Good luck with you hunt for the GS430. I'm sure you will pick a great deal up with the current climate in the car trade.
A very good friend of mine took the RX400h out for the weekend from Lexus about Sept lasy year, Got the chance to drive it, superb. So quiet loads of grunt when you need it and packed out with all the usual toys and gadgets. Well worth a look. He was offered £9k for his 16 month old Nissan Marano so he jacked it off!!!!!
Sounds like you took the right option regarding fixing up your own Lexus, after the bitch shafted you. I did exactly the same with my 12month old Orion many years ago. Come out of college playing with my new sound system, red light, wet night, bang into the back of an old VW Polo. My fault, my mate fixed his up,(sat in the boot kicked the bottom out so it closed fitted a new bumper and he was happy). My insurance was going to take a hit so mine went to a local bodyshop. New bonnet, leftwing, slam paneel and light units. Cost about £400ish happy again.
Like you say there is a mssive difference with how they sort insurance quotes!!!!!!!!! I say its only really there to protect us if anything nasty happen's.
:winky: