skeeter44 Posted October 16, 2009 Posted October 16, 2009 My wife's LS430 has reached 107K miles and she has started petitioning for a replacement and here is where I could use some advice. I bought the car off-lease at an auction 5 years ago. The LS430 has been a fantastic vehicle and and generally reliable but the sheer excellence in execution makes finding a suitable replacement a real challenge. My wife has expressed interest in a Prius and the great mileage but I think that might be too much of a sea-change from the LS430. The new Lexus Hybrid might be just right but the mileage doesn't seem that great (road tested at 29-30 mpg) - the LS430 gets 27 mpg on the Highway and about 19 around town. My budget is 40K max so something lightly used may be the best choice.
Brett in AK Posted October 17, 2009 Posted October 17, 2009 My wife's LS430 has reached 107K miles and she has started petitioning for a replacement and here is where I could use some advice. I bought the car off-lease at an auction 5 years ago. The LS430 has been a fantastic vehicle and and generally reliable but the sheer excellence in execution makes finding a suitable replacement a real challenge. My wife has expressed interest in a Prius and the great mileage but I think that might be too much of a sea-change from the LS430. The new Lexus Hybrid might be just right but the mileage doesn't seem that great (road tested at 29-30 mpg) - the LS430 gets 27 mpg on the Highway and about 19 around town. My budget is 40K max so something lightly used may be the best choice. 107k on the clock is not very much for these cars. But keeping the wife happy is best. You didn't say what year you own, but if it's getting a little long in the tooth and you like it, then why not look for one a little bit newer? You ought to be able to find a cherry 06 for well under your budget cap. Just an idea, but why reinvent the wheel?
Jim_Chow Posted October 17, 2009 Posted October 17, 2009 My wife's LS430 has reached 107K miles and she has started petitioning for a replacement and here is where I could use some advice. I bought the car off-lease at an auction 5 years ago. The LS430 has been a fantastic vehicle and and generally reliable but the sheer excellence in execution makes finding a suitable replacement a real challenge. My wife has expressed interest in a Prius and the great mileage but I think that might be too much of a sea-change from the LS430. The new Lexus Hybrid might be just right but the mileage doesn't seem that great (road tested at 29-30 mpg) - the LS430 gets 27 mpg on the Highway and about 19 around town. My budget is 40K max so something lightly used may be the best choice. How about another LS430? I got my '05 UL w/ 21.5K mi on it for under $40K.
Will B. Posted October 17, 2009 Posted October 17, 2009 If she's looking for a hybrid, do yourself a favor and check out the Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan hybrids. Best on the road, IMO and Consumer Reports rates the Fusion Hybrid as the #1 midsized sedan. They're around $33k fully loaded I believe, MSRP, although my understanding is that Ford makes no money off them at this price so you probably won't be able to haggle much.
ravig292 Posted October 17, 2009 Posted October 17, 2009 those cars will really last a long time i have a 2000 ls400 with 230,000 miles and it is still running fine
HRP Posted October 17, 2009 Posted October 17, 2009 My wife's LS430 has reached 107K miles and she has started petitioning for a replacement and here is where I could use some advice. I bought the car off-lease at an auction 5 years ago. The LS430 has been a fantastic vehicle and and generally reliable but the sheer excellence in execution makes finding a suitable replacement a real challenge. My wife has expressed interest in a Prius and the great mileage but I think that might be too much of a sea-change from the LS430. The new Lexus Hybrid might be just right but the mileage doesn't seem that great (road tested at 29-30 mpg) - the LS430 gets 27 mpg on the Highway and about 19 around town. My budget is 40K max so something lightly used may be the best choice. First question: Why does your wife want a new car? New car fever??? If she's got new car fever, let her pick it out to keep her happy. If mma ain't happy, no one is. If it's for economy's sake do the math. Cost of Prius vs keeping a perfectly good LS and the difference in fuel and maintainance costs. Figure in an extra 20 - 30 cents per gallon for premium fuel for the LS. We just went through that right before the 2 grand 90k servicing and new tires on our 2002 LS430. My wife was considering a Camry Hybrid or Avalon. The numbers (and experience and condition) said "keep the LS!!!" BTW, I've got OCD, Obsessive, Compulsive DETAILER, so the 2002 LS still looks new. Other suggestion: get it detailed professionally if you aren't into detailing a car. You probably willhave to do it if you sell it yourself anyway, and she might decide that he car looks and runs so well, she will be unhappy with anything else she drives.
eatingupblacktop Posted October 17, 2009 Posted October 17, 2009 First question: Why does your wife want a new car? New car fever??? If she's got new car fever, let her pick it out to keep her happy. If mma ain't happy, no one is. If it's for economy's sake do the math. Cost of Prius vs keeping a perfectly good LS and the difference in fuel and maintainance costs. Figure in an extra 20 - 30 cents per gallon for premium fuel for the LS. We just went through that right before the 2 grand 90k servicing and new tires on our 2002 LS430. My wife was considering a Camry Hybrid or Avalon. The numbers (and experience and condition) said "keep the LS!!!" BTW, I've got OCD, Obsessive, Compulsive DETAILER, so the 2002 LS still looks new. Other suggestion: get it detailed professionally if you aren't into detailing a car. You probably willhave to do it if you sell it yourself anyway, and she might decide that he car looks and runs so well, she will be unhappy with anything else she drives. My wife's LS430 has reached The LS430 has been a fantastic vehicle and and generally reliable but the sheer excellence in execution makes finding a suitable replacement a real challenge. . If her driving habits/requirements haven't changed, then I think you've answered your own question! But if keeping the wife happy means getting new wheels, I'm with HRP, let her make the pick. She can't come back at you later for making a bad choice. If later she realizes that she's made a mistake and that "you should have stopped me from buying it", your response would be; since she didn't believe you that keeping the 430 was the best option, you wanted her to be happy by getting exactly her choice. Of course if she asks you for advice, I'd say stick with the 430!
SW03ES Posted October 17, 2009 Posted October 17, 2009 Have her go test drive some other cars. In my experience the LS ruins people for other cars, all Lexus cars do, but especially the LS. Its so refined and so much more refined than almost anything else on the road driving something new and then getting back into the LS makes you really appreciate the LS. I have a Prius and you could not pay me to trade my ES in on a Prius...and DEFINATELY not an LS.
amcdonal86 Posted October 17, 2009 Posted October 17, 2009 Some LS460s are even quickly approaching the $40k mark.
SW03ES Posted October 17, 2009 Posted October 17, 2009 I've noticed that...I'm going to wait to replace mine until the spring (I hate buying cars in the winter) and I'm thinking I might even be able to get into an LS460 over an LS430 by then...
amcdonal86 Posted October 17, 2009 Posted October 17, 2009 I've noticed that...I'm going to wait to replace mine until the spring (I hate buying cars in the winter) and I'm thinking I might even be able to get into an LS460 over an LS430 by then...I didn't like the new LS460 until I saw Ari Gold drive one in the hit HBO television series Entourage.
eatingupblacktop Posted October 17, 2009 Posted October 17, 2009 I've noticed that...I'm going to wait to replace mine until the spring (I hate buying cars in the winter) and I'm thinking I might even be able to get into an LS460 over an LS430 by then... Steve I hear ya but, if you have the discipline (like my sister does when she buys next year's Christmas gifts on boxing day - unlike me, I rather like to rush around like a mad fool trying not to forget anyone's gifts all at the very last moment when there's nothing worthwhile left in the stores - keeps my weight in check over the holidays :whistles: ), now's the time to buy and spring is the time to sell. Of course there's not much more frustrating than having a new set of wheels in the garage waiting for the snow to melt! :(
jainla Posted October 17, 2009 Posted October 17, 2009 I second that. Have her rent a Prius or whatever else she's considering for a day or two. Most of the time I don't realize what a nice car the LS is until I have to drive something else for a while... Have her go test drive some other cars.In my experience the LS ruins people for other cars, all Lexus cars do, but especially the LS. Its so refined and so much more refined than almost anything else on the road driving something new and then getting back into the LS makes you really appreciate the LS. I have a Prius and you could not pay me to trade my ES in on a Prius...and DEFINATELY not an LS.
Brett in AK Posted October 18, 2009 Posted October 18, 2009 You know when I was looking for my 06 LS430 the dealer tried to talk me into the LS460. Although the 460 is also a great car I just preferred the overall lines of the 430. The 460 IMO was a little "boxy" when compared to the 430.
amcdonal86 Posted October 18, 2009 Posted October 18, 2009 Overall, I think the LS460 has a much sleeker profile. It definitely looks more modern and more "fresh". It took time for me to like it, though.
Will B. Posted October 18, 2009 Posted October 18, 2009 Let's be honest, LS430 looks like a Mercedes, LS460 looks like a BMW. Both are total imitations.
SW03ES Posted October 18, 2009 Posted October 18, 2009 I don't see how anyone could possibly classify the LS460 as boxy...the LS430 as boxy sure...but theres not a box or square line on the LS460... Yeah I agree dollarwise the winter is the time to buy, long about December or January.
amcdonal86 Posted October 18, 2009 Posted October 18, 2009 Let's be honest, LS430 looks like a Mercedes, LS460 looks like a BMW. Both are total imitations. You must have really bad eyes.
Jim_Chow Posted October 19, 2009 Posted October 19, 2009 You know when I was looking for my 06 LS430 the dealer tried to talk me into the LS460. Although the 460 is also a great car I just preferred the overall lines of the 430. The 460 IMO was a little "boxy" when compared to the 430. The 430 ultra has the lowest drag coefficient (0.25) of any Lexus built.
skeeter44 Posted October 19, 2009 Author Posted October 19, 2009 Thanks for the good suggestions. I am going to check out the new Lexus hybrid but I think the best suggestions are the 00-07 LS regards
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