Another Years Running

[steve2006]

MOT time again and as usual I took it to my local garage who generally only see me once a year for this purpose.

Took it in around 8.00am and wife got a call from them at 9.00am to say the car was "ready".

"Has it passed or failed?" I asked "They didn't say" came the reply

So I made the short walk around there.

Another straight pass with no advisories although he did mention the parking brake was 17% efficient and the minimum is 16% so will need looking at before the next test.

A good clean out and adjust will probably sort it as the brake shoes don't really wear even after 18 years of use!

It's the emisions test that amazes me

Fast Idle Test

CO < 0.20% vol actual figure 0.01%

HC <200ppm actual figure 1ppm

Lamda 0.970-1.030 actual 1.010

Natural Idle Test

CO < 0.30% vol actual 0.01% vol.

For an eighteen year old car that's a pretty efficient engine.

I was contemplating buying a newer version but why bother.

[NormLS400]

That's great news! Got to love Lexus... particularly at MOT time!!

[Scribe]

Precisely! I say to people: running costs are about more than fuel. When you factor in low/minimal depreciation and easy MOT passes on a teenaged car, you get a more accurate picture. That doesn't even take into account the luxury we enjoy, which is well worth paying for IMHO. Anyway Steve, you must be well chuffed - I know I was when my 14-yr old Lex passed its second MOT with no advisories.

[Bluesman]

MOT time again and as usual I took it to my local garage who generally only see me once a year for this purpose.

Took it in around 8.00am and wife got a call from them at 9.00am to say the car was "ready".

"Has it passed or failed?" I asked "They didn't say" came the reply

So I made the short walk around there.

Another straight pass with no advisories although he did mention the parking brake was 17% efficient and the minimum is 16% so will need looking at before the next test.

A good clean out and adjust will probably sort it as the brake shoes don't really wear even after 18 years of use!

It's the emisions test that amazes me

Fast Idle Test

CO < 0.20% vol actual figure 0.01%

HC <200ppm actual figure 1ppm

Lamda 0.970-1.030 actual 1.010

Natural Idle Test

CO < 0.30% vol actual 0.01% vol.

For an eighteen year old car that's a pretty efficient engine.

I was contemplating buying a newer version but why bother.

Well done.

Just shows we are right and everyone else is wrong.

I think its Steve Berry who used to be a Top Gear presenter and is now more aligned with Motor Cycles runs and has done for years a Mercedes with a 6 litre engine which he spends a few thousand on every couple of years and swears by it as his argument quite rightly is that even just to build one small new car makes more pollution than it does to run his old Mercedes for up to 50K per year, and he is right.

This of course makes nonsense of the government arguments that they are fighting pollution problems. It was only a couple of years ago that they were offering £2K to scrap a perfectly good cars many of which if they had of had £2K spent on them would have been fine used cars.

Carry on all you LS owners you are not only enjoying luxury motoring at Aldi prices but you can go to sleep soundly at night knowing you are saving not only the planet but quite possibly the universe as well.

Mike ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[steve2006]

ALDI hmm lets think

Lexus LS400 "Spend a little" and it will "live a lot" longer than your average car

[bookend]

It all ways a good feeling when they go throught for another year.

Well done.

[Ruud]

MOT time again and as usual I took it to my local garage who generally only see me once a year for this purpose.

Took it in around 8.00am and wife got a call from them at 9.00am to say the car was "ready".

"Has it passed or failed?" I asked "They didn't say" came the reply

So I made the short walk around there.

Another straight pass with no advisories although he did mention the parking brake was 17% efficient and the minimum is 16% so will need looking at before the next test.

A good clean out and adjust will probably sort it as the brake shoes don't really wear even after 18 years of use!

It's the emisions test that amazes me

Fast Idle Test

CO < 0.20% vol actual figure 0.01%

HC <200ppm actual figure 1ppm

Lamda 0.970-1.030 actual 1.010

Natural Idle Test

CO < 0.30% vol actual 0.01% vol.

For an eighteen year old car that's a pretty efficient engine.

I was contemplating buying a newer version but why bother.

I'd say that is pretty damn brilliant.

How are those figures compared against the 'modern' say 2009 smaller engined cars?

[Scribe]

Mike (Bluesman) is right. I read somewhere that manufacturing a car leaves a bigger carbon footprint than it will ever leave by being driven for 15 years - or something like that. Just as the manufacture of solar panels (which save the planet by generating your own electricity etc. etc.) leaves a massive carbon footprint, so the net result is questionable. If you're going to run a car, it's more environmentally friendly to maintain an old, thirsty one like the LS400 than to buy a new, more fuel-efficient one. Plus it supports local garages/mechanics rather than giving all the business to main dealers (because of warranty terms).

Plus there's the fact that, at 6 foot 2, I can't actually see out of modern cars - the windows are so small - and they're impossible to park because you can't see the bonnet or boot. But that's another topic.

[Bluesman]

Mike (Bluesman) is right. I read somewhere that manufacturing a car leaves a bigger carbon footprint than it will ever leave by being driven for 15 years - or something like that. Just as the manufacture of solar panels (which save the planet by generating your own electricity etc. etc.) leaves a massive carbon footprint, so the net result is questionable. If you're going to run a car, it's more environmentally friendly to maintain an old, thirsty one like the LS400 than to buy a new, more fuel-efficient one. Plus it supports local garages/mechanics rather than giving all the business to main dealers (because of warranty terms).

Plus there's the fact that, at 6 foot 2, I can't actually see out of modern cars - the windows are so small - and they're impossible to park because you can't see the bonnet or boot. But that's another topic.

The best way to reduce your carbon footprint is to drive everywhere.

Mike

[steve2006]

True, according to my MOT readouts I produce more CO2 walking to the local shop than I do driving