My First Ls 400

[Dave76]

Well I joined here 'cause I was planning to buy my first, used, LS 400, now I have and bought it the most sensible way, i.e. high mileage and aint seen it, parents used to disown offspring for things like that, not to speak of grounds for a divorce!

Anyway, as it's described I am not expecting any problems for many miles to come, its reg date was 24th Dec 1996, so someone somewhere must have had a nice Xmas surprise. It's a mark 3, 2 previous owners, 237,000k miles. It has a full service history with 23 service stamps in the book 20 lexus dealers and 3 independent, it has a full 12 months mot, the services were carried out at app every 10k miles.

I feel easy about the mileage 'cause it's had all its services, because of the consistency of service that to me indicates every little need it had for this part that part etc would have been dealt with promptly and with no expense spared giveing an easy running optimum running life.

Is my understanding correct that the difference between the MK3 & original MK1 is that the suspension was firmed up a bit in 1994 & the 1996 MK3s' engine was a bit more 'tuned' than its predecessors. I hope in a few months time I'll posting what a great car it is for its age and mileage. I have never driven with traction control before, so, is the mark3 a good traction control and when does it kick in, is it an emergency safety function or is it something which operates under.......what circumstances? thanks

I hear G Brown hopes the economy will pick up by week-end, we all have our...... .......hell.......what have done this time!!

[84Stoney]

Expecting it to be the first of many?

The traction control will kick in when it thinks it needs too. namely, if the rear wheels are loosing grip, to prevent you from spinning the whole car.

I it has been looked after properly, the milage should not be a problem.

I once travelled 600 miles to collect a car with no tax, insurance, MOT or V5, then drive it home the length of the UK! Always advisable!

[floggit]

hi, and welcome to the club,

Your not alone.... i bought my 95 sight unseen from eBay and drove it home from cardiff to plymouth with no probs .Its been a great car alround and by far the best ive owned. Sure yours will be fine too as its been well looked after.

Cheers steve.

[Haylands]

Hi

Welcome to the LOC

Just been looking at your new car on eBay, I take it its this one

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...bayphotohosting

Looks a nice car, amasing condition for those miles, and I expect it will go on forever if you look after it. Seems to have been well looked after.

Did you bid yourself or use one of those snipe bid things, if you did it yourself congrats on getting it in the last second.....

Hope you enjoy it.

Pete

[Dave76]

Thanks guys, makes me feel less nervouse seeing Im not the only one who bought blind, as far as could work out for myself its probably been garaged most of life and that mileage should not be prob to good car thats been looked after, the seller is impressive in his feedback 100%, most of it cars & he's been there since 2002, thats good enough.

Did you bid yourself or use one of those snipe bid things, if you did it yourself congrats on getting it in the last second.....

Yes I did it, never heard of a snipeing thing but its hard on those last seconds, a bit of experience and an awfull lot of luck, he said, as he had visions of an AA tow back to London ........intersting post that you found the exact link to a closed auction...were you bidding??? or the seller?? :D

I'm looking forward to picking it up in a week or two when I get time to get there.

Below was a 400 I am very surprised did not go this evening, I watched a few much worse cars than this go for more than what appears to be the highest bid, it was used as an exec limo for taking people to heathrow, I think that means a bummed up mini cab.

http://tinyurl.com/6h86cg

[steve2006]

Hello,good evening and welcome ( to LOC).

Looks a bargain and very nice, the slight bodywork damage will I'm sure knock out and fill but at that price who cares!

BTW I was bidder 7 lol.

Pete redirect him to Clublexus!!!

Happy motoring.

Please note I have now once again changed my avatar showing you my most recent modification " the powerband" as seen on eBay

[Haylands]

Thanks guys, makes me feel less nervouse seeing Im not the only one who bought blind, as far as could work out for myself its probably been garaged most of life and that mileage should not be prob to good car thats been looked after, the seller is impressive in his feedback 100%, most of it cars & he's been there since 2002, thats good enough.

Did you bid yourself or use one of those snipe bid things, if you did it yourself congrats on getting it in the last second.....

Yes I did it, never heard of a snipeing thing but its hard on those last seconds, a bit of experience and an awfull lot of luck, he said, as he had visions of an AA tow back to London ........intersting post that you found the exact link to a closed auction...were you bidding??? or the seller?? :D

I'm looking forward to picking it up in a week or two when I get time to get there.

Below was a 400 I am very surprised did not go this evening, I watched a few much worse cars than this go for more than what appears to be the highest bid, it was used as an exec limo for taking people to heathrow, I think that means a bummed up mini cab.

http://tinyurl.com/6h86cg

Hi

No I'm not a bidder or seller, if you go to advanced search you then have the option to look at completed items, there wern't too many ls400's on sale in the last few days so its easy really, there are various sites around that will bid for you at the last second, supposed to be good but I've heard of two people lately who lost it because the site's computer bid late...

The sellers feedback as you say is excellent, don't worry about the car, when you go to pick it up don't pay untill you have examined it well and taken it for a test drive, it should be smooth and powerful, with no nasty noises, don't get excited and carried away, keep a level head and look over it well, the seller is a professional and won't mind you checking his description. Check and recheck and make sure you get it good and hot and try it at all speeds, check operation of all the buttons and crawl underneath to check for damage. I'm sure it will be OK but remember sellers cannot leave you negative feedback anymore so if it is not as you expected then walk away.

Good Luck

We will expect some better pics when you get it and want to here how it is...

Pete

[Haylands]

Hello,good evening and welcome ( to LOC).

Looks a bargain and very nice, the slight bodywork damage will I'm sure knock out and fill but at that price who cares!

BTW I was bidder 7 lol.

Pete redirect him to Clublexus!!!

Happy motoring.

Please note I have now once again changed my avatar showing you my most recent modification " the powerband" as seen on ebay

Steve

When he wants it VIPed I'll send him over there, he's enough on his hands already,

Can I try your powerband next time I see you, I can't afford my own at the mo....

Pete

[Dave76]

if you go to advanced search you then have the option to look at completed items, there wern't too many ls400's on sale in the last few days so its easy really, there are various sites around that will bid for you at the last second, supposed to be good but I've heard of two people lately who lost it because the site's computer bid late...

Sounds like ebays got some tightening up to do, thanks for the advice about testing it thats really usefull, good road up to Ringwood and back down that way, do things show up when hot? I usually do hot a used car up to test it, it seems the dash ois all lit up, that seems a common problem at around 100,000, maybe it has been but is fixed, I notice even the early models dont seem prone to electrical problems to any degree just the instrument lights sometimes.

OK thanks for all the guidlines everybody, thats all really usefull stuff, now I gotta find the time to go get it.

[JellyBean]

I have never driven with traction control before, so, is the mark3 a good traction control and when does it kick in, is it an emergency safety function or is it something which operates under.......what circumstances?

Chris Skellington will be along in a minute to tell you about traction control and the Mark 3 LS 400...

[Chris Skelton]

I have never driven with traction control before, so, is the mark3 a good traction control and when does it kick in, is it an emergency safety function or is it something which operates under.......what circumstances?

Chris Skellington will be along in a minute to tell you about traction control and the Mark 3 LS 400...

Ah. The price of FAME! Having to leave home in shades, avoiding the Parazzi-bin men......It just stops the wheels spinning on excess acceleration (or in my case with a Ser 3, fishtailing down a wet road in the wet once!) It's SO easy with the LSs power to over-accelerate. Just be gentle with the accelerator in general - and you'll get better mpg too.

Ah, well, back to the autographs.......

[JellyBean]

I have never driven with traction control before, so, is the mark3 a good traction control and when does it kick in, is it an emergency safety function or is it something which operates under.......what circumstances?

Chris Skellington will be along in a minute to tell you about traction control and the Mark 3 LS 400...

Ah. The price of FAME! Having to leave home in shades, avoiding the Parazzi-bin men......It just stops the wheels spinning on excess acceleration (or in my case with a Ser 3, fishtailing down a wet road in the wet once!) It's SO easy with the LSs power to over-accelerate. Just be gentle with the accelerator in general - and you'll get better mpg too.

Ah, well, back to the autographs.......

He was supposed to tell you that the Series 3 doesn't have TC and was the main reason he upgraded to a Mark 4 !

[Chris Skelton]

:shutit: SORRY! Should read the whole string. My 'Press Cuttings' service just catches any mention of my name on the web!

It DOESN'T have T-Control. That's a Ser 4 (1998 on) So, be careful out there! (Nice Stereo though!)

[floggit]

You had me worried there chris i thought i had the only series 3 without t/c !!! like a monday morning car or sumthing.

I must admit its great fun not having traction control ...

steve.

[Haylands]

You had me worried there chris i thought i had the only series 3 without t/c !!! like a monday morning car or sumthing.

I must admit its great fun not having traction control ...

steve.

I have never turned mine off "just for a laugh"

Pete

[M.IQBAL]

ive never driven a car with t/c so i dont know what im missing??