I have had an 01 and now an 04 and I think it is definitely the best "all around" luxury sedan available today. I looked at the Audi A8, BMW 745, Mercedes 430/500 S class and the new Jag XJR. All had their strengths and weaknesses but OVERALL the LS430 is King!
The Audi is the prettiest in my opinion, smooth lines, great wheels, but I had to wait 3 weeks to test drive one while they fixed the computer software in it. This turned me off....waaaaay off. It also felt a little sluggish when compared with other cars I drove. Ultimately it got knocked off my short list because it doesnt offer laser radar and I will never buy another highway cruiser without it.
The BMW 745 handled well and there was adequate power but the controls were a joke. I also thought the interior was not to my liking...not nice enough in my opinion for the money. I like the exterior styling although it took me a while to come around. The deep dish wheels look great. I am also very concerned about BMWs reliability and warrantee coverage. My daughter has a 2001 BMW 330xi and it has had many problems. I could go on forever about it....
The S class was in my opinion the least desirable. The styling was just OK, it seemed somewhat outdated compared with the rest of the competition. The power was good and the seats comfortable. It was WAY more expensive when you bought the same level of performance and options compared to the Lexus (ultra model). It did however offer a Laser radar option.
I really liked the Jaguar XJR (with turbo) . It was a blast to drive. Power, torque and Jag handling, it was amazing. The interior is very classy (in that typically British way) and it came with lots of options including the laser radar! I absolutely love that metallic racing green color and turbine wheels. If I didnt already have a sports car(s) in the stable i might have gone with the Jag.
Ultimately the LS 430 was an easy choice...because it does EVERYTHING extremely well. It wasnt the prettiest, it wasn't the fastest, it didn't handle the sportiest and it certainly wan't the most expensive. It was the most thoughtfully concieved, best executed, uncompromising vehicle of the bunch. Have to go...my buddy needs a lift to his Mercedes dealerhip to pick up his S class...
Oh yeah, didn't consider a Q....it looks ugly!