Just wrapped up a 3500+ mile road trip in the 04LS I picked up used in January (finished trip at 99970 miles on odometer). Wife and I wanted something for the longer trips we plan to take in coming years (by ourselves...no more minivan with kids!). Longer daily distances were about 900, 750, 300, 760, 600 miles.

Car was everything we had hoped it would be and more, so if anyone out there is contemplating getting an LS430, I say go for it.

Some quick observations:

Smooth and quiet. It took several hundred miles of driving before realizing that the annoying road joint noise (ploppity-plop, ploppity-plop) we had heard with every other car we have owned was not there! What a joy. Also, passing trucks was silent, and absolutely no wind buffeting.

Powerful. Never concerned accelerating to pass or merge into traffic. Tested 101mph once (a guy thing), but both wife and I thought that a bit to much. Cruised most of time at 80mph, with couple forays up to 90-92. Smooth as silk, and solid tracking.

Economical. We bought this for comfort, not economy, but overall MPG for the entire trip was 25.5mpg. For the periods I cruised at 72-75 instead of 80, I got 27mpg. My Saab would not do that good at these speeds (or load!).

Comfortable. No pains. And despite running the AC the entire trip, my wife used the seat heating to ease her back pain (not caused by car, but certainly helped with the heat). I even kept the seat heat on the final 1000miles and actually liked it.

Don't have another road trip planned just yet, but we could not be happier with our decision to go Lexus!

 

Amen brother. The LS430 is truly in its element on the freeway. The quietness at speed is especially welcome when compared to other cars. I recently purchased a Prius as a second daily driver and am annoyed at the noise I hear from passing cars in moderate freeway traffic.

 

Great report. The car is quiet. When we first got the car the effect was more noticeable since we were not used to the quiet, it almost seemed like we were watching a silent movie out the windows.

 

"Powerful. Never concerned accelerating to pass or merge into traffic. Tested 101mph once (a guy thing), but both wife and I thought that a bit to much"

101mph are you out of your mind!!! Do that on the track buddy!

Kidding It's good to open it up once in a while when no one is around.
Sounds like you were driving the perfect car. Bet you'd never find a car at the price you paid for your LS that will deliver the same results. I'd love to take my LS on an open road trip.

 

Only from hearsay...I understand the LS will do 131 mph on the rev limiter all day...not that I would ever try that

 

Just returned from my third trip from Florida to Pa and back in three years. I tow a utility trailer with a 750 lb motorcycle on it. If you don't look in the rearview mirror occasionally, you would not know its back there. What a great car.

 

One of the great features of the UL... take turns in the back seat with heated massage. It would have done wonders for your wife's back.

I've had my LS now for two months and I'm still looking for 'excuses' for taking it out for a ride. I've even grown to love the looks of the 430 and am no longer 'jonsing' for a 460. I'm still a little annoyed it doesn't drive itself but I'll get over it.

 

In Europe the max speed is electronically limited at 250 km/h = 155 mph. That applies to most cars over here, with the exception of some Italian monsters. You can only drive so fast on limited stretches in Germany.
According to the LS430 repair manual the max cruising speed is 225 km/h = 140 mph.

Way beyond what I (and luckily most people) need.
In this country the speed limit is 120 km/h (75 mph), with the exception of a few dozen km where 130 km/h is allowed.

The fastest I have ever driven is 210 km/h (130 mph) in my Renault 25V6, some 25 years ago. Since then I have never tried any car at speeds over 110 mph.
These days my wild (and dangerous) hairs have vanished and I stick more or less to the legal limit (75 mph).

Jac

 

Heck, if we had the massage seats, I would have sat in the back! We really needed the larger trunk so passed on the UL models...lots of space lost with the added features.

 

Glad you enjoyed the car and had a safe and good trip! The LS430 is the most luxurious car I've ever had the pleasure of driving (matched only by an 06 S500 I drove briefly).

I've had the 430 for a year and still rave about it, it's just such a great car all round. It's so soothing, but comes alive when you stab the right pedal. Only bad thing is that it's turned me a bit snobbier probably, b/c my standards are so high when I get into someone else's car ('what? You can hear exterior noise?? Your heated seats don't come on by themselves? Wait, you don't have heated seats??? Absurd! We can't be friends anymore....').

Enjoy the 430!

 

I got my LS from Annapolis MD & drove it back to MI....side bar, I even stop in DC to see an old girlfriend (she still loves me) lol. Anyway the road trip was the best, super smooth ride (I came out of a 07' Charger & a 01' DTS before that, so this was a real treat driving this automobile 10+ hrs. I could not wait to get it home to learn all the gadgets & gizmos.

Enjoy

 

My favorite thing about the LS is the power delivery. I feel like I'm driving an electric car as its so quiet and the transmission shift is so un-noticeable I don't even know what gear I'm in not that it matters.

Said thing is I haven't driven my LS in about 4 months now as I commute with my motorcycle to take advantage of the carpool lanes, but comes winter I get back to the car.

 

All that wonderful smoothness just got me my first ticket in 13 years. 98 in a 70 just outside of Blythe, CA. 75 turns into 80, 80 to 90, it's a slippery slope.

The highway patrolman was cool, though, said I was going 98, and I said, "yes, I was." He wrote me up for 85 so I could go to traffic school, which I did online, and all is good, other than the $300 out of my pocket.

 

This is the kind of stuff I like to hear. It's hard to beat the LS in ride quality and quietness.

 

Thanks for the good laugh. I needed that today.