BradTank

The only thing that jumps out at me as to why one would be better than the other for a first car is a GS of that vintage is usually quite a bit cheaper than most LS430s, at least from what I've seen. Like half the price, $3k to $4k for a 2000 GS300 vs $7k to $8k+ for a 2001 LS430.

I would want to have enough spare cash to take care of any repairs that could crop up and not be "car poor". And you can always upgrade later in life. It's sort of expected your first car is not your dream car.

But I really don't think you can make a case that one is more reliable than the other. I will say it seems from personal experience that most GS's that old have not been well taken care of, they seemed to have been beat to hell whereas most LS were owned by an older demographic that had an easier life.

But if you could find a clean example of each, I'd go with the one that was half the price and have a comfortable cushion.

Stu

Guess I am the only one here who feels an LS for is a 16 year old's first car is absurd. Even if you have the money to afford to buy one and keep it insured, repaired and on the road, you'll look like a kid driving your old mans car. There are plenty of cars that will be way more fun to drive for a young guy.

I don't know a singe person under 40 driving a large V8 luxury car, or any who would even want to.

The LS is great, and I do like mine. I am almost 60 and I get teased about driving an old mans car, lol

LexusDrivr

The cars in Japan are extremely clean and all the examples I've looked at are not beat on at all. As for pricing, both will come out to about 7-8k depending on the condition of the car so that's fine. I will also be working and saving after I get the car for all the extras like repairs and maintenance and so on. I'll literally be working just for the car lol

BradTank

The cars "in Japan"?

I thought you were in Alberta?

LS430FL

23 years old here. Bought my first LS430 with the Ultra luxury package at 16 years old. A huge car enthusiast here! Bought the 2001 with 80,000 miles on it and traded it in on a 2006 LS430 with 20,000 miles on it about a year and a half ago. The LS430 was the best decision I ever made. All my friends love the car and I love the soft ride! Good luck with your decision. There are many ways to make these cars look youthful rather than an older mans car like some have said.

LexusDrivr

I'll be importing the car to Canada to save money and have a much better condition car.

And LS430FL, thank you! That's exactly a reply that is helpful to me! How easy is it to drive around?

airchomper

An LS430 is an alright first car. If you have the means, go for it. I've seen some nice looking LS430s for cheap in Japan.

But, if you live in Canada, you could get cooler JDM cars. You could get a Toyota Chaser. Or you could get a Toyota Crown Comfort and save your pennies for a Toyota Century.

Or you could sell a kidney and get a Toyota Century.

It might be awkward driving a RHD car, but I'm sure you've anticipated that. And some of the parts might be hard to find - e.g JDM cars have some TV tuners. And I've heard that most JDM cars come in need of maintenance. You'll need a good mechanic, or you'll need a lot of time and a set of good tools to do most of the jobs.

Let it be known the only people who are worried about driving an 'old man's car' have already had their mid-life crisis. I got my LS430 after I graduated college, when I was 21. I love it.

It's obviously more expensive to own than a Prius, but it's less expensive to own than an SUV. On the balance, I'd say its worth it.

It's an easy car to drive, it's really comfortable and quiet, it's really roomy, it's got great visibility, it's not a ludacris car to drive. It's probably safer and more reliable than any other car in the price range.

But seriously, if you're going to import a car from Japan, get something doper than a LS. For the price of a Celsior, you could get a Century, or a Crown Comfort, or a Crown Majesta, or Athlete, Chaser.

Seriously consider the Crown Magesta. They have the 3UZ like the LS430, but they have AWD which would be great for Canada. And I think they're higher quality than the LS. They're the official company car for Toyota's senior management.

Let us know how the import process goes! I might marry a canadian to get a Century some day.

Coulter

Am I the only one that thinks its HIGHLY dangerous for someone's first car to be one where the steering wheel is on the opposite side of the car?

No way I would let my kid's first car have that, you need a car to be as easy to drive as possible.

Just not a smart choice. Either car is fine, but find a domestic version where the steering wheel is not on the "wrong" side. Not worth getting in a wreck over.

LexusDrivr

Just a question, have you ever driven a RHD car before?

airchomper

The RHD is a good point, actually.

I have a friend with a JDM RX-7, and that thing is a real PITA. You can't go through drive throughs, it makes everything more tricky, and you have to convert the headlights to LHD spec.

It'd be unfortunate to get a RHD as a first car. Especially one that's as expensive (relative to your income) as an LS430. I don't know what's cheap in Canada, but find a Tercel/Corolla/basic Camry and save your money. You have great taste in cars, the Japanese cars will always be available to you in the future. When you get more money, you can even get boss-cocky cars like the Century, or in a few years, the LS460s will be a lot cheaper.

But if you want an LS430 bad and you're willing to make it happen, you won't be disappointed. That said, it's nice to drive another car before the LS430 so you know how good you have it.

lextout

The gs300 is a dog compared to the ls430, you can also look at the 1998-2005 gs400/430, both V8's yet you get more horse power and top speed then the ls430, 300hp for the gs400 top speed (150mph) and 290 for the ls430 top speed (135mph)

toddmorr

having lived in Japan for several years I can tell you that cherry condition used cars are very plentiful there. The Japanese tend to maintain them fairly well, and they have very low miles because the Japanese don't commute with cars. That, plus the fact that Japanese don't like to buy used things, means you tend to have depressed prices on the used car market, compared to the US. Hence, OP's situation where he can get a great used JDM car for not much $.

having said all that, a RHD car would drive me nuts in about 5 minutes.

ncsucarjoc

Either will be fun as a first car. I'm a big car enthusiast, have been all my life. I grew up with RWD.... and I've owned the BMW's, the MB, the Volvo's, the domestic junky cars, the Jeeps, the trucks.... I'll be 34 this year, and the LS430 is the 34th car I've bought... Some stay a few weeks, others hang around for years... just depends.

I think the LS430 is a great car, and it's probably good for a new driver. It does have a fair bit of power, and though it's not a racer, it's pretty easy to nose it north of 100mph, and not know or feel the speed. From that perspective, it's not a great first car. But - if you do wreck it, you'll most likely be fine, because they are very safe.

So...go for it. I've always driven stuff that was oddball, because I liked it. And I love the way a big sedan goes down the road.

RHD is interesting. You adapt. I've driven RHD cars in the US, and LHD, and LHD cars in the EU, where they drive on the LHS of the road. Of the two, RHD is easier to adapt to...

Go for it. If you don't like one, you can sell it, and get a different one. Do test drive first (unlike me... who bought his LS430 without ever having driven one).

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Bob04

What is your yearly salary? How much do you have in savings to spend on repairs?

Kira X

iTrader: (24)

I got my little sister a 2002 LS430 for her first car and she loves it. Unfortunately she doesn't have her license yet so I drive it most of the time. It's a very safe and comfortable car. I think a GS would be more fun to drive for young people. If you go the GS route I would recommend a GS400 or GS430 since the 2JZ in the GS300 is extremely slow without a turbo.

I bought my 05 LS430 when I was 22 and it's fun to drive since I have coilovers, wheels, and exhaust. My sister's 02 LS430 is stock and it's very boring to drive. It handles like a giant boat, but it's also insanely comfortable and doesn't attract police attention like my modded 05 does.

Do you have any plans to modify the car or did you want to leave it stock? You can't go wrong with either choices. The GS is faster, more sporty, and has big power potential if you turbo the 2JZ on the GS300. The LS430 isn't as sporty stock but it rides very smooth. The LS is also roomier and looks really nice lowered with a set of wheels. Keep in mind insurance will be high on both cars despite being older cars. My insurance is still high on mine even though it's a "grandpa" sedan.