inflames

13 hours ago, Chasdad said:

Overpriced i think. I nearly bought two gs300s in the last few weeks . Both were very goofand less than 1500. Ive had 2 e39 528 sport and one 523 se. At the time i loved them . But now i think they look a bit chavvy. Unless its a minter. Ive also had a gs300 with 200k on it and it was nicer to drive than the bmws.  

I agree that the GS300 sport in that link is very overpriced.  

What do you think are the pro’s and con’s to both the 2nd Gen GS300 and the E39 5 series are?  As you have owned both.  

One issue i am finding at the moment is that most of the GS300’s i have seen on for sale online is that they are all 100+ miles away,    the distance is not a big issue its that if i want to view more than one, it will make one hell of a day.  I also agree that the 5 Series can seem a little chavvy, these days.  One of them I am considering looks in very good condition apart from one small amount of corrosion starting on one of the arches.  But at £1400, that can be expected. 

12 minutes ago, bobmc said:

Looks like this is still for sale, bit over budget, seller is asking top price considering year, but it's been listed for a month or two so might be negotiable. Also quite a trek from Norfolk ...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1999-LEXUS-GS300-SPORT-AUTO-SILVER-Enthusiast-Owned-/222190356265?hash=item33bb93c729:g:SaQAAOSwepZXTKbe

 

I did look at that, is a massive trek up there for me a fly would be £200

 

Well its been its about 3 and a bit months sense i started this thread.  Anyway a little up date, we have been working hard at clearing our debt’s by using the debt snowball method.  I had even considered selling my Passat to pay off the finance and buy a cheaper car with what was left over.  I even started a thread in the LS section of the forum as i was doing a bit of research on the old LS400.  In the end i decided to  keep the Passat, keep paying the debt off as it was and all the work is starting to pay off.  We have a made a big dent in our debt.

Well that was until last week, whilst my car was parked out side, i should state that we live on a hill.  One of my neighbours cars "hand braked failed” i still think she reversed into.  Its all in the hands of the insurance company’s and today i was informed that that the car in beyond economical repair and will be technically a write as the repair cost are high than the insurance percentage to value ratio.  I was told i will contacted to tomorrow to discuss the next stage.

I guess there is one good thing, out of this i will clear my finance off meaning we shall be debt free quicker.  But does mean i will have to use some of our small amount of savings to add to what is left of the insurance payoff to buy a replacement car.  At the moment i looking at spending between 1.5K and 2K depended on the the payoff.  I have a short list of cars that i am now looking at, i did consider a IS200 as i have had one before but i would prefer a larger car.  So i am currently looking getting a 2nd Gen GS300, but don’t know to much about them so i am back on here doing a bit research.  The other two cars are a BMW E39 528i sport or even a Mercedes W210 E320 CDI or petrol but the CDI seem to be plentiful in that price range.

Loser

On 14 June 2016 at 9:49 AM, bobmc said:

There is an LS400 for sale on the forum at the moment.... 

 

Yes i have seen it and i might be tempted.  

I have also been looking at 2nd get GS300, i found one about a month ago, it was 98 model with 1 owner, 150k miles on the clock full lexus history had been stored in a garage, reason for sale the gentlemen had brought a brand new Lexus.  It was up for sale for under a grand, planned to go view it at the weekend, but someone brought before then.  I have also been tempted by the 1st gen RX300's?

Like i said i need to make my mind up in the next week or so?

7 minutes ago, lockeyboy said:

Hi Aaron

Have you checked insurance costs?  The LS400 is in a very high group.  My quotes (for a second car) range from £490 to £4500!!!, based on a sub-20 year old car.  From next January I would expect it to come down once the car hits 20, and becomes a classic.

If you are doing your own work, and there are plenty of helpful people, advice and tutorials on this forum, you'll save money, and avoid the risk of mechanics tinkering with what is a very specific piece of engineering. 

I used to have a maserati (222SE), and whenever anything went wrong, there were very few people who could do anything with it.  Which, looking back, was actually a godsend.

I've just had my newly bought LS400 serviced.  Opie Oils provided me an incorrect fuel filter, which the mechanic has scratched whilst trying to fit, so thats £20 gone!  I provided the mandatory 11 litres of red (pre-mixed) coolant, and he could only empty 6 litres worth.  So I'm guessing that'll need re-doing (The colant fill tank has the instructions on it). I'm off to pick a part from toyota tomorrow, so will drop in and ask Lexus how much it will cost to do it again if it needs it.

If you know what you're doing, I'm guessing all of this stuff will be rather nicely avoided!  A couple of hours looking through past threads will make most things quite straightforward.

I'd say a £1 car will need time and bits buying for it, there is a £2.1k Mk4 on Gumtree at the minute on Merseyside, which has been reduced, which looks superb (has the Dynamic handling pack, manifesting itself with bigger wheels and more expensive tyres) I guess that could need some £ on it, but it looks nice on the photos.

I've never driven a 430 so can't comment.

Thanks a lot for the advice, don't mind spending a fe quid here and there doing jobs to the car.  It comes part of the package when buying older cars, like my old 1989 MR2 mk1, was a reliable car but i spent money on it doing those odd jobs and servicing.

2 hours ago, Bluesman said:

Please do not put on here that either car is now up for sale as you are not a Gold member. Many thanks Mike.

I have no intentions to place a advert on here.  If i decide to go ahead and sell the car i shall place adverts else where.  I was just updating this thread, but thank you for reminding me of the rules.

Well my Passat passed its MOT with one advisory (chip on the window screen).  So time to make my mind up.

I saw the advert yesterday, when i was browsing.

1 hour ago, abs406 said:

Thanks for this, I am thinking of going down this weekend to check it out.

Iv seen one for sale that sound very similar to one you have described.

I have a month or so to make up my mind, as the Passat MOT is next month and that will be the best time to sell it.

26 minutes ago, noby76 said:

why not a gen 2 GS300/430? I have seen some good looking ones with less mileage for around your budget range. LS400 is ok but boot space is smaller than Gen 2 GS300/430 and the GS will feel more 'sportier' than the LS400. 

Yep they are on my short list as well.

3 hours ago, royoftherovers said:

Hello Aaron,

The way you are dealing with your problems is impressive and I wish you continued success.

I have an E Class  W210 Auto Estate with 210,000 miles and which has been largely trouble free and I would certainly recommend that you look for one. It must however  be rust free and have a full service history preferably with a good Merc Indie. The 220 cdi is cheaper to run (than the 320 cdi ) and maintain and is largely bullet proof apart from occasional electrics..

Some other ideas re a reliable, quality run around (non Fiesta) are Honda Jazz and Toyota Corolla.

There are some excellent lease/hire deals at the moment with Lingcars.com and you might look at these.

Good luck.

 

Regards

 

John

Thanks John, I am glad that you don't think i am crazy...  most of the ones i have been looked at seem to be  estates E220 CDI, what is not a bad thing as i could do with the space.  I would prefer a E320CDI if i can find one.  Finding one with no or very little rust is the hard part, i remember trying to find a clean one last time.  I found one i liked with a bubble or starting to show, but apart from that it was mechanically sound, then i found my passat.  

I have a crazy idea, as some members may know i was looking as buying a 3rd get GS300 not long ago.  But i was going to be putting us in more debt to fund it and after a week of talking about it the wife found out she about losing her job and said that she would like us to be debt free (not including the house).  So my plans are all changed and i have now embraced this idea.  We have done extremely well with what we have cleared this year and this last month alone.

Anyhow my idea is this, i currently have a VW passat TDI which is financed, I owe about £2K in payments over the next 18 months and the car is worth around £3k.  Sell the car, clear the finance, use what is left to buy another car i may add a little out of my saving to get a car.  I don't want to sh*t box fiesta or anything like that.  So i had a look at some of the car i have always wanted but could afford at the time.  

One of these being a LS400 hence why i posting this here i have always had a soft spot on these cars and if they are well looked after they seem to go on for ever.  Or the other is a Mercedes E class 320CDI W210 (i almost brought one but decided to buy as new a i could afford on repayment hence the passat).  I plan to all my own servicing, repairs to cut the costs down as much as possible.

What are people opinions on buying a LS400 for less than £2k?

Yes i had this twice, when i had my 1989 MR2 Mk1 between 2008-2010.  Use to have total strangers talk to me, about the car guess they admired how clean it was for its age and probably because i was only 22 driving a modern classic.

Even though i am not currently looking for a car, i was on Autotrader earlier today, I found this:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201605023541217?make=lexus&model=ls_430&sort=locasc&postcode=nr66jn&page=1&onesearchad=new%2Cnearlynew%2Cused&searchcontext=default&search-target=usedcars&radius=60&logcode=p

Seems a great price with low mileage could be a great bargain for someone.  When i was looking at cars a month or two ago, to find one with that low mileage was closer to 7-9K depending on the age

15 hours ago, AmbroseJohn said:

Debt free is awesome.

Go for it, you'll be better off in the long run. Don't be a slave to the bank.

2008 GS and no worries is better than 2016 and sleepless nights.

Debt free would be awesome, now my wife have just received her final pay slip i have to able to afford to run 2 cars, keep the kids clothed, feed and all the usual house hold  exspenses.  I have now come up with a financial plan to be out of debt in 3 years, with just my income coming in alone and hopefully in time she will be able to find another job that works around mine and the kids.

I will be back in a Lexus at some point in the future but for now that will have to wait. I am glad i waited another day before deciding to put purchase the car or not, as we got the news that day about her job.  I will have to stick with VW Diesel Passat for a but longer.

As some of you may i know i have been looking at coming back to a Lexus for a while and was about to take the plunge.  Anyway moving on little sense then, my current circumstances have changed with the wife and her job so i am going to have to wait a bit longer before i change my car.  My wife is also now obsessed with becoming debt free, what i love the sound of but were is the fun?  Anyway just wanted to say thanks to you all who have answered my question, over the last few months or so.

On 3 April 2016 at 7:26 AM, inflames said:

Very nice, never seen a Lexus being used for a wedding car before?  Which of the two cars do you prefer, only asking as i am currently looking at both and can’t make my mind up.

After i made this statement the other day, on Saturday i passed a 2nd Gen GS300 being used as a wedding car, I was turning out of the Golf coarse ( i use the there gym) as they were turning in.  

1 hour ago, royoftherovers said:

 Aaaron,

Would it not be possible to save spending money by simply not replacing it/them and checking the tyre pressures weekly like we all used to do ?

 

Regards

 

John 

Of coarse the old ways are still the best sometimes! I would like to in the future to have  everything to be functioning properly on the car.

10 hours ago, mkbean said:

the TPMS warning probably means one or more of the pressure sensors is missing or broken. Over £100 a corner...

The price doesn't surprise me, how long do they take to replace any idea?

On 3 April 2016 at 7:54 AM, Carl911 said:

There both have different qualities and it probably boils down to your personal preference.

i personally think the IS 250 is the better looking car overal, still one of the best cars Lexus produced in my oppinion. It's a more practical size and easier to park in car parks etc. 

That said, the GS450 is a fantastically powerful engine which never leaves you wanting for more and has a certain presence to it.

Even at eight years old with a private registration I have had several people think the car was only a couple of years old by its condition.

the GS is much roomier inside, I really notice that when getting back into the IS.

in many respects such as gadgets and tech, both cars are very similar so which ever car I drive I feel right at home.

both cars are excellent and very reliable.

id probably be more prone to want the extended warranty if buying the GS450 as the hybrid would make things very expensive should you be unfortunate to have problems.

the IS250, I'd buy as is and never worry because it's rock solid, proven over many years.

test drive both and it'll give you a better idea.

carl

 

I have now taking a GS450H and GS300 both on 56 plates for test drives both fantastic cars.  I love the power delivery of the 450H, but i took the missus with me this time and she shared my concern's about it.  Specially the boot size, what we think is fine for us as a family, but is not big enough to take my mother in law's wheelchair.  The GS300 was effortless and i loved the sound of the V6.  The space was great and very comfy.  I had planned to test drive a IS250 on a 11 plate, last week but family stuff got in the way and i have now got to wait till till this weekend.  

Very nice, never seen a Lexus being used for a wedding car before?  Which of the two cars do you prefer, only asking as i am currently looking at both and can’t make my mind up.

21 hours ago, stormcracker said:

I just recently went to spain for a week long break and the wife, me and 2 kids took 2 back packs both 10kg each and 2 x 25kg size suitcase in the boot was a squeeze but they fitted

The boot easily fits the weekly shopping ive attached a photo from easter, the eggs were the large type so it might give you an idea of depth

If you need any more info on any aspect of the car just shout

The power and comfort of the car is well worth the small boot
We averaged 33 mpg doing the 3 and half hour journey from house to airport and back

 

Cheers for the picture, certain convinced me to have a proper look at a GS450H, so i am going to have a look tomorrow.

Well just an update for you guys, i have taking the car noted above for a test drive today.  Behold it actually has a service book, was in the glove box after all seems that the dealer never looked in there, i can’t say much as i didn’t either as he gave me a folder saying that all the paper work and receipts are all in here.  So a little happier today.  Car felt fine, was a little disappointed as the car had very little petrol considering i had already arranged to take a drive and could only take it for a quick 5 mile drive.  But in that 5 mile, i managed to test it on a few twisty and back on the dual carriage way.  One thing i noted was that one the display said one of the tyre had low pressure and the warning light was on in the right hand side i assumed this was due to the low pressure? 

I also managed to check the DVLA MOT checker to confirm the mileage and it appears that the car for the last 3 years was only doing 3-5k miles a year.

Going to be looking at a couple of other cars tomorrow, going to be traveling to view a couple of GS450H’s and another GS300.  I may even stop off and have a quick look at a IS250 F-Sport what is on route too.