we are owner of 1991 LS400 and decided to keep it and replace our Honda with another Lexus....
we have seen a 2006 LS430 with 71k mileage with a price of $21,888.00... we are looking at 2007 to 2009 LS460 for up to $35,000 with aprox same miles... is it worth the extra money to go up to the 460 or not...???

 

What i have noticed is that the 460 is not as reliable as the 430. I am in the process of getting into a 2005 430.

 

The answer you are asking us depends on how YOU answer these 3 questions

do you like the LS460 more, ( they are really quite different ), and
can you find this LS460 at that price where you live ( I doubt you'll see a 2009 for $ 35,000 ), and
how important is the extra expense to you.

I checked both out 2 years ago and didn't like the LS460 as much ( and still don't ) so I never even consider it.
No regrets at all.
Good luck

 

As the owner of an LS 400, the 430 would seem like a massive upgrade. I have a 2003 LS 430, and I plan to keep it for at least the better part of the next decade--the car has been nothing but a joy to drive. If I had unlimited cash, admittedly, I might get a newer model. But when I finished test driving a 460, I remarked out loud that I truly had no reason to long for that model. While I liked the exterior styling a fair bit better, and while I liked a few of the newer features (like having the trunk pop open from the key fob), nothing I saw made me envy that car very much compared with the 430 I already owned. When we replace our LS some years from now, we may well get a 460, but that experience taught me that we're in no hurry.

So for the price difference, I'd recommend getting a 430 this time, and maybe a 460 the next time around

 

Thanks for all who responded. We are also leaning towards the 430 because we think it is more reliable (from what we have been reading on the internet).

Yes, massive upgrade for us. We are retired now so we are looking at used cars. We bought the 1991 LS400 new.

We drove the 430 but not the 460. Our mechanic is going to look at the 2006 430 before we buy. We can't get a certified pre-owned 430, unfortunately, the dealer will only certify 2007 models and up (so no 430's).

So we are considering an extended warranty on the 430. Not sure if we need one, but we don't have a lot of experience buying used cars and we can't do repairs ourselves.

Any other thoughts or advise would be appreciated.

 

That price is kind of high. If I were you i'd take a trip down to FL and find one there, huge variety great prices.

 

Yes, we thought it was kind of high for the mileage too.

Good idea....we have friends in Florida....maybe it's time for a visit.

 

Depending on the condition and model trim of the LS430, the price doesn't seem high to me.

If it is a bare bones beat up LS, then yes, but a great condition UL would be worth the money.

 

The 430 we test drove was the upgraded UL model. My wife thought she smelled some exhaust when we changed drivers and said there was some white smoke (maybe a little light blueish white) coming from exhaust. Not sure if this is a problem or just condensation. We'd definitely have that one checked out by our mechanic.

We found another 430, a bit higher priced, about 20K less mileage, but it was sold by the time we arrived at the dealer about 50 miles away. The new owners had just completed the deal.

We want a ride similar to the LS400 and we thought in our budget that the 430 would our best option. We drove the RX350 and it was nice and there were alot of them, but we really want an LS. Either 2005 or 2006. We started looking at 2006 first. Does anyone know if there is a real big difference in the two years? We couldn't really tell.

 

Although still plush relative to other vehicles in its class, the generations of LS have become harsher in ride quality with each generation. If you like the ride of the 400, the 430 is slightly firmer and the 460 firmer than the 430...so if you jump from 400 to 460, it might be a big jump in ride quality. The 460 has nothing except AWD that i feel i need in my 430.

 

There's a recent thread that might be helpful regarding pricing.

 

I'm pretty certain that the same options and packages were available on the 2005 and 2006 LS430. The main additional equipment offered beginning with the 2005 LS430 was radar cruise control with PCS (Pre-Collision System) but it was an option only on models with the Ultra Luxury and Custom Luxury packages.

If I was going to buy a used LS430, I would consider only a 2005 or 2006 with the Custom Luxury package, radar cruise and PCS - option code "LQ": Options and packages for the 2005 LS430 can be viewed at http://www.lexus.com/contact/pdf/2005/2005LSspecs.pdf

PCS is an incredible safety feature for retirement age geezers like us. My wife's new Prius wagon has radar cruise and PCS and I want it on my next car now that I've experienced how it works. We test drove a Toyota Avalon Hybrid XLE yesterday when the Prius was in for its first service. They didn't have any Avalon Hybrid Limiteds in stock including any with the $1,750 retail radar cruise/PCS technology package I want. Very comfortable, quiet and fast. The official 0-60 accelleration time of the Avalon Hybrid is substantially faster than the 1990 LS400 I bought new and drove for over a decade but not quite as fast as my 2000 LS400. Legroom in the Avalon is way better than my 2000 LS400 which was way better than my 90 LS400.

Maybe consider a Avalon Hybrid Limited with radar cruise/PCS instead of a late LS430. Total cost of ownership will likely be much less for the Avalon than for a used 05-06 LS430 if you keep the Avalon past its theoretical depreciable life (my wife's a CPA). Does 40 mpg on regular gas sound good? Current plan is to buy the Avalon in summer 2014 when my 00 LS400 reaches 14 years and about 180,000 miles unless the LS gets crashed again - I recently got it back after being rear ended to the tune of $8,000. Would plan to keep the Avalon our usual 10+ years assuming I'm still around to drive it.

Edit: The Lexus ES300h hybrid is little different than the Avalon Hybrid. With similar equipment, the ES Hybrid costs only a little more than the Avalon Hybrid.

 

LS430=CAST IRON BLOCK!!
LS460=ALUMINUM BLOCK

LS430 is KING!!

 

The LS430 motor is all aluminum. It does not have a cast iron block. The 3UZ-FE, is a 4.3 L (4,292 cc or 261.9 cu in) version built in Japan. Bore is 91 mm (3.6 in) [1] and stroke is 82.5 mm (3.25 in). Output is 216 to 224 kW (290 to 300 hp) at 5600 rpm with 441 N·m (325 lb·ft) of torque at 3400 rpm. It has an aluminum engine block and aluminum DOHC cylinder heads. It uses SEFI fuel injection, has 4 valves per cylinder with VVT-i.

There was a 4.3 liter V8 engine with cast iron block but it is used in the trucks

 

And I am selling a very very nice Black on Black 2001 LS430 ULTRA PACKAGE with rosewood inside and it also has the leather upgrade. New tires and a one owner non smoker car with 113k miles...... I want to get $12,500

i use to own a GS430 with 200k miles...IT WAS A BLESSING AND HAD ZERO ISSUES...miles are only a number folks.. trust that

A Lexus with 200k plus miles is very reliable regardless and it is a myth that high mileage cars are a headache and costly....

Second at $22k I can find a LS460 with no problem at all for sale and with good options etc. So why buy a LS430? It doesnt make any sense. If you are going to buy a LS430 then get a ULTRA and spend less then $15k and if not get a LS460 and pay $20-24k

As for the two cars... well they are both awesome and the LS460 is a better looking car and more refined but if you are budget minded then a ULTRA ls430 IS the way to go!!!