maneesh

See link below (4th paragraph). I wonder how well they hold up with that kind of mileage??? http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/index.htm?news_id=1490

Kool, a lexus Boat B) B) Yes, whenever I'll be done with the car, I'm gonna get the engine put in a boat. The original LS400 engine is one of the only car engines certified for marine use in the US (I think!)...

These sites are primarily aimed at LS400 owners: www.lexls.com www.lextreme.com - includes section on using LS400 engine to build a boat! www.retrodrive.net

Dude, never heard that one before. Why not sit in the car and get someone to pour water around the door mirror and see if the water filters through?

Please clarify. Is it the sway bar bushing you need? Or a new rear hub? The sway bar (anti roll bar) bushing is quite cheap to buy, but the rear hub will cost you a small fortune, as Lexus don't sell the bush inside separately. Look on www.oemwholesale.com - they are very cheap.

Another site I have found is www.oemwholesale.com They seem cheaper than the other US places for certain items, and they ship to the UK. Also, the Olympus place in my other posting is doing front lower ball joints for 35 bucks a piece not 44 as listed, which is about 20 quid.

Guys, I was doing an early morning cycle ride in London today when I bumped into some people in Hyde Park who seemed to be staring at some cars. I went a bit closer and saw what they were gobsmacked about... I just sat there in awe... row after row of Ferrari 360 (at least 20!) that new Bentley Coupe (about 5) Maserati 3200GT one or two 911s Lamborghini Diablos, Murchielago a couple of SL55 AMGs Some kind of European road trip for posh folks with fast cars. see link..www.supercarrun.com I wonder which cars would actually make the trip trouble free, prob the Mercs or the 911s? The Maserati would probably give electric problems getting down to the channel tunnel!!!

If your speedo shows KM, then it's equivalent to 56,000 miles! That is low!

dude, i found this if it's of any help... ENGINE PING REFERENCES IN OWNER'S MANUAL Under certain driving conditions, minor engine ping, also referred to as "spark knock", is common for high compression engines such as those used in all Lexus models. Do not hesitate to inform customers of the following information included in their Lexus Owner's Manual: "If your engine knocks . . . If you detect heavy knocking, even when using the recommended fuel, or if you hear steady knocking while holding a steady speed on level roads, consult your Lexus dealer. However, now and then, you may notice light knocking for a short time while accelerating or driving up hills. This is no cause for concern."

I'm at 169,506 - in a few weeks will cross the 170,000 barrier!! I want to keep this car as long as it can go and stop!

Found this by accident when browsing the net....don't know how old the page is, but the shutline between the driver's door and rear door looks odd.. Also, if it hasn't been used for a year, would the battery really hold it's charge so you could start it first time????? http://209.25.167.88/Websites/lexus/

Guys, I have found some potential sources for replacement parts. Useful for those of us trying to be sensible with out running costs. Both companies are based in the US, and stock parts which are pretty much identical to the parts you buy at Lexus but have been manufactured by other companies. Similar principle to the places you see for German/Swedish cars that are about 70% cheaper than main dealer prices. 1. www.stopshopanddrive.com These guys won't ship outside of the US, so either you visit the US on business/holiday and pick up the package at your hotel, or you have a mate in the States who will buy them for you and ship them over directly. Some prices to tempt you...(for a mk1 model) front wheel bearing approx 26 quid each rear wheel bearing approx 20 quid each front brake disc approx 34 quid each front lower ball joints approx 19 quid each tie rods inner and outer between 6 and 13 quid each 2. Olympus imported auto parts - www.olyonline.com These guys WILL ship to the UK, but you need to speak with them about wiring/transferring the money to them before they ship out, as they don't deal with non-US credit cards. Some prices, for a mk1 model again. front wheel bearing approx 33 quid each alternator approx 47 quid oxygen sensor (pre cat) approx 60 quid oxygen sensor (post cat) approx 75 quid front lower ball joints approx 25 quid each Hope this is helpful for those with parts that need replacing soon. All based upon current exchange rate of 1.75 dollars to 1 pound.

Yeah, I looked into this. I don't think you can get a government contribution to LPG on an oldish LS400. I heard it costs around £1,500 for a quality installation. Let us know how it goes.

Putting another person on the insurance CAN lead to a lower overall premium, depending upon how the risks are assessed at the insurers. I put my dad (retired-claim free), and sister(claim free) as additional drivers. In my particular case, it made a difference and reduced the price, since my dad and sister would be viewed as relatively lower risk drivers compared to me, thus lowering the overall risk of taking on this policy!

I tried confused.com, and they were quoting 1200 as the cheapest.

I was with Norwich Union before.

Guys, I'm buying the drinks for everyone tonight, since I just shaved off £1,400 off my car insurance. It's down from £2,200 to £780. Exactly same cover, plus with extra drivers added on the new one. Got it done with Elephant, who are a subsidiary of Admiral.. Hmmm, what do I do with the cash I have saved. 20 inch rims, he he he.... :D

At current petrol prices, and assuming 23mpg overall, that's a petrol bill of nearly 10 grand!!!

Interesting, but flawed research. Note the small print that the average cost per hour includes both franchised and independent garages. They don't point out that brands such as Lexus with very few independent garages available will have a high average cost of labour versus more established brands which have a far higher number of independent dealers in existence! In addition, they should really show the average cost per hour of franchised dealers as another column, so you could see that some Volvo dealers charge 95+VAT an hour and so forth. I don't expect Lexus will be top in that column...

Ha ha, that's the same price as 2 full tanks of fuel on my LS400!

Dude, So you are doing 54,000 miles of driving a year??? (9k service intervals..)

I havent used them, but again have heard they are cheap, and very experienced (25 an hour plus vat). Post in the soarer section, since Powerhouse specialise in soarers I think??

dude, based upon what you have said, I'm estimating p/s pump will set you back close to 500 quid, the bonnet struts will be 150 quid parts plus 50 quid labour, the rear discs are likely to be around 150 each, plus you will need new pads at an extra 200 quid for parts and labour. So, about £1200. Add to that the cambelt, which is another 300 quid parts and labour. I don't know about 02 sensors. these are lexus main dealer prices. If you order the parts from other places (like US), and find an independent dealer to do the work, the cost of doing the work will reduce dramatically! Good Luck!

Dude, Are you unhappy with the current wheels? Why not just get them refurbished? There is a thread somewhere on the site at the moment talking about how much it costs (between 30 and 50 quid a wheel). Just like Flotsam says, Lexus spent a lot of money researching and designing the car to work with the factory spec wheel and tyre setup. I have original spec of 15 inchers on my old car, and I love the smooth ride, totally relaxing on long trips. From my own experiences, if you want a large car that has the best handling, you choose a 7 series with the Sport pack. Saying that, why would anyone spend money to go from 16" to 17"? If you really want to spend your hard earned cash on new wheels, go for 18" or 19".

try sewells in texas, usa. see my posting in suspension section. cats will not be cheap to replace from any place...