Whipitnow

You know they don't make 'em like that anymore, you should go out in style. You would probably make the idiot box with that ?

StanVanDam

People still go out of their way to complement and ask me about my car. Last year I was at a red light, windows up and minding my own business, this 35-45ish guy next to me starts waving, so I roll my passenger window down to see if I had run a small animal over or if something happened to my car that I couldn't see. He just said nice car, asked what year it was and how many kms, told him 02 and that I do all the work on it myself (not that there's much work). He was very impressed and told me how awesome it was. I think my personal work on the paint correction/detailing/protection helped - I use Zaino products mostly, in case anyone's wondering, and posted a thread here many years ago on my annual detailing process.

I get compliments from staff at Costco gas frequently enough. Two weeks ago, a guy came over to tell me sometimes the gas nozzle kicks up after the auto-fill has completed and wanted to make sure my nice paint wouldn't get scratched. I've been using Costco gas for years and never had the handle kick up when it was done filling. Other times, the attendant comes over just to say nice car. Another time at Costco gas, I ended up next to an LS400, some big biker-gang type guy with his wife and kid, he gave me the LS nod (like the Honda wave).

Friends are often in disbelief when I tell them about the features and build quality of my 2002. People spend way more on newer cars that are quite inferior to the LS430. It was very low cost buying used 9 years ago, yet even today, this 18 year old car still feels and drives like a >$100K luxury car (was >$100K CAD new). The LS430 has never left me stranded, the amount of money and time spent on maintenance is extremely minimal, and it's never "at the garage", as people with other cars often say. Practically everything in the LS430 that could break or need replacing was engineered to be very simple, easy, and cheap to replace. Practically every problem common to the LS430 can be fixed yourself by reading these forums, and often without even using a car lift, especially if you have air suspension and can raise the vehicle height. Sure, Toyota didn't engineer every single LS430 part for maximum longevity in Canadian winters with salted roads, but they sure did a better job than everyone else on a majority of components. 10/10, would buy again.

Sherl

If you wanna really do yourself even get the LS400. 430 is sophisticated in every way.

Whipitnow

I prefer the looks of the later 400 and there is less to go wrong with it for a old keeper but the 430 is a much more car and a better car....

Legender

Glad you found a car you wanted.... keep an eye on the transmission on the Acura/Honda models as around that time period they had some real problems. Reliability is not the best. Outside of being smaller than the LS and less power with the V6 and the tranny problems, all combined, that's what scared me away from the RL line. I started on this 'higher end' car journey with the Acura Legend, thus my username. But after upgrading to the first LS I bought, a 1993, I never looked back and have been happy ever since.

Whipitnow

The TL had the tranny problems, I bought this RL because the local Acura mechanic told me they do not make Acura's like that anymore. He said they have one in town with 500 thou on it and just regular maintenace. All original motor and tranny, he told me if you take care of them these were overall the best built Hondas ever made for durability. This is the second one I have bought and drove the hell out of the first with 0 problems except a starter and was going to get a newer one but then did not on his advice. He told me the trannies are bullet proof in these, it's some of the other models that have probelms.....

By the way I had a Legend and although it is a better looking car than later RL before the 2005 redesign it was not made as well overall. The leather in mine took a complete crap after 15 years...... I looked at the 2005 and later RL's and same thing, the interiors go to hell after some years.

Whipitnow

I just saw a 430 parked and had never really looked at one close, yes it is old Euro sedan style, The car is not bad looking until you look at the headlight design. They just plain messed that up period, I do not know what year it was.

Just out of curiosity I asked a male passer by which car is uglyier my Acura parked next to it or the 430 and he replied without hesitation the 430 was uglier.

I know the Acura is no where near the car but the 430 does not have a reputation for being attractive at all......

Longmire

Yeah, I'm not a big fan of the headlights either. That's the only reason that I hesitated to buy my '01, really. I only bought mine about a month ago, but it is growing on me...or maybe I just don't care anymore.

Johnhav430

I like how the LS looks, and don't consider it ugly. But, I openly admit that whenever you compare an Audi to a Japanese car, the Audi looks better, and the Japanese 2 generations behind. If you do Mercedes, at least one generation. For whatever reason, I do consider the 4th gen LS unattractive, and the 5th gen ugly. Before anyone accuses me of bias, the new 7 series BMW is ugly, as was the non LCI 2002 BMW 7's. Ugly is pretty much a condemnation of the people who styled the vehicle. Unattractive is less harsh and not the same...do looks matter, well if basic transportation, no. But if you're spending more than 10k for a car? Yes...

jayclapp

......so all the well financed original buyers of the LS430 did so in spite of the fact that they thought it was ugly............... Really?

BCT

LMAO

​​​​​​​So you are interested in buying a car that you consider ugly with some messed up designed headlight. Maybe I am missing something here, but why are you even here asking questions in a forum full of LS owner? I personally do not care what anyone else think so I would never ask some stranger which car is uglier, but I certainly will not be driving ANY car that I consider ugly. My LS will not win a beauty contest, but I do not consider her ugly.

Whipitnow

No actually I would use the car for road trips, the car has such a great reputation as an automobile. Using this as an example, it's kinda like the wrestler the Undertaker. He is considered by many to be the best wrestler ever but he is definately not the most handsome one for sure......

I actually prefer the LS 400 in alot of ways and more than likely would get one of those instead even though it is not near the car in many regards...... and much harder to find a clean one....

Whipitnow

How could the motor mounts be out at 60 ? ............I am hearing all the new cars are junk, Japenese quality has gone down ?

A friend of mine was telling me GM was actually making some good stuff for a few years right after the bailouts ? I have actually heard the late C6 run of the Corvettes are real good cars and a great value. You can get them with no miles fairly cheap and the motor and drive train are supposed rock big time......

Johnhav430

How do you know the motor mounts are bad, were you shown on a lift? Lexus dealer told me I needed them at 81k, indie put my car on the lift, said here are your two mounts (I remember one was harder to see), there's your trans mount. You don't need to replace any of them, maybe in 5 years, but not now.

So I have the 3 pieces in my basement....I don't think they go bad but whatever. Lexus dealers are no different than anyone else, service makes a lot of money for them and they need to push unneeded repairs. I think typical lexus owners are good marks as well.

p.s. I've been on different car forums, one since 1998. they all seem to go downhill over time, with 16 y.o. kids eventually, and also, a lack of enthusiasm. It's funny to think that a forum where cars were 50,60,70k in dollars from 10+ years ago, is mostly comprised of HS students. This one seems not to be that way, I suppose a HS student wouldn't get caught dead in a LS430! lol

Stu

not too many car owners over 50 are going to spend much internet time on car forums chatting and arguing.... many 16 year old car enthusiasts have more time to waste and do it thinking its good use of their time !