Purchase 03 or wait for 04??
08-17-03, 01:06 AM
#1
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Purchase 03 or wait for 04??
should i purchase the 03, which i personally think isn't a very good looking automobile, or wait till the 04 comes? anyone have any timeframe on when it will come and how much?
the dealers are quoting me right at 47 for a base LS430, in HOUSTON, tx. used ones can be had for mid 40's.
i think the 04 looks much better, but i'm concerned that it will cost more, and maybe i can deal more on these old bodies.
thoughts?
thanks.
the dealers are quoting me right at 47 for a base LS430, in HOUSTON, tx. used ones can be had for mid 40's.
i think the 04 looks much better, but i'm concerned that it will cost more, and maybe i can deal more on these old bodies.
thoughts?
thanks.
08-17-03, 07:22 AM
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PreOwner
Well it all come down to money at this stage.
Honestly the 01 - 03 LS430 is an AWSOME car and if I could afford it I would get one in a heartbeat. Its really going to be on either what you can afford or maybe what are you willing to sacrafice in order to make yourself afford the 04. The difference between the two cars are significant but at the same time the average person on the road will be clueless that any changes were made to the car. The interior will be mostly the same, especialy if you dont get the Nav.
Myself if I had $45k to spend and that would not affect my families lifestyle I would stick with a used 01-03. I would look for the Least amount of miles and with the color and options I want. I would deffinitly go for the Nav because my family and I drive ALOT, about 15-19k miles a year in each Lexus. My best friend who drives about 5k a year has no use for Nav so he would not spend the extra cash. How much do you drive?
So if you drive alot that means you spend most of you time inside that car and sence the interior will not drasticly change will not be able to tell the difference between the two when just sitting at a light looking around the inside. Obviosly because of the new 6-speed tranny the new car may drive better.
So the next senerio is you have $55 - $70k to spend then HELL yeah wait for the 04. There will be enough difference that if the money was NOT an issue I would go put a deposit and order one today! I am thoroughly excited about all the new things to come on the 04. I have already decided that my next LS will be an 04 when i go to sell mine several yeasr from now. I dont mind buying used sence I have already had new cars. Let someone else pay the depresiation.
Anyways let us know and hope this helped somehow.
Jerry
Well it all come down to money at this stage.
Honestly the 01 - 03 LS430 is an AWSOME car and if I could afford it I would get one in a heartbeat. Its really going to be on either what you can afford or maybe what are you willing to sacrafice in order to make yourself afford the 04. The difference between the two cars are significant but at the same time the average person on the road will be clueless that any changes were made to the car. The interior will be mostly the same, especialy if you dont get the Nav.
Myself if I had $45k to spend and that would not affect my families lifestyle I would stick with a used 01-03. I would look for the Least amount of miles and with the color and options I want. I would deffinitly go for the Nav because my family and I drive ALOT, about 15-19k miles a year in each Lexus. My best friend who drives about 5k a year has no use for Nav so he would not spend the extra cash. How much do you drive?
So if you drive alot that means you spend most of you time inside that car and sence the interior will not drasticly change will not be able to tell the difference between the two when just sitting at a light looking around the inside. Obviosly because of the new 6-speed tranny the new car may drive better.
So the next senerio is you have $55 - $70k to spend then HELL yeah wait for the 04. There will be enough difference that if the money was NOT an issue I would go put a deposit and order one today! I am thoroughly excited about all the new things to come on the 04. I have already decided that my next LS will be an 04 when i go to sell mine several yeasr from now. I dont mind buying used sence I have already had new cars. Let someone else pay the depresiation.
Anyways let us know and hope this helped somehow.
Jerry
08-17-03, 08:45 AM
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LSpreowner/Horta:
Can either of you tell me what the differences are between the '04 and '01-'03 models? Or a web address that talks about the 04 model?
Thanks.
Can either of you tell me what the differences are between the '04 and '01-'03 models? Or a web address that talks about the 04 model?
Thanks.
08-17-03, 03:11 PM
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LS 430 Changes (courtesy of Autospies...take with grain of salt):
Exterior:
Front: Redesigned front fenders, hood, headlights, grille, bumper, foglights.
Rear: Redesigned trunk lik, combination lights, license plate garnish, bumper,
dual exposed (chromed) exhaust tips. Also, addition of LED brake lights (as in RX330).
New standard 17" wheel design. New optional 18" wheel (245/45 R18).
New exterior colors:
Moonlight Pearl, Mercury Metallic, Flint Mica, Cypress Pearl, Briarwood Pearl.
Deleted colors:
Parchment Crystal, Millenium Silver, Platinum Blue Pearl, Mystic Sea Opalescent and
Midnight Pine.
Interior:
Instrument Panel gauge needles changed from red to white
New interior colors: Cashmere, Ash and Saddle (Ecru and Black carryover)
New wood color: Antique Walnut .
Navigation screen will have new appearance and functions (new Generation 4 system)
New Standard Equipment:
6-speed automatic transmission w/ Sequential Shift
Adaptive Front Lighting System
Driver/Passenger knee airbags
Tire Pressure Monitor
Rear seat vanity mirrors
Rear seat swivel reading lights
Moonroof (previously optional)
Power rear sunshade (previously optional)
New Optional Equipment:
Smart Key
Pre-collision system (January production)
Back-up camera (Navigation equipped)
Bluetooth wireless (Navi equipped)
Rear heated/cooled steas (UL package only)
Satellite radio
Exterior:
Front: Redesigned front fenders, hood, headlights, grille, bumper, foglights.
Rear: Redesigned trunk lik, combination lights, license plate garnish, bumper,
dual exposed (chromed) exhaust tips. Also, addition of LED brake lights (as in RX330).
New standard 17" wheel design. New optional 18" wheel (245/45 R18).
New exterior colors:
Moonlight Pearl, Mercury Metallic, Flint Mica, Cypress Pearl, Briarwood Pearl.
Deleted colors:
Parchment Crystal, Millenium Silver, Platinum Blue Pearl, Mystic Sea Opalescent and
Midnight Pine.
Interior:
Instrument Panel gauge needles changed from red to white
New interior colors: Cashmere, Ash and Saddle (Ecru and Black carryover)
New wood color: Antique Walnut .
Navigation screen will have new appearance and functions (new Generation 4 system)
New Standard Equipment:
6-speed automatic transmission w/ Sequential Shift
Adaptive Front Lighting System
Driver/Passenger knee airbags
Tire Pressure Monitor
Rear seat vanity mirrors
Rear seat swivel reading lights
Moonroof (previously optional)
Power rear sunshade (previously optional)
New Optional Equipment:
Smart Key
Pre-collision system (January production)
Back-up camera (Navigation equipped)
Bluetooth wireless (Navi equipped)
Rear heated/cooled steas (UL package only)
Satellite radio
08-17-03, 08:38 PM
#6
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"knee airbags"!??
wtf!
haha thats awesome.
hey guys, okay thanks for the posts... now here is one thing... i've been doing my research, and for some reason, used LS430'S are not cheapt!!! i will only save like 5 - 6k!! what the hell doesn't this thing depreciate?
now i'm thinking to go all the way, S500 can be had for about the same cost!! only thing is, my dad loves the Lexus LS430.... but it just doesn't make sense to me to buy at this time when:
a)they are not discounting it enough
b)the shape is on its final year.
I haven't ruled out going for an S-class, quite frankly it looks a lot better than either the 3 or 04 Lexus LS430, and it is more prestigious (hey, prestige isn't everything, but for the same cost, then maybe).
but then i read the reviews on edmunds.com ppl complain left and right about the S class. LS430 owners are very very happy....
sometimes i think i should go for a used Q45. it depreciates like a bucket, it is damn powerful, feature rich, and it is technically as good as a lexus (according to a lexus ASE cetified mechanic).
we used to have an LS400 btw, 1997, and we loved that. IMHO, the LS400's looked better than the LS430. the back is weird. sorry for rambling, but as u see i'm confused. bump for more suggestions.
thanks for helping me clear my thoughts
OH, one last thing, does lexus still have that AWESOME service like they used to,back in 1997, where they would come pickup your car from wherever you're at, even for service like oil changes, etc.... and wash it, and leave a loaner, and then bring it back?!?? please tell me its still going on!
wtf!
haha thats awesome.
hey guys, okay thanks for the posts... now here is one thing... i've been doing my research, and for some reason, used LS430'S are not cheapt!!! i will only save like 5 - 6k!! what the hell doesn't this thing depreciate?
now i'm thinking to go all the way, S500 can be had for about the same cost!! only thing is, my dad loves the Lexus LS430.... but it just doesn't make sense to me to buy at this time when:
a)they are not discounting it enough
b)the shape is on its final year.
I haven't ruled out going for an S-class, quite frankly it looks a lot better than either the 3 or 04 Lexus LS430, and it is more prestigious (hey, prestige isn't everything, but for the same cost, then maybe).
but then i read the reviews on edmunds.com ppl complain left and right about the S class. LS430 owners are very very happy....
sometimes i think i should go for a used Q45. it depreciates like a bucket, it is damn powerful, feature rich, and it is technically as good as a lexus (according to a lexus ASE cetified mechanic).
we used to have an LS400 btw, 1997, and we loved that. IMHO, the LS400's looked better than the LS430. the back is weird. sorry for rambling, but as u see i'm confused. bump for more suggestions.
thanks for helping me clear my thoughts
OH, one last thing, does lexus still have that AWESOME service like they used to,back in 1997, where they would come pickup your car from wherever you're at, even for service like oil changes, etc.... and wash it, and leave a loaner, and then bring it back?!?? please tell me its still going on!
08-19-03, 08:52 AM
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Knee airbags sound like they could be pretty valuable. Back in 93 my dad was driving a caddy, it was a company vehicle that he took back from an employee he fired, and someone t-boned him. His knee smashed into the dash or whatever and his knee blew out(ACL tear and meniscus tear). He also shattered his wrist unrepairably too on the steering wheel...
About the Pickup for service...they still do it to my knowledge. My mom drives the LS430 UL at my house and she called lexus link and scheduled the appointment in her car. They drove over a loaner and picked her car up. Simple as that....I always drop my GS off personally but to each is your own....
About the Pickup for service...they still do it to my knowledge. My mom drives the LS430 UL at my house and she called lexus link and scheduled the appointment in her car. They drove over a loaner and picked her car up. Simple as that....I always drop my GS off personally but to each is your own....
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08-19-03, 11:54 AM
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mdw,
i was at a dealership a month back, and the guy told me that they do pickup for MAJOR service now. But, if i recall, back in 97, my mom would say something like the dash rattles (it didn't really rattle, just an example), and they would come and swap cars fix it, wash it, and drive it back. haha thats worth money right there for business ppl like us, where time is so valuable! only gripe i had was that we had the top of the line coach ls400, and they'd give us an ES300. I know i sound spoiled, but now i realize how good even that was! The stupid, PARK PLACE MERCEDES OF HOUSTON SUCKS, gives us a Toyota Camry as a loaner. Idiots. Now granted, my mom has the E class, but what if I have an S55 or something thats like 150k, u think id' want to be stuck in a CAMRY, even if just for a few days (no offense anyone).
anyways, when your mom had it done, was it something major or not, do you know?
i was at a dealership a month back, and the guy told me that they do pickup for MAJOR service now. But, if i recall, back in 97, my mom would say something like the dash rattles (it didn't really rattle, just an example), and they would come and swap cars fix it, wash it, and drive it back. haha thats worth money right there for business ppl like us, where time is so valuable! only gripe i had was that we had the top of the line coach ls400, and they'd give us an ES300. I know i sound spoiled, but now i realize how good even that was! The stupid, PARK PLACE MERCEDES OF HOUSTON SUCKS, gives us a Toyota Camry as a loaner. Idiots. Now granted, my mom has the E class, but what if I have an S55 or something thats like 150k, u think id' want to be stuck in a CAMRY, even if just for a few days (no offense anyone).
anyways, when your mom had it done, was it something major or not, do you know?
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