Cotswold Pete

I did think of FIbre glass, but just bought some alu mesh, Isopon filler (which sets well at cooler tempatures). Just got to hope the weekend will be dry, and then get set to work on it. The gashes in the arch are about 6inches long (15 cm in new money), and about 2inch wide, so bigger than expected, so this rot has been going on for a while. It looks like where they roll the sheets together when making the car at the bottom of the arch there is a small channel which is a b*gger to clean out so I suspect that has not helped, even though I have been cleaning the arches in the past.

Well checked the roof drains, and they are not at all part of the problem. The drain drops out under the skirt of the rear bumper, and outside of the bulkhead, so there is no mud trap there. Just need to get some mesh, filler and decent weather to fill the holes on both sides. On the subject of sunroofs, had them in many cars, and only ever had a problem once with a Cavalier. Looking at the LS sunroof it is a really tight fit (ie: well designed), so there is very limited chance of crud getting into the channels and then being washed down the drain. I suspect if you open the sunroof a lot, then general dust will stand more chance of building up to eventually get sluiced out via drain. The LS is fairly airtight, and when you close door you should see the sunroof lift by about 1mm, indicating the car is well sealed as is the roof when closed. (Unlike the early new generation VW Beetle which was so airtight you really had to slam the doors shut).

Not sure if it is problem with the drain pipe blocked which over the years has caused this. Once I get a chance over weekend to jack the backend up and have a darned good poke about, I'll know if they are part of the problem. For sure a heck of a lot of mud collects in the arch, especially at this time of year, and when look at how the back of back end of the rear arch is, and the way the mudflap creates lovely storage area for that mud it seems like a little design fault to me. I also wonder whether the boot seal failure you get, creates a lovely humid air in the boot which start the arch to rust internally while the mud eats from the outside. I would think when I got this car, the boot seal had been leaking for well over a year looking at the state of the spare. Maybe we should build cars out of all this spare plastic we keep chucking into the recycling bins, then all we would have is cars falling apart when the UV light finally breaks them down

Well I never, a radio that needs a handbrake to work, what will Lexus think of next. Also I like the idea of using the word 'toutch' in the manual, sounds like someone someone practicing the art of ecky thump

There is a manual adjustment, because I had same issue a few years back. I bodged my link rather than welded. However it was local garage that did the adjustment, so not sure where it is, but if someone else out there knows, would like to also know for future reference.

If you look in the boot, where the tool kit holder is on off-side and where the SatNav is on near-side, you have the two black drain pipes with their 'rubber' holder, and the wheel arch is right there. I though these were leaking into the boot, or the seal had gone, but that all seems okay there. I noticed that small amount of water had been buidling up, and when I looked last night, I could see rust bubbles for about 10cm running up the inside of the wheel arch (a bit harder to spot where the Satnav unit is. So I poked it and my finger went right through. I then poked from the wheel side, and the metal wall flexed and then hey presto a hole about the size of my fist. All done in the dark with head-torch, so not sure how bad it really is, but it is not good. Not sure if it counts as MOT fail (though even if not needs to be sorted). At the weekend I will have a good look, and decide if it will be good enough to use mesh and filler to sort it out. My concern about welding is that where the Datnav is, that has to come out as you do not want to be melting the cables. But I am no welding expert, and thought would prefer it welded, I assume it is not going to be cheap, and given it is hidden repair, not going to affect the look of the car. Hopefully the weekend will be dry and I can get a good look at how bad it really is, and hopefully not end up with holes as big as my hand. Also noticed some bubbling rust on the bottom of the arch sills where by the rear doors, so need to check out what is happening there as well. Because the car needs some other paintwork done as some point, it is the quandry of whether the old lady is starting to fall apart elsewhere, and what that means for the next few years ownership. I am hoping to keep this one for another 4 to 5 years at least, but have the missus saying she does not want to me start throwing money at the car having just spend £300 getting LS handbrake sorted last week (says she who has had welding on her 12 year old X-type for last MOT)

Well today I discovered why my windows have been misting up. I always assumed it was a leak somewhere and it turns out that rear wheal arches on both sides rusted through just where the sunroof outlet drops in. I assume although I have been clearing out the mud from behind the mud guard, the rot would have set in before I got the car (5 years ago). Actual holes once I started poking about (not a good idea) about as big as my fist (jsut stuffed some bin bags in there for now) So off to garage this week to find out when they can do some welding and hopefully not too big a bill!!! Still better than my Omega, which at 10 years was falling apart big time with rust in rear arches all the way around.. The old lady is due for her MOT in two weeks, so hoping nothing else major going to crop up. Still apart from usual costs (cam belt, filters, oil change, tax etc) so far this car has worked out costing me just over £800 per year (that includes cost of a new spring, the odd UCA and tie rod) which is a darned bargain.

We sure are

Just had handbrake sorted, both cables seized up, which explains why a couple of weeks ago things sounded like a heard of Rhino in the boot. So now £350 lighter in pocket (the cables were £180 the pair from Lexus - crikey). Should (touch wood) be an easy MOT next month Only another 18 years before it needs doing again. Though garage said shoes are worn, but no reason to replace them unless I get to do handbrake turns.

Glad to have snow mode this morning. Nice steady drive in. Brought me hiking boots to work, just in case I have to walk the last 10 miles home from work. A bit of snow is not going to see me stuck 600 foot above sea level in a blizzard on the Cotswolds!

Snow mode button is the same as the 'rocket boost button' Yours should be opposite side to one in picture. Engage snow mode by pressing bottom of switch (to disengage, press the bottom again). Just remember not to press the top otherwise you engage rocket mode. You will notice a drop in revs engaging snow mode as soon as you do it.

Nice car, same colour as mine, but mine in need of a lot of TLC with body work (keyed down drivers side 2 years ago - no rust though, tree hit near side passenger pillar - big dent, bat sh*t pock mark on bonnet), and also aerial not retracting and nearside indicator misting up. Apart from that it's been 5 years of great driving, and at 184K, still got a lot of life in her yet. I paid £2.2K for mine, best bargain I ever had, and (IMHO) better than the Mk3 (apart from fog lights not as good). Enjoy (as they say in USA - and some UK restuarants these days)

If he does not pay I assume it is one for the crusher

Personalyl not a fan of cars with turbos, mainly because higher failure rate caused by such high speeds of the turbo really needing the cleanest of oils all the time to minimise turbo wear. Not so sure a 2.5 tonne car is my thing, the 400 is heavy enough in terms of wear it places on running gear.

Do not go near the Phaeton, I had a mate who was bonkers enough to have one, and all its problems, and then actually try another (mad). He was envious that my Mk3 was 15 years old and never in the garage, where as both Phaetons spent far too much time in garage, and huge repair bills. I would say the Prius impressed me, roomy, quite(ish), economical, not bad acceleration for what it is, and reasonable second hand ones out there if you look. My mate regularly drives to Germany, in his, he says not as luxurious as LS, but not as thirsty.

Totally agree that a refresh will make a difference, would be ineresting to drive your car, and then get in mine (184000 miles) just to get to know what the difference is, have had various parts renewed, but still some original stuff kicking around. I know from in the past whenever I have had cars from new (not so these days), at around 80K+ the steering was always less relaxing at motorway speeds, and as we know the LS is a heavy old thing.

Go to this web site if you want to DIY clean the throttle. My Mk4 had similar problems, and had throttle cleaned at last service, been as right as rain since Lexus Tutorials - though tutorials not for Mk4, throttle should be the same.

Looks nice, and MOT history not a big concern, best to try it out and listen for nay knocks and brake judder in relation to radius arms and rods. Is it worth £2795, if it were okay and the rust is your general 19 year old rust you find underneath. If my LS fell apart tonight I would probably be popping down to Kent tomorrow.

What is odd, is that this morning I noticed I had left my small spotting scope (metal) in the center, along with electric shaver, and it has not gone off, so makes me think only certain metal objects must mess about with the microwave pattern. I recall when I kept a metal tyre pressure guage in the center, it was part of the problem. The mystery of security systems.

Had similar on my Mk4, cleaned up throttle body has cured problem.

So in 20 years time will it be "Not sure we actually need a steering wheel"?

Oh dear, now you've got me looking at GS300s, when I should be working, I do not have any cash, and I am wondering whether to just get my LS sorted. Always like the GS, and probably would be an owner by now if I had not been seduced by Mk3 LS back 9 years ago. Maybe I could get the missus to ditch her X-type for a GS (she did consider one 4 years ago - but the X-type caught her attention). But somehow I think this idea is non-runner as she keeps looking at Audi A3s.

Thats it in a nutshell. My LS has about 10 things that really need sorting, that will probably mean spending over £1.5k to sort out, but even when I get in my mates 6 year C Class, I cannot help thinking that when it is 18 years old, will it be up to the job, and actually as cheap to maintain.

It sounds like this car has been looked after, and maybe had a full exhaust replacement when the Y-piece started to blow, or wanted a slightly differnent burble when cruising. Interestingly when I had my Y-piece down by some exhaust specialists they said the rest of the pipework was not stainless. I know that they were wrong, but maybe there is stainless steel and then there is 'stainless steel', in the world of exhausts. If I needed a green LS (not my colour - also the wheels are not my thing) I would consider paying that for a well looked after 400, rather than spend it on a Audi/BMW etc. Hopefully a LOC member decides it is worth it.