RE: Shed of the Week: Lexus LS400
Discussion
RoverP6B said:
If the LS400 is your thing, I'd dare to suggest (even as an old fart of 60!) that they benefit from a slightly sportier look, some bigger snazzier alloy wheels, lower profile tyres, lowered suspension... less golf club, more gangster. (Not my pic, I hasten to add).
Add LSD, opposite lock and tyre smoke for additional coolness.
Each to their own, but the cheap minicab look of anonymity appeals. For me, that appeal would be lost by blinging it up. (And I'm only 38!)Add LSD, opposite lock and tyre smoke for additional coolness.
Fantastic anecdote, by the way. Thanks for sharing; I enjoyed reading it.
I adored mine (1994 LS400) - did everything I needed perfectly.
People that complain of the blandness are missing the point.... this is a car you can drive, or be driven in for hours on end and jump out of feeling refreshed and ready to go. Utterly reliable - literally the only choice in a career where being available and getting to the scene without a fuss is the No.1 priority.
Also, the MPG was fantastic
(Ok, ok, I had a few Rx7s as fun cars at the time - so near 30mpg on a run was good!)
It's good to see that well presented early examples are appreciating in value too - they deserve their place as a classic.
As is traditional I will now end by posting the videos of mine on straight pipes after it had transferred from daily duties to 'toy' status
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAQO7XdWXao
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TcLgTLg_kU
People that complain of the blandness are missing the point.... this is a car you can drive, or be driven in for hours on end and jump out of feeling refreshed and ready to go. Utterly reliable - literally the only choice in a career where being available and getting to the scene without a fuss is the No.1 priority.
Also, the MPG was fantastic
(Ok, ok, I had a few Rx7s as fun cars at the time - so near 30mpg on a run was good!)It's good to see that well presented early examples are appreciating in value too - they deserve their place as a classic.
As is traditional I will now end by posting the videos of mine on straight pipes after it had transferred from daily duties to 'toy' status
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAQO7XdWXao
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TcLgTLg_kU
If it helps, I got 550 miles out of a tank recently. The tank is 84 liters.
That was pretty much all motorway, heading from London down to Barcelona via Andorra. I was pleasantly surprised, if I'm honest, because around London, the mileage is not great, but then what do you expect?
Seeing the many, many miles slip past, in the quiet solitude of the car, hearing even my youngest daughter snoring in the back, and hearing precisely zero noise from anything outside the car, will stay with me as a memory for a long time that makes me smile every time I think of it.
Wafting at its finest.
That was pretty much all motorway, heading from London down to Barcelona via Andorra. I was pleasantly surprised, if I'm honest, because around London, the mileage is not great, but then what do you expect?
Seeing the many, many miles slip past, in the quiet solitude of the car, hearing even my youngest daughter snoring in the back, and hearing precisely zero noise from anything outside the car, will stay with me as a memory for a long time that makes me smile every time I think of it.
Wafting at its finest.
big_rob_sydney said:
If it helps, I got 550 miles out of a tank recently. The tank is 84 liters.
That was pretty much all motorway, heading from London down to Barcelona via Andorra. I was pleasantly surprised, if I'm honest, because around London, the mileage is not great, but then what do you expect?
Seeing the many, many miles slip past, in the quiet solitude of the car, hearing even my youngest daughter snoring in the back, and hearing precisely zero noise from anything outside the car, will stay with me as a memory for a long time that makes me smile every time I think of it.
Wafting at its finest.
Sounds good Rob.A customer of mine has run one for nearly ten years now in a light metallic green colour and he swears by it,still in good condition and still very quiet and efficient,I can appreciate the waft factor now as i have recently become the owner of a 2013 GS450h Lexus and having just returned from a holiday in it, what a car it is super smooth and rapid when you need it and 500 miles from a tank,also funny as people wonder why this large car is silent as it moves off,but the best thing is i have not seen another GS on the road yet,never mind a 450h version.That was pretty much all motorway, heading from London down to Barcelona via Andorra. I was pleasantly surprised, if I'm honest, because around London, the mileage is not great, but then what do you expect?
Seeing the many, many miles slip past, in the quiet solitude of the car, hearing even my youngest daughter snoring in the back, and hearing precisely zero noise from anything outside the car, will stay with me as a memory for a long time that makes me smile every time I think of it.
Wafting at its finest.
W124 said:
The RX 300 is also an interesting choice. They go field the same kind of money. I picked up a Mk1 with 70k on it, a full Lexus history, and one owner for £1800. ... But we’ve all grown to love it so it’s in for a major service next week.
And in a nutshell that's it. For us, too (and Mrs Goat is an enviro-eco anti-petrolhead). I bought my LS400 (after lurking in the barge thread here) three years ago to do a euro road trip and sell it on straight afterwards. And it's just far too good a car to do that. So I got the timing belt done (£501 at Lexus inc water pump and aux belt) and 30,000 miles later it's still great.I loved the Sacco-era Mercedes, and this is like the MB engineering you used to get back then, but upped a few notches, and with none of the bork factor that later Mercedes have.
(Sad fact: it's so good, I've got two. One as a spare; just in case à la Diva movie!)
Very, very good cars - though I respected my Mk4, rather than loved it.
Mighty engine, superb damping and high speed ride. You just knew you would get to where you wanted to go, with minimum effort.
Extremely reliable, though things do go wrong - often silly things that can cost a fortune to repair - bonnet struts, steering wheel electric motors etc. Wheels corroded quickly too.
I would have another...though my BMW E38, while objectively inferior, draws me in every time I drive it...the LS never quite did that.
Mighty engine, superb damping and high speed ride. You just knew you would get to where you wanted to go, with minimum effort.
Extremely reliable, though things do go wrong - often silly things that can cost a fortune to repair - bonnet struts, steering wheel electric motors etc. Wheels corroded quickly too.
I would have another...though my BMW E38, while objectively inferior, draws me in every time I drive it...the LS never quite did that.
Escapegoat said:
And in a nutshell that's it. For us, too (and Mrs Goat is an enviro-eco anti-petrolhead). I bought my LS400 (after lurking in the barge thread here) three years ago to do a euro road trip and sell it on straight afterwards. And it's just far too good a car to do that. So I got the timing belt done (£501 at Lexus inc water pump and aux belt) and 30,000 miles later it's still great.
I loved the Sacco-era Mercedes, and this is like the MB engineering you used to get back then, but upped a few notches, and with none of the bork factor that later Mercedes have.
(Sad fact: it's so good, I've got two. One as a spare; just in case à la Diva movie!)
Which dealer was that? I just got quoted £700 for the lot...I loved the Sacco-era Mercedes, and this is like the MB engineering you used to get back then, but upped a few notches, and with none of the bork factor that later Mercedes have.
(Sad fact: it's so good, I've got two. One as a spare; just in case à la Diva movie!)
We had one of these in the family for eighteen years and around 100,000 miles. Beautifully built, if somewhat 'land yacht' handling. Smooth to drive, nothing ever failed electronically and other than the odd rear light bulb and suspension bushes failing the car ran beautifully. There are some good specialists out there now for cambelt changes, water pump and radiator concerns, but be warned some interior parts can be hard to find. A top motor for those who waft rather than blast along roads.
Henrico said:
Which dealer was that? I just got quoted £700 for the lot...
Lexus Cambridge. The low-cost timing belt offer is (was?) on the Lexus main web page and I had to point it out when I called Cambridge, and then they honoured it. Then (sensibly) they offered to do the water pump at the same time, and likewise with the aux belt. I think that if I'd just gone in, without wising up first, and with those three things as a list, I'd have likely been quoted closer to £1000.
My 22 Y/O son has a low mileage 94 on a M Plate. I drive it regularly.
I agree with a lot of the negatives, that have been said. It is a bloody big car! It is the smoothest car I have ever driven! Handling is nothing special but very comfy.
Make no misteak! That V8 is a absolute gem of and engine. And it does GO!
Can anybody recommend a good choice of tyre? At the moment its has cheapish tyres and in the wet the rears spin easily
BTW I have a friend who is putting an engine out of a LS430 into a MX5!
I agree with a lot of the negatives, that have been said. It is a bloody big car! It is the smoothest car I have ever driven! Handling is nothing special but very comfy.
Make no misteak! That V8 is a absolute gem of and engine. And it does GO!
Can anybody recommend a good choice of tyre? At the moment its has cheapish tyres and in the wet the rears spin easily
BTW I have a friend who is putting an engine out of a LS430 into a MX5!
leedsutd1 said:
£1,500 seems a lot for a 20 year old lexus needing belt doing ,have just sold a immaculate 2009 insignia 1,8, se with half leather seats ,73,000 miles 2 owners and serviced every 3,000 miles for £2,650
Yeah, but I actually bought an S60, purely to get rid of an Insignia hire car on that exact day. I hated it that much. We all have different tastes, but I've never driven anything I despised as much as the Insignia.To make matters worse, I liked the Cavalier. You could see out of it, and it was reasonably nippy.
leedsutd1 said:
£1,500 seems a lot for a 20 year old lexus needing belt doing ,have just sold a immaculate 2009 insignia 1,8, se with half leather seats ,73,000 miles 2 owners and serviced every 3,000 miles for £2,650
This tells you everything you need to know: the Insignia is a car that must be priced low to sell, because not enough people want one.The Lexus, despite being older and with a V8 engine, is sort after by enough people. Even when there are (not insignificant) maintenance costs involved.
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