Saying Goodbye To An Old Friend And Saying Hi To A New Experience

[TennesseeLexus]

As I sit here at Midway Airport in Chicago waiting for my flight to Detroit where I will then travel to Ann Arbor tomorrow to pick up my new (to me) car, I have thoughts about an old vehicle that served my well. My 96 LS 400 with 176k miles is ready for a new home. I have cleaned her up and will be putting out the for-sale sign next week. She had every service on time (or relatively on time) and was a blast to drive.

My new car is a 2003 LS430 (CPO) white with tan leather and navigation and only 34k miles. I am really excited about getting behind the wheel of my new ride and driving the 500 miles back to Nashville. I will be using the navigation (if I can figure it out before I leave) and listening to the kick-!Removed! ML stereo. I looked high and low for this car that fit my criteria (CPO, white and NAV) down to the price of $36k. I had my LS400 for 5 years and it was a joy to drive. I shall keep this one for 5 years and then the LS460 will becken. I have learned a lot about my LS400 on this site and I am look forward to learning even more about my LS430. It's tough to part but I want someone else to experience the wonder that is the Lexus LS series.

[SKperformance]

Nice move

[RFeldes]

You are going to "Love" the 430......

[jainla]

Congratulations on your new purchase....RFeldes is right...the only thing that beats an LS is a new(er) LS...

[TennesseeLexus]

I arrived back in Nashville about 3 hours ago. All I can say is............WOW! :) It was unbelieveable! I thought my LS400 was quiet but dang it was like sitting in a tomb...and the stereo----------the ML was spectacular. I kept it at around 75-80 mph all the way home.........OK maybe I did get up to 100 mph or so :whistles: on a couple of straight aways but I went over 500 miles on less than 1 TANK of gas! Now the hard part is putting some final detailing touchups on the LS400 to sell. Hopefully it'll sell fast............

[corndog]

Would you mind taking a picture of the two side by side and posting it? :)

[Alan D]

Sounds like a nice trade up. Enjoy.

[TennesseeLexus]

Would you mind taking a picture of the two side by side and posting it? :)

Here you go:

[RFeldes]

Same as mine.....a tear to my eye...same colors...Thanks!!! What Great, Great cars...

[OmarG]

Wow your car is gorgous. White LS' are the classiest... But I'm biased. Well in ten years i'll be able to afford an 03. woop

[corndog]

Tennessee,

Thanks for that. Its a wonderful picture, and beautiful cars. Im slightly jealous, it will be a several years before a car like your new one would be in my budget. In any case, they look great side by side. Even though your new car looks very modern, it still amazes me how modern the old one looks.

Thnks again,

Mike

[SW03ES]

Very nice!

I'm a little torn when it comes to the white. I had a pearl white IS250 loaner until today which I really liked, and I think white is one of the best looking colors on 90-00 LS400s, but I've never cared for it on the LS430. I think its because of the two tone treatment vs the one tone.

[jainla]

Very nice!

I'm a little torn when it comes to the white. I had a pearl white IS250 loaner until today which I really liked, and I think white is one of the best looking colors on 90-00 LS400s, but I've never cared for it on the LS430. I think its because of the two tone treatment vs the one tone.

Yes the 2 tone white and grey LS was very sharp; especially with the tan/saddle interior. Ahh the 90's....It was in such a car that I actually had my VERY FIRST ride in an LS400 in 1990. The 'dealership' was not even complete yet and they were selling cars out of a trailer on an adjacent lot.

Even today when I see one I marvel at how a design that was considered derivative in the early 90's still looks modern and very stylish. I can't think of any other cars from that era (save the 126 S Class which has become a classic) that have aged as well as the original LS400...with the possible exception of the very first Q45s (which don't seem to hold up as well).

[lx_and_ls]

Wow I'm impressed by that picture of the '96. Mine is exactly the same color, but there are a lot of stone chips on the front grill (especially down low). My previous '91 had that as well.

Did you re-paint the bumper at some time? Or are the streets just a lot cleaner in your area?

[TennesseeLexus]

Wow I'm impressed by that picture of the '96. Mine is exactly the same color, but there are a lot of stone chips on the front grill (especially down low). My previous '91 had that as well.

Did you re-paint the bumper at some time? Or are the streets just a lot cleaner in your area?

Cleaner and I am REAL anal when it comes to keeping my car clean! B)

[rwallican]

Both vehicles look good. I was sooooo tempted to get the 430 about 2 years ago but decided to go ahead and keep my 96 ls400. I'm just passing 100k miles and I'm glad I kept it. i'm going to wait another 2 years and get the ls460. Congrats! I'm sure the 96 will be an easy sell.

[RFeldes]

Well I have been quite and watched the retort..and will disagree on the two tone as it's dated and agree on the 04 plus as being a finer auto...but will put in my 2 cents on the early 430's. In my opinion, you will never drive a finer car with the Mark Levinson stereo and have a finer cruise down the silent highway. The pride of a 430 will pass to a 460 as the 400 passed to a 430..it'a all evolution and guess what, it does not matter..what a fine auto we all have and aspire to..mocking any generation 400 series is just plain not owning one.

[SW03ES]

Well I have been quite and watched the retort..and will disagree on the two tone as it's dated

I agree on the whole two tone is dated, but for some reason on the LS specifically, the white looks better to me two toned than monotoned. Different strokes for different folks.

but will put in my 2 cents on the early 430's. In my opinion, you will never drive a finer car with the Mark Levinson stereo and have a finer cruise down the silent highway

There's no question about this.

[RFeldes]

I agree..Steve.

[lexiegirl400]

Wow I'm impressed by that picture of the '96. Mine is exactly the same color, but there are a lot of stone chips on the front grill (especially down low). My previous '91 had that as well.

Did you re-paint the bumper at some time? Or are the streets just a lot cleaner in your area?

Cleaner and I am REAL anal when it comes to keeping my car clean! B)

Very nice cars! Just curious, did you sell your ls400, how much are you asking for it? or if sold, what ballpark figure did you get for it.

[TennesseeLexus]

Wow I'm impressed by that picture of the '96. Mine is exactly the same color, but there are a lot of stone chips on the front grill (especially down low). My previous '91 had that as well.

Did you re-paint the bumper at some time? Or are the streets just a lot cleaner in your area?

Cleaner and I am REAL anal when it comes to keeping my car clean! B)

Very nice cars! Just curious, did you sell your ls400, how much are you asking for it? or if sold, what ballpark figure did you get for it.

Nope, It's still for sale..........well I haven't been pushing it very hard. I'm asking $9995 for it. If you are interested let me know and I can give you a link to pictures and more of a description.

[LS430 in New Zealand]

Well done - I have just done the same thing this week, 99 LS400 said a sad farewell as the new kid 05 LS430 moved in! Fantastic!

The 430 has Nav / ML audio, but I have to say that the audio - while good, is not as good as the LS400 (which had the Naka head end I think.) What is different you say - well the AM radio performance is a big dissapointment - while the signal reception ability is good the AM signal lacks the clarity and extended High Frequency performance that the 400 had. Yes I can hear you all out there - "AM Radio - what is that?" But AM frequency response does go out to 7.5kHz and compromising the IF stage peformance ruins the frequency response of the AM radio. (Hey stop laughing out there) The FM performance is fine.

The other thing is the oddity with the ML CD audio (which I also didnt like in the demo IS250 we were loaned before taking delivery of our new non-ML-equipped 06 IS250 [also a great car]) The LS400 had clearer CD audio, more open, better imaging and not such a "smeary" sound. Yes - the ML goes loud, has stacks of bass, etc, etc, but there is something else going on in there that is a step back from what was without a doubt the best factory audio that I have ever heard taht was standard in the 400.

All that aside the 430 is simply fantastic and I am so pleased that I did not buy that Benz S500.

The mornings are a hard choice - do I take the new IS350 or the LS430 (snigger)

[SW03ES]

I agree with you about the Nakamichi and the ML stereos, I think the Nakamichi was better. The ML is definately good no question, but I prefer the Nak.