Mgillesp

So I came to the forums seeking some advice and opinions regarding my next car. I have been a Lexus fan for a while and am looking to buy one soon. I have a budget of $9,000 and have narrowed my selection to two cars. I need help deciding whether to buy a 2004-2006 Lexus LS430 or a 2007-2008 Lexus ES350. The LS has the V8,more space and in my opinion a better front end. The reliability has been highly regarded for these cars. I could find several listings near me that are around $8-9,000 with about 130k miles. The ES however has better mpg, is several years newer and is also regarded as quite reliable. I can find a 2007-2008 for around $7,500-8,000 with less than 120k miles. I like both cars and my research may not have found all of the intricacies of each car so psk for any advice or opinions on my car choice!

LS430inDE.

Welcome to the club! You know this but the LS is rear wheel drive, the ES is front. Maryland doesn't have winters like Syracuse, but something to be mindful of. They will also drive differently. You should test drive both of them, back to back, and see what feels better.

We know both will be reliable so no need to discuss.

Another aspect is do you like to fit in with the crowd or do you like being a little different? You said the LS has "a better front end." While I agree with you, the ES's are a dime a dozen on the streets. The LS's are more rare of a breed to see out and about and potentially will turn more heads than a commonly seen ES. I know this has nothing to do with anything except narcissism, but hey, whatever will make you happier! lol

The best time to buy a car is when you DON'T NEED a car. You're not in a rush, you're unlikely to make a hasty decision, and you can really take your time and compare. Let us know what you do!

Johnhav430

I'd rather get the LS as I do think it's very unique....it's a flagship car and so-called bulletproof. I don't think the V8 fuel penalty is that much, maybe 2 mpg over a smaller V6 car. My Maxima got 21.7 and this LS gets around 19.x on the exact same commute. I did run regular in the Maxima even though it was designed for 91, and I run premium in the LS. imho the cars are very different, one is a RWD flagship, the other is an entry level FWD. The original buyers imho were on the one hand, one group who were looking for a large car, comparable to a 7 or S class, the other, an Avalon or an upgraded Avalon...my .02

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iTrader: (17)

Something to keep in mind is that the ES350 with higher mileage will have the typical headgasket and oil consumption issues. I chat with my brother who's a service manager at Lexus and constantly hear of ES350s being in for this kind of issue. Never hear anything bad about LS430s aside from regular wear and tear issues and simple stuff like door actuators, tilt motors, and other small stuff.

Mgillesp

Mgillesp

Mgillesp

warminwisc

I just got a 05 camry so not a 07-08 ES but sporting around in this Camry makes me realize why the LS has a reputation as a tank, it is, even the sport models.

I know the 4 cylinders had oil problems always thought the 3.5 was pretty solid?

LS430inDE.

You know what you should do, and would be interesting to review the results? You should post the same question in the appropriate ES forum, and see what they say. It would be raise eyebrows is the majority of them recommend going with the LS, wouldn't it? Ahhhhhh, there's some of my self-obsession/narcissism coming out, lol.

BTW-----I bought my 2005 LS in 2009 BECAUSE OF (in my opinion):
1) it's reputation for reliability + engineering (remember the LS400 tv commercials, and the wine glasses?)
2) it's not a common car
3) it appeared like the perfect combination of conservatism + exoticism + luxury all rolled up into 1 BIG FLAGSHIP offering.

Mgillesp

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iTrader: (17)

The thing that surprised the hell out of me since buying an LS in early November is the gas mileage for a sedan of this size and weight is mind blowing considering it's not a hybrid. I was expecting MUCH worse and was prepared to pay a premium for gas, but it's more than reasonable.

Mgillesp

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iTrader: (17)

I can't give you an exact number but it's definitely in the mid-high 20's and I was getting around 30 when I drove it across county with cruise set around 75-80mph (with two adult passengers and a trunk full of luggage).

It's noticeably better on gas than my 03 GS430 and better than my 01 ES300. I am guessing it's got alot to do with the gearing of the 6spd and also the low coefficient of drag on these cars.

Mgillesp

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iTrader: (17)

Yes. Premium 93

I can tell you that an 08 ES350 is definitely a nice car in its own right. My brother's ex had one back in the day and we took it up to Niagara Falls so it was a nice several hour road trip.

It's also smooth and quiet and a great highway car, but the interior build quality is going to be nowhere near the LS, it's considerably smaller inside in every dimension, and its reliability track also cannot touch the LS. The V6 fwd does not sound anywhere near as refined. I never liked the 3.5 motors when they came out,and now I have even less interest in them knowing all the issues they have and they always sound like they are on the verge of exploding when you get into the high RPMs. I drove a brand new IS350 F Sport and the only thing I remember is not wanting to floor it because when I did, it just sounded like the car is being overstressed. Not a good sound.

Also, the LS being an old car now is not going to depreciate as much as the ES is that matters to you. If you look around, even cars with 200k+ miles are still bringing in very respectable numbers.