The Route To An Ls

[MUDGUTS]

I hope I'm not upsetting anyone with this post, as I don't yet own an LS...

This is my first post on LOC (been reading for a while) and although I don't yet own a Lexus, I intend to and have done so for a long, long time. I just can't justify it yet but it will happen.

I first saw the LS 400 reviewed on Top Gear when it came out. I don't know what year this was. The guy reviewing it was (I think) William Woollard.

Some things stick in my head about the LS 400, things I have collected as the years go by and the day (when I will own one) moves nearer. The only thing I can remember about the first LS 400 review I saw was that the guy driving it said it was the quietest car he had ever driven. That sentence alone says it all and was enough to get me hooked.

I love hi fi and own a respectable British made (Danish speakers) system that cost more than my now rapidly depreciating Mondeo is worth by many times. Mark Levinson designs the sound system in some of the LS 400’s. I know my hi fi so I know what that means. The Google entry about the company says this: Manufacturers of the best-sounding, longest-lasting, easiest-to-use audio/video products in the world.

...So now I can find a car that was reviewed by a Top Gear presenter (who had doubtlessly driven quite a few cars in his time) who says it is the quietest and with a top quality sound system in it.

Add to this the respected Quentin Wilson who I saw on TV once, explaining that after 80,000 miles or so his LS 400 showed no wear, he went on to explain that the suspension, steering seat etc. didn't seem to have worn and felt like new...

So now we have the quietest car in the world and with a top quality sound system in it, that doesn't seem to wear. Add to this the fact that 'Lexus have won 1st place Gold Award in Customer Satisfaction in the JD Power and Associates 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 UK Customer Satisfaction Study' and you have the car that every smart thinking driver should own or aspire to owning.

I include myself in the above.

Just out of interest my route to an LS (as yet uncompleted) is:

Ford Escort 1.6 Ghia

Triumph Acclaim 1.3 HLS

Skoda Estelle 105S

Ford Escort 1.3 Popular

Ford Mondeo 2.0 SI

I know I'm two years at most from buying my first LS and it will probably be a five to seven year old model. Given that I've wanted one since about 1997 and never given up wanting one, I know it will happen. I just need the 'disposable income', 'insurance premium / age / no claims bonus' lines to meet at the point that I can justify ditching the Mondeo (which has been a good car BTW).

Just out of interest has anyone got any figures on running costs of an LS? (not including tax / insurance / fuel). I keep records for my Mondeo and know that on average I can run it for £30-40 per 1000 miles, this is maintenance only.

[chips229]

Hi MUDGUTS.....Welcome to the LOC.

As to the running costs of the LS400,if you read the LS400 section the common theme is buy a 400 that is up together.You could start like i did and buy the early mk1 model which if you look through Autotrader there nearly giving them away because there old cars now and the price of fuel.I ran my car for a year and only needed to put tyres on the car.I also had to replace the EGR pipe which i knew about before buying the car,got some money off the car when i pointed out that it needed replacing.You could buy a tidy mk1 for as little as £1200 ish and run it for a year and only have to spend a little on the car apart from the fuel costs if you find a good one.

I remember seeing the Topgear review all them years ago and remember them balancing a 50pence piece on the engine when it was running,at the time no engine was that smooth...I did the 50p test on my engine :D and it balanced,130K was on my engine and the 50p is also a smaller size than when they did the test in the early 90s.

[Rillo]

Economy depends on type of driving but I regularly see 27-28 mpg on Motorway and about 17-18 on short trips. Expensive but not catastrophic.

So far I have had one service done at 35K miles and that was about £185 I think.

[lsnut]

Hi Mudguts

Welcome to LOC. Nice to see you're after an LS 400. YOU WON'T BE SORRY!!!!

They are great cars. Be careful when buying and it should last a good long while. I think I'm correct in saying the the Mark Levison system was only fitted to later cars as an option and came as standard on the LS430. But don't panic, I have a Rega system at home and the one in my wife's 2000 MkIV LS is still very good.

As far as running costs are concerned, they depend on how you drive it. Ours has just returned from a drive from Essex to Durham and back and the average consumption shows as 33.4, amazing. If you drive arouond town this will drop to aroound 17 - 18 mpg. You have to remember that these are £50,000 cars now, so the running costs reflect that. The general servicing is quite good, not much more than our old Toyota Carina. There is a big service every 60,000 miles or so that will cost several hundred pounds but if you are running and older model this can be kept down by using a non-franchise garage.

They are worth the cost, especially if you cover a lot of miles. When you balance the ease of driving and the comfort over big distances, they are fantastic value for money.

We thought about the pros and cons for some while before we made the choice but we don't regret it at all.

Good luck.

[BristoLS]

New member and first-time Lexus owner. I’m 25 so my list isn’t that long, but I don’t think I’ve bought anything totally embarrassing…well, maybe one.

1990 Ford Fiesta 1.1 – Perfect first car. Very reliable and easy to look after, but the Fan Belt refused to stay tight!

1998 Renault Clio 1.2 – Bought with 200 miles on the clock and with a decent £1200 discount off list price. No problems in a year of ownership.

2000 Honda Civic 1.8 – First brand-new car. Leather trim, chrome bit…and 0% credit! Honda reliability but just a tad..er..dull.

1989 Mazda 626 2.0 – Hit on hard times and bought this for £150. Very tidy though and lasted a year without any work. Head Gasket gave up at 110mph on the motorway but can’t complain at that price.

1992 Toyota Camry 2.2 – Bought with 132K on the clock and sold two years later with 185K, never missed a beat. I replaced the Radiator for £130 and changed the oil, apart from that it was just superb.

1969 Daimler 2.5 V8 – A moment of madness. Constant trouble from one leak or another, but easy to work on and quite fun. Excellent engine.

1995 Jaguar XJR 4.0 – Another moment of madness, but what a car! Everyone should own one of these at some point. Mother loved it too!! Expensive on lots of little problems and a security system that drains the Battery in a fortnight!

1996 Jaguar XJ Sport 4.0 – A more sensible Jag. Cost me £450 for a re-conditioned steering rack, but not much else. A sense of impending doom made me sell it and head back to the safety of Japanese engineering.

1990 Lexus LS400 – Immaculate condition in stunning silver. The FLSH sold it to me, and you can tell it has been someone’s ‘pride and joy’. New alloys and clear indicators make it look much newer (but it came with the original Lexus alloys in the boot) and original sales literature etc. Only 117K on the clock and if that Camry was anything to go by, I will be glad to keep this car a good while.

[Chris Skelton]

My route to Lexus is a disturbingly brand-loyal one...

- '73 Ford Escort 1100 van - with 3 orange lights on top, ex-recovery

- '78 Ford Capri 1.6L - the girls liked it anyway!

- '77 Ford Cortina 1.6L Mk4 - dangerous car, lethal thing

- '76 Ford Cortina 2000E Mk3 in roman bronze - what a shagpile!

- '81 Ford Escort 1.3L Mk3 - a real tin can

- '83 Ford Sierra 1.6L - nice gearchange

...then came a radical brand switch 

- '86 Citroen BX16RS - unrefined mechanically, but practical and fast/comfortable

- '86 Citroen CX20RE - perfect ride but again, unrefined mechanically

- '71 Citroen SM - still own it; the ultimate car of all time, from another planet!

- '87 Citroen CX25GTi - beautiful in every way; written off by two bimbos

- '88 Citroen CX22TRS - OK but not a patch on the previous two

- '88 Citroen CX25GTi Turbo2 - awesome torque, brute power and comfortable

- '93 Citroen Xantia 2.0LX - very pleasant and practical

- '98 Citroen Xantia 3.0V6 Exclusive - ahh, that's more like it, some luxury

- '02 Citroen C5 3.0V6 Exclusive SE - like a computer on wheels, still own it

...and now...

- '97 Lexus LS400 Mk3 - wanted one since they came out in 1990, a long wait but well worth it. And about time I added a new marque eh...?!

←

good to see another CITROEN fan in here! Was a CCC member for 25years until this year. Agree re SM too.

But the LS400 Ser 3 is pretty good....me to.

[Keith Bowler]

I don't own an LS but I do currently have a Mk1 GS300 sport.

I tend to get attached to my cars and have driven the following:-

In recent years

Triumph Dolomite 1850

Pugeot 104 (I think circa 1985)

Triumph 1500 auto

Ford Escort (Mk4 I think circa 1988, my first company car)

Audi 80 (a real workhorse, got written of by a rear end shunt)

MGB chrome bumper Roadster (rebuilt with my own bare hands!)

Rover 800 Si with all the toys (yes it was unreliable but I enjoyed it)

Current cars

Renault Clio 1.2 (used for teaching my kids to drive, now nearly dead!!)

Rover 827 (the wolf in sheeps clothing, superb Honda V6 fast and great fun to drive)

Lexus Mk1 GS300 sport (by far the best and most reliable car I have ever driven, but not as fast and spritely as the Rover!)

Whilst I have no intention of moving on from my Lex and the Rover, I do tend to go for good used classics and on my wishlist for the future would be:-

Audi A8 4.2

Mercedes 500SEL (Must be AMG with full kit)

BMW 740i/750i (one before latest model)

Mercedes GWagon

MGB V8 (Sebring replica or an original would be v nice!!)

Triumph Stag (original V8)

Triumph TR5

Austin Healey 3000

Porsche 911 Carerra 2/4 (I'm not fussy!)

Mk1 Lotus Cortina

[gandollf00]

I don't own an LS but I do currently have a IS 200sport.

my first baby:

1980 ford capri gl - while i was still a learner

1984 vauxhall cavalier l - after i passed my test

1982 vauxhall cavalier cdi - after i got my license back

1988 ford orion ghia - liked the wheels

1989 renault 21 turbo - so much fun

1989 bmw 325 sport - i had arrived and had to stop smoking

1996 volvo t5 - brown underpants as standard - so safe we started a family

1997 peugeot 306 diesel turbo - all other car headlights hit you in the face

1998 peugeot 405 diesel - 1 salary cutting in

1999 rover 200 diesel - 1 salary starting to bite

1999 ford mondeo diesel - 2 car 2 wage family again

2001 lexus is200 sport - best ever

[wills]

This is really long and boring but my previous motor was a 528i B*W.............very good engine , quicker than the GS but in the snow, there wasnt even a competition......ooh lists are like TESCO'S

[wills]

sorry respect to the people who have long lists

[MUDGUTS]

I hope I'm not upsetting anyone with this post, as I don't yet own an LS...

This is my first post on LOC (been reading for a while) and although I don't yet own a Lexus, I intend to and have done so for a long, long time. I just can't justify it yet but it will happen.

I first saw the LS 400 reviewed on Top Gear when it came out. I don't know what year this was. The guy reviewing it was (I think) William Woollard.

Some things stick in my head about the LS 400, things I have collected as the years go by and the day (when I will own one) moves nearer. The only thing I can remember about the first LS 400 review I saw was that the guy driving it said it was the quietest car he had ever driven. That sentence alone says it all and was enough to get me hooked.

I love hi fi and own a respectable British made (Danish speakers) system that cost more than my now rapidly depreciating Mondeo is worth by many times. Mark Levinson designs the sound system in some of the LS 400s. I know my hi fi so I know what that means. The Google entry about the company says this: Manufacturers of the best-sounding, longest-lasting, easiest-to-use audio/video products in the world.

...So now I can find a car that was reviewed by a Top Gear presenter (who had doubtlessly driven quite a few cars in his time) who says it is the quietest and with a top quality sound system in it.

Add to this the respected Quentin Wilson who I saw on TV once, explaining that after 80,000 miles or so his LS 400 showed no wear, he went on to explain that the suspension, steering seat etc. didn't seem to have worn and felt like new...

So now we have the quietest car in the world and with a top quality sound system in it, that doesn't seem to wear. Add to this the fact that 'Lexus have won 1st place Gold Award in Customer Satisfaction in the JD Power and Associates 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 UK Customer Satisfaction Study' and you have the car that every smart thinking driver should own or aspire to owning.

I include myself in the above.

Just out of interest my route to an LS (as yet uncompleted) is:

Ford Escort 1.6 Ghia

Triumph Acclaim 1.3 HLS

Skoda Estelle 105S

Ford Escort 1.3 Popular

Ford Mondeo 2.0 SI

BMW e34 525

I know I'm two years at most from buying my first LS and it will probably be a five to seven year old model. Given that I've wanted one since about 1997 and never given up wanting one, I know it will happen. I just need the 'disposable income', 'insurance premium / age / no claims bonus' lines to meet at the point that I can justify ditching the Mondeo (which has been a good car BTW).

Just out of interest has anyone got any figures on running costs of an LS? (not including tax / insurance / fuel). I keep records for my Mondeo and know that on average I can run it for £30-40 per 1000 miles, this is maintenance only.

...I now own one.

[LowriderUK]

My car history so far...

Morris Ital (1981)

Datsun Cherry (1982)

Vauxhall Cavalier (1980)

Vauxhall Cavalier (1979)

Datsun Sunny (1983)

Datsun Sunny (1982)

Lada 125P (1985)

Austin Allegro (1977)

Austin Allegro (1982)

Ford Sierra (1985)

Ford Fiesta (1985)

Volkswagen Jetta (1983)

Audi 80 (1983)

Volkswagen Jetta (1984)

Ford Granada (1983)

Fiat Yugo (1987)

Ford Fiesta (1984)

Ford Escort (1984)

Opel Ascona (1983)

Opel Manta (1985)

Opel Manta (1988)

Fiat Yugo (1987)

Fiat Yugo (1990)

Ford Granada (1981)

Ford Granada (1981)

Opel Ascona (1981)

Toyota Crown (1981)

Ford Granada (1984)

Ford Sierra (1988)

Lada 1300 (1980)

Ford Escort (1985)

Vauxhall Cavalier (1985)

Toyota Celica Supra (1985)

Nissan Laurel (1988)

Renault 5 (1988)

Volkswagen Jetta (1983)

Volkswagen Golf GTI (1988)

Audi 80 (1992)

Audi A8 (1995)

Buick Roadmaster (1992)

Fiat Yugo (1992)

Nissan Micra (1988)

Lexus GS300 (1998)

Daihatsu Cuore (1999)

Volkswagen Polo (1988)

Daihatsu Cuore (2000) - Current

Nissan Laurel (1988)

Honda Civic (1992)

Nissan Bluebird (1988)

Volkswagen Jetta (1982)

Oldsmobile Cutlass (1985)

Volkswagen Transporter (1993) - Current

Oldsmobile Cutlass (1979) - Current

Lexus LS400 (1995) - Current

Fiat Yugo 45A (1988) - Current

[whysub]

Thanks mudguts for reviving a long forgottren thread-and how did it take you nearly 6 years to finally get an LS?

I hvae not owned that many cars (but loads of bikes) and had company cars for 10 years or so-usual rep mobiles so won't include those.

My list is

1963 Consul Cortina (in 1976)with all fur interior, RS ford alloys, slipping clutch.

Company cars then until 1986.

Mk1 Golf GTi (1976 model left hand drive 1600cc). Dissolved into a pile of iron oxide over the course of the 8 months I owned it. Fantastic fun though

1982 Volvo 244 DL. Dull, thirsty but 100% reliable

Fiesta Diesel van. Written off in accident after a year. Hatefully slow and smelly

Ford Escort 1600 cc Estate. 450,000 miles when sold. A dog

Ford Capri 1300cc Auto. Dreadful from it's hand brushed gloss white paintwork to the grease infused seats.

Vauxhall Cavalier SRi (1986 model) Brilliat car-thoroughly abused mechanically, and never a bit of trouble. Fast but not too comfortable.

Saab 9000 (Abbott Racing Conversion)-big turbo, staright through exhaust, circa 300 bhp at the wheels. Mental-smoked the (cheaper the better( tyres from low revs in third gear. Sold because too big for the new wife.

Clio diesel (x2). Wife broke the gear boxes of both.

Audi 80 Sport. Nice car-comfy and fairly fast, economical too.

Merc 190E (proper factory AMG model). Bought unseen on eBay with a crappy description. No other bidders. Thought IU was buying a cheap basic 190E to find it had full leather, air con, AMG body kit, wheels and AMG modded motor. The start of my love of auto boxes too.Nice to drive but such harsh suspension.

VW T4 van-turned from a rusty dented (but mechanically healthy) wreck to a nice looking day van. With the help of the T4Forum, eBay and scrap yards it now has a Subaru WRX interior, DVD players, motorcycle tie dowen bar, alloys, lowered suspension and two tone paint. Not going to sell this.

Jaguar X300. Utter rubbish. Nice ride but everything broke-seats, suspension, ignition, air con, leaky boot, cloudy headlights, oh the list goes on. And all in the space of two months too.

1995 LS400. Defginately the nicest car I have ever owned and not the most expensive. Apart from the Saab 900 and the LS, everything else above cost me less than £500 each, and all were sold or scrapped for roughly what I paid-depreciation freee motoring-aprt from the Jag-the repairs cost me more that the price of the car. There is no such thing as a cheap jag!!!

[run132]

Lexus LS 400 DHP

Fiat 132 2000 x7

Fiat 127 Special

Range Rover Classic x2

Mercedes SL500 (R129)

Daimler V8 (X308)

Honda Legend

Mercedes 300E

Mercedes 320E

I still have them all!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16689667@N06/

[itarumaa]

Daewoo Matiz 800cc

Volvo S40 2.0l

Lexus Ls400 4.0l

Matiz was awful, Volvo was ok and current Ls400 is a great car.

[Malc]

So many, and as I'm very old, impossible to remember apart from the Lexus LS400 MK1

then the MK2

now my MK3

and all over 9 years ........... WOT FABULOUS CARS

also own my g/fs Mazda323f ( 1994, pop-up headlights )

and my classic Triumph Southern Cross Sports Tourer 1932 for sale and had it 8 years I think.

Also a 1997 Renault Mobility Van, Brotherwood conversion ( for wheelchair carrying ) ....... and also for sale now. I don't intend hanging on to it until I need it either !!!

and of course when I had my secondhand car sales business I owned probably more different cars than almost anyone else on here, some Classics too.

Malc

[sir john]

Some of teh members on here have had some serious cars. Make my list very dull.

(Single)

Mini 1275GT; loved it

Mini 1275GT; loved it and modded for extra (haha) power.

(met the wife)

Chrysler Sunbeam 1.3 Auto; extremely good car.

Tolbot Rancho; loved it but the bl**dy thing never stopped rusting.

Vauxhal Astra mk1; front callipers always siezing.

Sherpa Van 1.8 Deisel; fond memories.

Montego 2.0 D; what a pile of.....

Nother Sherpa Van 1.9D; never learn!

Volvo 440i; dull

Mitsubishi Carisma 1.8GDI; 43mpg but i should have soued them over the name.

Fiat Punto; made from tin foil.

Mitsubishi Shogun Pinin; serious off road ability (miles better than the Discovery that followed.

Merc c200 coupe (new); not as good as it should have been.

Landrover Discovery 300TDI; like driving a jelly. very unreliably.

Lexus LS400; still got her and by a mile the best car i have owned.

Landrover Freelander; Massive pile if s**t. The worst car ever built.

Rover 75 CDT Tourer; still got it and knowwhere near as bad as people make out.

Had a few series 111 Landrover projects along the way. What an idiot.

[AdeV]

Hmm, some of those lists are seriously long (and seriously good...)

Mine shows a disturbed mind I think:

'83 Ford Granada 2.8i GL Estate (at 18 years old....!) - went banger racing in '95.

'8X Ford Escort 1.9 Diesel (company car, PoS)

'84 Ford Granada 2.8i Ghia X - scrapped sometime around '99-2000.

'84 Ford Granada 2.8i Ghia X Executive - scrapped sometime around '99-2000.

'91 Rover 820 Turbo (not a Vitesse - fabulously quick, mega expensive on oil, ultimately very fragile) - scrapped sometime around '99-2000.

'89 Vauxhall Senator 3.0i 12v

'99 Audi A4 2.4SE (lease car - never again) - returned 2002 at end of lease

Back to the Senator after the Audi, then

'99 Jaguar S-type 3.0 SE (very expensive, very fragile, nightmare. Nice when it worked.) - sold 2005

Back to the Senator again

'84 Ford Granda 2.8i Ghia X (there's a pattern emerging here....)

Back to the Senator

'94 LS400

Sold the Senator in 2009, it was scrapped within a year, sadly. That was one comfy car.

Sold the Granada & bought another one with the proceeds, a 2.8i Ghia X Estate

Bought another LS400 as an engine donor car (for the 4.0 Granny project)

I still have an "H" reg Pug 205 1.9 auto, bought from my late Grandmother for my sister when she was at University...

Current cars include a Ford Capri race car and a Capri bare shell. Oh, also a Bedford VAM coach (33ft...) and a Ford Cargo 7.5t breakdown wagon.

[david62]

well here goes my list and test me memory:-

1] ford escort mk1...resprayed on road side

2] morris marina..rebuilt engine in garden

3] mini clubman...lol

4] rover p6 3500s...loved it

5] vauxhall nova 13sr..nice car

6] drink driving ban...1986....

7] carless

8] vw transporter van 19td

9] now married..uummm

10] mazda 323

11] mazda 323

12] kia pride

13] kia mentor...smashed up by wifey

14] audi a2 td...great car and 70mpg

15] merc 230clk...very posh in its day

16] renault something...dont ask..lol

17] citreon xantia

18] v/omega 2.5

19] ls400....1993..one owner from new and 80,000..still got

20] 2 bmw 730s...enjoyed um but not the bills

21] volvo s90 3litre...nice car

22] merc 420 s class w140...smashing car and never should of sold it..boohoo

23] current along with lexus...saab 95 3litre turbo v6 estate[dogs and caravan to transport]

well thats it i think folks till prob next week...lmao