Robin M

Rick, nice to hear from you again I am based in Oxfordshire so not far from you. The last day has opened my eyes to possibilities. Initially I had hoped that I could find one rim (either 8.5 or 10) just to get going (as I now have no spare). All my rims are tatty (as they have been on for the entire lifetime of the car) and I had thought of, at some later date when I have bodywork done, send the rims off for a full refurb. I am not fussed about tyres - all three 8.5's have new Pirelli P Zero. The 10's were due for replacement as they have Nankang 'ditch-diggers' on them It now seems a starter of a plan to buy a set of refurbed rims (there are quite a few around) and I would never consider asking someone to split a set and sell mine off. As I mentioned above. I am in no huge rush, so please let me know when you are thinking of having yours available

Thank you so much for the info. Have briefly looked at the discussion about these and the prices are now no longer the crazy money they were. Seen some sets between 200 - 400 As I do so little mileage and consequently not desperate (yet) so I might get my bargaining hat on! Forgot about the fact that these became scarce when Supra owners fancied them - Nice to see some of them realising the value of originality.

I know I stand pretty much zero chance of finding one but.... Just back from tyre shop after being told I have developed a crack in one of my rear rims and as it is on the face it would be extremely unlikely I will find anyone to repair it. It is not a huge crack, the rim is not bent or badly graunched, and the leak is pretty slow, but it will get worse. Told that any repairer would be unwilling to do the work as they cannot guarantee the structural integrity. Suffering massive depression now as I have just celebrated my 21st year with this car (I took delivery new on 3/1/1997) and it has just clocked up (only) 99K miles. I get all anally-retentive about messing with the originality of vehicles and hence am loath to go for aftermarket rims. So question is: Is there anybody on the planet that just happens to have one of these lying down the back of the sofa or has any suggestions? I have no desire to go and write the car off - when I last looked on howmanyleft a year ago, there were only 3 still on the road

Having bought my Lexus in the year dot (when Lexus was in it's infancy here) after many years of being a ripped-off Merc driver, I was astounded at the level of service provided. Add to that the undeniable quality,reliability etc. In those days, Lexus aimed its market squarley against Merc and they won (may be not in huge volumes, but in immensely satisfied owners). Then they decided to take the fight to the little squirt BM 3 series market, with the IS (undoutably a fine car), but in the minds of many Lexus owners, this was a case of devaluing the brand. What followed was then a bunch of 'large Jap-looking cars' (fatal mistake not to keep Giugiaro) and spreading resources all over the broad market spectrum. Consequenlty a lot has sufered - my biggest gripe, service (local dealer farmed out to multi-marque group) tried getting a replacement key fob the other week and ended being re-directed to 5 different locations in the country, before just giving up!) Many moons back, I decided to spoil myself with a nice watch. Up market jeweller in S'pore (before anything else) asks "What car do you drive?" When I replied - he got out a stunning(but simple) Breitling When i asked him why he had suggested this, reply was "If you had said Merc, then it would have been a Rolex so you could show off that you had made it, BMW then a Tag-Heuer because you cannot really afford quality and want to fool people with flash. Breitling because it is understated quality and you have nothing to prove!" I still have both car & watch and am still as ecstatic as day one. (although it probably is about time to get a new Gs350 F Sport before decades-long mid-life crisis wanes

A long shot! but, if anyone is breaking a mk1 Gs300 (sport), I am looking for a variety of body parts - but mainly bonnet. Despite having less than 100k on the clock, my 1997 Sport is suffering from the ravages of time (and bird excrement!) and laquer has peeled off badly. Replacement could work out more economical than re-spray :arrrggg-matey: Needs to be a Regent Green. Also (but less serious) rear bumper? Many thanks

Can't remember where the filter was on the old GS 300. GS 430 is behind a flap in rear of glovebox so might be worth a look there. from what I remember, on the mk1, you drop the bottom cover under the dash on the passenger side, and undo a wing nut and the cover and filter come out the bottom. Mine had the cover in place, but never actually had a filter in it. My mk1 also does not have the filter. Hope your problem is not as severe as mine. Many years back, bodywork repair had to be done after an accident. After many years noticed a lot of condensation. Only after removing CD changer and amplifier (after stereo went dead and was trying to discover why) found that the amp was under water! Very difficult to see when both are in place. Still today I have not been able to trace why water is collecting in this well. This after having rear window taken out and re-installed, re-sealing tail lights - and many more. Until summer comes, the only way that I have found a solution is to take the overflow tube from the sunroof out of the drain hole, so that water runs out.

An update and a solution??? It is the crank pulley. The rubber has gone and whilst visually belt is running, whenever major loads are put on it i.e steering at full lock the pulley slips. Mechanic has proved this by drilling through pulley to hub and inserting screw through it thus holding the 2 together!! Hey presto alternator now charging up to 14V with all accessories on, steering held at full lock etc Very obviously this bodging is not a solution and pulley need replacing. Lexus part number is L13407-46020 cost 332.11 (for reference to to others with same problem e.g post http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=32237 Don't know if anyone else had dealt with these guys but $175.00 seems to be worth a chance http://www.toysauto.co.uk/product_info.php?pName=lexus-gs300-30l-24v-2jz-9105-alloy-engine-pulley-set

Yes am aware that they are the same - hence trying to track supra item. As per the other posts, would be loath to try a used item, considering the effort to change and consequences of it failing. After all if mine is dead after 85K, where will I find a lower mileage one. Many thanks.

Well, well. This thread keeps going. I have a 97 MK1 GS300 Sport. Engine died on me a few weeks ago - lights dimmed, warning lights came on, steering heavy etc. RAC man came out and in mucho hurry told me alternator shot. Towed to my local helpful mechanic with instruction to take time to check, but he immediately changed alternator. Showed him this and other threads. Still no joy, so changed 100A fuse and alternator again. By this time warning lights came up when turning steering full lock, so topped up fluid and did bleeding and problem sort of went away. However the first time I drove it at night e.g lights, blower, rear window heater on, thing died again as originally. Much head scratching and last night got a text to say that crankshaft harmonic pulley had separated and needs to be replaced. EEEK am now getting fed up and very broke! Does anyone who has gone through this rigmarole have a brief synopsis of the solution with part numbers, reasonably-priced supplier etc. ? (Cam belt replaced @ 70K when still serviced by Lexus) Sorry to bring this up again but getting desperate and not wishing to send the old bus to the breakers as it only has 85K miles on it Have loved the thing from new after moving from expensive mercs (and their associated problems) with the view to it lasting me many 100's miles. I remembered bleating to Lexus when I had to have the front suspension arms replaced at about 45K miles - gave the example of my wife's v old Astra not having to have it's suspension replaced. Please help one very sad/depressed/desperate old fella rambling on a Sunday afternoon!

Great - eventually tracked it down to a single dodgy connection in power connector - had to be something simple. Many thanks TigerFish, the diags really helped. Robin

Many thanks - as soon as the rain stops bucketing it down, I will go and check ALL fuses and get the multimeter out

This topic probably covered before - but have spent days trawling around with little joy. Is a 1997 UK GS300 Sport. Many years ago managed to put it into a hedge (long story) but body repairs have not been great and recently discovered that the Pioneer amp (part no : 86280-30200) was under water - amazingly still worked but with major intermittent crackles. Removed it to clean, but did so too vigourously and broke off one of the capacitors. Decided to buy another off eBay (without goinf through the hassle of repairing), but have installed it, but no sound. All features work on HU - can still play CD's, change radio stations etc. but all sound is totally muted. Have checked RAD No1 fuse - OK Been looking for manual to try and find diagnostics etc.but with no joy PLease can anyone point me in the right direction Many apologies for posting a dumb question - but have lost all cranial hair now!