Lexus LS400? Luxury everyday or money pit waiting to happen?

He's got a point, couldn't you aquire some vRS seats. I have the same seats as the vRS (different runners, I'd guess) in my Passat and my dad commented on how good they were compared to his Octy 4x4

OK, sticking my neck out there, I have 2 suggestions:

1. VW Golf GTI 8v. Later Digifant models aren't as tuneable, but are more economical than K-Jet models.
2. Alfa 75 TSpark. Just watch for rot setting in under the bodykit. They're mainly galvanised, so don't rot rampantly, but can rot where the bodykit was pop-rivetted to the shell.

Both are capable of 40mpg on long runs and are mechanically bulletproof.

If the seats don't suit, your remaining budget will allow for swapping the seats for something more comfortable.

There's been a number of decent 75s pop up on ebay recently for sod-all cash.

Hehe. I actually think Derby has cleaned up it's act. It used to be an 'all over' shit hole til the early 90's but now it just has shit hole areas same as any other city. Actually prefer living there compared to the other options: Burton, Leicester, Loughborough or Nottingham Only thing is that Derby council has never had any sense of history, they pull down the good stuff as quickly as the bad!

35 is OK for heavy car with a 2.3 engine. Don't foget all that turbo torque.....

However a 940 would be pretty low down on my car list.....

Have you thought about an old E28 5 series? you can get 40+ mpg from the

525e...Nice cars but I suppose a bit long in the tooth....

The =A31500-2k LS400 range I was looking at has already hit depreciation=20 bottom. 10-15 years old and from =A340k to =A31500 and looking spotless.

Those are the people who would only use main dealer, not indie garage,=20 and wouldn't order from "Cheaplexusparts" or who ever and only pay for=20 labour rates.

When the Celica transmission mount was buggered it would have cost me=20 =A3130 from a dealer + VAT and labour, and might take 6months to arrive as= =20 it was an out of production vehicle. I bought it from "cheaptoyotaparts". It was sent to them by post from=20 Japan, they split down the package, and sent me my parts in factory=20 toyota multilingual packaging. It was =A365, =A310 shipping and delivered i= n=20 the 4 days as promised.

I don't do main dealer if I can get greasy backstreet for basic=20 mechanicals and indepedant specialist for engine/gadget works.

I've saved hundreds in Saab repairs by using an independant over a main=20 dealer over last few years. When the Silver car needed a chain tensioner=20 they advised a chain at the same time.=20 I thought "Wooooo did I walk into quick fit?", Until I checked their quote. Reconditioned new style tensioner to replace the recalled old style one. Supply chain and fit chain and cam cover and timing cover gaskets.

The price was cheaper than the main dealer price for supply chain alone. The Gaskets were =A3100 more on top. And then you add the labour.

--=20 Carl Robson Audio stream:

Playing at home:EA80-Kamaki

Age wouldn't bother me. But Thanks to the missus, "no beemers" rule I couldn't. I might convince her or just turn up. What could she do then.

I did think about decent seats. But I don't know if a couple of hundred quid spent on seats and the matching door cards and the fitting hassles is worth it time and effort wise.

Have you considered an Omega? The seats are made by Recaro, have lumbar supports and I can sit in it for miles and still feel like working when I get out. My back has a trapped nerve which makes my leg painful when continually on the clutch so I have the automatic.

But a £1500 Lexus is worth the hassle?

" "

My .2p for what it's worth.

300TDi Disco is a fine machine but not suited to your needs.

I do 200 plus miles a day commute, I would suggest old VAG TDI for work and something nice for the weekend.

Is the right answer.

Let me interject with my take on that particular answer (in my case).

Audi 80 1.9 TDI - drove from France to Central Scotland without refueling and went to work the following day. Then I refueled.

Fun - Sylva Leader with Kawasaki ZX10 engine. Not road registered - needs trailered. See above

No space to keep it at home. I keep it elsewhere.

But selling the Octavia totally standard and not messed about with (even=20 having the original radio to go back in) is going to get more back than=20 having it Bitsa'd from the random VAG box.

Best seats I've heard of are the seats from the Quick 5 door Leons. But=20 they don't match the door cards and the Door cards don't fit the=20 octavia. A less slippy, less Skinny steering wheel is the Golf R32. It=20 fits but the airbag container is a different size/shape to the standard=20 one. Shocks with 100k on them are starting to get a bit wallowy even=20 though they pass the bounce test and I reckon a few quid on bushes might=20 be needed for factory fresh feeling. And I do know for a fact that=20 Toyota/Lexus parts are pricey, but they are a lot better quality=20 longevity wise, than a lot of other manufacturers, so while even for=20 road use, a Disco rear diff bush might =A318 and need replacing every 26k= =20 miles, the same one on a 4wd/rwd Toyota might cost =A350 but it lasts 100k= =20 before it "shows some signs of wear". The interior of the old GT4 was=20 factory fresh after 140k miles. The Octavia isn't bad after 103k. The=20 old Silver saab was better than the red one, but that had done 130k over=20

20 years instead of 200k over 12 years.

I think longevity wise the controls, interior, feel and condition, the=20

16year old higher mileage GT4 felt better to drive than the 6 year old=20 Octavia. Everything still had a sharper crisper feel to it.

--=20 Carl Robson Audio stream:

Playing at home:EA80-Kamaki

Unfortunatley I would suggest the same thing. The missus would however suggest castration. And I feel one compromise car and two testicles is a far better proposition.

Will look into that. Was the cambelt v6 the only engine option? or were others offered. Don't know much about them other than the police used them.

I think she needs a good slap. A s**te old TDI is better than several thousand pounds of debt.

If she doesn't see it that way, kick the unreasonable bitch into touch.

[Snip Lexus things]

I very nearly bought an old LS400 a couple of years ago - insurance wasn't going to be too bad, the engines apparently do last and last and last (I heard that they are the same things used in the Landcruiser, and the rear axle is from a Supra, but I can't guarantee that) it was going for 900 quid from that Volvo guy in Wigan or Leigh or somewhere. Rolled up all happy and excited, got in it and the interior was immaculate (it was a 1990 or something, deffinately pre-cat), nice leather, all the swithces were good, clean, no dents on the body, and it was even white, which would have been my choice. The stereos in them are pretty good an' all.

I was dissapointed. Just that bit too small for me, even with the seat right back and down.

Damn my hugeness.

I wouldn't drop that low price wise, but that is what I mean. Sometimes you can find a bargain, especially like me who gets bored with cars. One week I want luxury, next I want back to nature POV spec, and next I want a supercar goddammit.

At least for a week or two I wouldn't need to worry about late cambelts :)

You can get on for 50mpg at a steady 60mph in the MK2.