From '04 LS430 to '10 460L (new purchase)
03-03-17, 07:23 PM
#1
Pole Position
Thread Starter
From '04 LS430 to '10 460L (new purchase)
Finally pulled the trigger. Bought my 2004 in May of 2008 with 70k miles. Drove it almost 9 years and 180k miles myself (traded it at 248k). An absolute tank; no issues. Have driven my fair share of 460's, have family members with the '10-'12 bodystyle, but this is my first experience with an L. Once I drove it I was hooked. Found it at a south FL Audi dealership where it had been sitting almost 5 months- looked up the service history on the driver's site and found a meticulous maintenance history at Lexus in Jacksonville and a one-owner Carfax with no issues. Hadn't ever seen the color (smoky granite) - from the pics online wasn't sure if it was navy blue- then saw it in person and really liked it as it's the darkest gray Lexus I have ever seen. However it definitely changes color depending on the lighting. A family member has the lighter grey (maybe called "Nebula"?? - and I had never seen another grey other than that until seeing this one).
Have to admit I had my heart set on a mid 2011 or beyond in an effort to avoid things like control arms, melting panels (which I think were resolved in late 2009) and brake actuator, but I have been wanting a '10-'12 460 for 2 years and mathematically I haven't seen a deal like this based on age, miles, condition, etc. so I pulled the trigger. This is a July production, so only 2 months away from a 2011- and I noticed one of the things from the Lexus driver's site was a replacement of 2 door panels (I can only assume the beginning of "melting" door panel). It made me feel good about how meticulous the owner was to detail.
For those shopping, I got a non-CPO 2010 LS460L (no air ride- which was intentional) with 65,600 miles for $22,700 plus tax. It has Levinson and the 19" 5 star wheels, but does not have the rear executive seating package. I also got $3k for my 2004 LS430 with 248k miles on trade (and I was happy about that) so after it was all said and done I ended up at $22,800 OTD for the 460L. I was one of the reluctant 430 owners- not sure if I was overly impressed with a 460 (and I've driven a ton of them) - but I really don't know what took me so long to convert. It is an absolutely massive upgrade and I couldn't be happier. As I said earlier, I had no experience with an "L", but this thing has really won me over. It feels way more solid, quiet, and smooth than my 430 did. And the feel of the leather is noticeably superior to my 430- not even in the same ballpark.
The best part is my wife absolutely hated my 430 (even from the day I bought it in 2008). She didn't like a 2012 460 that I almost bought last summer (it was the same color combo as my 430). Yet, she sat in this 460L and for whatever reason fell in love (I think it was the rear legroom and the black interior). Once we test drove it she was 100% supportive of me buying it... even to the point of agreeing we should sell our "fun" car (Audi S5) to let the 460 be garage-kept (you can see the S5 getting washed up for AutoTrader pics in one of my pictures!).
Immediate to-do's:
1) Get a scratch on passenger rear quarter panel buffed out
1b) Full detail on exterior and interior from my favorite local detailing company
2) Tint windows (prepare for FL summer - was surprised as this was a FL car and had no tint)
3) Get rid of all-weather front floor mats and replace with new OEM floor mats
Longer-term:
1) Sport grille
I appreciate the help of "LS430FL" (Jared) acting as my coach and therapist throughout this process with this car..! He recently moved from a 430 to a 2011 460L and had great insight for me to follow. I'm glad to be officially part of the 4th Gen forum. Here are a few pics that show up sideways in the "preview" of the post but seem to re-orient when you click on the thumbnail. I'm thrilled and feel I got a very fair deal on such a well-kept car. There are certain pockets of FL that have a very old demographic who are really reluctant to buy cars of this age and mileage- and I'm convinced it's why this car sat so long on the Audi lot. Luckily I swooped in and bought it within 2 days of seeing it.
Cheers,
Have to admit I had my heart set on a mid 2011 or beyond in an effort to avoid things like control arms, melting panels (which I think were resolved in late 2009) and brake actuator, but I have been wanting a '10-'12 460 for 2 years and mathematically I haven't seen a deal like this based on age, miles, condition, etc. so I pulled the trigger. This is a July production, so only 2 months away from a 2011- and I noticed one of the things from the Lexus driver's site was a replacement of 2 door panels (I can only assume the beginning of "melting" door panel). It made me feel good about how meticulous the owner was to detail.
For those shopping, I got a non-CPO 2010 LS460L (no air ride- which was intentional) with 65,600 miles for $22,700 plus tax. It has Levinson and the 19" 5 star wheels, but does not have the rear executive seating package. I also got $3k for my 2004 LS430 with 248k miles on trade (and I was happy about that) so after it was all said and done I ended up at $22,800 OTD for the 460L. I was one of the reluctant 430 owners- not sure if I was overly impressed with a 460 (and I've driven a ton of them) - but I really don't know what took me so long to convert. It is an absolutely massive upgrade and I couldn't be happier. As I said earlier, I had no experience with an "L", but this thing has really won me over. It feels way more solid, quiet, and smooth than my 430 did. And the feel of the leather is noticeably superior to my 430- not even in the same ballpark.
The best part is my wife absolutely hated my 430 (even from the day I bought it in 2008). She didn't like a 2012 460 that I almost bought last summer (it was the same color combo as my 430). Yet, she sat in this 460L and for whatever reason fell in love (I think it was the rear legroom and the black interior). Once we test drove it she was 100% supportive of me buying it... even to the point of agreeing we should sell our "fun" car (Audi S5) to let the 460 be garage-kept (you can see the S5 getting washed up for AutoTrader pics in one of my pictures!).
Immediate to-do's:
1) Get a scratch on passenger rear quarter panel buffed out
1b) Full detail on exterior and interior from my favorite local detailing company
2) Tint windows (prepare for FL summer - was surprised as this was a FL car and had no tint)
3) Get rid of all-weather front floor mats and replace with new OEM floor mats
Longer-term:
1) Sport grille
I appreciate the help of "LS430FL" (Jared) acting as my coach and therapist throughout this process with this car..! He recently moved from a 430 to a 2011 460L and had great insight for me to follow. I'm glad to be officially part of the 4th Gen forum. Here are a few pics that show up sideways in the "preview" of the post but seem to re-orient when you click on the thumbnail. I'm thrilled and feel I got a very fair deal on such a well-kept car. There are certain pockets of FL that have a very old demographic who are really reluctant to buy cars of this age and mileage- and I'm convinced it's why this car sat so long on the Audi lot. Luckily I swooped in and bought it within 2 days of seeing it.
Cheers,
03-03-17, 08:08 PM
#2
Lexus Fanatic
Congrats! She's a beaut.
The color is is called smokey granite Mica.
The color is is called smokey granite Mica.
03-03-17, 08:13 PM
#3
Pole Position
Congrats, jrmckinley, the car looks gorgeous! It may be dark grey, but sure looks like a black/black combo like mine. My wife too is a big fan of this color combo! You have been on this forum before, so it will be nice to see and read more about the mods you have planned for this car.
03-03-17, 08:48 PM
#4
Pole Position
Thread Starter
Yep, you're right. I accidentally left out the "mica" - I don't know how many of these were made in the 460 lineup, but I can say I personally never saw one until viewing this car a week ago. Truth be told, I'm a sucker for lighter colored cars here in FL so really thought I'd end up with a silver (mercury metallic) with grey leather or Starfire Pearl with tan leather, but the wife didn't really like either of those... Family member has a 2012 Nebula Grey with tan interior which I really like, but when I saw this I thought it had the striking features of a black car without some of the headaches. And the impeccable service history and price just made it feel like the stars were aligning for this to be my entrance into the 460 lineup.
Happy to be here. Have been in the LS family 12 years now- owned a '96 400 that I sold at 225k, then had the '04 all the way to 248k, will see how long I hold onto this one. I'm 37 but drive like I'm 87 so this one should last for a while like the others.
On a side note, and to reference another thread, I do agree the Nakamichi (sp?) in the older Lexus models is superior to the Levinson in both my '10 LS and '10 LX570. I had the standard stereo in my '04 and not sure I hear too much difference from driver's perspective between the '04 standard vs. '10 Levinson. On our LX, I especially hate how high I have to crank the volume when listening to SAT or using Bluetooth. I suspect this will be the same once I get my devices connected to the 460.
Happy to be here. Have been in the LS family 12 years now- owned a '96 400 that I sold at 225k, then had the '04 all the way to 248k, will see how long I hold onto this one. I'm 37 but drive like I'm 87 so this one should last for a while like the others.
On a side note, and to reference another thread, I do agree the Nakamichi (sp?) in the older Lexus models is superior to the Levinson in both my '10 LS and '10 LX570. I had the standard stereo in my '04 and not sure I hear too much difference from driver's perspective between the '04 standard vs. '10 Levinson. On our LX, I especially hate how high I have to crank the volume when listening to SAT or using Bluetooth. I suspect this will be the same once I get my devices connected to the 460.
03-03-17, 08:57 PM
#5
Pole Position
Thread Starter
Congrats, jrmckinley, the car looks gorgeous! It may be dark grey, but sure looks like a black/black combo like mine. My wife too is a big fan of this color combo! You have been on this forum before, so it will be nice to see and read more about the mods you have planned for this car.
I am very pleased with the upgrade. Not too many mods planned, but will re-post some pics once I get the windows tinted and Sport grille added.
03-03-17, 08:58 PM
#6
Lexus Fanatic
It's a fairly common color up here. I like it better than my nebula which is a lot lighter. Enjoy!
03-03-17, 10:32 PM
#7
Congrats! Beautiful 460 and something to be proud of. Drive and enjoy.
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03-04-17, 04:46 AM
#8
Congrats jrmckinley. Beautiful car. Enjoy the ride.
Both Nakamichi and Mark Levinson produce good stuff. However when it comes to Toyota/Lexus implementation, most of those needs/requirements are set by Toy/Lex. Long back read an article published by Lexus on how they work with these companies audio engineers to design/build audio system for respective models. In some models, wood panels were designed and built in partnership with Yamaha.
That being said, AQ is depends on how Lexus wanted the implementation be. Thus it not fair to compare across two models. My GX also has ML. I was less impressed with that AQ. However LS ML blows my mind. One of the main reason I enjoy driving LS is its ML system. I am into audio gears since my childhood and currently own 20k home audio. LS ML easily competes with that - I am not exaggerating !!!.
Both Nakamichi and Mark Levinson produce good stuff. However when it comes to Toyota/Lexus implementation, most of those needs/requirements are set by Toy/Lex. Long back read an article published by Lexus on how they work with these companies audio engineers to design/build audio system for respective models. In some models, wood panels were designed and built in partnership with Yamaha.
That being said, AQ is depends on how Lexus wanted the implementation be. Thus it not fair to compare across two models. My GX also has ML. I was less impressed with that AQ. However LS ML blows my mind. One of the main reason I enjoy driving LS is its ML system. I am into audio gears since my childhood and currently own 20k home audio. LS ML easily competes with that - I am not exaggerating !!!.
03-04-17, 05:41 AM
#9
Congrats on the new car, I wish you good luck with it! This way you are staying just one generation behind. 
BTW, I find that when I switch from FM to XM, I have to turn the volume up a little. I've always assumed it's an XM issue and nothing to do with the ML, I guess.
BTW, I find that when I switch from FM to XM, I have to turn the volume up a little. I've always assumed it's an XM issue and nothing to do with the ML, I guess.
03-04-17, 08:42 AM
#10
Lexus Fanatic
I was one of the reluctant 430 owners- not sure if I was overly impressed with a 460 (and I've driven a ton of them) - but I really don't know what took me so long to convert.
As Satiger said, the ML system is a beast. I have read many audiophile publications and reviews that rank the Lexus LS460 ML system as the best or close to the best car audio systems in the world, surpassing B&O, Bowers and Wilkins, Lexicon, etc). Some went so far as to say that it surpassed high end HOME audio. No matter how loud I play my system, it never distorts. The clarity is amazing. I regularly play my system at 50-55. I like my bass deep and the volume loud.....the ML never fails me. What I would say is that, if you're not satisfied with how it sounds, that you play with the settings. There are a LOT of them in the screen settings...everything from the usual treble, bass etc to surround settings and the like.
03-05-17, 09:41 AM
#12
Racer
Wow, you've got top to bottom what I was looking for in an LS460L. Non Air ride was a must for me. Air shocks are expensive to replace. Those 19" wheels really bring out the looks and the "L" has more of a road presence. Plus tech features that will hold up with time, you are all set for many years of ownership.
I feel that the new cars nowadays are too expensive to keep long term. Seems like they are making them more for leasing and then you get out of it like German autos.
The choice for affordable used Luxury vehicles that you wouldn't be afraid to own long term is getting smaller and smaller.
I feel that the new cars nowadays are too expensive to keep long term. Seems like they are making them more for leasing and then you get out of it like German autos.
The choice for affordable used Luxury vehicles that you wouldn't be afraid to own long term is getting smaller and smaller.
Last edited by JLAWS; 03-05-17 at 09:53 AM.
03-06-17, 11:14 AM
#14
Pole Position
Thread Starter
Wow, you've got top to bottom what I was looking for in an LS460L. Non Air ride was a must for me. Air shocks are expensive to replace. Those 19" wheels really bring out the looks and the "L" has more of a road presence. Plus tech features that will hold up with time, you are all set for many years of ownership.
I feel that the new cars nowadays are too expensive to keep long term. Seems like they are making them more for leasing and then you get out of it like German autos.
The choice for affordable used Luxury vehicles that you wouldn't be afraid to own long term is getting smaller and smaller.
I feel that the new cars nowadays are too expensive to keep long term. Seems like they are making them more for leasing and then you get out of it like German autos.
The choice for affordable used Luxury vehicles that you wouldn't be afraid to own long term is getting smaller and smaller.
1) 19" 5 star polished (not chrome) wheels
2) Levinson
3) Keyless start/entry (not having to manually push lock and unlock buttons on remote)
4) Streaming bluetooth
5) Documented service history at a Lexus or Toyota dealer
6) I had 2 or 3 colors I wanted - I actually had never seen the Smoky Granite Mica before so it wasn't on my list (although Nebula Grey was)
I feel very lucky to have found this car, especially at the price I paid. I didn't care too much about the "L" initially in my search, but now that I have it I absolutely love having the extra room in the backseat.
03-06-17, 12:17 PM
#15
Racer
Congrats on your new car, JR! I applaud your patience and enjoyed reading that you (and your wife) both love the car. What a great find and the car looks amazing! Happy motoring, my friend.
