Picked Up My Ls400 Today

[goldtop]

Well, it took a couple of weeks for the seller to transfer the private plate and get the new one. So I had an anxious wait until collecting it today.

 

I now discover it's the DHP version, so there's the small question of which tyres to buy (instead of the £200+ P Zeroes). I've found a few very useful threads here on alternatives and will see what I can rustle up for the rears.

First discovery - I have to recalibrate my right foot. :) From rest, my normal (manual) technique on the accelerator is a bit neck-snappy when moving off from a stop.

 

 

[The-Acre]

Congrats, it looks excellent!

[aly-g]

Looks like a nice one ,enjoy......

Allan

[PEPE]

Lovely car, Barry. Many congratulations.

Pepe

[Bluesman]

The best is always worth waiting for, well done. Enjoy. Mike

[steve2006]

Congratulations,all good things come to those that wait.

Very true about the loud pedal these things will do nearly 60 in 1st :)

[jpjsavage]

Congratulations! Looks great and have fun in it!

[goldtop]

Thanks, fellas. When I started looking I definitely wanted a Mk4 in black or dark blue, but it seems they are as rare as rocking-horse shtuff. And I was shopping to a deadline (for our Euro road trip), so I couldn't wait forever.

Quite a few small jobs to do, and like a lot of these cars, the devil is in the details. I saw so many chancers trying to sell very rough and neglacted cars in the same £1500-£2000 bracket.

A few small corner scuffs and two minor dings. One on the passenger side front wheel arch and one near the aerial (both visible in the photos). Not sure whether to sort those out now or to wait until we're back from our trip - the Other Half tells me that Italians park by ear, so it may pick up a few more. :-o

The DHP alloys are really quite rough. I may look out for non-DHP 16" alloys instead of refurbing. I found the thread where the Lexus chap talked about the DHP changes. I'm not going to be throwing this one round corners so I don't really need it. :)

[Malc]

And if the DHP 17" tyres are £200 a pop then ....... OUCH

My 16" Falkens are @£100 a corner all-up.

Malc

[ambermarine]

Lovely Jubbly

[Malc]

Just a thought .............. . lovely car looking car, well done.

If it is a real DHP car, specialist suspension etc ............. then you would probably want to ( or should ) stay with the 17" tyres coz of the performance you will NEED from them specifically .................... rather than the run-of-the-mill 16" tyres performance !!

Someone else with the knowledge of this on here should be able to clarify ............. guys ??

Malc

[goldtop]

I'm not too fussed about a small change to the tyre dimensions - 235/55R17 was (IIRC) the suggested equivalent. Just 13mm extra sidewall, according to the online calculators. That would be no worse at getting round corners than a non-DHP LS400, of course. ;)

The other suspension changes were stronger springs, with -10mm drop, and an ARB (on the rear, I think). All because, it would seem, the Lexus MD of the day wanted less of the LS' characteristic waftiness in his personal car. :D

At the local KwikFit(up), those DHP tyres were £300+ each.

Meanwhile, I'm looking up reversing cameras! It'd be nice to find one that could interface with the satnav display, but I suspect that 14 years tech advance means I'll be out of luck on that...

[The-Acre]

I put a reversing camera on my MK4 and it was brilliant, a perfectly clear picture and very reliable, plus they're only £25 now. Not possible to connect to the existing screen though, I put mine in the corner of the dash.

[cruisermark]

very nice looking car - the mark 4 are in a league of their own and i have a soft spot for them even though iv had a 430 for 2 years

[bigjap]

i have 17" dhp wheels i got 2 falkens fitted a bit back,they were £110 each they seem fine,enjoy your car

[Bluesman]

I put a reversing camera on my MK4 and it was brilliant, a perfectly clear picture and very reliable, plus they're only £25 now. Not possible to connect to the existing screen though, I put mine in the corner of the dash.

I have seen Phils setup and can confirm its brilliant. Keep meaning to get around to doing mine but something else always seems to jump up and put the mockers on it. Mike

[goldtop]

I put a reversing camera on my MK4 and it was brilliant, a perfectly clear picture and very reliable, plus they're only £25 now. Not possible to connect to the existing screen though, I put mine in the corner of the dash.

I have seen Phils setup and can confirm its brilliant. Keep meaning to get around to doing mine but something else always seems to jump up and put the mockers on it. Mike

Good stuff. Don't want it to be visible, so am scoping out the reg-plate holder types, like this one: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/380650682694

Added complication is avoiding a mess with the wiring, but there are some wireless ones, too.

[Chris Skelton]

....and no one has mentioned the NSX hiding behind it!

After 2+ years since selling mine, STILL there's nothing to replace it.

The El Grand E51 is a different thing.....

[Gbneil]

Lovely looking car man, enjoy

[cruisermark]

I put a reversing camera on my MK4 and it was brilliant, a perfectly clear picture and very reliable, plus they're only £25 now. Not possible to connect to the existing screen though, I put mine in the corner of the dash.

I have seen Phils setup and can confirm its brilliant. Keep meaning to get around to doing mine but something else always seems to jump up and put the mockers on it. Mike

Good stuff. Don't want it to be visible, so am scoping out the reg-plate holder types, like this one: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/380650682694

Added complication is avoiding a mess with the wiring, but there are some wireless ones, too.

i have fitted parking sensors to a couple of my 400s in the past and wiring is very easy.

you will have to remove the boot lid lining which is just pop rivets - route the wiring through the boot hinge then in from the rear seats if you push back the rear cushion you will see a plastic blanking plug - drill a hole through that - remove both sill plates which just pop off and then run the wires through there - very easy

[BarneyTT]

Looks good Barry, hope you enjoy it.

[goldtop]

Thanks for the info on running the camera wires, Mark. Will go and do a thorough recce this lunchtime.

Have this morning discovered that the driver's side mirror has a limited range of L-to-R movement. Up/down is perfect, but when trying to get to the full leftwards position, the mirror gets to a certain point and then stops, the motor thumps every few seconds and the mirror just sort of nudges without moving any more.

Plus there's the washer level warning gremlin to fix; at least that seems easy enough (famous last words!)

Full set of filters ordered online yesterday. Will search the manual/forum for oil advice.

One final thing, the windows are tinted. Not too dark, but I'm wondering if the fronts are legal (70 percent minimum transmission says HMG). I suppose I could ask a friendty policeman...!

[danbobnix]

Looks very good Barry! I also have noticed the need to adapt to the throttle response of driving an automatic!

[VKP]

Looks like a very tidy example - congratulations

I'm hoping to be collecting my first ever LS 400 (a mk4 1998, red with Tan interior) tomorrow morning

First task if I buy it is driving it home (from Bucks to Manchester) with a restrained right foot!

A reversing camera - sounds like a very sensible mod......

Viren

[Keith Bowler]

Nice car Barry - well done!

Nothing wrong with the DHP wheels, the standard tyre size was 245 50 17 which are an odd size and the standard tyre fitted out of the factory was a 'run flat' Bridgestone Potenza which are pricey and give a 'hard' ride.

I am going to go for the 235 55 17 tyre size also next 'cos I find the 245's scrub on the insides on the front.

Also worth getting a proper 4 wheel alignment done by someone like 'Wheels in Motion' to get the geometry set properly.