mrdoofa

I’ve found one for sale on autotrader, it’s up at £4k, it’s done 156k miles and has had some considerable suspension work, ecu capacitors, new alternator and tyres amongst some other things. The cambelt was changed in 2010, not sure what mileage, the guy says the only thing that doesn’t work is the electric aerial. He also says if he gets the asking price he’ll MOT and service it too. What do you think?

Hi guys, Been a very long time since I’ve posted on here and I hope everybody is keeping well. I’m thinking about getting back into LS400 ownership, I’d like a nice mk4 example, prices seem to be all over the place, what seems to be the going rate for a decent mk4 these days, what can I expect for around £4K? I don’t want to spend too little and get a money pit but I don’t want to be ripped off either!!! Condition and service history as always is more important than mileage on these. If anybody knows of any decent ones for sale to fit that criteria or has any other advice I’d love to hear from you. TIA.

Thanks for your help and advice, I’ve asked for a more photos of the bonnet to see exactly how bad the scratching is, also I’ve asked if the rust has been properly dealt with as he said he put some rust preventer on then painted it for something to do during the lockdown. Would you say £2,750 is a fair price? It’ll come with the remaining 6 month MOT, he won’t put a new one on it due to being SORNed and no insurance. Thanks again!!!

Hi guys, been a long time since I’ve posted on here, hope everyone is keeping well. This is an enquiry on behalf of my nephew, he’s spotted a nice looking blue 1998 mk4 LS400 on eBay for £2,750. The seller says everything works as it should and he’s had quite a lot of work done to it, the mileage is 114k which is low for one of these and MOT’d until Jan 2021, the only issues I can see is that the paintwork on the bonnet could do with a respray (seller been quoted £150 but not been done) and there is an advisory for rear subframe corrosion on last MOT, seller said he has applied rust proofing to it then painted it. What do you guys think? Cheers!!!

Your attitude and input is neither helpful nor particularly welcome. “Old barge” is simply an term of an endearment and is not intended as a slur. “Barge” simply refers to the car’s size, because it’s big (and you can’t argue that the LS400 isn’t large). Also it refers to the car’s softer nature which again is not a criticism, it’s just an attribute of the car (an attribute that both me and my nephew happen to like). And the “old” part is simply a reference to the fact that the youngest example is now 20 years old. I did not intend to offend or upset with my initial post, however I’m not going to apologise for such an insignificant remark especially since no one else sees unduly bothered by it. I suggest you address your over sensitivity

Great, thanks for the help! 🙂 I’ll make sure he has a browse at Camrys. However he did fancy a V8 (assuming he can afford one). But the Camry’s reliability would be appealing to him.

Thank your for the advice 🙂 I’ll make sure he considers when making his decision. I should add though, that this is certainly not going to be car intended for anything else other than leisure. So if the worst came to the worst and it had to go off the road for a prolonged period, it wouldn’t be the end of world. He doesn’t really need a car, they’re just a hobby to him and he happens to like large luxury cars (unlike most his age, he like to waft and not thrash). The car he just got rid of was in fact a Jaguar! A 1999 S-Type 3.0 manual, surprisingly reliable but he found a bit dull. I think he found the V6 characterless and has even said he’d rather take a more charismatic but less powerful and slower V8. Apologies for the rambling, thanks for the post!

I’ll point him in the direction of those cars, and hopefully this will broaden his horizon and help him find something that he wants. I doubt he’d say no to any of them! Insurance should hopefully not be concern (but with the whims and fancies of the insurance providers one can never be sure). I should clarify that although I said he’s a university student, he’s a mature student and he is currently 23 years old so it’s not like he’s a teenager trying to insure some preposterous prospect of a car. Although having said that, he did own a 4.6 V8 Cadillac STS at 19 haha 😄. He also doesn’t mind ploughing lots of money into a car, they really are his thing. I Really appreciate the input and contributions, and for taking the time to write to us 🙂.

Thanks for your advice & searching for us though 🙂.

Shame that isn’t for sale now, that sounds pretty much perfect 😕 He would have had quite a bit of change from his budget too, at that price. That’s significantly cheaper than he expected them to be. If his last car would have been sold by then (which it is now), he would have had that LS.

Hello, my nephew has the V8 itch and has pondered the possibility of an early LS400. He rather likes the boxy looks of the early cars, and certainly likes the reliability. He does have quite a tight budget as he is a student, and he was wondering if it’s even possible for him to afford one. Could anyone help us out by telling us what we could expect to pay for a decent older LS400. He’s not concerned about it being concourse, just presentable. He’s definitely not bothered about mileage either, he knows these old barges can take withstand a bit of use. If anyone can help us, it would be very greatly appreciated or if you can suggest alternative vehicles for him if an early LS400 is too expensive. He’s thought about a Jaguar XJ8, but is concerned about reliability. Any help would be appreciated.

If in doubt give it a clout!!!

When you have the alignment checked they should set the steering wheel straight and then clamp it in position so it won’t move when they carry out adjustments, they should then find your car on the database on the computer attached to the machine which will then guide them with the adjustments, you might even be able to watch the screen yourself as they adjust it from the red to the green if that makes sense!!!

I used to average around 30mpg from my 2006 GS450H day to day on a 10 mile commute to work and back. The GS450H is more of a performance hybrid than economy and therefore doesn’t really operate in pure EV mode much at all, you can accelerate extremely gently and I mean gently to about 20mph for about 1 mile before the engine kicks in as the battery soon depletes, of course the engine still turns off whilst coasting and braking to save fuel. These cars are also extremely fast with astonishing acceleration available which you will enjoy using thanks to the instant torque of the electric motor and CVT transmission acceleration is constant and seamless like a train!!! There is no real test of the hybrid system you can do other than see if everything seems to operate as it should, you can do this by keeping an eye on the screen on the dash. A recent hybrid healthcheck certificate would be nice to have although it only covers the battery and not the rest of the hybrid components and the warranty only covers you if the car is less than 10 years old and less than 100k as far as I know even with a hybrid healthcheck being done. The shocks are different on the GS450H to normal GS’s and are a known weak spot with replacements being very expensive at around £400 each, the Y join on the exhaust can also blow, rear brakes are prone to seizing due to under use as the car uses regenerative braking from the hybrid system. Check for rust along the leading edge of the bonnet. Also the batteries steal a lot of boot space so something else to be aware of. TPMS sensors can also fail. They are a technologically amazing car offering a virtually unrivalled combination of performance, economy and refinement but can be very costly should anything go wrong. Good luck!!!

I wouldn’t miss the extra toys in the back of the car and also there isn’t any air suspension worries on that particular car, £2,500 is probably a bit steep, perhaps £2,000 is a bit more reasonable? The facelift gives you 6 speeds, revised styling, rear camera, radar cruise control on some models and a few other minor modifications, if I was given the choice between an excellent pre facelift example and an ok facelift example I’d take the pre facelift. As nice as the LS400 is they are now starting to feel and look quite dated to me, the LS430 isn’t any less well made or engineered but it is certainly a more complex car but they feel more modern and are much roomier than the LS400 and also feels more prestigious to me at least.

I found the heated seats in the LS400 much better than those in the LS430 although the cooled seats in the LS430 worked surprisingly well in the car I bought off Phil, they didn’t work at all on the LS430 I bought from our good friend, Old Baz!!! I had a Vauxhall Vectra Elite once and the heated seats in that would almost set your ***** on fire, they were uncomfortably hot. I’ve heard that sills can rot very easily on X-types, especially earlier models. If I was to get one I would go for either the 2.5 or 3.0 V6 which also benefit from 4WD and probably sovereign spec. Ford made a real winner with the mk3 Mondeo and I’m so far really pleased with it. Ford did have the patent for the heated windscreen but I believe they don’t anymore and I think some new Vauxhall’s have it now. Would I be tempted back into a Lexus? All I’ll say is never say never!!! Despite all I’ve said and I have been very cruel I know the absolute truth is that I would still be very tempted by an excellent mk4 LS400, if I was to buy another LS430 I would go for a facelift one this time as I’ve already had 2 pre facelift ones. I also quite like the look of the LS460 although prices are a bit too high on those at the moment. I used to have a 1990 Granada Scorpio, it was the first large executive car I ever bought and I really felt like the big cheese driving that around as I was only 21 at the time!!! The insurance was eye watering but I wanted a Scorpio so bad. I also had a W220 S-class, mine was a LWB 5 litre V8, it had just about every factory option fitted and it would’ve been around £100k new but I paid £4k for mine. Don’t get me started on SUVs and simply awful crossover SUVs, it’s a sad time for proper traditional cars now the roads are becoming plagued by these truly hideous machines. I really don’t see the appeal of them at all!!! They look a bit like an off roader but would probably get stuck in a cow pat, they are heavy and have a high centre of gravity making them unstable and ultimately offer no more real practicality or space than a regular hatchback so what’s the point!?! Rant over!!! You’re right mate, I do appreciate the help I’ve had on here and just needed to let off steam!!! Now I’ve calmed down I have to admit to still liking Lexus and if the truth be told I wouldn’t rule out buying another after all but I would be ultra careful this time, the fact I liked the cars so much makes it more annoying when they go wrong because you just want to enjoy it!!! Absolutely no worries at all mate!!! I’ve just been feeling fed up and snapped at you so my apologies for that. Phew!!! That’s a long post, I know many people would laugh at us for getting so worked up over cars but I love cars and have done all my life and hoped Lexus would be the ultimate experience, with the exception of Phil’s I’ve been very unlucky with them. I’m really enjoying the V6 Mondeo at the moment but I’m not going to rule out another Lexus one day. Cheers guys!!!

And that’s exactly the kind of snobbish attitude I can’t stand on these forums mate. It would seem I’ve touched a few nerves for having the gawl to suggest that a Ford can be better than a Lexus, they say the truth hurts but that really is the case. I don’t just mean from a reliability point of view either, as I said previously the LS430 seat would start to hurt my back after a long journey whereas the mondeo seat doesn’t, it looks good too and feels modern, it’s spacious and comfortable with a massive boot, the dashboard doesn’t rattle (although this was a GS rather than LS issue but you still expect better from Lexus), the speakers work properly, the heated seats actually make a difference, it easily and laughably outhandles the Lexus in the corners whilst still having a very nice ride, maintenance is cheap and easy, being the Ghia X it’s fully loaded, the V6 engine is an absolute gem, in contrast to the Lexus silence (which is still nice!!!) this makes a lovely V6 growl which is very addictive and then there is the piece de resistance at this time of year, the luxury of a heated windscreen which is absolutely bloody brilliant, let me tell you!!! It’s certainly more of a drivers car but perhaps more than anything else, it’s just good fun to drive without the fear of having to remortgage or sell the house should something go wrong. You never know, I may even go all out and get a proper posh Mondeo one day in the shape of a Jaguar X-type, after all let’s not forget that a Lexus is merely a posh Toyota!!! 🤣🤣🤣 Perhaps I should’ve kept yours for longer than I did Phil rather than being tempted back into a hybrid, hindsight is a wonderful thing of course and life is full of regrets and “what if” moments but whats happened has happened, I’m glad it’s new owner is happy with it though and it seems to have gone to a good home. At the end of the day despite everything I’ve said I do still actually like Lexus, (perhaps it’s lexus that doesn’t like me!!!) but it’s time to look beyond Lexus for me, I don’t do brand loyalty with anything in life, also I don’t do badge snobbery hence I have no problem going from Lexus to Ford, I buy things objectively for what they are rather than what they present to other people. Cheers everybody, oh, and Happy New Year!!! 🍻🍻

Exactly mate, they’re only cars!!! I’ve lost more than enough money on them I can tell you. I just expected much better from Lexus given their reputation for engineering and reliability but it’s not to be. I’m running a Ford Mondeo at the moment which is doing me fine, I can now spend some money on the other cars I love running, radio controlled ones!!! I apologise to other members if I’m putting a big downer on Lexus but that is my experience with them and I’m not going to lie about it.

I’ve grown tired of giving Lexus chances now, you can try and convince yourself that they are the best cars in the world but the amount of times I’ve encountered problems and booking the cars into the garage again and again soon contradicts that argument. I’ve owned over 30 cars from many manufacturers over the last 23 years and the only 3 cars that have left me completely stranded at the side of the road unable to move have been Lexus and the one and only car I’ve ever had to scrap was a Lexus, so much for best cars in the world!!!

I’d have to seriously think twice before buying another Lexus, I’ve had several now and all have been very troublesome. They don’t really deserve this so called “brilliant” reputation for reliability they have. It always makes me laugh when people say these are the best cars money can buy except for... then you get a huge long list of common issues!!! Yes, they are a nice enough car but let me tell you I’m currently “slumming” it in a V6 mondeo which is every bit as comfortable to me as the LS, in fact more so because after a long drive the LS430 gave me a bad back whereas the mondeo doesn’t. Being the Ghia X it has all the toys too. I also have the added luxury of knowing that if something does go wrong I won’t have to remortgage the house to put it right!!! Think about it, quite often with prestige cars you are paying for a badge not necessarily a better car.

There is a lot more stuff to go wrong on the LS430. Air suspension, rear AC pipes rust, coolant can leak into the gearbox, blown speakers (especially the sub), double glazing delaminates, sat nav screens can have problems, Mark Levinson amps can fail. That’s just a few things off the top of my head!!! The steering adjust motors are still a weak spot. The 430 does feel more modern however and has far more room inside, especially headroom. As good as LS400s are (although they are by no means infallible or bulletproof!!!) they are now looking and feeling their age and feel like a big 1990s toyota which is essentially what they are!!! The 430 feels more prestigious if you know what I mean!!! I no longer run a Lexus after all the problems they’ve given me and money they’ve cost me, I now run a V6 Mondeo Ghia X and haven’t looked back!!! Condition is more important than age but I wouldn’t buy one with that has done lunar miles because we all know the engine can take it but mileage takes its toll on the rest of the car. Good luck and caveat emptor.

Yeah, I know that. I’m only having a laugh!!! I have an 18 year old 2.5 V6 mondeo and a 29 year old Rover 827. Like them both much more than modern cars!!!

I thought the whole idea behind Lexus is that they don’t go wrong and shouldn’t need fixing!!! 🤣🤣🤣

I bet that having such an unused interior is a real treat!!! I’m much more tempted by low mileage cars myself these days because the thing I always consider when people boast that high mileage is nothing to certain engines you have to remember the mileage will take its toll on the rest of the car such as the gearbox, suspension components, steering, brakes, seats, switches and buttons etc. My Mondeo is 17 years old and has only done 57k and everything still feels tight and like new. I once had an 18 year old Ford Escort with only 13k on it!!! It was a real timewarp car being like brand new throughout. I’d say at 29,000 miles it’s not even run in yet!!! Congratulations on the new car, be sure to post some photos for us all to drool over!!! 😂😂😂

When you get out of the car push the lock tab in by hand then close the door whilst holding the outside handle in the open position, this will lock the car without setting the alarm. I had to do this on my 99 LS because the alarm had a mind of its own!!!