Looking to get a LS430 daily driver, was wondering what is the most reliable year and option package (as from what I could gather the 5-speed is more reliable over the 6-speed for some reason and the UL package air suspension is one not to get due to potential failure point). Are those points true? Are there any other considerations for reliability?

Thanks in advance!

 

'01-03 base model.

 

2005 and 2006 are the last and the best!

 

I don't think on average there is a significant difference between model years all other things being equal. Find a super well maintained car that has been garage kept, and that has spent its time in a non rust-belt state. That is the "secret" to getting a great reliable LS430, regardless of year.

 

I would argue that getting a 04-06 is the better option. The 04-06 cars have some of the bast factory low beam projector HIDs out there and AFS, the 01-03 reflector HIDs are no comparison. The 04-06 cars also have automatic locking and unlocking as well as keyless start just have the key in pocket. Three weak points about the newer cars are the 6 speed transmission being more difficult to maintain, the ECUs possibly needing to be serviced for harsh shifiting issues, and the LED tail lights sometimes have LEDs to go out.

The 01-03 cars are a little more simple, I retrofited bixenon projectors into mine to improve night driving but I still don't have the AFS newer cars do. 5 speed transmissions offer a drain plug and you fill from the dipstick under the hood, I would learn to deal with the 6 speed if I had one it wouldn't bother me. If you found an 04-06 ultra luxury LS430 I would buy it and convert to coil springs if you don't trust the air suspension. I have had my 01 UL from 186K miles and now I'm at 237K without any suspension problems.

 

I tend to agree with the above. I would only add that any difference in reliability between model years, if any (and I don't believe there is any), by far the biggest determinant of whether a given LS430 at this late date is going to be reliable is the service history and care the car had by the previous owner, and the number of miles. FWIW, the '06 models are the newest and might have the least amount of deterioration of rubber parts, as compared to say an '01. But no matter how you slice it, this car is one of the most reliable and has the highest build quality, of just about any production automobile.

 

I really appreciate all of the feedback, I do like the 04-06 UL with coil conversion thought.

 

By 'convert to oil springs' you mean just put in new OEM coils/shocks from a non-UL model?

 

The newest and lowest mile one you can find......01-03 is easier to work on for maintenance for sure and you can do everything on the ground including trans stains and fills easily. The lights are also replaceable unlike the LED units in the 04-06 and I'm oh the opinion the transmission is superior overall, the 6 hunts more and only gives a marginal improvement in mpg and response.

The passive system of the 04-06 is nice but both sides of the refresh have door lock actuator problems, one of the most major things that go wrong with these cars lol!

Concentrate on condition and history above all else is my usual way of buying cars, for me cosmetics reign supreme since it's easy to replace an engine vs repainting a car or replacing an interior

 

My advice is to be open minded. These cars are like waterfront property, they are not making anymore. At 15 to 20 years old, low mileage and well maintained examples are out there but are getting more difficult to find. Rather than limiting your search to certain model years, colors and trim packages, prioritize based on condition, maintenance history, mileage and time spent in a friendly (non-rust prone) environment. Many come on this forum with specific criteria and ultimately can't find what they are looking for. Be open minded, you will find one that you love. Good luck.

 

I agree with most of the opinions above. Bottom line.....The best, well maintained example (regardless of year) accident free, with reasonable miles, from a rust free environment. PERIOD!

 

Just want to add be careful with the auto close door feature as they can get pricy to fix and when they go the door wont shut so you have to fix them to use the car. At least that is what happened on my 05 LS.

 

It is funny how "reliable" can be a subjective word. They did not change most of the mechanics of that car for 6 years. The 01's and the 06's are nearly identical. In 04 they added a 6-speed transmission and had some adaptation errors. It is a less-than-$500 repair, well documented in a half dozen threads on this site, and won't leave you stranded. They added AFS for the headlights. If it quits working, the lights stay straight and the car keeps going. Its true they switched to LED rear lights and if they go out they are expensive, but again the running of the vehicle will not be affected. I generally avoid UL's so as to not deal with air suspension. A CL will give you laminated side glass and auto-close doors without the rear seat tricks and air suspension. Auto-close actuators are 2x the price of the regular.

Should you get an 01-03 or 04-06? Yes. They are nearly the same car in every way.

 

If reliability is your main objective, which I'm sure it is if seeking an LS430, I'd suggest "Less Is More". The base model of any year will generally give you the least amount of issues with these aging cars. (As long as the car is well maintained, with reasonable mileage, accident free,and from a rust free environment)

 

05 or 06 base model without the navigation screen are the best of them all. It was great that they could and were usually optioned with the smart key system and 18 inch wheels. Clean well cared for base models are the hardest to find. I looked for a black on black base 05/06 for 4 years but went with one that had the screen because it was too good to pass up.