LS007

Congrats on your new LS430!! I've heard here (on clublexus) that the LS430 is not due for a major body style change until 06'. This may be rumor or speculation. Most rumors floating around talk about the option for a V12 or super charger in the future.

GS4Will

amg..

that is great price on an 03...

historically, LS goes on a minor face lift in 4-5yrs and major face change in 8-9 yrs....and a total redesign in ~11-12 yrs...

so, if i were you, i would kind of have a small "concern" as well..though i am not sure about your time frame in terms of needing the car..sounded ike you need the LS NOW....my concern is that the 4.3L might get the bump in hp next yr for the fact that the next GS430(or whatever the displacement) would be for the next v-8...so i am uncertain(quite positive) th LS will share the same powerplant as the next GS v-8...

E55AMG

Really? There's going to be an engine change for next year? I'm pretty happy with the current motor if they don't change the styling of that car. If they do, then I may even consider waiting out a year ... but otherwise, I got a good price, the car is great, and I'm sticking with it.

GS4Will

the styling will not change; plus that is great deal for 03s..

E55AMG

Is that really a good deal? I'm hearing people (you, in particular) getting 17-18% off MSRP and am wondering if I could do better. That's the worst thing about buying a car -- wondering if I paid as little as possible! I'm figuring I'm getting $5600 off MSRP, which works out to a bit under 10% off MSRP, something like 9% off MSRP. Any thoughts? It is an '03 (I think I could get an '02 for less), but if you guys think I should try to deal a bit more, let me know.

GS4Will

amg..

for an 03, that is good deal; on my dad's 98LS, we got few months before the 99 arrived and there was some factory to dealer incentive...

of course you could always to try for better deal, ie, end of month, or when the dealer has several silver ones..that is why i would never put myself in a position where i need a car in the next few days/weeks...if time is in your hand, more $$ would be left in your wallet too

E55AMG

OK guys, here's the truth of the matter: I'm a lifelong MB fan (no, I don't own an E55 ... yet ... but got a deposit down ... just wanted to clear that up, sorry if I seem presumptuous, couldn't think of a better nick at the time!) but my siblings and I decided it might not be a bad idea to get our parents a nice car for once.

So, we sat down and discussed various luxo-cars to purchase. It came down to the S500, the 745i, and the LS430. I don't know if you guys frequent mbworld at all, but there was a long thread there along these lines. It was basically full of emotional, non-factual arguments, such as "Lexus is the best!" or "MB is the best!" Not very helpful in my decision.

I took all three cars out to test drive. The 745i was instantly out. Too sporty for late-50's parents. The S500 was quite the car -- not as sporty as the 745i, but not as plush and comfortable as the LS430. I was, however, quite impressed with the LS430's handling. No, it's not a 911 Carrera 4, or an E46 M3, but it was just as competent as an S500 at handling. Still, being an MB guy, I really wanted to get the S500! But pricing considerations came into play: A decently equipped (not even close to an LS430's nav/lev equipment, but decent) S500 topped $85k. With MB's "value pricing" it's difficult to get more than $2k off, so let's say I'd pay $83k. That was versus the LS430's $62600 MSRP, plus the substantial discounts Lexus offers. Heck, the LS430 costs less than a lesser-equipped E500! Talk about overpriced. Between the LS and the S500, we were talking over a $26k savings. That, I have to say, was attractive. Nevertheless, my siblings and I decided we'd bite the bullet, and just look at the best car.

So it came down to this: we had our parents take both the S500 and the LS430 out for a test drive. They actually preferred the LS430, hands down. They liked the comfort, they liked the quiet interior, they were positively floored by the overall excellence of the car. The negotiations with various dealers then started, a deposit was put down, and the rest is history.

THis is my long-winded way of saying that I don't think we'll be doing any turbo/superchargers for this car. I think it's a tad on the older side for me (actually, all three of those cars I'd consider a tad old) even though I'm in my late 20's. I'm just waiting for the E55, and hope to hell somehow that I can make payments on the thing!

GS4Will

amg..

let me conclude(correct me if i am wrong):

LS430-good value, reliable, nice ride, your parents like it....SOLD

E55AMG

BTW, now that I'm actually buying (in partnership with my siblings, I suppose) a Lexus, I was hoping you guys could bring up to speed on a few things.

a) Is an aftermarket security system a necessity on the LS430? I was wondering if it's stolen a lot, and whether the factory system was any good.

b) Is there any good reason to get the extended warranty? I don't know how long we'll keep the car, but I was thinking of getting it anyway. And do they negotiate at all on the "Platinum Warranty" prices?

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!

E55AMG

I couldn't have said it any better! Nevertheless, I can't believe I'm soooo excited about getting a Lexus. Those who know me can't believe it either. But got to give props where props are due, and that LS430 is a mighty-fine car.

GS4Will

based on my humble opinion:

alarm system: if some punks really want the sweet lex, they would just flat bed the ride away...no alarm will stop them( saw this on 20/20)..make sure you get good insurance

ext warranty: just get it later on(if you think you would want it for a peace of mind) as the waranty period about to expire. that si waht i did on my car

E55AMG

Thanks for all the valuable advice I think I'm going to hold off on both for now. I'm always a little leery about alarms, you never know the level of competence with installers.