Lexus LS430

Soldato
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My advice is go with the LS not the IS :) ...I seriously looked into these myself before I went back to the Jag, the LS is staggering value for money and the amount of kit you get makes the Jaguar 'almost' look like a car from the Dark Ages :p ...but for me, the Jag has want I need and it 'does' it for me, the Lexus has far more than I need and it doesn't 'do' it for me. It's just a very nice car, lacks the character and it's not as nice to drive imho.

But LS430 is a hell of a car, and you get so much for your money. Once you are relaxing in the leather air-conditioned seats I doubt you'll be all that bothered what the outside of the car looks like. Of course I feel obligated to point out that for that much money you can get a very, very nice X350 jaguar XJ8 :)
 
Don
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The E65 you could have bought for the same money.

An e65 isn't going to be reliable at that age. God knows they have enough problems when they are new.
Also, there aren't any E65s from BMW main agents in that price range. I need a main agent buy at the moment so I at least have some decent come back if the car turns out to be a bit shoddy.
 

117

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Seems reasonable if that price includes a years Lexus approved warranty, as that should go a fair way to negating the inherent risk this kind of car can present. In my experience older Lexus are just as suceptible to electronic and mechanical failure as other european makes, so check electrical operation of everything. Cast an eye over service history and check if cambelt and tensioners have been changed recently.

Equipment levels are absolutely supreme if you do not mind the toyota derived switchgear and occasionally tacky plastics. Driving wise I found that the LS430 I drove wallowed a lot if you attempt to press on, whereas a W220, although still a massive barge feels slightly less artificial and floaty, at least that is my experience of a back to back test drive.
 
Soldato
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I was just flicking through car adds, as I often do, I couldn't help but notice this one http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1999812.htm ...I know it's not what you want and it will break and cost you a fortune and it's not from a main agent but that's a huge amount of car for the money. 1 owner too and low mileage for it's age. I don't care for the trim colour combination much myself, but a V12 and more toys than a Gulfstream ....hard to argue with that.
 
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absolutely fantastic car, but twin turbo, abc suspension, and a v12 equal potentially eye watering bills....however showing us that makes the LS430 seem like a very sensible choice in comparison! ;)
 

mjt

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I was just flicking through car adds, as I often do, I couldn't help but notice this one http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1999812.htm ...I know it's not what you want and it will brake and cost you a fortune and it's not from a main agent but that's a huge amount of car for the money. 1 owner too and low mileage for it's age. I don't care for the trim colour combination much myself, but a V12 and more toys than a Gulfstream ....hard to argue with that.

I'm not an expert on these sorts of cars, but I suspect an S600 will cost considerably more to run than a Lexus LS 430.
That, and the LWB will be a pain to park anywhere.


/obligatory Phaeton W12s
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1688312.htm
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2003021.htm

Rilot, have you discounted the A8 due to possible issues, thereby high running costs?
 
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DiG

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I can get one of these on 70k miles, 54 plate, from a main dealer for £12k. I'm popping to have a look at this one tomorrow: http://www.sytner.co.uk/lexus/milto...nes-149044-974839.aspx?st=Vehicle&vhl=-149044

Any comments (other than the usual "damn it's ugly").

I've actually been looking at 2006 IS250 SE-Ls but the thought of an LS for the same money has me thinking.

Any weak spots?

I've just gone the other way, I was looking at £6-8k LS430's on LPG, but decided to go for an IS250 SE-L, so far very happy with my decision. I will go for an LS sized car, but for me, the IS was most of the toys, but without the really risky parts like air suspension.

If I had the extra cash to cover the risk, I would go for an LS, amazing cars!
 
Soldato
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I'm not an expert on these sorts of cars, but I suspect an S600 will cost considerably more to run than a Lexus LS 430.
That, and the LWB will be a pain to park anywhere.

Yep, you're absolutely right. None the less I thought I'd put it into the mix. These are my kind of cars, I get excited when I actually get to talk about them, link them and recommend them in a serious way :D


Parkway are a pretty good dealer imo, I bought my Mondeo ST220 from them and sold them, my 330CI, when looking through cars I always seem to home in on stuff they are selling, they have a decent premises in a nice location, well presented and clean cars at reasonable prices etc.

That Jag you linked looks nice, however the last few services are by an Arthur Royle Ltd. That company seems to be listed only as a used car dealer on the internet, I haven't seen anything to suggest they are Jaguar specialists (they might very well be though). I would not touch an XJ that didn't have a full main dealer and or specialist service history. Also, for the price (maybe a tad more), you could get one that has a FJSH from a main dealer.
 
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Don
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mjt; said:
Rilot, have you discounted the A8 due to possible issues, thereby high running costs?

I put my issues I had with my A8 down to it being an early build but my mate has just taken delivery of a last of the line a8 on a 59 plate. It's been back to Audi 5 times in 3 weeks to fix various electrical problems. It's done 4000 miles from new.

So I guess shoddy a8s are the norm rather than the exception.
 
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Lexus LS 430 was one of the finest luxury sedans available anywhere, it has really a excellent build quality and an impressive array of features, that is liked by every one. Well I think that it also offered a richer, more stylish and roomier interior with advanced safety and luxury features.
 
Soldato
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Very good car, but to try and ignore the styling is to overlook the biggest flaw in the overall package - it looks really quite dated. It has a distinct Japanese mid-90s look, having not departed much from the styling of the first breeze-block LS.

I'd really struggle to hand over a five-figure sum for such a car, however good it may be in practice.
 
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Very good car, but to try and ignore the styling is to overlook the biggest flaw in the overall package - it looks really quite dated. It has a distinct Japanese mid-90s look, having not departed much from the styling of the first breeze-block LS.

I'd really struggle to hand over a five-figure sum for such a car, however good it may be in practice.

This. I'm not what I'd say 'qualified' to give a reasonable opinion on the LS compared to other similar cars, but to me it just doesn't look far enough removed from its predecessor.
 
Don
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danza; said:
This. I'm not what I'd say 'qualified' to give a reasonable opinion on the LS compared to other similar cars, but to me it just doesn't look far enough removed from its predecessor.

I know what you mean. When one sits next to a new gen ls460, you can really see it.
 
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My dad has a Lexus GS430 with the same engine, its fantastic and I love the LS too.

Just have money saved for bills, my dads had a leaking front shock, trade price was £250 and no after market solutions available, though normally they are pretty reliable.
 
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