BLACKASH

I'm the brother of the guy who started this thread. Here's my story.
Traded my 2007 Acura MDX in January 2008 for a gas saving, run on regular Camry XLE anticipating the sky high ride up of gas prices. So here I am thinking about how clever I am to make this swap as I watch the price per gallon climb to nosebleed inducing levels. In October, the camry's bluetooth goes out so I take it back to the Toyota dealer. They say they're gonna need to keep it for a while and would I like something to drive? I say whattaya got? The say how about this gorgeous black low mileage 2005 LS 430 that's been on the lot for eight months because noone wants to buy a car that runs on premium.. Hmmm...I say as I pull this whisper quiet thing out of the dealership driveway. A couple of hours later I'm deeply in love and know the Camry is but a fading image in my soon to be automatically folding rear view mirrors. Not only did the dealer respond positively to my query about working a trade, he gave me a deal like you can't believe that same day which included extending the warranty. To make a long story short, I show this gorgeous piece of machinery to my brother and next thing you know he and his wife go out and get one themselves. First time in our lives we've owned two of the same type car. Now we're all pumping premium and loving every minute of it. I'll be very surprised if they or I ever own anything but a lexus ever again. What a car!

P.S. love the coment by the guy who called the LS460 a "Giant Camry."

AlexusAnja

Lovely story... brought a tear to my eyes. It's serendipity. That bluetooth would have only broke on maybe 1 in 5000, but it broke for you at a dealership that had YOUR LS430 waiting for you.

Giant Camry??? Ugh... the Camry wishes it were a mini LS460. Little turdmobile.

Tee

Great story Backash!

I'm sorry i just don't see the Camary looking like a LS460, they look different to me. I see Lexus design lines in the Cam but no way it looks like a LS460 IMO.

sojah

iTrader: (1)

i have consistently thought that an es was an ls when looking at them from the front, but i have never thought an ls was an es. i am disappointed with toyota's melding of their entire lineup. now its not a choice of which model, but how big or small to me.

LSGarry

It appears that this thread has become hijacked over the familial looks of the Toyota built cars but I'll add my 2 cents worth.
I think GrandLS said it best when he said in an earlier thread, Toyota came out with the re-designed Camry first then followed by the LS and ES with similar looks so in peoples mind the LS became a "giant Camry". I totally agree with that and to prove it when I ride around with my wife sometimes, I'll ask her what kind of car that is and point to a Camry and she'll either say LS or ES and she really gets confused between an ES and LS. She's finally gotten to recognize the subtle differences of each model but point taken.
This is all subjective of course but even with all the new gee whiz stuff in the new LS, in my mind the styling trumps and I am turned off by the car. I'm shopping for a 430 right now and when I stop by a Lex dealership and go looking for one, the salesman will invariably ask "so how about the 460?" and I'll say "oh, you mean the giant Camry?" They always snicker.
Going to check out an 04 ultra with only 30K miles certified by Lex today so wish me luck.

bonafyd

iTrader: (6)

In a nutshell i purchased my LS 430 because it's a bulletproof VIP platform with endless upgrade options

mikemareen

yup I'm with bonafyd, the ucf30 was the top dog VIP platforms to have.

I6turbo

iTrader: (1)

I went test driving the current generation GS, the MB S-Class (previous gen), the BMW 7, and the LS. LS was in a class by itself and I couldn't stop thinking about it, so I kept looking and found the right one a month or two later.

mikemareen

wow is that right ? better than current gen GS?

any plans to VIP it ?

BNR34

iTrader: (1)

I agreed with that.

When I was buying my 05' LS430 UL, my only other choice was a 06' GS430. They had the same price.

While it is not possible to say which one is better because it all depends on preferences, but as far as smoothness, quietness, comfort and luxury goes, the LS win hands down, there are no comparison.

The GS430 offer a much sportier driving experience, with the latest look and electronics.

I see the LS430 as an old school Japanese Rolls Royces, the ultimate luxury cruiser. It is soft, smooth and quiet.

The GS430 is a Japanese M5, very sporty and responsive.

The LS430 is also a lot more roomier then the new GS430.

Which one is better depends on what you want.

And as far as VIP goes, the LS430 defines VIP.

AlexusAnja

I think the LS430 is better than current GS. Take away the more updated look of the GS (interior and exterior) and it has nothing over the LS, ride or quality. I was at my 2nd or 3rd Taste of Lexus event back in 2007 and that was when you could test drive a vehicle as many times as you wanted. My wife and I had tested the GS300AWD I believe it was at the time and the GS430 quite a few times and we went around the closed course very aggressively. We liked the interior look and exterior was "sporty" to us. So, we had our eyes set on a 2008 GS350AWD and was probably one car away from it, but then we ended up getting a LS430 instead, it was that much better.

For me, can't really explain it, but the LS has this aura about it... this presence when you drive it. Not from a "hey, look at me" way. It's not pretensious at all, but just a "wow, this is nice..." way.

As for looks, I'm just a car guy so I can spot most cars from each other even at night just from the taillights. Some people wouldn't be able to tell an LS430 from a Camry, to a Civic in broad day light, much less at night. It's just how people are. Some people pick up subtle cues, others do not.

campisi

At 47 years old I've had my share of cars, trucks and motorcycles. I don't give a rats *** about whether the car I drive is cool or sporty or fast. I'm way past that. In '03 I needed to replace my Nissan Maxima (loved that car, BTW) and wanted something bigger than that class but I didn't want an unreliable American boat. Looked at the German cars and the big Japanese cars. Settled on the LS430, even though it is quite boring - see first line!, because A1 this car is the most relibable big car out there. Period. The Germans and other Jap makes can't hold a candle to Lexus. I don't care about warranties - I just don't want to be bothered taking a car into the shop. My 03 UL has been great and have never looked back.

BLACKASH

AlexusAnja said:
"For me, can't really explain it, but the LS has this aura about it... this presence when you drive it. Not from a "hey, look at me" way. It's not pretensious at all, but just a "wow, this is nice..." way."
Yep, I know what you mean. It's hard to describe. Maybe it's that deep "clunk" when the door closes enveloping you in airlock silence and then the unusually smooth whirr of the starter and ultimately the way it glides down the road. Not pretentious like mercedes but classic in its own inimitable fashion. My only regret is that I bought my Black with Ash premium on the spur of the moment without knowing that the UL existed. I also would have looked for saddle interior.

I6turbo

iTrader: (1)

Absolutely and without any doubt, IMO. I drove them back to back. There is no question which is the higher-end car when you drive them. And IMO, the LS430 with sport suspension is just about as good-handling as the GS. With aftermarket coilovers, wheels and tires it's significantly better than a stock GS (and better than an LS460 too). Acceleration is about the same -- 0-60 cited at 5.7 sec. for the GS and 5.9 for the LS, which is essentially identical.
No, I'm not really a fan of VIP. I'm a lot more into improving functionality (my idea of functinality, anyway ) so I went the other direction with the ultra light Volks and "only" 19" wheels/tires, not so drastic on the lowering to screw up the feel and handling, etc.

BNR34

iTrader: (1)

wow, I feel exactly the same way!