The Swede

You can get the decals on ebay. Yeah, I sprayed mine black, then applied the decals when they had dried enough, then used clear over the top.

Sounds like a plan. Should I replace the calipers as I am doing this (it's abt 110 quid a side)? In the end, the calipers have 140000m, so I am just wondering if it would be a good investment.

$7.95 here... http://www.carpartsdiscount.com/auto/parts/2001/lexus/gs430/brake_caliper/brake_caliper_bolt.html?3593=250644

Honda 60 very good stuff. I use it for another hobby of mine.

I stick to Durex Play for that.

Looks like I better take them off myself, nicely clean them and then paint them black or so.

Any idea where I can find nice decals? Could stick some on and then, I assume, lacquer the calipers so they stay on.

I would like to change the front caliper of our GS430 by something that looks a bit better than the cast-iron horrors that are on the car now.

Does anyone know of any one for one replacements (I do not want to change the wheelhub, etc) that look a bit better and don't cost stupid money?

Any shops (online) ?

Note: I am looking for similar size calipers. No need for Mitsubishi Evolution-size competition brakes ;)

I'm just making a simple economical statement, John.

ll nice to fit a compressor to an IS200, but it will cost more than the car is worth. You can get an IS300 or even a GS430 for less money.

Way cheaper to sell the IS 200 and buy an IS 300. Plus you get a better engine ;)

My guess would be somewhere around £2000. I bought my 01 GS430 Sport about 18 months ago, 129K miles with service history for £2100. Prices don't seem to have changed that much since then.

Hmm... Could be worth more if I disassemble it and sell it in parts

Thanks !!! :)

Good luck.

I would not walk away from one with hot brakes though. Might just be a sticky caliper / pads. Easy enough and cheap enough to swap if you know what you're doing (if a monkey like I can do it, anyone can ;) ).

You could get a good car at a low price.

I always prefer to buy a car with a few, known, problems that one that seem immaculate... but surprises me afterwards.

The official grease according to the service manuals is "Lithium soap base glycol grease".

How does that translate in English? Can I get that easily from a shop like Halfords?

We're considering upgrading from the GS430 to an LS430. Not that we're unhappy with the GS, well in contrary. Just thought of getting the next level up.

Any ideas what it could still be worth? (and then I mean in actual sales value, not what some made people ask, but never get).

It's an early 2001 GS430, has 143000m on the clock, has a good service history, though not always Lexus with the previous owner, silver, has the DVD Sat Nav and all other normal goodies a GS430 has.

Drives perfectly, has had new brakes all round, new wheelbearings and new droplinks on the suspension (the things that normally knock on a GS after a while ;) ).

Sparkplugs were also changed recently.

Here are a few pics.

Thoughts ?

I actually took mine out, greased them and put them back in few weeks ago but not sure I used the right grease.

What grease should you use for these? So far I used graphite grease (kind of "copper grease", but with bits of graphite rather than copper in)

How easy should it actually be to move these sliding pins? Should it go really easily or should there be some proper resistance, i.e. your girlfriend shouldn't just be able to pull them out without tools.

And I assume I try prying it loose starting from the armrest ?

See pic below (note: pry up at the rear edge, once the rear has popped up, you can pull it towards the rear to unclip the front edge.)

Thanks !

Erm... pardon my lack of English, what does it mean to "tape a screwdriver" ?

Sure some here must have taken his central console out before :eerrrmm:

If it's 140 GBP at Lexus... isn't it smarter to have it done there?

Might sound stupid, but th light of one of the buttons of the seat heating doesn't work... and it works on my nerves (call me a maniac).

I assume I have to lift the entire wooden panel around the gearlever out?

Any clues how I do that?

Thanks !!!!

I actually also need to replace the disc. I assume simply getting the same one as you have, should solve it, no?

Is there any buying guide for the LS430 ? Wouldn't mind swapping the lady's GS430 for an LS.

Amazing to do this yourself :)

Strange, I rarely get beat off the lights by anything, I even give the big boys a bit of a suprise and by then it is too late for them to react. I would say that the auto box is way too slow to respond when giving it some beans. I tend to use the stick to keep the car in the livelier rev ranges, the reaction and power then is immense.

My other car also has a V8 and Auto and sure beats the GS430 from any speed

Problem did get solved though by cleaning the MAF. The car really had a serious hesitation and now goes straight in revs when you hit the accelerator. :)

A friend wanted to fly to London tonight. Heard the airports are closed because of a bit of snow?

South France and Finland huh... not jealous at all :P

Well, it's a bit unusual at the moment as it's snowing everywhere in Europe. Even along 40 miles further East along the coast, near Cannes, there seems to be snow today but here it's still +8°C. Weird.

And nope, I don't live part time in Finland to be fancy. Used to live there, got divorced and now spend every third weekend there visiting my 12 year old.