Scribe

Looks like a good set of Mk.4 wheels. Remember to wash them regularly, and even polish them, to stop brake dust from oxidising (?) the metal and making them peel and look scabby.

Definitely worth investigating, I'd say, if the history is there. All cars that age and price have a dent or scrape somewhere and/or need a bit of mechanical TLC. My only concern would be other (big) problems looming, which is why the dealer is getting rid of it now rather than fixing it first. Let us know how you get on.

The other good thing about leaving it in a big space at the edge of the car park is that you can admire its understated elegance as you stagger towards it with your shopping.

There's the remains of a 430 somewhere in there...

If it was truly A1 I'd be terrified to park it anywhere. As it is, i leave mine as far away from anyone else's car as possible in supermarket car parks.

Probably just as well I've never driven one. I could be tempted, especially as some are cheaper than 400s were when I was looking for mine five years ago. I see that 2005 GS300s are down to about £4000 now. Anyone on here had experience of one?

I find cars more attractive when I own them. They suddenly look pleasing in a way that they didn't before. Maybe it's the same with kids and pets? You don't see their faults in the way that other people do. From Wikipedia: 'The word cockpit was originally a sailing term for the coxswain's station in a Royal Navy ship, and later the location of the ship's rudder controls.[citation needed]'

This one is gorgeous, though - and has a full tank of fuel rather than the usual low fuel warning light on! I wish I had enough money to not worry about paying a silly price for it. Having said that, it might well put most secondhand £13,000 Audis and Mercs to shame.

I'm sure we'd all like a 50,000 miler, but I wouldn't pay over the odds for one unless I won the lottery. I sometimes wonder how much I could be persuaded to part with mine for, given that there are so few good ones out there at sensible prices. It would now be very difficult to replace it with a newer one (as I used to think I might do one day).

I agree with Ruud. Mine's done 153,000 but it feels like you could knock the first digit off that. Low mileage is a bonus, but it's often not worth what some people think it is. When I was looking for my LS I was told that newer with higher mileage was a better buy than older with lower mileage, but maybe that was wrong.

I agree with Mike. Hideous front. But I wonder if those seats would fit in a 400...

I'm only a few miles away in Brighton but you won't see my LS today because it's tucked up inside my garage. I recently did a 460-mile trip to Suffolk and didn't see a single LS; on Sunday I did a 27-mile trip to Crowborough and saw a green and silver Mk.3 LS400 and waved at it but didn't get a 'reply'. It's much the same with my old Accord Coupe - they're very rare these days. I like having such unusual cars.

Isn't that just the best looking LS ever made?

I think we'll all be booking our cars into Lexus Coventry now!

Welcome Jacques, and congratulations on acquiring your Mk.3. Five and a half years ago I bought an early Mk.4 (January 1998) with the same miles on it that yours has now, and it was one of the best purchases I've ever made. I'm not as tall as you but I do find the cabin a bit cramped. Park the Lexus next to a modern small car and you'll see why: although it's longer and possibly wider, it's lower and actually looks quite small in comparison. I have what sounds like the same ABS problem on my smart car. Like Ruud, I think it might be a damaged or corroded ABS ring (a common smart problem). It's worse when the car is cold. I agree that the aftermarket wheels could be (much) worse. Bear in mind that Lexus originals tend to need refurbishing after a few years because the alloys get corroded from brake dust. You'll be lucky to find a set that looks smart enough to match the rest of the car, but you never know... Refurbishing costs about £60-70 per wheel, I think.

My mechanic, who knows all there is to know about Toyotas and Lexuses, says the same thing. He likes the 430 but says the biggest mistake Lexus made was to fit it with air suspension. Maybe they felt they had to make the car more exciting than the 400 and so fitted it with toys that looked great in the showroom but weren't designed to last. (The same could perhaps be said of most cars today?)

My understanding is that 430s were originally offered without the 'comfort pack' that included air suspension and other goodies, but only for about a year - which is why most don't have springs. I do think it's odd that a prestige car manufacturer made such troublesome suspension when my Citroen Xantias went on for years without springs. I had to have the spheres replaced, but that wasn't very expensive and the car still ran, although it got very bumpy. I still miss the lovely floating ride quality, which my 400 can't match - although of course the car is superior in every other way.

Congrats. Looking forward to seeing the pics. Is it your first LS?

Does anyone actually buy these new anymore? I don't think I would even if I had the money.

The original wheels were a bit scabby and I was going to have them refurbished. Then a new set (well, old but unused) came up on EBay and I won the bid. The centre caps are original and now look bad but you can't really see this in the photo.

Thanks Mike. If the missing word is 'view', I agree with you. Just realised that the photo is a bit big, but if you click on it you can see the whole thing. The Honda is almost as big as the Lexus (both built for the American market) and more difficult to park because you can't see the bonnet. Much bigger boot, though.

I agree. I very rarely slide the roof back but I like the ventilation from having it tilted open, even when it's not sunny. It doesn't have to come from the A/C. Also, the lack of a sunroof makes modern cars seem even gloomier and more claustrophobic inside.

This is Lexus with its new friend. Note that I chose a matching (almost) paint colour. Combined ages: 33. Combined mileage: 290,000. But I'm quite happy.

I like 1990s cars. Apart from anything else, being tall, I can't see out of modern ones. I've recently bought a 1999 Accord V6 Coupe for running around over the winter (my smart cabrio leaks a bit and takes forever to demist when it's cold/damp - last winter there was ice on the inside of the windscreen). I know it's totally impractical but I like it and it has been well looked after. Mileage is 137,000 but it runs fine - though of course it's no Lexus. When my mechanic drove it yesterday his comment was, 'One of the last of the old type of cars - the ones that were made well.' It reminded him of a Toyota Camry - which is another car I've always fancied (obviously I'm not bothered about image/status).

I was in need of my Lexus vegetable cooler yesterday evening when I (stupidly) answered an international call and found myself talking to an Indian lady about the warranty on my Sony TV which, according to her records, has expired. She has no such records, of course, because although I do have a Sony TV I bought it from a friend. She then asked me to confirm my address, and when I replied, 'Why the hell should I do that?' and pointed out that I hadn't asked her to contact me about a non-existent TV warranty, she said, 'Please co-operate, sir'! Unbelievable.