £660! The first benefit to me turning 50?........ Policy is with Ageas again, which I'm happy about.

I think they look great in maroon. I have photos of a couple: 1990/91 Lexus LS400 Mk1, H672YGF (1994) by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr This was one of many old shots I've purchased from the same photographer. He sadly died a few years ago and his son was selling them off. It appears we shared similar tastes and went to one or two of the same events, I'm even in the background of one of his photos. 1992 Lexus LS400 by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr The K...UPG plate suggests this was an ex-Lexus UK car. K553 UPG was used in a What Car? group test vs. Mercedes 600 SEL, Audi V8 and BMW 740i (November 1992). They placed it first, despite commenting on its lack of heritage and image.

Will they also relax their requirements for servicing to maintain the warranty cover? It doesn't apply to me as I (usually!) do more than 10k a year, but if somoeone does less and only has a service once a year which falls about now will they let that go to 15 months or whatever?

With due credit no problem at all. It's not a common magazine so I doubt many people will have seen it. I know what you mean, but there's something about the look of them on 15's.

I thought this might make for interesting reading on here. Buying Cars was a relatively short-lived publication from Haymarket, who also did Autocar and What Car? Interesting to read these 'everyday' views of it when starting to become a used car, and also to see inside the Mann Egerton workshop (especially with the old Colt Sapporo in there). I really liked my Mk3 LS, but there is something extra special about the look of the Mk1.

Last year I paid just under £850 for a 5-car multi vehicle policy with Footman James, for four 'classics' (1972 Datsun to 1993 Camry) on agreed value plus the RX, with business use on all of them. I live in a rural area and all the cars are on the driveway/garaged. The policy itself (certainly for the Lexus) is with Ageas. I haven't had to make a claim through them myself, but when I've been on the receiving end of two different accidents it turned out they were the other party's insurers. On both occasions they dealt with my side of it quickly and efficiently, so I was happy to see I ended up with them. I imagine the £850 cost splits down to about £450 on the RX and £100 each on the old ones. I remember there being a bit of a jump when I changed from the Avensis as my daily driver. My next renewal is due in May, by which time I'll be the right (or is it wrong?!) side of the age when Saga becomes an option. Will be interesting to do a bit of shopping around on the RX as a separate policy to see if it would be more cost effective to go that way.

An old Parker's Guide I have says IS200 was available as S, SE and Sport from UK launch in 1999.

Hmmm, it's a thought. It has just started happening so I'm inclined to think I've picked up something that's caused a slow puncture - given the places I drive I'm surprised it hasn't happened before.

Thanks Colin. None of those seem at all essential to me. They may even have a small benefit on ride quality and economy. I'd rather have 18 than 20" wheels, better-suited to pothole-strewn country roads. I've previously considered the Mazda 6 estate, but they only do the high-spec models on 19's with low profile tyres and that puts me off, despite it being a great-looking car otherwise. I suppose for 'just' £3000 difference the salespeople worked hard to ensure that buyers went for the better-equipped model, especially if it was leased or on finance as the monthly cost difference was probably negligible.