It's a whole different class of car. The TL is a very nice, edgy, extremely competent near luxury/sporty car. But the LS is a serious, full size, world class luxury sedan. Different strokes for different folks, but IDK how you could think the TL interior is superior to a Lexus LS'. The TL interior is a great place to be; it's ergonomically perfect, high quality materials, but to me it's a whole different ballpark. This Lexus is a car that was twice as expensive when new (and designed to compete with other offerings nearing 6 figure territory), and it shows. As much as I loved my car (and Acuras and TLs in general), I can unbiasedly tell you it's not even close.

My TL was better looking. That's the only area where I felt it was better, and that's subjective even. Everything else on this Lexus is superior, just as it should be for double the price.

 

GREAT PICK AJT !!!

looks awesome....the Lexus LS is all about luxury !!!

my girl has a 2003 Lexus ES300 and it is comfy as hell....so i can only imagine what this LS is capable off....

 

Thanks man! The car was serviced almost every 5k miles by Lexus. There was a 10,000 mile gap in the records, but I'm really not worried about it. In looking at all the sched maintenance, it's all pretty much bullshit inspections that they charge you hundreds for. What brings me peace is that the major 15, 30, 45, and 60 have all been done...with the 5k intervals in between...and the timing belt service was even done at 60k. That's going to save me a bundle when the 90k service hits. I'm just hoping they did the water pump, etc., as well...Don't see why they wouldn't though at the Lexus Stealership with the rich people who own these...

It is a bit of an old man's car; I got way more stares in my TL, but I know once I find those sport rims and black the windows out it will look considerably sharper. But I'm not dissatisfied with it in any way. Kind bland looking? Yeah. But open it up, sit in it, start it up, and drive it around town for an hour. Then cruise on the highway for 40 miles. Lol I'll take the stodgy looks for this luxury and driving experience any day. I'm still out just driving it around aimlessly, and right when I'm about to pull back in my neighborhood....I just keep driving. It must set off the dopamine/seratonin/whatever in my brain...bc the experience really is euphoric. The wealthy people who buy cars like this new, they're really not buying just for the name. They get a whole nother level of car. You can tell this car was engineered to the finest standards possible, and it drives that way too. Wish I were rich. Lol.

Haha, and like I said, I feel the joke's on everyone else....me, a 30 year old, driving this old man's car. Anyone who doesn't know cars, what the Lexus LS was to automobiledom, sure they can say whatever. They just don't know. Like I said, joke's on them!

 

LS is in a different league. It's designed to compete with MB S and BMW 7, and it does so very well.

 

Hey everyone, lol I ran into this old thread I started and some of you asked me to keep you updated on the maintenance, etc of this car.

I've had it for a little over a year, and put 20k miles on it (now at 93k) and I have not had one single issue other than needing to lubricate the seal around the sunroof. It's still crazy to me how solid and well built this car is. Best car I've ever owned by a long-shot. I am so spoiled by this machine it's ridiculous. I'll probably just drive Lexus LSs for the rest of my life. By the time this one dies I'll probably be able to afford a 2013 model .

I am a little overdue for the timing belt service (it's going to cost a shit load of money, about $1100) but that's just something that has to be done. I am very confident that this car will last 250-300k easily.

 

Don't wait on the belt. That is an $18k engine you're driving

 

^^^ +1093293847698

perform the spark plugs and filter at home...take it in for everything else....

 

 

THIS.

Don't take an unnecessary risk.

 

ECT Power

that magic button.. lol


ours is at 141k right now.. just needs new valve cover gaskets. solid car

 

Haha thanks for the heads up everyone! The belt actually has a 180,000 mile service life, so I'm sure I'm in the clear to go another 5 or 10k. What they do is rate roughly how long it will last, and split that time in half and that's the "recommended time for replacement." This way you're almost certain to have some leeway if you don't change it right at 90k. I'm a ClubLexus regular, and I've never seen a "broken timing belt" thread for the LS430. Some people take these WELL past 100k (which is crazy to me), and report the belt barely looking worn when it finally is changed. I'm going to have them put the old one in my trunk when I do get it changed to see for myself.

Saying that, it does make me a bit nervous. So I'll have it done soon; not this oil change coming up but the next one after that. I'd say 105k at the very latest. A tech at the dealership told me I'm not REALLY risking anything until after 120k.

Are you serious about it being an 18k motor? I know the Toyota UZ motor is extremely sophisticated, but I would think 5,6,7 grand at the most. Then again, what a motor it is. Lol. Smooth as silk, extremely torquey (you can literally drive around all day without going over 2200kRPM--and still stay ahead of traffic), yet still has a hell of a high RPM horsepower rush and sounds like ripping silk while doing so. By far the best V8 I've ever experienced.

Good to be back on here! I miss AZ!!!! Thanks for your replies everyone!!!

 

You just reminded me that my MDX will need its tb changed soon Nice car though!

 

That's because 99% of the time you are using the ~300+ ft*lb of torque and not the 300 hp @ 6k rpms.

No offense, but I have never understood this mindset. Why look at pee-pee covered floorboards everyday instead of appreciating what Lexus intended you to look at? Do you win something if your car goes to the junk yard with immaculate carpet? I say the same to people who put big black bras on their car and ruin the look. Will they ever actually take the bra off and appreciate the pristine paint, and will that give more satisfaction than looking at a nicer looking car ever day?

Spark plugs are a service that is really nice to have a warranty on. An RL member did his just as anyone else would. They seized and stripped, and now he is out $4k+ for a rebuilt head.

Like you said, dealer intervals are a CYA liability statement more than an actual risk statement. RL members have pulled their originals at 120k and reported no damage or visibly significant wear.



OP, you remind me a lot of myself. I can't fully understand why a childless 23 year old would willingly choose to buy an old-man flagship, but there is just something about the big-body sedan that pulls me. The LS is a great car, and your comments remind me a lot of what Acura did with the 2G RL. Had they ponied up the V8 and maybe a rear-wheel bias in the SH-AWD, they would've had a competitor. Enjoy the LS. There is no reason to believe it won't give you more for your money than any other option.

 

Car looks so boss from the exterior! The only thing that bothers me is that the center console looks outdated. Have you considered a double-din radio with navi, or something more modern-looking?

Anyways, great buy! Enjoy it in good health!

 

I get a whopping 18 mpg in my type s

 

 

Backtracking to the timing belt topic, I think the LS has a non-interference motor. So if it snaps, it's not as detrimental as it was for say, my old 89 Colt GT and 89 Eagle Summit....both of which had interference motors and subsequent valve damage when their respective belts snapped.

 

I was listening to Pat Goss talk about the LS back in 2006 and he had a caller say their timing belt broke on their '03 and destroyed the engine. They were quoted $18-23k to fix it.

I don't know if it has changed in the last decade but at one point a broken timing belt was the ballgame.

 

You're getting exactly what the EPA estimated it to get

 

I've always liked the LS... and it's gotten better and better with each generation. Probably wait a year or so, then look into the new gen. Thing is so hot...

 

Nice Lexus, congrats - a year late. The exterior looks brand new!

 

Nice.

 

31 yr old man??? Your not old yet. Now I'm an old man. I have the gray body hair to proove it. WDF is wrong with you?

That car is for people in their 60's who needed a ride more reliable than their old American car. Everyone knows the LS430 is copy of the Cadillac DeVille DTS.
I guess you'll never need to worry about getting pulled over at night. They'll just think you are some old Asian guy coming back from blowing all his wifes money on video poker.

Go back to the dealer and get you sweet ride back, you idiot.

 

Because of the geriatric age association, I'm not ready for the LS as wells as its contemporaries. However, as I'm pushing 45 this year I can say that the 3-series and IS don't have nearly the appeal to me as does the 5-series and GS.

 

why

 

*pours liquors for one less manual transmission car on the road*

 

Hey fellas.....I randomly ran into my old thread that is now five years old and I figured an update was in order!

Five years and about 75k miles later (131k now), the '04 LS430 is still going plenty strong. Since I've owned it, repair-wise I've replaced valve cover gaskets and lower front control arm bushings. Let me add that the oil was just barrrrreeeelllllly leaking and the bushings were still relatively okay, but they are one common "issue" with the 430 so I went ahead and replaced. Also, my driver door lock actuator went bad about six months ago but I refuse to pay $800 to fix it for a 13 year old car now. That's it. Everything else works the same as it did five years ago, and the driving experience is absolutely the same as it ever was, which is to say amazing. Door lock broken is annoying but the power steering wheel still whizzes in and out just as silently as it did five years ago when the car was then itself 8 years old. Same for the power folding mirrors and every single other gizmo.

I do take some pleasure in realizing I was absolutely correct in my "gamble" buying such an old, complex car. It's 13 years old now and other than those issues, it's been perfect. People (not saying anyone here) can hate on Lexus all day long but I'd love to see any other flagship model last 13 years with minimal issues like this. Car still feels every bit as solid and tank like as it did when I took delivery. Transmission shifts exactly the same. That glorious V8 still purrs like a kitten. The interior is dirty currently but clean it up and it would look almost identical to the pics from years ago.

I will say, however, that as stupidly reliable and durable as the car is, don't think it's as cheap to own as a Corolla. I've spent a good amount of money on the maintenance with a timing belt job ($1k), a few sets of brakes (let's say another $1k), and spark plugs (I think $800?). I also swapped out the transmission fluid for $500 bucks last year. These costs mean nothing to me as (1. they're not repairs and (2. A 60k car will be expensive to service. Since I've kept up on the maintenance, I am basically good to go before I'm going to have to spend any more money for another 100k.

The car has been driven pretty hard, too. It's been all over/across the country, from Knoxville to Los Angeles when I moved there; driven around absolute HELL Los Angeles traffic for two years straight before making the trip back to TN when we moved back; it's been driven 130 flat out plenty of times; and I drove it across the New Mexico/AZ desert at 110-120+ for hours at a time on my way back from California. Not a single hiccup. These Lexus cars stand up to the abuse quite well.

I have zero plans to get rid of it anytime soon, as the car still feels so rock solid (plus it's paid for). Eventually I'll probably upgrade to a 2013+ LS460, but I honestly think the earlier 430s are better cars. Toyota was at it's absolute peak for quality in the 90s-early 00s, and obviously the reliability speaks for itself in this case. I imagine I can get another good five years at least out of it before things really start going wrong. These cars run to 250-300k like clockwork.

So, in case anyone's been wondering about the reliability of a 2004 Lexus LS (I doubt it), there you have it. Lol. Good to browse these boards again!

A truly amazing car, best car I've ever owned by far and I can't imagine ever owning anything "better".

 

lol at all the haters back then.

duh, it's a solid car!!!!
glad you came back to update!

 

Nice update.

at Willdog on the first page.

My Lexus was by far my most reliable car.

 

^ Yeah, it was funny reading some of those replies.

Glad you like it. Of course maintenance will be more than a Corolla... but you gotta pay to play . Any updated pics?

 

My uncle bought a 2003 LS430 new which my cousin now drives (wish I had an LS430 in college! haha), and like yours it drives like new. It amazes how well built that car is, even the doors still have a solid sound when you shut them.

The only thing that broke for them was the key. He put it in the ignition and the fob broke off. However, it's still at low miles at 112k.

Have you considered replacing the actuator yourself? I bet you can get the part for cheap online.

 

I'd hardly consider a 8 year Lexus to be a gamble at all. Also, those running costs aren't that far out of the ordinary for dealer rates for almost any car out there.

This is good to hear though, I'm considering doing an experiment with total luxury and getting either a Lexus LS or MB S class for a while. Based on this, I think I should probably go for the Lexus but I've never owned a MB...and I kinda want the king daddy of luxury cars.

 

I've always told myself, if I could buy 1 brand only: Lexus.

+1 on hearing you had 5+ yrs of enjoyment!

 

Yeah the Lexus driving experience is so completely different than Acura's... it's really a great car for LA traffic So damn comfortable....

 

As much as I love the S-class, I'd be cautious with buying an out of warranty example without some thorough research & having the funds set aside for maintenance.
I recall my grandmother's '01 S430 wasn't the pinnacle of reliability. Her '05 S430 was an improvement & Her '07 & '14 were/are much better. She had an '89 420SEL first that was flawless in the 6 years she drove it & her '95 S420 was solid as well, the '95 went to my uncle & he had a few issues with it after a few months (limp mode).

 

Oh yeah I forgot, lol I've been through two keys. The dealer has this super high strength one which I bought and no problems since. It doesn't look as nice as the one that came with the car but it hasn't broken.

The door lock, lots of people on ClubLexus do it, but it is a complicated job and I'm not DIY in the least. There are cheaper ways around it--Ebay sells a part for cheap and I've thought about taking it to a collision center, stereo shop, etc. with the instructions from the website and seeing how much they'll charge. It was super annoying at first but I've just gotten used to using the key, so it's not a super huge deal to me right now.

 

Well, I didn't either lol. My gut told me to go ahead with the purchase. I did wonder in the back of my head, "I hope it doesn't start falling apart just as it's finally paid off since it will be 13 yrs old," and it hasn't one bit, so that's great. However several non car people thought I was crazy. The joke's on them! Lol.

 

......And that's why they're non-car people. And think that any car over 10 years or over 100k miles is "old" and prone to falling apart at the welds any minute those marks are reached.

We know better the incredible quality/reliability of Lexus.

Heck, even with the now lesser quality of Honda, I was not hesitating to snatch up a very well documented/serviced 2006 Acura TL and in my very short time of owning it for 2 years and 30kmiles....no major issues so far.

I too have a potential LS in my sights for the future if I do decide to go that route (comfy luxury with reliability) as my DD.

 

Agreed. I'm a German car fan all the way. It's all my wife has owned for the better part of 12 years now. That said, pre-owned S-classes scare me a bit. E-Class, C-Class... no problem... we know people who have tons of miles on those no worries. Even our previous E-Class was pushing 100k and out of warranty... no issues. S-Class though... different ballgame. As far as they've come with reliability, buying the top of the line is always a bit of a gamble. That is where new technologies are tested before they trickle down. Same way a 3 and 5 Series is typically more reliable than the 7 Series.

If you really want to go pre-owned MB... look C or E class. I do think this will change in a few years as this decade has been good to MB (and the other German brands)... but I don't know that I'd buy an S-Class older than 2010 (and I'd probably skip the 2014 model since it's the first version of the re-design)...

 

A W221 (06-13) S550 could fit the bill. Nice car, good power, lots of tech, a decent step up from the W220; though I liked how the W220 S430 (adjustable airmatic) handled a bit more than the W221 S550.