kg19989

As some of you may know I had an 04 with modern luxury and then sold it to go back to a truck. Well... when I was ready to get another car again I did some looking. Some serious looking. Nothing and I mean nothing short of a $100K sticker comes close. I looked at the DTS, the A6/A8, S430/S500, 745iL, Lincoln MKS, pretty much anything that was a luxury sedan... Jaguar too.... For the money, there is nothing like it. The DTS had more rattles than you could shake a stick at once you got to about 40K miles. The seats are like my wife's Navigator... mostly vinyl!!! Not to mention the sides near the console are cloth!!! You have to get the platinum package to get full leather and the Alcantara and that comes complete with rattles. The Lincoln? NEXT... not worth mentioning... great idea but poor execution. S Class.... the closest competitor however with a base price in excess of the UL I would expect heated rear seats at a minimum. Not to mention the fact it doesn't come standard with parking sensors and the nav system has no backup camera.... I could go on and on but instead I will just say that after looking at all of them we have (pound for pound) the best one out there. Great to be back.

sojah

iTrader: (1)

i drove a rental car around for 2.5 weeks and it wasn't bad (toyota yaris) but man i tell you it was a very luxurious feeling sliding back into the seat of my 05 UL and setting off down the road. i'm not saying that there are not better cars out there but i would love to see a car with 100k (just broke the 100k mark), costs around the 20k mark, is super clean inside and out (well its actually really dirty on the outside ), has no issues, rides so smooth and quiet, is such a classic design, and is so solid and well built.

i keep thinking about upgrading but to what? i mean what is better? and i'm talking up to about 40k, what is a better car for upwards of 42k or less? i would rather just get a second cheap car at this point instead of getting rid of the LS430 and getting something more expensive.

CarGuy89

Once you go flagship luxo you never go back, I know I never can!. I went to the Chicago Auto show this yr and wasn't really impressed with any of the current ones, the BMW's are really nice but didn't really feel like a huge step up from the LS. The S-class was my 1st choice, but I felt the seats were less comfy than the ones in the 430. The LS430 is really the bargain of the century

Scuttle

I was looking at pictures of the new 3 series and the interior looks so weak. Take away the handling and there is nothing left to make those cars any good.

boilerroom

I too agree the LS is fantastic - well designed, super comfortable, reliable - if there is anything lacking that I liked in others cars is the Picnic Table option, i didn't see anything for my 03 LS, i don't know if it was offered later. I am looking into options for this that would blend as seamlessly as possible with the interior design.

back on topic the LS is indeed great!

kg19989

Exactly... upgrade to what??? The style is timeless and the car is as nice as anything out there. I am just not a fan of the 460... maybe the new LS with its more conservative styling but I just prefer to have my money in the bank. A used 430 will always fit the bill to me.

kg19989

Only problem with the S Class is that for that kind of money I need a litte more than the emblem. I have never found any version of the LS that didn't have heated rear seats and parking sensors while there are tons of S Class models out there without them. Also....while both cars will last a long long time, I learned years ago that if you don't want fit and finish issues then stick with Japanese over European.

Stu

I agree ..... better costs a LOT more than I am willing to pay also. But don't kid yourself, there are "better" cars than a 5 year old used LS430.

Every single person, regardless of their wealth, experiences diminishing returns on incrimental spending, determined by the subjective value they place on a " posessions". That why most folks light their cigarettes with a $2 lighter, and others use a $ 500 gold Dunhill. People choose $ 25,000 Rolex watches and $ 75,000 Patek Philipe watches too !

I enjoy my LS .... it's perfect for me. I "should have" bought a LS400 a LONG time ago, but .....

monrovea

I get the bug every so often to up-grade my 02UL with a newer 430. But yu know what....I still smile and get a warm feeling every time I get behind the wheel. Just love my car.

damon

They are an amazing value for the money & are reliable and super comfortable.

I also have a BMW E60 545i (2005) and much prefer the way it handles to a 67,000 mile well cared for 430.

That however is it's only advantage as the vast majority of these cars (E60's) are mechanical nightmares & owners rush to get rid of them before their warranties expire.

CarGuy89

Interesting that you say that. I too use an E60 (a 528xi as a winter car) for the times I'm not driving the LS. I also love the way it handles, but definitely feel like it falls short in terms of comfort and refinement. Don't get me wrong the E60 is a wonderful car, but I'm kinda missing my LS430 right now (need to go back home and swap back for the summer).

I don't quite understand why ppl say the E60's are so horrific when it comes to reliability, ours has never given us any problems (other than an odd battery issue).

damon

The BMW V-8's have some known issues that can hit you hard in the wallet.
This is true to a lesser extent with the ZF 6HP26 Tranny & a horrible electrical system.

If you are unlucky they will make you appreciate your Lexus in a real hurry.

Now how to I get a 400hp Lexus UZ with a 6 speed transplanted?

AJT123

Oh you nailed it man....nothing really does compare for <100k. Sometimes I think I'm a dumb@$$ about certain things in life, but I know I sure made a smart choice searching out and buying this car. I feel like the joke is on everyone else, bc I'm driving around in a Lexus flagship for way less than people paid for their newer (and inferior) vehicles.

Sure, it's not new, but it looks and drives like it is. It feels like it was carved out from a huge hunk of steel. And don't get me wrong, the S Class (W140) is my favorite car ever, but at age 30 and with not a ton of money sitting around to spend on repairs, I wouldn't even think about buying something German without a warranty. This car? Didn't even think twice about it. I've had it for about 2 months now and put probably 5k on it, and there is not ONE single issue with it. When I got it I'd always look and listen for something wrong/out of the ordinary...nothing. I'm the biggest nit-picker ever when it comes to cars, and this one is just...perfect. I fall in love with it more the more and more I drive it. It may not corner like a 7 series or AMG S Class, but it does EVERYTHING else just as good or better. The interior quality/design is second to NONE. Like I said, I'm nitpicky, and I can't find ONE single cheap feeling piece/part in the interior. You can tell it was designed from the inside out.

I'm spoiled for life...every car I drive/ride in (and some are nice cars, don't get me wrong) feels like a total POS by comparison. That's kinda harsh, but it's absolutely true. That's why I got the LS...FLAGSHIP! Plus the LS is the pinnacle of Lexus design...they didn't skimp on ANYTHING with this one.

Lol this sounds whatever, but I like being able to pull a rank on pretty much everything aside from a V12 S class or 760 at lights and stuff. And even then, I wonder how many times more they've been to the shop than I have. .

Great, fabulous car. I plan on running it to 250k easily. It barely even feels broken in with 75k right now!

I just need the chrome 18 inch sport rims and I'll really be set! Got the 5% tint thrown on it, and that really adds to the limo look. I'm a sucker for huge sedans. Especially flagships.

Quipper

YES. Since purchasing my Lexus LS, driving 'lesser' cars--which I've done a number of times (esp. my employer's vehicles)--has always shown me what a gem I have. And like you said so well, some of those cars cost more and may be newer but aren't as nice or nearly as reliable. I feel like I'm cheating the system somehow!

thinkin

Too true. Whenever I drive another car and get back into the LS, it's like WOAH it's so nice to be back! There are better handling and accelerating cars out there, but for the total package and overall feeling I think it's very, very tough to beat the LS at almost any price. Aside from engine options the current 7-series and S-class disappoint me badly and I think I'd have to go Bentley or Rolls, and even then I'm sure they'd be amazing in some ways but may not even measure up to the LS in others.