UGKkllr

Im on a mission to find a black on black or silver on black UL but cant seem to find much in the way of 04-05's and 06 is out of my budget. Seems like theres several really nice black on black 02 and 03's available that meet my mile criteria of under 60k and all are under 20 grand so what should I do? I been trolling the market for the last few months and havent had much luck. I know I like the rear of the 04+ but as for the front end, I dont really notice too much of a difference and I could live with either. Is it worth the huge price jump for an 04+. Seems like between 03 and 04 theres about a 5k dollar difference across the board so is it worth it ? I know theres the 6 speed vs 5 speed but Im not too picky when it comes to that. Is there anything else about the 04's and up that make them so much more desirable beside the rear and front updates? Can I mod the 03 to look like the 04 ?

BMW7_LS430

If your budget is 20K then I would recommend having some patience and picking up an 04+. When you see a deal, be sure to jump on it.

A forum member picked up a low mileage (I think 43K) 04 UL for 22K.

I like perforated leather on 04 vs non-perforated I saw on 02. In general newer cars also look good but that is not necessary.

If you go for 01-03, there are posts on this forum about face-lifting 01-03 with 04-06.
I personally just believe in buying what I want. Upgrades later rarely give any returns on investment. That is just me.

UGKkllr

I thought 02 and 03's had perforated leather tho ? So are just the tail lights and head lights and grill different , the body itself is the same ? I know I see a difference when I look but cant quite figure out what it is Im seeing. Almost seems like the rear end of an 01-03 reminds me of an avalon a lil for some odd reason. Post a link for the 04+ facelift on pre 04's. I still cant justify spending a ton more money for an 04+ I need to be convinced. One thing I noticed is most 02's have that dark red lookin woodgrain that just looks very old manish to me . I much prefer the wood I see on later models. Too bad the gray wood wasnt available on black leather interiors. How hard is it to remove all the wood paneling and swap it out for the gray wood? Also how much does all the wood cost from lexus and is it readily available ?

blacksc400

iTrader: (4)

I would save the money and wait for a 04+

KILLERGS4

04+ all the way... doing mods after wards won't be worth it. Plus the 04+ has newer Navi as well.

et1490

I had the same problem last year. 04+ or 02-03. I really wanted the bluetooth and the later NAV cause I knew I would be doing some audio video upgrades down the road, plus I really liked the little styling tweaks that came along to the body in 04. I'm with the other folks, if your not in a big hurry, I think you'll find a good 04 this year for under 20K.

Regards,

UGKkllr

Well finding an 04 UL for 20k isnt the problem. I know of a few but they are colors I dont want or higher miles. Findin a black or silver with black interior is whats makin it such a hard find.

So I been goin back and forth on whether to get an 03 black on black right now or an 04 UL that isnt black which is way easier to find. I'd even pay 25k right now for an 04 or 05 assuming it was black on black with somewhere around 50k miles or so, and if it had 60k then Id be closer to the low 20 range. Im a picky person tho. I dont want anything with any paint work whatsoever, no accidents, non smoker, immaculate body and interior, etc...And what really sucks is that now that my supra turbo is about to be gone as soon as my buyer flys in on the 23rd Im gonna be completely carless more or less with only my tenants camry xle to get around in the meantime. Even thats only gonna be available to me here and there.

So here Im gonna be with 25 grand in my hand and no car being picky as hell about what I buy. Thats the part thats gonna suck the most. Wish I lived in the NY area, seems like the most used ones esp black come out of that area. There doesnt seem to be hardly any 04+ UL's ever gettin listed for sale, its always an 02 or 03 . If anyone sees something then PM me.

BlackUltra

I think the changes in 04 are more substancial than you may think. See some things I gleaned from some reviews. hope it helps.

The LexusLS 430 benefits from substantial engineering upgrades for 2004 that significantly improve what was already a superb luxury car. It's quicker and more sophisticated than last year's model.

Model year 2004 brings major changes to the LS 430: revised styling, suspension refinements, safety improvements, and mind-boggling technology. A new six-speed automatic replaces last year's five-speed for improved acceleration performance without sacrificing fuel economy. There are more airbags than ever before (eight) and a system that tightens the seat belts before a crash. There's a tire-pressure monitor, a backup camera, headlights that swivel for seeing around corners, and Dynamic Laser Cruise Control that maintains a set following distance to the car ahead. With Bluetooth and SmartAccess, you can unlock the doors, start the car, drive off, and make hands-free phone calls without even pulling your key or your cell phone out of your pocket or purse.

The front fenders, hood, headlamps, fog lamps, grille, front and rear bumpers, trunk lid, and rear combination lamps are all new and the front combination lamps (signal/parking) have been redesigned. The standard 17-inch wheels have been redesigned and new 18-inch wheels are available with the Sport Package, freshening the profile. These changes clearly upgrade the appearance for 2004, giving it a more substantial look and more presence, but few are likely to say, "Ohmigosh! It's the new LS 430!" Perhaps most noticeable to other motorists are the newly exposed dual exhaust tailpipes, which protrude from the lower edge of the bumper and project a look of power and performance to those in your rearview mirror. New LED brake lights are brighter, light up quicker, last longer, and draw less current, plus they look neat.

The navigation system is improved for 2004 with more datapoints (5.6 million vs. last year's 785,000).

BlackUltra

By the way full review of the substantial changes at:

http://www.automotive.com/2004/12/le...ews/index.html

mikepae

iTrader: (1)

it wouldn't be too difficult to swap out the wood on the panels, but the wood on the steering wheel is the problem. the gray wood only comes on the ecru steering wheel

UGKkllr

Ok you def have me convinced on an 04+. I thought alot of those things like the backup camera came on the 03's also. Now I can see why theres such a price jump on 04's and up. I'll just keep lookin for an 04 or 05 and stop lookin for anything before 04 altogether. And I thought bout the steering wheel already and that would be something that would need to be sent off but Im sure it could be done. The problem is finding wood that matches for the steering wheel which would be near impossible. Guess I'll have to live with doo doo brown wood.

BMW7_LS430

Even Lexus had trouble finding matching wood even in the brown shade. lol.

See wood below on custom luxury.

1. There is a burnt wood on dash and doors (upper)
2. Another kind in center console and window open/close area on the door.
3. Another kind on the steering wheel.



Apart from kind of wood, they also have a different finish and feel. Burnt wood is smooth as glass, dash is smooth but not as mush, steering wheel one is just unattractive.

Lexus really screwed this one. I think the is the side effect of mass production where these components are built separately. Not something I would expect on the top of the line Lexus.

I still love my LS430.

BMW7_LS430

Doesn't exactly match all your criteria but worth checking it out.
http://columbus.craigslist.org/ctd/1116345934.html


This one has been on market for a while(Black/Black). I am not sure of the interior color though.
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/cto/1139289052.html
When I was looking to buy mine this one was listed for 22K. I did not check it out though.

UGKkllr

Thanks for the links but one is dead and the other has 100k miles which is way more then Id ever consider. I've actually searched craigslist for every major city on the east coast and goin as far as ohio, michigian, kansas, etc...And I cant find one single black on black 04+ anywhere unless its over 30 grand. And even still theres prolly like 3 or 4 total for sale in the states right now that are advertised on the net. The rest are ones that are prolly sittin at dealerships that I'll never know about. If I had another car right now to drive then I would be more patient but if I dont find one soon then Im gonna just buy another supra and get a cheap ls400 for a beater. I need a car!!!

AlexusAnja

'04+ or bust. There is just so much more in the "2nd half" cycle of the LS430 that the additional $5K will make it worth it over the life of the car. From the LED tail lights to the slightly more aggressive front (the fog lights are thing rectangular wrap around, instead of tear drop wrap around), and of course the 6-speed transmission, it's just a better package.

I was split at one point between an '03 UL and my '04 CL for the same price and I went with my '04 for the exact things I mentioned. Plus, I didn't need all those rear seat goodies on the UL.

Keep in mind, black/black is very hard to keep clean (darn these dust particles) inside and out. Plus, if you don't get your windows tinted darker, the interior will be scorching when you get in during the summer. I got 20% on back, with windshield sunshade, and it was still hot recently during a 80F degree day. Can't imagine how it would have been on a 99F day with no sunscreen and tint.