time to tart up the soggy old waterbed.

Nitrons here....

I thought the point of a Lexus was that, although parts were expensive, you never needed them?

Bit of a pot / kettle interface there, given your recent 'cleanest I've ever seen' type purchases that end up with major 'issues'.

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Yadda yadda... our KA cost =A3450 in January, and has been 'properly reliable' since.

-- JackH

Standard jobbies, but gas on the front.

Way-aye man, they gaz all the way roond the car, like.

"Wheatgrass".

First genuine giggle for a while on 'ere, ta!

From an ex F1 designer too ;-)

Try buying some now.....

Accompanied by the sound of a chisel on slate Pete M, managed to produce the following words of wisdom

Ok, I'm a muppet, it's got new Gas shocks on the back... fitted about a fortnight before you got it..

na bollocks light tint on the front and a bit darker round the other windows is fine millions done like that round here

don't be a bellend things are gonna wear! what your quoted goes for s*it that's failed nob jockey

You're not very bright, are you?

We're just seeing the inevitable result of buying a cheap old barge that no-one wants *because* things wear out and cost £HFM to replace.

But the traffic plod now have light meters and are increasing pulling heaps of s*it with aftermarket tints.

like an alfa?

Alfa parts are far cheaper than you'd expect - most stuff is no more expensive than it would be for a more mainstream model.

We're certainly not talking about several hundred quid for a set of shocks.

The front top control arms are =A3700 each fitted by Lexus. An independant in manchester will sell and fit them for =A3350 the pair. or Arnotts in the states will sell you a set for $199 the pair and $50=20 shipping. The famous Toyota/Lexus fist (sans lube). the lowers and the=20 strut rods work out about the same. Takes about an hour to fit the top,=20 bottom and strut rod arms to each side in a decent garage.

If I went with toyota doing the work I would be looking at about =A34500=20 to put right, or about $600 worth of parts (about =A3300+ any duty I get=20 busted) and =A3150 of decent garage labour.

Same with the suspension. Factory KYB shocks from Toyota =A3250 each +=20 springs. Or JIC-Magic coilovers height, compression and rebound damping=20 adjustable and still very plush =A31400 or =A3350 a shock including the=20 spring. Again local labour far less than the =A3100 an hour Toyot rate.

--=20 Carl Robson Audio stream:

Big enough for "several bags of golf clubs", or other awkward to handle=20 sized lumps.

--=20 Carl Robson Audio stream:

I could have spent three times the cost for the same car and had the=20 same wear and had to spend the same if I cost it, or lost more if I=20 flogged it on.

I've added nearly 6k onto the 120k that it had done when I bought it. Nothing is actually broken or worn suffiently to fail an MOT, just=20 enough to affect the handling enough to notice.

The front top arm ball joints affect brake dive when they go floppy, and=20 the arb bushes soften and stretch and can really make it roll arround.

I bought it as a "get me to work and enjoy doing it for a while" with=20 the plan to ditch for something less hedonistic if anything stupidly=20 pricey like engine/box/diff went. They have all proved to be solid, and=20 I have actually learnt to love the old grey whale, as does everyone else=20 who sees it.

--=20 Carl Robson Audio stream: