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1 hour ago, BigBoomer said:

And at worst the scumbag will get a £300 fine and will continue driving uninsured.
So many are now risking it as there are never any cops out and about so it's only if they get nabbed by ANPR or have an accident that it comes to light.
I imagine that the van was insured under someone else's name (to get around ANPR detection) but the driver wasn't covered by that (or any other) insurance.

I hope you get a decent offer and can buy it back and fix it up as a Cat N write off. 

Yep, you’re right of course.  People think they can get away with it.

hopefully I end up with c£2,000 and a written off car I can attack with the filler 

Hi is this car still for sale?

32 minutes ago, Malc1 said:

A prosecution for dangerous driving with an untethered load make any difference to the liability for a better pay-out ?

Malc

Even worse - he was uninsured!  My insurer offers uninsured driver cover so I will get my excess and NCD back, but frankly I doubt the police will even follow up on it.

Afternoon all.

I bought a 2003 LS430 in 'Mystic Gold' from a chap off Twitter (as it was!) almost exactly two years ago.  The car has been terrific - not a single problem, save for the steering wheel tilt motor which I replaced easily.  Never let me down, never had any problem with it.......and then Friday happened.

I was driving through the Dartford tunnel when traffic came to a halt, fairly suddenly, but not 'screeching tyres' suddenly.  Except for the scaffolding van behind me, who stopped within an inch of my rear bumper.  However, 7 or 8 of his untethered scaffolding poles decided they weren't stopping, and made a right mess of my roof, wing mirror, bonnet - and the two cars in front of me.....

Anyway - I'm fully expecting it to be written off.  It only has 162k on the clock and was in great condition before the shunt.  Any ideas what I should be offered?

I'd be keen to buy it back and try to clean it up as best I can, as it was so good mechanically.  

Anyone got a nice LS430 they want to sell??

Well if you’ve sold it that’s great news.  Let me know if either of those things don’t work out….

Pembroke is a million miles away isn’t it….pity otherwise I’d have popped in to see it.

what does this do fuel wise - can it run on standard unleaded, and round town what does it do mpg-wise?  I get 25 out of my 430, and it’s knocking on a bit really 

Has your Lexus ever been smoked in?  I could be interested in it but a car that’s been smoked in is a total non-starter for me

Out of interest, why didn't you have it serviced for 4 years?

I paid £2,800 for my LS430.  Had it for 18 months, spent nothing.  However, starting to throw up some faults - EML (possibly an o2 sensor?  My GS300 had it), and intermittent wipers stopped working today.....

Irritating.

19 hours ago, BigBoomer said:

From my investigations the aftermarket air shocks did not have the adjustable damping like the OEM ones do.
However, these seem to have the fitting for the adjustable damping.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175372914342
Located in Lichfield but made in China. They do claim a 2 year warranty though so may be worth a try.
Are they going to be as reliable as the OEM ones? Probably not, but at £688 for a pair, delivered,.... vs £1200 EACH for a Lexus supplied strut.

If it were me I'd have a punt at a pair of front ones and see how well they do.

Aftermarket stuff for the LS is minimal due to the small numbers sold. Japan has more stuff but getting it can be difficult and costly.
Are you sure it's the Tilt motor that died, as sometimes the fault is a poor contact in the switch.

That's super useful, thanks.  £688 is probably worth a gamble at next MOT, i'd say.  £1,200 each almost renders the car uneconomical to repair.  It's only done 155k miles!

Nope not sure it's the tilt motor - just that the tilt function has disappeared.  whats the fix for poor contacts - other than bit of rubbing and re-assembly?  new switch?
 

 

Afternoon

I have a 2003 LS 430, having it's MOT today.  I have a slightly weepy air shock at the front - it'll be fine for the MOT, but I guess next year it might have to be changed.  Is there a reasonable aftermarket supplier?  I have seen a couple on eBay for c£400 - anyone got any experience of them?

Also, my steering wheel rake adjustment motor died - likewise, is there anywhere I can get a new aftermarket one, rather than a breakers special?

Cheers

Well I appear to be the next owner of this GS300....wish me luck!