I have a 2006, and I had an aftermarket head unit put in because I wanted some modern features like android auto, backup camera, and bluetooth calling. the guy who installed it said he'd never work on another one because it was built like a tank, and it was almost impossible to gain access to some of the areas. haha. he put it back together right though because there are still zero creaks.
This car review is way more different from other youtubers. I love how he shows us instead of explaining it as a car dealer. it's nice hearing "that's cool" this is my first time watching him
@@thatmatty231guy And there's always that one guy who comes in and tries to defend notoriously unreliable cars. Sure you can claim they can be good when maintained like a fragile flower, but in reality 85% of Mercs this age with half the mileage are filled with rust, severe mechanical problems, a variety of leaks, etc. Jesus christ with you idiots. Not to mention the horrible ride quality: I've sat in numerous 2000s Mercs and the suspension is AWFUL, they bounce around a ton, but at the same time they crush your spine on every pothole. And on top of all that, they're horrible to maintain yourself, I know from experience that too because I've worked on several ones.
@@cfg_form2122 Old Mercedes E class are still used as taxis in developing countries because they're extremely durable cars. The BMWs and Mercedes used as company fleet cars are doing a million kilometers with basic maintenance.
@@davissilvestrs1996 Yes, the VERY old cars, especially the diesels. And the only durable thing in those is the engine, which isn't surprising as diesels have always been very reliable from basically any brand. The bodies in those models are still really sensitive to rust, and have trouble with other parts, and can be expensive to maintain. We're talking about 2000s cars too, not 80s-early 90s, why bring that up?
@@cfg_form2122 I’m talking specifically about the W211 E class and E60 5 series. Both the W211 with the 2.7 diesel or e60/61 with the 3.0 diesel will do 1.000.000 km with an unopened engine or transmission.
The dash is actually leather wrapped. Not "Cheap Toyota Plastic" and the wood was all made by Yamaha. Yes, the same Yamaha that makes pianos. You don't need to use the old milk bottle key to start the car, its a proximity key. Also, it looks like the telescoping steering wheel was not working, a common failure especially at that mileage. I love these cars.... truly a timeless classic.
I just bought one of these beauties from a neighbor who was moving. 2005 with 209,000. Paid $5200. This one you show is nicer than mine but I love this car. It's quiet as a church inside on the highway. Rides like a dream. Has the 290hp twin-cam V8 engine so power is plentiful. (Gas mileage is abysmal). It handles surprisingly well also. Turning radius is as good as my smaller Accord. It's just a joy to drive.
Same my 2002 ls430.Paid 4k with164k miles. I have put only 1k miles on so far but am very impressed with car.I think it could use struts though.Probably original.
@@randalldavis3251 The suspension will be one of the biggest areas of wear. Check your bushings. You will spend money on any car simply due to age but far less on a good LS than a 7-Series or S-Class.
I owned two 05 LS430s. The only flaws on the interior are the cup holders tend to break easily and the clear coating on the wood part of the steering wheel will crack and chip. That is all; it is completely flawless in all other ways. The high touch buttons on the doors and steering wheel simply do not wear like German cars where the coat everything with that stupid matte paint that starts peeling off at 2 years or 20K miles.
@SovietAmerican Cat It can be sanded down to a smooth surface and clear coated. I have not attempted it but I would hire a professional if I ever decided to fix it.
My Dad's 2004 RX300 with 135,000 miles just went through the MOT with no issues again. Lexus have their reputation for a reason and this LS proves it yet again. Maybe in 10 years you can buy an old Lexus and have it converted to an EV?
I have just seen your review, what a shame you don't understand what your reviewing! The LEXUS LS 430 is superlative luxury, - and at the time of production, was actually years ahead of its time. The ultimate luxury edition, ( which is the car I drive ) - had adaptive cruise control , CAL Collision Avoidance Limitation (which if the car thinks your are going to have an accident even pulls your seatbelts in to the body to reduce injury . The adaptive Cruise ACC controls speed once distance is set via the driver, and has the capability to accelerate and more importantly brake to keep you safe. As for safety, there are numerous AIRBAGS blanket type for pillars and even has knee protective airbags. Recently voted BEST American Luxury car and was up against Audi. Cadillac Mercedes and BMW . The build quality is exceptional, and yes my car is fourteen years old with each and every switch working, and indeed every item functioning as it should. Put simply the BEST luxury car your can buy today, - even though it is old you will find its proud owners once they find a good one both mechanically and bodywork (as mine is) will be very reluctant to sell their cars. Please make sure that when reviewing any car, - you do your research! Mr P R Coysh Portslade, Mileoak, England.
I would say that the interior would also creak but these cars are very old and what matters more is the reliability. Electronics and moving parts going out is a bigger concern at this age.
The center console does open but it looks like that ones has that common problem. The screws are lose on that back part on the inside. You were wondering if it suppose move like that and It shouldn't. I have the same issue with mine. You have to push the back of it forward and pull the front latch at the same time to get it to open.
Very common for the armrest to jiggle and not open like you saw here. The screws holding it together come loose and prevent it from opening correctly. It isn't too hard to fix.
@@JimGames11746 I barely remember, but I do recall having to contort myself in the backseat footwell to get to some of them. Hopefully that makes sense. Good luck
My Hyundai creaks less than a Mercedes, after seeing his tests I went and pushed on my 17 sonata in the same places there is a creak here and there but nothing like the mercs.
Not Japanese quality, only Toyota,Lexus quality Nissan,Mitsubishi,Suzuki and Isuzu are Japanese but there quality and reliability of there cars are unreliable piles of junk junk, utter garbage Instead of saying Japanese quality, say Toyota/Lexus quality only
@@joskjj3625 Honda's interior is okay and Subaru's newer interiors are miles ahead of garbage like Nissan and Mitsubishi but toyota/lexus is still the best
Interesting that the dealer is only including the Valet key with the car. The two master keys for LS430s featured a smart key system where you could start the car without having to insert the key.
Old Azz Car !!! This is a Luxury Automotive Sedan Mine is a '04 LS430 224K Driving Machine built like a Tank engine is Smooth as Butter, I drove GM Big Body's all my Life Cadillac's from 74 Fleetwood BroHam to 99 D'Elegance but from the first test drive in this Machine I switched over for life, had a choice between a 2009 Deville or 04 Lexus the Luxury in that car and safety was so far advanced it was a easy choice. Haven't regretted it yet Repair issues versus GM 😂😂😂😂😂 I'm so far ahead it's ridiculous. Lexus Ls430 Owners aren't selling them if they're in good shape you won't hardly find parts available in any Scrapyard in the US.
After 16 years and 250k miles a car that was a budget-ty luxary car when new with 1uz engine capable of reaching 1milion miles for the quality to be this good after all that is impressive i love lexus cars
@@Ghostwriter0527 That's a decent price. The front air struts used to bounce a ton when going over bumps, so I got that replaced with Arnott air struts for around $1600 using an independent mechanic. The dealer wanted around $3k for the same job.
The center console starts to come loose over time:( it’s an easy fix at speed academy has a video for it. My 430 has 230k miles Nd the only bad creeks is from the dash right in the middle. When you have a default center console push the center console forward Nd then lift up.
Actually, this doesn't surprise me at all. Not with this car. My 1991 LS400 has over 450K on it and I got it in 2006 with 141K miles. Original engine, trans, everything. I drive it almost every day. It's still a first-crank turnover and the drivetrain is as tight as a banjo string. This is one of my best investments, allowing me to create small businesses instead of making car payments. I'll be dropping cash on a 2005-6 LS430 next year and 200K miles don't scare me a bit.
Did you have to change the transmission fluid during your ownership? If so how often were the intervals? Debating wherher I should just ignore it and just worry about on time oil changes
Have you got any plans of doing a Lexus LC500? I got to spend some time in one but not enough to get a good feel for it and I'd love to see it in a video!
242k miles and the shifter and steering wheel show zero fading or wear. Either they replaced them prior to sale or always wore gloves because this condition is an anomaly. Zymöl leather and wood regiment for 16 years? Still unusual and I'd never expect so little wear. My sister has a 2008 RX350 with 100k less miles. Touch points will get worn.
The left side of the steering wheel has typical wear on the leather. It's just hard to see in black. The shifters are so well made that unless an owner abused it with a sharp ring or some heavy duty cleaner, they hold up very well. You can tell the car was garage kept--- no cracks on the wood veneer steering wheel. Am I surprised it looks this good with 242k? No, excellent build quality that gets care lasts a long, long time. Nice car.
@@Zephyrdaze1819 except for the fact that my sisters shifter is palm worn after 148k miles. I’ve seen others worn too. 100% serious. The condition is way beyond average.
@@LawrenceMarkFearon oh I believe you. I've just never seen one after shopping for many 430's. I think ladies having hand lotion smeared on does not help.
I get sick just by looking at those Corolla buttons and cheap plastics! The interior looks awful just like every other Lexus interior. Rebrand a car, put some leather in it and put it on sale with premium price tag! Yaay, let’s buy a Lexus!!!
