Peter Bunce

Hi All, Thanks for the talk Shaft it was most helpful. Today I was asking a garage owning friend what he thought of the 430. He told me of a friend of his who had one with a lot of electrical gremlins - wiper going on for no reason etc. Is this a regular fault, or do we have a Friday evening/Monday morning car? The faults were that its electrical gizmo's regularly went wrong; I am expecting to pick up a 31.000mile 4 year version and it has produced some slight concern. It will have a 12 month lexus warranty, would this be covered? I will be checking the electrics as far as I can, before paying for it. Just (again) asking questions! Yours Peter Bunce

Hi Chris, Thanks for the thoughts, I chose the 430 as they are newer, and over my use of the car it should therefore have a possibly better chance of staying the course without needing a lot of work, (10 years?), agreed there will be an easy life for it. I have looked at the mark4 series 400's and still cannot make up my mind. As the car is really an american design it is built for long distance work, which gives it the comfort bit. Our roads do not have the long distance so the comfort is more the reason, no commute means it will hopefully not be getting the stop/start wear that accrues. To finish, do the big v8's need a motorway run regulalrly to clean them out? (BMW's usewd to, don't know on the modern ones though. Yours Peter Bunce.

why? what was it about his stated driving requirements that makes you think that would add value to the proposition? Hi Shaft, The 6 speed sounds good; I guess thsat has double overdrive? But being a late intro only a year 18 monts ago it is a bit expensive! The pre 2004 auto box has what in it please? 5 speed perhaps one of them being an overdrive; I confess that generally I leave the Picnic in O/d all the time except on steepish hills. Another point in general, the exhaust is £1700 I am told, and is stainless stee; so what sort of life are those expected to have please? I am thinks of a car that will at then end of its life have possibly 100k on it or so, that is why I am looking at for 430 instead of a 400 really.

Hi all, I am a very new boy, and my interest in Lexus's started with a ride in one to Oxford & back; that was a 400. That was it we are hooked! So, at the moment I have a Toyota Picnic, that is due for a renewal, and there is no like for like car available now. I am thinking about a year 2000 or so 430: I am retired and would expect to do about 7000 miles a year. No commute runs a few little runs otherwise it would be 100+ miles at a time or so. Just muyself & wife driving, the picnic is an auto, and I would not be without one. Due to my & my wifes age it is likely to be my last car! So the questions, given the above (& the need to fit 3 granchildren in the back, they are 7 and down at the moment), how much are spares, do they need them often (say a 30,000 or so mileage), and with such a big engine it has been suggested that they needa motorway run weekley to keep them (in the engine) clear of muck. In short what sort of running costs as these are the real costs, buying is the easy bit, but with 430's it will be difficult to find one - not many about! My toyota has been good, I would think the Lexus being a super Toyota derivative should be hopefully better. The service costs are about comparable with a small £200+ service, then (with aircon refill) a large £475, one the next year. Driven gently, whsat is their tyre life like? I got 44K from the front tyres on my present car, and it stil has the as bought brake shoes etc. I am not a 'rush about' driver as you can see! Yours Peter Bunce.