Looking for a change and really don't have the need for a pickup truck as I did several years ago so I'm considering selling my 2012 Toyota Tacoma in order to buy a 2006 LS430. Now I know the LS430 has been praised to death on here in terms of reliability but I commute 300 total miles to work weekly and I'm a bit worried putting so much strain on a car that will potentially have close to 100k on it. (Most of the Used LS430's have around that many miles, sometimes more) I'm aware of the timing belt/water pump maintenance but would I be better served holding on to the tacoma and just using the LS as a weekend car or do most of you think the LS430 would be able to serve both purposes for me?

Thanks Gang.

 

I bought my 01 LS Base 3 years ago with 120K, I do close to 100 per day, 500 miles a week.. I will hit 220K sometime in the next couple of weeks. I have done all the standard maintenance, Oil Changes, Timing Belt, flushed trans... ECT.... The only thing that has failed in 3 years and 100,000 miles that I have put on it was a coil pack....

When this one dies, I will be looking for the 2004 to 2006 with 100,000 on it so I can put another 200K on it. This car loves the road and it's almost all hi-way, shocked that I haven't gotten a ticket yet, I look down all the time and I'm doing 90MPH.

Don't have Air Suspension, can't help there.

My weekend car is a 2001 Ford Excursion.... All 11.3 MPG / 7.5 when pulling the trailer

 

Wow that's very reassuring to hear then! Yeah most of my commute is highway but this car seems like it would be perfect for any sort of driving situation. Test Drove one a couple weeks ago and it def had some pep given it's size/weight. The spongey breaking is something I'll have to get used to though and would probably be my only complaint.

Aesthetically I also prefer the 430 over the 460 any day of the week,

Not looking into any of the Ultra Luxury models as that's just one more thing to go wrong and the cars ride was plenty cushy for me even with out it.

Thanks for chiming in!

 

i havent had any spongey braking.the one you test drove may of had a problem.

 

I bought my 430 3.5 years ago with 169,xxx and now it has 237,xxx and i have had zero problems. ive done the timing belt and water pump service but thats still not necessarily a repair. Plus i take it skiing every weekend, around a 600 round trip, on days with 20 cm's of snow, and have still had zero issues or times i wish i had something bigger. Plus given its age these cars get awesome mileage on the highways.

 

I don't see any problem at all. I have a 50-60 mile commute 5 days a week in my 2006 LS430. Having this car makes the commute bearable. Good luck

 

I was using my LS on my commute from Milwaukee to Chicago from November until a few weeks ago. I then bought my new car. 140 miles a day, and it handled it wonderfully. I averaged 27-28 mpg on the freeway, and it was very comfortable. I did, however get something a little more economical to make the trip, and I would like to keep the LS as long as possible, so now it gets used by my wife when I let her out of the house...

 

Ha! These cars work even better when they're driven regularly.

It's great for a primarily freeway commute. On one hand, I wish I had a Prius and half the gas bill. On the other hand, it's at the bottom of its depreciation curve and everything else about the car is pretty cheap - maintenance is cheap, insurance is cheap, depreciation isn't too bad, the wear items have a long life.

I know I could save $500/yr on gas in a Prius (and maybe save a bit on maintenance) but I can only have 1 car and I wouldn't want to trade in my LS430 and take the hit on that just to get an overpriced Prius. Most used cars dealers around here are below pond scum - comparable LSs to mine go for $10k, and most dealers would offer me maybe around 3-5k for my car for the privilege of buying an overpriced Prius from them. I can't wait for them to get crushed in 3 years when all these new cars come off lease and the economy sneezes when banks have to write down their auto lending portfolio. And then I tell myself, I just have to nurse my car to 2022 and then I can get a Toyota Century.

 

I commute 400 miles a week. Prior to this I did the same commute in a 1992 SC400, 2007 IS350, and sometimes my spouses 2011 Sonata. The SC400 was great in dry weather but ad soon as the rain and wind would come around I felt like I was in a death trap. 2007 IS350 was great all around for this drive. Had no problem Dippin in and out of traffic... over the 2 years with it I progressively drove it harder and harder. It was only a matter of time before I got a ticket. The sonata is like a corolla... it rolls it gets you there not much fun but you know it's gonna start every time.

I've now done this commute for 2 weeks in the 2006 LS430. This has made my experience a million times better in every way. No jack hole Dippin in and out, no feelings of a death trap, and my entire vibe with this car is more in line with my line of work and personality. I'd buy this car over again for the next 3 cars as long as there are still healthy ones out there by then. Gas isn't much different from the SC and IS because I drive pretty chill and consistent in the LS.

I was on the market for a tacoma, 4runner, or gx... we needed more space than the is350 and liked the idea of 4x4. Options were slim under 18k so I stuck with one I knew would love for a long time. If you don't spend much time needing 4x4 or hauling you will be enjoy that drive to work in the LS...

 

Haha, this is silly. Can a 430 be a DD? Does a bear....? These cars are so understressed it's almost ridiculous. Never feels like the car is even remotely working even the teensiest bit hard. Find a nice clean 100k example that's had the TB done (and complete records) and enjoy the ride; drive it til the wheels fall off. I bought mine in '12 with 75k, now 4yrs later I'm at 122. Replaced a control arm bushing and that's it. My driver's door lock actuator is starting to act up but for only two (minor) problems on a 12 year old car I continue to be amazed....amazed by the build quality, solidity, quality, etc. It's dead reliable, feels like it was cut from one chunk of granite, and I have absolutely no doubt that it will serve me MANY more years and upwards of 250-300k (at least). I'm spoiled for life. It may be old but damn, what a car.

I was out quite a bit today, all over town, and saw about 9 cars like mine today (04-06)--that's always reassuring. I live in an average sized city.

GL on your search, and welcome!