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[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Mrs Opti briefly owned a 3.0 SE Auto. It went well enough (when it ran at all) but suffered every electrical gremlin known to man.

The auto box was jerky........and it did about 13 MPG. Quit frankly we were gald to see the back of it..... (Ebay makes selling crap so much easier. )

JB, In my opinion £1900 is way too expensive for what is basically a Mondeo in a posh frock. At £500 it may be worth a punt.

You're not wrong - it's definitely overpriced, but not by a huge amount.  There are quite a few on Autotrader, and the price seems to be related quite closely to the mileage.  The one I looked at has relatively low mileage, but he's still asking too much.  He already dropped the price by £100 without my asking, so I'll get my wife to react negatively to it on Sunday, and see if he'll go any lower. But I'm crap at negotiating, so I'll probably end up paying the full price.

I know it's based on the Mondeo body shell, and the V6 engine is derived from a Mondeo engine, but it doesn't really look like a Mondeo, drive like a Mondeo or feel like a Mondeo inside.  The gearbox seemed OK, distinctly smoother than the Omega, but I didn't drive it very far.  Very easy to manoeuvre - better rear view than the Omega.

Dismissively would be better, JB........Women do dismissively so much better than men.

[ronnyd]

The guy who does my mechanicals advised me to steer clear of Rover V6 engines as a quite pricey kit is needed
for a cambelt change

[omega3000]

The guy who does my mechanicals advised me to steer clear of Rover V6 engines as a quite pricey kit is needed
for a cambelt change

Rover AND V6 just doesn't sound right  I sat in one a while back and was disappointed with the cramped cabin and lack of toys , must have been a bog standard model though 

[MR MISTER]

The guy who does my mechanicals advised me to steer clear of Rover V6 engines as a quite pricey kit is needed
for a cambelt change

I paid nearly £800 for the belt change on my zt 2.5 V6, but the first change is at 90000 so no big deal as a vauxhall would have needed two changes by then.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

The guy who does my mechanicals advised me to steer clear of Rover V6 engines as a quite pricey kit is needed
for a cambelt change

I paid nearly £800 for the belt change on my zt 2.5 V6, but the first change is at 90000 so no big deal as a vauxhall would have needed two changes by then.

By which time the belt change costs twice the value of the car...

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Also, if you decide that you might buy a car, any car, the last thing you want to do is ask for opinions on a car forum. Someone will always have a friend of a friend who had the wheels fall off one after 10 miles.
I have had all sorts of different makes and models in my time and, as of yet, none of them have been money pits or unreliable (except one and I guess you know which one that was) 
When I bought my wife her renault megane coupe folk couldn't wait to tell me how shitty French cars are. She's had it nearly three years now and, so far, all the toys still work (and it has a good few), and it hasn't self-destructed. All in all, it's been a good car and I would buy another.

Wasn't this 'cubed' some eighteen months ago?....

[MR MISTER]

The guy who does my mechanicals advised me to steer clear of Rover V6 engines as a quite pricey kit is needed
for a cambelt change

I paid nearly £800 for the belt change on my zt 2.5 V6, but the first change is at 90000 so no big deal as a vauxhall would have needed two changes by then.

By which time the belt change costs twice the value of the car...

It's a pity I never turned up to a meet and put my 51 plate zt up against a 51 plate omega 2.5. It would have been great fun.....for me 

[MR MISTER]

Also, if you decide that you might buy a car, any car, the last thing you want to do is ask for opinions on a car forum. Someone will always have a friend of a friend who had the wheels fall off one after 10 miles.
I have had all sorts of different makes and models in my time and, as of yet, none of them have been money pits or unreliable (except one and I guess you know which one that was) 
When I bought my wife her renault megane coupe folk couldn't wait to tell me how shitty French cars are. She's had it nearly three years now and, so far, all the toys still work (and it has a good few), and it hasn't self-destructed. All in all, it's been a good car and I would buy another.

Wasn't this 'cubed' some eighteen months ago?....

I suppose I could have ensured slightly more longevity by buying 12 omegas for the same price 

[bigegg]

So.......you want a big car with lots of toys, 12 months mot, in good nick and has to drive like a dream.....for sub 2K.
Good luck.

lexus gs300  - 1998 onwards  - about 1200-1800 quid 3.0 V6
or for less money (and mpg not much worse than a mig) - lexus LS400 - 500 to 1500 quid - 4.0 V8

or go for an IS200 - 2.0 Straight 6, but mpg about same as 3.0

age doesn't matter, nor does mileage - buy newer rather than lower mileage tho
Read some online reviews, let me know if you find a bad one 

[MR MISTER]

So.......you want a big car with lots of toys, 12 months mot, in good nick and has to drive like a dream.....for sub 2K.
Good luck.

lexus gs300  - 1998 onwards  - about 1200-1800 quid 3.0 V6
or for less money (and mpg not much worse than a mig) - lexus LS400 - 500 to 1500 quid - 4.0 V8

or go for an IS200 - 2.0 Straight 6, but mpg about same as 3.0

age doesn't matter, nor does mileage - buy newer rather than lower mileage tho
Read some online reviews, let me know if you find a bad one 

From what JB says, the 200 and 300 would be too small (as in room inside the car). The 400...well...you'd need your own refinery.

[bigegg]

There's a IS200/IS300 estate - but rear seats are only really suitable for three kids, or two adults.

the LS400 does (according to the lexus owner's club actual usage figures) about 25 to gallon combined, 15-20 urban, 28-33 on m/ways - comparable to my 3.0 mig estate.
Supposedly, the engine is so well engineered and balanced, and silent, it's actually more efficient.
Only weighs the same as a mig, as well (1800kgs)

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

So.......you want a big car with lots of toys, 12 months mot, in good nick and has to drive like a dream.....for sub 2K.
Good luck.

lexus gs300  - 1998 onwards  - about 1200-1800 quid 3.0 V6
or for less money (and mpg not much worse than a mig) - lexus LS400 - 500 to 1500 quid - 4.0 V8

or go for an IS200 - 2.0 Straight 6, but mpg about same as 3.0

age doesn't matter, nor does mileage - buy newer rather than lower mileage tho
Read some online reviews, let me know if you find a bad one 

From what JB says, the 200 and 300 would be too small (as in room inside the car). The 400...well...you'd need your own refinery.


My understanding is that JB is 'certainly not a big bloke'.......so interior space should not be a problem.

[MR MISTER]

If you look back at the original thread, lexii have been done.

[bigegg]

It's not done, until it's done 

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/lexus-ls400/1025102761

£500. - if Mrs Egg actually liked the LS400 (she wants a GS300 now  ) I would have already phoned about it, and probably driving down to take a look

And if you didn't like it, pretty much guaranteed to get your money back - the prices have bottomed AFAICS

IS200 no good if you need auto - manual only
IS or GS300 series nearly always auto
LS400 ALWAYS auto

all RWD

this one?
http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/lexus-gs300/1024790029

[omega3000]

It's not done, until it's done 

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/lexus-ls400/1025102761

£500. - if Mrs Egg actually liked the LS400 (she wants a GS300 now  ) I would have already phoned about it, and probably driving down to take a look

And if you didn't like it, pretty much guaranteed to get your money back - the prices have bottomed AFAICS

IS200 no good if you need auto - manual only
IS or GS300 series nearly always auto
LS400 ALWAYS auto

all RWD

this one?
http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/lexus-gs300/1024790029

I like that for 500 notes  And check out the mileages of those lexus , a lot are still strong at 200,000 +