Mandingo

Thought I'd post a pic.

massshelti

I just ordered a new 2004 LS. How can I afford this? Simple. I'm frugal, have no wife, and no kids. If I had a wife and kids, I'd be driving a 98 Escort.

usermel

I know you asked for 2004 LS430 but i couldnt not reply i just want to say all of us are no different we started with nothing at one point and now GOD has us at this place D40 always since ive been part of club lexus has broke it down best.He worked for it like he said since 29 driving lexus and benz WOW!Before that Cadillac and lncolns all high price cars but it is his attitude why he is successful he thinks wealthy and works for it you can own one of these cars to if you belive like all the peolpe responding to your post.Like i said i only have a 2001 LS430 nav/marklevinson bu **** still an LS before this car i ha d a GS300 sport design with nav/mark and a ML500 benz truck and S430 benz and A GS300 and GS400 and a ES300 my first was the ES300 brand new 1998 i was 24 im know 30 got tired of losing depreciation so i bought a used 2001 LS 430 with31,600 miles Certified Pre-owned 3 years or 100,000 whatevers first.Dealership owner tried after my first 2 Lexus' to get me in a used car but i wouldnt then finally after seeing him drive a 96 used LS400 for the 6 years ive known him i said man he can but whatever he wants or drive a demo but he wont and i feel like ive been a fool for the new car cash outs ive done its just like new car to me without eating depreciation some wont agree i know i was like that one time but i take the money i saved and used it to make money this time.But if anyone wants to buy new i have no problem with that like D40 said this is america buying used this time was my choice im not forcing my chioce on others but ill never buy new again always one owner cars and maybe even auctioned acrs down in florida or up north from know on but mostly oll take paying more at a dealer for the Certified Pre owned protection.Sorry i know you asked for 2004 s'

Pagong

I wish I had saved up before settling down, but I cannot be any happier in life with my wife and my daughter. Life is and has been good to me so I have no complains.

usermel

the most important thing is family and people not cars homes etc. Im speaking from experience im no happier know than i was when i was dirt broke 7 years ago it seems like yesterday i was working door to door setting up appointnents for someone else to sell windows and sisng fo Paramont Builders here in Portsmouth Virginia in the VA Beach Norfolk area.I was broke but not unhappy oh i seen people with nicer cars than i had at the time a 1989 Mercury Sable but what made me happy when attained paper money was giving more than recieveing i wake up eveyday and thank GOD for the life he gave me HOME CAR MONEY FAMILY ALL THAT I HAVE is because of him im a testimony to what GOD did for me im the less of them and didnt ask for as much as he gave me he gave me more.I guess no I know thats why he gave me the hard times i had before he gave me this money i appreciate this more than i would have growing up with this as being normal for me not to say if you grow up you cant appreciate being wealthy but i dont think i could have.2 wise men once said to me success is when you get what you want happiness is when you like what you get to different things simple but true.Who would have thought abused kid on welfare raised by my aunt not enough cloths for elementary to high. Asthma not good looking you name it it was against me but i didnt fall for what was bad in my life i moved forward ups and down mistakes all of it was learing ground for me know im happy not because of the things but the way GOD showed me things cant bring happiness.LOVE IS THE WAY.I know lots wont agree to what i say but be careful of what you see happiness as being look at Micheal Jackson Martha Stewart and many other famous people i dint know if there happy but there successful but i can iagine ive gotten better nights sleep than them the last year.GET IT HAPPINESS VS. SUCCESS people mask there unhappiness at times with thinhgs and ill admit i was one of these people i know im being a bit to candid corny etc.But im hoping me being truthful helps someone who thinks if they get a LS happiness then arrives trust me if your not happy before the car the high will go away then you'll be back to looking for more things to give you that high again RIMS SPOILERS WOODKITS AND MANY MORE CAR MODIFICATIONS.GODBLESS and if today were alive and have health and no wealth we are already like the commercial a human life at value PRICELESS.I RATHER DIE A BROKE MAN WHO IS LOVED AND DID GOOD THAN A WEALTHY MAN WHO DID WRONG AND LOVED NOTHING BUT MY THINGS I ATTAINED AND MYSELF AND MONEY>FOOD FOR THOUGHT THE BROKE MAN OR WOMEN COULD BE US MY PASTOR SAID THIS SUNDAY SOMETHING I DIDNT THINK ABOUT WE DIDNT CHOOSE OUR COLOR OR OUR COUNRTY WE WERE BORN IN SOME DESERT WITH THAT FOOD.

Pagong

Preach on usermel, Amen to that.

I cannot be more grateful to God that he gave me all the blessings in life that I have recieved and still recieving. I couldnt believe myself that I purchased my first home in 2002 just in time for my duaghter's first thanksgiving and Christmas.!!!

I can say that in my younger years I took advantage of what I had and didnt realize that my actions then would hinder my progress in the future (credit wise). Atleast I am not living paycheck by paycheck

But this car hobby of ours is just a damn money pit!!!

usermel

Yes that is correct but we need to understand you and me both that we realized our mistakes and that deserves some credit some people go there whole lives not having realized finally that things dont bring happiness and to those other than pagong who read this dont take this the wrong way im not saying if you have $1 million dollars not to buy the Lexus of your chice or 2 or 3 for that matter we are all very fortunate to be on a website talking about these great cars such as Lexus is used or new everything new becomes old when it comes to things (homes cars jewels etc.) And oh to those who read this who think im going thru tuff times thats not the case its just for some reason all the people i know who lost thousands and millions on the market i still have gained while they lost in finances Im one who didnt invest in the market i just saved.Im just humbled at the fact that i am one of those people i usta see drive buy me and ride in there neighborhoods thats a feeling i cant describe i usta ask GOD what that was like and he gave me those things just to show me.This aint some third world country Im so happy to be living in this country not downing other places around the world but it is America that provided the right to achieve what i did i thank GOD for it all most of all MY LIFE PRICELESS !!!!!!!!!!!AND I THANK HIM FOR ALL OF YOU ON THIS WEBSITE AND ALL THIS WORLD THAT IS SO BEAUTIFUL BUT WE DONT TAKE TIME OUT TO REALIZE HOW BEAUTIFUL EARTH IS.

stanatl

I'm 57 years old and run a $55,000,000 manufacturing company that employs 85 people. I guess that the justification (not that one is necessary) for my buying a $60,000 plus car is that I've worked hard for a long time and I enjoy driving nice cars. I've had one other Lexus (GS400) and have owned Mercedes (E430) and Audi's (A6 4.2) and came back to Lexus.

acf

If any of you guys get a chance, post pics of your cars.

daryll40

I chuckled at STANATL's post...I had a '90 LS400, then a '91LS400 then went to Mercedes for a number of cars while my wife drived Audi. In the end, I realized 2 years ago that there's just nothing like the Lexus and I am also back.

stanatl

Yeah, I guess you become somewhat spoiled by the service and perfromance. Then you try something else just for a change and realize there are significant differences in how other cars perform and other name brands handle their customers with respect to both sales and service.

ST430

although i don't own an 04' (sorry I purchased the 01' when it first came out), i was relatively younger than most of you (26). hard work, dedication, and luck plays a very important role in it all. admittedly i gained a lot from the dot.com boom (and went down with it with the dot.bomb bust), but for the most part, i've paid my dues at work being a h/w engineer....it's true i go through cars more often than most people go through clothes (12 in 7 years), thus i can appreciate the finer points of a great vehicle as the LS (i originally intended to get an SC or GS), which i'm happy to say is the best vehicle i've ever owned, bar none (500 hp SUpra TT's, S2000's, etc. included in this statement).

hatchback

The LS430 is roughly twice as expensive as the benchmark sedans (Honda Accord/Toyota Camry). My otherwise frugal family justified the extra expense as additional insurance on my income stream. The 2004 LS430 is the safest and most reliable car around, with the best IIHS crash tests, every possible airbag, decent visibility, and it causes the least driver fatigue. I do a lot of long distance driving, am the only source of income for my family, and if I were to become injured or disabled the income would stop. So paying another $25k on top of a Honda Accord buys the family some extra peace of mind and some additional insurance.

daryll40

Hatchback, I don't buy it! Period! It's PURE rationalization. Using your logic, you should be driving a Hummer or a Suburban. In the real world, no one spends double for maybe 10% better safety. You wanted the LS and you bot it in your mind THEN you figured out a way to rationalize the price and sell that to your family. I am not picking on you, but just keeping you honest.

Daryll40

acf

Gotta agree...but he has one and I don't so...