RE: PH FLEET: LEXUS LS400/TVR CHIMAERA 400

[Garlick]

Premature said:

Have you tried running your LS with the gearbox in sport mode? Not entirely sure why, but when I had my LS400, this seemed to improve the economy by 2-3mpg. Not a huge difference, I grant you, but every little helps.

I'll do that, thanks

[MPoxon]

I would personally would not go back to a single car that has be a combined toy and daily driver.

It nice to have a toy which you only drive when there is an occasion as it makes it more special. Driving a toy on a daily basis soon becomes a grind as it is not practical, too thirsty, not comfortable, too loud. It is great having a daily car which you don't have to worry about people damaging if it is left parked up.

Stick with 2 cars. Keep the tiv..... maybe shift the Lexus if fuel is becoming an issue.

I have a Tiv and a VRS diesel Skoda.... great MPG but I am struggling to put up with the diesel racket.

[Stu R]

Or re-discover fun on 2 wheels and supplement the fleet, rather than adjust it

[Great Pretender]

Stu R said:

Or re-discover fun on 2 wheels and supplement the fleet, rather than adjust it

That's what I intend to do. Finally.

Although that Maser Quattroporte is giving me the horn.

[Itsallicanafford]

mmmh, 15K to spend on 2 cars, this is a great Friday afternoon question...

For me £1.5K on a Mk1 Mx-5, £4K on an Alfa 75 V6, a checky £3K punt on a Series 11A truck cab landy and the rest on a Mk1 honda insight....oh,wait, how bigs your garage?

[Garlick]

Itsallicanafford said:

mmmh, 15K to spend on 2 cars, this is a great Friday afternoon question...

That was for one car to do the job of two

[Roadster25]

I miss our LS400 and regret selling it most days. Yes it was heavy on fuel, but they're worth so little there seems to be little point in selling in the name of economy. I'm pretty sure I'd be richer if I hadn't sold it to buy something more frugal.

While we enjoyed the odd sprint along the M1 it was never a car I felt the need to drive quickly, it just didn't put me in the frame of mind for that. Much more suited to wafting at 70 or so. As you say, fuel economy isn't too terrible if you do that.

Keep, waft, enjoy.

[confused_buyer]

I picked up a Mk 4 LS400 last week at auction for under £1k. No docs, no history, unwarranted mileage.

Drives like new, even the mileage (80k) is obviously genuine and turns out same owner since 2000.

You can gas these for about £1200 if you shop around.

On the same subject, I did a motorway run in a 04 LS430 last week as well - 34mpg according to the computer at 75 ish typical uk motorway speeds. A 530d auto will do about 38 in the same circumstances.

[pmessling]

Certainly know the pain of having V8's, with my cerbera, and Grand cherokee, should get shares in fuel, might get a return then one day with all the money i've given. Although thinking about it, its not so much the petrol companies then the tax on it all to the government.

[Rum Runner]

VXR8 on LPG should do the trick. Though you will miss the TVR and end wanting another then finding a good one will be a mine field.

[drivin_me_nuts]

Garlick said:

excel monkey said:

See, this is where I get confused.

You love the Lexus, but the fuel consumption annoys you enough to force you to drop your speed to 60-odd on the motorway. Would you rather not sacrifice a small percentage of the barge-ness and get something where you can put your foot down a bit, and still get a mpg figure that is acceptable to you?

I guess barge ownership is a mindset that you either have or you don't have, and that's why I'm stuck in a four cylinder diesel, not a V8.

Definitely can't see myself in a lesser barge, but I should stress the MPG is only a problem occasionally. When I need some economy it's good to know I can wring a bit more out of it (business trips as an example), but there are weeks when I hoof it around regardless. Getting the balance right is important and that makes the ownership proposition easier to balance.

I have considered chopping it in for something like a 530D, but the difference in what the LS is worth to what a 530D costs would buy me an awful lot of unleaded!

Besides, I own one of the few luxury cars built to be the best in the world (at the time), and thats a level of comfort I am loathe to give up.

Don't then! You won't find a barge as well executed as the LS for that amount of pennies and other than the fuel costs, it's hardly more expensive than a mid range Golf to service/maintain. Other than the fuel economy you know perfectly well how much you will miss the LS when you get behind the wheel of a mediocre BMW. You will miss it a great deal.. dare I say, more so than if the gobby tub went.

[Itsallicanafford]

Garlick said:

That was for one car to do the job of two

Apologies, anything with a 3.0D BMW engine in then. 37mpg over 90,000 miles of ownership in my E90 330D manual coupe and it also goes like stink...might not be a very interesting PH fleet update blog though as nothing ever went wrong on my one (apart from the all the 19inch alloys cracking)...

[confused_buyer]

The problem with the 3.0 diesels is that the economy isn't that great.

If it does 37 in a manual 3 series, put it in an auto barge and you can see where it is going.

A 5 series really isn't s luxury car in the same way a LS or 7 is either.

[TallTom]

Get a fuel card and plan routes to petrol stations, try and at least get something back even if it is a cuddly toy and then just enjoy driving both.

As you have stated it not worth much and nothing would match both.

[mocca]

confused_buyer said:

The problem with the 3.0 diesels is that the economy isn't that great.

If it does 37 in a manual 3 series, put it in an auto barge and you can see where it is going.

A 5 series really isn't s luxury car in the same way a LS or 7 is either.

I suggested a 730d early on in the thread because some owners report repeatedly above 40mpg. However, Garlick refers to use of his barge in London, which points to some urban use which would obviously see that potential figure plummet.

[phib]

confused_buyer said:

The problem with the 3.0 diesels is that the economy isn't that great.

If it does 37 in a manual 3 series, put it in an auto barge and you can see where it is going.

A 5 series really isn't s luxury car in the same way a LS or 7 is either.

34.8 is the answer on a 730d sport over the last 56k

Phib

[sinbaddio]

Garlick said:

The Merc was lovely, really lovely, but I hankered after a larger engine, some cow seats and a few toys. The power, silence and comfort of the big Lexus meant the Merc was used less and less. I loved the Merc, but the Lexus just edged it and the Merc was the one to be sold.

I'd have another 124 wagon, but I'd like an E320 with all the trimmings.

Good idea - I've just treated myslef to a 94 E320 coupe, fully loaded and it's as fabulous as I'd expected

[Itsallicanafford]

....you will also see mid 40's on a motorway run in a 330d manual if you cruise at 70....

[sinbaddio]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Do it! Only paid £1500 for mine and it's pretty straight, few small spots of rust but for an 18 year old motor really quite staggering!

[Garlick]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

This looks like a bit of you: http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...

Not a 24, but still pleasant (but that spoiler would have to go)