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I'll be honest with you. For the value of car don't bother with timing belt unless the water pump starts leaking for some reason. It's a true fact if you go into any Lexus dealer and ask the service boys how many broken Cam belts they have had I bet they would say none or 1-2 in all the years they have been running the MK 1-3 before the LS430. I've changed quite a few in my time at intervals and still think the belt coming off was good to do another 100,000 miles before really changing. The belt is a very thick wide belt and can take more wear than say a Ferrari belt which at best is only 3mm thick and about 6mm wide when built the same years as the LS400 were made. Keep your money for other things like clear side indicators and clear front lights indicator sets will transform your looks and along with some strut braces will transform the handling loads especially around roundabouts. Baz.

Deflectors are only needed if you have a beam pattern that goes up towards the left. The HID headlamps on the IS have an almost flat beam (there is a tiny step up towards the left), but nothing like the 15 degree up-slope of "old-style" UK headlights. This type of flat beam pattern is very unlikely to dazzle oncoming drivers and does not need beam deflectors. If you look at the MOT tester instructions you can see the different beam patterns. http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_180.htm The traditional british pattern is type E, whereas the HID headlamps have the British American pattern (bottom pattern on the page, with a small step but no "kick up").

Good seeing you guys. Congrats to Andy for putting down the best numbers today. :) Hopefully the intake change and throttle controller off will find me my missing ponies! ;) Traffic home was dreadful! :( Hope you all get home ok. Cheers. Pete :)

No 1 sounds like a good option for you. You'll have a guy who knows what to do before he opens the bonnet.

I'd go with no. 1

indeed, or at the very least inspect the belt. The MK3 has an interference engine so you don't want the belt failing :o Would it be a reasonably easy job for a mechanic to check the belt?. Is it visible without having to take the engine apart?.Thanks. It didn't look as if it would be quick/easy to see judging by what I saw when I went along when my Mk4's TB was being changed. Quite a lot of the front end had to be removed, and I presume the engine has to be turned over by hand bit-by-bit to properly inspect the whole of the belt for signs of wear. It's about 4ft long, I think.

I hate to say it but when Mercs have extra chrome on all the arches it's only hiding the common major fault of these Mercs being built from 1998-2007 is the rust they badly suffer from on bodywork.

Just for the record of others following. I had to replace my front window of the MK1-2 at a cost of £250 for the front fully fitted with Vat with Auto Windscreens. I also had to replace the MK4 rear windscreen at a cost of £500 but went through insurance(£50 excess) also with Auto Windscreens. Please note last year there was only two rear windscreens left in whole of UK for MK3(98 model) and I had one of them, So I think there is only one new one left in UK. Auto windscreens have changed since they went more or less bankrupt Etc. a few years ago and are 50% cheaper than auto windscreens in price every time I got a quote these days. Try them for a price and post it up here for others to follow. FACT: The windscreens have to be wire cut out or they will just smash when removing any other way. Baz.

From plexus914's link :- "never leave your foot on the brake pedal after you have used the brakes hard" Which in an automatic left in "D" when we stop, we do all the time! I now give myself an extra metre of stopping distance and let the car creep a bit at lights, so the pads aren't clamped on the same bit of disk all the time

indeed, or at the very least inspect the belt. The MK3 has an interference engine so you don't want the belt failing :o

The "Warped" Brake Disc and Other Myths of the Braking System by Carroll Smith http://www.stoptech.com/technical-support/technical-white-papers/-warped-brake-disc-and-other-myths

Correct, changing pads and discs will not affect the alignment. My suspicion would be your calliper on whatever side the car is pulling to is starting to sieze. This now presents itself more blatantly because you have new discs and pads. After a drive do this... Check the temp of all four wheels. If one is hotter than the other three and it's on the side the car is pulling to, suspect a siezing calliper. Does the car smell of hot brakes after a drive? Jack the car up. The front wheels should be easily spun by hand and rotate freely. If they don't, the calliper is sticking. Other thing to check is your front lower control arm bushes. If these are perished and the rubber is split then an alignment is pointless as the settings will be changing constantly because the bush isn't doing it's job and the car will wander/pull.

Just thought I would try to pull together any places people have managed to get original parts from cheaper than using the UK dealers. I am currently looking around and notice a massive price difference between the UK and US and wondered if people have used these parts? are they all the same part numbers? are there cheaper European parts suppliers? Just thought it would be interesting to see who has saved doing this and if it is worth the wait for the parts. M