Scribe

Interesting point, Ambermarine - I'm one of those who has recently had electrical problems. My indie mechanic will be coming next week to look at the car - probably recharging the battery and reconnecting so that something/everything re-sets? - and he's told me that I should use it more. Trouble is, I commute in a smart car and only really use the Lexus for long journeys - which I haven't done many of recently. Because our cars are so well made and so reliable, we assume that we can just jump in them and drive away; but at the end of the day they're just machines - complex ones that were presumably designed to be driven over long distances, i.e. used all the time. Also, they're increasingly old machines, so likely to suffer glitches (I hate to say this). In future I'm going to at least start mine up once a week, if not drive it round the block a few times.

Steve, I didn't adjust the mirrors when the electrics went haywire the other evening, and I'm not going to try until my mechanic comes round to investigate because I don't want to set the alarm off again by turning the ignition on. But I remember hearing the buzz of the passenger door mirror when I put the car into reverse. Why do you ask about this?

Of course, we also hope you'll do that. At some point I'll have to say goodbye to my Lex but I shall look the other way as it disappears down the road.

By the way, do you keep the battery on charge in situ or take it out?

Thanks Ambermarine. It's pretty obviously a single issue, rather than simultaneous failures (perish the thought). And my indie mechanic says I need to use the car more than I do. But it burst into life as soon as I turned the key, so I didn't immediately think of a battery problem.

Can't be water as the car is garaged. And the battery is only 12-18 months old, and when the previous one gave out I didn't have any weird goings on like this. But I haven't used the car for a few weeks so I'll have it checked.

Happy New Year to all! Meanwhile, can anyone make sense of the following? Yesterday evening when I took the car out 1) the red 'door open' warning light stayed on and the dash display said RIGHT FRONT DOOR, which was firmly closed (I checked several times). Plus the door open warning alarm sounded every time I moved away from rest. 2) after a few miles I noticed that the offside headlamp bulb had blown 3) at destination, left engine running, turned lights off and on and the headlamp was on again, no problem. 4) turned engine off and removed ignition key. Steering wheel did not retract, 'door open' warning light stayed on when all the doors were closed, and remote alarm wouldn't work. 5) Got back in car, put key in ignition and alarm went off. Drove home again (alarm went off after a few seconds) and headlamp was fine, but 'door open' light has stayed on ever since. I'm expecting it to drain the battery by the time anyone can look at the car. 6) Everything else seems to work, including the steering wheel when I adjust it - it just doesn't retract automatically. I'm assuming (and hoping) that all of these things are connected to something simple and electrical?

I have to say it's running as well as when I bought it more than three years ago - and it was twelve years old then.

Does this mean it's run in?

Wherever the smoke's coming from, I'm glad it's not just my car that does it.

Nice one. Whenever I get home after a long journey I'm reminded what fantastic cars we have.

I notice a bit of smoke when I start mine up after 2-3 weeks dozing in the garage. I try to start it every week and for go a short run, but don't always get round to it.

If a new mirror costs £1200 from Lexus, that presumably means that if one of mine gets knocked off in a minor scrape, the car will be written off even if there's no other damage? :(

It IS happy motoring, Mike. That and lack of depreciation make up for the fuel bills.

It was MOT day for me, too, today. Result: three passes in three years with no work necessary, and no advisories. I know I shouldn't be surprised, but I am. After all, it's 15 years old and has done 148,000. In the circumstances I was to happy to pay for an oil change and a replacement rear number plate lamp bulb.

My mechanic says that some car valeters use Mr Sheen (or similar) to get a good shine, though they'd like you to think they use a more expensive specialist product.

Maybe it's an ironic comment on how much it costs to get at the starter motor.

I know some 430 owners will disagree (sorry), but their argument about toys doesn't really convince me. The 400 has already got more than I need, and I bought one because I wanted its luxury and reliability, not all the gizmos. The good thing about it is that the toys all still work, because it's well made. I'm a little concerned to read (on here and elsewhere) about 430s that are three or four years younger than my 400 but which need major (expensive) work. I know there are lots of 430 owners who've had no big problems, and I'm sure it's a better built car than the equivalent Merc, Jag or BMW, but I can't imagine having the same confidence in buying an old one as I did with my 400. I know I'm an old fart, but running a 400 has convinced me that most of today's cars are over-styled and/or over-gizmo'd. It's all about showroom appeal and perceived value, not usefulness or long-term reliability. (Example: the colleague of a friend has a Mini Cooper which keeps needing replacement wheels because their funky design, and low-profile tyres, makes them liable to cracking.) I'm sure Lexus has gone down this route to some extent (in the way that Mercedes quality went downhill when they started concentrating on lower build costs, rust protection, electrical suppliers etc.), but the question is: did it start with the 430? Every time I see one I think 'Wow!' I think it looks amazing, especially in silver. And one day I'll have one. But, as I've said on here before, I'm not in a hurry - particularly as the chance of finding a late 400 that's worth getting rid of mine for is zilch.

My mechanic (Lexus trained) also says the 400 is the best car Lexus made, though he doesn't seem that bothered about the 430 presenting problems. But for me, Mark's comment 'gave me the sense of impending doom (or my wallet)' sums up how I feel about it. I know where I am with my 400. Front suspension arms aside, I'm not expecting it to need huge amounts of work to keep it running. I'm hoping that by the time I get rid of it (maybe when it's 20 years old?) I'll be able to find a good 430 at a reasonable price. What else is there for us 400 owners to drive?

Is it accident damaged (total loss)? The reason I ask is that a 430 being broken for any other reason just seems WRONG. Especially when my car is quite a few years older.

I need to get rid of my original wheels, so if anyone wants a set that needs refurbishment without having to have their Lexus standing on bricks for a few days, and can collect them from Brighton, they're welcome to them.

I've got the same problem. The centre caps were the brightest bits of my old wheels but now they let down the look of the new ones. I was going to buy four new caps until I realised how expensive they are on eBay.

Mark, this is why some of us are reluctant are trade up (?) to a 430 - we're more comfortable sticking with what we know. Unfortunately, by the time I get a 430 (which I'm sure I will, one day) there won't be any 400s left to go back to. Since I bought mine in 2010 there's many fewer to choose from, and prices for decent ones are going up. I'm very glad I got mine when I did.

Someone on here once recommended that we open our bonnets once a week or so, just for the sake of it, because this helps to keep the struts pressurised. I don't know if that's true, and in any case I keep forgetting - until I need to fill up the washer bottle.

I agree with Mike. When I started looking for my car three years ago there were always about 100 LSs (all ages) for sale on Autotrader but now there are only about 60. And most of the 400s look a bit tatty and/or overpriced. It seems like most owners are hanging on to them, which will make your search difficult - but there are good ones out there if you're willing to travel to check them out. Mine's done nearly 148,000 but the seats and steering wheel have very little wear. In fact a foreign friend who rode in it last year thought it was a nearly new car (I wish, at £50,000, or whatever it cost new).