Best smoker barges 1-5 large [Vol 22]
Discussion
21st Century Man said:
macron said:
Timberwolf said:
down in the gutter with the rest of the kerb-thwacking Qashqai jockeys.
QBee said:
I don't remember it as being very much different price-wise.
I had seen the LS400 being test driven by Quentin Wilson on old Top Gear, and he raved about it.
I decided I was going to have one so long as nothing else was more reliable and a better drive.
I had a test drive in a used LS400 (I was careful not to test drive a new one, as I knew I wouldn't be spending more than £18k) and absolutely loved it.
The Honda I drove was the same price, possibly a year younger, and was a decent place to be, but it just felt ordinary against the Lexus.
I actually drove the Top Gear car for several months as a loan car while my LS was having a wierd fault fixed under warranty - 212,000 miles on it's clock at the time. It was the high mileage ability that partly sold it to me, as I was doing about 30,000 a year at the time
This thing about them being bland and boring - well, I did 180,000 miles in mine.
I have owned and driven 70,000 miles a W210 E Class Avantgarde, and frankly the Lexus was a more ineresting car.
I have also driven an S class and was similarly unimpressed.
I would have another one now if I didn't have dogs in my life.
Nice touch if they were providing a loaner with north of 200k miles - pretty good way of demonstrating the longevity of your product!I had seen the LS400 being test driven by Quentin Wilson on old Top Gear, and he raved about it.
I decided I was going to have one so long as nothing else was more reliable and a better drive.
I had a test drive in a used LS400 (I was careful not to test drive a new one, as I knew I wouldn't be spending more than £18k) and absolutely loved it.
The Honda I drove was the same price, possibly a year younger, and was a decent place to be, but it just felt ordinary against the Lexus.
I actually drove the Top Gear car for several months as a loan car while my LS was having a wierd fault fixed under warranty - 212,000 miles on it's clock at the time. It was the high mileage ability that partly sold it to me, as I was doing about 30,000 a year at the time
This thing about them being bland and boring - well, I did 180,000 miles in mine.
I have owned and driven 70,000 miles a W210 E Class Avantgarde, and frankly the Lexus was a more ineresting car.
I have also driven an S class and was similarly unimpressed.
I would have another one now if I didn't have dogs in my life.
I can subscribe to the notion the Lexus is a boring car, eminently competent but just never gets under your skin. I’m not sure how Germanic output does manage this when, by objective measure, they’re not any more ‘exciting’. They just do though.
Maybe some of it is the subliminal shared heritage/sporting pedigree of BMW, Mercedes and Audi that Lexus doesn’t have that is a factor. Maybe it is the lack of any real talking points/faults or large ownership community?
As SpeckledJim of this parish noted previously, when you look at the engineering and development behind the LS it’s quite incredible and woefully under-appreciated. It’s similar to the kind of obsessive detail behind the Century, and the Phaeton to a degree, but best to perhaps not compare with the latter..,
I think if I was pounding motorways for work back in the 90’s the LS400 would have been phenomenal for the job. Testament to that the fact you did 180k in one.
Anyway, who knows - there just isn’t the ‘turn around after you’ve parked and walked away’ feeling with Lexus (bar an LFA).
Good topic for a thesis.
ETA - I’ve a saved search for GS460 and they crop up about once a year in the £5-10k bracket usually. Rare beasts.
W00DY said:
nobrakes said:
As W201s go that's pretty much perfect. Seems like good value too.
dscam said:
... I can subscribe to the notion the Lexus is a boring car, eminently competent but just never gets under your skin. I’m not sure how Germanic output does manage this when, by objective measure, they’re not any more ‘exciting’. They just do though...
... Anyway, who knows - there just isn’t the ‘turn around after you’ve parked and walked away’ feeling with Lexus (bar an LFA).
Good topic for a thesis.
I'm biased because I've had an LS430 and now have an LC500. Obviously they're very different and the latter is one that you do look over your shoulder at (at least I do), but the LS did get under my skin. The easy casual competence became its strongest appeal and it could excite on those occasions you wanted to treat it like you'd nicked it. The performance when you booted it never got boring; the slight pause as it had to stop thinking like a gentleman of leisure and switched to a hoodied chav, before lifting its skirts and getting you on to licence threatening territory in a heartbeat. I have a lot of love for them.... Anyway, who knows - there just isn’t the ‘turn around after you’ve parked and walked away’ feeling with Lexus (bar an LFA).
Good topic for a thesis.
CharlesdeGaulle said:
dscam said:
... I can subscribe to the notion the Lexus is a boring car, eminently competent but just never gets under your skin. I’m not sure how Germanic output does manage this when, by objective measure, they’re not any more ‘exciting’. They just do though...
... Anyway, who knows - there just isn’t the ‘turn around after you’ve parked and walked away’ feeling with Lexus (bar an LFA).
Good topic for a thesis.
I'm biased because I've had an LS430 and now have an LC500. Obviously they're very different and the latter is one that you do look over your shoulder at (at least I do), but the LS did get under my skin. The easy casual competence became its strongest appeal and it could excite on those occasions you wanted to treat it like you'd nicked it. The performance when you booted it never got boring; the slight pause as it had to stop thinking like a gentleman of leisure and switched to a hoodied chav, before lifting its skirts and getting you on to licence threatening territory in a heartbeat. I have a lot of love for them.... Anyway, who knows - there just isn’t the ‘turn around after you’ve parked and walked away’ feeling with Lexus (bar an LFA).
Good topic for a thesis.
Replying to your comment allows me to make good on a major omission from my earlier post by including the absolutely beautiful LC500 - most definitely a car you’d turn round and stare at. Yours in particular given the optimum gentleman’s colour combination you selected
dscam said:
Replying to your comment allows me to make good on a major omission from my earlier post by including the absolutely beautiful LC500 - most definitely a car you’d turn round and stare at. Yours in particular given the optimum gentleman’s colour combination you selected
That's kind of you, thanks. I should probably confess to the fact that the car is rather more gentlemanly in appearance than I can manage myself!bolidemichael said:
Max M4X WW said:
Sorry if I've missed it, but are many on here going to MBW on Sunday?
I can't decide if I should take the Audi 100 barge or Up GTI.
I’m going, as is 0a, Scrump and JOB201. I can't decide if I should take the Audi 100 barge or Up GTI.
More votes in favour of the 100, but I thought the Up was more suited, and no others are on the list. Saying that we went in my cousins A4 B5 last year and that made it onto a PH Instagram post and seemed popular:
E90_M3Ross said:
I'll counter with I found my LS460 extremely competent but dull. It was pretty quick for a big barge but I preferred the E65 745i to drive, but for reliable barge transport they're hard to beat. Never got under my skin though.
Clearly you've not seen CarCareNut's latest "you're doomed... DOOOOOOOMED I TELLS YA!" video about the LS460. In essence, my car is out there right now doing unspeakable acts of harm to its own wiring and gaskets whilst plotting my downfall.Unfortunately he has credentials and knows his stuff, it sounds like a bit of a "the gasman cometh" situation where certain small jobs snowball into a big and very expensive one.
donkmeister said:
E90_M3Ross said:
I'll counter with I found my LS460 extremely competent but dull. It was pretty quick for a big barge but I preferred the E65 745i to drive, but for reliable barge transport they're hard to beat. Never got under my skin though.
Clearly you've not seen CarCareNut's latest "you're doomed... DOOOOOOOMED I TELLS YA!" video about the LS460. In essence, my car is out there right now doing unspeakable acts of harm to its own wiring and gaskets whilst plotting my downfall.Unfortunately he has credentials and knows his stuff, it sounds like a bit of a "the gasman cometh" situation where certain small jobs snowball into a big and very expensive one.
Mine had 113k when I sold it, didn't use coolant, had never even heard of that issue, or the injector issue. I think that video probably makes it out worse than it is. There are loads of these with well over 150k miles on.
He's right about control arms, I had to replace a couple on mine, luckily I didn't have to pay (long story). But yes, air suspension cost did always worry me, as did the steering rack issue. That said, $10k for front suspension? Maybe genuine Lexus, but a front air strut can be had for under £1k.
Glad I left the unreliable Lexus and into an M3
He's right about control arms, I had to replace a couple on mine, luckily I didn't have to pay (long story). But yes, air suspension cost did always worry me, as did the steering rack issue. That said, $10k for front suspension? Maybe genuine Lexus, but a front air strut can be had for under £1k.
Glad I left the unreliable Lexus and into an M3
Ref earlier GS460 chat. 1 of 12 apparently (£6,900):
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/116109935144?mkcid=16&a...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/116109935144?mkcid=16&a...
dscam said:
Ref earlier GS460 chat. 1 of 12 apparently (£6,900):
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/116109935144?mkcid=16&a...
Gees, looks like an Avensis to me, but a very nice motor. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/116109935144?mkcid=16&a...
Quite the Q car/sleeper.
dscam said:
Ref earlier GS460 chat. 1 of 12 apparently (£6,900):
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/116109935144?mkcid=16&a...
Good find!!! Only 12 sold here? Blimey!https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/116109935144?mkcid=16&a...
donkmeister said:
E90_M3Ross said:
Glad I left the unreliable Lexus and into an M3
His videos on 460s are always doom mongering, I've learned to take note but not worry!Tip for you: the key to reliability with the E90 M3 is to check the oil at least once a week. Must be with the dipstick, mind.
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