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Well, here it is; another Daveyboy20's-new-daily-driver thread! As a family man these days, my cars of choice have a couple of extra boxes to tick: 1. Is it safe? I know.. safety, pah! So boring. 2. Does it fit a massive pram, trike, and various child paraphernalia in the boot? These criterion are added onto the Daveyboy20 classics: 1. Is it RWD? 2. Is it interesting? With the added current faves of: 1. Does it have a stonking great V8? 2. Is the fuel consumption still acceptable as a daily? Which leads me very neatly onto this beast landing on my driveway:    I did a bit of research; the mk4 (this one) is not only the most powerful, with 290bhp, but it's also the most fuel efficient due to the V8's VVT-I.. seemed like a winner to me! Buying it was unusual; after a 10 minute chat I put a deposit on it unseen, and we agreed that he'd deliver it to me the next day. Cool! Obviously, I'd have a good look at it then. However, en-route, he called to say he was delayed and his train home was due to leave about 4 minutes after his ETA! I waited outside the house (it was raining sideways and pitch black) and saw him coming up the road flashing the lights, "Ooh, xenons," I thought to myself. I jump in and we head to the station, I throw money at him and he runs off to the train station at full pelt! I'm sat there in my new car with the wipers on full chat, not quite sure what had just happened. World record speed sale! |
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I now have car envy.. I have wanted one for ages. More info please.
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96 E320 W210 Wafter - on 18" split Mono's - Sold :-(
10 Kia Ceed Sportwagon - Our new daily
03 Import Forester STi - Sold
98 W140 CL500 AMG - Brutal weekend bruiser! Sold :-(
99 E240 S210 Barge - Now sold
02 Accord 2.0SE - wife's old daily - gone in PX
88 P100 2.9efi Custom - Sold
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brachunky
Scotland
Posts: 1,339 
Club RR Member Number: 72
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1998 Lexus LS400 brachunky
@brachunky
Club Retro Rides Member 72
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Welcome to the club sir  You WILL love this car & want to drive it for any reason, local chippie,holiday, school run...... Had my 99 for nearly a year and love the beast! |
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Well, she's a low miler for a 20 year old motor: 118k. It had a timing belt and waterpump at about 90k, and it's had a recent service. All good!
It has full grey leather, with an apparently rare wood-rimmed steering wheel. Interior is mint, although the mats were a bit minging! It has a touch screen to operate SatNav, radio, and climate controls... it's 20 years old!! It has heated seats - including the rear ones, perfect for warming the underside of a child seat! There's a Lexus CD changer in the 2nd glovebox. It also has auto HiD headlights, but no auto wipers.
The dials look awesome, almost like a hologram. They're sort of 3D layered... hard to explain, I'll take a vid at some point!
It drives wonderfully. I feel like it's a mix between the comfort of my old Lincoln, and the precision of the X350 Jag. It's certainly more comfy than the X350! The Lincoln felt a bit like someone else was driving it and you were along for the drive, offering suggestions of driver input that may or may not be followed. This, on the other hand, is lovely and precise. There's an ever-so-slight hint of a wheel inbalance at 70, but the wheels are knackered anyway, so I'll either refurb them or look for some budget badass hoops.
It runs really well; smooth and very torquey - although I have found a slight issue. It pulls effortlessly up to 5k and then chokes. I've ordered an airfilter in the hope it's a little air-starved up top. Obviously, it's not an issue that's going to be a problem daily - but I'd like to be able to see if the 6ish second 0-60 claims are true! Thing is, it makes you want to drive so slowly! It's super relaxing and effortless to keep up with traffic. If you just tootle about, the most you need to press the accelerator to keep up with traffic (including socially acceptable acceleration from junctions) is about an inch and a half!
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Pre-valet interior shot:  |
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Welcome to the club sir You WILL love this car & want to drive it for any reason, local chippie,holiday, school run...... Had my 99 for nearly a year and love the beast! That's already happened - not used the wife's car all week! Went to the zoo yesterday - a nice 40 minutes cruise there. On the way back we entered the motorway to find it was gridlocked, and for the first time ever I kind of didn't mind! |
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Phil H
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,448
Club RR Member Number: 133
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1998 Lexus LS400 Phil H
@philhoward
Club Retro Rides Member 133
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It runs really well; smooth and very torquey - although I have found a slight issue. It pulls effortlessly up to 5k and then chokes. I've ordered an airfilter in the hope it's a little air-starved up top. Obviously, it's not an issue that's going to be a problem daily - but I'd like to be able to see if the 6ish second 0-60 claims are true! Thing is, it makes you want to drive so slowly! It's super relaxing and effortless to keep up with traffic. If you just tootle about, the most you need to press the accelerator to keep up with traffic (including socially acceptable acceleration from junctions) is about an inch and a half! If it's spent all of its time pootling around, there's half a chance the VVT bit hasn't had a workout in a long while and has got a bit lazy? Could just be it needs a good old Italian decoke. The CFO at one of the places I worked at had this Jag S-type (3.0 V6, with VVT). He used to crawl round everywhere at pretty much tickover - a maximum of 30mph - but he was about 85. Every 6 months it started running a bit rough and sounding like a bag of nails, so sent it off for a service (with the garage who did the company fleet). It was a 5 mile trip there at which point it was driven there on kickdown. Pulling out of the yard, it was coughing, spluttering and sounded like it was about to explode but by the time it got the 5 miles up the road, it was back to being a Jag - purred and pulled like a train. Irony is when it returned, he complained it was too fast for him. |
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It runs really well; smooth and very torquey - although I have found a slight issue. It pulls effortlessly up to 5k and then chokes. I've ordered an airfilter in the hope it's a little air-starved up top. Obviously, it's not an issue that's going to be a problem daily - but I'd like to be able to see if the 6ish second 0-60 claims are true! Thing is, it makes you want to drive so slowly! It's super relaxing and effortless to keep up with traffic. If you just tootle about, the most you need to press the accelerator to keep up with traffic (including socially acceptable acceleration from junctions) is about an inch and a half! If it's spent all of its time pootling around, there's half a chance the VVT bit hasn't had a workout in a long while and has got a bit lazy? Could just be it needs a good old Italian decoke. The CFO at one of the places I worked at had this Jag S-type (3.0 V6, with VVT). He used to crawl round everywhere at pretty much tickover - a maximum of 30mph - but he was about 85. Every 6 months it started running a bit rough and sounding like a bag of nails, so sent it off for a service (with the garage who did the company fleet). It was a 5 mile trip there at which point it was driven there on kickdown. Pulling out of the yard, it was coughing, spluttering and sounded like it was about to explode but by the time it got the 5 miles up the road, it was back to being a Jag - purred and pulled like a train. Irony is when it returned, he complained it was too fast for him. Yeah could be I suppose! I don't know how the VVT works yet, not looked into it.. hydraulic pressure? |
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Phil H
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,448
Club RR Member Number: 133
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1998 Lexus LS400 Phil H
@philhoward
Club Retro Rides Member 133
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Feb 23, 2018 10:06:33 GMT
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Normally solenoids let oil pressure into an actuator to do the actual timing shift. If the solenoids haven't been activated for a while, they could be a bit sticky - in the same way you can get a noisy hydraulic tappet on an engine that hasn't been run for a while.
I've only had a quick google but it suggests it might have variable length intake runners as well? If so, check the operation of those as well.
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Last Edit: Feb 23, 2018 10:06:52 GMT by Phil H
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ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,309
Club RR Member Number: 170
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1998 Lexus LS400 ChasR
@chasr
Club Retro Rides Member 170
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Feb 23, 2018 10:35:42 GMT
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Most VVTs would off oil pressure, although some use it a little more differently than the rest!
These are a cheap barge for what they are? Have both Jags gone I take it?
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Feb 23, 2018 10:59:13 GMT
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Most VVTs would off oil pressure, although some use it a little more differently than the rest! These are a cheap barge for what they are? Have both Jags gone I take it? The XJR's gone to a great fella from here, and the X350 is currently for sale! |
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Battenberg
Part of things
Time for Cake....
Posts: 745
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Feb 23, 2018 11:11:07 GMT
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hmmm.....
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Current Fleet:
1968 Wolseley 1000
2022 BMW 430xd MHT Coupe
2007 L200 Animal - Dog walking transport
1998 318is Coupe
2007 Mini Cooper Supercharged
1989 BMW 530 - in storage
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Feb 23, 2018 12:16:55 GMT
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Dayum!! That sounds class! Well that's happening then, isn't it?! Although I'll need to get it to rev that high first...  |
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Feb 23, 2018 12:28:36 GMT
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I would tip my hat to you were it not a woolly one. I would absolutely love one of these.
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Jaguar S-Type 3.0 SE
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1998 Lexus LS400 Mercdan68
@forddan68
Club Retro Rides Member 68
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Feb 23, 2018 15:08:42 GMT
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Superb on my list to own at some point too
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Fraud owners club member
2003 W211 Mercedes E class
1989 Sierra sapphire
1998 ex bt fiesta van
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Davey
Posted a lot
Resident Tyre Nerd.
Posts: 2,350
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Feb 23, 2018 15:34:27 GMT
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I've had a baby GS and always fancied a full fat LS so will be watching with interest.
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K11 Micra x3 - Mk3 astra - Seat Marbella - Mk6 Escort estate - B5 Passat - Alfa 156 estate - E36 compact
Mk2 MR2 T-bar - E46 328i - Skoda Superb - Fiat seicento - 6n2 Polo - 6n polo 1.6 - Mk1 GS300
EU8 civic type S - MG ZT cdti - R56 MINI Cooper S - Audi A3 8p - Jaguar XF (X250) - FN2 Civic Type R - Mk2 2.0i Ford Focus - Mercedes W212 E250
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Feb 23, 2018 19:29:45 GMT
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I've had a baby GS and always fancied a full fat LS so will be watching with interest. I nearly bought a GS300 but it was missing a couple of cylinders! |
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brachunky
Scotland
Posts: 1,339
Club RR Member Number: 72
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1998 Lexus LS400 brachunky
@brachunky
Club Retro Rides Member 72
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Feb 24, 2018 12:48:01 GMT
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So you have had the LS for a few days now and need to know what the plans are for it  VIP,slammed.................... |
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Feb 24, 2018 13:06:49 GMT
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Looking good. Great motor those 1UZ's
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Feb 24, 2018 14:26:01 GMT
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So you have had the LS for a few days now and need to know what the plans are for it VIP,slammed.................... Haha - well, first of all I'm gonna try and sort the high rev issue - hopefully nice and simple. Then tidy up some bits and bobs on it. Front bumper needs painting and there are two dents I want to get removed by those paintless dent removal magicians. The airbox mod above WILL be happening soon! And the exhaust is blowing a little; I'd better look into removing some boxes I suppose! I'm liking the VIP look to be fair - but to do it well it'd be expensive. In my head, a subtle lowering (to retain the glorious ride and to still be practical) with some deep dish wheels would look ace. Kind of a J-muscle feel. The standard wheels have more flakiness than a Gregg's pasty.. so I'm on the lookout for some round-shaped bargains! I've seen some subtle ducktails on the Web which could look good with some wider wheels. The front splitter is mostly missing too, so I'll need to replace that with something. Made up with this motor so far. |
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You WILL love this car & want to drive it for any reason, local chippie,holiday, school run...... Had my 99 for nearly a year and love the beast!
VIP,slammed....................