runsgrateasanut

It does beg the question why does OEM lasts 200k and chinese only a year? They didn't use polyurethene back in 93 as far as I'm aware. How different can rubber be? Perhaps I'll put up a thread for people to give their experience - what bought, approx cost, how many miles to date, what experience. I'm all for paying a fair price but OEM is astronomic.

My car is a little earlier but I'm faced with a lot of expense to replace parts which quite naturally are nearing the end of their life after 21 years and come up as advisories. Quote for a rear upper control arm from Lexus £353.95 or £375 with new bolts etc. I've just sourced rear uppers and front uppers and lowers and its been a nightmare trying to find better deals for quality parts. Got front lowers from Australia japanese brand about £70 each. Just had delivered a Raybestos fr. UCA which cost £114 only to find that the Box is Raybestos but the bagged part inside just says "Made in Taiwan". Not sure if I've been duped, or more likely most American companies are outsourcing these days much to disgust of the Yanks. C'est la vie. Rears springs bought Ok £80 fair price, but why these Control arms can't have replaceable bushes beats me. Awaiting Rear UCA's from Amayana - cost for two £350. So, as the seller told me, they are a rich mans car. This said, sure I'm going to have a car that I can trust for many years assuming him above gives me that time.

Just a thought, Can you actually engage the gears without the foot on the brake? I have always done this and so never cheeked but thought it was a safety thing on most auto's? Just taken out the small amount of t/fluid I added and although the colour might loook nice and cherry red on the stick it sure isn't that colour once you get some out into a jar. Much darker. Hopefully not disturbed any silt if there is an that gathers around the filter. I'll get my mechnic to check it when he gets the chance - got so many things to do, wishbones front and back, rear springs, exhaust leak. Tutch I'm going to be borassic lint as they say down south, at this rate.

Thats good to know Norm. Used to have similar in the S Class. Just been wondering if level may drop over the years (21) with some form of evaporation, that is assuming its not been checked or changed in its history, which I can't say. There's no leak which is the most important consoideration.

Thanks Malc - you are probably right. Steve I didn't leave it running for 20 mins but after a ten mile drive I leftit to settle for 20 mins. Though I read that this was the procedure. Question is, with a car done over 115k miles, would you find when you start the car from cold and select reverse that there is likely to be a bit of a clunk (or jolt should I say) as it engages? Is this normal or should it be as smooth as silk.? (I should add Malc that you would need take the car for a long drive beofre going to the Garage as they can't check it hot just by letting it stand and idle on the forwcourt., so means they have to tkae it for a drive. Would they want to bother or just check it cold)

Reviving a somewhat old thread. I always find checking Trannie level is a nightmare. I had the car up to temp this morning and then left it a short while no more than twenty minutes. Started and put through the gears and back to park. Tried this several times checking the fluid level and its never consistent. It was the same for me with the Mercedes. You see fluid on both cold and hot but nothing in between and so on. I don't know that I'm loosing any, but the car is getting a bit clunky going into reverse and certainly at start up. Colour looks good.but I have added a cupful hoping to improve the smoothness. Drives smoothly enough. Confess that after the Transmission/radiator fail on the Merc I was putting fluid in and taking it out again by tube, quite a few times. Car is still on the road with someone else (no advisories last MOT Ouch!) but I wish I could feel certain I haven't now overfilled. Two options I suppose. Either let a mechanic check and hope he knows what he's doing or have a complete drain and refill. Not something I'd like to attempt with fluid in the Torque Converter as well as the sump to contend with.

Sounds like it might be worth changing the Radiator same time as having the Cam belt changed on these cars. I had the Trannie pipe fall of the rad in my S Class and fortunately it rusted away external to the rad and outside my house returning home from a short journey. Saved the gearbox. Thankfully Can't imagine the gearbox is salvageable on these cars and one a 2008 model. Shocking. Should never have the two combined.

personally I love this colour as its a close neighbour to smoke silver which I also liked and had two Mercs in that colour. I wonder how much the colour influences our purchase? In my case probably too much!

See "Anyone Selling" thread for more info on car if you are after a 95 LS400

Can you believe it, after having the Tow bar up for sale for probably well over a year, someones just come along and offered to buy it for their Safrane! Didn't imagine any existed anymore. Spooky!

Wonder weather it would be no more expensive to have the Caravan trailered to Devon. I had a Static 28ft Caravan trailered up from Frejus in the south of france to the Charente region of France, about 500 miles by a Dutch haulier, cost me about £1200 as I recall. With diesel now lower price? Save the poor old Car, especially as you would also need install an oil cooler, some say.

Sorry had to break off, Here's more and if you want the landline phone number email me. There is a mobile on his ad. Quote " has had 3 t/belt changes in its life will have to trawl thru the paperwork to get dates and mileages, also recent serpentine belt,front pads. Last year the immobiliser stuck on it cost me over £600 to get Lexus to remove it on their advice, recent battery, and a very expensive alternator. Nothing but praise for Lexus Coventry they are always very helpful and civilised. Recently changed tyres all round for last m.o.t, exhaust as new still. This is an ideal car for an enthusiast to go forwards with, M.O.T history on current M.O.T although I did drive it forgetting M.O.T had expired for 7 months during 2013. unquote Anyone interested. Good to see it going to a good home.

If you wanted another Mk111 (95) cheap, thge link on "was 93 a cusp year may be worth looking at. Its owner will be a man after your own heart and he tells me the following about the car which needs a good home. " Hi Stuart, thanks for you response, the car has shed loads of paperwork with it servicing reciepts, all Lexus books, original unused tool kit, was M.O.T last year and only travelled 150 miles in it since, M.O.T expires June 2015, only advisory rear pads low, mileage 180 thou, drives like new, has two minor dents hardly noticable and a few age related scratches, mechanically A1, interior A1 condition, have a Jag { had them all my life } but to be honest the Lexus is a far more superior car to drive, I have owned both Bentley and Rolls in the past and the Lexus is more than comparable, Nothing ' dodgy ' about the car, its now a case of having 3 cars and a van, which I need to downsize as I am now retired, seems silly to tax and insure vehicles to park outside the house and not actually use. Would appreciate this car going on to a Lexus fan, date of reg. is 31 03.1995 former keepers 7,, previous reg. which it will revert to is M140YWA, car seems to have spent a lot of time in the Essex area previously" He also adds its had three timing belt changes and various other new parts.

No probs. Have you tried for the wing via 1st choice spares? - a website that sends data to breakeryards?

Mike, I tried to source an American bar for my 93 but they just wouldn't sell it to me. Then by luck I came across a brand new Watling on ebay with start price £39. I was the only bidder for this bar which costs hundreds and I got it for under £50. delivered. A few years back I had a Renault Safrane (briefly - limp home mode killed) and had bought a brand new Tow Bar for it which is stuck in the garage. Never occurred to me how similar it is to the Lexus bar on a 93. I reckon if the car you have in mind is similar under the rear skirt, then with a bit of repositioning the two holes it probably would be fittable. You are very welcome to come and take a look if you think you /or someone you know could make the adjustments. This does have a bar that screws into the Boot well. You on LPG ? might be a problem.? Unless you are going to tow something really heavy the Yanks Tow bar dispenses with this. Also you'll see on the ad for it that it has additional cross bars which the Watling doesn't bother with on the Lexus Bar. Let me know if you want dimensions. http://www.preloved.co.uk/adverts/show/107441271/car-tow-bar-electrics-renault.html

Is this it? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WYNNS-BLACK-RTV-SILICONE-INSTANT-GASKET-EASY-CAN-200ml-/261463521938?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3ce070ba92 perhaps with some heat wrap around each of the Flanges? Worth a try. (Had a D reg 500SEC, and of course the S320 which I sold having bought the Lexus. Couldn't live anymore without a V8 - I'll get there with the Lexus.)

I found this quite frequently with Mercedes part numbers when I had a Mercedes w126 S Class - yes, it is a pain but unfortunately something we have to live with. oOo ps Oh what a lovely Car that beast was. I had a SEL 500 V8 and will change my Avatar to remind me that the only problem I had was with the idle control valve. Used to sometime stick going round the Cow roundabout just before Elbeuf and the engine would cut out. Started straight away once stopped. Parts were so very cheap and easily sourced. Not as refined as the Lexus of course

Thanks Colin, I think we tried liquid metal back in August. Not sure how easy or safe it is to weld and not damage something else (or set fire to the interior). Guess its how professional the welder is. Will give your suggestion a try I think, before I buy the parts, Amayana quote Y pipe as $229 pre carriage from Japan. This part is also Veyron price http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/P4845-FEBI-FRONT-UPPER-TRACK-CONTROL-ARM-LEXUS-LS-UCF10-400-SAL-89-94-/231202834310?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item35d4c34786 I picked up a McQuay Norris front LH for £104 delivered. Rock Auto have I run out of these parts I think, so still searching for RH quality part at a sensible price

Thanks for advice I may just see if the welding option is possible, if there's enough meat on the plates. Tried new gaskets after a hell of a job getting things apart but didn't take long to start blowing again with just a filler added. Thanks Steve, I'll send you my VIN. This is the Australians answer to my Q, about the lower ball joint (japanese mnfr) which just proves how difficult it is ordering parts-I thought I wanted 48068-50010 (92-94 Amayana) or 48620-50010 (89-92) According to the 555 catalogue there is two different genuine numbers for the lower ball joint, however they are both the same and one is just a revised version or superseded part number. The genuine number that is most recent is 43330-59016 for the right, and 43340-59016 for the left. No wonder parts cost so much as the time spent trying to decipher what is what is a real headache.

Spotted this car for sale at very reasonable price, and if you believe that those who pay for number plates are more likely to maintain their car then it may be worth a viewing if you want a LS400. Good to see that its got a new MOT. Not many photo's unforutantely. I've only got to replace my rear springs, rear wishbones, front upper wishbones, front Lower ball joints, y shape exhaust section and add two new Cats and I'm sure my car will pass the MOT when that date in August arrives. Oh, and I better put in the new plugs and ignition lead set to ensure it passes the emissions test as it took three hours to get it through last year. How I hate reading that the Car passed but needed a new bulb!! And... can you believe I go and buy a new set of alloys for the Car? This car has put a spell on me I'm convinced. To the point of the thread title, my 1993 car has the thin crease along the wing front to rear. This car doesn't ?? Is it surely a later car? http://www.preloved.co.uk/adverts/show/110803295/the-best-car-i-have-driven.html ps If anyone has a 93 and has had to order lower ball joints can they please tell me why they get advertised as 89-94 but on Amayana I find mention of 89-92 and 93 to 94.? Trying to find the right parts (ignoring all things Chinese) at a less than exhoribant price has seen me spend hours and hours and hours on the internet and order parts from America and Australia . Only got two parts so far. I could cry!

Maybe private underground car park but as MOT'd and taxed (December 14) surely a few photo's taken of it on the road, by a Park, outside a house, could have been managed? ps Jonathon clicked on your link and it froze my Computer - is it a relevant link?

Why would anyone selling a quality vehicle want to show it parked in a multi story car park with poor illumination, not to mention in a space that is likely to result in damage from other car owners. I hate m/s car parks and at all times try to avoid them. Too cramped and difficult to negotiate. Any person whose reversing skills are worse than mine may well cause damage and disappear to another parking spot without the least chance they will have been observed. Are they likely to leave their contact details on my windscreen - I think not! ps Were they only 15 inches on the Mk 1? S'pose the first S Class "Mexican Hats" were only 15 inch, now I come to think of it. Just bought myself a set of 16 inch Borbets on ebay for £160 so got wheels on the brain at moment.

Thanks Mike

Tow bar fitted last year but electric pack not yet fitted. Can anyone let me know how they wired their Tow Bar? Did they run a live cable from the battery or splice in to either the Antenna or CD player live? I've seen this thread but it doesn't make clear this point. http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/body/trailerhitch.html Thanks

That would earn me "respect" with my younger Son. lol I do like the wheels and the negative camber look, but I wouldn't want to be stopped and searched every time at the Ferry back and fro on our trips to France, not to mention the adoration of the local scuzzers that would be forever be wanting to bend my ear! I doubt anyone interested in the car would worry a jot about what peoples opinions are on this forum. Good luck to the seller who should get a good price if only for the parts.