0a’s Lexus LS430

[0a]

Having purchased one v8 so far this month, clearly it was time to acquire anther…

That’s over 600bhp and 9.7 litres of v8s and it’s only the 16th! SLK55 thread here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

To be fair this one was a swap. My BMW Z4 was up for auction, and a PHer I’ve sold a cars with before and who is a throughly decent chap suggested we swap after reading my eBay listing.

The car in question: a Lexus LS430 with 235k miles. I quickly agreed, as I miss my old LS400, and the car looked to be in good condition from the picture (one picture from a trusted contact is always enough!).

After some fun last weekend where things didn’t work out, we did the swap today.

Great to see the z4 going to a good home. I did 350 miles in it yesterday, and despite its faults, it was comfy, fun and economical (40.4 mpg from an inline 6 - I wasn’t hanging about). The manual, straight 6, softtop combo is a great one. Reader ride thread here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

I pulled away in the LS and immediately thought “wow”. Compared to my recently acquired Merc slk55 it’s so smooth and refined. The ride is wonderful. There are no creaks or rattles despite the miles. There is Lexus main dealer after main dealer stamp in the service book.

It has a vast amount of lot compared to the old cars I usually run. Keyless entry means I get my keys out then don’t know where to put them. Soft close. Rear reclining massage seats. Lots of knobs that do who knows what.

Apologies for the potato camera pictures - getting a new phone next week!









The best thing is I can pretend to be PHer CDG (he had one until recently).

Any hints or tips regarding this model are very welcome!

[Austin_Metro]

That interior pic makes the condition look incredible. Is it that good? Always fancied one of these v8 barges.

[0a]

Austin_Metro said:

That interior pic makes the condition look incredible. Is it that good? Always fancied one of these v8 barges.

It’s in very good condition.

I will take more photos when I get a better camera next week.

Worth watching this: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dRDwTSa4Ec8

[Austin_Metro]

There’s a y reg on the trader for 999 with mot.

I assume at that price there must be something horrific wrong with it but …

[0a]

Austin_Metro said:

There’s a y reg on the trader for 999 with mot.

I assume at that price there must be something horrific wrong with it but …

I think that looks okay for the money. As always at this level, it’s all about the individual car. I like the black interior.

Talk about a limited ad though!

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109177...

[lemansky]

Got to have the gold badges!

It’s quite the thing. You’ll love it.

Oh, here’s that photo I mentioned to you earlier, showing the paintwork viewed in a low Scottish sun.

[0a]

lemansky said:

Got to have the gold badges!

It’s quite the thing. You’ll love it.

Oh, here’s that photo I mentioned to you earlier, showing the paintwork viewed in a low Scottish sun.

Wow, fantastic.

Looking around the car this evening, the panel gaps are just fantastic. Lexus really did get their production in order compared to the germans at this time.

[0a]

0a said:

Austin_Metro said:

That interior pic makes the condition look incredible. Is it that good? Always fancied one of these v8 barges.

It’s in very good condition.

I will take more photos when I get a better camera next week.

Worth watching this: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dRDwTSa4Ec8

As you can see it’s in pretty good condition.















Bit of delamination on one of the back double glazed windows.



I’m sure if I were bothered I could get some leather restorer on the driver’s seat but I’m not at the moment!

[em177]

My old car!

It’s had a few PH owners now!

[0a]

em177 said:

My old car!

It’s had a few PH owners now!

Blimey it’s been around then! You are the fourth PH owner I know of including myself. Any photos welcome for the history folder!

It’s really very pleasant to drive.

[em177]

I’m sure I have loads on my other phone

[0a]

Excellent thanks! I print them off and put them in a folder for future owners of my cars.

[Cambs_Stuart]

That's a fantastic barge. Good luck! I'm interested to see how you get on.

[Summit_Detailing]

I spent the day cleaning this car up for my Brother-in-Law who owned it in Dec'19...



Enjoy OP.

Cheers,

Chris

[CharlesdeGaulle]

It's a lovely colour I think. Great cars, and the fact yours is still so good at that mileage speaks volumes for the design and build of these things. Nice to see lots of PH ownership too.

[carinaman]

I don't like the styling of these compared to the 400, it's the headlamps wrapping round to the horizontal surface of the bonnet like on some other cars and the W140 like slab sidedness but the photos and colours are eroding my dislike. Perhaps they're as colour sensitive as the SC430?

[bolidemichael]

I agree on the styling, but it does possess a certain stature. This colour is great on it too -- and lends it a real 'built for leisure' vibe.

[0a]

Summit_Detailing said:

I spent the day cleaning this car up for my Brother-in-Law who owned it in Dec'19...



Enjoy OP.

Cheers,

Chris

A super photo, thanks!

[0a]

0a said:

Summit_Detailing said:

I spent the day cleaning this car up for my Brother-in-Law who owned it in Dec'19...



Enjoy OP.

Cheers,

Chris

A super photo, thanks!

On looking back - I can only see one photo in your original post, but can see all of them in my quote.

That explains why the car is so clean. Many thanks.

I tried applying some interior wipes and got no dirt off at all. Mildly disappointing in some ways!

[0a]

I did over 300 miles in the LS yesterday. It's a very impressive car, particularly as it is now 21 years old. Interestingly, my LS400 was a T plate, this is an X plate. So I can compare the last of the 400s with the first of the 430s.

Firstly, it's comfy and quiet. I think the higher speed noise suppression is a lot better than the 400. Stuff outside really is in another world.

The equipment level is high for a car from 2000. Keyless entry, soft close doors, heated and cooled front seats, rear reclining massage and heated seats. Very impressive.

The cabin is very comfy. The seats deeply impressive. And this is a car with 235,000 miles.

The performance seems relatively sedate. Then you wonder why everyone else is going so slowly and you keep catching cars up. It's because you are doing, well ahem, healthy speeds.

I have a lot of respect for this car. But somehow don't love it. I'm an old merc chap really. I already knew this

Interestingly I got 25mpg average (this shows the mpg at my stop - needed a coffee, it was so comfy it made me sleepy) - while okay for a v8, this is less than I would have got even with higher speed bursts from my 400. Are they worse? Or is it just my driving style (or a dodgy computer calculation?).



I popped to the pub with my Dad last night, so got to travel in the back for the first time. Boy that's the place to be. The car makes a lot more sense from here!