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Pick My Ls400 Up Friday! Yay


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Hi Everyone,

I have been trawling the forums for a few months now, researching in preparation for getting myself an LS400 and the info you guys have put on here between you has been invaluable so thank you!!

I have been driving a 98 24V Cosworth Scorpio, which has finally given up the ghost. That also had no Haynes manual available and was pretty rare, but had a great independant forum so I know already how valuable this one will be for me now...

I pick up my 98 Series 4 on Friday, YIPPEE!! It is Fjord Mist, black interior with everything working and looks mint inside and out. I have test driven a few and it seems to be up there with the best I have driven, and I was pleased to get it for under £3K. Will be wishing my life away until I collect it on my day off!

I was hoping you could help me with a couple of questions I have please? It has 136000 on the clock and there is a Lexus sticker on the drivers side suspension strut in the engine bay that tells me (hand written) that the cambelt was done at 125000. This was a big part of my decision to buy the car after reading all the info on here. Me being paranoid would like to check this out for my own peace of mind and wondered if Lexus are able to tell me if the services have been kept up, and what work has been done. Obviously I am interested in whether pulleys, water pump etc were changed during the cambelt service.

It has 11 stamps in the service schedule book, so a couple are missing. The missing ones I think are 100000 and 110000 services, what kind of work should have been carried out at these intervals? I hope to keep the car for 5 years hopefully until I can upgrade to another newer big Lexus so will get the missing work done asap.

My next question is the wheels. I think the originals which iare on the car are a tad boring, and would like to change for preferably the DHP ones. Any ideas where I could get some? Tried eBay etc with no luck. Otherwise I would stick with the 16" rims, but would prefer some that are more modern to what are on there now. Any sugestions?

Thanks in advance guys.

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Hi David

I swapped my 2.9 12v Ultima for a mkIV LS400 in August and have absolutely no regrets. Compared to the Scorpio these rice burners are pretty much bullet proof and if you thought that your cossie had some grunt then you are in for a most pleasant surprise.

As you say, FS and Scorpio Unleashed are extremely good forums which I still pop into. Whilst I have yet to attend any LOC meets and put faces to names there are plenty of knowledgeable peeps on here who will be only too pleased to help with any queries. Whilst I am a mechanical dunce, I suspect that from reading your post, the Scorp may have got you a tad paranoid about rattling timing chains and other blue oval quirks. I cannot imagine that you have anything to worry about although I must admire your prudence in checking what bit have been renewed.

Regards

Rod

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Welcome to the LOC.

Sounds like you have done your research and purchased an excellent LS.

If I remember correctly any Lexus dealer should on production of the VIN and suitable ID be able to provide a print out of it's service history ( normally free of charge if you hint they may be performing future servicing).

This of course will not help if servicing was done at an independent garage.

You could also contact the DVLA ( for a fee) who will provide a list of previous registered keepers who may be able to fill the gaps.

If you get the handbook for the car it states the service intervals and what should be done at each one.

Friday is now less than 72 hours away lol

Please post some pictures up when you get the time.

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Hi David

I swapped my 2.9 12v Ultima for a mkIV LS400 in August and have absolutely no regrets. Compared to the Scorpio these rice burners are pretty much bullet proof and if you thought that your cossie had some grunt then you are in for a most pleasant surprise.

As you say, FS and Scorpio Unleashed are extremely good forums which I still pop into. Whilst I have yet to attend any LOC meets and put faces to names there are plenty of knowledgeable peeps on here who will be only too pleased to help with any queries. Whilst I am a mechanical dunce, I suspect that from reading your post, the Scorp may have got you a tad paranoid about rattling timing chains and other blue oval quirks. I cannot imagine that you have anything to worry about although I must admire your prudence in checking what bit have been renewed.

Regards

Rod

Thanks Rod!

Yes you got it spot on about the Scorpio making me paranoid! Rattling timing chains, electrical probs, gearbox gremlins, ballooning radiators etc etc etc! I must admit though the Scorpio will always have a place in my heart, it was the facelifted one without the chrome, in black, and the cossie engine was lovely to look at but a pig to work on. Boy did it need working on almost constantly!! Got to the point where I couldnt justify all the time (and money) i was spending to keep it going...

I saw the LS that you own advertised while completing my exhaustive researching. I love it and if I had the cash when I saw it I would have bought it like a shot, the wheels really finish it perfectly, and the LS looks its best in black in my opinion. What tyres do you have fitted to the rims? I would like to go to 17" but gather you need to then go for 245 tyres.

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Welcome to the LOC.

Sounds like you have done your research and purchased an excellent LS.

If I remember correctly any Lexus dealer should on production of the VIN and suitable ID be able to provide a print out of it's service history ( normally free of charge if you hint they may be performing future servicing).

This of course will not help if servicing was done at an independent garage.

You could also contact the DVLA ( for a fee) who will provide a list of previous registered keepers who may be able to fill the gaps.

If you get the handbook for the car it states the service intervals and what should be done at each one.

Friday is now less than 72 hours away lol

Please post some pictures up when you get the time.

Thanks for the info! All the stamps are from Lexus dealers, so I will aproach them and see what I can find out. Yes the 72 hours will probably feel like 72 days!! Can't wait to get in it and fiddle with all the gadgets and spend my day off driving around making the most of the V8! Will post some pics asap...

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Thanks for the info! All the stamps are from Lexus dealers, so I will aproach them and see what I can find out. Yes the 72 hours will probably feel like 72 days!! Can't wait to get in it and fiddle with all the gadgets and spend my day off driving around making the most of the V8! Will post some pics asap...

Welcome to the LOC,

I have to wait a bit longer than you as I have a few projects to finish before I get my LS MKIV but post a few pics this weekend if you get the chance.

You'll find that these cars are wonderful to drive. After a year of ownership, your heart will stiil be yearning for it. If you have a partner, beware of competition!!

Cheers.

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Hi David & welcome, the 100 &110 k services aren't major ones at 125k it should have had a major service inc plugs belt & a load of outher stuff inc poss a gearbox oil flush. so you shouldnt be looking at any major servicing costs for a few years to come 189k is the next major one. £3k is a good price as its had the major service done. Your going to love it, im still grinning ear to ear a year on.

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Thanks Rod!

I saw the LS that you own advertised while completing my exhaustive researching. I love it and if I had the cash when I saw it I would have bought it like a shot, the wheels really finish it perfectly, and the LS looks its best in black in my opinion. What tyres do you have fitted to the rims? I would like to go to 17" but gather you need to then go for 245 tyres.

Hi David

The Fox wheels on my car are 8 x 18" with 235 tyres (don't ask me to go out into the rain and check what make !!!) :P

Interestingly there is a very mixed reaction to the suitability and looks of the wheels from the Scorpio folk who have only seen my rather poor photos. Everyone who has seen the car in the metal thinks that the wheels are the dogs whatsits and really suit the black car.

COUNTDOWN - 48 HOURS :winky:

Rod

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Welcome David. I think you'll love the Lexus. I also changed from a Scorpio Cosworth. The one thing you'll miss is the wire heated front windscreen - take care with the windscreen blower on the 400 it can mist up while you're driving. Everything else is better/faster/smoother etc. Enjoy the new car.

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Thanks everyone for the welcome and the information. Much appreciated. Interesting to know that there are a few that have gone from the V6 scorpio to the LS400, I guess its a BIG car thing...

Yes the wire heated screen was ace for frosty mornings, does the LS not have heated screen? I will also miss the factory fitted parking sensor which had red, amber and green lights on the rear shelf to guide you. Was quite a talking point on mine!

This time tomorrow I will have the Lexus on my drive, or more probably be cruising in it. Lets hope it is going to live up to expectations, as you never know whether you have bought a dog or a gem until you pick it up and have a good nose around and drive in it...

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Hi Ford took out a patent on the wire heated front screen (crafty) The blower on the screen setting clears pretty quick on the mark4 though.

You live and learn. It was great however it did have a habit of large 'blocks' of wires malfunctioning so you ended up with a windscreen that looked a bit like a zebra crossing on frosty mornings!

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The other good thing was a dipping wing mirror when you went into reverse. Mk 1 Lexus didn't have that. Having said that, the Lexus didn't have problems with a missing Battery cover (that meant water flooded through the Battery, becoming dilute Battery acid and eating away the wiring loom) nor did the timing chain break at 70K and smash the engine to hell). Personal guess is that it's partly a big car thing, partly wanting a big car that works properly!!

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Ructions with the Good Lady Wife methinks.

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.

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Well, that's what happened to me.

Well... I did warn him!!

Welcome to the LOC,

I have to wait a bit longer than you as I have a few projects to finish before I get my LS MKIV but post a few pics this weekend if you get the chance.

You'll find that these cars are wonderful to drive. After a year of ownership, your heart will stiil be yearning for it. If you have a partner, beware of competition!!

Cheers.

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Howdy!!!

Yes you can all stop worrying now, I am out of the car and safely at home! Manipulated things a bit so it meant I had to drive to High Wycombe last night for a fancy dress party, then up this morning to head off from there to Watford, then down to Southampton, then back to Watford and now home in Reading!

And yes the LS400 is everything I hoped for, smooth, very quick, and I think I wll be marveling at the little touches of engineering for months to come. Little things like the seatbelt clips lighting up when you open the door, the wipers tucking themselves out of view when not in use, the headlights levelling themselves on start up, the extrodinary stereo!! I could go on but I guess you know all this already...

I have already ordered type t-iv for the gearbox so will be flushing that soon to satisfy myself all is well, and also changing the oil filter and putting some top quality oil in. Any sugestions on the oil would be apreciated.

Thanks for all your thoughts people...

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