Just Bought A Lexus Gs430!

mrdoofa · June 22, 2015

Hi everybody,

I only joined the owners club last week with the original intention of getting an LS400, however the one I was looking at had too many faults.

I then spotted a GS430 for sale nearby so thought I'd go and check it over, here is the link to it:

http://www.aandcautos.co.uk/used/lexus/gs/43-se-4dr-auto-sat-nav/bradford/west-yorkshire/16095637

I instantly fell in love with it!!! Absolutely no faults, everything works perfectly and looks and feels like new. Full history including loads of bills and receipts, every old MOT, cambelt done at 104k along with aux belt.

I'm going to collect the car tomorrow afternoon and cannot wait!!!

What fuel figures do you guys average in real world driving? Do I need to be aware of any issues that might arise or are these cars very dependable?

It also has the Mark Levinson sound system, I just wondered what are the specs of this stereo? How many speakers does it have and where are they located?

TigerFish · June 22, 2015

Good choice. Had mine for a few years now and still love it.

Not had any significant issues with mine. Suspension bushes go eventually, as they do on any car. Most awkward job, but still not that bad was changing one of the knock sensors. Means inlet manifold off.

Standard maintenance is a doddle to DIY, brakes, oil etc, all easy enough. Aux belt when needed is a 10 minute job.

MPG wise, it varies. 16'ish for pure round town short stuff each day to the station. 22 combined for longer town and country road running around at the weekend. Low 30-32 on a steady long distance cruise.

noby76 · June 22, 2015

I echo TigerFish comments havent had mine long to comment on reliability and coming from an IS300 Sport this feels larger inside out and more solid on the road. mpg wise on V power shell and oil changed, i am now averaging around 21mpg urban town driving and almost 30mpg on a 140 mile return trip to the midlands so not that bad. doesn't need a lot of revs to get it going from a stop so makes it more of a cruiser but sure does go when you give it some.

mrdoofa · June 23, 2015

Very encouraging comments so far, that's the kind of MPG I was hoping for, I think judging by what you guys are getting with the kind of driving I do to work and back I should get about 23-25MPG. The good thing is the hours I work I don't encounter rush hour traffic, especially coming back home at about midnight!!!

The-Acre · June 23, 2015

Nice! well done. Interesting looking at the photos how many similarities there are to the cabin of the LS,

mrdoofa · June 23, 2015

Picked up the car today and am absolutely over the moon with it so far!!! Barely stopped grinning since I got it. Just been going through all the paperwork in more detail and it really has been well looked after, no expense spared!!! That'll explain why the car really does look and drive like new, it's really hard to believe it is 14 years old with 143,000 miles on it. It just goes to show how good these cars really are when looked after properly.

mrdoofa · June 23, 2015

Nice! well done. Interesting looking at the photos how many similarities there are to the cabin of the LS,

I know what you mean!!! I looked at an LS400 before the GS and although they look similar the GS actually feels a lot more modern.

TigerFish · June 24, 2015

Good stuff mate B)

Sent from my Iphone using Lexus OC

mrdoofa · June 25, 2015

I just wondered, does turning the AC off in these cars have an effect on fuel economy? Especially in stop start driving. Also, is the fuel computer in the GS430 accurate?

At the moment my fuel computer says 22mpg with the air con always on, when I drove the LS400 in similar traffic conditions the fuel computer on that said 24mpg but the air con didn't work in that car at all lol!!!

The-Acre · June 25, 2015

I just wondered, does turning the AC off in these cars have an effect on fuel economy? Especially in stop start driving. Also, is the fuel computer in the GS430 accurate?

At the moment my fuel computer says 22mpg with the air con always on, when I drove the LS400 in similar traffic conditions the fuel computer on that said 24mpg but the air con didn't work in that car at all lol!!!

I've never found it makes any difference to fuel economy, if it does it must be negligible. It's better for the AC system to keep it in regular use anyway.

TigerFish · June 25, 2015

Same here, always have it on. I've never tried to compare consumption when on and off, but I wouldn't have thought it'd amount to a big difference.

Sent from my Iphone using Lexus OC

noby76 · June 25, 2015

I don't think it makes that much of a difference if AC on or off I do have mine on considering its warmer these days and mpg still hovers between the 25 -27mpg mark but I do about 5 miles town and 20miles motorway to work. today was showing 26mpg with A/C on about 20 mins before turning it off once the inside has cooled. had it on most of the time over the weekend on a 140 return trip to the midlands and returned around 29mpg. the mpg computer is quite accurate considering I worked it out manually and got about the same result as the on-board. you do extract more on an open road than when in bumper to bumper city driving.

mrdoofa · June 26, 2015

Cheers guys, I tried turning off the air con today as an experiment and gained 1 mpg on the same run to work and back. I really can't complain at the fuel figures when you remember it is a 4.3 V8 after all!!! Here is an interesting fact, I used to own a Ford Escort with a 1.4 engine and that only averaged about 4 mpg more than the Lexus!!! Goes to show how crap that was and how good the Lexus really is.

I've had it a couple of days now and love the car more and more each time I drive it, so glad I got one!!!

cruisermark · June 26, 2015

glad you like your gs430 - the ls400 you went to see is still advertised - i cant help thinking the dealer thought you were being too picky and just fobbed you off with the knocking story?

mrdoofa · June 27, 2015

Just a quick query about the trip computer, I noticed there are 2 average mpg readings, one which says "after refuelling" and one which just says "average" which can be reset by you.

Am I correct in thinking the after refuelling automatically resets every time you fill up and the other is user resettable whenever you like.

The reason I ask is because I put some fuel in yesterday and according to the after refuelling reading I'm currently averaging 25.4mpg, the user resettable reading says 22.9 which I reset when I picked up the car.

scandy · June 27, 2015

Congratulations on the purchase of the GS430, yes that's correct - each time you refuel it resets this counter and then bases this on fuel consumption since you put fuel in. So if you put some fuel in and then went straight onto say a dual carriageway or motorway, then that would explain that figure.

Agree with all the other comments regarding the fuel consumption for the GS430, also I think even at independents you would have found the LS400 more expensive to service most probably. Having had an LS400 back in the day both lovely cars for different reasons. Enjoy your GS.

mrdoofa · June 27, 2015

That's what I thought, cheers mate.

That mpg figure is based on my daily trip to work and back so if it's averaging 25mpg doing that I am well pleased.

dave1 · June 28, 2015

I check my fuel consumption manually each time I fill up (I always brimfill) and in just over 7 years owning the car,the OBC figures have been pretty accurate, I always know roughly how much fuel I will get in before I start. Never really noticed much difference with aircon on but so many variables anyway..... traffic, junctions daytime or night driving all affect it.

mrdoofa · July 1, 2015

I've been monitoring it over the last few days going to work and back, I am averaging about 24.6mpg with air con on which I'm more than happy with to be honest.

The temperature here has been 28c so the air con is essential and am pleased to say the Lexus air con is the best air con I've had in any car, absolutely ice cold!!! You are all correct though, it doesn't really seem to affect fuel consumption so I'm just leaving it on and enjoying the car!!! You don't buy a car with luxury features to not use them after all lol.

noby76 · July 1, 2015

35 degrees today with A/C on and returning just over 29mpg... thats IS200 teritory :D

mrdoofa · July 15, 2015

How did you manage that!?! Was it on motorway or going downhill lol!!! My current average seems to be staying around the 23-24mpg mark.

ColinBarber · July 15, 2015

I'd aways get 27 to 31 mpg from my GS430.

mrdoofa · July 16, 2015

I'd aways get 27 to 31 mpg from my GS430.

I must be going wrong somewhere!!! I can only achieve figures like that on a fast A road or motorway. What's the secret lol?

ColinBarber · July 16, 2015

If you are just doing short in town journeys then you are going to be down in the low 20s.

mrdoofa · July 17, 2015

If you are just doing short in town journeys then you are going to be down in the low 20s.

To be fair, my commute to work is 12 miles each way and the sort of roads it is and being a bit hilly 23-24mpg isn't bad at all for a 4.3 V8. I expected to use about a gallon a day. I've also got a bit partial to using the ECT PWR button lol!!!