JellyBean

Seem a bit narrow to me.

34.8? - Never!

Im also thinking of replacing the front bumper black trim pieces ( or air dams) but i have read that you have to remove the front arch liner which again im a bit reluctant to do so if anybody out there has done and can shed a bit of light as to how easy or hard it is then i would gladly like to hear from them. I did my Mk3 air damn thingies recently (and then busted one about three weeks later, but there you go) and it wasn't really difficult at all - just a bit fiddly. 1. Remove front wheel 2. Wire brush any dirt around the setscrews and perhaps a squirt of the old WD40 if you are in the mood. 3. Remove all setscrews and detach wheelarch liner. 4. You will need a ¼" drive socket, extension and mouse sh*t (this is a small ratchet). 5. There are five wee bolts fixed to a sort of comb arrangement whereby the nuts come off from above. Let us know how you fare. Good luck and think of the money you will save by not being mugged by the Main Agent.

Wheelspin in a Mk 4? Doesn't the traction control do its job properly? The only thing I really don't like about my MkIII is the inadvertent 'zzzzzzppp' from your rear end (ooh-er, Mrs) as you try to pull away in winter weather. Even overtaking at 30mph can generate more 'zzzzzzzpp' than overtaking - can be dangerous.

And has anyone else noticed how slow the pump delivery is nowadays? It seems that as the price goes up, so the pump speed goes down. It takes an age to fill up now (even without any blow-back). On a cold, wet and windy forecourt this can be a right pain in the proverbials. I was a pump-attendant in the late 1960s, and I reckon it took ABOUT 20 secs to stick in 4 galls (c.18 litres). I reckon it takes two or three times longer now. Or am I just more impatient? I wonder what the real calculations would be. Meanwhile, as fuel becomes more expensive, so driving an LS becomes yet more special. Season's Greetings to all Lexus pilots!

WD40 acts as an insulator!

Well. I went mad and bought my wipers from the Lexus Stealer. Not cheap, but they are SILENT! Well worth it. And yes, they had Toyota part nos on.

I drove a Mk2 Golf for 13 years before changing to my LS400 Mk3. I agree so completely with what you have said above, that I won't add anything except "Hear, hear".

Or Volvo estate driver, methinks.

And has anyone else noticed that as the price of fuel has risen, so the pump delivery speed has decreased? It now takes an absolute age to fill up.

They are called various names: tie rods/tie bars/radius arms/strut rods. Mine cost £81 each two years ago. Don't think the job is that difficult, but suspension geometry and tracking will have to be checked afterwards. Any road up, enjoy your new car!

Perhaps you could fit a quicker steering rack and dodge the raindrops?

VERY interesting, but no Falkens tested!

Why not read my posting on the thread headed "Kumho Kh11", on Nov 11th? Meanwhile, I am hoping someone will respond to it - it should be of interest to all of us.

... I'm not too sure whether I'd like the 'car taking over' - I've been driving too long! The only bit of clever stuff I've got is ABS! Do you like Cruise Control? (I hate it!)

I did try, but can't get it to work! Have been called in more times than I care to remember! People seem to think work is something they do when they feel like! I value my service to the customer! (And the satisfaction of doing something special that they like!) Just decided to draw the line somewhere. Life is more than this. Can enjoy the weather, go places, see people (plan to go to Wheels-in- motion soon, for instance!) And no hassle (I hope!) Luckily, no mortgage so living can be cheap(er!) (And....I noted the at the end of that ageist comment!! ) Yes, internally you're right. Listening to Ojos de Brujo remixes, as I type, on my brand new Kingrex Class T amp, with USB input, through Snell 2s. Yes, I have a hi-fi system dedicated to my computer as well as every other room! Oh-oh! 'Shuffle' produces Jacques Brel next! Great theatre! Beware, if you retire, you may not be able to afford to stock up on exclamation marks. Here are some I had saved up: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Strange, indeed. Is flank dented or not?!?

Just been trawling the wibbly-web and see that the Falken ZE 512 (225 60 W16) is rated as having "extremely low noise characteristics", as well as setting "new standards for friction, aquaplaning and handling in wet conditions". They are also described as "the perfect partner for owners of intermediate to high powered limousines..." £74 fitted. Sounds too good to be true! Has anyone bought them?

Try Roys Motor Company - if Norwich isn't too far - they used to be the Lexus Main Agent. They have serviced my Mark 3 (whose bonnet no longer stays up!) for three years and are excellent. 01603 424877 Will have to ask you for bonnet strut part numbers and suppplier... I came from a Mark 2 Golf Gti (13 yrs' ownership) into the LS. I still smile at its total effortlessness. Even modern, expensive cars seem quite noisy now. ENJOY! - Jelly Bean

See previous reply! (One to sit on, one to lean back on...) Dunno how much they cost as mine (driver's seat squab-one) was fixed under warranty. If they charge £100 for a bonnet strut, I'd be almost afraid to ask. Adiós!

Car looks fine, and a real bargain for the dosh. Probably the seat-heater element has burned out. And more likely the one under the bum (other one is in the backrest). At bottom of seat are two screws, which allow you to detach the seat back and fish out the elements. Spending winter in a warmer clime? You're a clever chap, methinks.

Try: V = cubed root of: 2P divided by rCdA where: V= max velocity (m/s) Cd = coefficient of drag P = max power at flywheel (w) r = approx density of air (kg/m3) A = frontal area (m2) And multiply answer by 0.92. Can be surprisingly accurate. Forgive me the laboured presentation but I could not write the formula in properly. Weight has nothing to do with top speed. (Maneesh, are you paying attention?)

Dunnit! Straightforward, if rather fiddly. First time I had grovelled about under a car for three years, but I had a great feeling of achievement when I'd finished. I should like to thank Passman, his neighbour, his neighbour's wife, the wheelie bin, my producer, my director, my stylist...

Aha! So the secret is revealed. Very many thanks and I shall have a bash, now. When I get cross doing it, I will just think of the money I'm saving. Also, I send my condolences to Mr Wheeliebin for sacrificing himself in the interests of knowledge-sharing.

In respect of fittings, on looking at the parts screen and talking to the parts chap, it would appear that one long bracket sits inside the spoiler lip and has verticle teeth that poke down through the holes in the spoiler and then the other bolts too it from outside with a clamp/sandwich effect. Thanks for this. But when I looked under mine, there were no apparent fixings. Perhaps this clip could be prized off? The plot thickens...