dantheman

Thanks ever so much, guys, for your rapid and well-informed response. This has saved me money and embarrassment. Nothing worse than being duped into buying a so-called wonder product by a bit of hype about cleaner running and fuel economy. I treasure my car, treat it like a baby and don't want it damaged by some dodgy additives. Thank you again. :shutit: :shutit:

Has anybody come across this product. I was talking to someone recently who swears by it. The claim is that it makes engines sound quieter and that it gives a significant boost to engine efficiency. MPG is lifted by a good margin according to my informant. Has anybody tried it? Given the cost of fuel and the GS300 3 litre engine, I for one am looking to save money on juice.

That's my question too. I never realised what a good set of wipers were like till I swopped my tatty ones for PIAA ones. PIAA's really do make a difference.

This story has been one of the best adventures of recent times - and I mean that sincerely. It's great that you've fallen for the Mk1 GS300. I hope you like it as much as I like mine. I bought mine last year and I don't regret it for a moment. This is a fabulous car. My car had only done 58000 on a P reg. I'm up to 66000 now and have put the car through its 'big' 63K service at the main dealer at a cost of £700. But, hey, it's worth it. This is a luxury car. I can enjoy sitting in jams as much as cruise controlling down the motorway. The car has a real presence and stands out from the usual dross. It gets respect. Take some of your friends and family out in it. You'll find that they'll love it too. As to support on this site, it's just outstanding. I admit that I don't add much to it but I admire the efforts of all those selfless folk who do. Welcome to this friendly little club.

This is a really small point, but I'll mention it because I've just done it. I have just swapped to PIAA wipers and the difference is really impressive. I know it's about £30 for the pair but I reckon it's worth doing.

I've just looked on the Lexus.co.uk website for the 163k LS400 at Lexus Nottingham and it looks stunning - so stunning that it looks dodgy. If this is a case of deliberately misrepresenting one of their cars to make it look better than it is, then Lexus Nottingham should be ashamed of themselves. You might expect this from Arthur Daley Boneshakers & Sons, but not Lexus! Poor show.

I just love this story. I dig your wife's commitment to thrift. I hope that I'm getting it right - that this coincides with your enthusiasm to get the most out of your car before replacing it. You must let us know how you get on between now and the planned replacement date!!

I'm 53, live in Greater Manchester and insure my 1996 GS300 through Zurich for £628.

Hi Guys I am staying with my Mk1 GS300. I love the shape. I sincerely believe that it is a design classic. It goes fast enough for me. It is nearly as long as the LS400 but does not seem to drive like it is. I've just spent over £700 getting it through the big 63k miles service, plus front ball joint replacements, but that is it in terms of major outgoings for some while. Purely on the 'what's it worth?' front, there are some really cheap LS400s around Manchester right now ie decent sounding Mk3s for £5000-6000. But I reckon that my GS300 will hold its value better. It is a first generation, ground-breaking car with Italian styling that still looks good 11 years after its launch! I figure that the Mk4 LS400 is a nice car but I can't afford it - yet. In three or four years time, maybe. For now, I'm a very contented GS300 man.

You might have been unlucky. I've seen a number of Mk 3 LS ads in Autotrader around Manchester where traction control has been inclued as a feature. Maybe traction control was available as an option and the one you bought did not have it fitted. Here's a current ad from a garage in Stockport to illustrate my point. 1996 N Reg LEXUS LS 4.0 V8 4 Doors, Automatic, Saloon, Petrol, 72,000 miles, Metallic Silver. ABS, Adjustable steering column/wheel, Air conditioning, Alloy wheels, Central locking, Climate control, Computer, Cruise control, Driver airbag, Electric mirrors, Electric windows, Electric sunroof, Electrically adjustable seats, Head restraints, Headlight washers, Heated seats, Immobiliser, Lumbar support, Passenger airbag, Power assisted steering, Remote locking, Radio/CD Multichanger, Side airbags, Rear headrests, Traction control, Leather upholstery. This car is a superb example and is complete with full lexus service history £7,695. Motorhouse Performance Cars Dealer's Website Dealer's Location Tel: 0161 4845440

I'm not an LS owner but a GS Mk 1 owner. However, I did look very carefully at the LS before falling for the curves of the GS. In my research I am fairly sure that the Mk3 LS comes with traction control and took a reasonable leap forward over the Mk2 LS. However, the widely held view of contributors to this site is that the Mk 4 LS is the real star of the 1990-2000 LS line-up. I knew that I could not run to Mk 4 prices and opted quite consciously for the Mk 1 GS, which I think is a classic, graced by Italian styling, as opposed to the Mk2 GS - a Mercedes lookalike designed in-house. I admit that I was quite tempted by the Mk3 LS but I'm hanging on for a few years until the Mk4 LS drops into my price range. However, if you do want a Mk3 LS I think you'll find that it comes with traction control.

Thanks for the solid advice, guys. I love my GS but I was just intrigued about whether the LS experience was so much better that I should switch to an older LS at a cost of a few hundred quid. On reflection, I think maybe I should just keep on enjoying my GS. Why do I love the GS Mk 1? It looks ageless - it does not look out of place in 2004 even though it started life in 1993, I love the curves, I'm pretty impressed by the mpg, a 3 litre engine is all I need and I love the power mode for exchanging pleasantries with boy racers. Lastly, as Colin said, it is also cheaper to run than its big brother. I'll finish philosophically by offering a few words from Cheryl Crow - sorry if this sounds cheezy - "It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got". Enjoy.

I have a GS300 with 62K miles, 96P reg, mostly main dealer service. A local garage has an LS400 with 92K miles, 95N reg, full dealer service history, Metallic champagne, £5990. I have two questions - is it worth moving up to LS? If the answer is yes, what is the most that I should pay him to make the swap? Any thoughts from my knowledgeable co-members would be gratefully received.

I've just had my rear tyres replaced with Federal SUPER STEEL SS535 at £162 the pair. I've checked on the web and Federal are built in the Far East and seem to be big in Australia. The Federal website in Oz has loads of satisfied Aussies saying how well they ride and how well they wear. For those of you in Greater Manchester, I got them from Top Ten Tyres on the A6 in Hazel Grove, just down from the new Sainsbury's. I'll let you know how they drive in due course.

I have been puzzled by this myself and so I asked a guy who ran a small garage about it. He said it was simple. Each garage is a business that has to pay its way. Therefore, if it has high costs - rent, rates, wages, etc. - it will pass them on to you so that it can keep making a profit. There is no standard charge set by Lexus for a standard service. Each franchise is a separate business that runs its own affairs and charges what it thinks the customers will pay. The trick is to shop around for the best deal. I hope that this helps. :duh:

Sorry to add to the confusion and tell you nothing useful, but I have the same problem. I've a 97 Mk 1 with a pleasantly warm driver's seat and a complaining wife who can't feel any heat from her rear area on the passenger side. I'd love to cheer her up this winter with a warm bot. might it just be a fuse and if so how do I find it to replace it?

The Handbook says that you can use Premium 95, so that's what I do. I know that Super is dearer, but does Super give you a better MPG? If it does, then it kind of pays for itself in a roundabout way!

Try this address - http://www.carsurvey.org/model_Toyota_Soarer.html

Hello! I've just bought a GS300, after 24 years of continuous German car motoring, ending with trading in my 1997 old model Audi A6 TDI auto for the GS300. The new car is P reg., August 1996, 59000 miles, well kept, officially classed as green but it looks more like grey to me. I now need to plan for the 63000 mile cambelt service. Can a decent independent do the service rather than Lexus Stockport? Or is it worth negotiating discounts at Lexus Stockport through LOC membership and various forms of begging, so that I know that I really am keeping it nice? I know you must have been asked this a million times - but not by me! PS - to save itself some money the garage has put two "Nexen" tyres on the front. Anyone heard of Nexen? The two back tyres are well used European ones and will need to be replaced later this year. What is the thinking on tyre brands please?

Well, I wasn't looking for one - honest. However, there I was scanning the Autotrader last weekend, as you do, when I suddenly saw in a garage just 3 miles from my house the following advert: “LEXUS GS300, P reg. 58000 miles, service history, taxed Aug, MOT Dec, grey leather, superb condition, every poss extra fitted, px poss. £5,995, OLD ***** GARAGE”. Was this too good to miss or is it a lot of Old ***** from the garage of the same name? I'll be telling the GS crowd how I get on after I've collected the car at the end of this week. Thanks to the LS gang for your instant and warm support - it's just that I'm now a dirty rotten renegade who is transferring to the GS mob. Yours in solidarity dantheman

I am really grateful to all of you who've replied to me. And I am soaking up all of your advice and doing more and more research into the subtle differences between the series. This means that I am now looking for my LS400 with far greater knowledge, meaning that I should end up with a wised-up motor instead of possibly being suckered by some dodgy boy. I am tempted to follow the advice that one of you kindly offered - wait for one to come up at the right price at the Lexus dealership with all the stamps and receipts for solid proof of "one careful owner". The alternative of going to a small trader claiming to have a car with FLSH is maybe just too risky for a cautious bloke like me. I want one, but I want the right one. I may have to remain 'celibate' for a little longer to truly enjoy the sweet flesh of a proper Lexus! Thanks again for your support. I appreciate it.

have you seen this one? 92(J) LEXUS LS 400 (UK CAR) Automatic, Metallic Dark Red With Cream Leather, 125000 miles, Central Locking, Electric Windows, Electric Sunroof, Electric Mirrors, ABS, Air Conditioning, Power Steering, Cruise Control, Alarm, Immobiliser, Alloy Wheels, electric seats, heated seats, electric steering column, radio cassette with CD changer, electric aerial, rear head rests, wood dash, etc, etc, Superbly maintained by Lexus main agents with many new parts including recent CAMBELT change and four NEW tyres, MOT to February 2005, sold with a FREE 12 months warranty, Debit / Credit Cards Accepted, ONLY £3995. Aria Motor Company Tel: 0115 9255252 Might be just your bag! It's on Autotrader.

I've spotted a nice looking LS 400 in Selby on Autotrader. Seems to be very attractively priced. Not sure how easy it is to get to Selby from Sunderland but you might have to beat me to it!

Hello Everyone This is my baptism into the world of Lexus - my very first post and I have yet to buy the car! I've studied many reviews of luxury cars and the one that stands out as the clear winner is the Lexus LS 400. Having read the glowing reports, I'm now very sorely tempted to buy a 1996-97 LS 400 to replace my 1997 Audi A6. The trouble is I don't dislike my Audi that much and I cannot really afford the Lexus main dealer service prices. Is there anyone who could recommend a friendly independent garage in the Greater Manchester area who would do a good job at a fair price? This could give me the extra confidence that I'm looking for to take the plunge and switch loyalties from Audi to Lexus. I just hope that not all of you consider this to be too boring to reply to. Let me put it rather more bluntly - what is so good about the LS400 to persuade me to leave a solid brand like Audi for it? persuade me, please.