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Hi All, a newbie here. I have never owned a Lexus. I have in my sights a 2001 LS 430 with 75,000 miles, or a 2005 GS 430 with 100,000 miles. Both have extensive service history. They are both in the $16000 Australian dollar range. Which is the better car? I love them both, the LS is more luxurious but older, no GPS and the GS is more sporty and more modern. The LS looks new, with the Lux pack included. My prime consern is reliability. I don't mind paying extra for a one or second owner garaged and much loved car with a complete history. My last car was an 1989 Bentey Turbo R, which was a crap car as I never knew when it was going to break down ....again, so never again. Your opinion is much valued, thank you, I will post photos when I get back from Vietnam and have my new ride......very soon. Thank you.
Are u now travelling in Vietnam? Hope you have good time in my country.
In my opinion, if you consider a newer LS430, that's will be the good choice (from 2004 - 2006) -> it is much beautiful and sportier. I got the 2001 LS430, still loving her but also getting a bit sad when seeing another newer LS430 on the roads
And if there is no 2004 -2006, GS430 is nice for your daily ride.
Personally I will go withe the GS. Bother are good an relatable. Drive bothe then decide see witch one you like the most. But as stated the 04-06 LS is nicer that the 01-03.
that is my opinion.
regards.
This is a non answer to some extent but it is tough to go wrong with either one you mention. All things being equal I'd go with the slightly newer model. Over time all plastics and rubber degrades and these cars do age. Be sure to get a garage kept car if possible. There is a big difference in preservation between a 10 year old garaged car and one parked out in the elements 24x7. GS430 are actually kind of rare in the US.
It all depends on your taste and what you're looking for. I own both of the cars you mentioned, however, different years as I have a '99 GS400 and an '05 LS430 UL. They both drive differently as the LS430 is a lot heavier. Their is a distinct quietness associated with the LS over the GS. I always knew that Lexus had very quiet cars so when I first got the GS I was astonished by how quiet it was on the highway until I hopped into an LS and it is a big difference due to very little wind noise and road noise when travelling on the highway. There is definitely more room in the LS than the GS, but the GS is more sporty to drive. I have driven the GS across country and put on over 2500 miles in one trip and it was definitely comfortable but the LS is more comfortable. As for the LS you're looking for, there are aftermarket modules that you can add to the '01 that allows for Bluetooth for calls and streaming. You won't be disappointed with either one, it all comes down to what you're looking for in the car. I, for one, drive my LS everyday as I do enjoy its quietness on the ride home after a long day at work.
if we are comparing a 3rd gen.... I'd take a 3rd gen 430 over the 01-03 LS all day.
Between the 3rd gen 430 and 04-06 LS......that's a tough decision. It might have to come down to color options to make the right choice. But that's just me
I test drove 5 LS430s (04-06 models) and one 06 GS430 before buying an 05 LS430. The GS is not a bad car but it feels cheap compared to the LS. The grade of interior materials is a notch below what is in the LS. This all has to do with how thick the leather is, the feel of plastics, the buttons/switches, etc. Most cars end up just cruising the highways or crawling in urban traffic so to me personally a V8 RWD car should be all about isolation from the road and a comfortable ride so this means large body. The GS430 I tested had the adjustable suspension but the base LS suspension (non-air type) felt superior in how the car rides under all conditions. If you have rear seat passengers you will carry the difference is night and day in terms of leg room and comfort in the LS.
I have never driven a second gen GS430 but to me it is superior car to the 3rd gen GS430 because the older car was designed for the pleasure of driving more than the ability to have electronic toys and make phone calls like the newer cars. The newer you get the more wrong Toyota keeps going with adding things to their cars that are not about the driving experience. If the LS430 only had standard blind spot monitoring on all models it would have been absolutely perfect. Well, that and a taller top gear so you could do 75 mph at 1600 rpm on the highway.
If your preference is the GS then go for a third gen GS460 if they had them in your market. These have an 8 speed transmission and a significant jump in hp/torque over the GS430. They are hard to find with low miles in the US.
If you go LS430 then stay away from the UL models with air suspension and try for 05 or 06.
Hi guys, the photos I posted are the actual cars on carsales. One is a 2001 LS 430 and the other is a 2005 GS 430, at least that is what the adds state. Thing is here in Australia, a new LS is a lot more than a GS, that reflects in the similar price between the two. Thanks :-))
Thank you for your reply Texan-176, there is only one GS 460 for sale in Australia it is a 2008 model for 30,000$ Australian. It is about double my budget, and too far away, I'm in Perth and the car is in Sydney. Almost like you live in LA and looking at a car in New York. Lol. Yes Australia is big, only 22 million people.
09-08-16, 02:37 AM
Buy a LS 430 or GS430
