sir john

Who or what is the troll?

Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow! On the day I was married (20 years ago) I decided to do a few little body work jobs on the car. The service was at 2pm, 30 miles away. We were using the car in question, a Tolbot Rancho, as our wedding and honeymoon car. At 10.30am i was still under the car,wires and lights and wings off, when the cake arrived. It was pink instead of white. I still managed to finish the work on the car get the ribbons on it and sort the cake. Still dont know what "her in doors" was panicing about. Wife has just read my last post from over my shoulder.............and explained to me why she was in a bit of a tiz. Something about "the most important day of my life" blah blah "its suposed to be special" blah blah "had enough to worry about" blah blah. I got us there didnt I?

Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow! On the day I was married (20 years ago) I decided to do a few little body work jobs on the car. The service was at 2pm, 30 miles away. We were using the car in question, a Tolbot Rancho, as our wedding and honeymoon car. At 10.30am i was still under the car,wires and lights and wings off, when the cake arrived. It was pink instead of white. I still managed to finish the work on the car get the ribbons on it and sort the cake. Still dont know what "her in doors" was panicing about.

Mines done this fr the last 2 years. Intermitantly. I just give it a slap on the top of the pod. It hasnt got any worse so i dont bother about it.

Hi Bob and welcome. Have you tried searching this forum? Bottom left of this page. Look carefully at the results as the contents may include links to tutorials and to members who don't make regular postings. thanks steve i will do a search Not sure if the 96 model has the same "fault" as the earlier ones. If so there is a known weak point at the flanges between the cats and the 1st part of the stainless steel system. The flanges seem to be made of mild steel and rot out where they meet. If they arent too bad you can put new gaskets in (about £5 each) a bit of plastic metal and new bolts. Failing that, if they are really bad, you could try welding the cats to the "Y" pipe. Apparently it works quite well. Good luck and let us know how you get on. PS. the flanges on mine are well knacked. I have to do mine(plastic metal) every 4 months. But it lasts longer if i dont floor the accelerator too often.

Are you sure that is right BHT? 575 mile on £55 of petrol??? Thats about 54mpg! The best ive done was on a trip to Silverstone & on to Stanstead from Ilford, Around 180 miles & it cost me £14.00 to fill up, I was doing 56 mph on the motorway as I was running very early, this was last year when gas was 56p a liter. My trip computer registered an average of 34 mpg. I recon its around 60mpg equiverlent. 34mpg from a LS is fantastic. I averaged 30.22 on a 400 mile trip last year. Mainly motorways and country roads but at 70-75 on the motorway not 56mph. On the same trip i normally average 26mpg with 75-80 on the motorway. Maybe we should run a competition for thr most miles on a gallon of juice!

its MOT time next week. If it passes without too much trouble or advisaries i think ill take the plunge and have the old girl gased. I was looking for another 93/94 LS400 hoping to get a better one than mine. Less little niggles if you like. But all those i have rung up about have the same niggles. Slightly dodgey PAS pump, exhaust flanges, AC/clock readout blank, crappy wheels and a couple of trolley dings. Break out the credit card. Its spendy spendy time.

Thanks for all that. The big panic was because the MOT is imminent andrip i have my monthly 700 mile round trip tomorrow. Panic over now. i took the new arm to my local machanic. he has pressed the bushes in the ends in and with a bit of a shove the arms gone in. Test driven. No knocks and no wheel wobble.

Bought and fitted the near side upper control arm for last years MOT from AZCARPARTSUK. Ordered one for the other side this year but it doesnt fit. Its about 6mm too wide where it bolts to the inner wing. Where can I get one that will fit. Without going to the dealers of course.

Everyone has their preference re model. For me its the MK11 circa 94. Mine cost £950 2 years ago. I bought the first i saw becasue i wasnt planning of keeping it. It was just a stop gap til I decided what new car i would get on contract. (last one was a merc). I wont have anything else now. like everyone says, buy the best you can. £1,500 will get you a cracker if you are careful. As for reliability, when i look at old cars i ask myself "if i had to drive around the world none stop what would oi have to buy" The answer is easy. I know a bit about the LS now and what faults they are likely to have because i bought the 1st i saw. Im on the look out for another Mk11 at the moment. This is what i will be check before i buy; 1. front upper wish bone ball joints 2. rear suspension control arms 3. exhaust flanges between the cats that the "Y" pipe. the bit after the cats. they rot away and blow like mad. 4. rear springs 5. LCD readout for the clock and AC. Doesnt affect the AC but you cannot see what temerature you have set it at. 6. lights on teh dash. mine are fine but a lot arnt. When i find one betterthan mine its going to be gased. Get yourself a LS. The best car in the world bar none. The most reliable. And not expensive to fix if you get teh older models. Good look mate.

Have you got the link Sir John? I dont know how to put in a link that just says "link" but try this. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201028363539972/sort/priceasc/usedcars/price-to/2000/model/ls/make/lexus/postcode/la184ny/radius/1501/page/2?logcode=p It identical to mine. I want to gas mine but im thinking of buying a better one that might last a bit longer. Mine is a great car but its done 179k and the exhaust/cat flanges have had it, the body has a few trolly dings, the wheels need refurbing and theres a bit to do on the rear suspension. hence the lookout for a betetr one. Ive spoken to the vender of this one. Me only got it in yesterday. The dash lights are on teh blink and the exhaust is blowing a bit.

Im thinking about buying another LS. One with less miles than mine and in better nick. OIL8382 is advertised on Autotrader and is about 200 miles from where I live, hence the query. Was it owned by you at any time. If so is it as good as discribed.

Are you sure that is right BHT? 575 mile on £55 of petrol??? Thats about 54mpg!

Id like to keep the car for the long term. Its a fantastic motor car. If it didnt need anythng doing to it id just get it gased an enjoy it. But it needs a few things fixing. Cards on the table time... It cost me £950 2 years ago with a full MOT. Since then ive done 30,000 miles and..... replaced the alternator. OSF top ball joint 2 rear springs new rear screen new rear bumper fixed the Fr bumper new plugs, oil and filters disi and rota arms x2 4 new tyres I dont think that is unreasonable for a 16 year old car and 2 years driving. It now needs... NSF top ball joint rear control arms x2 the exhaust to cats welding up and wheels refurbing. All that (rear control arms SH) plus the gas conversion is £1,300 plus my own time. Thats what i mean by " is it worth it". If i can get the equivalent of 45mpg it maybe is. If not I might buy, sorry for this, a Rover 75 CDTi tourer. 50MPG is very tempting just now.

with fuel prices and mileage on the up and income going down its time to make a decision. Ive toyed with the idea of gasing the LS for 12 months. Now i have a decision to make. so i was wondering what i might expect to get to the gallon on LPG. I do mainly rural and motorways and average 25/26 mpg. Its going to cost £900 to get the car gased. The cars probably worth £750 to £1,000 as is. I just wonder if its worth it.

Its gone! I missed it. But thanks for the help. Seems the MK111 is no real difference t the MK11 in mpg. Heres looking.

:( Thanks for your input guys. I was thinking the same way to be honest. But the new has gone. Good ones dont hang around for long. Thanks again.

Mine isnt on LPG but when i looked into it and called a few installers I asked about spark plugs as i was about to do a full service. I doidnt want to put new plugs in only for the LPG guy to have to change them again. His answer was "on LPG they seem to run better on NGK with the gap reduced a bit". It seems you cannot change the gap of the recommended high spec ones.

ive seen a nice UCF20. see other post. But will it do less per gallon than my UCF10. Autotrader-performance etc state; Fuel consumption (urban) 16.1 mpg Fuel consumption (extra urban) 30.4 mpg Fuel consumption (combined) 23 mpg for the UCF20 Fuel consumption (urban) 21.2 mpg Fuel consumption (extra urban) 35.6 mpg Fuel consumption (combined) 29.4 mpg for the UCF10 the UCF hand book states Fuel consumption (urban) 20 mpg Fuel consumption (extra urban) 35.3 mpg Fuel consumption (combined) 28.8 mpg But what does the hand book state for the UCF20? If you have one will you have a look and post please. Id might trade up but im at the budget limit for fuel as it is.

My 93 UCF10 is coming up for the MOT. I love it to bits and it got years left in it. L Reg. Private reg valued at £400+ 179,000 miles Part SH Tax 30-09-10 But to bring it up to scratch it really needs the front exhaust and cats changing (SH), Fr OS upper ball wish bone, Rear susp control arms and the wheels are really scruffy and need refinishing. There are also a few minor bruises. Trolly dings you might say. The thing is, in the last year Ive renewed the alternator, 2 new rear springs, disi caps and rotas and a full service. Its also had a brand new bumper and rear screen. (curtesy of the ins company) I have seen a nice UCF20, in grey with black interior. M Reg 133,000 miles MOT March 2011 6 months Tax Full SH £850 Would you keep the old girl or sell her for a newer model?

Thanks for that Benfur. Thats what i like about the forum. Members helping each other. Wish id known about the rear ball joints 6 months ago when i replaced the rear springs. At least i know how to get them out now. Ive just looked on Ebay and there arnt any rear joints on there. I just hope its not a dealer only part. If so i might have to consider letting the old girl go.

Im about 8 weeks off the MOT. I know its going to fail on the OSF upper susp ball joint/ control arm. Its knackered and knocks like hell. But there is a bit of play in the rear wishbone suspension joints. The one that holds the top of the rear hub. If i get hold of the rear wheel at top and bottom i can feel movement and a bit of a knock. I cannot find a tutorial on it. and it doesnt look like an easy job to me. If it fails the MOT ill have to do them myself as moneys too tight at the moment.

Im sorry Steve but i cannot agree. I think the silver one is well sexy. Not keen on the blue one though. I assume its the GS. Besides. Surely a Lexus is about the quality of the product and the driving experience. Not just the looks.

Hi it may be a silly answer but you are trying to wash them with the lights switched on. I thought mine had packed in but switched on the lights & they work. ta Mark Its not a silly answer. I didnt know that. Just been out and switched the lights on with the engine running just to be on the safe side. NOTHING. I did notice though that the park and other lights on the dash dim for a second when i push the H/L wash button. But no water. Not even a dribble and nothing under the car on teh floor.