IanDouglas

Thanks Peter. Had a look at your car :D , it makes the other cars look a little out of place!. I have one question to ask regarding repairs , Ive noticed on some of the other threads that some things are expensive to replace or repair, but is this the norm?, when I was talking on the phone to a Lexus dealer things like brakes and belts etc seemed reasonable compared to my old Merc. I could even get some basic parts from my local motor discount store. I have read on the whole it is a very relaible motor and thats one of the things that helped me decide to buy it, but reading a thread on the needle light blowing was a bit scary , I honestly thought it was back lit by led! :D . If one of these goes can you still see the needle? The garage I have bought the car off has promised to change the back bulb as the 0 - 30 is unlit (I have it in writing :) ) So I think I have saved a few bob there. I'm just a little worried as I wont be able to see what speed im doing if the needle goes. had another bit of good news as well the guy who services my other car looks after two GS300 as well :D , he even has access to diagnostic equipment. He said for a full service (filters and plugs oil etc) would be £150 for me , I'm thinking thats a good price. Ive known him since he was a young apprentice, he has his own small garage now. Its not the poshest in the world but he really does know his stuff, and always has a huge row of cars waiting to be done Its funny how life turns out :) , I wasnt even thinking of a Lexus two weeks ago. I never thought I would be able to own a really smart car. regards Ian

Hi :D , I'm not sure if I have this posted thing sorted out right yet, I think I have so if anyone wants to put me right feel free. Were I live we still use clay tablets to write on :) . And now for the good news! , and I couldnt have done it without the help thats for sure. They have agreed to give it its major service. Plugs all fluids, filters, all oils, cambelt brakes etc, plus making sure ALL the gadgets work properly:yahoo: I also asked if they could fill the car up with petrol for me , I said you can knock the VAT of for me as you can claim that back :D I pick it up Friday , and I cant wait . My car insurance has gone up by £22 a month, but I dont drink or smoke, the car is my pleasure I need to ask for help again though. I need to get a small amount of black paint made up , just for a couple of stone chips. I need the colour code for a Black 94 Lexus GS. It cant be found on the car, but I would love to have it made up ready so I can just cover the marks up friday afternoon , the motor factors where I live said they dont need the car to look at ,just the code. Thankyou for all your help :) regards Ian it makes the inside of my merc look cheap

← Hi Chris, thanks for that :D . its being a fenland carrot cruncher I'm having a technology overload LOL *** knows what going to happen to me if I get this car, I'll be sitting up all night fiddling with all the gadgets. regards Ian and I got that wrong! . ive replied with no reply , but Ive sussed it now. I think.

Thankyou. its great on here :D . I find out today , ive added to the earler post on whats happening, as a result of the advice I have been given I read the poor guy the riot act and said whats to be done. I wouldnt have know what to say but it seems to be working, i'll keep you posted as soon as he calls back, but its a nice feelling to turn the whole thing around best wishes Ian oh I also told him I want every electric gadget checked and working as well have I gone too far I wonder? :D

I can't find a 200E on parkers or whatcar mate if there was a full service history - then it would have been serviced at least three times after that - and there would be paperwork to prove it. Thats one thing to throw in his face mate - spotty service history. If he gonna service it, make sure it is a full service, plugs, belts and fluids. ;) ← Thanks for that :D , and also I think you have made my mind up on something as well. If he wont give me anymore for my Merc I'll just bite the bullet, and buy it. But there is a something he will have to do first. There is more than one Lexus out there :D for a £700 trade in I want a proper service then, the 80k one, as you said all the fluids and belts etc , plus an MOT for a full twelve months. I can get an independant garage to check its been done, (ive known the guy since he was an aprentice , and he has his own garage now) I just had a look at the advert, and it does say a full service history, but it isnt as I saw the book. On the plus side it is a car that has been VERY well looked after, the engine sounds brilliant surely it hasnt gone this long without a check over? But I am going to take your advice. I am smitten with the GS, but I am willing to look for another one if I have to. Keep your fingers crossed for me as i'm going to call his bluff tomorrow :) regards Ian ← Hi Just an update , I'm not quite out of the woods yet, I used ALL the advice I was given and it seems to be working I think. He has offered £750 for the car, I said ok I can live with that, but there is a problem. He said what ? I said :D , I'll have the car but I want it fully serviced, not just liquids topped up, but everything, cam belt , plugs etc changed , plus an MOT for 12 months. or I said I wasnt touching it. He said to me well its only done 15k 2002 since the last service i said so what lol. I was told if it is serviced, it would be in house, so I told him dont try and fob me off by saying you have done the work and you have'nt, I have had my fingers burnt before on this , I'm now just waiting for a call back. You guys have been brilliant, thankyou. If they say no then there must be a problem with it, and I will look for another one, but I am keeping my fingers crossed because it is a beauty. regards Ian oooo the tension

I can't find a 200E on parkers or whatcar mate if there was a full service history - then it would have been serviced at least three times after that - and there would be paperwork to prove it. Thats one thing to throw in his face mate - spotty service history. If he gonna service it, make sure it is a full service, plugs, belts and fluids. ;) ← Thanks for that :D , and also I think you have made my mind up on something as well. If he wont give me anymore for my Merc I'll just bite the bullet, and buy it. But there is a something he will have to do first. There is more than one Lexus out there :D for a £700 trade in I want a proper service then, the 80k one, as you said all the fluids and belts etc , plus an MOT for a full twelve months. I can get an independant garage to check its been done, (ive known the guy since he was an aprentice , and he has his own garage now) I just had a look at the advert, and it does say a full service history, but it isnt as I saw the book. On the plus side it is a car that has been VERY well looked after, the engine sounds brilliant surely it hasnt gone this long without a check over? But I am going to take your advice. I am smitten with the GS, but I am willing to look for another one if I have to. Keep your fingers crossed for me as i'm going to call his bluff tomorrow :) regards Ian

meant the spec of you Merc mate - so we can get a better idea of a part ex figure ;) ← DOH! Its a 93 200E white , front electric windows. mirrors and sunroof, (I know please dont laugh) standard wheels. its had two keepers and has full service history, 106k on the clock. One think on the Lexus the last stamped service was feb 02, and nothing after that, though it runs and sounds excellent. I have been told it will get a service and new cambelt when I buy it, but is this a worry do you think? There is no papers for anything after this date. He did say it had a full service history but thats all there was. I'll have to pick him up on that I think :D regards Ian

Welome to LOC Ian, if help and advice is what you need LOC is the place and i can vouch for that follow the responce given to (wheels-inmotion). The cat should last the life of the car, there are reasons why a cat could fail but why go there now? my best advice with the car would be the HPI and a full geometry? if you want me to expand on the geometry let me know.... ← thankyou for the welcome, im just getting used to how to reply to everyone now, so apologies for missing you out :D , we're a bit slow in the fens! regards Ian

whats the spec of your Merc Ian? lets look it up onparkers, whatcar etc - give you some ammo to blast the salesman with :D ← Hi Matthew, its a Gs 300 94 fully loaded with all the extras ( I had mentioned about the steering wheel) , I really cant get over it :D , modern technology , ive just found it ! He is asking £3995, which I have to admit for the car is an amazing price. I have to say a big thankyou for the help and welcome everyone has given me. for this reason alone I want a Lexus. regards Ian

Hi mudzs i'm in peterborough, I dont mind admiting I have only £3000 part loan part cash. and thought it a fantastic buy instead of a thrashed out heap. I thought with my Merc part exchanged I would walk it, but he has taken the wind out of my sales, but I feel a breeze :D regards Ian

Hi Chips first thing , Im just getting used to how the reply thing works on here, I wasnt sure If I replied individul or to everyone in one go. You can really tell i'm new to this lark :D . The car is a GS 300 94 model and the spec is on the sheet as fully loaded, and it seems to be, full leather (its a light fawn.. lovely colour) it has every gadget under the sun on it, The guy is asking £3995 for it, but I did see a sheet inside with £4500, so I think its been reduced, so that may be why he is being a bit finiky I know it might be a bit sad but I think the moving steering wheel is mint! :) . Never had a car that does that. It seems to have a memory on it. it has 79k on the clock, its got loads of life left in the engine. regards Ian

I will just do that, :D. I have been looking at the pictures . They are so well designed , they dont look "samey" like a lot of cars . I was impressed on how quiet the engine ran on the GS. Peter yours is the later model and very nice looking too! I did notice two chip marks on the one I'm after , but being black it will be easier for me to do the little touch ups myself. I am looking on the bright side,(on getting the car :D ) and open to any suggetsion on the type of touch up paint you use, is it off the shelf or is it a special order. The GS is the blackest black I have seen on a car for a long time, it has a nice lustre to it , not bad for 11 year old paint. what ever they use it seems to be a very hard finish regards Ian 14 hours to go , no sleep tonight

Thankyou, and nice car!. Well I took the GS300 for its test drive, and I couldnt fault it, love the steering wheel thing, I thought where is that going , it must have moved five inches when I turned the ignition off. As much as I want to buy the car, the day has had a sting in the tail, the salesman just wants to give me £700 for my Mercedes 200E (93). it has a full history and fully serviced, but because of the drop i'm £250 short. I thought it was a bit low for a part exchange. I am working on it. I find out tomorrow morning. I'll let you know how I get on. Thankyou for all the help :) regards Ian

Many thanks for all your help :D , I'll let you know how I get on as well. I have to admit it looks a beauty of a car, also as a little surprise I found the fuel economy is comaparable with my old Merc and thats a 2 ltr!. Why is it the insides of all the mercs seem to look the same ?, thats what put me off buying another one, boredom I suppose. The Lexus just looks amazing regards Ian

Welome to LOC Ian, if help and advice is what you need LOC is the place and i can vouch for that follow the responce given to (wheels-inmotion). The cat should last the life of the car, there are reasons why a cat could fail but why go there now? my best advice with the car would be the HPI and a full geometry? if you want me to expand on the geometry let me know.... ← Hi , thankyou :) Yes please any information would be grateful as I have to make my mind up tomorrow. Its the full check over and road test regards Ian

Hi all, I'm new to this forum so please excuse me if my typing seem's a bit wooden. At the moment I own a 93 Mercedes 200E , but have been mulling over changing it. Last week at a local garage I saw a Black fully loaded Lexus for GS300 (94 model for sale). It really is a beauty , within my price range and has 79k on the clock with a full service history. I would be very grateful to any suggestions on checking it over properly please, though from a one inch chip of paint off the bumper I really cant see no bad problems. I have been looking at this site for the last few days and was really impressed how helpful everyone is. I know it has a cat fitted and was wondering how long they nomally last. Anyway I wont ramble on too much, but would love any advice etc thanks regards Ian