I am getting ready to purchase a ls430 and ran across a 2004 ls430 with 5 speed. Is this correct? I thought the 04's came with a 6-speed.

I have searched but came up with no definitive answer. It is listed as 04 ls430, 5-speed, 74k miles, 19k at a dealer in CA.

 

It's most likely a misprint..

 

2001-2003 LS430....5 Speed

2004-2006 LS430....6 speed

I know this cause I have a 2004 and mines is a 6 speed.

 

When I search for tail lights for an 2004 ls430, I have two options to; 5-speed and 6-speed. Apparently early model 04 ls430 came in 5 or 6 speed from what I can determine. The 04 with 5 speed apparently has older style lights with regular bulbs. This car was first sold 11/19/2003. I am just try to confirm and see if I would be better off with 6-speed.

 

If it really has old style tail lights and a 5-speed transmission, then it's not a 2004 LS430. If a dealer insists it's a 2004 with a 5-speed transmission, run away.

 

If I input the vin into lexus.com it comes up as an 04 ls430

 

My 04 LS430 has a manufacture date of Oct 03, was sold on Nov 17, 2003 and has a 6-speed transmission.

These very early LS430's had a transmission problem and the entire transmission was replaced on a recall. The transmission has been flawless since that change in all further LS430s.

 

The 10th character in the VIN will indicate year, but only thing I can think of is that perhaps it's a Canadian model imported to U.S.? Officially, the '04-'06 came with the newer 6-speed sealed transmission, but possibly the first x-number of early '04 may have had the 5-speed before cutover.

Hey, maybe it's super rare and actually a collectors item that will be worth several thousand in a few years.

 

^^^Unless the 6-speed crapped out and the previous owner dropped a 5-speed in there due to costs. Which, wouldn't be worth as much.

 

It should be a 6 speed for the '04-'06 unless something unusual has gone on. You can always put it into sport shift to find out without a doubt how many gears it has.

 

I have a 2004 ls430 with an original 5 speed transmission.

 

There were 3 different "models" during the introduction of the facelift LS430.
The first was released in late 2003, the second in early 2004 and the third in June 2004. Mine is an early 2004.
However, all facelift LS430s had the 6 speed gearbox, even the early ones.
If yours has the facelift shape but a 5 speed gearbox, then it has been swapped since the car was sold, possibly by Lexus themselves since the early 6 speeds had issues.
I have seen a pre-facelift car that was marketed as a 2004 because it wasn't registered until mid-2004, but it is still a 2003 year-model.
If yours has the oval shaped fog lights (left car) then it's a pre-facelift. Right car is a facelift.

 

The 5-speed is all you need. And my 2002 has something called a DIPSTICK with which I can CHECK LEVEL. Weird, I know.