Ben01

This story remember me similar about mechanic attitude in different workshops, but a bit "upside-down". Once I met a friend at public seminar or so, but immediately I have seen something happen, he was normal bloke, but went in with red face and enfuriated. "Whats up, pal?" - "Nay, nothing" - "I see something" - "OK, rear wiper in my megane has gone a few days ago. And you know, megane estate in the city, autumn, no view in back, not ideal. I had the planned service at my Renault dealer today, so I told them to look at the wiper. They checked it and told me wiper engine unit has gone, car is out of warranty, so they could replace the unit for 250 quids" - (me) "ARE YOU KI..." - "WAIT, I was like, ok, but not today, I have other bills to pay, but next week maybe. So we finished business and I left. At the end of the same street I have seen "CAR-ELECTRICS ALL-MODELS" type workshop, and I was, hell, lets try Ben's approach and try tinkering on elder car. I jumped in, explain my problem, the guy was cool, said "mhm, megane estate year NN, give me a moment", he unscrewed couple of bits, put the hand inside door, rubrubrub, and told me to check the wiper. And it was fine... I was a bit shock and "how much", the guy shrugged and said "For press down two plugs? I don't know, 5 quids?" - (I cry of laugh, as friend was type "only proper mechanics touch my cars", opposite of my approach) - "But it is not the end. I turn back to my Renault dealer, and made a intergalactic fight with workshop and managers. We shouted each other pretty bad, I shouted them liars and fraudsters in front of customers, they wanted to call the police. I definitely inform them, after 12 years and three brand new cars bought from them and fully serviced with them, I never ever back to them. Period. And I have driven straight here, still a bit boiled..." - "OK Martin, calm down, welcome in my world, and lets enjoy the seminar...". It is not exactly about "human error" but "system error", but I like to remember this story. Personally I am not a target for any main dealer garage, but it was good to remeber this ie. when I serviced near new company cars last years...

Exactly. With the elder cars on the "other side" of "bathtub curve" of maintenace and with reasonable budget, it is always a lot of "fun" to deliberate "Would I spent X coins on exhaust or suspension or interior? on second thought they are not so bad yet, and what if I will need a half a grand for breaks or transmission next month?". And remember remember, there are public roada and traffic, not a museum, in worst case scenario yout freshly resprayed and refusbished car could be totaled next day (my favourite record - friend who has just paid and received in theory perfectly refurbished dreamcar, but in practice lost the brakes ON THE GATE of workshop. Crash, car totaled, anger and fight with workshop over case, police, insurers, court, costs, one way or another the car gone etc). And even in best case and with my anti-sunken-cost-fallacy attitude, I feel a little odd, when I scrapp the car with brand new Y exhaust (first GS) or sell nice GS with fresh MOT (second one), because I just found better Lexus 😉

In my humble and a more serious opinion, they are average people, only a lot of them try compensating a lot of their mediocre problems and mediocre lifes with Mighty German Quality Expensive Cars. Nothing new. BTW anectode above, I did not meet too many real bad boys in the flesh, but it was funny how they have NOT to prove everybody and anybody their superb cars. They were big, bad and ugly or sometimes small, handsome and dangerous as hell, they loved money and loved to spend it on fast powerful cars, more-less bling, more-less typical (like - once I met a bad guy with a non-standard vision of his audi S8, she was custom powered to absurd level, WHITE with white interior, and washed literaly every day, he said his car has to be not only powerful, but "pure and clean". And I worried to ask how dirty and un-pure is his daily occupation in this case). The realy bad boys don't think much about common people as competition or rivals, on the road too, they have a different hierarchies, rivals and problems. And they don't care, they even emphaticaly appreciated other peoples nice and powerful cars (Sub anecdote, true one - once I stopped on lights on turn, in blue camaro, t-top off, nice summer, and on cross road I've seen beema 7 series, black car, with definitely illegal black all glass. And suddenly both side windows of beema on my side moved down and from inside moved, no, erected out two biggest arms I have ever seen, with all golden accesory, tribals, etc, and they both give me thumbs up... I have not seen their faces, I sticked out my little thumb too and nervously have driven home. But it was not beginning of John Wick's story, they simple enjoyed my car too). But after gangsta perception from '90 next every dumb boy full of complexes tried to be "I am bad man in great car, almost like Transporter or Ronin". Or sometimes "in my audi A4 TDI I am like CEO in his audi". Not really. And now a lot of them grown up, but not in their mindset.

If Lexus price will be ridiculous (it will be) or aftermarket try to sell you half of dash (they will), in worst case scenario try different approach maybe - drive to any all-purpose mechanical workshop in your area, workshop with lathes and stuff, show them the knob, and tell them "I want 1mm nice aluminium or stainless steel circle here". It could be cheap as chips and fit the purpose. BTW if it would be mine problem, probably I use this as an opportunity, and I will finish this in glossy true wood. Or with some funny or meaning insert or sign. Or in piece of carbord and silvertape. Depending of my laziness level on particular day.

Aye. But it was beautiful Friday evening, when all locals were drank at local pubs, and all porsche guys were drank at the local hotels pubs, so no worries. Sort-of empty lovely road and only we, this R8, and a lot of noise. I mean, a lot. Old anecdote from a less civilized times and countries: BMW 5 series crappy-M-fake-edition cruising thru the city with windows wide open, some music, cold elbow and not using indicators at all. Very big black SUV is crawling behind beema. After a few corners (still no indicators) both stay at the traffic lights. Suddenly the gigantic bloke moves out of SUV, full equipped (chainz, face tatoos, etc), walks to beema to driver's window, put the arm sized of my leg inside, crush and tears off indicator lever effortlessly, drops it on laps of speachless driver and says in deepest voice in the city "You definitely don't need this, do ya?" and back to SUV.

Neil, don't be sorry, I scrapped a tonnes of unique interiors for fords and americans "in my previous life", still there are bits and bobs in the attic of the old house I think (it will be suprise for any new owner 😂 ). Thats the way the wheels spin. Yeah, GS430s 2gen. are lovely in may ways - very cheap to buy and still easy and lo-cost to keep, quality is superb, very exotic, enough gadgets, enough power and very nice torque (BTW I was suprised yesterday I have looked at spec of sort-of equal audi S6 4.2l 40v, and it has more power but lower torque 🤨 ), very nice car overall. And I prefered GS as trade off vs. "equal" LS, I have a bit less gadgets and luxury (mostly irrelevant, as we use the car as single/two seater), but a bit faster and overall lower cost car. Only one thing has properly annoying me last years in GS 2gen - this frogeyes and front design. I hate this stylo deeply, since everybody inducted it in the end of '90 (with infamous ford scorpio frogeye, nicknamed "whale" in some circles, on the top of the pile of [censored]). And especially sad, when you see GS 1gen (by Giugiaro) and GS 2gen (by any blind samurai) side by side. But I have to live with it for now, 3gen. has other flaws in my eyes (for a starter - a few grands more on price tag for "nothing"). Back to the studio - I have to check USB port socket now, in broad light (yesterday it was ok... but I was tired in dark evening), figercrossed. And start to put electrics together. And build a bit I forgot but remember now - any dimm light inside the armrest box. Near every "american" got it and it was nice and useful gadget.

There are no digitalized data before 2001 I think. But you could try to interpolate yourself: https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/?utf8=✓&q=lexus+ls400&commit=Search

I have seen someting like this in the flesh in Glasgow last month, made my day.

Red, who told you this and what was his other options? to buy a complete new (or used?) seat? 😮 And I dont think you could find and switch any part of seat, there are whole seats on the market typically. I replaced heating elements in couple of cars myself. It is not rocket science, only manual labour demanding job, and to be more expensive than used seat in mint condition, the workhour cost has to be ridiculous. BTW used seats love to be in slightly different colour or shade, and with broken parts too, like - heating elements gone.

Tell her she has won my funny internet this week 😂 "Ignorance is bliss"

OK. Trade the car for IS300. Check in the flesh if IS300 auto is not enough for you. NEXT if you are really really stubborn for manual and a bit mechanic, pack into IS300 manual transmission W55, sourced from US market or some elder toyotas.

IS250 is "not my kind of porn" (interior especially), but even grumpy me mutters "nice ride, mate". Example looks neat and somebody has care a lot of her. And this paint is phenomenal. On second thought, I am not sure if I have ever seen better looking IS250.

With what kind of features exactly?? 😲

Welcome to LOC. Trade the car for IS300.

This. And maybe measure some dimensions. There is a lot of industry knobs and switches in many finishes and nice quality. If Lexus will not source "the plate", or price for whole switch will be ridiculous, we could try to find something on the industrial market.

Amen. And we had a bit similar lap like a month ago (some photos and map here). But I am too lazy to count brands/models and I am not sure if I have seen any lexus. What I counted is how many people overtook me and it was one 😁, audi R8 V10 between Nairn and Grantown They don't look like this in my mirrors 😎 A bit more seriously: IMHO major point is different - if I try to buy audi S6 quattro auto more-less equal to my GS430, with same peanut money, and try to lap the Highlands in first weeks before any real service, I will be back home (Glasgow area) on the lorry. Only question is how long haul will be, from Duke's Pass, Glencoe or Skye. I think Duke's Pass is a sensible bet. (Did I mention once upon a time I have mechanicaly broken down near new Boxter S at Duke's Pass, and not even in sport+ mode? True story, bros, about quality of oversofisticated VAG's products too).

This has kicked me to look af howmanyleft page, and it is stunning: LS400 are in two "groups", and aprox. 1800 on the road and 1000 SORN in total. This is A LOT in my mind. And ratio SORN/roadworthy is very high, means nobody like to scrap LS (normal on SORN is like 10-20% of elder model, not like 35% of LS400). BTW GS430 2gen like mine is much more exotic than LS400 now (but much worse SORN/road ratio...), interesting 😎

Some photos, fresh (dinner break here) and forgotten before: Bomb site. But everything is under control, and work on lexus interior is pure pleasure vs. any competition I met. And only fistful of filthy rubbish and 32 penny found. Previous GS was much much worse. "We do not like filthy filthy boxssesss, my preciousss". But it is impossible to clean this coffe or coke to the ideal, as "velvet" goes away too easy. It is best what I could get after 3 sessions of soaking and gentle rubs. In fact, camera makes it worse, in the flesh and normal light is near ok. BTW what was purpose of or plan for this square "break" tab in the rear end of box? Main tasks are to measure and plan everything for seat vents from armrest ducts, and to install USB power socket in central rear panel. But of course the job became "spit and polish" sesion. I did not plan to spread central wood+plastic to the small pieces, but they were a bit filthy and it was difficult to stop. By accident some polish on wood varnish has been done. Other photos, fuel for workforce and remote for stupid mp3 player.

In broad view, any car reliable enough, but simpler and cheaper in parts and labour, of course. Lets say, even if she break down twice as lexus, it could be easy 5x cheaper to keep them running. Half of Japanese elder cars could be a lot of fun and a lot cheaper. In toy-zone: mazdas mx5, hondas civic, maybe prelude. In big RWD barges, any elder american beat any japanese or european competition in costs of parts and labour, and half of them (not lexus! 😉) in reliability. But of course there is a reasons - they are simpler, not such refined, they are closer to 50HP/l than 100HP/l, and quality is lower. And mpg are rather poor 😄. But elder mustang, camaro, thunderbird, half of pontiacs, even crown victoria and siblings, could bring the big banana on the owner's face, and there is a half of electronic to break and twice a steel to rust vs. lexus or audi, and mechanics could be bulletproof (but be aware - not EVERY americans! do your homework first! especially on chryslers...) But still, some day you have recognised there is no ECUs for this pontiac, no springs for ford, no brake discs for honda, etc. both sides of the pond. End of story for normal people with normal money for car-toys.

My first thought was: how could be "owner thinks it MAY have oil leak from rocker cover"? It is very obvious, or "something wicked this way comes".

True, probably something is wrong with driving conditions (and with all respect, with driving habits of driver), but not exactly with the oil, it is different magnitude. And still there are some options "with the car" like: what about temperature of engine? I presume on long motorway it was nice and stable, but what about city drive? Is she warm-up easily and quickly? Or any moves warmer-cooler on gauge in waves of traffic? Or low all time in the the city? Etc.

One way or another, even if you put 15W40 tarmac-quality Lukoil it is impossible to half a MPGs of this engine with it.

To feed me. Counting of the money could be time consuming and I am always hungry.

I don't see all this as "a gallop", it is my normal tempo for my new likeable barge. "A gallop" would be, if I book a week holidays, and do everything above in the week 😉 But it is not worth my precious holidays, some weekends only. In broader view, I have "compressed" near all my DIY into cars like 13 years ago. I did not give a damn about my car's customizing or modifications before, I "use, fix, use, fix, bin" them. But one day I realized with the cars I could play my DIY electronics, computers, programming, upholstery, etc many crafts and hobbies, plus obviously mechanics and electrics. And here we are. As I mentioned somewhere above, my way is: typically a few frantic weeks or months on (heavy) used car, and next lazy year(s) of minimal maintenance and lookin for "what can I improve or "improve" here", next bored, and next "gimmie another one". And I feel the transition period with this GS now, form "fix it NOW" to "base is good enough and what else". Like: minor or potential issues (brakes, suspension, exhaust, etc) less and less bother me, but mp3 player or tiny rattle from sunroof cover start to annoy me and vent seats keep coming back. Weather is full scottish today, so maybe any interior exercises only.

Did I mention a small bag of cash in the trunk, or did I not? 😝 Let me explain with handy picture, if you gift me white RCF, this is my vision of pre-check for project "better interior for RCF":