LUXOBARGE (sub5k) of the week/day

unkel

I remember reading a review of an early LS400 about 20 years ago. It had done 185k miles and the journos reckoned it was literally as good as new

lomb

Big Nasty wrote: »

If buying a luxobarge you're better off hovering around the 2002 era IMO. Anything more and you're looking at mega gold for repairs. Pre 03 stuff is a lot more manageable. You could prob stretch to 04/05 with Lexii.

True to a point. The S class had air suspension across all models in 1999 and the 500 sl had it around 2000 and this always fails costing thousands needlessly in repairs. . On the merc forums people are recommend running with the e class due to the s being a moneypit. Likewise the 350sl is the one to go for. Someone posted about spending 1000 quid every other month for a year on a 2002 500 sl at 100000 miles due to failures. Most of the failures were linked to the air suspension.

mullingar

Yeah, I believe some Mercs from the early '00 had serious build quality/reliability problems

pajor

mullingar wrote: »

Yeah, I believe some Mercs from the early '00 had serious build quality/reliability problems

+1

I think it came from a reputation of being overpriced. Cutbacks resulted in just shoddy build quality.

Matt Simis

pajor wrote: »

+1

I think it came from a reputation of being overpriced. Cutbacks resulted in just shoddy build quality.

Early 90s to start 00's = horrendous rust and galvanic corrosion problems
00 to late 00's = no rust issues but gearbox, ecu, general random electric failures rampant.

Mercs are indeed a purchase for the gambler.

Voodoomelon

Does no one replace the shocks with regular shocks on the mercs? Obviously its not like with like, but it would be a third of the price no doubt. Everyone does it on the E38s.

delthedriver

kevpants wrote: »

I drove this today. Whether I buy this one or another I think I'm in love.

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/lexus-ls-petrol/5767000

Very nice:)

kevpants

delthedriver wrote: »

Very nice:)

It took me 20 mins to finish pushing all the buttons to make sure they worked. Everything did, once I figured them all out, bar the electric steering wheel adjuster, you can do in/out but not up/down. The seats are not only heated but there's some kind of fan in them, if you hold your hand over the seat you can feel air gently wafting up through the pores in the leather!

I'd also wager seven millionty euros that everyone who's ever turned the key in one for the first time has either said or thought, "is it on?" and then poked the accelerator to make sure. Every. One.

daRobot

kevpants wrote: »

Everything did, once I figured them all out, bar the electric steering wheel

Not a cheap fix by the way, motor is expensive. So much info on these cars at the club lexus forum.

Don't want to clutter up the thread with replies regarding the ls430, so you're welcome to PM me if you need any advice.

unkel

kevpants wrote: »

It took me 20 mins to finish pushing all the buttons to make sure they worked. Everything did, once I figured them all out

Did you buy it kev, or are you a tyre kicker / time waster? :pac:

Esel

daRobot wrote: »

Not a cheap fix by the way, motor is expensive. So much info on these cars at the club lexus forum.

Don't want to clutter up the thread with replies regarding the ls430, so you're welcome to PM me if you need any advice.

Probably repairable though, for a luxonomics owner?

kevpants

daRobot wrote: »

Not a cheap fix by the way, motor is expensive. So much info on these cars at the club lexus forum.

Don't want to clutter up the thread with replies regarding the ls430, so you're welcome to PM me if you need any advice.

It wouldn't be a dealbreaker, the driving position I could set it up in was pretty spot on. With such an adjustable seat it'd be unlikely anyone couldn't get comfortable.

unkel wrote: »

Did you buy it kev, or are you a tyre kicker / time waster? :pac:

Worse, I'm married. The "2012 VW CC to 2002 Toyota" pitch is being finalised and tweaked as we speak.

I'll stop filling this thread with my own bumf now. Will update post purchase!

daRobot

kevpants wrote: »

It wouldn't be a dealbreaker, the driving position I could set it up in was pretty spot on. With such an adjustable seat it'd be unlikely anyone couldn't get comfortable.

Just so you know, if that 2002 one is the one you're going for, it's the pre-facelift model (newer one is late 03-) with the 5 speed box, and assuming it has no nav (as it's not mentioned/pictured), it's running on standard springs not air. The later models have a 6 speed, and are all on air.

Finally, the timing belt needs to be done by those miles (which is a 600 euro + job at an indy), so look for proof of that. It's advisable to get the water pump changed which you're in there aswell, as you need to remove the belt to get to it, and the part is only 100 euro or so.

Right, no more Lexus posts! If you want a look at a facelift model, and you're around the Blackrock area, you're welcome to have a spin in mine.

Good luck whatever one you go for

L-M

Think I told ye before about my mothers Uncle (80 odd) driving an LS and coming out of a petrol station, foot down on the accelerator and nothing happening, until he looked in the mirror and saw smoke. Did a massive burnout in it and didn't even realise! Poowweerrr :P

lomb

kevpants wrote: »

I'd also wager seven millionty euros that everyone who's ever turned the key in one for the first time has either said or thought, "is it on?" and then poked the accelerator to make sure. Every. One.

Is that a good thing though? I want to hear the engine burbling both at idle and roaring at full power. I suppose there is a market for everything and its a nice looking machine. I was in the President one back around 2002 or 03 at the UK motor show and was very impressed by all the gadgets.

delthedriver

kevpants wrote: »

It wouldn't be a dealbreaker, the driving position I could set it up in was pretty spot on. With such an adjustable seat it'd be unlikely anyone couldn't get comfortable.



Worse, I'm married. The "2012 VW CC to 2002 Toyota" pitch is being finalised and tweaked as we speak.

I'll stop filling this thread with my own bumf now. Will update post purchase!

Go for it Kev, and best wishes with your purchase. We only live once!

Looking forward to your updates.

Enjoy!:)

Red Kev

unkel wrote: »

I remember reading a review of an early LS400 about 20 years ago. It had done 185k miles and the journos reckoned it was literally as good as new

The original LS400 had to be adjusted just before launch, it seems that their sound proofing was too good and people were complaining that they were hearing nothing from the engine. So they actually took some sound proofing out!

Most UK journalists remarked that it was quieter than the Rolls Royce of the time.

rovoagho

kevpants wrote: »

I'd also wager seven millionty euros that everyone who's ever turned the key in one for the first time has either said or thought, "is it on?" and then poked the accelerator to make sure. Every. One.

Padraig Mor

Wasn't Lexus salespeople's set piece back in the day to pop the bonnet, place a coin on its edge on top of the engine cover and start the car. Coin would stay standing!

Sobanek

Padraig Mor wrote: »

Wasn't Lexus salespeople's set piece back in the day to pop the bonnet, place a coin on its edge on top of the engine cover and start the car. Coin would stay standing!

Nah, it was BMW salesman showing off the V12 in the 7 and 8 Series. They would place a 1 DM coin.

Soarer

22 years old and 313,000 kms.

CianRyan

Sobanek wrote: »

Nah, it was BMW salesman showing off the V12 in the 7 and 8 Series. They would place a 1 DM coin.

I've seen it done with almost every luxury car to be honest.

unkel

Soarer wrote: »

22 years old and 313,000 kms.

That's pretty impressive for a V8, which is inherently not a well balanced engine (like a straight six or a V12)

MadYaker

CianRyan wrote: »

I've seen it done with almost every luxury car to be honest.

Jag used to do it with the xj12 as well. Place a coin on edge and rev the engine and it wouldn't budge. I don't think id enjoy driving a car that was that refined tbh. If I buy something powerful i want it to snarl and growl.

lomb

What would a 500SEC be like compared to a modern car? The economics stack up on LPG. Ie road tax 50e, lpg for 10000 miles 2000, insurance 500, maintainance 1000. Still way under that of a modern golf type machine with a 5l v8 up front and domineering styling. Said to be Mercs best engineered car by some.
Irish road tax and fuel costs take the joy out of high displacement motoring.
Heres Ayrton Senna taking delivery of his SEC
http://www.flickr.com/photos/auto-clasico-mallorca/5554041722/

Bigus

lomb wrote: »

What would a 500SEC be like compared to a modern car? The economics stack up on LPG. Ie road tax 50e, lpg for 10000 miles 2000, insurance 500, maintainance 1000. Still way under that of a modern golf type machine.
Heres Ayrton Senna taking delivery of his SEC
http://www.flickr.com/photos/auto-clasico-mallorca/5554041722/

They compare pretty well to a modern car.

MadYaker

Id imagine it would be pretty similar, just without all the tech.

Big Nasty

A 30 year old luxobarge on LPG would be a fookin' awesome daily!

ofcork

One of my favourite mercs of all time,some stunning ones on pistonheads.

enviro

lomb wrote: »

road tax 50e

Really?