All I want to do is drive my new 430. I've had it for a week and I notice I am not getting things done (i.e. cutting the grass, laundry, shopping, various chores, etc. - much to my wife's chagrin).

What a fine automobile!

Here's what I like:

- That silky smooth, quiet V8. I've tempered my desire to open up the throttle until I hit 1000 miles (which will probably be sometime tomorrow at my driving rate). At least 4 or 5 times I literally couldn't discern if the engine was running. This is one of the main reasons I bought the 430 - power and acceleration in a quiet, unobtrusive package.

- The interior. It's well organized and clean. The available storage space suits my needs well.

- The audio controls on the steering wheel. I'm leaning heavily towards a stereo system upgrade and I will be loathe to give this up!

- Headlights. Wicked bright (illumnate 3 lanes of pavement). I don't care who I blind. Sorry fellow Chicagoland drivers.

- My Astrostart 1105 remote starter. I love it. I get a kick of turning the 430 on from 100 yards away and seeing it spring to life. The remote's range is 1400 feet (about 300 yards) but I haven't tested it at that distance.

Here are my beefs:

- Engine heat dissipation into the driver's floor area. This is REALLY annoying. This seems to be a factor of outside temperature and speed. It has nothing to do with the vent located under the steering column (since I can feel cooler air coming from it) or the settings on the climate control (since it's off - problem with and without interior air circulation).

Has anyone else experienced this problem?

This is probably a design flaw and not fixable.

- Hollow sound when releasing the brake pedal. This was commented on by a reviewer (Edmunds, I think). It does sound cheap.

I'm planning on adding the Swift TC and HFI. I don't want to stiffen the ride too much (I'm an old man already at 31 - I prefer less road response) so I don't know what kind of suspension mods (if any) I'm going to do. I'm under impression the L-tuned springs/shocks and steering ECU turn the car's handling into a "sport" version i.e. more road feel.

Now, if this car could only cut my grass, do my laundry and shopping, I wouldn't have anything to worry about!

congrats on the new GS. I hope to be there with you in a few short months. As for the steering wheel radio controls, there is a line of sight infrared adapter that should work with most aftermarket radios. I know from experience that it works with Eclipse.

I hear that lexus is strongly considering a lawnmower blade option for 2003

I'm with you I've had my GS430 for about 4 months now and I love it just as much if not more then the day I first got it. I to have the problem with heat from the transmission purtruding into the cabin around my right leg. Its a small price to pay for what you're getting though so no complaints here. I'm into the street racing scene here in Florida so I love to pull up to the line and have people second guessing me with a BIG heavy Lexus. . . They're laughing now but not for long, I just wish I can see their faces as they admire my tail lights

I want to get a TC and SRT HFI but I gotta save for my wheels first.