Stanwithaplan

I saw both of my son's 400 had these and realised both of mine didn't, I've sourced used ones via amazon.ae for AED 120 (approx £33). They fit both RH & LH drive cars. Its the sort of part that gets taken out (to add a new battery) and gets lost. I'll provide at cost, no shipping costs from UAE as I will collect, but I will need to post to you in UK so will need to add a little just to cover P&P. https://www.amazon.ae/dp/B0D638HD7W/?coliid=I1CKMYGS8P4601&colid=3NTDL37PHOILU&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it So if you are missing this too and fancy adding one let me know and I'll order for you?

I'm sorry to say I cant help out. My son and I have two each now and I'm told "that's enough now" 😪 Sounds like a good opportunity for someone though.

Lol. Sadly there arent so many 400s and 430s in Dubai now but in the other Emirates like Sharjah and Ajman they are everywhere especially 430s which locals nickname "F16s" cos they are the ones in the fast lane that strafe you with their headlights to get out of the way. If you get the chance to go next door to Oman it's full of both. Not sure about the scrapyards yet but I've spent a lot of time in Ajman car souk, which is great fun. A lot of parts I've used on my car were sourced from the scrapyards by my friendly garage but this will be my first visit.

Both 2000's imported into UAE from the US, one Crystal White / Alpine Silver the other Burnished Gold Metallic, both high mileage. Both passed the local government vehicle inspection (not quite an MOT equivalent), I did vehicle reports -no accidents or flood damage. Work has started on the Gold one, pretty much all the suspension has been replaced so far, work list. attached (English is about their 4th language so make allowances pls). Only really got a few photos but will add more as work progresses. I was surprised that the gold was slightly different shade to my '99 (also shown in photos). Next job, visit local scrapyards, all good fun, happy to help restore two more of these beauties. WhatsApp Video 2024-10-28 at 14.20.50.mp4

mine also looks a little matt compared to the gloss upper part.

Hi Messi, When you say normal green do you mean the one that looks close to British Racing Green? If so I have that colour on my '99 its 6Q7 Imperial Jade Mica and the lower colour is UCAB0 Dark Green Mica Metallic or i have also seen it called Greenish Grey Pearl. Hope this helps you?

Yeah Malc. My son just bought two (2000 Platinum editions) which we are going to have fun restoring. They've done around 600,000 miles between them but of course are good for a lot more. This means we've got 4 between us now and I know my lovely wife isnt gonna see the funny side of me getting her one for Xmas.

https://www.carandclassic.com/l/C1783288 This one is a higher mileage LHD '95 but has the distinction of previously being owned by Bjorn from ABBA. https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1660833 this is a lower mileage '97 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/326306206221?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=jaxaaJxbRcO&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=yKR_MLAuSKy&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY Silver '94

Crickets. I guess they are getting hard to find now. I'm gonna visit some scrapyards in UAE in a week's time, I will have a look for you.

I knew I'd seen a couple the other day on fb group, but now I see you've already found them :0)

Hi Alec, Damn that's an awful thing to happen. So sorry to hear about it after you've cherished it so long. I'll keep me eyes open for you.

Today was a Big day. I finally got my Golden Goddess back with a smorgasbord of work now completed. So no more leaks, no brake squeal, no more engine management light and she rides as though driven straight out of the showroom, what a difference! (Work completed: replaced front brake pads, discs & shims, new valve cover gasket, tappet cover gasket, steering pressure hose, 8 front arm bushes, one broken bush fitting bolt, transmission & engine mountings. Wheel balancing & alignment done, brake wear sensors replaced. Oxygen sensors cleaned and engine bay steam cleaned and the rear door lock repaired. Phew!) Then I went with my son to get some plates for the LS400 (also gold) he just purchased yesterday and he stopped at yet another 400 sitting in the corner of the Government lot, then he pressed what I thought was the key to mine and he opened the white 400! I panic when he gets in it, saying "you cant do that son, its not yours, theres a policeman on a motorcycle over there" and he laughs and told me he just bought that one as well! So he's now got two Platinum Series, one white 300K miles, one gold (160k???). He is going to use one for long commutes and the other to rent out for new joiners at his work to use. I was flabbergasted and delighted at the same time. Very happy.

Isnt it a self levelling system?

A few years go I was thinking about getting a used Cayenne, but my friend at the time was a Porsche Exec and he strongly advised me against it, lots of problems apparently. I'm sorry I cant remember what they were now?

Hi James, Nope dont know it, however if you set subtitles you can set it to auto translate to English. He says he's owned the car 3 weeks (in Poland) and is its 3rd owner.

Hi Terry, what a find! Is there an interesting back story? Sounds very tempting to me, I agree with Mark the Lexus health check gave me a useful baseline reference to work from for my last purchase and in this instance you could well cover the cost by using it to reduce the purchase price. If the price was right I'd go for it if I was you. Even if you do have to invest a little to bring it up to speed, the return on that investment will be years of pleasurable wafting.

They shrink wrap everything over here including TV remotes;0) I've got the service record it's good until 2018 when there was a drivers side accident. No idea how bad, but that made it an insurance write off. Age and mileage alone would justify the write off with any accident. I got this from a vehicle report that shows all other headings as green. Its sat around for 6 years before being sold at auction and shipped over here, where they repaired, resprayed and stuck a ne was engine in it. So seems like a gamble. Gonna test drive tomorrow and take it to a garage for a second opinion and see if chassis is bent up.

I got 30.2 mpg on a trip from Kent to Whitby a few weeks ago in my 400. Just driving normally, I was delighted.

I'm in Ajman looking for a 400 for my son and found this. I'd welcome feedback They want the equivalent of nearly £6k but I will get that price down a bit. Apparently it's a 2000, been resprayed and allegedly has a new engine with only 85k on it. It looks good and at idle seems perfect. Nakimici screen is on it's way out and theres a couple of cosmetics need sorting out, like a leather door panel replacement. The hood doesnt sit right cos theres a single LS 470(?) Strut in place but that's and easy fix. Wheels look different are they 2000 year only? I've not done a vin check yet or a test drive.

https://www.carandclassic.com/search?make=lexus&model=ls&source=search-bar Just had a look Malc, I agree asking prices and hopefully values are.rising. I'm in UAE and have been talking to a local used Lexus importer and he's not bringing in LS400s anymore from the US because the prices have risen so much, its hard to. make a profit, so he's bringing in 430s now instead. Apparently a lot of 400s are being bought for drifting and engines are getting transplanted into others. I went to look at Black on Black 400 with my son the other day, one pf the Amex Platinum Edition ones, it looked good bodywork wise but when I lifted the hood I could smell petrol, the local guy jumps started it and long story short there was petrol visibly streaming out from the injector area, proper fire risk!!!! Looking at the mileage and stickers indicated I think it had missed a timing chain and water pump change and was well on its way towards the next one. The engine had an unnatural. shimmy. to it so we sadly had to leave it and continue our search elsewhere.

My son's looking to buy an Ls400 in Dubai and adverts are coming up for "Short or Long" versions. I assured him I'd never heard of them and it must be the Dubizzle a popular website and app over there, giving people false options in the advertising process. So imagine my surprise when he send me this, This is probably the only example in whole world of long wheelbase Lexus LS400. Modification was made after car left production line but there is no doubt that it was made by producer or it was licensed. Preserved in perfect shape with only 15000km mileage left the factory in 1998 with 30cm longer wheelbase.

Just to add supplementary detail for the fun of it; One of my 1999s has antenna built into the rear screen, the other still has the older powered aerial. I researched it and the reports state "Manufactured by Toyota Motor Corporation 01/99" and first registration 15/01/99. However one of the vin search states that it was manufactured 10/98. Both cars have the LCD screens, tinted glass etc and the other differences I can find are one has homelink (a US Market garage door opener), the rear armrests are different, one is clamshell style lovely wood with cupholders and storage, the other has a cheap plastic cupholder that just springs out of the front. One central armrest storage has a power socket, the other doesn't, the coinholders are different, one has powerfold mirrors and headlamp wash the other doesn't and the lights at the bottom of the doors are white in one and red in the other. One is a US model the other UK, both made within 3 months of each other (at the same plant obvs). Of course the US model has running lights on and finally the orange reflectors on the US model are in front of the front tyres on the lower bumper and UK ones are much smaller and at the rear of the front fender.

Hi Nick, Sounds like you are a man after my own heart. I wouldn't hesitate to use them as daily drivers. From 2002-6 I had a silver 1997 LS400 in the UK, ran it everyday, upto 5 days a week if did around 160 miles a day, commuting from Kent to Reading or Heathrow in rush-hour stop start traffic around the M25 to the M4. So around 30k+ miles per annum and I don't remember it ever having a single mechanical issue. Fast forward 18 years and I've currently got 2 x 1999 400s (both with sat nav/LCD screen) one in UK one in the Middle East, so very different climates that test them in different ways. The 99s definitely feel like they have more power and do seem a little more refined in some ways, but I'd be happy with either tbh. I get around 20mpg from both and unfortunately they are not ulez compliant (apparently some of the 430s are). My Middle Eastern one does 10K miles a year mixed motorway and around town (with loads of speed bumps everywhere). Both my son and daughter are in their 20s and both love the LS400 and fight over who can drive it (despite having their own cars), they prefer it for long journeys/commutes. I've spent £5,500 on all parts, servicing (incl consumables), tyres, battery replacement etc in 3 years, so averages to approx £1,800 per annum. However now it's done up, this spend has reduced to a much lower figure to cover servicing only. The UK one is only currently doing around 4K a year (local daily miles and a few roadtrips) but will do more now. I've spent about £6,000 on her in the last 21 months, she passed her MOT again today and I've only got brake lines and tyres to replace next, then costs will drop as it will hopefully become servicing only. In summary I've spent a fair bit of money on both bringing them back to a decent standard (they ride so sweetly) cos I love them so much and I intend to keep them forever ;o) Not all of the spend was necessary tbh, I could have got away with less, plus there was additional "cosmetic" spend I've not included here, cos I prefer them looking beautiful. Most of the spend is because they are large heavy cars that are now 26 years old, the rubber parts like bushes have hardened, some of the hoses cracked, some of the suspension needs replacing and coincidentally both starter motors went recently. Starter motors could reasonably be expected to last 100-150K which both did, one went cos coolant from the rear crossover leaked into it. I had my UK radiator broken by my indy, the other in Dubai was also replaced along with the condenser cos they stopped working in the 50 degree heat. The steering pump got very noisy on one not the other and those steering wheel motors and ECUs can be a pain in the ***** if they go wrong, but you can just fix the steering wheel in position instead. I've not to date, had any issues with the nav screens and it wouldn't bother me getting one with the same if I was you. I actually really like them, so retro and cool. That said if it were to go wrong then you'd lose access to aircon, music etc so would have to buy a replacement or send it off for repairs and it would be a real pain. Worth it in my opinion but its upto you. Good luck with your decision, you know what you need to do lol and I second Malc's recommendation and speak with Messi, I'm pretty sure he will be very pleased its going to a good home.

Hi Messi, Please dont let things mount up and get you down. I have a very close family member who for decades has manned the phones at Samaritans and helped many people who needed it. Please call them and have a chat. https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/ I'd advise take a break and leave your car alone for a while until you are feeling better. Maybe later you can fall back in love with it again?