Hello! - With Questions

[bigegg]

Hello everybody.

I joined a couple of days ago, and have been browsing the forum since.

I'm based in Leeds, semi retired at 41.

I owned a 2nd hand book business and sold it last summer due to my wife's health.

I'd just like to say that I've become a total convert to Lexus - despite never actually driven, or even been inside one - the combination of price, reliability, economy(!) and level of refinement makes the choice a "no-brainer" in the 2nd hand executive car market.

In the next couple of months I'm going to be looking at buying a sportcross (probably IS300) for my wife to drive, and then myself a LS400.

My wife is taking lessons as an auto-only driver, and I am planning on getting the sportcross when she passes her test, then the LS400 3-4 months later (maybe January/Feruary - it's a good time to buy stuff, terrible time to sell)

I always promised myself a big executive car when I no longer needed a load-lugger for work - planned on either a big Merc, 7-series BMW or a Jag XJ#.

I've not been able to justify the expensive upkeep that these cars seem to need tho, whereas the Lexus seems to be much more reliable, and the parts seem cheaper (relatively!).

Labour charges aren't neccesarily an issue -

I've always had Vauxhall Carlton (then Omega) estates, plus I run a 15 y/o transit - so I am quite familiar with both ends of a spanner. I've quite happily changed timing belts, head gaskets, wheel bearings suspension parts, alternators etc.

How DIY friendly are the Lexa?

I noticed a significant proportion of people on here talk about using garages.

Is that because Lexus require a lot of specialist tools? or that they are a driver's car, rather than a tinkerers?

The maintenance guides lead me to believe most things are relatively straightforward - although the starter motor change seems a long job, although no worse than changing the oil filter on a smart car :.)

I'm sure that I will have LOTS more questions, but this seems like a nice friendly forum and am looking forward to a long happy relationship with it, and Lexa in general.

I will be signing up for the gold membership once I start seriously shopping for the cars.

[ROYT]

You can do most jobs that you do on other makes if you are handy, oem parts are expensive but

fortunately not needed too often.

Bags of info on here and the USA LOC.

[petayV8]

I dont think OEM parts are expensive not for IS200 anyway

Ive read that these cars are easy to work on, the IS200 with plenty of room under the bonnet. Not sure about LS and IS300.

[IHgs300]

Put it this way, I have an IS200 and the parts have been cheaper for the lexus, than sons renault scenic and my old vectra.....Go figure.

[ColinBarber]

Welcome :)

The older vehicles are quite easy to work on including the LS400.

There are some guides written by our members here:

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/tutorials/category/1-lexus-model-how-to-guides/

also one of our members vehicles has just been put up for sale:

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic/82668-for-sale-97-ls-400-with-private-plate/

[Lexmanic]

Welcome I understand that as long as you follow the guides DIY is fine. Also if you do need to use a garage only use one recommended by another Lexus owner cos some garages will claim they know all about the Lexus & it may turn out they know nowt costing you money to correct their mistakes

[bigegg]

Welcome I understand that as long as you follow the guides DIY is fine. Also if you do need to use a garage only use one recommended by another Lexus owner cos some garages will claim they know all about the Lexus & it may turn out they know nowt costing you money to correct their mistakes

"Ain't that the truth" :)

I have a couple of local garages which I trust to tell me if they can't do the job.

[steve2006]

Hello and welcome to the LOC.

I do all my own servicing on my LS400 and they are no different from most other cars, maybe a little cramped in the engine bay that's all.

The only thing I didn't do myself was the timing belt but when my local garage quoted just £100.00 labour for the job I wasn't going to get my hands dirty!

[Bluesman]

The timing belt is a job you might wisely choose Lexus to do or your local Lexus trained garage to do as there is alot of work involved.

There are a couple of how too's in pictures and words so you might have a look at those and then decide.

When buying your LS400 that is one of the main things to check that this has been done and you need to see a proper invoice which you can check out.

Good luck with your hunt. Mike

[ROYT]

Timing belt job depends how handy you are with the spanners!

It's a slow job because of the dismantling involved and you need all info before you start.

[ManicMark]

Hi you wont need to use your spanners too much, but if you do they are a joy to work on no special tools needed. The LS 400 is probably the best built car ever, The only downside is you will never find another car to replace it.