Wanted Talk to me about: Lexi (plural) 400s

[BorniteIdentity]

I'm thinking about selling my 190e and getting into an LS400.

 

The Mercedes really is a lovely thing... And I've put a lot of money into it (more than three thousand) but it really only suits 2 or 3 of us. Anyone sitting behind me gets no leg room and my son's stage 1 car seat is a ball ache to fit. His rear facer just simply did not fit.

 

I've always had Jap on the drive and have become very good friends with one of the finest Japanese specialists in the country.

 

My concerns are...

 

1. It probably won't fit in the garage girth wise.

2. It's not a particularly special looking thing the LS400.

3. I'll miss the sense of occasion the Merc affords.

 

Thoughts ? I know we are Autoshite... But I'm getting my chod fix elsewhere atm. I do like having something that looks just as good at a golf club as it does Lidl.

[BavarianRetro]

There is only one solution.

 

E38

[BavarianRetro]

OK two solutions.

 

E38 or S Class.

[Sheefag]

I bought an LS430 at auction a few years ago with the intention of moving it on. It got under my skin in a way no car has before or since and I ended up keeping it - great cars.

[Hertz]

Boom.

 

 

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C775327

[Supernaut]

Talk to 17-Coffees about his one.

 

I've driven it. It has silly exhausts. It is WIN.

 

 

I'm even thinking about buying an ex-autoshite LS400 in a couple of months when its owner moves over to the US. It also has silly exhausts and is made of WIN. It's the one I drove through the night back in November 2015, getting cold sweats from the energy drink comedown.

[Dirk Diggler]

They regularly come up for cents here; €1809 a year tax makes them a trifle unpopular; check out donedeal.ie

 

Eta I had to go looking; there's another with LPG for slightly more, but this looks a beauty

 

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/lexus-ls-ls430-long-nct-march-2017-/12789971

[BorniteIdentity]

DD- what is the score bringing a car to the UK from the south?

 

My bezzie's up near Knock and I would be well up for a "fly drive" collection.

[Dirk Diggler]

No bother, temp transfer your own insurance (or the AA in Dublin do an export insurance product) then you mot and pay for rereg on your end; a mate travelled over from wales a few months back for a d5 Volvo xc90 and paid a couple of hundred on your end.

 

For me to do the same, bring that Lexus here from the UK could cost 2k in Irish VRT. But you have a sensible system there it seems.

 

Rosslare / Fishguard would be the route I'd pick for that, don't think there's a Swansea / Cork route any more

[Dirk Diggler]

And if you buy something here with big cc's, deal hard on it. Nobody local will want it, no matter how good it is

[gadgetgricey]

Never owned an ls400, but loved my E38 (all three of them)

740 is fast but the 728 is fast enough and a really smooth engine.

 

Only got rid as wanted to scratch a 4x4 itch, but still miss it.

[BorniteIdentity]

I do love the e38s... But comparatively they seem to be expensive next to the Lexus (V8 vs V8) and the threat or wallet rape seems to be greater.

 

That said... You probably get more on exit for the Bimmer than you do the Lexus.

[gadgetgricey]

3 years, sailed through each MOT.

Only had a coil Spring fail which was less than £20 if memory serves.

Sold it for £200 more than I purchased it.

 

I'd advise having a drive of both, as feel issues may be the same on both. So whatever you feel is the better car

[Dirk Diggler]

There's a guy with a 728 for sale about 3 miles from where I live; it's immaculate in silver for 1.4k; no problem checking it out

[Ghosty]

Audi A8 gives a lot of bang for the buck, but I bet you'd get arse raped for maintenance.

[BavarianRetro]

There's a guy with a 728 for sale about 3 miles from where I live; it's immaculate in silver for 1.4k; no problem checking it out

Year?

[Dirk Diggler]

1998

[dollywobbler]

Would love one. This itch still needs to be scratched.

[Honey Badger]

Honda Legend or Toyota Camry could be another option, GS300/430 are also getting on for banger money, one on the blue side just sold for £700.

 

Legend in the land of the old.....

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HONDA-LEGEND-V6-AUTO-2002-ONLY-2-OWNERS-80-000-MILES-FULL-HONDA-S-H-/322222655338?hash=item4b05f7876a:g:JMkAAOSwARZXoR06

 

 

 

GS430, V8, not as huge.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LEXUS-GS430-SE-AUTO-2004-04-REG-SILVER-LEATHER-DVDs-SATNAV-ONLY-90k-1-YEARS-MOT-/152181800372?hash=item236ebdfdb4:g:dvcAAOSwjXRXZ8kG

 

 

[rantingYoof]

I had doubts. I did it. I do not regret it.

 

Even if you try really hard it's genuinely difficult to pick up a dud.

 

They're that well put together.

 

1990 - 1994 is 240hp 4spd auto, 1995 to 1998 or so is 260hp 4spd auto (which is slightly more intelligent) and 1998 - whenever is 280hp VVTi with 5spd auto. Full fat.

 

Any of them are good. 1990 - 1994 have non-interference engines so cambelt roulette isn't so ballsy.

[Sheefag]

I had a Mk1 GS300, I really didn't enjoy it. The LS is in a very different class.

[Dirk Diggler]

Audi A8 gives a lot of bang for the buck, but I bet you'd get arse raped for maintenance.

Lovely when not the default silver; wonder how hard they actually are to run?

 

https://www.donedeal.ie/vintagecars-for-sale/audi-a8-2-8-sport-auto/13084076

[DaveDorson]

my 1994 LS400 got swapped for a 924 with some bloke who worked for Practical Performance Car mag.

 

I had to replace a rear spring when I had it, and it cost me a fortune to do, as springs were £80 each at the time it happened and to be honest did nothing to improve the ride.  

 

I found it a bit pants really, much preferred my Jag XJ40's, the Toymota switch gear felt like boiled sweets, and the leather wasn't quite right to my mind, and that gear lever is bloody horrible.

 

Engine and box wise, smooth as silk though.  

 

I think the PPC chap (Ed I think) had to spend a fairly decent amount of bills to put right a stripped hub and some wishbones and getting the clock repaired, then moved it on shortly afterwards.

[rantingYoof]

The only thing I will say against the LS400 is that the seats are small in terms of upper leg support, and the head height in them is surprisingly restricted. I think this is due to the electronic gubbins under the seat.

 

I'm 6ft 2 or just under and my hair was touching the ceiling if I didn't open the sunroof cover, and even then the side of my head bumped the inside rim (fnar).

 

You're slightly better off if you're longer-legged than torso'ed but I found the seats surprisingly unsupportive after around an hour, as I used to get a bit stiff.

 

I did 4 hours of site visits in the Volvo last week over crappy roads with low profile 17s and the seats simply soothed me and I got out without a single twinge or complaint.

 

 

I'm literally the worst sort of fanboy, in that I switch allegiences in an INSTANT.

[Supernaut]

I find I fit into an LS400 perfectly, but I'm a short-arse compared to, well, all the people I know in person who have owned an LS400.

 

RantingYoof, 17-Coffees, and the current owner of Mason (who isn't on AS) are all over 6ft tall, while I'm about 5ft7.

[skattrd]

What are these like on the mpgs? mid 20s?

[Supernaut]

What are these like on the mpgs? mid 20s?

Pretty much, although you can apparently see low 30s while cruising on a motorway using cruise control. The real-time MPG readout in 17-Coffees' one is amusing, when you go downhill it apparently does over 60mpg for all of a few seconds.

[rantingYoof]

Mason ran rich and managed 30mpg on a 60mph amble up North.

 

He also did 65 litres in 200 miles, so don't expect miracles.

 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

[D Spares & Tyres]

Never driven one but there is one in Stafford rumbling round with a big bore exhaust and it sounds gorgeous 

[Sheefag]

My LS430 did 18/22 around central London and 32/34 on the motorway with the cruise set at 70.

It was significantly faster in every way compared to the Mk3 V70T5 that it replaced and surprisingly, the boot held the same amount as the Volvo.