BodgerBen

Hi Mike, Good luck with getting your car mot’d and back to good health, you’re a braver man than me. But I would stick with an LS400, just one that needs less work, but we do get attached to cars, my Scimitar was my mums, she bought it when it was a year old, and it has power steering, and a little bit more go with the 1UZFE engine. I hope to keep it until I can no longer drive. I now have a superb LS400 that I hope to get many years of enjoyment from, so can only commend you on your decision. Any excuse for a piccy of my lovely LS, good luck with yours

I only got into LS’s as we bought one for the engine and box. That was a 94 and this is what it went into. So not all 1UZ’s go into drift cars. A low mileage, non interference 94 engine/box must be worth 2K, but to get the car back to a respectable condition that won’t cost money every year will be a lot more than that. Personally, I’d sell it and go for something else.

Very common for valve clearances to close up, as the head of the valve hammers into the valve seat so the stem gets closer to the cam lobe. Old British OHC engines like Triumph Stag/Dolomite/TR7 etc. would close up much earlier than a 1UZFE, as the valve seat material is much better on the 1UZ, and TBH most unleaded engines have much better quality valve seats and valves. The valve itself rotates as it opens/closes and will loose a minuscule amount of material every nK open/close cycle, hence closing the gap to the cam. Also remember that the cam/follower is lubricated, the valve and seat are working in a much harsher environment than the cam and follower.

Niza, give Opie Oils a call. https://www.opieoils.co.uk Speak to them with the cars history and they will recommend the correct oil, they used to have a thread on PistonHeads where you could ask for your mileage, driving style etc. but now it’s best to pick up the phone and talk to them, TBH rather than going thinner 0-20, I’d go thicker, 5-30 or even 10-40, but speak to the oil experts first.

We did pop into Lexus Guildford, with the aim to keep the service history with Guildford up to date, but. There was nowhere to park, the dealership was/is undergoing a major refurb, reception in a tent, a complete mess. So, as our silver LS has history from the specialist Grove Garage in Brighton, we took the car to them for a complete check over, cam belt change and annual service. Leigh did the cam belt change/service and found nothing else that was needed. We’ve swapped the DHP wheels from our silver LS and the silver one has now gone to a happy new owner. A set of five Michelin Pilot sport tyres get fitted tomorrow, and it’s booked in for a complete lanoguard protection over the Christmas holiday, which allows time for a thorough clean and dry before the protection is applied. We’re very happy with the car, the guy we use for valeting, AK AutoKleen said the presentation was perfect, the car is great, which was reinforced by Grove Garages verdict, that it’s about as good a LS400 as you’ll get.

Good luck with the sale Qamar, yours does look a lovely example and for a fair price.

I didn’t haggle much with the dealer, so I paid pretty much full asking price. And I’m happy, it was delivered on 8th November, in atrocious weather. The trader will have made a fair few quid on the sale, which is absolutely fine by me. It’s what I had hoped for, a full main dealer service history with all the invoices for everything that had been spent over the 20+ years ownership of the second owner (old boy) and third (his wife). I did go to Lexus Guildford for this years service and cam belt change, but it’s an absolute mess there. Nowhere to park, a tent for sales and service. The dealer is in the middle of a big update or refit, which is a minor bit of inconvenience for me, but does allow me to try Grove Garage in Brighton, who has done a fair bit of work on my silver LS400. So this car is booked in for a full service and cam belt change on 5th December at Grove. I’m currently a very happy owner of a rather nice green LS400.

Lovely looking car you have there, enjoy.

For portable garages, look at motorsport garages/awnings, you can’t bang spikes into a tarmac/concrete paddock, I’ve use shelters from Hamilton Classics, metal plates under each leg that can be weighted down (cheap plastic buckets filled with postfix and then stacked on top on each other, the buckets are easy to move and each leg can have 25/50/75/100 kg on each leg depending on how many buckets of set postfix you stack). The awnining company have some fantastic marques, seen in many paddocks and can supply metal weights for each leg. These collapsible structures can be easily stored and are always wanted by motorsport guys, so have resale value.

That is a lovely looking car, someone will have a superb car there. No, I don’t need three LS’s.

Sadly I couldn’t resist, the green LS400 will be delivered to me on 8th November, then I’ll get it booked into Lexus Guildford for a service and cam belt change. The underside is good, but will go into the body shop after the service to be protected where necessary.

Yes I would have bought that car as the price is the same as the price of my repaint, then I have my suspension to sort out. Unfortunately its the same colour as my last LS which just doesn’t work with dogs, which was the main reason for not buying it. My black interior is easier to live with. The MOT history has the usual items, but I would also do the timing belt, water pump etc. as the last one was 2013. An earlier car I wouldn’t worry being non-interference, but I just wouldn’t trust a 10 year old belt irrespective of mileage on this car. All in all, if we didn’t have the dogs, I would have bought this and moved my silver one on, it does look lovely.

We have had the estimate back from the bodyshop, which was just under my finger in the air guesstimate at 105 hours work plus materials, which I have accepted and I am currently awaiting when we can get it booked in. I’m hoping that they can work on it over winter and we can use it in the better weather next year. In the mean time, I’ve been looking on amayama etc for suspension bits and bobs, as this is what it currently looks like, please note the shiny new spring 🙂 So whilst in for body work I may drop off a load of suspension bits that can be fitted instead on having to fit them myself. If I order pretty soon the bits may arrive before it’s in the workshop.

Thanks guys. I have a few odds n sods coming from amayama, the only advisory was for front anti roll bar drop links, so those and a few other bits are on the way. I took the car to the bodyshop, they will de rust everything they can, which will make my life a bit easier seeing what needs replacing, 2K (ish) for a suspension refurb will be factored in. The body needs, screen out and repair rot N/S top (just visible - but will have to wait and see when the screen is out), around the boot lip, front and rear bumpers, OSR door (has scratches that will not polish out), both front wings (just starting to bubble on lip), top of N/S B pillar, door mirror covers, inner rear arches (after cleaning you can just see the rot starting) and anything else found when doing that lot. It will go in for that lot over winter. Our Forester had a similar refurbishment last year, so I know what can be found once you start prodding. I will re-iterate, this car will be used as our summer cruiser, it will get scraped and scratched as the roads around here are narrow, it’s bound to get the odd ding. But I’d like the car to be reliable and comfortable. I’m not on Facebook, but Mrs BB is, I’ve just asked her to like LSCowboyLS. Paul and Malcolm - I’ve spent a fair bit of time reading up on your posts, so thank you for all the info you have provided.

I might as well add a picture of the Lexus engined Scimitar. I haven’t updated this page for years, but the car had a full repaint including gel coat repairs at C&S Coachworks, so looks much better now. Scimitar page

Thanks for the comments guys. Malc - I agree, we are not aiming for concours, but when we do stuff we like to do it correctly. Stephen - the original part of the drive was down for 20 years and the pavers didn’t move when we had loads of skips during the renovation of the house. We then a fair few lorries carrying 20 tons of rock at a time, not a mark on the drive. There is about 30cm of base. As that base was good we used a rake to lift the old pavers ready to be replaced. For the new part of the drive, once the rock then type1 was down a vibrating roller the size of a Range Rover shook the whole house compacting the base. We are on sandy soil, and the pavers are laid 10mm high from the edges, then compacted down. The trouble with our sandy soil, rock, type 1, sand and finally pavers is the pavers were shattering as they were compacted down! I have no issues with full skip lorries on the drive - soil/hardcore etc. so a good 18 ton or more. As you say, do it once, do it right.

Thanks Mark. The drive is now great, it’s taken a bit of time to get it where it is now, but it’s been worth it.

Our first LS400 (1994 MK1 ish) was used as a donor for Mrs BB’s track day car, it’s engine and gearbox is in our Reliant Scimitar SE6A, I feel a bit rotten about that now, but that’s what happened back in the day, and the Scimitar is lovely. That LS400 ran so well that we bought another (a 1998 MK iV) and Mrs BB used it as her everyday car; until her commute reduced 10 fold, from over 50 miles a day to about 5, at which time we sold the old girl with 173k on the clock, it now has 273k under it’s belt (just checked using the MOT checker). Roll on 10 years or so, and I was after a Luxo barge. Recently, Pistonheads shed of the week highlighted a LS400, and a local one was mentioned in the comments, Mrs BB said just buy it. So I bought it, and we had a great morning out picking it up from the Isle of Wight, it’s got 150k on the clock and a full service history, but. There’s always a but. It needs a lot of work. All the tyres need replacing, one H rated, two V rated, and one non- extra load. The spare is an original Pirelli DHP 245. So a full set is needed. I put it into our local valeters ( AK AutoKleen) who spent two days on it, and it needs a lot of paintwork. Boot lip, one rear door repaint, bits of the front wings, front and rear bumpers, both door mirrors, rear inner arches etc. It looks great from 10ft, but it really does need a bit of TLC. Although it has not had any MOT issues with rot, the suspension looks like something from the Titanic, with suspension and normal paintwork, it must cost me three times the value of the car. The good things are that everything I have checked so far has been good, but I’d like it to be superb(ish). Anyway, I now have my luxo barge, it’s going to be fun getting it back to a superb standard, and I have have had a great time reading lots of comments on this superb web site. It’s been a long time since I contributed and I can hardly believe it was back in 2008 when I joined. And no, I won’t be putting coil overs and LPG on this old girl like I did on our last MKIV (check out my posting history).- This old girl already has LPG, which we won’t be using, as the tank has been removed! Once again I’ve loved reading up on some fantastic work people have been doing to their LS400’s

What a brilliant restoration, thank you for sharing this.

No - but the wifes LS400 MK4 was fitted with a Parrot MKi9000 by the guys in Poole (when they upgraded the sat nav) works a treat and the iPod integration means no lack of music on holiday. http://soarer.tv/

Hi Nick, My wife's 98 which had full Oxford Lexus service history and was just (2-3k) over due a service has had : 4 summer tyres - Kumho Sport KH51 thingys. 4 winter tyres - Toyo things. 6 wheels for the winter tyres (1 was curbed and I could not get the 17x7.5" any more so had to get 2 17x8.5") OSF Wheel bearing and hub. Plugs, filters. Rear disks and pads, front pads. I had to get some rear bushes measured up and found MR2 ones fitted. BC Racing coil over kit. Garmin Sat Nav upgrade. Parrot iPod/Hands free kit. Drivers door mirror glass. Prins LPG kit. Some other bits n bobs. Then I put it into Lexus Guildford for service - and had the normal servicing, oil filters etc. And found it was no where near as expensive as I had thought - so have been lazy and let Lexus Guildford service the car!!! The car has cost in total £8-9K (over 2 1/2 years, no expense spared, the Prins LPG, wheels, tyres and Garmin/phone upgrade have cost a bit) - the car looks great http://www.bodgerben.com/Lexus.htm - Lexus Guildford say the car is perfect, one of, if not the best LS400 they look after. A quick luxury car, for less than the price of a Focus. I'm very lazy now - so will continue putting the car into Lexus Guildford. Our car is not worth a lot, but is great for us, I can't see us changing it as it's doing an equivalent of nearly 40mpg. Purchase price was £2600 (which is not much off the Prins kit) yet the car has been spoilt - and she's a lovely car, with the gas and BC Racing suspension she's an economical, fast and comfortable old girl. Cheers, Ben

Kumho Sport KU31 225/55 ZR 17's Summer tyres - good value, on the second set of these would get them again. Toyo Snowprox S952 225/55 VR 17's Winter tyres - they're only VR rated - but hey. Great in last years snow, just put them on for this year and down south we've not really had much snow to worry about, just cold weather. We always change to winter tyres on the LS, Jeep or BMW - they are so much better in cold weather, snow or no snow. The Jeep runs Michelin All Season tyres for summer - they are rubbish in the snow, great for summer but the proper winter tyres are so much better in cold weather. The LS summer wheels and tyres can be seen on my Lex page http://www.bodgerben.com/Lexus.htm Edited to say I got the Lex winter tyres from Camskill - but my local tyre place can now get a good supply of winter tyres, so I look up what I want on Camskill and pop a print out down to the local place and he'll sort them for me - no waiting in for delivery! ADD Tyres Lindford.

Hi Norm, Good choice. My wife has been running a 1998 MK4 LS for the last 18 months, it now shows 175K miles. Like you we bought a good condition car with FSH - and I've been doing most if the maintenance myself - I was not happy with the rusty rear disks, I also was not happy with the lower rear arm bushes (MR2 bushes fit) and slight play in one of the front wheel bearings. After getting a new hub and bearing I found it had been replaced in the past - on the car, and not fully tightened. I still replaced it off the car so I could torque it up properly. Our car had the DHP - but with a broken front spring so I replaced with coil overs. Anyway - the last service I could not be bothered to do, not that I expected much, so I put it into Lexus Guildford for a B service - £300 later they gave it a clean bill of health and said what a lovely car it was, they were very happy with the coil overs as they could not get the DHP springs for me when I asked and thought the coil overs were great. Lexus Guildford will be getting the car for most general service jobs from now on. I'll continue to do the brakes and easy bits using Lexus parts from Chris at cheap toyota parts. If you look after it - you'll get at least another 100K without much bother. Oil - Lexus put Castrol 5-30 in, I'd been using Mobil 1 15-50 which they were fine with, but said they still use 5-30 on 200K+ cars with no bother. I'm happy with using what they say. Cheers, Ben

Update on the BC-Racing Coil Overs. Caroline slipped a disc helping me move the snow in the early part of the year - after a long lay up she did say the Lexus ride was not as comfortable as she would like - the front springs were 12kg and rears 8kg (per mm or whatever, 600lb and 400lb ish in real money) so I gave the boys a BC a ring and asked what they could do - a set of 10kg and 7kg arrived in the next post (ok I had to pay for those) so I put those on and set the ride height to 27 3/4" (a bit more than the 12kg, 8kg as I thought the first 3/4" would easily be taken up). So what difference is there between the original 12/8 and 10/7 - well firstly I noticed the recommended LS430 setup was 10/8 and wondered if I could go softer that 10 - apparently not - the factory say 10 is as soft as they recommend. The original dhp springs were magic carpet ride - a bit floaty but very comfortable - the 12/8 setup is very firm - not uncomfortable but with our current pot holes can jar. The 10/7 setup is like our BM - nicely firm, fine over most potholes and most importantly still feels planted at speed, no floaty feel at all. I only wish I had chosen the long front dampers with 10/7 springs as the inital setup. That's the way the car is going to stay. And a brief update on Caroline's LS400 engined Scimitar - it's first track day is 7th June - and now moves under it's own steam! Here's the Scimitar/Lexus/Jaguar/BMW/Porsche (bit of a Heinz this one) page http://www.bodgerben.com/Scimitar.htm

My wife's 1998 LS400 Mk4 has just been converted to a Prins VSI system by Dual Fuel systems in Woking - no lube recommended - the car does 15k a year. I'm not overly concerned if the valve seats are affected after the 2 year warranty - obviously if they do burn out I'll have a bit of work to do. The guys at Dual Fuel recon there will not be a problem - and they state that they have converted a number of LS's that cover far higher mileage than the wife's car with no problems. It's early days for the economy side of things - but performance wise there is no difference - sport mode stays on and the idea of using cruise control to and from Caroline's office has been ditched. Caroline has kept a note of every tank of fuel and mileage since she's owned the LS - which is only 16 months - but does show an average of about 22mpg on petrol most weeks - on weeks with longer journeys (>25 miles a journey) that improves to above 25mpg. After a few months of lpg I'll post the results.