I’ve heard the 430 is better quality and I know around 2008 the interior quality for the GS and LS was pretty bad in comparison to previous and following years. Interior aside is this still a long term hold car that easily goes over 300k? I heard these are not as good as the LS400 and LS430. What is the best years to look for in this gen when buying used? All opinions welcome, thanks in advance!

 

yes you stand corrected, the 400/430 wins in all avenues compared to the 460 reliable and high craftsmanship.

 

Depends how you look at it since most of the 430s and 400s are old now and higher mileage than 460s. Same mileage to same mileage the 430/400 will be better and in particular the interiors hold up way better.

If you cant fix a 430/400 yourself get a 460 since you will be charged the same amount to repair the older one anyway. It only make sense to get the older one if you can DIY since it's way easier/faster to replace everything and set it to "new" than a used 460

However most people will not week one replace the entire suspension, all seals, belts, rad, and fluids on top of anything else they noticed. I did but it's not a big deal for me but the cost would have been over $13000 at a dealer for the same work to have a good to go car. If I had a 460 it would probably not have needed as much of a comprehensive overhaul due to the simple fact it would have been 10 years newer I wouldn't have been so cautious over everything.

 

For my money, the refresh to the LS460 is hands down the better car. But now, the 430 is old and regardless of how "great" it was, it's not necessarily bullet proof today. I happened upon this video that was released today and I thought this would be a good place for it. This shows you what you "could" be getting when you buy a 430.

 

The 460 is more complex, so there is more to go wrong. It’s a better car though overall. The 430s are very old now, and have issues of their own.

As long as you understand that it’s a complex expensive car and you may have some expensive repairs, they are great cars.

 

I chuckle when I see people point out how "old" the LS430s are and buyers should beware if not scared of them. Yes, compared to LS460 especially in later years it can seem dated and the newer vehicles have more features, etc. To others, they are more "timeless" than "old". And they do hold up extremely well, if maintained by the book.

There are a couple of guys in town whose daily drivers are early 1980's Mercedes 300SD, both in mint condition. Old and timeless. Built to be maintained indefinitely. Similar to the LS430.

 

It depends on what someone is comfortable with. I would not trust any vehicle 15+ years old as a daily driver. To have a car that old thats a neat second car or something like that is a different issue.

Even when driving an "early 1980s Mercedes 300SD" you have to be prepared for unforseen breakdowns etc that I just don't want to deal with. Those cars are way simpler than an LS430 too, no computers, etc.

If a buyer is asking about reliability and can't handle some unreliability and repairs then they should avoid an old car in general.

 

Yes, I have a few old timex watches. I prefer my apple watch. ;-)

 

Same lol, I’m not an old stuff guy.

 

No question. The LS430 had a really nice ride, and I also think it was a little more comfortable than the 460, as they moved to a more sporty lux type car with the 460. As tech goes, today, it's very, very outdated but, mods could be done to help with this if needed. The look is timeless though, in my eyes.

If your looking for a more reliable car the 430 uses a timing belt, the LS460 uses a timing chain. There is a maintenance schedule on the timing belt on the 430, if the belt breaks (can't say I have actually heard of one breaking) the motor is toast. This could be the case when your buying one with 170K+ on it, if no one did it, it's a big risk and possible time bomb. The job to change the timing belt on a LS430 is a very, very big job. The whole front of the motor needs to come off. Small repair shops will charge $1200+ for it, never mind the what the Lexus dealer charges.

Something you need to keep in mind. These are great cars but, when things go wrong they could have large expenses...

 

Quite a few folks in the 3rd Gen forum have done the timing belt job themselves over a weekend. There are some really good YouTube videos showing the process in great detail. Forum members have report costs ~ $ 1,000 at independent shops or Toyota dealers including the water pump and ancillary parts. Yes, it has to be done (recommended at 90K miles or 9 years). No car is maintenance free. My '05 at 127K miles literally has had nothing go wrong at all, all the equipment works like new, power train is smooth as glass. No creaks or noises from the suspension (original). Relatively easy to do all the routine maintenance for the mechanically inclined. The only thing out of the maintenance schedule I have done is re-pad the driver seat cushion. Did the brakes myself (easy) drain and fill transmission (easy), new plugs (easy) etc. I plan on keeping mine indefinitely, so what if its "old".

 

I've been posting in this forum for years and years, I would not at all call this "widepsread".

It all depends on what you want. Having the "cheapest to maintain" car isn't my focus. I want a modern car with modern tech and style and features, and if that means that its a little costlier to maintain then so be it.

Plenty of 460s with high mileage where everything works and they are perfect as well.

My issue is the double standard. Someone pays $1,500 for a timing belt on an LS430 and its "hey no car is maintenance free". Someone spends $1,500 on control arms on a 10+ year old LS460 and its "oh my god what a piece of garbage" You're spending the $1,500 either way.

 

So, timing belt it is maintenance , had that on Audi, but control arms ? Was this also a problem on 430’s ?

 

The LS460 has a more complex multi-link front suspension that has more control arms than the LS430, which has a less sophisticated double wishbone setup. One of the drawbacks is you have a lot more links and control arms that can require replacement, and they do.

 

Everyone has their choice in cars. If a 430 user is happy then that's great. I had a steering issue with my 430. That was an expense yet it wasn't why I got rid of it. I didn't like it. I loved my 08. I was fortunate that I had no issues with my 460 that all the 430 users love to point out. But if I did, regardless of cost, I'd prefer the 460 over a perfect 430 anytime. People have the right to like what they want. Enjoy your 430. We'll enjoy our 460's.