Money Pit

[SHELLDRAKE]

The starter motor on my 400 packed up last Thursday, a new one has been ordered and will be fitted a.s.a.p. as it can't be driven, a low loader is on its way to it take down to lexus I have had to disconnect the L.P.G.pipe work so as they can work on it. The cost is going to be £1100+ that is on top of the £2300+ I paid out in April for a new 3/4 exhaust system. I sometimes wonder is it worth keeping?? :yack:

[black400]

Thats mad my starter went a few months back, 150 euros all in.

[jpjsavage]

Sorry to hear about that. Would an independent mechanic not give you a better deal?

[cruisermark]

The starter motor on my 400 packed up last Thursday, a new one has been ordered and will be fitted a.s.a.p. as it can't be driven, a low loader is on its way to it take down to lexus I have had to disconnect the L.P.G.pipe work so as they can work on it. The cost is going to be £1100+ that is on top of the £2300+ I paid out in April for a new 3/4 exhaust system. I sometimes wonder is it worth keeping?? :yack:

HI

my advice is do a bit of reading up on these forums (or post for advice) before committing to a repair

also find yourself a nice trusty local mechanic to work on your lexus rather than going to the main dealer - changing the starter motor is certainly a time consuming backbraking job but it can be done cheaper

[The-Acre]

The starter motor on my 400 packed up last Thursday, a new one has been ordered and will be fitted a.s.a.p. as it can't be driven, a low loader is on its way to it take down to lexus I have had to disconnect the L.P.G.pipe work so as they can work on it. The cost is going to be £1100+ that is on top of the £2300+ I paid out in April for a new 3/4 exhaust system. I sometimes wonder is it worth keeping?? :yack:

HI

my advice is do a bit of reading up on these forums (or post for advice) before committing to a repair

also find yourself a nice trusty local mechanic to work on your lexus rather than going to the main dealer - changing the starter motor is certainly a time consuming backbraking job but it can be done cheaper

I agree, I had mine repaired for a total of £350, that was mostly labour.

The LPG system it seems will always be an issue when it comes to dismantling the top of the engine. It's got to be worth keeping after having that much work done surely? Just bad luck I guess.

Phil

[Lexmanic]

Its very doubtful that the motor has failed. Its more likely to be the contacts which need replacing. Cost for the kit about £14.00 AND this very subject & how to save repair costs is all over this site

You could use the kit to repair the starter motor when you replace it & sell it on eBay thereby recovering some of the cost on the new one

[ROYT]

It's a slow job but as previous posts say that is way too much

Good 'indie' is the way to go

As stated it is 99% sure to be the contacts.

[Gorodish]

There is a great Indy in Sandbach who was recommended by Mr Savage of this forum - fixed my starter motor for a very reasonable sum indeed. And wasn't bothered that it was LPG'd. I would

also agree that it is 90% sure to be the contacts! and the eBay kit is cheap and good quality. You might find it will catch if you persevere with it.

Pm me for more details of the Indy mechanic.

That's a lot of money for an exhaust too when you can get a new stainless cat back exhaust fitted for £360 in Leeds.

Stick with it, they are great cars!

[black400]

Get your starter reconded for about 100 pounds or less , takes about a day .

[steve2006]

Gordon Bennett,

You paid £2300 for a new exhaust! as Gorodish mentioned a custom stainless steel would have been a few hundred, in fact I have a complete rear system from a 1997 shoved in my shed you could have had with pleasure.

£1100+ for the starter job is way OTT, I did my own, OK took 10 hours but cost me around £12.00 for the contacts and plunger.

Shop around at 16 years old please don't go to Lexus at that price.

[SHELLDRAKE]

Well boys it looks like that I have been taken for a BIG long ride, I got a tutorial from Lextreme on the web and down loaded it All 16 pages of it.I must say that it is very good and informative, but as I don't have any where to work on it, and the engine wouldn't start I was completely stuck, it was off the road from last Sunday---No transport was hellish I told S.W.M.B.O.I was going to get rid of it and buy a mini!!!!!The Doctor said the swelling on my eye will go down in a couple of days so it looks like the mini is out of the question.

[Malc]

Are you sure the exhaust was £2300 ............... what on earth did they do for that money ????

Malc

[Lexmanic]

Are you sure the exhaust was £2300 ............... what on earth did they do for that money ????

Malc

Lexus quoted me over £600 just for the Y section whereas Top Gear Bridport fitted a SS one for £250 So £2300 for a complete exhaust from Lexus sounds about right

[SHELLDRAKE]

Hello Malc:I think I made a slight mistake: I also had a service +Mot done(break down of cost)TOTAL LABOUR £679---TOTAL PARTS £1248-54---TOTAL SUNDRIES £62---V.A.T.£390-11---GRAND TOTAL£2379-65 so it was a large bill, tomorrow it comes out from the shop, after having a new starter fitted so I will post the bill when I get it, Cheers

[SHELLDRAKE]

No john it wasn't a full exhaust only about a 3/4

[steve2006]

I guess with dealer hourly labour rates at say £125.00/hour and 8 hours of that plus a complete starter motor it would be about right.

Makes my £100.00 labour charge for a cambelt replacement look even better, although the garage did misquote me but honoured the price ( I did buy them a case of beer though to ease the guilt and they still do my yearly MOT).

The other point I guess is knowing someone who has enough experience to do the job and you can trust them to do it properly.

But at some point you need to balance up the value of the car and the money being spent on it, there again if it provides a few more years service you will recover the cost somewhat.

[Malc]

I'm just a little intrigued here ....... did the stainless system rot through then ? sorry to be so inquisitive but it's just ghastly !!!

Malc

[messi]

Eh, I thought the rear section of the ls400 exhaust was ss, and if that's the case how did it rot through? That doesn't sound right to me.

[steve2006]

I heard on the later models it was mild steel construction?

[messi]

Oh, but that still a lot of money for an exhaust, a full ss one would cost £399 up in Leeds or £500 down here in Birmingham

[Malc]

But it's a 1997 car ........... late Mk3 ??? and they ARE stainless steel !!!! or even if it's an early Mk4 ..... summat not quite right there methinks !!!!

Malc

[steve2006]

Very true,I have the rear section off a 1997 series 3 and yes it's stainless, is it the later 430 that has mild steel? Sure I read somewhere one of them has.

[ambermarine]

The ls400 series in its entirety had a full stainless steel exhaust system.some of the clips and straps on later models were mild steel but the all important boxes were ss through out.Why they went with mild steel on the back boxes on the 430 is probably because of the American market as the money saved would would have been significant on the volume of cars sold there .With the improvement of corrosion resistant alloys used in the manufacture of exhaust systems in the last 15 years and as the climate there is not as harsh in the main sales areas this would have been able to prolong the life of the boxes past the warranty period.If we go back to 1989 when the Ls 400 was launched the warranty was 60k or 3 years. I can remember getting brand new company cars that needed new exhausts that had done less tha 20 k or two years old unfortunatley for the motorist the market for exhausts was that good on renewals no one made a decent mild steel exhaust so Toyota had to fit a stainless steel exhaust too this prestige car

[SHELLDRAKE]

there is worse to come watch this space.

[SHELLDRAKE]

Well things have got worse--Lexus phoned me about a loud noise coming from the bottom end of the engine, so I went down this morning and it sounds similar to someone in side with a hammer trying to get out, it is still down there so they are going to have a look at it on Monday and then let me know what they have found if anything. This year up till now I have spent on parts £3,576 so it looks like it is time to get rid, one problem is who would have it. As I have nowhere to park it,where to put it to strip it down to remove some of the parts (part new exhaust, new starter motor, new battery- etc.,etc.,etc. No more Green cars thank you.. :yack: