'99 Lexus LS400

Volvoboy

Evenin',

Seen a lovely Lexus LS 400 on tinternet needing a respray and a few other bits at a cheap price.

Bodywork and other bits not too concerned about just pondering MPG's, i shall be taxi'ing the car:).

I'd ballpark mid 20's?

Anyone here have any experence of the LS?

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Lexus/LS400/4.0-V8/1075215/

Gumbo

i dont think you will even get ballpark mid 20 mpg imo.

i had a 4.4 V8 petrol that was simply used around town and a few motor way runs etc etc, but in the year i owned it, the computer showed average mpd of 16.9.

now your gona use it as a taxi which will spend most of its life in stop go traffic in the city centre, so i would take a guess that you will be lucky to get 20mpg average.

my opinion of course, but other that that they are a great big comfy car and great taxi choice for comfort. only thing is servicing may be expensive say compared to an avensis or similar.

Volvoboy

kceire wrote: »

i dont think you will even get ballpark mid 20 mpg imo.

i had a 4.4 V8 petrol that was simply used around town and a few motor way runs etc etc, but in the year i owned it, the computer showed average mpd of 16.9.

now your gona use it as a taxi which will spend most of its life in stop go traffic in the city centre, so i would take a guess that you will be lucky to get 20mpg average.

my opinion of course, but other that that they are a great big comfy car and great taxi choice for comfort. only thing is servicing may be expensive say compared to an avensis or similar.

I'd struggle to see the comparison of MPG to a LS 400 to a X5.

ninty9er

There's 3 or 4 of them in use as taxis in Limerick for a good while along with the odd S320. They wouldn't be there if they weren't economical to run.

You could always follow my lead and bio-ethanol convert it. At least that way it'd be a guzzler that's 35c cheaper a litre to fill:D:D and I imagine that's about €25-€30 per fill with economy of about 5% less so a loss of about €4-€6. Still over €20 cheaper a fill:D:D


they forget to say in the ad that it's already a taxi as opposed to an ideal one :eek:

Gumbo

Volvoboy wrote: »

I'd struggle to see the comparison of MPG to a LS 400 to a X5.

why?

they are both V8's
granted the X5 had a 4.4 and the lexus is 4.0 so the obvious difference would be similar to comparing a 1 litre to a 1.4 litre cars, of course you will get slightly more mpg because you are 0.4 litres smaller.

Lexus :
• 3,969 cc 4 liters 8 V engine
• Fuel economy EPA highway (l/100km): 9.4
• Power: 216 kW , 290 HP @ 6,000 rpm; 300 ft lb , 407 Nm @ 4,000 rpm
• Weight: curb weight (kg) 1,764

X5 :
• 4.4 liters 8 V engine
• Fuel economy EPA : 16.9 average
• Power: 286 HP, 324 ft lb
• Weight: curb weight (kg) 2200

so the lexus is 500kg lighter too, so you would save on that too.
its not as bad as i first thought, but i still think you would be lucky to get mid twenties while using it as a taxi.

do you know anybody that has one, or maybe try get a weekend test drive if its a dealer.

Volvoboy

kceire wrote: »

why?

they are both V8's
granted the X5 had a 4.4 and the lexus is 4.0 so the obvious difference would be similar to comparing a 1 litre to a 1.4 litre cars, of course you will get slightly more mpg because you are 0.4 litres smaller.

Lexus :
• 3,969 cc 4 liters 8 V engine
• Fuel economy EPA highway (l/100km): 9.4
• Power: 216 kW , 290 HP @ 6,000 rpm; 300 ft lb , 407 Nm @ 4,000 rpm
• Weight: curb weight (kg) 1,764

X5 :
• 4.4 liters 8 V engine
• Fuel economy EPA : 16.9 average
• Power: 286 HP, 324 ft lb
• Weight: curb weight (kg) 2200

so the lexus is 500kg lighter too, so you would save on that too.
its not as bad as i first thought, but i still think you would be lucky to get mid twenties while using it as a taxi.

do you know anybody that has one, or maybe try get a weekend test drive if its a dealer.

Also i assume the X5 has pemanent 4 wheel drive too?


Have somthing to ponder.

ninty9er- Spotted the dasies

junkyard

You'll be lucky to get 20 never mind mid-twenties and they're almost impossible to sell afterwards. I had a mint 98 one for sale some time back and in the year I had it for sale on carzone I only had 2 enquiries for it and just lucky that one of them bought it. They're a bland boring car though it has to be said, give me a BMW or a big Merc anyday.

Eoin

junkyard wrote: »

You'll be lucky to get 20 never mind mid-twenties and they're almost impossible to sell afterwards. I had a mint 98 one for sale some time back and in the year I had it for sale on carzone I only had 2 enquiries for it and just lucky that one of them bought it. They're a bland boring car though it has to be said, give me a BMW or a big Merc anyday.

I think any re-sale value can be forgotten about with this car - it already has 150K on the clock.

I drove one for a day a couple of years ago, and while the handling was a little too boat-like for me, it was extremely comfortable. I quite like the looks too.

Volvoboy

eoin_s wrote: »

I think any re-sale value can be forgotten about with this car - it already has 150K on the clock.

I drove one for a day a couple of years ago, and while the handling was a little too boat-like for me, it was extremely comfortable. I quite like the looks too.

Big factor when your going to be driving it for the guts of 12 hours a day.

Max_Damage

Maybe you should look at an early 90's LS400? You'd probably get one for pennies.

colm_mcm

Consider a GS too. not as relatively good value as an LS though. I think for taxiing, 20mpg is about the height of it.

Volvoboy

Max_Damage wrote: »

Maybe you should look at an early 90's LS400? You'd probably get one for pennies.

Any early ones are bound to be dog rough.


Colm, GS are too small:pac:

colm_mcm

you're not gonna be sitting in the back! it's nice having a bit of flash, but you also have to manouver it through city traffic, and feed it petrol. there's little between them from a driver comfort point of view.

junkyard

I'd go for an S class Merc if I was you Volvoboy, you'll buy them cheap, parts are cheap and they look the part.

ninty9er

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Volvo/960/AUTOMATIC-AUTOMATIC+NCT/1077320/

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Volvo/S80/car/1100524/

for Volvoboy

Volvoboy

ninty9er wrote: »

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Volvo/960/AUTOMATIC-AUTOMATIC+NCT/1077320/

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Volvo/S80/car/1100524/

for Volvoboy

You know me too well:pac:

Like that 960, dirt cheap too

S80 is a bit scaldy

unkel

Volvoboy wrote: »

i shall be taxi'ing the car:)

And you'll be a much happier taxi man than most

C'mon, folks, there's a lot to say for the LS400 as a taxi. Firstly at a couple of grand it is a bargain to buy. Then, Volvoboy can make it look great again with the panel beating skills he's developed over the past few years

OK, so it won't be as good on fuel as the "pocket rocket" VAG 1.9 TDI :rolleyes:

With bus lanes, the average taxi drivers mix of driving being much better than a typical commuters drive in and out of the city centre at peak times and some longer spins, I reckon 25MPG on average would be very doable. And I'm generally pretty prudent when it comes to these sorts of budgetting exercises

And have a nicer, more luxurious and more comfortable place of work than 95% of your peers

Go for it Volvoboy!

(I presume it comes with a built-in tele too?)

bazz26

Diesel Panzer:
http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Mercedes-Benz/S-300/car/896433/

Max_Damage

Boo-yeah! Taxi man's favorite :

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Toyota/Camry/1.8-auto/790331/

G-CBHV

I have a 99 Ls400, On long drives which I normally use it for I see late 20's MPG, my best been 29mpg on a Galway - Dublin run, it seems to be more efficient at motorway 120kph, than the usual Irish 'N' road 80kph. Even on the few times i've driven it in cities i've never seen anything worse than low 20's.

Its been extremely reliable which I expected and extremely comfortable, I bought with a Full Lexus service history and i've only ever had to pay for basic servicing and tyres. Handles like a boat but for what I need its perfect. Im probably going to have to trade it in soon so im sure ill be in for a whack of depreciation but I really cant complain.

Gumbo

@ Volvoboy, dont forget the new new rules from 1st Jan 2009 that all taxi's have to be less than 8 years old.

unless your already working as a taxi man then you have 4 years grace to save for a newer car. from the 1st Jan 2012 all taxi's new and existing drivers have to have cars less than 8 years old.

grand no probs if you are already in the game or can get into it before 31st Dec 2008 then you can use the car for 4 more years to get your money out of it.

niceirishfella

junkyard wrote: »

I'd go for an S class Merc if I was you Volvoboy, you'll buy them cheap, parts are cheap and they look the part.

+1
I was only in the back of one the other weekend as a punter and it was a grand bus to be limo'd around in!

JHMEG

A friend had a LS400. 18-20mpg. 155,000 miles on the clock, and the enigine still purred. A big V8 like that is never under any pressure and would easily do huge mileage.

Speak to any Merc tax owner.. nice car and all that, but the amount of parts required to keep them going is usually large. I was talking to one lad who had spent more on parts and tyres than he had on petrol in the previous year.

Don't need to tell you how the LS would be the polar opposite.

Volvoboy

Well i mainly work nights so, there aint much traffic about (except sth great georges st at 2 am:o)

Was pondering a S class, But my dad has spent a fortune getting his to spec.


Incidently his one is for sale very rare beast the only S500 with a 3.2:D

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Mercedes-Benz/S-320/car/1075346/

ninty9er

I've been from Limerick to Waterford and back in an S-Class. Rear seat comfort is no better than a mid 90s Vectra (with the softer velour seats).

Gumbo

Volvoboy wrote: »

Well i mainly work nights so, there aint much traffic about (except sth great georges st at 2 am:o)

Was pondering a S class, But my dad has spent a fortune getting his to spec.


Incidently his one is for sale very rare beast the only S500 with a 3.2:D

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Mercedes-Benz/S-320/car/1075346/

now that would be nice to taxi in!!
would he do a deal with a D4D avensis LOL

as you mentioned the only traffic at night is georges street and aungier street!

best of luck with whatever you choose.

Volvoboy

Just got a quote for the ins, extra 200 blips for the year:eek:

ninty9er

Volvoboy wrote: »

Just got a quote for the ins, extra 2,000 blips for the year:eek:

There corrected that for you

You'd want to be mad not to.

Are you taxiing the Carina or Almera right now??

Volvoboy

Or €30 extra a month:)


Still have the Carina, couldnt bear selling it, well the ma's 50th is coming up soon, make a nice present.:pac:

ninty9er

Volvoboy wrote: »

Or €30 extra a month:)


Still have the Carina, couldnt bear selling it, well the ma's 50th is coming up soon, make a nice present.:pac:

Actually, someone was on here looking for one recently. A good home might be no bad idea considering the grief you got the last time you made an addition to the driveway without a disposal:D Or is it being "her car" just a way of making the space issue "her problem";)

Volvoboy

ninty9er wrote: »

Actually, someone was on here looking for one recently. A good home might be no bad idea considering the grief you got the last time you made an addition to the driveway without a disposal:D Or is it being "her car" just a way of making the space issue "her problem";)

Funny you mention about the parking arangemnt, her and the partner are way for a week, however another 2 cars ''followed me home'', we've 5 in the house now.

My neighbours love me:)