Hi, new here and wondering if someone has experience with both. I am leaning toward a local 430 but prefer looks of 460 I can also buy local. Both cars have been very well maintained. 430 has had air ride removed and was told they were replaced with Monroe shocks. 430 timing belt just done and A arms. Both have around 150,000 miles, this will not be my only vehicle, thank you for any advise.

 

I personally vastly prefer how the 460 performs as a car, the 430 is the better engineering example.

 

You didn't specify which year 460 so with those miles I'm going to guess an 07-09? I had both the 430 (05) and the 460 (08). I enjoyed the 430 but I loved my 460. Had I originally bought a 2011 or 2012, I'd probably still have it. Both cars are great, so it comes down to personal preference. Good luck.

 

Thanks for the input. The 430 is an 06, 150,000 miles. Has been gone over and many parts replaced, drive like a new car. The 460 is an 08, 160,000. Drives very nice and solid. Still has original air ride suspension and brake system. Those two items scare me as far as repair cost. If it wasn’t for those two items I would grab the 460. I much prefer the 460 exterior and interior. I think the starter repair on both are the same. I wish I want so shallow in the 430 appearance but I am. How deep can you fall in a money pit with 460.

 

Forgot to mention I can pick up both between $8000 and $8500.

 

I was on the same boat, I've looked at and driven a few 460l and 600hl, I specifically want the l version. But they were way too expensive for what they are, still on original suspension, brake actuator. Both prefacelift. I recently just picked up a preface lift 430ul. Honestly the drive wasn't much different than the 460. Very floaty. The double pane UL glass I'm sure helps. Even quieter than my sc430, and somehow feels quite torquey too, I feel it pulls nicer than my sc but also drives smoother too. I'm amazed cuz it has slightly higher milage than my sc and is a older car also. But the interior is like new.

Also it was like half or more than what people were asking for preface lift Swb 460s not even the l model with similar if not higher milage than my 430.

 

Well if you can't DIY and even if you can the OE arms are $1900, actuator is $2200 for a new one not reman, air struts are about $1000 each so 4k plus $850 for a compressor. You can also have the oil consumption or hesitations issues and the former is a big risk while the latter would require chain replacement if that's the issue source. The oil consumption issue is usually since the car was driven too easy when new and the rings never seated or they became carbon locked over time, you can attempt to free them and most of the time you will have some success. You also need to keep in mind the risk of the melting interior if it has not been replaced already.

The 430 will run you around the same for suspension but the design of the suspension on those hides worn/broken parts FAR better than the much more advanced and effective muti-link system on the 460. You also will need to pay for a timing belt and component kit change if you can't DIY it to the tune of anywhere from $750-2000 pending on where you have it done. Stater is far easier on the 430 and likely lasts longer as well.

As far as how they drive the 460 is insanely competent when you push it hard, you can easily enter a 25 mph turn at over 70 with the right tires and sustain 90-120 though 55mph backroads. The 430 just can't do the same



Personally I think the 430 is much more mileage insensitive car, I would not buy any 460 over 150k miles but I did buy a 192k mile 430......

 

The dash and doors melt/get sticky just like the is250/350 on the 460?

 

^^ Yes, apparently is a 4LS common problem

 

i see more ls430's on the road than ls460's. should say something. though I think you'll enjoy both cars, lexus/toyota is good at what they do

 

I just did the return to an LS430 after driving an LS460 for 3 years.

Car was a 2008 dark red LS460 that I bought with 60K miles and sold with 80ish. Short wheelbase but with most of the options include self-park. At first I loved the car. But overtime it just didn't have the same vault like feeling and reliability that the older LS cars are known for.

My dash melted, fortunately Lexus replaced it for free. The suspension was really starting to make noise. LCAs were going to be due very soon. I never had the brake actuator problem. I was not impressed with the paint quality either. All of my cars are waxed and sealed on a regular basis. But the clear was starting to show wear from environmental damage.

Also, the transmission. The 5 speed in the 2002 is so smooth. No, it's not quick, but it's very smooth. My 8-speed in the 460 was very jerky on the 2-3 shift and did strange things at highway speed when going full throttle. It was properly serviced, but never had the shift quality the newer ones have.

But the biggest thing was the squeak. I had the most annoying squeak/rattle coming from the front part of the windshield. It took me years to find it. It was temperature dependent and after many many many attempts I found it was the sheetmetal that was glued to the upper windshield support. There was a pressed and glued area that, after heating up, would start to wiggle around when you hit bumps. It sounded like dry rubber squeaking on a metal surface. I did eventually fix it.

Long story short, I sold it and took the money and bought a family members 2002 114K mile LS430 that had been meticulously maintained and I haven't been happier. No, the 430 isn't as fast as the 460 and doesn't have all the electronic gizmos. But for my particular examples, is a vastly better driving car. No squeaks, no rattles and is quiet inside.

I realize the 460 is a more advanced car and the newer models likely don't have the problems my 2008 had. But for me, I'll keep enjoying the 430.

Zoraone

 

^^ I think this sums up my concerns with the 4ls and why I went for the 430. Just a more proven technology, less stuff to break and I don't want to be nickel and dimed to death like German cars. I want my Lexus to be reliable, I have less reliable cars as toy cars but I need something that I can depend on as a daily.

 

The 430 doesn't drive anywhere near as well as a 460, smoother in some ways sure but it's only weak point is cold transmission shift quality and "stepping" vs the 5 speed. The LS430 is insanely smooth but that's all it can really do, the 460 actually has much better isolation from road imperfections while still giving you far better control and feedback and when you get the car rotating there is no contest. The 460 is a car that drives WAY better and makes you want to drive it hard.

 

Yes, it better drive better, it's a generation newer but how many people buying a ls will track or drift the car. You are buying a full size luxury boat. I want full size luxury.

 

And it does that better as well, competence, control, effortlessness and isolation from harsh impacts are all higher in the 460. The 430 is too slow/needs to be pushed to hard to exert the same level of authority over the rest of traffic and it can't do it as effortlessly