rominl

iTrader: (4)

to be honest, e. given you have a 2gs400, i would really try to do at least 07 gs430 or 08+ gs460. you really get that much more compared to 06

e-man

I hear you H, but here's the thing. In reality, what more are you getting with the 460? A better nav screen? Well, I have Nakamichi with no nav now, so any nav screen would be better than no nav screen at all. Also, my mother has an 03 LS430, and I think her nav screen is pretty good. I think the biggest difference is probably the 8 speed transmission, which would be nice for highway driving, but I'm doing just fine with my current 5-speed transmission and would probably be fine with a 5-speed 430 tranny. I don't like the fact that I'll have to deal with a timing belt change at 90k especially given what happened the last time, but that's at least 3 years away, so not a big deal. Is there something else the 460 has that the 430 does not have that I would really miss out on?

If I can get the car for $23k and if I get $4k for my car, I think I'm doing pretty well. If the car is certified for 3 years up to 100,000 miles, I'll have nothing to worry about for a while. Those 460s are really rare around here (and in reality, all across the US). In 4 years, I've NEVER seen one on the road, and I'm always looking for them. If you do a search on Autotrader, there are 43 for sale across all model years across the country. That's not a lot of cars, and unlike my current GS, I'm just not willing to get a plane to travel across the country to buy one and drive it back. Those days are over for me.

When you factor in the fact that I will depreciate the heck out of any 460 with relatively low miles, from a financial perspective, any decent 460 would kill me. I don't know, this just seems to make more sense to me..

1QWKGS4

iTrader: (3)

I agree with consensus that the 460's is a newer and more powerful motor. But, if you want longevity and i think thats what you're looking for, I say get the 430. The 430's motor is based from the 400 and this motor has been around since the early 90's Well Proven Reliability. I had '08-'09 model cars and when I saw my GS430 with old lady miles (18K), i quickly snatched her up. The 430 is upgrade from the GS400. I have both and I'm damn happy I have GS430 in my stable. I've driven the GS460 and it is a NICCEE ride and I would definitely like to pick up one someday but IMO i still believe the GS430 is a better value..

e-man

To the last poster, just to be clear, we're talking about an 3G 06 GS430, not an 01-05 GS430.

Guys, I'm sure the 460 is nicer, just like the 01-05 GS430 was "nicer" than the 98-00 GS400. However, I don't regret for a second owning my 99 GS400 over a newer 01-05 GS430. I looked at the 430s in 05 before I bought my 99, and while they did have some nicer options (wood steering wheel, slightly bigger engine, Mark Levinson, DVD nav, revised taillights), in the end, it was basically the same car.

Isn't that what we're basically talking about here as between the 06 GS430 and 08 GS460? Look, if I could find a nice GS460 close to my home at a reasonable price, I'd consider it, but if the car I was looking at was sold in 1 day after it was listed, that tells me that the 460 is in high demand and I will not be able to negotiate a decent deal for one, right?

Slamking18

Depending on your area, 460's are hard to come by. I live in the midwest (St. Louis, MO) and unless you special order them, you can't get one, which also makes them harder to come by used. I ended up driving to Tulsa, OK to get mine and got a great deal. I bought my car 2 years ago for $38k with only 11k miles on it! It was at a Porsche dealer and sat on their lot forever so they let it go for $400 over wholesale. You can find a good deal even with them being in high demand, but with the car being pretty limited, you will just have to do some hardcore searching. But it is well worth the effort so don't just settle because you think you won't get a good deal. I waited almost 5 months before I found the right one. Good luck!

1QWKGS4

iTrader: (3)

I know we're talking about 3GS, but I'm referring to the motor.. I owned my '99 GS400 since brand new and though I believe its a faster more responsive car than my '05 GS430 which does drive and feel different even though they share the same body style. I've drive an 06 GS430 and its not that much a difference motor-wise..

I've been a dedicated GS owner for 13 years now and i think i know the differences in years, generations.. So, no need to jump on me for comparing motor size.. Take it easy, its just a car..

rominl

iTrader: (4)

i know what you mean, if you just think about what you need then of course the car is more than enough. but the way i see it luxury cars are all about what extra you can get. the nav will work fine, but the new nav has better resolution and audio features. 5 speed is fine, 6 speed is better, but 8 speed will be even smoother and better gas mileage.

in the end either car will get you from point a to b just fine, but how much extra do you want?

e-man

When I saw the 2005 in your sig, I just assumed you thought I was talking about an 01-05 GS430. I wasn't questioning your knowledge. I went back and reread your post and now I understand what you mean, and I agree with you by the way. As I mentioned above, my mom has an 03 LS430 with 130k miles that she's owned since new, and that engine is bullet-proof, powerful and super-smooth.

Anyway, Rom, I understand what you're saying, but I've never been one to go for the biggest, best etc. And the thing is, with GS460s so hard to come by, I'm just not up for flying cross-country to go get one, only to pay a hefty sum and then drive it into the ground with 20k miles a year. If the 06 430 is "almost as good" but not "quite as good" as the 460, that's really fine for me.

I guess the other option would be to pick up an 08+ GS350 AWD (although that's the topic for another thread). Those cars are a dime a dozen around here. I drove one a few months back and it really didn't do much for me. I'm so accustomed to driving an 8 cylinder car, that even if the 350 performed equal to or better than the 430, I don't think I would be happy with it.

Boron

If the 460s are harder to come by, then by definition they should be able to retain more of the price, but then you're at the mercy of waiting until the one with the right spec comes up, or having to compromise.
I'd forgotten about the new gearbox, but that's more a case of keeping up with the Jones' rather than a necessity.
It's not like the tried and tested 6-speed in the 430 is a dog or riddled with faults.

Bottom line, only you can decide if the extra cost is warranted or best pocketed for a rainy day.
Either way, whichever you opt for, you're unlikely to be disappointed.
There's nothing stopping you buying the 430 for now, and if a particular 460 comes up in 6 months or so time, moving to it.
You shouldn't lose too much on the 430, hopefully!

e-man

Well, I was about to head out to the dealership (about an hour and a half from my house) to buy the 430 when my cell phone rang. The salesman was calling me to let me know that they sold the car and that I shouldn't come. I didn't have a deposit down so I realize that the car was available to anyone who walked in the door, but I did have several conversations with the salesman and he knew I was coming out. It was very nice of him to call to let me know and save me the trip, but there's a part of me that will always wonder what I could/should have done differently. I guess I could have put a deposit down over the phone sight-unseen, but hindsight is 20/20 as they say.

So, the search continues . . . as I happily drive down the road in my beloved 99 GS4. I just turned 180k, so maybe I'll still achieve my goal of 200k!!!! Such a great car. Thanks again for all the helpful comments.

e

thedoc302

I just bought my 2006 gs430 yesterday and I really like it. There are a couple small things that bug me but not enough that I didn't buy it. The car has a rough ride when it comes to hitting bumps.. Now this could be from having 18" oem wheels with 40 series tire's. Also the road noise While on the highway is kind of annoying. But other then that i love it!

silva1181

Doc, if you don't mind the question, how much did you pay and how many miles?

thedoc302

I paid $20k, the car has 79k miles. The main reason I bought the car was the carfax.. 1 owner, no accidents ect and 35 services's done. But just incase I ended up buying a 30k miles warranty also.

dadoody

iTrader: (1)

Great price actually....

As a 4 year owner of a GS430 2006, welcome Brother

You're coming up to the timing belt service soon, so keep that in mind.

My car has had ZERO road noise, but that's because of the tires I chose. Not sure what you're driving on.

My car also doesn't have a hard time with bumps if the sport suspension mode is off. Could be that your struts are worn out?

Cheesaleo

I just picked one up here in Chicago (GS460) 58k miles for $25k. I traded in my 04' LS430 with 143k mi. on the dash and gotten back $11,500. I enjoyed the LS430 for the 4yrs of having it, and I was also an owner of a 99' GS300. Truth be told, the 99' is very solid car. Each Lexus has its own special character. Never for a moment should you let a dream car pass you up. If a GS460 is what you desire then I suggest you oughta take hold of your desire. I know I sure did. ***BUT ONE THING NONE OF THESE LEXUS FREAKS ARE TELLING YOU ABOUT THE "460" IN GENERAL FOR 2008, there was a massive RECALL on all 2006-2008 V6 & V8 GS and LS for the engine valve spring. Make sure the work was done by a Lexus/Toyota Certified Specialist. Other than that its a terrific vehicle to have. It loves one thing more than you, and that's Gas. Plus it has a great power punch if you ever feel you want to jam on the accelorator. I like the 18'' wheels and the low-profile tires. Man, what a cream-puff. Also make sure you get anything color other than black. Mine is Mercury Silver, and it shines, with black interior. Black is a good color but washing it up can be a headache although my Lexus Dealership gives me free washes for the life time ownership of the car. Another thing to note, for 2008-2011 lexus only made somewhere around 6500 of these cars for the U.S. so finding mods are a total pain to location unless you know how to read japanese.