DONT SLEEP

iTrader: (8)

(I’d like to apologize about the length, but it’s worth the read!)

We are all car enthusiasts and have different desires when it comes to deciding which car to get. I signed up on this forum when I first bought my 1993 Lexus SC400 back in 2009. I originally drove my dad's friend's car when he left it at our house as he was out of town. The power was there, the delivery of it was smooth, and the car was super comfortable! It was time for a new car for me, so I went out and bought the same exact car my dad's friend had. I loved the SC model so much, I bought 2 more after that one, but there was one thing missing... the car just wasn't "sporty" enough.

Fast forward to a couple years ago, I wanted something new and with 4 doors. I never had a german car and I had seen an E55 AMG on the street one day and was just fascinated by how stealth the car looked and I had always known AMGs were made with a ton of power and torque. I went ahead and did my research between a few cars that were similar and I bought a 2006 E55 AMG with around 60k miles. It was a great car... had a ton of torque, comfortable, sounded good, practical, etc. It was essentially 2 cars in 1. It had the practicality side of it and it also had a great performance aspect as well. The only thing that wasn't so great from a performance standpoint of this car was the slow automatic transmission and the handling of the car (being a heavy 4 door sedan). I had it for about 2 years or so and I was just sick of the repairs (not maintenance) on the car. Too many things breaking down unexpectedly, getting left stranded, etc. was too much for me to handle. I switched jobs and got a nice bump in pay so I figured it was time for the next move.

This time I was ready to make a big jump and get something sporty. My friends have always told me that my previous cars were not "sports" cars and rather luxury cruisers with big motors. I was looking at a used 911 (997) turbo or GT-R and I just happened to get a great deal on a brand new 2014 GT-R in white (which has always been my favorite color on cars). This car was unlike anything I've ever driven before. The shifts were lightning fast, car accelerated like no other, traction was all there, etc. Every review I read and watched on YouTube said all of this and always mentioned the ride quality and noise being the biggest gripes of owning this car and I told myself that I'd just deal with it to have a chance to own one of the biggest engineering accomplishments in modern day performance cars. The first day I bought the car, I couldn't even sleep. I was just so excited about owning the car and having a goal of mine being accomplished. With that excitement, came A LOT of paranoia about where I park the car, what streets on drive on (because of ground clearance / ride quality) attention from other people, keeping the car in the best condition I can, etc.

I got into the GT-R scene and learned about drag racing, modifications, tuning and all that good stuff. Everywhere I would read, I would see that simple bolt-ons to this car completely transform it. I went ahead and did the simple bolt-ons to the car and everything I read about it was spot on! The car went from fast... to very fast! The way it just pulls through every gear now with the extra power is just ridiculous.

Fast forward to a couple months ago, I needed a winter beater so I wouldn’t get my GT-R all salted up with the heavy snow we get here in the mid-atlantic. The car is also pretty useless in that type of weather since the primary purpose of it is to enjoy the power and cold weather and a lot of power don’t mix too well. I actually don’t even like having two cars because of limited driveway space, insurance payments, etc. I figured I’d pick something up, use it for 6 months, and then sell it when the spring time comes. Being a previous Lexus owner and having great experiences with them, I decided I’d get another Lexus. My wife and I had our first baby so a four door was a must, and I just happened to come across an LS430 that was a great deal, so I bought it.

The LS models have always been the flagship of the Lexus brand. It’s where their quality is the best and luxury is priority #1. The car is a 2003 with 118k miles and while it’s not perfect, it is probably the best car I’ve ever owned. To maintain the craftsmanship, comfort, and power over the years is a true testament to how well Lexus engineered and designed the car. My family and I use this car everyday and it’s been rock solid in our short ownership, and from the research I did, it should pretty much stay that way for a long time. I can take this car and park it anywhere (not being paranoid about damage), my kid can eat in it, I can haul junk in it…. It’s what every beater car is good for. It’s that exact concept that makes the car so great… the fact that I could care less about what happens to it, lol!

With that being said, I’m most likely going to sell my GT-R. I work from home and spend weekends with my family, so it never really gets driven. I wish I had the time to go to track days, meets, and all that, but I just don’t. I just have no real, practical use for it anymore. It performs like no other car I’ve driven, takes off like a rocket, and looks amazing; but it’s just not that practical for me anymore. I’m sick of the anxiety I get sometimes over owning a car this expensive because I’m afraid of anything happening to it. A lot of people can go with the “it’s just a car mentality”, but it’s hard for me to grasp that because to me, it’s not really a “car”…. it’s a toy. A car is my LS430 that takes me from point A to point B without any headaches of parking situations, bumps in the road that will scrape my bumper, hurt my back from the stiff suspension, and can take my whole family anywhere we need to go.

Being a car enthusiast can be frustrating at times as it’s hard to really be content with what you have. There’s always something better, something faster, something more practical, something cheaper, etc. I tried to complement my desire to have a pure sports car with the LS430, a purely comfortable/practical car, but now the LS430 gets driven 9/10 times when I leave the house. I just find it stunning that an old cheap Lexus beater somehow killed my desire for owning a super car. I just recently started hated driving my GT-R because of how uncomfortable the ride is. Has anyone else ever felt this way?

I’m now open to suggestions for a new car… specifically 4 door and with decent performance (I know nothing is really going to compete with the GT-R in this aspect). What do you guys think?

4TehNguyen

iTrader: (1)

its great to have a car that you dont stress out over, makes ownership a lot more enjoyable. I still wanted a sportscar but something still dailyable. Bought a Mustang GT. I would always rather have a grand touring type car over a sports car because I can drive it everyday and enjoy it even if its not the fastest thing at that price

or youre getting old

EthanV

Very nice write up. I wondering if the new GSF will be the best for you with performance and comfortable thats why there is Lexus for you. Hope you have a better choice that make you love the sport car again in the future.

RNM GS3

Audi S8 or MB S63 would be my choices.
M5 is good if you want to stay around $100k plus they are not too bad if you lease.

GSF has fixed suspension and maybe too stiff for your liking.

Stroock639

it's so true, after driving around in an LS for long enough you start to wonder why all cars can't be this nice to use and never break down. i haven't driven a 430 but from my 400 i know that they're literally just nicer to use than practically everything else. the GT-R or a 911 is better for driving like a douche but pretty much everything is better about an LS when you're not.

i'm 21, love really fast performance cars (dad actually owned a 2005 E55, btw its hysterical that yours kept breaking too, and now an E63) yet the LS 400 has completely won me over. the E63 is fast as **** but 95% of the time my LS that's 15 years older is better to use. it's also had fewer problems in 17 years than the E63 has had in less than 2, and gets better mpg, and is much more comfortable, and has much better throttle response, and the engine (not exhaust) sounds better

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

Great post DONT SLEEP.

maybe get a Panamera Turbo to replace both.

gengar

I just don't see the LS430 as being a bad problem to have. Isn't it nice to have a reliable, utility-oriented DD that you use 9/10 of the time - which then allows you to have a less practical secondary car when you want to drive something that's less practical?

Honestly I think that's the best argument against compromise cars like the F/AMG/etc. or even the GT-R (a car I personally always find boring after the first 10 minutes or so), in that it's better to have distinct cars to satisfy different driving needs. That's why it always perturbs me when I see people trying to stretch their budgets to pay 100k+ for an E63 when IMO they'd be better off keeping their utility DD as a beater and then buying some cheaper, driver-focused, real sports car.

All that said, if you're just looking for a DD sedan that accelerates fast, you've got so many more options today than there's ever been in history. The E63S seems to be the default, but you've got brutish HP competitors from all the luxury makers (minus Lexus, but including MB/BMW/Porsche/Audi/etc.). There's even the XFR-S which managed to be reviewed well, if you can get your hands on one.

dseag2

So many of us are addicts to a certain type of car. I've always liked fast coupes, which is why I drive an S5. I drooled over the SC300/400 when they were new, but I was too young and couldn't afford one. So, I bought a used one and figured out it didn't have all the bells and whistles I wanted. I'm now on my 3rd S5 (the first two were convertibles). However, I think I enjoyed my '13 GS F-Sport more than any car I've ever owned. Sure, it didn't have the linear torque the S5 has and it didn't have the beautiful coupe lines, but there were no compromises with it.

I totally understand the OP's decision. Yes, I still admire my S5 when I'm walking away from it, but there are compromises. One day I will learn that the perception of something and the everyday reality of it aren't the same thing.

97-SC300

iTrader: (17)

I've driven both a 2005 LS430 and a heavily modified GTR built by AMS with 700+whp. Two completely different cars. I thought my SC300 is stiff on the streets, but that GTR with those AMS carbon fiber seats and stiff suspension has absolutely no business being on the streets. Every tiny bump was the feeling of hard metal hitting hard metal. There was nothing there to absorb the abuse a car sees on the streets. I would keep that thing as a track only car which would be a very expensive hobby to have a car that expensive to own/insure/and maintain just to use it once a week if that to have fun on the track.

Never driven a stock GT-R so can't comment on how harsh it is on public roads, but from the sounds of it, it's still pretty bad.

LS430 was probably the smoothest car I've ever been in.

blacksc400

iTrader: (4)

That's why its best to have different cars for each purpose. But be careful you might miss the GTR so much and regret. There are some cars I still miss till this day that I sold :/

chromedome

Throwing a curveball for ya, how about a Tesla Model S? Four doors, plenty of space for the kid + kid stuff, crazy acceleration especially with the P90D, and you can charge it at home. I'm not sure about used prices though.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

good point - there is no 'do it all' vehicle, so really if we want a comfy practical vehicle sometimes and an all out fun vehicle at others, it's best to have two. to me, even a 'slow' miata is more fun for a fun car than a brutish huge hp heavy coupe/sedan which is trying to do too many things.

EZZ

Isn't this why the entry sport sedan segment is so popular? The cars in that segment have plenty of zip and are great handlers. Frankly, the LS series is too big for me. I bet a lot of people feel that way. A 3 series fits adults comfortably in the back and goes like stink when you push it. That segment really has the best all-purpose cars.

97-SC300

iTrader: (17)

Yeah the Tesla is fast but the build quality and reliability of it is a joke compared to an LS430... Not to mention well over $100k

mmarshall

Welcome to the world of maturity and common sense. You have crossed what IMO is a significant threshold in life. The world of burnouts, donuts, drifting, quarter-miles, Fast-N-Furious videos, and high-g maneuvers can get pretty stale after a while (I found is somewhat stale even in my youth)....assuming you actually get through it without injury, death, totaled vehicles, or loss of one's license.

Check out a new Subaru Legacy 3.6R sedan, which starts around 30K, or, if you are looking at older Legacys, the 2.5 Turbo GT. Affordable pricing, generally good reliability, enough room inside for a small family, AWD traction, decent refinement, ride smooth enough that your back shouldn't bother you, and, of course, if not dragster-power, enough spunk to get out of your own way. if you need more room inside (and/or greater ground-clearance for deep snow or speed bumps....Outbacks have the same mechanicals/drivetrains but with a higher-stance and more cargo rom in back. if you want something more upmarket than a Subaru, then check out AWD Quattro Audis....Audis used to be money-pits, but, according to Consumer Reports, have lately become quite reliable. Audi also does a great job with interior materials and fit/finish. Finally, if you want to stay with another LS, later LS460 models offer the AWD option you want for snow.