In 1 Sentence: What (if anything) do you miss about your LS 430?
08-24-16, 07:21 AM
#46
From the 460 Forum: What (if anything) do you miss about your LS 430?
I was stalking in the 460 Forum, Thought this was kind of an interesting / fun read...
A lot of us are starting to think 460’s and they are still thinking about their 430’s
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...-ls-430-a.html
A lot of us are starting to think 460’s and they are still thinking about their 430’s
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...-ls-430-a.html
08-24-16, 08:40 AM
#47
Greetings 460-ers,
Someone on the 430 chains brought this string to our attention. Interesting stuff and big shout-out to 7MILESOUT, always cool to get internal perspective.
I have no plans to go 460, as I just bought my 430 2 years ago.
I thought you might appreciate some insights of mine I , just from being a compulsive craigslist photo-viewer:
As for looks, give me both! I love the straight sedan lines of my 430, but the slightly more modern shape of the 460 is hot, pre-stupid zigzag grill and LED's (my opinion; no offense to the owners).
Here are a few things in engineering, not deal breakers, but I think of them:
1 - Cup holders - what were they thinking in the 430? The front ones are right in your hand path, and the rear require forfeiting the armrest. Weird. The 460 did the right thing, copied Acura/Honda and sunk them in the front, and put them further up in the rear.
2 - HVAC and radio controls - I understand they were trying to simplify, but they made the car less safe when they buried these controls in the Nav screen. On the 460 they brought them back out to the dash where they are easy access.
3 - UP and DOWN adjustable lumbar!!!! - Love my car but the 2 lumbars are both kind of wrong, and the 460 you can move it up and down, wow! That alone is a fantasy.
4 - A little more ground clearance - Heaven forbid you should drive off pavement to get to a hike or bike trail, but the 430 has more grace if you do.
Nathan
Someone on the 430 chains brought this string to our attention. Interesting stuff and big shout-out to 7MILESOUT, always cool to get internal perspective.
I have no plans to go 460, as I just bought my 430 2 years ago.
I thought you might appreciate some insights of mine I , just from being a compulsive craigslist photo-viewer:
As for looks, give me both! I love the straight sedan lines of my 430, but the slightly more modern shape of the 460 is hot, pre-stupid zigzag grill and LED's (my opinion; no offense to the owners).
Here are a few things in engineering, not deal breakers, but I think of them:
1 - Cup holders - what were they thinking in the 430? The front ones are right in your hand path, and the rear require forfeiting the armrest. Weird. The 460 did the right thing, copied Acura/Honda and sunk them in the front, and put them further up in the rear.
2 - HVAC and radio controls - I understand they were trying to simplify, but they made the car less safe when they buried these controls in the Nav screen. On the 460 they brought them back out to the dash where they are easy access.
3 - UP and DOWN adjustable lumbar!!!! - Love my car but the 2 lumbars are both kind of wrong, and the 460 you can move it up and down, wow! That alone is a fantasy.
4 - A little more ground clearance - Heaven forbid you should drive off pavement to get to a hike or bike trail, but the 430 has more grace if you do.
Nathan
08-24-16, 09:57 AM
#48
Intermediate
I never had a 430, but on my antique LS400 it was very easy...
Minor complaints of course.
08-24-16, 11:36 AM
#49
Lexus Fanatic
Unless I'm mistaken, I still have to go to the Nav screen to adjust fan speed. I can adjust temp and mode from the dash...but I seem to always be looking to adjust fan speed.
08-24-16, 12:39 PM
#50
Lexus Fanatic
Yeah I haven't adjusted the fan speed in a car in 10+ years.
08-24-16, 09:34 PM
#51
Moderator
Interesting read. 460 has no timing belt..
08-25-16, 09:46 AM
#52
Pole Position
08-25-16, 01:58 PM
#53
Pole Position
Thread Starter
I was the one who created the thread- I should have linked to it over here a while back. Sorry- but I am glad you guys found it and find the feedback interesting as I do. I have a 2004 (238k) and was kicking tires for several months on '10-'12 460's because I absolutely love the exterior styling of those with the 5 star rims. After driving multiple '11's and '12's I posted that thread to "gut check" and see if the folks who transitioned to the 460 regretted it. Several of them do.... For a variety of reasons (mainly frugality) I decided to stay in my 430 for a while longer (I actually bought an Audi S5 to scratch my itch of getting something different, but kept my LS, I also posted about that experience in the 4th gen forum as well).
Bought my '04 in May 2008 with 70k; no nav (intentional) - I added VAIS integrated satellite module and their streaming bluetooth (integrated into factory) - so I have every option I want in a car with the exception of streaming phone calls and keyless (proximity-based) entry and keyless start. When I drove '11's and '12's I was impressed but the car felt very familiar on the inside to mine... couldn't stomach paying $35k for a car that felt so similar to mine- and I was only getting a handful of technological upgrades. What really hurt was the thought of how little i would get for my LS when I know how well I have taken care of it and how great of a car it will continue to be. Plus part of me wants to see how long she'll go... My wife constantly makes fun of me for how sentimental I am towards that car!
Bought my '04 in May 2008 with 70k; no nav (intentional) - I added VAIS integrated satellite module and their streaming bluetooth (integrated into factory) - so I have every option I want in a car with the exception of streaming phone calls and keyless (proximity-based) entry and keyless start. When I drove '11's and '12's I was impressed but the car felt very familiar on the inside to mine... couldn't stomach paying $35k for a car that felt so similar to mine- and I was only getting a handful of technological upgrades. What really hurt was the thought of how little i would get for my LS when I know how well I have taken care of it and how great of a car it will continue to be. Plus part of me wants to see how long she'll go... My wife constantly makes fun of me for how sentimental I am towards that car!
08-25-16, 02:23 PM
#54
I like the exterior lines on the 460 a lot more than I do the 430. The 430 has an elegant, but now dated look. (at least in my opinion) It was always a very conservatively styled sedan, even when it was new. I actually never really liked it, but it has grown on me.
The interior though on the 460 has a cheapness that's hard to put you finger on, even though it has plenty of technology.
I plan to sell my 430 the next year or two, probably before it hits 200k miles. If I go for another sedan, I plan to go to an ES350. I just don't feel like the newer LS is that much of a step up and I'm concerned it will have "flagship" problems if I buy one with higher miles.
I doubt people that were coming from an LS400 didn't want the LS430, it seemed a better evolution than the LS430 to LS460.
The interior though on the 460 has a cheapness that's hard to put you finger on, even though it has plenty of technology.
I plan to sell my 430 the next year or two, probably before it hits 200k miles. If I go for another sedan, I plan to go to an ES350. I just don't feel like the newer LS is that much of a step up and I'm concerned it will have "flagship" problems if I buy one with higher miles.
I doubt people that were coming from an LS400 didn't want the LS430, it seemed a better evolution than the LS430 to LS460.
08-25-16, 06:55 PM
#55
Pole Position
Thread Starter
I like the exterior lines on the 460 a lot more than I do the 430. The 430 has an elegant, but now dated look. (at least in my opinion) It was always a very conservatively styled sedan, even when it was new. I actually never really liked it, but it has grown on me.
The interior though on the 460 has a cheapness that's hard to put you finger on, even though it has plenty of technology.
I plan to sell my 430 the next year or two, probably before it hits 200k miles. If I go for another sedan, I plan to go to an ES350. I just don't feel like the newer LS is that much of a step up and I'm concerned it will have "flagship" problems if I buy one with higher miles.
I doubt people that were coming from an LS400 didn't want the LS430, it seemed a better evolution than the LS430 to LS460.
The interior though on the 460 has a cheapness that's hard to put you finger on, even though it has plenty of technology.
I plan to sell my 430 the next year or two, probably before it hits 200k miles. If I go for another sedan, I plan to go to an ES350. I just don't feel like the newer LS is that much of a step up and I'm concerned it will have "flagship" problems if I buy one with higher miles.
I doubt people that were coming from an LS400 didn't want the LS430, it seemed a better evolution than the LS430 to LS460.
08-25-16, 07:26 PM
#56
I agree with you about going from 400-430 compared to 430-460 (I started with 96 LS and there are things I actually still miss about that car). But I want to comment re: ES350. If you are like me, you will quickly grow to miss the V8 driving experience if you get an ES. Within my extended family, I have one family member who has always driven ES and another family member who has always driven LS (most recently 2005 and now 2012). As I said earlier, I myself drive a 2004 LS and came from a 96 LS. I frequently drive both the ES and LS (within the same visit) and can tell you that it would be a real struggle for me to go to an ES - even if it was a very new model- and even with that new model being compared to my 2004 LS. The silkiness and long gears of the LS are nowhere to be found in the ES. The ES has a perkier, fast-shifting transmission. The ES also has more road noise at any speed. However the ES is way more nimble and entices you for slightly more aggressive driving. For me, I will sacrifice on being nimble in exchange for the tomb-like cruising experience of the LS. I would recommend you take a 350 for a full weekend test drive before considering the change.
My biggest gripes with the new ES350 is the stupid mouse control system. I spent some time with it as a loaner. Horrible system, but once you have everything set up, you probably get used to it. I'm honestly not crazy about my LS430 with the touch screen either. Give me real buttons instead on endless screens to do something basic.
Also, I would put some smaller rims on the ES, I drove the nearly identical same year Camry back to back and couldn't believe how much less road noise there was with the Camry all because of the smaller rims.
The ES is not as good as an LS430 or LS460, but its still a good luxury sedan compared to the competition. And I would just rather have the cost savings.
08-26-16, 07:42 AM
#58
Lexus Fanatic
Originally Posted by warminwisc
SW yur still alive booyah!
08-27-16, 10:53 AM
#59
Moderator
08-27-16, 11:29 AM
#60
As a maintenance thing, the LS430's timing belt can be $800+ to replace(not an easy DIY if one was to attempt it) and the LS460 has a chain that never needs to be replaced, it could be good thing on this aspect.
I've ALWAYS wondering this....how bad is it actually ?