Looking To Buy Old Ls430 - Need Advice!

[steve-bedford]

If you're not confident to do it yourself (like me!) - Get an HPI check and RAC inspection done on it - It's much better value than any warranty in my opnion.

RAC will always "find something wrong" that you can use in the price negotiations (which pays their bill). It also means you can go knocking on their door should anything crop up that they should have spotted later on.

From your perspective, just try sitting in it to make sure you can get really comfortable. I wish I'd done this. There's nothing actually wrong with the seat set up other than the distance between the seat cushion and the roof is not great if you're very tall. The Japanese just can't grasp this as they're all under 5'.

Japanese cars also tend to have very very light controls (brakes, steering, throttle) and they always have done. I vividly remember my driving lessons in a Nissan Micra! I regard this as being detracted from the entire driving expereince and devoid of any feel. Others like it. It's just my view, there's no right or wrong answer here but just make sure you can get on with it and live with it in daily life.

[alanr]

Buying a new car is a very emotive experience, especially when buying a fairly top range model like a Lexus. It is all too easy to let your heart over-rule your mind, and occasionally this can result in the buying experience leaving a sour taste in the mouth. Steve-Bedford will be able to relate to this feeling, to the point where the forum has even started a fund to try and make him feel a little better about the whole sorry issue. (I think he's elected himself entertainments manager)

If this is your first experience of owning a Lexus, then above all do not buy the first one that comes along. Look at, and perhaps more importantly, drive several cars before purchasing. Go to the Lexus dealers and test drive a demonstrator. Then test drive their secondhand cars if possible. Compare the feel of a used car to the feel of a new one - they will feel different on the road. Make sure that you can live with soft suspension and light controls - these cars are not for everyone. They certainly handle differently to the big Mercs and BMWs. I liken my LS400 to conning an ocean liner along country lanes and the natural movement seems to be a gentle wallow. On motorways the car comes into its own and drifts serenely and effortlessly along at slightly illegal speeds. I should also say that at steady motorway speeds it tends to defy all known laws of physics by returning over 30mpg.

Try as many cars as you can - don't be afraid to walk away from a seemingly nice car. Lexus are big corporate bruisers of a car, and not only are secondhand prices very affordable, but there are far more on the market than the salesmen will admit to. As an owner driver, don't even bother to listen to their speile about the Premium Pack - most of it relates to the back seat passengers. As with all niche motor cars, service history is very important, but not the only criteria. Take time to read as many forum threads as you can on both this and USA forum. Read all the on-line road test reports if you haven't already done so. Do lots of homework before buying, and make sure your head makes the decision, and not your heart. Good hunting to you.

Regards,

Alan

[autobahn]

Thanks for the advice, Alan. Yes, i've certainly been reading up every single review that I can find. I found the Honest John review very helpful. Financially I cannot afford to make a mistake so I will test drive several LS430s before committing to one. The idea of an RAC inspection is also very useful to know as I had not considered this before. I've checked on the RAC site and there are two levels of inspection costing £139 and £249 (prices are for non-members).

I have a question if I may: do all LS430s (with and without Premium Pack) come with touch-screen DVD-based satellite navigation? Or was this an option (in the context of 2000/2001 cars)?

[Haylands]

Thanks for the advice, Alan. Yes, i've certainly been reading up every single review that I can find. I found the Honest John review very helpful. Financially I cannot afford to make a mistake so I will test drive several LS430s before committing to one. The idea of an RAC inspection is also very useful to know as I had not considered this before. I've checked on the RAC site and there are two levels of inspection costing £139 and £249 (prices are for non-members).

I have a question if I may: do all LS430s (with and without Premium Pack) come with touch-screen DVD-based satellite navigation? Or was this an option (in the context of 2000/2001 cars)?

Hi

The Premium Pack included self-leveling air suspension, multi-function wood and leather steering wheel, individual controls for rear compartment air-conditioning, electrically operated reclining rear seats with memory functions and electric vibro-massaging rear seats.

The touch screen sat nav was standard in the UK as was the 11 speaker Mark Levinson hi-fi. In my opinion the premium pack is worth it for the air suspension alone, although having said that you will find it hard to find one without the premium pack, I only found one when I was looking.

Good Luck.... I know people say don't buy the first one you see but take it with a pinch of salt, personally if you do all the homework, hunt for the right car, phone the seller, ask all the right questions, test drive the car subjectively and ALL is ok, then leave a deposit subject to a satisfactory RAC inspection and you should be fine, there are not that many cars around to be fussy with. When I bought mine I wanted a dark colour with a light interior, I think they look best and there were three for sale in the whole country, one was at Lexus and far too expensive, even with the Lexus warrantee, and two were at independents, both were the same condition... nearly new. One was more flexible on price, I even decided to do without a warrantee as they are expensive and a Lexus shouldn't go wrong anyway!!!!!! Well I'm seven months in now and the few minor problems I have had would not have been covered by a warrantee anyway.....

Anyway don't let it get to you, these cars are generally very very good and with the information you have from everyone above I don't think you will have any probs

The lack of headroom steve-bedford mentions will not apply as the 430 is taller than the 400, I'm 6"5' and there is plenty of room for me, my head does touch in my brothers 400 though...

Good luck and try to enjoy the experience

Pete

P.S. If you are up this way and want to drive one then let me know you are more than welcome to drive mine.... that applies to anyone else if you are "up north"

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