jonthetourist

I asked my (very knowledgeable) guy about this last year and he said not a problem on the facelift 430, but I plan to check this again when it goes in for annual service in March.

One option to guarantee a recent production date is to buy a tyre which has only been recently introduced.

Hi Chris. I travel from Gloucester to Newport for my annual service. Osaka are extremely knowledgeable and fairly priced, imho Jon

"Press the starter button and, like all hybrids, there's the sound of silence. Nothing to begin with from the 388bhp 5.0-litre petrol V8: just the almost imperceptible sound of the 221bhp electric motor, part of what must be the most seamlessly integrated hybrid drivetrain yet created. Of course, with over two tonnes of luxury limousine to shift, the electric motor soon needs assistance but the switch in power is seamless, part of a thrust of acceleration that arrives in one smooth linear surge, courtesy of a combined 439bhp power output. " From the RAC review. HTH

Looked at them, thanks. £546 for 4, so a decent price but still £80 more than I am paying (if my tyres turn up)

So I am hearing a tiny rumbling noise on the car. Hear it best at about 25mph with no revs. I am thinking wheel bearings, maybe driveshaft, and then the thought occurred that I am due to change the tyres and I should do that first. Call my usual supplier and they quote me £565 for 4 Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3s. Including 4-wheel alignment? No, that's separate. Time to check the price is right so look online and find Mytyres will supply them a fitter for £108 each, and the fitter will put them on for less than a tenner each. Total saving £100. The 3 is a failry new tyre, so it's not old stock, I am confident. Put the order in. Online tracking tells me they have been delivered Friday afternoon. Call the fitters to book an appointment. "We haven't seen them". Call the delivery company who check the signature and then the driver's log. He has only delivered them to another tyre place nearby. They will "try and get them back and redeliver". Watch this space. Jon

Hi Phil When I bought my car the vendor warned me the TPMS light would probably come on, and showed me how to reset it. On the 430 I believe it measures rotation, not actual pressure, looking for an anomaly between the wheels. It did come on, regularlly, until I bought 4 new tires. I haven't seen the warning in 20,000 miles since. So it's not just tyre pressure. HTH Jon

Not very balmy round here at present Pete, and Nettleton Bottom is taking it's usual toll* Our cars have stayed on the drive yesterday and today. *Nettleton Bottom is the point at which the dual carriageway from Swindon to Gloucester briefly becomes single lane to go down a steep hill. When it gets icy, not every vehicle can make it up the other side. Well done, Highway Planners!

Exercise extreme caution here. Lexus told me that without a master key they could not programme a new key. So it may be the lock / key / ecu combination that you need to replace - I don't know. But find someone who understands the issues before you start shelling out. Good Luck!

Maybe check out the brake fluid too. . .?

You might want to search for Haylands LS460 to get a different perspective. Summing up, less build quality, more sportiness = less of a Lexus.

I used money! I have a very good paintshop I have used for years and it is one of those things I happily delegate to people more talented than me. Interestingly, he said the design with all the chrome made it one of the best-looking headlamp restorations he had ever done. Jon

Sorry no. I took it on faith from the paint shop man as he has done quite a bit for me over the years. I will try and remember to ask next time I see him.

The paint shop man said I can clean them up and they will be the same in 12 months, or I can clean them and give them a new UV coat for a bit more, so I went for that.

I can testify that 430 headlights respond well to a refurb. Sadly i don't have before pictures but they are transformed. I now have to get the dent away treatment as perfect paint work shows up all the little blemishes. Jon

Good luck Peter, hope you find a gem. For reference, following your feedback, I put my 430 into my body shop for a grand's worth of cosmetic treatment on Monday. Now it's going to be my car for a very long time (no swap to your 460) I thought I would invest. Can't wait to see it when I get back from working in Spain next week. Jon

I had the pleasure of meeting Malcolm at an MB get-together and he was indeed a lovely man who couldn't do enough for people. He was also a full-time carer for his ex-wife as she had no-one else. And he did regularly baited on the MB forums :( Jon

I have never met old Baz, but I know he trades several Lexus cars per year. People are entitled to their opinions on that, good or bad, and we don't need a policeman on the subject, imho.

What a shame! Thanks again for saving me from being on the end of this experience. Hope you didn't lose too much. I owe you a beer or two. Our exchange made me decide that my 430 is probably going to be a "forever" car, so it's booked in to my paintshop for a makeover, including a bonnet respray for the stone chips, and a refurb of the headlight covers including new UV protection. It's still a joy after a couple of years' ownership. My neighbour - owner of a new MB E class - had a lift with me the other night and his first words were "this is quiet". Thanks again and hope you find a nice Lexus. Jon

Good question. The car will get past 200k I have no doubt. I will be in my mid to late 70s (all being well, taking nothing for granted), so maybe we will both get there. Nice thought! Jon

This seemed like a milestone, so I thought I should share it. At my 7,000 miles a year I'm not sure I'll make it to 222,222.

I think you are missing the point. If you are a trader, you are not, by law, allowed to pretend to be a private seller. From the AA web site. Buying a used car privately You won't have the same legal protection as you would if buying from a dealer It's up to you to ask the right questions and inspect the car thoroughly before you buy. It's a good idea to get a thorough car check to make sure there's no shady past. Because your legal rights are more limited, unscrupulous dealers may masquerade as private sellers: Be very wary if a private seller wants to meet you somewhere other than at their home, or if their name is not on the V5C registration document. A dealer pretending to be a private seller is committing a criminal offence.

I would say that is pretty much normal Ebay procedure. The issue with OB is whether he is a trader who misrepresents himself. On the evidence of what I have read here, I believe he is a trader, as he carries out several trades of Lexus vehicles each year. Therefore he should be offering some comeback to his customers, not masquerading as a private seller who has no such responsibility. I would emphasise that this is based on member feedback, as I have never had any dealings with the man in question.

I previously had a 25 year old Mercedes SL. Our packaged bank account with Nationwide for £10 a month included European breakdown with no limitations, worldwide travel insurance, and mobile phone insurance. Good value. HTH Jon

All compliments gratefully received. I loved the colour when i saw the ad for this car, and have never seen another. Jon