Ben01

Yeah, it is about brand recognition, and discussed above, but BTW it is funny point: in the beginning of, like in the beginning of Lexus in the end of '80 they could not and did not play this card. Becouse in 1990 neighbours were "WTF Billy Bob, did you just buy the crappy Japanese copy of merc?? is this LS state "Lowcost S-class"??". But next LS owner laugh on them "my lovely rednecks, yes, it is Japanese competition of this merc or that jag, but with 5x better quality and lower price, so you f off, I drive". And no doubts LS400 and Lexus was postitioned in 1990 as premium car and brand, so "neighbour factor" and brand recognition are important, but not full definition.

Maybe you 😜 we, Ben (royal and editorial), like to think we have old bargain bangling barges. Because, we first and mostly don't give a flying wheel nut about the mass produced machine or peoples opinion about this machine, and all this "pristiness" and "mintness". And Matthew has dropped above VERY important statement: IT IS LIBERATING. We care about the joy of ride, comfort and "freshness" (combined exotics) of our car, maybe about some gadgets, and with lowest possible total cost and no troubles (so reliability and quality matters!). So, yeah, old Lexus is pretty good for us. But as somewhere above in the topic - pretty barge is behind of any and every corner of gumtree or autotrader

Don't go PTFE way - if you have any dent or scratch in needs of paint, or try to paint bumper, fender, etc., it will be very very difficult to work on it properly. I think a little polish and some wax is easy and safe bet, expecially for long ride. BTW even if "wax attracts the dirt" the point is the dirt stays on wax, not on varnish, and it is easier to "wash" all and to wax again, than play with supardupar nano-shamano coatings.

Not really. It was mentioned "marque" in first post, for a reason I think. And I may suggest please don't project your own view on whole population - commonly reliability it is not synonym for quality. And somehow all appreciated premium cars have significant "performance factor" too, not only good materials and feeling of "solid quality". Linus, I think the possible answer on Lexus options (and lack of them) is twofold: Primo, toyota/lexus has very VERY efficient manufacturing and quality assurance system. From our point of view there are a stupid restrictions or lack of options, and "they have it on the shelf". But in their practice of JIT and Toyota system, it is possible there is not any "shelfs", and logistics and processes make some combinations production nightmare or costly as hell, compare with others, well prepared and validated. It's echoing old Ford's approach with model T - "you could order any colour so long as it is black" (because black has dried fastest on the manufacturing line). I am not say it is sure in the case, but I am pretty sure it is possible. Secundo, and wider comment I tried to avoid before, as it is out of the topic - there is fundamental cultural difference between Japanese core understanding of engineering and craftmanship, and European or American understanding. We are rised with strongest individualism ever, unusual in the history in fact. Japanese people still have strong traditional anti-individual sentiments and culture. So, translation this into engineering and whole craftmanship is: Japanese pay for very best and professional services, items, etc. with full trust to manufacturers, masters of craft, construction people, engineering, etc. For example, in Japan, if you hire the recognised craft master to build you proper traditional Japanese house, or even part of it, or room, it is UNTHINKABLE you, the customer, interfere with HIS design and craft, even discuss it, what do you like or not. HE have the knowledge, the experience, the skills, to judge, design, craft the perfect result with the given resources. And if you don't like the result, rather you are unrefined peasant, than the master made an error. And this attitude still echoing in Japanese engineering, Lexus too - like, there is a few options in lexuses, or near no options for new LS500, probably because in Japanese mind the best designers and craftmen did everything possible to bring the best results, and a customer task is to pay and enjoy it, not redesign it. For western people it is often difficult to accept this attitude, in many scopes and areas, not only engineering nor cars. We redesign at will not only our cars or houses, but our families, lifes, religions, ideologies, everything. They not (yet). BTW like all this fashionable "omotenashi" now (mentioned with LS500 too) - in the core it is strong belief the host knows much better what is proper, polite and good for the customer, than common customer, especially gaijin. So "shut up and enjoy".

It is remember me one shopping day... Daughter (teenager) was tired and left in the car, but there were couple of nasty boys in the parking, so I have mindlessly locked car. With daughter. Of course, when I was behind a corner, she has moved, alarm fired, and there were a panicky girl and pack of more interested boys... Pro-tip: always check the back seat! 😁

On this point I am exactly opposite, so you could enlighten me: what is wrong with limited choice of a few good engines, or even - if there is no choice at all, if car is superb? and what is good in zylions options for a dull pathetic car? Is new LS500 worse car than any Skoda Superb, because LS500 has literaly near no option, engine especially, but top Skoda has 6 [censored] engines and 3 transsmisions w/wo AWD, who knows how many trims, and give you "a lot of choices"? Between what and what exactly? Pathetic 1.4 gas and infamous 2.0 diesel? I don't like an illusion of choice, I like well designed and engineered cars. Old days even common but fair brands had 2-3 engines, manual or auto tranny, two-three, maybe four trim levels, and nobody was hurt. Next cheapest crappiest marques on planet Earth invented (BTW because computerised design and manufacturing make this trick relatively cheap for manufacturers) and started to play on "customer love customizing" note, because their poor ignorant customers love to feelfor a moment they have a freedom of choice of rich people. And they love to pick up "the very best solution", like engineers or designers they never were. But please, could we don't fool ourself? If somebody designs with given resources full new car, with a few options in two years, it is impossible with same resources in same time to deliver 4 "lifting" versions with zylion multiple options, in the same multi-dimensional quality. Even if we talk on various gadgets (like Linus above) - I prefer full loaded car of course, but to the level trusted manufacturer feels complete and OK in the price tag. Not to the level of porsche, BMW or similar, "everything, and more everything, and 1000 elephants with this" - 100 options and in theory you could put them all into one car, but it cost you kazylion coins, and result car, after half a year delivery, is not reliable at all and is mostly annoying, even if twice loaded than average lexus.

About first LS400, or similar - the dreams and pet projects of zylionaires (it does not matter if a person or investors or strong corpo) are IMHO totaly different in potential and possible execution, than common workhorses of manuafturing and sales (means most of our cars). Toyodas' dreams about luxury brand (Lexus) or supercar icon (LFA), Piech dream about ultimate luxury (Phaeton, next bentleys) or hypercar (Veyron), Dennis and Murray dream about perfect road car (Mclaren F1), etc etc. were always impressive and everlasting, but cost a mountain of coins, and often they are no profitable at all. On the other hand cars designed by marketing, accountants and comittees dreaming about profit only, are mediocre (in their class) all around a world, and this is normal, for toyota/lexus too. Linas, about A klasse, I dont compare today A classe with CT, but what was A klasse in '90 and its impact on Mercedes image, perception, etc. Lexus with CT now is not [censored] up'ed like Merc with A-klasse in '90. YET. Yeah, but they always would bang more in performance, gadgets, "emotions". And they try. The world changes, if we like it or not, the solid quality, modest apperance, eternal style, ultimate reliability Lexus succesfully tried in '90 in luxury segment are loosing badly now against "gimmie +100HP" and shouting style "expressing emotions" and "car-as-extension-for-iphone" vision.

Nay, I accidentaly catched up him, and next he pressed a bit, so did I (because I am a petrolhead of Very Little Brain 🤪 and didn't remember if RS5 got 50, 100 or 150HP more, looks like 150HP more). And next I follow for a moment (the guy has driven out to petrol station), but with some troubles and road became strangely narrow and barriers everywhere, when RS5 simple flies. BTW I am far away from road rage for nice cars overtaking me. For last audi R8 somehow I had no time 😂 , but I have given thumb up to previous one, mint bmw 850 - it was exactly in topic "should I keep nice car forever?". The grandpa and grandma in 850 were definitely "YES", and very happy about my appreciation.

Yeah, for me warning lights were CT and NX. In my mind sin is not exactly "branding toyotas with lexus badges" (like - ES was not a total [censored]), but what and which way exactly Lexus rebranded and delivered. Like IS diesels 😝 or rebranded Prius platform. IMHO there is still some distance to Merc A-klasse story and beyond (I am looking at you, [censored] CLA). Let's wait for any lexus on Yaris platform, or any "new-IS-copy-of-CLA" (FWD with no performance nor quality at entry (and relatively low) price level) - and I would to drink at "premium brand" funeral.

Nay, misunderstanding 😂 I try to joke about "the difference" means yours is simple 20sqm bigger than mine (about 35m2 too). More seriously, I DIY and tinkering too much, so my garage was not a garage, but heavy loaded workshop (included painting, engine and transmission jobs, etc), with empty space for one car plus good access around. Most of time.

Sure, like 20 sq. meters?

Welcome in my world, mates 😁 and did I mention I nearly smashed my GS today into the barrier? It could be sad day, but much much worse in really mint GS, not fu(n)gly barge. (BTW pro-tip: in GS430 and with some effort, you could follow audi RS5 over curvy Scottish road for the moment, but try to avoid barriers 🤪).

More seriously (but I was dead serious above, about brand positioning and image) IMHO all mentioned traits combine into "exclusivity", maybe into multidimensional space. Of course, relative to "place and time" (aluminium car was someting yesterday, today carbon fibre, tomorrow who knows, nanotubes one?). So if we list "all what counts": performance, reliability, numbers, style (in public perception), quality of materials, how car is put together, etc etc. and next try to describe them in terms of gaussian curves over the given market, the premium marque is brand with most of the products on most of "traits" curves stay, let's say, higher than one and half (top 15%) or two (top 5%) standard deviations. Exaple: maybe lexus has some drawbacks in heating steering wheels (so, maybe lexus is not in "top 5%" on the curve "fine gadgets on the steering wheel") or heated seats are common now (means there is no curve and no discuss - if everybody has something, like nice heated seats or common four wheels, there is no point to discuss top percents or sigmas in "heating seats" or "superior number of wheels") or maybe common lexus quality and reliability is not like in 1995, but in many other areas lexus is still pretty top. And probably it is possible to combine all those partial factors into total "premium factor". On this factor marketing builds the proper brand image and recognition, and monetize them. Or, if marketing is really "good" means evil, they don't need "the factor", only historical impressions and creative marketing. Like Merc last decades, in my very humble opinion. BTW I hope without the hope, the Lexus will not go this way. But maturing of luxury brands and why most of them follow the greedy pattern is an another story.

Both Mobil and Liqui Molly are good enough. In your funny part of Europe, I may suggest more focus on the dealer of oil (potential - fakes) than the oil. If you have a problem to find 0W20, 5W20 from valid source is better than nice discounted bottle of Castrol or Mobil 0W20 with Lukoil 15W40 inside.

Let's make it easy: The premium brand is a brand succesfuly convices potential customers they have to pay more for better or "better" product.

Or "rear toe link", like on diagram. But I bet the car was simple pure undriveable after "customizing", and first crashed, next guy blamed suspension broken on crash probably, not own moronity.

Call them "Under the Cypress Technology Ltd", they will get it 😁

Gordon, we both told obvious stuff. And don't try on me ad persona arguments, I am too old for this. Maybe different aproach: what is probability the guy sells this three LSes this month? And it would be lower or higher if price tags will be closer to market median for particular LS's range? Because I dont say "it is impossible to sell elder LS for arbitrary pile of money" what you argue. I think some day somebody will buy mk3 or mk4 for £20k. What I say is "it is highly unprobable the guy will sell three LS with prices like above this week". Or "this month". Or, as Malcolm advised, "this year(s)". And before anybody starts another obvious discussion, yes, obviously any seller could play this game as long as he/she likes and put any price tag on his/her property. But the longer game is, the "pristine" LSes will be less and less pristine every month and year (if they are not in dry pest free garage ("museum") all this time). And this is my point: the game could be very long, like lottery, and potentialy ruin really mint or pristine cars, just for high expectations of sellers, who heavily misjudge probablity of success. Or are just greedy. And it is not in contradiction to your "but there was X car sold for Y money!". Of course there was and it will be. There are winners of lotto too. And it is wet dream of any "future classic" collector, to find this winning lottery ticket, the car in the lowest part of the price curve, next rocketing into the ceiling and rich fanatic customer (there is a reason a half of sellers of any low end elder nissans or fords etc. are babling in adverts about "youngtimers" and "future classics"). But for every lottery winner, there is a crowd of loosers. And in my mind, put on the market LS 1998 57k mile, with £10k price tag, is not a selling, is a lottery playing. Still, good luck and I hope they stay in nice garage all this time (BTW cost of nice dry garage should be included into car depreciation). On the other hand, the pristine or not-so-pristine LS we discuss IS NOT like Paul Newman's or Neil Armstrong's watch. LS is luxury and reliable, but a mass produced common car, not unique item. And if it is simple second hand car, not the family car for million year, there is no emotional value, except any hopes and dreams of potential new owner. OK, you right about Japanese import, it is probably more trouble than added value (I was in same position with yankees at the continent - in theory much cheaper and better one could be imported straight from California, than from let's say Germany, but from Germany it was much "easier").

I think you missed the point a little - pins are one thing (with rubber or not, as discussed above), BUT those "wire" springs (look like mad japanese wire H knots) are for stabilisation pads against pins and callipers. Without them everything rattle. They have to be inserted with pins and pad, and in very proper positions, don't ask me what exactly in GS450, my GS430 has different "springs" for fitting pad.

Maybe you could start with data about your current rims, simple measurements and this calculator online: https://www.willtheyfit.com/

If you try to convince me 110k mile 1998 LS400 from UK is pristine and worth a 6 grands, sorry, you waste your time. In my mind she is much closer to 150k mediocre barge, than to mint 30k car for £13000. Of course, LSes are good quality and reliable ships, and many of them worth a lot, for some people. But as Malcolm said: "those 3 cars have been for sale on and off for years". We all have a common bias to "winners", you remember £13k for elder LS, I remember Celsior 1995 with 10k mile and still factory foil on sills, and absurdal price tag - sold immediately, a few years go. But nobody remembers how long and how many "pristine" cars with a-bit-too-hi price were wandering on the market, loosing the battle of "supply and demand". Nobody told stories on forums and in the pubs about loosers. And from my experience, there is much more silent "loosers" than famous "winners" in the battle "my car is mint and worth 4 times median market price". BTW I am too old and too childish for LS 🤪 but if I have £13k for pristine one, I would prefer a Celsior with 10k miles straight from Japan, than 30k example form UK. But this is another irrelevant story.

As far as I have seen GS450h rear pads and callipers, they are similar to mine GS430 (Sumitomo system), so: most critical to avoid annoying rattle are proper "fitting elements" - set of ridiculously complex springs, brackets, etc. properly installed around the pads. In every GS I bought half of them were missing or broken or wrong installed. Ask your garage about... something like in this link: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/REAR-Brake-Clip-Pin-Fitting-Hardware-Kit-Fits-LEXUS-GS-GS300-GS430-GS450h-05-11/302829831534

Maybe 🤣 But it is somehow sad you are so vulnerable and dependable on any Senior Management Team. I can discuss new special offered hi-vis stickers for my lexus with anybody at Halfords.

Yeah, but they start from such a level and the process could be so long, the weighter at the gate of scrapyard will show the real price at the sad end. I hope not! but I have seen this before, "I don't need my old ford, but it is MINE and MINT ford cosworth, so 5000 please". Two years later 500 and some boys made a nice cosworth-scrap-racer (still better than simple scrap, I think). Only if you lock the car into dry pest free garage, the curves of tag price and market price will meet before the car detoriate to scrap. Maybe.

I did not bother to look for who made it exactly and too lazy to dig into the papers now (if there is any piece about LPG in this pile of papers). Definitely system is on STAG and other Polish parts. And the car was in Wales most of her life. But as far as I remember there are a few garages in Wales with Polish roots, I found them in the web when looking for LPG parts once or twice.