Advice Please On Ls430

[nickd]

Hi All

Tomorrow I'm off to look at a 1 owner 02 plate LS430 with 76K and the asking price is 11k, which seems good value. I have spent hours it seems getting as much info as I can get on the car on the net but I have a few questions to ask.....

I intend to keep the car for 3 years minimum and doing 15K a year , what in reliabilty terms if the car is serviced correctly what may i come up against?

In real world terms what MPG do you get round town and can anybody manage 30MPG on long runs? I go to the lakes once a month from Sheffield, 260 miles there and back and then mainly 120 miles per week to work. Most of it out in the Peaks.

Is it a sensible buy at that age and mileage? I have always bought relatively high mileage cars, my current being an Alfa 166, which is great, but I want something a bit more substantial.

Anybody had any problem with the adaptive air suspension?

Any good indpendent garages in Yorkshire?

Has anybody had any success with LPG.

I think thats enough, though I could go on & on.

Cheers

Nick

Sheffield

[Peter L]

Hi All

Tomorrow I'm off to look at a 1 owner 02 plate LS430 with 76K and the asking price is 11k, which seems good value. I have spent hours it seems getting as much info as I can get on the car on the net but I have a few questions to ask.....

I intend to keep the car for 3 years minimum and doing 15K a year , what in reliabilty terms if the car is serviced correctly what may i come up against?

In real world terms what MPG do you get round town and can anybody manage 30MPG on long runs? I go to the lakes once a month from Sheffield, 260 miles there and back and then mainly 120 miles per week to work. Most of it out in the Peaks.

Is it a sensible buy at that age and mileage? I have always bought relatively high mileage cars, my current being an Alfa 166, which is great, but I want something a bit more substantial.

Anybody had any problem with the adaptive air suspension?

Any good indpendent garages in Yorkshire?

Has anybody had any success with LPG.

I think thats enough, though I could go on & on.

Cheers

Nick

Sheffield

Hi Nick

Seems a little late in the night to post particularly if you are going to view tomorrow ! Anyway, I'm no expert on the LS 430 having never owned one (but have always wanted to own one !) but I am a new proud owner of a 95 LS400 (see my other post for details) and can't begin to tell you what's so good about these cars. This is actually my 3rd Lexus and although it's actually the oldest of the trio, is actually my favourite for numerous reasons (particularly the monster 4.0litre V8 !)

To try and answer some of your questions:-

I think £11k for a 5 year old LS 430 with 76K (barely broken in yet !) is brilliant value but be careful to check it thoroughly and make sure it has FULL Service History (remember this car cost over £50k, possibly even £60k+ when new 5 years ago !!!)

If serviced properly I doubt you'll have much trouble with these cars as they have been ranked Number 1 in the JD Powers satisfaction poll for a number of consecutive years

I very much doubt you'd regularly see an average of 30MPG from a car which weighs a couple of tons and has a 4.3 litre engine in it, unless anyone else knows any better - but what a way to get there regardless of petrol cost !

It is a very sensible buy at that age and mileage - bit daft to fork out so much on a new one if you ask me !

Not sure about the adaptive air suspension but doesn't seem to be many posts here complaining about it ! no news = good news !

Don't know about any good independent garages in Yorkshire but can recommend a good 'un here in Rochdale

Seems those who had LPG fitted are quite content (see other posts) but you'd have to do some mileage to recoup your costs, I have a mate in Oldham that fits them if you need advice ...

Good luck with your viewing tomorrow and hope you find a good 'un like I did ...

[nickd]

Hi All

Tomorrow I'm off to look at a 1 owner 02 plate LS430 with 76K and the asking price is 11k, which seems good value. I have spent hours it seems getting as much info as I can get on the car on the net but I have a few questions to ask.....

I intend to keep the car for 3 years minimum and doing 15K a year , what in reliabilty terms if the car is serviced correctly what may i come up against?

In real world terms what MPG do you get round town and can anybody manage 30MPG on long runs? I go to the lakes once a month from Sheffield, 260 miles there and back and then mainly 120 miles per week to work. Most of it out in the Peaks.

Is it a sensible buy at that age and mileage? I have always bought relatively high mileage cars, my current being an Alfa 166, which is great, but I want something a bit more substantial.

Anybody had any problem with the adaptive air suspension?

Any good indpendent garages in Yorkshire?

Has anybody had any success with LPG.

I think thats enough, though I could go on & on.

Cheers

Nick

Sheffield

Hi Nick

Seems a little late in the night to post particularly if you are going to view tomorrow ! Anyway, I'm no expert on the LS 430 having never owned one (but have always wanted to own one !) but I am a new proud owner of a 95 LS400 (see my other post for details) and can't begin to tell you what's so good about these cars. This is actually my 3rd Lexus and although it's actually the oldest of the trio, is actually my favourite for numerous reasons (particularly the monster 4.0litre V8 !)

To try and answer some of your questions:-

I think £11k for a 5 year old LS 430 with 76K (barely broken in yet !) is brilliant value but be careful to check it thoroughly and make sure it has FULL Service History (remember this car cost over £50k, possibly even £60k+ when new 5 years ago !!!)

If serviced properly I doubt you'll have much trouble with these cars as they have been ranked Number 1 in the JD Powers satisfaction poll for a number of consecutive years

I very much doubt you'd regularly see an average of 30MPG from a car which weighs a couple of tons and has a 4.3 litre engine in it, unless anyone else knows any better - but what a way to get there regardless of petrol cost !

It is a very sensible buy at that age and mileage - bit daft to fork out so much on a new one if you ask me !

Not sure about the adaptive air suspension but doesn't seem to be many posts here complaining about it ! no news = good news !

Don't know about any good independent garages in Yorkshire but can recommend a good 'un here in Rochdale

Seems those who had LPG fitted are quite content (see other posts) but you'd have to do some mileage to recoup your costs, I have a mate in Oldham that fits them if you need advice ...

Good luck with your viewing tomorrow and hope you find a good 'un like I did ...

Cheers Peter,

Yes it is a bit late, I have been meaning to ask for a few days, but thanks for the speedy reply. As for MPG I mean 30 on a longrun and I think on the spec sheet the extra urban was 31.3MPG. People always say that if you need to ask that then you cant afford it! Which is probably true, but I want to own one of the best cars out there at what is I think an absolute bargain. Who do you use in Rochdale?

Regards

Nick

[BobB]

If you have already viewed the car this reply might be a little late, but better late than never.

I own an '05 LS430, so can't comment on the age of the car, but with that mileage the car is barely run in. I have done similar mileage and have had no problems worth mentioning, which is what you'd expect given the quality and reputation of the car.

I can achieve 30mpg on a motorway run, but only with a light right foot. You should expect to get 27-28mpg without too much trouble. Around town it's a little different but you should get 22-23mpg. Unless, of course, your town is central London, in which case expect 16mpg.

Sounds like a good buy too me, but would repeat all the comments made by Peter regarding fsh etc.

Go for it, you won't be disappointed!

Bob

[Chris Skelton]

Whatever 'baited breath' is (must look up origins of term!) we're all sitting here with it!

Did youse get it?

[graham8370]

[A] The correct spelling is actually bated breath but it’s so common these days to see it ... it has the meaning “reduced, lessened, lowered in force”.

[Chris Skelton]

Thanks Graham. I'm usually A1 on spelling, but had a tiring day AND have got bronchitis. Still need to look up origins of the term though. Often sea/navy based.....

(Lots of amusing mis-spells on here at times!)

[graham8370]

Thanks Graham. I'm usually A1 on spelling, but had a tiring day AND have got bronchitis. Still need to look up origins of the term though. Often sea/navy based.....

(Lots of amusing mis-spells on here at times!)

Hi Chris, not that clever myself (just copied and pasted the 1st line of Google (for 'Baited Breath'). Get well soon. Regards, Graham

[steve2006]

Wot's dis spelchek thingy?

[Chris Skelton]

Wot's dis spelchek thingy?

Durzent werk on Lexus-site entries! Not that I NEED it, being a PhD of corse, lyke! (True,-PhD bit- but never could remember whether it's attach or attatch!)--1st one.

[Chris Skelton]

I know..a bit off course!

Bated from Abate. But hope that, having got the car the OTHER meaning of bate isn't valid; which means 'A rage'!!!

Though, as a once-northerner, your 'bait' was what you took to work (mines) to eat!

Anyway!!! What DID happen regarding the LS430?

[nickd]

I know..a bit off course!

Bated from Abate. But hope that, having got the car the OTHER meaning of bate isn't valid; which means 'A rage'!!!

Though, as a once-northerner, your 'bait' was what you took to work (mines) to eat!

Anyway!!! What DID happen regarding the LS430?

Sorry sorry sorry I went to see the car and drove it. beautiful so amazing...........

But I bought another new front end Alfa 166!

Guess I'm just not ready for it yet,

All the best great forum and thanks for the advice

Nick D

[Chris Skelton]

Well, at least it wasn't a B.....or a Mer.......! The Alfa GT is a looker!