I have an '05 with 103k on it. I have a 4 mile one way commute. I typically will put 7-8k on a car in a year. Keeping mine for another 20 years wouldn't even get the car to 300k! I guess I could conceivably keep mine "forever", as I'd only be 49 at that point. My initial goal was to keep it until I was at least 40. Even at 40 can't really imagine what else I would want in a car...

 

Dang you are in the prime of your life, SON! lol I remember my dad told me, his favorite age is 30. Why? You are still physically at your peak (if an athlete maybe just past), mentally you are almost there, and likely you are making a lot more money than you did 8 yrs. ago. So it's the best! And I do agree! Don't think about 40, seize the moment!!

I still think the LS430 is a set it and forget it car. Likely a person can forget it, and it will keep chugging along...

(p.s. we had this discussion at my uncle's 60th b-day party...)

 

What better time to drive an LS than in my prime?? 30 is a great time of life. Ha. After owning my an Avalon for a few years after college, the LS430 became my dream car. Smooth and reliable have always been the most important to me and an added plus is that my 3 kids can fit in it for road trips.

 

Good to see you are enjoying life. But, when you get to be 75 you may look back and decide that 65 was the best time of your life! Likewise at each increasing decade of your life.

 

I looked at life that way until I started analyzing Bob Seger: "Wish I didn't know now, what I didn't know then."

Also, my wife's BFF's older brother explained to us the "Rule of 75," and how he retired at 53. I used to think dang all that money you missed from 53-72, man. But he explained the time gained by retiring at 53 is well worth it. People have died at work not even making it to 70 from all the stress, what good is the money then?

To drive a LS at 30, not bad!! Again, potentially set for a long time. Now, you are young, and can buy a more risky car like a used M3 hahahahaha This world is yours! Cuz you got one thing on your side--TIME.

 

With you on this! I think about 55-65 now and see the many good things that life can offer at that age. Hopefully still driving a Lexus with no payment ha!

 

The difference between our outlook: You look forward to a wonderful world that will be yours. You have no assurance of how much time you will have.

I look backward to a wonderful world that was mine. I lived in the best of all times.

 

I never made a car payment in my life! How enjoyable was that?

 

Some of these cars are 17 years old. Parts are not going to be available forever. You may want to keep your car forever but you won't be able to.

 

I've lived in many countries and cultures and have come to realize, especially as a cancer survivor and in my 60's, that each country celebrates happiness and wellbeing in ways/customs that are effective for them. For many Americans, wealth, power, conspicuous consumption, etc, spells happiness... and yet, on the Global Quality of Life Index, and the Happiness Indexes, Americans are among the lowest of post-industrial countries.

And you sir are a wise man!! There comes a time when the world is silent, it gets very quiet and the only thing left is the sound of your own heart. Learning to listen to it makes time worthwhile...everything else is just living in our comfort zone, which is typically living life on the surface.

Well, a bit to philosophical for a car forum, my apologies!

 

Hey hey hey Negative Nancy, there are people still driving around 1990 and other 1st gen LS400s, and they don't seem to have a shortage of replacement parts almost 30 years later. Plus, there are quite a lot of components in LSs that were used in many other Toyota (and Lexus) models, so it's not like we drive a car that's 100% unique with 100% exclusive parts.

 

I saw an LS460 get towed into the auto electricians this afternoon by a Honda Odyssey. Not only was I demoralised by the sight of that, it also kinda put me off the USF40 series after I had a quick look around in it

 

I agree, I am of the "drive it 'til the wheels fall off" mentality. That doesn't mean one cannot add to the stable if there is garage/driveway space plus the funds. When I see mint 1995-1999 Maximas, I wonder to myself how come their bodies are mint to the eye, and they are still driving all over the place, did they encounter the issues that I have? My buddy claims, as his opinion, that I did not garage my car, and some of the nice ones I see may have been garage kept.

The only time imho original parts disappear, it's with things like factory exhaust and cats, real specialty parts (imagine having to pay for overpriced Walker junk because OE is not available). I personally toured a Saab warehouse and there were tons of parts, and the mgr. told me nothing ever leaves here, it's like a museum, but at least we're getting paid for the space.

As a barometer? In 2017, you could buy door caps with your factory paint color, and drip rails. That's pretty specialized so such parts are still available for our cars...