Hi,

I am new to this forum and interested in learning more about Lexus'. My wife has an RX350 and I am sold on the build quality and reliability. I am considering getting a GS300 or 350 in the near future. I would like to hear of opinions of comparisons of the 2. The Gen 2 seems a bit small in the back seat but other than I still love the styling after all the years. (Heck I wouldn't mind a Gen 1 ).

Performance comparison is one of the main things I'd like to learn more about.

Thanks for any advice!!

 

What's your budget? I was always partial to the GS400

 

I do like the styling slightly more of the 3rd gen and some newer features it has but the reliability of the 2nd gen GS keeps me coming back . If I was to go 3rd gen I would get the V8 version.

 

About 10k or less

 

If you're not a true "car person", newer is almost always better... features, etc. If a car-person... 2nd-gen, all the way.

 

I’ve had both (99 gs400 and now 06 gs430). I had the 99 for seven years and have now had the 06 for seven years. They are both incredible cars. The 06 is just more refined and has some updated features that the 99 didn’t have. I drove the 99 to 175k miles. I currently have 170k on the 06. I hope she’ll have me to at least 250k.

 

i had both, but heart will
always be with the gs400

2006 gs430 had dash rattles, brake actuator , wet carpets, weaker craftsmanship compared to the gs400

gs4 was a solid car period.

 

I think it’s well known that the 2006 model had a lot of quality control issues.

 

Appreciate the feedback!

One more question, do all 2nd Gen GS' have the 2JZGE engine? Does the GS 400 have more power than the 300? I am not finding any 400's newer than 2000.

 

That's because they stopped GS400 after 2000. After 2000, it renamed to GS430 because they replaced with the 3UZ-FE engine.

 

Imo the 350 has less maintenance from what I've read. Suspension parts usually last up to 150k while the 2gs needs frontend parts by 100k mark. 2gs had seals leaking at the 100k mark as well which the 350 doesnt seem to suffer from.

I've seen owners of 350s go 200k changing nothing but the water pump. 350 has a timing chain too, so no need to change it.

With that said, I LOVED my 2gs. There is nothing in particular the 2gs did better than my current gs460, but it just holds a special place for me.

The only thing I can think the 2gs really has over the 3gs is aftermarket support and a much bigger community. The 3gs is not as DIY as the 2gs either.

Haven't sold my 2gs yet but will ne selling it in a few weeks...honestly I probably cry when the new owner drives it away lol.

 

Interesting, I have the opposite take.

The 3rd gen doesn’t quite have the same build quality feel to me. Cheaper interior, more rattles, etc.

2nd gen also has a enthusiast following, 3rd never will.

2nd gen all the way.

 

I agree and from a loyal Toyoya fan, quality in general with Toyota went slightly downhill from around 2006ish. More plastic clips instead of bolts/phillips screws holding interior panels together, no more yellowish zinc coating on bolts/brackets to help prevent rust, more plastic under the hood and on the engine instead of metal. When you go to a junkyard and you see a 2nd gen gs or older Lexus/Toyota and a 3rd gen gs or any Lexus/Toyota after around 2006ish side by side you will easily see how better built the older ones were when they get stripped down.

 

I'd say 2nd gen or an early 4th gen -- the 3rd gen has some quality issues that others have mentioned.

The 2nd gen has one of the bigger back seats in the class (E, 5-series)

 

So are you really saying the 2nd gen doesn’t have quality issues? ****ty suspension that’ll shake you until you’re concussed, ****ty lbj that causes the wheel to snap off while driving, ****ty ac servo motors, ****ty lock actuators, cabin/sunroof rattles, etc. the 2ng gen is a great car, but it has issues. With that said, I love my GS because it’s a reliable, DIY car. I only have 165k on mine (2002) and I plan on keeping it until it’s totaled. If I could find a late model GS 460, I would jump on it immediately. I wouldn’t buy the 4 gen unless it’s a F.