Cotswold Pete

Wonderful idea even for April fool, but if ever it comes to fruition, it needs to have different modes such as In a bl**ding hurry white van man mode 1 Just chilling to Bob Marley mode 2 Annoyed at BBC stars pay mode 3 Other options no doubt could be programmed in later

Longer than the rest of the car I would think, modern LCD systems are well robust, however the issue tends to be the naff connectors used which break under vibration stress.

I would have thought it would be worth more to an enthusiast looking for a MK1, but I assume the breakers are not in touch with such folks.

IMHO all this gadetry is a darned distraction, which I assume with the coming of driverless cars is not an issue. Maybe in the future cars will come with kettles, fridges, bookcases (for us traditionalists), a workbench, and wine cellar, all useful to keep you busy while the car whisks you up the M1 into the back of another car! It might be 28 years behind Lexus, but Lexus then must have known you only want a certain level of distraction, not a full-blown IT system in the dashboard.

It is great the LS seems to have a lack of engine braking, in some ways it means you have be darned careful when folloing other cars who are slowing down with no brake lights showing as they engine break. I think it is not just the auto-box because other autos I have driven you get a level of engine braking, so I assume the LS has something smarter than your average electronics, and a car with low drag co-efficient (0.27 I hear on the 400Mk4) all helping it to make sure car uses the least fuel possible.

Assuming you set the system as soon as you hit the motorway, and assuming it is you average bit of London motorway, I would have expected at least 30mpg, if not 33mpg. My LS400 at 56mph does about 38mpg, and even got 39mpg once on M5 on Somerset Levels. At 80mph fully loaded (passengers & boot) - does 30-31mpg I would think any adaptive response in the ECU is not going to account for these figures of 23mpg. I get 28mpg on way to work (All A roads with small amount of town driving), and that includes a climb of 500foot as soon as I leave the house, and the old beast is not warmed up and chewing though about a gallon every 5 miles on the climb. I have never found tyre pressure to make that much difference (other than wearing out the tyre), though I did find a small improvement (and I mean small) after engine oil change and full ATF change. I have tried Shell V-Power a few times and noticed no difference, other than to wallet. Is it worth you giving the guys at Japex (Kings Langley) a call, seem to be well regarded in sorting out what is going on.

Just thought, but in past when I have had cars that do short city miles the throttle gets clogged up quicker and so fuel intake is all over the place. Is your rev counter up and down while stationary, might indicate cleaning throttle worth a look.

Heavens to Betsy, I'll be putting my order in for one of these when I become Prime Minister!!!!

Count me in as a handbrake on, driving off practitioner. Once sounds like a herd of buffalo in the back as i accelerated up to 60 with handbrake on.

Totally agree with this, just get yourself off to a custom exhaust specialist, they'll sort you out for a fair price, using stainless steel rebuild. As for lower ball joints, a clunk and wandering are symptoms, but last ball joint I had done the clunk was so minimal I would never have guessed it was the problem. Personally I'd go with the non-Lexus chaps, and forget the 'nice' but useless video.

I love the fact that it says after pressing the fuel filler door button it may take up to 10 seconds to open. I would love to see the messages on the console After 1 second - We have registered your need to open the fuel filler door After 2 Seconds - We are okay to open, but can see it is cold, and am now giving you time to put on your jacket After 5 seconds - we have checked your credit card and can see your credit limit is exceeded and will be closing the filler door After 5.5 seconds - we have spotted that your paypal account is fine, so we are now resuming the opening of the filler door After 7 sconds - the door is open, we are now heating the filler cap so as not to freeze your digits After 10 seconds - ready to fuel

Filling an LS is a chance to observe the people who have no idea how to park near a pump, cannot remember which side their filler is on, and those who know where the filler is but have not worked out that the pump line can stretch across the boot, and those desperate to make sure they only put a fivers worth of fuel in as that is all they have (been there myself a few times). Life in the LS, fast on the road, slow at the pump, just the way it should be.

I find some plugs do not fit well, and the push and twist can work for a while and then after a bit works loose, which is why I use better grade USB sockets in the lighter then a seperate cable out of USB socket to the electonic junk that litters my console. Does the standard cigarette lighter work, coz if it does not, then maybe a loose connection behind the tray, as I have heard the connectors can fail if flipping ashtray in and out causes a break in the cable.

I did wonder if it was fuel pump, and on low tank there is a pressure issue, but reading your symptoms not so sure it's that simple. Also not so sure the problem relates to capacitors failing, as in my experience that causes stalling after long runs, when you let revs drop. Not sure if it is worth you giving the chaps at Japex a call see if they have any ideas. But it would seem like you can get round France so long as you never let fuel go too low, so knowing guage reading accuracy seems like a good thing. Best of luck with the trip, and sounds like you have way more spare time for replacing so much gubbins.

Malc, only reason I wondered if the vibration was bushes, was because on Vaux Omega when wishbone and bushes were on their way out you used to get vibration. I do recall in my previous LS the car drove fine but it had the UCA slowly giving up, but got through 2 MOTs with no problems. Makes me wonder if I have a bit of brake judder, just had new Pagid blocks fitted - and I have followed the many many discussions on this form about blocks/disc/judder - so makes me wonder if getting new shims would help, but for the mo will ignore the squeak and wait for the mercury to get back down to the usual British average.

Noticed over past few days that I have a squeak developing, and last night had a good old press down on front off-side and squeaking like the my wifes Jag when some of the bushes were going. Also have a slight (and sometimes pronounced) vibration at 30-40mph. Sounds like something needs replacing, not sure if that would be upper control arm, or something else. Any ideas, before I call mechanic.

Wheels look shabby, but not sure if that is just way photos taken. Also the upside down driving position looks a little challenging

Had one of these for a year, economy on diesel was fine, but seemed to drink oil for living (which my manager said was typical of VAG diesel engines). Seats harder than Ian Paisley on a good day, and hated the electronic handbrake. But great for shoving stuff in the back and off to the tip.

Used to be a Cavalier man for many years and then when the tried a Vectra, that was the end of my love affair with Vauxhall.

Maybe we need to write that rule. I like the idea of the Roger Moore eyebrow. The chap in his LS this morning passed me on the inside (coming up to a roundabout) gave a discreet wave, however as he was by then slightly ahead of me, my only option would have been to open the sun roof and launch a 'thumbs up' blimp. That would have not been very understated. I remember years ago the effusive nature of MG owners (of which a girlfriend as one) passing one another, but that maybe more down to the fact that they were celebrating not parked up in some layby shrouded in steam trying to work which bit of the car had not been fitted by some bloke in Longbridge 3 years previous.

Maybe Cirencester is a hotpsot, as my mate drives a purple Mk4 around the area, and I sometimes see a Mk2 Green one pottering about on the Cirencester ring road. One day we will be a convoy

Not sure if this is someone on the forum, but had a Bronze LS400 tail me along the A419 into Cirencester, this morning on way to work Reg R299 CHE looked all nicely polished, put my dusty old heap to shame, and had the traffic been as stationary as it usually is by the college, would have popped back for a chat. Still nice to have such a nice sight in the rear view instead of the usual euro-box

What Dual USB supply unit did you use, I need to sort out my mess of cables as well as console looks like a scene from a first-fit on Grand Designs

I found a drinks bottle under one of front seats (left by kids) with lid not quite tight was a problem recently. Also it seems the carpets can hold enough moisture without feeling damp, but enough to steam up the windwscreen. I found helped to leave moonroof tilted (only on really dry days) helped dry out the car, and changing filter made a difference in terms of time to de-mist.

I found a dual USB port device in cigarette lighter was chucking out so much cr*p on FM that it was a nonsense. Just means I cannot charge phone and MP3 player at same time. The problem is that a lot of cheap non-EU stuff is not designed with radio emmissions control, so can splat out rubbish all ove the place. I still remember the days when CB radio would break in on the home stereo, same thing happening today with these USB devices. 10-4 Rubber Ducky!!!!