e-man

I'm just curious. Has anyone out there gone from a 98-00 GS400 to a 01+ GS430? If so, what were the motivating factors that made you do it? Lease ended? Time for a new car? Wanted ML? Bored? Or just because? When I originally bought my car (98 GS4), I expected that I would keep it for 3-5 years, but lately I've been thinking that I will sell it sooner. If you've done this, please share your experience. Thanks.

e-man

svt5150

I too have thought about it but would only have been doing it for the appearance aspect (taillights, wood wheel, chrome shifter bezel, gauge bezel, etc) The fact that I know the history of my current GS4 and how immaculate it is and rare color make me want to stay with it. All I ever see are silver, white and black GS's. Rarely do I see blue and if I do, they all have tan interior... mine isnt!

svt5150

I also have done most of the 430 mods so it looks like a 01+

e-man

I'm in the same boat, in a way. Although I don't have blue mica, I do have alpine silver, and that was one of my "must haves" when shopping for my GS. In 2000, Lexus discontinued alpine silver and replaced it with millenium. So, if I want to stick with a silver GS, it would have be millenium in the 430 years.

I guess my primary motivating factor would be the following. I bought my 98 GS400 in March, 2004 with 54,000 miles, which, by most standards is pretty low. I recently did my 60,000 service (I waited until 69,000), so I'm set for maintenance, at least for a while. However, as I approach 90,000, which most likely will happen in early 2006, I will need to start thinking about my 90,000 maintenance, which, from what I've heard is $1,000+, and will also have to replace my 17" tires (my winter set of 16s still looks pretty decent). It just seems to me that that money would be better spent by taking my car plus that money and using as a downpayment on a CPO 2002 GS430, for example.

Has anyone else considered foregoing the cost of maintenance, tires, breaks, etc., especially if they all come up at the same time, and taking that money and putting it towards a later model-year car?

e-man

chuckb

What's up e- maybe you should drive a 430 and see what you think. Unfortunately for me, 430s are getting cheaper and cheaper. I love mine though. If you can find a private party car still under warranty, your just as good as cpo, if not even better because the dealer couldn't go through it and shine it up & hide small blemishes or whatever they do.

gs400998

Since there is no major improvements (HP, handling, and options) on current GS430, I would keep my GS400 if it is well maintained and still in good condition. Maintenance fees are still lower than buying a newer car. If I want a newer GS4, I would wait 1-2 years and get the new 3-gen GS4.

e-man

Hey Chuck. Yeah, I've been noticing that as well (that the 01s have dropped in price). That must also mean, however, that the earlier models are losing their value also (although, probably not as quickly as the later models). So, I hear you. Anyway, I drove an 01 430 shortly before buying my car in March of 2004. The 430 had 30,000 miles, no nav, and the dealer wanted $34,000 for the car. I paid $20,000 for my car. I couldn't come close to justifying the $14,000 difference. However, now that I've had my car for a year, I'm beginning to notice that the subtle differences the 430 brings to the table (e.g., wood steering wheel, ML stereo, tails, chrome bezel gauge cluster, standard HIDs) are nice. Also, I don't mind spending $1,000 on the 90k maintenance or dropping $700 on a set of tires, but my car is going to be 7 years old in a few months. Wouldn't it make more sense to spend that money on a car that's a few years newer? I guess I didn't think about these things when I bought my car. Now, I guess the flipside of this argument is that I will find myself in the same position in a few years on the newer car. It just seems that it would be worth spending that money on a car that basically has everything I will ever need, as opposed to my car, which has most of what I want/need, but is definitely lacking in a few areas.

-e

00lexondub

iTrader: (2)

this prolly wont help but i made a swap from my 00 gs3 to my g430 back in may of alst year.. lots of reasons factored into this tho.. mainly the motor. BUT alot of others help.. like value, wood wheels, wood ashtray, tails and wha tnot and all others that have been said.. but bummer is no Supercharger for me

e-man

How much did it cost to drive your 00 GS3 (i.e., when/what did you pay for it and when/what did you sell it for)?

00lexondub

iTrader: (2)

i wouldnt be a good example since my family is in car business and i buy wholesale and sell retail.. i have never lost money on a car.. only made money.. however if i member correctly i pad somehting like 18k for it in early 03 and sold it for 19k in early 04.. i paid 27 for the may of 04.. which wasnt the best deal but it had the options i wanted so i paid a little more for it thatn wholesale...

00lexondub

iTrader: (2)

oh ya forgot to say i was at car acution today and watched a 01 gs430 l tuned package go through and SELL for 22k.. it has 41k miles on it and was perfect.. wish iw ould foudn this one when buying mine

rominl

iTrader: (4)

for me i wouldln't do it, mostly coz' of the much worse throttle response together with the much more conservative ecu setup. howeve, the dvd nav, the steering wheel, and the ML is what i truly love about the 430 though.

chuckb

I really have no throttle response probs. I drove an 00 GS4 and it felt less responsive than my car Henry , does your SC430 have poor resonse? How about your 430 Rick?

rominl

iTrader: (4)

yeah i know man, i am not saying you are wrong but just somehow all the 430 i drive (more than 10 at least, including gs430, sc430, and ls430 pre 04) have that problem. could be the different drive by wire system design, dunno.

and yeah, my sc430 is very slow on response. i always have to press harder on the gas to make the car move compard to my gs400 (even before tc and lsd). that's why every time i go down to socal and drive my gs4 (i am driving the sc430 now), i am like a mad man coz' i always push on the gas way too hard @_@

e-man

That's interesting that you say that Rominl. Just this past weekend, my parents took our kids, so we gave them the MDX and my wife and I took my mom's 03 LS430. The pedal seemed heavy and slow to respond in comparison to my 98 GS4. I just assumed it was because the LS is a bigger, heavier car. That must have something to do with it, right?

e