Discussion
Macron said:
Did you not pay for the radiator then either? If so, fine work!
They were not able to get the radiator done at such short notice so it will be getting done when it goes for its MOT, which will be approx 4 weeks time. The radiator is purely preventative, but I'm supposed to be going away Saturday (renting a cottage 250 miles away) so I wanted the battery doing ASAP just in case it failed when I was away.olly755 said:
TyrannosauRoss Lex said:
They were not able to get the radiator done at such short notice so it will be getting done when it goes for its MOT, which will be approx 4 weeks time. The radiator is purely preventative, but I'm supposed to be going away Saturday (renting a cottage 250 miles away) so I wanted the battery doing ASAP just in case it failed when I was away.
Go for an OEM Denso radiator when you replace, there are a few pattern alternatives, all of dubious quality. I bought mine directly from Lexus at around £300 (an uprated version with a bigger diameter nipple: the originals are easily snapped) but Rock Auto have them at around £180 including shipping to the U.K.Cheers.
Edit - just had a look there.... Are you sure denso is the OEM, as that appears to be a bit over £100 and a Nissens one is around £180? Thanks.
Edited by TyrannosauRoss Lex on Wednesday 30th September 22:05
olly755 said:
Denso is the OEM supplier for the LS460 rad. Lexus forum users mostly have dementia and I struggled to ascertain who made them initially. My “can’t be arsed” threshold is pretty low so I ended up ordered the correct part from my local dealer and of course did the research after I spent the money.
This is the rad that came off the car, which I believe was the original. No idea why I took a photo.
You can see the Denso’s underlined “D” logo. The brand new rad was identically stamped, but the top nipple was larger and thicker ( the originals are very easily snapped, usually when other works are carried out. Ask me how I know). so I presume this was an update. The original coolant pipe still fits over, but it’ has to be stretched. Worth ordering a new one.
They are indeed around £100 on Rock Auto with around £80 postage.
Thanks very much for this mate. I'll send the details to "my man" This is the rad that came off the car, which I believe was the original. No idea why I took a photo.
You can see the Denso’s underlined “D” logo. The brand new rad was identically stamped, but the top nipple was larger and thicker ( the originals are very easily snapped, usually when other works are carried out. Ask me how I know). so I presume this was an update. The original coolant pipe still fits over, but it’ has to be stretched. Worth ordering a new one.
They are indeed around £100 on Rock Auto with around £80 postage.
250 miles through pretty miserable conditions yesterday, but the LS was unflappable. That was the longest journey I've done in the car since getting it. Overall about 4 hours of driving, the last 20 miles took about 45mins due to a very narrow (and long!) B road.
about 1-2 weeks and I'll get it booked in for the new radiator and coolant pipe(s) and MOT. Fingers crossed all is well.
about 1-2 weeks and I'll get it booked in for the new radiator and coolant pipe(s) and MOT. Fingers crossed all is well.
BrettMRC said:
From memory, (so could be wrong) the radiator was the same in the early LS400's to the those in the V8 & Turbo Soarers - the one you have there from the '460 looks like it might be the same part.
The price certainly sounds right.
I must admit I'm quite surprised at how "cheap" they are. I've messaged "my man" to let him know when it can be MOTd and I'll speak to him again in another week or so to get it actually booked in. It may end up being a case of getting it directly through Lexus/Toyota, I'm not sure, but will see what he decides. I told him about Rock Auto and that it was best to get OEM which was Denso The price certainly sounds right.
scottos said:
I've just done the radiator on my Lexus (well a few weeks ago!), I bought the radiator from Lexus Parts Direct, it was a reasonable £280. Also bought all the coolant etc. as well. It was a relatively easy swap and relatively inexpensive for peace of mind!
I have looked into that GROM Vline unit you've bought a couple of times now. Did you buy it from the USA or the UK? How are you getting on with it? I've currently got a cheap £26 bluetooth/ aux adapter that allows me to wirelessly stream music and what not but i'd love the GROM unit for google maps/ Waze. I never use the Lexus satnav and resort to having my phone on a mount but id rather have the phone tucked out of the way.
Hi, I have looked into that GROM Vline unit you've bought a couple of times now. Did you buy it from the USA or the UK? How are you getting on with it? I've currently got a cheap £26 bluetooth/ aux adapter that allows me to wirelessly stream music and what not but i'd love the GROM unit for google maps/ Waze. I never use the Lexus satnav and resort to having my phone on a mount but id rather have the phone tucked out of the way.
Thanks for the heads up on the price, about what I was expecting via Lexus and fairly reasonable. Of my man goes via Lexus I'd get it cheaper because I never pay more than trade price.
RE the GROM unit, over a very good. There are a few occasions where it plays up, such as when I press the DVD button it will say no disc inserted and won't load, or it won't connect to my phone, but restarting the car always sorts it. It's pretty rare though (maybe once a month).
I use Google maps for navigation and its integration with the GROM unit is good. My only criticism is sometimes I'd like to view the map whilst not having a destination set. This is possible but for some reason there is no apparent way to do that whilst having the map as "track up", it's always north up I think. I've not tried waze.
I got it from the UK (I think), can't fault their customer support, on the fee times I had issues, mainly when I was getting used to it, they always replied pretty quickly.
Would I buy it again? That depends. Keeping the car for a number of years and frequently use the maps or want integrated audio streaming? Yes. Looking to sell the car within 1-2 years? Probably not worth the cost. The benefit of the GROM unit as opposed to a cheap Bluetooth thing like you have is that I can change the track using the buttons on the steering wheel, which is obviously a bonus.
scottos said:
Thanks for the review, i checked their UK site and they dont list for my car or have the one i think would work in stock anyway, i think im fine making do for the forseeable, the GROM would be a 'nice to have'.
The radiator also came with a new header tank and associated hoses/ clips, which was nice! It was for an ISF if it makes any difference, i imagine they are all fairly similar!
£280 for a new rad, header tank and hoses/clips? That seems positively cheap from a dealer!The radiator also came with a new header tank and associated hoses/ clips, which was nice! It was for an ISF if it makes any difference, i imagine they are all fairly similar!
These things get under your skin. Another 250+ miles done today and a delay on the M4 near Cardiff due to a crash but this thing just ATE the miles. Some long tiny B roads starting off (from a place called Puncheston) so about 4 hours travelling time but got out the other side fresh, I stopped for about 3 mins for a loo break and that was it.
Such a great mile muncher. Quiet, comfortable and 375bhp or so means overtakes are dealt with fairly easily.
Only thing I noticed was when I just touch the brakes from outside lane motorway speeds there's definitely a sense the discs may be a bit warped. Heavier stopping is fine. I've never really noticed it before because I haven't driven it on roads clear or long enough to really get some speed up. It's MOT will be booked soon so I'll get them to check that out whilst it's having the new radiator fitted too.
If anyone is after a pretty cheap but very capable barge then I'd definitely recommend them. They aren't "fun" cars and they aren't sporty, but they're all the better at their job for not trying to be sporty.
Such a great mile muncher. Quiet, comfortable and 375bhp or so means overtakes are dealt with fairly easily.
Only thing I noticed was when I just touch the brakes from outside lane motorway speeds there's definitely a sense the discs may be a bit warped. Heavier stopping is fine. I've never really noticed it before because I haven't driven it on roads clear or long enough to really get some speed up. It's MOT will be booked soon so I'll get them to check that out whilst it's having the new radiator fitted too.
If anyone is after a pretty cheap but very capable barge then I'd definitely recommend them. They aren't "fun" cars and they aren't sporty, but they're all the better at their job for not trying to be sporty.
philipbrown123 said:
Traded my 2007 LS460 with 212K on the clock yesterday. I tried selling the Lexus privately but no interest. Only £2,000 in p/ex against a 2018 Volvo S90 diesel for £19,000.
Main reason for changing is the fuel economy, rfl costs etc. Volvo not in he same league as the Lexus, but hopefully not too far off.
That's some mileage! Over 2x mine. Mine just ticked over 104k miles the other day. I would be interested in knowing your thoughts on a comparison between the LS and the Volvo in terms of refinement, comfort, and general quality. Clearly these are pretty old cars now but they still seem fairly solid. Some interior bits feel fairly cheap but they still work, and I think that's the Lexus ethos to be honest.Main reason for changing is the fuel economy, rfl costs etc. Volvo not in he same league as the Lexus, but hopefully not too far off.
I'm hoping mine goes through the MOT OK soon!
Jimmy Recard said:
philipbrown123 said:
Traded my 2007 LS460 with 212K on the clock yesterday. I tried selling the Lexus privately but no interest. Only £2,000 in p/ex against a 2018 Volvo S90 diesel for £19,000.
Main reason for changing is the fuel economy, rfl costs etc. Volvo not in he same league as the Lexus, but hopefully not too far off.
How long do you think it will take for the £17000 difference to be made up with the fuel and tax saving? Main reason for changing is the fuel economy, rfl costs etc. Volvo not in he same league as the Lexus, but hopefully not too far off.
If you're doing 15k/year I reckon you'd save around £2k/year in fuel, £500/year in tax, probably over £1k/year in servicing so that's at least £3500/year. So that's under 5 years, then you'd have the fact that in 5 years time the Volvo would probably be worth more than the LS460 too. So I reckon, in reality, probably 3-4 years maybe if doing decent mileage, which it sounds likely if it was on 212k.
Jimmy Recard said:
TyrannosauRoss Lex said:
And servicing too......
If you're doing 15k/year I reckon you'd save around £2k/year in fuel, £500/year in tax, probably over £1k/year in servicing so that's at least £3500/year. So that's under 5 years, then you'd have the fact that in 5 years time the Volvo would probably be worth more than the LS460 too. So I reckon, in reality, probably 3-4 years maybe if doing decent mileage, which it sounds likely if it was on 212k.
That's not too bad I suppose. Would the Volvo cost that much less to service? If you're doing 15k/year I reckon you'd save around £2k/year in fuel, £500/year in tax, probably over £1k/year in servicing so that's at least £3500/year. So that's under 5 years, then you'd have the fact that in 5 years time the Volvo would probably be worth more than the LS460 too. So I reckon, in reality, probably 3-4 years maybe if doing decent mileage, which it sounds likely if it was on 212k.
Obviously unplanned maintenance is a variable we cnt predict but I think I'd probably pin my hopes on the Lexus despite the extra mileage and age
The risk is the steering rack.....
Jimmy Recard said:
I think probably £1500 in a bad year but less in a good year, but I don't have any experience.
I didn't know there was a steering rack problem actually. I'm guessing it's not cheap to sort!
They seem like a great car, but every model has to have something. I actually really like the IS220d that my brother has and they seem unbreakable apart from the head gasket, which apparently needs a new head when it goes
The 460s seem a very robust car. They have their faults but rarely anything big, even the air suspension doesn't seem too prone to issues and I gather the engines are solid. Radiators can fail causing coolant to go into the gearbox (hence I'm getting mine changed in a few weeks out of precaution). The steering rack is the big one, and it is a big one..... £5k to get Lexus to fit a new one. I didn't know there was a steering rack problem actually. I'm guessing it's not cheap to sort!
They seem like a great car, but every model has to have something. I actually really like the IS220d that my brother has and they seem unbreakable apart from the head gasket, which apparently needs a new head when it goes
Mine has had it replaced.... But it was replaced with a 2nd hand unit so I've no idea how long it will last but it's the risk you take I guess. If it fails I'm not sure what I'd do but for now I'll enjoy using it! I don't think the car would be worth much at all so it'd either be a case of scrap it or just suck it up, but clearly that'd mean keeping the car for a few more years to try and get some more use out of it!
philipbrown123 said:
The main reason for changing from the Lexus to the Volvo was mpg. My Lexus averages 27 on my 90 mile return commute each day, mostly dual carriageway. The Volvo should be at least 50mpg.
I bought the Lexus at 10 years old with 151k mileage. living at the time 3 miles from the office so mpg not that important. A year later moved house, so a 45 mile journey each way. Depreciation of just over £1,000 per year and total maintenance costs of around £6,000. Car broke down just once in my 3 and a half years and 61K miles of ownership,
Budget was £20K and I considered everything from a Lexus GS hybrid to E class / Jag XF diesel, but never had a Volvo before, so went for the S90 which I collect on Saturday,
Almost halving your fuel bill with that many miles is a fair amount of money. £6k in 10 years is really not bad for a car of this ilk!!! I bought the Lexus at 10 years old with 151k mileage. living at the time 3 miles from the office so mpg not that important. A year later moved house, so a 45 mile journey each way. Depreciation of just over £1,000 per year and total maintenance costs of around £6,000. Car broke down just once in my 3 and a half years and 61K miles of ownership,
Budget was £20K and I considered everything from a Lexus GS hybrid to E class / Jag XF diesel, but never had a Volvo before, so went for the S90 which I collect on Saturday,
philipbrown123 said:
" Almost halving your fuel bill with that many miles is a fair amount of money. £6k in 10 years is really not bad for a car of this ilk!!! "
I think you have misread something. I bought the car 3 and a half years ago for £6k and the maintenance costs have been around £6k for the last 3 and a half years and 61K miles.
Oh, in that case it's not so great I think you have misread something. I bought the car 3 and a half years ago for £6k and the maintenance costs have been around £6k for the last 3 and a half years and 61K miles.
This may be a long post......
Well the other day I had a random email from a PHer asking if I'd be willing to sell my car. I hadn't thought of it but it has got me thinking.
The car has literally cost me nothing to run aside fuel, tax and insurance due to a deal I have with the people who service it, but I can't see that going on forever, and I've no idea what it is worth.
Since owning it it has had 2 new Michelin front tyres, track rod ends, new genuine Lexus radiator, full service, 4 tyre pressure monitor sensors and a new battery. MOT expires mid November and had no advisories. It also had that Android GROM audio unit fitted to allow Android integration and wireless bluetooth music streaming with integration with the steering wheel buttons. It is going in this week (hopefully, if not next week) for front brake discs because they are a little warped so you can feel a judder under light braking from higher speeds. But, all of that work has no paperwork (aside the service), but one quick check of the tyres, the radiator, battery etc will all show they are new items.
Only faults are the passenger side wing mirror doesn't fold (common problem), the auto lights turn on when they should, but when you turn the ignition off they dim, but don't turn off (effectively making them non-auto lights), the driver's side door doesn't seem to register with the interior lights (so when you unlock the car the interior lights come on but if you keep the door open they'll eventually go off, shutting and opening the door again won't bring the lights back on, yet opening any other door will). I can't think of anything else, so absolutely no major faults.
Looking on Autotrader
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?advertClas...
It must be worth £7500-8000 or so. My mileage is just under 105k.
I very rarely use the car, but I do need a car. So if I did sell it, I'd need to buy another. I think it'd be daft to buy another "luxury" car, because I don't think I'd get better (and more reliable and "sorted" for the money), so it'd be another cheaper hack and save a few £k.
Decisions, decisions! Thoughts?
Well the other day I had a random email from a PHer asking if I'd be willing to sell my car. I hadn't thought of it but it has got me thinking.
The car has literally cost me nothing to run aside fuel, tax and insurance due to a deal I have with the people who service it, but I can't see that going on forever, and I've no idea what it is worth.
Since owning it it has had 2 new Michelin front tyres, track rod ends, new genuine Lexus radiator, full service, 4 tyre pressure monitor sensors and a new battery. MOT expires mid November and had no advisories. It also had that Android GROM audio unit fitted to allow Android integration and wireless bluetooth music streaming with integration with the steering wheel buttons. It is going in this week (hopefully, if not next week) for front brake discs because they are a little warped so you can feel a judder under light braking from higher speeds. But, all of that work has no paperwork (aside the service), but one quick check of the tyres, the radiator, battery etc will all show they are new items.
Only faults are the passenger side wing mirror doesn't fold (common problem), the auto lights turn on when they should, but when you turn the ignition off they dim, but don't turn off (effectively making them non-auto lights), the driver's side door doesn't seem to register with the interior lights (so when you unlock the car the interior lights come on but if you keep the door open they'll eventually go off, shutting and opening the door again won't bring the lights back on, yet opening any other door will). I can't think of anything else, so absolutely no major faults.
Looking on Autotrader
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?advertClas...
It must be worth £7500-8000 or so. My mileage is just under 105k.
I very rarely use the car, but I do need a car. So if I did sell it, I'd need to buy another. I think it'd be daft to buy another "luxury" car, because I don't think I'd get better (and more reliable and "sorted" for the money), so it'd be another cheaper hack and save a few £k.
Decisions, decisions! Thoughts?
Edited by TyrannosauRoss Lex on Tuesday 26th January 14:07
stickleback123 said:
I've not tracked the values of these, but FWIW with the cars I do keep an eye on there are definite signs of the COVID market cooling; cars hanging around unsold at the inflated prices and seeing regular drops vs vanishing within days at what seemed mad prices to me.
If you're going to bail out soon, now is probably the time. Do you feel you've done the Lexus thing and just want cheap motoring for a bit while you decide how to burn £20 notes next? I find that when I'm "over" a car/barge and it's giving me no more pleasure than I'd get from an Avensis then it really does just feel like burning money.
No, I still enjoy driving it, it is a lovely barge and definitely the most comfortable car I've ever owned, or possibly that I've ever been in!) and it still feels like a luxury item. I'm just not sure I'm doing it justice by the fact I'm barely using it. I'm probably averaging less than 25 miles/week at the moment. Even that is largely to just keep it running!If you're going to bail out soon, now is probably the time. Do you feel you've done the Lexus thing and just want cheap motoring for a bit while you decide how to burn £20 notes next? I find that when I'm "over" a car/barge and it's giving me no more pleasure than I'd get from an Avensis then it really does just feel like burning money.
CharlesdeGaulle said:
TyrannosauRoss Lex said:
I very rarely use the car, but I do need a car. So if I did sell it, I'd need to buy another. I think it'd be daft to buy another "luxury" car, because I don't think I'd get better (and more reliable and "sorted" for the money), so it'd be another cheaper hack and save a few £k.
Decisions, decisions! Thoughts?
As I recall, you sold a cheap hack to buy this; why did you sell? I imagine it was something along the lines of getting bored with being sensible and wanting to be back in something you enjoyed and could be proud of? If I'm right, why go back again so soon? As you say, you have a well-sorted decent car that has cost you very little. Decisions, decisions! Thoughts?
If you were bored with the Lex and wanted to buy something more fun I could understand that, but it sounds rather like you're thinking of selling it just because.
Obviously your call, but you did ask!
That is one reason why I have considered it. Having a few £k extra in the kitty wouldn't hurt. It is a tough call, but likewise, I am not in the position where I am in NEED to sell.
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff