daryll40

Stereorob, you are basically right. The car stickered for about $72,000. I paid about $68,000. Same car is now $79,000, and while it's been updated a few times, it's still basically a 10 year old design. My vehicle is now worth about $21,000....$30,000 is a nice fantasy. The fact that I can and do pay cash doesn't mean I'm not a value player . I had the original 1990 LS400..$37,000. Now THAT was a value, even though $37K was worth much more than today. I looked at the Hyundai Genesis..kinda reminds me of what the original LS was in terms of value vs Mercedes, which was the standard at the time. But buying a Hyundai, even as a value compared to the LS, still concerns me at $50,000 (for a Hyundai).

Not sure what these details add other than background for the conversation.

Stereorob

if you can drop $80k cash on another car, then get something cool man! and nothing wrong about being a value player. I know someone who has $500,000,000.00 dollars and drives a Honda accord. indeed the Hyundai Genesis is sort of reminecent of the original Ls400, looks cool and is actually pretty fun to drive, its still a parts bin car with bean counters at work, and they really don't have much of a lifespan. ive driven lots of 2010-2013 Genesis that came in as trades that were well maintained with decent numbers on the OD, and they already felt as tired as my 20 year old Ls400. but if you want something out of Korea that really is different, looks cool, and that NOBODY seems to have, how bout a Kia K900?

daryll40

My 80 year old mother drives a Kia Cadenza ��

Stereorob

i actually like the Cadenza. saw a brand new one up close at a gas station a few weeks back. driver actually said "damn that's a clean Ls400 what year man?" and we talked for a few mins. his was white, with white interior, black piano wood and had chrome rims. absolutely beautiful car it was! just not the car for me. Kia is trying to play the Lexus game, and its too little too late

CJITTY

I recently sold my LS600HL now that it's out of hybrid warranty. I'm not keeping a car of this level without some type of coverage. I've spoken with a few Lexus service advisors and techs and they are seeing some quality issues creeping up and frequency of repairs increasing.

SW17LS

As someone who's had multiple LS's, gone from the LS to lower tier cars and back again I can give you the scoop on this.

Once you get used to the LS, going to any other car in the Lexus lineup is very hard. I did it, but in my situation the LS was not my car, it was my fathers car, and I personally could not afford an LS of my own, so I got the ES. I was very close to buying a CPO 2000 LS400 back in 2003, but I needed to lease for business, and I knew I would be putting a lot of miles on the car so starting out at 40k wasn't appealing to me. So, I got the ES. I enjoyed the ES, and my ES350 I replaced it with in 2010, and my GS350 I replaced that with in 2013...but all of those cars were judged compared to the LS, and they all fell short in one way or another. The closest was certainly the GS which I really enjoyed, but the ES isn't really a replacement for the LS, it doesn't have that heft, that solid feel or the refinement you get out of the LS. The GS had much of that, it was just a little too small in the back and was a little too firm on the road, powertrain a little too loud. Going back to the LS now is really honestly a relief...driving something that isn't what you really want but trying to convince yourself it is is tiring when you're a car person.

Your LS is 7 years old, and has 80k miles. Thats an average of 11,500 per year, below average. My dad's 98 LS had 165,000 miles on it when he traded it on the 2004, and that had nearly 100k on it when my Mom and I sold it after he passed away in 2010. Honestly I would have kept that car and driven it 15-20k per year without hesitation myself except at that time it was too painful for me to do so.

If you stay on top of the maintenance of these cars, they can last a LOT longer than the age and mileage yours is at. I would honestly rather keep driving my own LS at 80k, 100k, even 150k before I would trade it on a brand new ES, having made that swap already in my life. His 98 had the air suspension (really rare in a 400 of that year), and at 165k it would settle a little bit off when turned off, but that had just started. His 430 at 100k had no issues.

If you've decided you want another car thats another story, but it doesn't sound like thats the case. Anything new is going to depreciate faster than your LS at this point, and repair costs if you find a good independent mechanic (which you should) and don't use the dealer aren't bad really. Even if it depreciates $5k a year (which I think is overstated), you're not going to find a car thats as pleasurable to drive as an 09 LS460 for that money.

The Genesis is a great car, its very LS-like in the way it rides and drives. Its not nearly as nice inside, but its not supposed to be. Depreciation however is TERRIBLE, and a few years from now you're going to find you want something else because it won't age as well as the LS and thats going to start the depreciation curve all over again. You could look at an Equus, at $65k its very similar to the LS, and you can get great deals on them (like almost Genesis money) but again, depreciation is bad, will they age as well? Be as enjoyable with 80k miles?

Like I said, if you WANT a new car thats one thing, you only live once. But if you think you SHOULD replace the LS because of its age when you don't want a new car and still enjoy it...I would keep it for sure.

daryll40

SW15LS: Great post. Really great. What you are saying is that I got spoiled and nothing else is going to feel right. I am coming to the same conclusion. Thanks for taking the time for that long and informative post.

Stereorob

I totally get that. beautiful car but horrifically complex. I saw one in here a few days ago with a bad battery that was getting changed. by the time the battery was out of it it looked like a bomb went off in the car they had to take so much stuff apart. that alone scared me out of getting one.

JffGRY706

daryl, you sound like a RX kind of guy to me. I'll help you out and take that old wreck of a 460 for $21,000

daryll40

But you are in Texas...I'm in Pittsburgh

SW17LS

Not a problem!

Stereorob

heh, daryl, don't listen to that guy. that old LS is only worth about $10k. c'mon its 6 years old. nobody wants them anymore. ill be a nice guy and help you out. hows $12k sound?

JffGRY706

my next vacation is in april, I want to drive it home to Texas. serious

daryll40

I'm a fool about cars, but I know it and ain't stupid

UZ214

Sell it, and get something you are itching for, because that itch will not go away..