RE: PH FLEET: LEXUS LS400/TVR CHIMAERA 400
Discussion
Sell both. You only live once. Buy one of these...
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/4081190.htm
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/4127452.htm
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/4134095.htm
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/4081190.htm
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/4127452.htm
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/4134095.htm
Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 17th August 17:33
Sell the pair Garlick. You need one of these. A 2 wheel drive 964 is fun, sporting and classy enough to complement your tweed.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/4081148.htm
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/4020024.htm
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3995735.htm (minus the monster sized wheels)
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/4081148.htm
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/4020024.htm
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3995735.htm (minus the monster sized wheels)
I had a E39 540i Touring which was tastefully modified with facelift OEM bits plus M5 steering box and better brakes. At the same time I had a VX220 with a lot of track orientated mods plus a few visual ones (I put the diffuser down as track related but ... ).
To cut a long story short, I sold my perfect pair for different reasons. I really shouldn't have sold the 540. My current BMW is almost as quick, more economical and handles better but, with the depreciation money involved, I could have bought a lot of fuel for the V8 ...
The VX220 was sublime, especially with all traces of understeer eliminated. Now I don't have it and wish I had.
This is a long winded way of saying DON'T SELL!!
To cut a long story short, I sold my perfect pair for different reasons. I really shouldn't have sold the 540. My current BMW is almost as quick, more economical and handles better but, with the depreciation money involved, I could have bought a lot of fuel for the V8 ...
The VX220 was sublime, especially with all traces of understeer eliminated. Now I don't have it and wish I had.
This is a long winded way of saying DON'T SELL!!
Garlick said:
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)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MERCEDES-E300-DIESEL-AUT...
+1 for LPG the lexus, as for hiding the filler, on the last two cars I had converted I had a tow bar on each ( saves car parking dings even if you dont tow anything) and had a bracket welded to it like an extra light socket for the LPG filling point. advantages - no one sees it as an LPG point, middle of the car so doesn't matter what side of the pump you can get to quickest... disadvantages, when you fit 40 mm lowering springs to a Volvo T5 some of the pump fittings can foul the floor when trying to fit them, having to physically "lift" your car an inch or two to fill up is rather silly 
)
I recall you spent a fair few quid getting this LS sorted when you bought it so seems a shame to not get full benefit of that investment, also as a Londoner would the LPG congestion charge thing save you any coin?
I know you say that its only occasionally you feel the MPG pinch but seriously, if you are hitting ~ 20 around the city on dead trees then imagine how smug you would feel with all that luxury sat next to some bikers whose choice of steed will be struggling to hit the economy of your barge! ( yes, Varadero owner, ~ 30 mpg at best when I play out)
) I recall you spent a fair few quid getting this LS sorted when you bought it so seems a shame to not get full benefit of that investment, also as a Londoner would the LPG congestion charge thing save you any coin?
I know you say that its only occasionally you feel the MPG pinch but seriously, if you are hitting ~ 20 around the city on dead trees then imagine how smug you would feel with all that luxury sat next to some bikers whose choice of steed will be struggling to hit the economy of your barge! ( yes, Varadero owner, ~ 30 mpg at best when I play out)
Edited by entwisi on Friday 17th August 22:12
SuperHangOn said:
What the hell are those slits in the bodywork just behind the drivers side headlamp cluster? Is it a reflection of something or are they actually there?charltjr said:
What the hell are those slits in the bodywork just behind the drivers side headlamp cluster? Is it a reflection of something or are they actually there?
Intakes for the turbo on the E300D (and E250) turbodiesel, only available on the continent. The RHD steering column positioning meant the turbo would not fit on UK/ RHD cars, but the vents remained. tomoleeds said:
it would not be worth putting a LPG system in the Lexus,cheap systems for £1,200 are rubbish. you would have to pay £1700-£2,000 for a reliable system.
That all depends on how many Miles he would keep it from here. I agree, cheap systems are not that good but Garlick has already said he's covered 20K in it and I dont think he's had it "that long". Saying spending 2K on a car is not worth it is only valid if that 2K is wasted or doesn't offer some benefit even if that is long term. I recall he spent > 1K sorting it out when he bought it as he did expect to be keeping it so, if it was to be a 3-4 year 50-60K keeper based on even a 36 mpg equiv then why not spend that cash? 2K plus the 1K or so he'd get for it now would get him in what exactly that is better? He already knows this is a reliable comfortable, sorted beast so why not make it a economical beast as well?e.g.
60K @ 20 mpg = 3K gallons, x 4.54 for litres = 13620L with Fuel over next 2-3 years likely to easily average 1.50/litre = >20K GBP
60K @ 18 mpg LPG@ = 3333.3... gallons = 15K litres with LPG @half petrol cost as its been for the last 5 years so 75P = 11.35K
to me that would be 2K well invested!
Just sold my TVR as I need at least 3 seats (that's something you can't specify in the new PH Beta search)
Has to be RWD:
944 Turbo
E46 M3
I can't really think of any other suitable cars as they are all too: slow / new / dull / heavy / thirsty.
You could add a 996 but I drove one and didn't like it.
Has to be RWD:
944 Turbo
E46 M3
I can't really think of any other suitable cars as they are all too: slow / new / dull / heavy / thirsty.
You could add a 996 but I drove one and didn't like it.
Firstly, I'm a huge lexus fan.
If the lexus is reliable, and your only issue is mileage, then I'd ask the question - what would be the total cost to swap over to something else (eg the 730d)? If the swap was pretty much 1 for 1, ok then, that'd probably make sense. But if you had to put in a not inconsiderable amount, then the initial hit needs to be offset by fuel cost savings over time.
One thing about that - on paper, it may seem like a no brainer. But when you have multiple cars to choose from, the end result is that you just dont wind up doing as many miles as you thought, and the repayment milestones arrive much later, if ever.
Depending on your driving composition, you may well find that the lexus is there or thereabouts, in terms of total cost of ownership.
As far as the TVR goes, I've not had experience with them, but have read a bit. I get the impression they are expensive cars due to repair bills? Maybe its better to swap this out for a different car. I ran a Lexus LS and a Subaru 22B at one stage, and that was a great compromise, though the 22B is not the cheapest car of its type to buy. Any decent classic scoob, or early EVO will do, and only cost you small money to buy these days, yet you'll have Japanese reliability. Get a decent rally car with a few mods (exhaust, intake, and tune), and you'll be laughing.
If the lexus is reliable, and your only issue is mileage, then I'd ask the question - what would be the total cost to swap over to something else (eg the 730d)? If the swap was pretty much 1 for 1, ok then, that'd probably make sense. But if you had to put in a not inconsiderable amount, then the initial hit needs to be offset by fuel cost savings over time.
One thing about that - on paper, it may seem like a no brainer. But when you have multiple cars to choose from, the end result is that you just dont wind up doing as many miles as you thought, and the repayment milestones arrive much later, if ever.
Depending on your driving composition, you may well find that the lexus is there or thereabouts, in terms of total cost of ownership.
As far as the TVR goes, I've not had experience with them, but have read a bit. I get the impression they are expensive cars due to repair bills? Maybe its better to swap this out for a different car. I ran a Lexus LS and a Subaru 22B at one stage, and that was a great compromise, though the 22B is not the cheapest car of its type to buy. Any decent classic scoob, or early EVO will do, and only cost you small money to buy these days, yet you'll have Japanese reliability. Get a decent rally car with a few mods (exhaust, intake, and tune), and you'll be laughing.
Mr Garlick - you are wanting to be giving less money to the tax man in fuel duty, but still keep a V8 fleet.
Here is my advice.
1. Keep your TVR - you have invested a lot of time and money in this car and you enjoy it. great.
2. sell your lexus.
3. buy a V8 4x4/saloon/estate(Grand Cherokee, RR, Disco, E430, S6, LS430, Monaro) with LPG ALREADY FITTED.
This is where you save - you generally pay a small premium over an equivalent car without LPG - of £500 or so, but you recoup this very quickly and after about 5000-ish miles you are in profit - unlike the poor chap who shelled out 2k for the conversion in the first place.
There are plenty of them out there.
The equivalent MPG on a V8 Range Rover is 25 - better than a diesel. On other vehicles it would be a bigger differential.
I have done just the same thing - my Venerable old Defender is going in for a rebuild over the winter(new chassis, fresh paint, chevy 6.3, etc) and as I have just picked up a superb 1997 Discovery, 70000 miles, full history, leather, electrics, 11 months mot and tax, 5 recent pirellis, and a multi-pont LPG system (fitted 2 years ago at a cost of 2 grand) for the sum of £1700 - Not a mark on it and waxoyled from new.
I checked it in to my local Landrover Independent who gave it a full service and aircon regas for 300 quid.
So it owes me 2 grand............................
LPG is 71p per litre ................................
I rest my case.
Here is my advice.
1. Keep your TVR - you have invested a lot of time and money in this car and you enjoy it. great.
2. sell your lexus.
3. buy a V8 4x4/saloon/estate(Grand Cherokee, RR, Disco, E430, S6, LS430, Monaro) with LPG ALREADY FITTED.
This is where you save - you generally pay a small premium over an equivalent car without LPG - of £500 or so, but you recoup this very quickly and after about 5000-ish miles you are in profit - unlike the poor chap who shelled out 2k for the conversion in the first place.
There are plenty of them out there.
The equivalent MPG on a V8 Range Rover is 25 - better than a diesel. On other vehicles it would be a bigger differential.
I have done just the same thing - my Venerable old Defender is going in for a rebuild over the winter(new chassis, fresh paint, chevy 6.3, etc) and as I have just picked up a superb 1997 Discovery, 70000 miles, full history, leather, electrics, 11 months mot and tax, 5 recent pirellis, and a multi-pont LPG system (fitted 2 years ago at a cost of 2 grand) for the sum of £1700 - Not a mark on it and waxoyled from new.
I checked it in to my local Landrover Independent who gave it a full service and aircon regas for 300 quid.
So it owes me 2 grand............................
LPG is 71p per litre ................................
I rest my case.
tomoleeds said:
it would not be worth putting a LPG system in the Lexus,cheap systems for £1,200 are rubbish. you would have to pay £1700-£2,000 for a reliable system.
Two years ago that was certainly the case, but prices have definately dropped.I've found over the years that the price of LPG systems seems to have nothing to do with the quality of the kit or install with many £3k installs being really poor and some cheap ones just as good. Of course, there are also some awful cheap ones!
ktm301p said:
Agree with this ^^
Why doesn't Garlick (or anyone for that matter) get a V8 daily car that has been lpg'd? It makes barely any difference to performance, and the equivalent Lexus could be achieving 35-40mpg...
I do this when I can, problem is it really reduces the choice of cars and many cars that have been converted have done rocketship miles.Why doesn't Garlick (or anyone for that matter) get a V8 daily car that has been lpg'd? It makes barely any difference to performance, and the equivalent Lexus could be achieving 35-40mpg...
There have been a few LS400's with LPG on Ebay recently with 200K+ miles plus they've been in green or had tan interior.
I'd rather buy a decent black / silver 100k one and convert it myself.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff