Tiggy

Can I ask what speed you normally cruise at? The journey itself sounds cool, by the way! I'm very tempted to drive up through Norway, when I have the time, though I know that the roads are often not the best! I believe that Norwegians call their main south to north road the "alcohol road". This is because it was paid for by increasing the taxes on alcoholic drinks. Previous to it's being built, the only way to get up through Norway was to use one of the Hurtigruten car ferries that still go up and down Norway's coast. In my experience, the people in Norway are lovely. I hope you enjoy your time in Finland!

Hi Steve. First can I say that I'm glad you and your mum weren't hurt in your accident. The 'double glazing' is a double layer of glass, with a lamination inbetween. It's standard. Even the basic version of the 460 has it. Unless you're looking for it you'd not notice. Tax and benefit-in-kind income tax on the 600 has been a bit less than on the 460, but from next year, with reducing levels in all the bands, they end up at the same top rate. Also, the congestion charge relief now only applies to cars with a very low co2 figure - and not to the 600. Up to 62mph the 460 is quicker than the 600. The 600 may be quicker up to 100, but I don't normally drive at that speed. And also, it's only quicker for a short time - the battery quickly drains if you try to push things. The batteries make the car 200kg bulkier, and fill half the already rather small boot, and result in the car needing 102 rated tyres which cost considerably more than the already expensive 460 98 rated ones. Earlier 600s lack LKA. Along with radar cruise control, the gentle part of LKA, which helps you steer, is one of the 460's best tricks - seriously increasing my endurance as a driver. The benefit is lower mpg driving around town (though not on the motorway). Last time I checked though, and did some sums, it would take 10 years of normal driving to break even. You should do that calculation for yourself before plunging - you might be surprised at how little you'd save per year in fuel. You didn't mention the environment. Certainly, less carbon dioxide is produced in running around, but making the batteries produces so much co2 that it takes about 8 years to balance this out. And ten years is about how long these batteries are expected to last - so suddenly it will be time for a fresh set. I'd recommend a 460 SE-L to you. I just think it's very sad that Lexus have stopped importing them to this country. The 600 is far too expensive for what it is, and the price of the 460, before they stopped selling it, was also already far too high. : o )

Probably the best bit of the premium pack was the air suspension. This can be a little choppy round town, but once your cruising you do feel the benefit, especially above 60mph, when the car drops down by an inch or so, reducing the car's drag coefficient, improving its mpg, and also making the car's ride even more comfortable. Parking sensors appeared on the 2002 model, and these are also well worth having. It's a very manouvreable car, in spite of its size, and these help you get the most out of it. The rear seat stuff is just a nuisance, really, I think, especially if you have children or grandchildren! Almost all of the earlier cars had premium packs. I think the number of non-premium pack cars was in the region of few percent. The premium pack cars had everything - there were no options. I bought a 2002 LS430 when it was about a year old - an ex-Lexus car, with 17000 miles on the clock. I thought it was a perfect car to own and drive. I drove it for 113000 miles, and when I came to sell it, it felt as good as when I first got it. I can certainly recommend a low mileage one to you.

Well, it's good to sometimes be able to contribute something useful. Most 430s did just have vanilla cruise control, but some of the later ones did indeed have adaptive cruise. To tell if a LS430 does have it, just look at the grille around the badge at the front. Cars without adaptive cruise just have normal looking grilles, but those with, have the radar box behind the badge, approximately twice the width of the badge, and just a little taller. You can see it clearly. I'd post some photos but it seems I can only do that if they are hosted on another web site? I'd say that if you can get a car with adaptive cruise, go for it. Long distance driving becomes less tiring.

I'm pleased for you that it's been sorted. There's a lot to be said for a lexus warranty, once they're over three years old - and it helps the resale value. :o)

PDFs should be with you now. I've previously had a 400 (mk3) and then a 430, and the car is a progression on from them. I do recommend the SE-L to you. My car is Windsor Blue, which is really a camouflage colour. With a thin patina of dirt and dust on, you can readily park the car without it being too obvious. I've also got black leather, which is fine until you return to a car that has been standing in the sun. If I try to say anything too much that's positve about the car, I'd only end up sounding smug. <g>

I've got a pdf catalog for LS from Jan 2009 that I can send you if I have an email address. And yes, getting the right colour is important. You need to decide if you want a discreet gentleman's motor car, a wedding car, or the automotive equivalent of bling <wg>. Also, black isn't the best colour for the interior in summer. But white leather does, unfortunately, also say something about you. Perhaps something inbetween? Decisions, eh?

I agree with you about the 600. The boot on my 460 (at 420 litres) is barely large enough, really. I did seriously look at the 600, just because the hybrid seemed like an interesting idea. The numbers just wouldn't work out for me though - the extra initial cost would never be recouped by savings in fuel, and because it isn't a company car there is no tax advantage to me. In the range of speeds that I use the car - up to 70 mph - the 460 is faster. The 460 is 200kg lighter and thus pleasanter, and won't, as it grows older, have the issue of replacement batteries to deal with. There are also a couple of other minor issues with the 600. The major one for me is this: about 90% of the available second hand ones are stretched, with the single vibrating rear seat and everything - and therefore intended for people who have someone to drive them. I drive myself, and want the car to be for me - not a passenger! The other thing is that they don't have Lane Keep Assist. This is a strange sort of thing, that you don't really need, but once you've had it for a while you would certainly miss it. I would recommend the 460 SE-L to you.

Are you still looking for information about the earlier versions of LS 460? I can email you a pdf of their january 2009 catalog if you like, which explains everything.... I just need an email contact. :o)

UK LS430's are fitted with right hand drive dipped headlamps. There are two parts to the beam (from each headlamp). The main part of the beam has a flat top. This flat top should be horizontal, and kept in that position by the self-levelling system on each headlamp; this floods the road ahead without dazzling oncoming drivers or pedestrians. The second part of each beam is a streak of light that shines up to the left. This is far enough left not to dazzle oncoming drivers, but lets you as a driver spot pedestrians, cyclists (and horses!) on the left hand side of the road. If you're driving on the right, you need to remove the left hand streak from each headlamp. For about a tenner, Lexus will sell you a kit, but it's a bit rubbish, and comes with incorrect instructions. Here's what to do instead. You need a bit of dirt on your headlamps, really, to see where the light is coming from. However, at night, switch on dipped headlights, stand in front of each headlamp in turn, and look at what you see. In the centre of each beam there is a dimple on the exit glass. Above the dimple the glass should be lit, from the beam that is shining down at the road. Also, however, just to the left and below the beam you'll see a bright patch. This is your target. While you're wating to get on the ferry, simply use a bit of black insulating tape, or whatever, to blank out this small area. On the way back, peel it off.