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Thinking Of Upgrading


SW03ES

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Drove one today. The real draw is the room in the rear, now that I'm going to be carting clients around the ES is a little cramped. You can sit in the back seat of the LS430 with the drivers seat adjusted just how I like it and cross your legs, in my ES your knees bump the back of the seat. I'd probably do a Modern or Custom Luxury car and skip the rear seat doo-dads, just things for people's kids to play with and break.

Its definately smoother and quieter than my car, but not by much. The LS has a much heavier feel, the throttle is heavy and the steering is heavy thats the biggest difference. The car just feels heavy, and that brings with it more of a "gliding" feel to the way it moves down the road. When you're driving the LS you're like "My God, why would anyone want to drive a different car" but back in my car "Hmm, this thing rides pretty nice too" so the upgrade really is for the size more than anything else.

I drove the new GS too and wasn't thrilled with it, my review is in the GS section. I liked it, just not my thing.

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can i say that is one sexy.. sexxxy car... wooden steering wheel... roomy everything... if u got the money get the Ls... saw the GS last weekend... dam one sexy car... but still LS rules...

one question is it just me or in the third picture one of the seats in moved back more then others... rear seats

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Hey, that looks a lot like the one I've been drooling over!!  Looks like yours is fancier - "holey" seats, adujstable seats, chrome wheels.  I like the color combo.  I like the way Lexus does light-colored interiors, but the black looks very formal.  Start saving your sheckles!!

My Webpage

LL

Fantastic automobile , Love the color combination. I'm done with my 2 Blk on Blk autos. B)

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90- It does, thats an Ultra Luxury package. Actually not a bad deal, 5k miles and $62k. That car has a $73k sticker because it has the pre collision system. I wouldn't get the rear seat stuff because I'd be afraid people and their kids would burn the controls out. So I would get a Custom Luxury package without the rear seat stuff or a Modern Luxury without a couple other of the UL/CL goodies. The Modern Luxury car has nav, ML, smart access, 18" wheels (those are the 17s), park assist, rearview camera for about $62k. I could get one tomorrow for $57.5.

GS- My ES has the wood leather wheel too ;)

Goldplater/LexusLooker- To me silver on black is more of a color difference than gold on tan. No offense but I'm not a fan of gold or of tan interiors. I actually love the look of mine with the dark exterior but its so much work. Black interior is definately a must.

Gonna be a while, I'm going to try and do a cash deal including my trade since I'm going to drive it a while. I'm also going to try and wait until we see some pics of the new 07 LS to decide if I want to wait.

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SW,

Well, that ride would be the primo for sure.................great looking car!!!

Are the 02 LS430's out of the question??? That'd save you $20-25 grand ---and you would get the legroom / interior space you need.........

Invest the difference and .............take a nice vacation :lol: ......yada, yada ......

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The salesman and I were talking about that earlier, I really don't like used cars, I prefer new especially since I plan to drive this car for 200-250,000 miles. Thats going to be through getting married, having kids, buying houses etc. Its worth it to me to keep on driving my car (which I really enjoy) until I can afford a new one. I'll more than get my money out of the new LS.

Right now I drive about 20-22k a year. Now, most of that is just running around that I wont be doing as much when I work longer hours in real estate than I do now, but I'll be running around for work so I expect that to stay about the same. If I keep the car for 250k, thats 11 1/2 years. That makes the cost of a $60k LS $5220 a year or about 0.25 a mile. Thats not bad for a car I'll really enjoy.

I love my ES, but I don't see 200k with it. Its just not built like an LS, I've had some rattle problems etc.

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thats a nice car. The LS is not my "style" - bit too big and barge like - but you cannot deny its an awful good looking vehicle.

The real draw is the room in the rear, now that I'm going to be carting clients around the ES is a little cramped. You can sit in the back seat of the LS430 with the drivers seat adjusted just how I like it and cross your legs, in my ES your knees bump the back of the seat.

thats the LS sold then! :D

you've said several times before that rear room was important - and you are only going to get the vast amount of rear real estate in an LS. (here a tip - dont even LOOK at an SC430! :lol )

You're only othe option would be to look at other marques, and I don't think thats likely to happen.

The LS has a much heavier feel, the throttle is heavy and the steering is heavy thats the biggest difference. The car just feels heavy, and that brings with it more of a "gliding" feel to the way it moves down the road. When you're driving the LS you're like "My God, why would anyone want to drive a different car" but back in my car "Hmm, this thing rides pretty nice too" so the upgrade really is for the size more than anything else.

I have not driven an LS430 - only a MKIII LS400.

But I found that too be very light - much too light and floaty for my liking.

I say go for it mate!

Its obvious from your previous posts that you a real Lexus fan, and the Lexus LS430 in particular.

you like the car, and you have the means to get one.

whats stopping you? :D

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I sat in an SC430 in the showroom LOL. It'd be a fun third car though!

Yeah they've definately made some changes in the way the car drives from the LS400 days, its definately much heavier and more solid now.

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I see your logic, but........

Especially in real estate, wouldn't you want a "fresher" car every 3-5 years anyway?....

THat's why I mentioned the "3 year off lease" cars.....still nice - and as long as the body style is the same, she'll look new and current - and you can save your $$ for the house, the kids, the hospital :lol: , etc....

:cheers:

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Eh maybe, but if I did decide to set it up so I'd get out of the car every 3 years or so I would lease for the tax advantages, and leases don't work out on used cars.

To me part of the allure of the LS is how well they take miles...

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Eh maybe, but if I did decide to set it up so I'd get out of the car every 3 years or so I would lease for the tax advantages, and leases don't work out on used cars.

To me part of the allure of the LS is how well they take miles...

Yea..........that would be a hefty lease @ 20k+ miles a year............... :pirate:

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That's a beautiful choice!

I purchased an 02 LS430 ultra luxury 8 months ago with 13k on it. I didn't have to pay retail but it was like brand new. I have had 04 Acura and presently also have a 98LS but but the 430 is in a class by itself.

I'll never buy new again when there are so many excellent pre-owned on the market!

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I'll never buy new again when there are so many excellent pre-owned on the market!

thats the same way i am............buying new IMO is such a waste of money......you can by pre-owned get a good quality low mile car, still under warranty and save yourself a ton of money......and i mean a ton.

its amazing the depreciation that cars have, it can work for you or against you depending on which side of the fence your on.

but there are some people that just eekk at the thought of driving a pre-owed vehicle..... i'm personally not one of them, to me its money in the bank.

i'm actually looking at land cruisers right now, those things hold their valure really well down the road, but it is just amazing how one year can take 20K off the car.....and 2 and 3 years and it has gone from a 60K dollar car to a 30k dollar car....

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I'm just not interested at all in a used car, I'd rather drive mine which I bought new and wait until I can afford a new LS. To me, a Lexus is a luxury purchase and if I can't do it precisely how I want to do it then it isn't worth doing. Plus, someone needs to buy em new so you guys can buy em in 3 years ;) Remember I chose to buy my car instead of a 00 LS400.

As for the lease, its not as bad as you'd think. I added 2500 miles a year to my ES lease and it was only about $30 a month or so. When you run out all the numbers it makes sense to lease even if it costs as much as a finance payment because of the added writeoff benefit, IF you plan on getting out in 3 years. I'd still prefer to buy it outright, I think I could get used to this no car payment thing...

The lease on a Modern Luxury LS with the discount I would get through the company I leased my ES with is $895 with 15k and $0 down, and $964 with 20k and $0 down for 36 months. So its a difference of about $70, no big deal. If I bought it and applied the value of my ES to the balance the payment would be $564. With the lease I can write the entire lease payment off of my taxes as a business expense, I would have to depreciate the purchase if it were financed or paid cash for. Thats a $12000 tax deduction, hard to pass that up. Then I could buy it out of the lease later on and pay cash...

BUT if I let taxes dictate what and how I bought fully I would buy an LX470 so I can deduct the whole thing the first year under the 6100 GVWR exemption, so its just one variable in the whole deal.

Lots of different ways to do it, I just have to talk to my accountant.

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BUT if I let taxes dictate what and how I bought fully I would buy an LX470 so I can deduct the whole thing the first year under the 6100 GVWR exemption, so its just one variable in the whole deal.

Lots of different ways to do it, I just have to talk to my accountant.

Exactly.......Uncle Sam gives us a few options. We almost bought a suburban for the GVWR exemption last year........

We've used 1)lease and 2) MACR's depreciation method in past also.....the variables always change depending on this and that......

Anyway you slice it, we always pay the piper :pirate:

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