Looking To Buy A Gs430 2000-2004

[Adam540]

Hello all,

I am thinking of buying a GS430, I've been on a test drive in one and I am pretty sold on buying one. I just wanted people to share any experiences they may have with this model of car as it will be a great help to me.

Is there any tell-tale signs of a bad one? are these cars reliable?

Any advice is much appreciated!

Rgds,

Adam

[cduluk]

I've never owned one, but personally i think the 01-05 GS430 series is one of the best looking they've ever produced. <_<

[nc211]

I have an 01 with now 62k miles. Two things I've had with mine that are easy to check out on yours....

One: after you've driven it to warm it up a bit, turn off the a/c, put it in gear, keep your foot on the brake "like if you're stopped at a stop sign or stop light" and see if you feel the car shake at all. If you do, then the engine mounts are ready to be replaced. On good mounts, you won't feel the car's engine at ALL!

Two: put the car in reverse, take your foot off the brake, don't touch the gas and let it back up on it's own. When you're at idle speed going backwards, shift it into neutral "don't touch the brake", just let it coast backwards. If when you put it into neutral, see if you feel any clunks in the back from it disengaging reverse. If you do, then have the back end bushings and differential mounts looked at. My car does this now, and I'm not quite sure why. It won't do it with my foot on the brake before going into neutral, but will slam/buckle if I don't have my foot on the brake. Not sure why, don't think I'm going to investigate it either as I'm right on the line with trading it in for a Volvo V70 wagon.

Other than that, they're great cars and very comfortable. Blindingly fast too if you ask it. Put in some new plugs, fresh oem fluids, clean out the intake, and new motor mounts (2) and transmission mount (1), and you're back to new with it. It's like driving a 300hp golf cart. You know you're going 80mph. You know you got to 80mph very quickly, but you're not quite sure how, as you didn't feel it, hear it, or sense it.