This one is a beauty - Yeah I posted here in LS430 but this is still the Lexus Icon the LS430 was made from. I can delete and move is it's an issue. Thx
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/19...mpaign_2355582

 

I owned a 96 also and that was a really good engine but the rest of the car honestly didn't impress me, fairly bland interior and very soft suspension. I watched the video of the engine running and it was exactly like mine...very smooth
I think the reason people think that it was so good is a mix of nostalgia and media hype at the time.

 

It's a classic, and my parents owned a 1990 and 1995 new, which I urged them into. They currently have a 2010 es350. I found it great but somehow slightly small, even though I bought a Plymouth Acclaim mid-size at the time. In 2001 looking for new, nice, and spacious, I got a Buick LeSabre. But the LS430 blew me away as a new car when I first saw it in 2001. For my next car in 2009, replacing my 19 year old Plymouth, I was ready for my LS430, and I knew I wanted the radar cruise. My first used purchase (and no more new after that, I got into low mileage used), CPO shipped from Chicago to NY. No regrets. I've driven the LS460 a bit, and great too, but there is no current Lexus I'm dying for. Maybe a Toyota Crown Platinum? The newest ES (2026) looks ugly from photos, at least on the outside. I also refused Lexuses during the joystick/touchpad years. No modern sedan I really love and trust. Maybe Genesis... but non-lux cars have improved too since 2001.

LS400 was fantastic, but the LS430 is perfect for me, if alas no longer in perfect shape. LS400 remains a classic, buy my LS feels modern to me.

 

Yes Gerf - the 400 has that type of following and I agree about the design but in the 1990's era Lexus was chasing MB and BMW so I think that influenced the design. Yes Demark I agree - That new crown is a beauty - and intriguing

 

This color mismatch seems suspicious.

 

That is most likely an "artifact" of the photo and the lighting rather than a difference in the colour of the panels.
Yes, it's possible that the rear fender has been repaired/resprayed, but the rear pillar is the same colour, as is the trunk lid.

I looked at a few LS400s (and LS460s) before I bought my LS430 in 2018.
The 400s felt soft/wallowy and dated to me and the 460s felt vague in the steering.
The 430 was the best balance for me and still feels modern-ish to me.

 

I am pretty certain that car had several panels resprayed.

When I was scrolling through the photos, I noticed:
- Left fender, hood, front left door, rear left door all same shade (looks to be resprayed, mismatched with rear quarter and rear left door handle)
- Left fender cladding does not match
- Front right fender, front bumper cover match and show signs of work in the front right corner closeup photo (also different shade than the rest of the right side)
- Rear bumper different shade than quarters

Time will ultimately tell if the car is left outside, as any original beige panels will fade to silver, and the resprayed ones will remain beige

Other notes:
- Front bumper has peeling inside the openings of the bumper - likely due to the paint prep process
- Rear bumper chrome trim is upside down (look at the edges facing the rear wheel. They are sloped in the wrong directions)

 

Could be an issue and one would hope the records show any accidents but the supplied CarFax says clean - Especially left rear quarter to left door color shift. This type of car sale requires hands on inspection - and yes you can see color changes etc. I would expect this on a car this old - but someone paid a lot of money at 8k - I hope they got a decent car. To me the average buyer may think this looks ok for a car this age. You can either visit the sharks at the new car sale dealers or you have to roll the dice and buy used and hope you make the right decision. Researching VIN is a must. I will say follow the body lines and gaps - Like they did here and all measured 2.7?