MNP

Hi Andrew..

I had cat back made up for £550.  It would have been £500 had they not needed to cut back past one of the O2 sensors.  Hope this helps...Mark.

My front near side shocker was replaced recently.  The knocking noise went and the ride has been transformed...it was a gradual deterioration. The old shocker was corroded and leaking.  I suspect that's what it will be...Mark.

Hi, I have been using a Ring mains powered tyre inflator for years.  Purchased from amazon about 5 or 6 years ago.  Has a small circular pressure guage on the front.  Sorry I've just looked for a model number, can't  see one.  It's rated at 175W and  works quickly...Mark.

Many thanks John.  I did know about re-setting but stupidly tried it from the drivers door controls!  Happy New Year....Mark.

Well having had the alternator fixed,now, apart from the drivers, all other electric windows are non-functional.  Looked to see if there was an obvious fuse and the sunroof is working.

Any ideas please??  Mark.

Well I've just paid my bill for MoT, short service, new alternator.  £597.  It would have been a lot more at Lexus!!  

I've had a whine for months now and it got worse in the cold weather until the charge light came on...bad alternator which my local garage has replaced.  Just been for a trip to Manchester airport having got the car back on Tuesday...no whine.  Will post again when I've paid the bill.  She was booked in for a service and MoT anyway, she passed with no advisories.  Hope that's an end to big bills!!  Mark.

I think that bespoke exhaust fabricators are springing up in more places.  My cat back system, fitted in Shrewsbury a few weeks ago, was supposed to be £600 but cost £50 more as they had to cut back past one of the O2 sensors.  As stated, they remove and re-fit the sensor.....Good luck.  Mark.

Had mine done, cat back, at a place in Shrewsbury yesterday.  I had a custom made stainless system, as quiet as they could make it.  Driving home yesterday it was a little un lexus like, a bit of a grunt.  I can live with it considering the price a lexus system would have cost me.  It was £650 as they had to cut right back to one cat and sort out one sensor. The standard cat back would have been £600. Mark.

Hi Andy,

Yes I agree, I thought it was just my developing cataracts!!??  I've also had the polycarbonate polished by my local garage but they are starting to look a little dis-coloured too which probably doesn't help.

Mark.

I think there are two issues here that are unrelated.  I can't help with the white smoke but the oil topping up is the same as my mk3 and, spookily I'm just shy of 100k!

My LS400 never needed a drop of oil but these engines have an issue caused by the system of fuel injection.  The piston rings get gummed up and don't do their job 

properly, thus oil escapes more readily down the bores.  Check the US forums for more information.  I use Redex periodically and just top up the oil when needed...

I can't afford another Lexus right now or to have the piston rings replaced.  I just live with it!!

Mark.

That's OK, it's worth checking as my VSC light was on and off.  Big bumps always set it off, then eventually it would re-set.

Only when the exhaust finally cracked (she sounded very fruity!!!) did the light stay on...Good luck!!

Mark.

Hi, I had this on my gen3 and it was a broken and holed exhaust.  Had the exhaust welded and problem solved....for now!!!

Mark.

You could try one of the commercially available wax stick fillers for furniture, they come in various shades to fill the scratch in.  Just a thought....

Good luck. Mark..

I find the display to be about 2mpg optimistic, Fridays jaunt form North Shropshire to Northampton and back, mixed traffic and long 50mph

roadworks on the M6 and the car told me 40mpg.  I usually double check by brimming when filling up and zeroing the trip.  I use Tesco momentum

by the way.  On 10+ miles to Shrewsbury and back I get around 30-32 on the computer.  I'm not a boy racer!!!!  Hope this helps.  Mark.

I've used both Astonish and Autoglym leather treatments on my old LS and now on the GS.  I find that both work well with regular application.

Mark.

I agree Phil, I've just bought a 2006 GS300 and I'm very pleased with the economy, quietness and quality feel.  Despite being slightly smaller than my old LS400 I don't feel short changed but the sloping design does mean that I caught my head a few times and I'm only 5ft 10''.........the V6 also feels creamy smooth and despite loosing 2 cyclinders and a whole litre, it's quiet and powerful.  I've only had her for a day so it's too early to comment on the full experience but so far so good.....Mark.

Many thanks for all the great advice.  Probably better after the Christmas holidays now, may be able to pick up a bargain in the dark January days?

Mark.

Thanks John, don't think I can afford anything as new as that, I always seem to be near the bottom

of the food chain, so mid 2000's really.  I'm also considering the Honda Legend too....

Mark.

Thanks.  I am on a mission then, after this snow melts!!

Mark.

My first post outside the LS forum as I am now considering a GS300.  I think I was very lucky 5 years ago to get a good LS and

now is the time to look for something a bit newer as I had to sell her before working abroad for 15 months.

My question is,  if I find a GS around  2005 with the CVT transmission, is there anything I need to particularly look for? 

I know nothing about CVT transmissions except it's a development of the old DAF Daffodil!!!

There is a GS in Bolton from a specialist, a little pricey but only 71000 miles.  Looks nice.  Thanks, Mark.  

Fair comment Dennis, she had 183000 on the clock when I bought her!!!  Mark.

I take your point 100% Phil, my 1997 Mk3 had no rust underneath...at all.  Conversely, my 1999 Land Cruiser

(also sadly sold whilst I was away, too many problems for my wife to keep on top of in my absence) had

much corrosion and was 50,000 miles less to boot!

Stuart, the reason my wife hated driving the Lexus was because, despite an almost identical footprint

to the Land Cruiser, she found the visibility much more difficult, being much lower to the ground.

We now have a Suzuki Swift (slow??) and despite owning major shares in both the Suzuki and a Mini

Cooper (eldest daughter is paying back the Bank of Dad..albeit slowly!!!), I derive no pleasure in driving

small cars.  To be fair, the Suzuki, 1200cc petrol, did 55 mpg to Northampton and back at the weekend...

but..........no soul!!!!!!  Mark.

Yes Stuart, even mid 2000's with around 100k miles seem good value and another attraction for me is that there is

an independent Mercedes specialist a mile away! 

Nevertheless, I have been so excited by some possible LS400's (even at high prices

around £3k+)  but if there is no evidence of cambelt change I'm back in the same place as my last Mk3,.  I bought

her cheaply but knowing that the cambelt needed doing and so much else was uncovered as the work progressed,

she cost me a fortune!!  Sadly, my wife hated driving her so she had to go before my extended trip abroad.

Mark.

yes I  agree but sadly a bit too rich for me...Mark.