mikeyv

Ebay should only use enough of your best bid to make you top bidder. I know this having bid £15,000,000 for a motorhome, instead of £15,000, and getting it for £14,700. Thank God I wasn't up against somebody as daft as me, or my 100% feedback might have been under threat!!

I got mine gassed yesterday (99 T), having run it for a few months since purchase to make sure it was a good one. If it now goes bang in an expensive way, I'll probably buy another mk4, and transfer the gas bits across, though obviously I see that as a worst case scenario, and hopefully won't happen.

Simplest and cheapest first check, battery connections - are they shiny clean and tight?

Shell garage, Chepstow road Newport, 67.9p/litre yesterday - still on my first free tankful though. Same price as Morrisons. Anyone else noticed Shell being more competitive?

I have a rule, if you promise to ring me, but don't, I'll take that as an indication of the standard of service I can expect............. and go elsewhere.

This thread seems to give people false hope on a fairly regular basis, the original poster apparently no longer about? Welcome anyway Stef, you'll probably be better served searching the ls 400/430 etc section, but I can tell you I've seen suspension problems mentioned, and steering column motors.

Did you notice it's not a genuine "W" Dave, the dealer does mention its a 96 car, though the heading is misleading imo. I think this cars been discussed on here before as well. Sorry to keep peeing on your chips, but it's better than you buying a dud

Bargain, and agree with your logic 100%, additionally very little depreciation compared to buying newer cars. Still loving that colour, especially the match with the interior.

Most dealers have a cosy arrangement with an mot man, so anything without a certificate should be viewed with the utmost suspicion - it will almost certainly need something expensive to pass.

R is correct for Aug 97 I think. Agreed on the wheels though, just don't suit the car imo. Edit:- must type faster!

Unusual colour you have there, I like it very much, and the wheels are so much nicer than the standard ones. Lovely looking car, hope you enjoy it.

One fly in the ointment, no mot since March, I'd have to wonder why a dealer wouldn't put a ticket on it. Anybody like those wheels?

Jury is still out then? Regarding the prop vibrating at certain revs, it won't vibrate for long in the lower gears, as the box will shift up, you'll only get prolonged periods at constant revs when cruising. However, the mention of road surface would be more likely to steer me away from the shaft, probably towards suspension. Hope you get it sorted soon, and please put us out of our misery when you do.

Hi Nigel, there was one on ebay a few weeks back, but different model to the one I need, not sure if it would suit yours though. That's the only one I've seen on there in six months, so I guess they are fairly rare second hand.

Take the tyre off the rim and try again, this time on a new tyre with full tread, and from the actual inside edge of the tyre, not the wheel rim. And yes I do believe both, you obviously don't. Oh, and I still believe clarification wasn't necessary, if somebody says something, and I say I think they're correct, where's the ambiguity?

Who cares? Top Gear hasn't been about proper motoring since Quentin and co left, leaving three overgrown schoolboys to make a puerile light entertainment programme. Everything they say should be seen in that light, i.e getting cheap laughs. I still watch it because I'm a bit of an old petrolhead, but only because there are cars on there, and that's rare on tv now. The presenters, particularly head boy Clarkson, are an irritation for me.

Sure, though I didn't think explanation was required. Aspect Ratio The aspect ratio of a tyre is the height of the tyre sidewall expressed as a percentage of the tyres width. To understand this more you need to recognise the meaning of the size markings on the sidewall of a tyre. For instance a typical tyre size used today is 205 / 55 R 16 and this size can be broken down into 3 major areas: 205 - this is the width of the tyre expressed in mm. 55 - the aspect ratio, or profile of the tyre, in this case 55% of the tyre width. 16 - diameter of the rim the tyre is designed to be fitted to (in inches). In this case the tyre sidewall height would be 113mm (205 x 55%). That;s lifted directly from etyres site, and for me confirms what Steve wrote, and I agreed with.

I'm pretty sure Steve is correct.

Another vote for propshaft here. Don't put the job off, the vibration can harm other components, and if the joint lets go, the prop can dig in to the tarmac - nasty.

Still got a van, though it's a camper rather than coachbuilt, but I tow a caravan with it - best of both worlds. As to MHF (a motorhoming forum for anybody wondering what the hell we're referring to), I got fed up of seeing anybody interesting run out of town, and too much input from moderators, who are now gone apparently. Enjoy your Lexus, I'm sure it will be fine.

Hello Pusser, and welcome from another mhf refugee. Surely the answer is to hire the car of your choice and thoroughly test it, rather than rely solely on other peoples opinions. Taking your Mondeo as an example, it sounds like a trip round the block would have been enough to put you wise. However, I must admit honest john and owners forums are great sources for known faults etc. Oh, and whatever you do, never take notice of Mr Clarkson, he's just a show pony, even 5th gear talk more sense than him.

I paid £4, but on a previous thread, there were various prices mentioned, so maybe ring a few locally for quotes. And yes, in my case everything just swaps except the blade, and the quality isn't up to Lexus standard, but not bad by any means.

If it's like mine, the blade won't swap over, so will need cutting. I advise using a proper locksmith, parking nearby so you can check the key works your locks and take it back to be fettled if not.

Depending what the damage is, maybe a good coach trimmer could repair the panel. The cost to replace is ludicrous.

I first drove lpg cars in 1980, and probably driven or owned a couple of dozen since - yet to see a really accurate fuel gauge. At least they now fit them in the car, back then the gauge was on the tank and there was only one filling station in town, which was open 9 - 5, so from 4pm on, there was a queue of taxis filling up for the night. In fairness, I've not had many accurate petrol gauges either, nearly all have taken ages to reach half full, then read empty in no time.