bigegg

I phoned *everywhere* - westfalua p f Jones. Bosal. All the installers I could find on Google within 100miles. There is no type-approved after market towbar for a 99 gs300. I'd love to be proved wrong!

Phoned a different Lexus dealer in the area where I will be working next week: Turns out I can get a towbar only (no oil cooler or electrics), self fit, for 459 quid. As I only tow a small trailer (<750kgs) a short distance (20 miles or so maximum), an oil cooler won't be necessary, and an aftermarket electrics kit is only about 12 quid, so jobs a good'un.

I've reached the point where I don't have the space for both my shogun and the lexus... I need to get rid of one of them, and obviously I'd prefer to keep the lexus. But... I need to tow a trailer quite regularly so I need a towbar. Does anyone have one for sale? or can point me towards one that isn't going to cost me 1200+ from the dealer? Or one that could be adapted? I can weld, but can't afford the £££££ to have a self-built one tested. It has to be euro CE plated, so no US imports, unfortunately. It's a 99 plate, MK2 gs300 UK spec Thanks

Does anyone have a source for a UK spec towbar for a '99 GS300 ? I don't want to pay the new dealer price, and can't seem to get one from the bay, or online scrappers. Alternative is to have one shipped from the US, but they seem to be only rated for a one tonne trailer - seems silly when the GS300 will tow 2T. (Also, they're technically not legal, since not type approved for the EU) Thanks

I paid 600 for "Jubilee" (pronounced "jubbly"). 130k, and a bit battered on the corners. (75 y/o previous owner :( ) When I was looking, most were around 1200, so the car in the OP is on the cheap side, and had I still been looking, I would have certainly gone to look at it - and probablty bought.

paper clip trick works on older lexus - not sure about the LS430 This suggests that it may have a built-in fault reader you access via the nav screen

could be a calibra?

Dunno whereabouts in Yorkshire you are, but I know a *very* good MOT place who will not fail a car to get work - he has contracts with a couple of truck fleets so isn't desperate for work. He's on the Leeds/Wakefield border in Thorpe Village. (about 10 mins from M1/M62/M621). If you'd like to PM me, I'd be more than happy to help you with it, rather than see a potentially good car go to the scrappers.

what's the colour name for 8L4? I thought it was spectral blue, but above says 8m6?

As an addendum to my post above - if comfort is your thing - go for a LS400. Even more reliable than the 300, and considering it's a 4.0, insurance is cheaper (for me, any way), and mpg is about the same (and less than a 3.2 omega)

omega is a car I know a *lot* about. The newest are now ten years old - they rust. ABS ecu fails. Powersounder bursts into flames (!). Suspension bushes fail. Crankshaft sensor fails. HBV fails. Cambelt and tensioner needs doing every two years/20,000 miles. Head gasket NEVER fails (regardless of what a mechanic might say - they don't fail, it's, at worst, the oil cooler bridge that wants cleaning). VERY comfortable, not as quiet as a lexus but, to my mind more responsive, faster and more powerful than the gs300 (maybe just mine - I had a slightly "tweaked" manual omega MV6 (225BHP as tested), and my GS300 has an auto gearbox (218BHP at new according to lexus). Cheap and easy to fix. Estate is HUGE. big enough for a double mattress in boot if you put the back seats down. VERY good, informative owners club with a large user base at www.omegaowners.com/forum - I'd recommend an omega just on the strength of the club - IF you like to tinker. Jag S type - Unreliable. expensive to fix. allegedly a mondeo in drag (not really). Rust BMW 530i - no idea on reliability, but expensive to fix. buy a Lexus - can be expensive to fix, but since the problems don't occur very often - who cares!

Where could I get one for a Mk2 ('99) GS300? I don't want the "bendover" treatment from Lexus for a new one. Can't order from the states as I planned, because the merkin ones aren't "type approved" - likewise for making one myself (not as stupid as it sounds - I *am* a welder). Been trawling the for sales ads, looking for a breaker, but no luck so far.

I'm tempted, but it's a long drive - and in the wrong direction to where I'm travelling next week.

what do you mean by shady punters? Im sure Iain meant to say shady sellers. I hope so, cos if I was the sort of person who could be insulted...

what do you mean by shady punters?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200972289267&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en Looks good, but... there's something that doesn't ring true. photos in an empty car park, and the apparent not-quite insistence on delivery. feedback seems to suggest he withholds refunds until good feedback is given.

I meant for me - considering it was about 5 miles away from where I am driving to tomorrow - and now have to catch the train home :(

Looks like I had a lucky break as well - cos you beat me to the buy-it-now . Y'know what they say about "if something seems too good to be true"

not familiar with the sportcross, but on other makes, there is a clip on the roof where it meets the sides (on the B pillar, between the jesus handles, and a second set further back, depending on whether seats are up or down). A pin on the guard slides into this clip to support the top. The straps then fasten to the luggage loops on the floor of the load area

Open the bonnet, and look on the top of the engine, but towards the back, and slightly to the left Have someone press the throttle, and you will see the cable move, which turns a black plastic wheel. on the top of the engine. It pulls backwards and forwards through an outer cable. There are two nuts on this outer cable, one each side of the place it bolts to the top of the engine Using a 14mm spanner, loosen the nut on the "uncovered" side of the mount - which would be the passenger side (RH as viewed from in front of the car) Again using a 14mm spanner on the other nut, if you turn it the same way as the first nut, it will apply tension to the cable. Try to leave just enough slack in the cable so the black plastic wheel hasn't moved. Then tighten up the first nut again to lock it in place. It's just like adjusting the brakes on a push bike. here's some pictures to give you an idea: http://www.clublexus.com/forums/performance-and-maintenance/326680-want-insane-throttle-response.html

I've seen ONE LS400 around leeds. No LS430s or newer Wierdly, I haven't seen any GS300s apart from mine. lots of IS200s tho.

Yep - Leeds only have it to order tho, don't know if that is standard in all dealers. VERY expensive tho. You might be better off asking a paint supplier to match some for you. Also, be aware that it only matches if you use the correct primer, correct number of coats, AND correct laquer. Also - if you order from a motor factors/online - use the paint code, don't rely on giving them the reg number. I tried ordering from 3 different places - my reg. came up with 8M4 paint code - it should be 8L4!

I guess a bit of stretch in a bowden cable is understandable after 15 years and 150,000 years :winky:

Wow. What a difference! Cable had about an inch and a half of play in it. Tightened so theres about an 1/8 inch of slack - which was nearly a full inch on the adjuster screw. Car is MUCH more responsive now!

I hope not :.( At least until I buy mine. More likely that it's a seasonal fluctuation. Prices always drop over the summer - people are more interested in holidays than buying cars.