Ls430

[jsj24uk]

Hi people. Just after an opinion.

I was due to get my LS430 from Lexus Hatfield about two weeks ago. I'm part exchanging my 2001 GS300.

Anyway it is a sept 2004 LS430 with 55,000 on the clock. Did the deal on a monday to pick the new car up on friday. Couldn't pick it up because it needed new keys and the previous owner did not have the master key. So, the ECU had to be replaced to accept three new keys. This went on for a while, but we were supposed to have it today or tomorrow. Was called by them today that the air con wasn't working and needed repairing. This has made me loose faith in the car a fair bit.

On the plus side, they have given it an MOT, a 60,000 mile service, replaced all four wheels due to corrosion (I guess no one has chatted about that one before ;) )supplied a 2007 sat nav disc. They also told me so far they have spent over £3,000 in the preperation of this car.

The downside was there was a small nick in the leather on the arm rest in the rear, there was a scratch in the leather map holder behind the front passanger seat, the inside lid of the glove box was scratched quite badly (just wondering what moron would do that to a car :tsktsk: ) and in general it looked like it hadn't had the easiest life.

I have told the dealer that I have now lost interest in the car but he wants to show it to me again on Monday. If you lot were in my position, what would you do? I really love the car, it's the right colour and what I have been after for a long time, but am I getting a lemon?

Let me know what you think. Thanks again.

[Hunt.trophy]

Will you get a warranty with it?

How long for?

Covering what?

If you're not gettting a substantial warranty I wouldn't touch it.

[jsj24uk]

Thanks for your post.

It comes with a 30 day no quibble money back guarentee and a 12 month unlimited mileage warrenty.

[neal]

Thanks for your post.

It comes with a 30 day no quibble money back guarentee and a 12 month unlimited mileage warrenty.

Unfortunately it sounds like the previous owner was a business man. They do NOT care for the car, they just drive / fuel it.

With regards to keys, do you mean transponders? There are NO keys for the LS430. I have owned BOTH shapes. A 2001 and a 2005.

These cars are bullet proof. Once the warranty issues are rectified i would buy it afterall. I must say (luckily) my 2005 was mint. Up to date satnav disc are £125 all in and a 12month warranty is £615. 60k service is £315. Cambelt change on a LS430 is 100k so that wouldn't have been changed. The other warranty replaced parts don't really count as they would incurr the cost.

Good luck in what you decide.

[jsj24uk]

Hi Neal

Many thanks for your post.

The reason why the transponder keys had to be changed is when the car was taken in part exchange, the only key that came with the car was the sub key (which the previous owner had managed to break) which doesn't open the boot or use the smart key system. Because of this, the dealer said the ecu needed to be replaced because with out the normal smart keys, the ecu could not accept new smart keys all because the dealer did not have the originals.

I think so long as the repairs to the leather have been made (I saw the car before it was cleaned and repaired (kind of wished I hadn't)) I will take it.

I was thinking as well, when I said I would take the car, they said they would MOT it but said nothing about the service. It made me think even more that the previous owner had ragged it to within an inch of its life. It was me asuming that the 60,000 mile service on an LS430 was a huge one. My GS300 had the works done at 60,000, cambelt, plugs and aircon service and I had no change from Lexus Woodford out of £1200.

I just hope it is as bullet proof as I hope it is going to be. My GS300 has not so much as farted in the two years I have owned it. I will keep my fingers crossed that Lexus Hatfield can deliver the goods on Monday. Other wise I will be all day.

[maneesh]

personally, I'd walk away. It's your hard earned cash you're spending, and from a Lexus dealer, you expect a mint car.

I got burnt buying my used LS400 from a Lexus dealer (with a 3 year warranty too). Problems from the beginning, and ultimately Lexus GS admitted it had a hard life from new. No point telling me once I'd bought the car.

It's a rare car, but if you have ANY doubts, walk away and look for another.

[Hunt.trophy]

What is the outside colour of it?

What colour is the leather?

I would say if you've got the warranty you can relax about it. These cars are to last and that they do. The dealer is obviously treating you fairly so far by doing all the work before the car is even released. Sounds reputable and decent.

[jsj24uk]

The outside colour is solid black and the interior is grey leather. Im tearing my hair out about this one. The dealer has been so honest and up front about everything and I can't fault them at all. So long as the imperfections in the leather have been sorted, I think I might go for it.

[lutonmatt]

i think if it was me i would take it and if some thing goes wrong or you do not like it use the 30 take back with full money

but when you take it home you will love it and wont want to take it back

[P4UL T]

I would take it too, seems like they are looking after you

[jsj24uk]

Thanks very much for your comments. The more I think about it, the more I like it. It did seem alot easier buying the GS300 though. Even though I am only 30 years old, I have never lost so much hair before.

[Mike_B]

Thanks for your post.

It comes with a 30 day no quibble money back guarentee and a 12 month unlimited mileage warrenty.

Unfortunately it sounds like the previous owner was a business man. They do NOT care for the car, they just drive / fuel it.

I wouldn't say that was true. Cars owned by businesses tend to be serviced on time and by a main dealer, and because the guy driving it isn't paying, tend to have faults rectified when they appear rather than when the owner can afford it. Besides, I had company cars for years and always looked after them cosmetically and mechanically.

There's a strong argument to say that a car that's 3yo and 60k is a much better second hand buy than one 5yo but only 20k miles. The newer car is likely to be an ex-company car, but will have been properly serviced all it's life and more importantly probably not used for repeated short journeys on a cold engine.

[v8rick]

i would go for it as previously said they are looking after you and , its tails you win and heads you win 30 day money back deal you cant lose really .

rick.

[jsj24uk]

Many thanks for your opinions and views. It really does help to have someone elses opinion at a time like this.

I have been looking on the Lexus used car website today and havn't found anything else which I really like.

I will go and have a look on Monday and let you all know what happens. Thanks again for the advice and help.

[jsj24uk]

Goodafternoon everyone.

I thought I would give you an update on my car buying situation.

I spoke to the salesman before I came down to view the car. He said it was looking in "Mint" condition. I didn't want to sound too happy about it so I trundled on down to Lexus Hatfield to have another look. It was in my mind not to be too happy looking. The salesman left me to my own deviced to check on the repairs they have done to the car. The scratches in the leather are gone, it was polished very well, the new wheels wern't on the car but had come in today so I decided to defanitly have it. The leaking air con pipe is being repaired today and I will defanitly be having it Saturday. Why they showed me the car in that condition I will never know but the salesman have said they have spent nearly £6,000 in the preperation of the car so I would have been daft not to get it. Pics will be put up on the weekend for all to see.

Thanks again for all your comments and opinions.

[Parthiban]

Sounds like they've done a lot of work on that car! How much are you getting it for if you don't mind my asking? Does seem a good one if they've effectively refurbished the whole car for you, if the price is good it's a great deal!

I'm surprised by how much they spend prepping these used cars though - when my car was in for a service last month at Woodford, remember chatting to James about why there was nothing on the forecourt older than 2 years and most was much newer and his answer was simply that they cost too much to prepare so they pass older cars onto private dealerships or auction them off.......gives p/ex values a new perspective though

[jsj24uk]

Hi Parthiban

I've payed £24,000 for this LS430.

List includes 4 new wheels, one ecu, two transponder keys and one valet key, repairs to leather interior, aircon repair, 12 month warrenty, 2007 satnav disc and new floor mats.

I got my GS300 from Woodford 2 years ago. It is a Y reg 2001. I think they had an IS200 which was slightly older at the time. I guess the previous owner looked after it alot more than the previous owner of my LS. I have always used Woodford for servicing and MOT's for my GS. Don't know weather to take the LS there though. Was put off a bit on the last service. I supplied my own engine oil but they didn't use it.

I must say though, the GS and LS are in two different worlds. As good as my GS300 is, it's not in the same league im afraid. I just hope my LS proves just as reliable as my GS has.

[Parthiban]

Hmmm, didn't realise that a 3 year old LS could be that cheap! Sounds like one year old IS250 money......they really are depreciating quickly I guess after the LS460 came out.......

Who do you deal with at Woodford? I've always dealt with James who will bend over backwards to make sure you're happy, so would never take my car anywhere else. Did you mention to him about the oil? If you were dealing with James, I'm surprised that would have happened........

[jsj24uk]

I did deal with James on it's last service but as it was only a week and a half away from Christmas I just didn't have the time to go back and have another oil and filter change. Since last december I have had 8 litres of Castrol Edge fully synthetic oil sat in my cupboard which has not been used. I can't use it in my LS for another year as they have just done a 60,000 mile service on it.

James has always been spot on and I have never had a problem with them at all apart from the oil. I wanted to buy an LS from Woodford but they seem a bit few and far between so when I found the one I wanted I kind of pounced on it, didn't want it, and am now having it again.

[Mike_B]

I'm surprised by how much they spend prepping these used cars though - when my car was in for a service last month at Woodford, remember chatting to James about why there was nothing on the forecourt older than 2 years and most was much newer and his answer was simply that they cost too much to prepare so they pass older cars onto private dealerships or auction them off.......gives p/ex values a new perspective though

Seems to vary by dealership too - my GS was nearly 6 years old when I got it from Lexus Milton Keynes in February, and although it was probably the oldest car there, there were several others well over 2 years old.

I'm always a bit suspicious when salesmen give a price to preparation work; mechanics wages aren't the £100 per hour that the stated cost will include!

[maneesh]

Hi Parthiban

I've payed £24,000 for this LS430.

List includes 4 new wheels, one ecu, two transponder keys and one valet key, repairs to leather interior, aircon repair, 12 month warrenty, 2007 satnav disc and new floor mats.

I got my GS300 from Woodford 2 years ago. It is a Y reg 2001. I think they had an IS200 which was slightly older at the time. I guess the previous owner looked after it alot more than the previous owner of my LS. I have always used Woodford for servicing and MOT's for my GS. Don't know weather to take the LS there though. Was put off a bit on the last service. I supplied my own engine oil but they didn't use it.

I must say though, the GS and LS are in two different worlds. As good as my GS300 is, it's not in the same league im afraid. I just hope my LS proves just as reliable as my GS has.

Enjoy. You're going to start to LOOK forward to long motorway trips now that you have the LS. I agree with you, the GS feels like a toy car compared to the LS. hahaha.

[jsj24uk]

Hi Maneesh

One of my first journeys in the car is going from Hertfordshire to Gloucester on Tuesday (about 130 miles). I remember when I first made that trip in my GS and I thought there couldn't anything out there much better, but after having another go in my LS on Monday, I realise now that I couldn't have been more wrong.

It's turning into a long week, having to wait till Saturday.

[maneesh]

Hi Maneesh

One of my first journeys in the car is going from Hertfordshire to Gloucester on Tuesday (about 130 miles). I remember when I first made that trip in my GS and I thought there couldn't anything out there much better, but after having another go in my LS on Monday, I realise now that I couldn't have been more wrong.

It's turning into a long week, having to wait till Saturday.

you will find it's one of the few cars out there that can shrink a 1,000 mile journey and make it seem like a 10 minute drive...lol

[Parthiban]

you will find it's one of the few cars out there that can shrink a 1,000 mile journey and make it seem like a 10 minute drive...lol

Reminds me of our wafty old S-class, and almost makes me wanna get an LS!

[jsj24uk]

I was originally thinking of changing to a GS430 after having my GS300 for a couple more years but it seems the larger you go, the better second hand value it is. Also, if the LS430 is as hard wearing as I have read it is, that makes it an even better second hand buy. I have had a drive in an LS460 at an open road day and the 430 and 460 don't feel that far apart so that is where I will be going in a few more years time. I'm also hoping that the LS600h will kill the price of the LS460 in years to come.