Buying Advise Gs300 Or 430?

[Lexus_EX01]

Hi all

Looking for some advice, have been looking for 06 GS300’s as they are now in my price range.

I had been steering away from the 430 for MPG reasons, but I have seen a nice looking 430 with 70k miles on the clock and a fair price.

I travel 100 miles round trip to work 92 of those are on Motorways.

My questions are:

Real world MPG on the GS430 now it’s 6 years old?

Real world reliability and repair cost? ( I heard things like £1200 for a radiator replaced….)

If maintained should I expect 200k of trouble free miles this being a Lexus?

Should I hold out for a good GS300 or take this nice looking GS430?

I have read the forums loads but I’s clear as mud to get an idea about the reliability since the model change in 2005 onwards.

I will be honest I won’t use Lexus for service as my brother in law works for a very large Honda dealer where I get £22 per hour labour rates and cost price parts even on none Honda parts.

Thanks in advance

[dave1]

My late 2002 GS430 has covered around 64k miles and is correctly maintained. Travelling between Coventry and Lincolnshire at speed limit I get around 30mpg. From Coventry to Lincoln 32mpg but the final 50 miles is mix of A roads and country roads which do little for fuel economy in these cars so average drops to 30mpg. Since you are mainly on motorway I would go for a 430 as there will be virtually no difference in mpg.

Based on your contacts your maintenance costs will be minimal. Mine is going in for service and cambelt next week which is around £600-£700 but would cost you less than £300.

[Lexus_EX01]

Ended up with a GS430 with full Lexus service history, loving it seems in good nick after a very long busy run back from London to 'Up North' 300+ miles including 1 hour 30 mins for stop start after a fatal on the M1 and 80 mph cruis control the rest of the run got 29 mpg, quite supprised how good that is to be honest.

The tank rage esimate in the Nav seems very short 270 miles yet I did 300 and had plenty left in the tank.

[dave1]

The OBC mpg and my own figures from brimfilling for over 4 years have always been pretty consistent but the range will vary. When you fillup it is working on old figures. Mine might show range of 250 miles if I've been running locally for the last tankfull but after maybe 50 miles motorway it might show only 10 miles less range. I tend to ignore figures for range. From the mpg since refuelling figures you can easily work out roughly your remaining distance. Tank is roughly 16.5 gallons so I tend to work on 15 gallons to be safe.

[Lexus_EX01]

Things are going well with the GS loving it a whole heap, I do have 2 questions though.

Crusing on the motorway I can feel/hear a best described as slow methodical Pulse through the whole car when crusing, mechanical in feel and fairly slight, is this normal?

Tyre I'm going to need a new rear set as there below 3mm and the drop off in wet weather performance below 3mm is well known and I do massive motorway miles and its that time of year there is terrible rain all the time.

I am looking at these:- Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2, £155 each with great reviews.

Anyone tried them? How is the road noise?

[KayCee]

bought a set pf toyo proxes c1 to replace the falkens that was fitted there is no sound at all on motorway and are gripping very well feels very safe

unlike the falkens(ditch finders) thought the rear wheel bearings had gon 125 a corner for the toyos

[Lexus_EX01]

I ended up with a set of Goodyear F1 Asymetric 2, they replace some Dunlop SportmaXX (Very bad wear rate)

Will give some feedback in a week or two.

Paid £140 per tyre and they have great reviews all over.

Interesting I asked Goodyear for operating temps as Im reading up about winter tyres etc etc as the temps here will soon sit around 0-5 deg C for 5 months.

Makes an interesting read.

http://www.btmauk.co...31_May_2011.pdf

[brendangeorge]

I have a 10 year old 430 with 203K on the clock - the last 70K on LPG. I see 22MPG on the fuel computer for the average consumption - mixed driving on A roads and divers boot on the motorway. My wife can get 30 MPG on a run at 70 on the motorway but there is no way I can because I don't have the self control - it is a two ton car so will eat fuel around town so expect 16 MPG. If you spend the money to convert to LPG you will be quids in (like me) and make sure you put a flash lube/valve saver system on you LPG conversion. A rad does not cost £1200 to replace - I had to use a Lexus part and it was £300 plus labour a couple of months ago.

LS430 VS GS430 - it depends on how big a car you want. I am a LS430 fan but they are both fantastic.

Cheers

Bren