BigCliff

Time to call it a day with this car.

Does anyone know of a Lexus engine that has snapped its cambelt?

Black smoke = fuel Blue smoke = oil White smoke = water. Sounds like your head gasket might have gone. That would explain the sludge as well.

Advisories - are what they say on the tin - no need to rush out and spend big bucks straight away.

As Bazza says Firstly why and how have you lost your coolant. Was it a leak or faulty waterpump or damaged radiator etc. That's a good point. My LS400 has a low radiator level warning light on the dash does the 430 not have this feature? It says in the earlier post a damaged radiator. Do Lexus say the damage was "act of G*d" type stuff rather than mechanical failure so that's why they won't assist here? If so could fully comp. insurance help?

Anyone who has switched from the GS to the LS, how do the two compare, which do you prefer and why?

What is better about it than the GS?

I may be wrong but I seem to remember reading about a sensor on the car that assists braking when you have four or more occupants in the car at once and there for needing less pressure on the brake pedal.This sensor may be sticking . Yep, some cars have a hydraulic valve/regulator that regulates rear braking force depending on how much weight there is in the back of the car from passengers and luggage. If the rear brakes are applied too hard the rear wheels can lock up as weight goes forward on braking and that can cause a skid/crash. Correct, but NOT on a car with ABS fitted Hence the word SOME

I may be wrong but I seem to remember reading about a sensor on the car that assists braking when you have four or more occupants in the car at once and there for needing less pressure on the brake pedal.This sensor may be sticking . Yep, some cars have a hydraulic valve/regulator that regulates rear braking force depending on how much weight there is in the back of the car from passengers and luggage. If the rear brakes are applied too hard the rear wheels can lock up as weight goes forward on braking and that can cause a skid/crash. Correct, but NOT on a car with ABS fitted

I may be wrong but I seem to remember reading about a sensor on the car that assists braking when you have four or more occupants in the car at once and there for needing less pressure on the brake pedal.This sensor may be sticking . Yep, some cars have a hydraulic valve/regulator that regulates rear braking force depending on how much weight there is in the back of the car from passengers and luggage. If the rear brakes are applied too hard the rear wheels can lock up as weight goes forward on braking and that can cause a skid/crash.

Try A1 Jap Spares in Manchester on Monday tel. 0161 682 2221.

:winky: Nice wind-up.

Are you sure you need new dampers? They work by having oil or gas pass back and forth through a valve, so it's not really a case of them wearing as such. If you press down on a wing and release it and the car goes back to normal in one movement without bouncing, then they're working okay.

Seems v. likely overheating is due to low coolant because of leaky rad then. Best keep it topped up until replaced as overheating can cause major problems such as cylinder head gasket failure or engine warping. And sooner or later the rad will go big style and leave you stranded.

Why not take the 3rd one? 5k miles is nothing on a Lexus and IMHO I don't think you are legally justified in rejecting over a paltry 5k miles. And they have offered you the SE-L which is the top spec. Go for it. Life is just too flipping short!!