The Lexus LS430
Most know I purchased a 2004 Lexus LS430 in April with 103,000 miles on the clock. Impeccable service records. Dealer oil changes every 5k miles. Routine maintenance. Timing belt and water pump. While not in perfect condition it was in exceptional mechanical condition. According to the dealer, the car was traded in by an elderly couple for a Gensis G90 luxury barge. Maybe, maybe not. My wife didn't understand why I traded in a perfectly good Acura with significantly less mileage for a 19 year old land yacht. I didn't expect anyone to understand my decision without having done the same extensive research I did on the LS430 before deciding it was the right car for me.
If you watch The Car Care Nut or the Car Wizard, both of them praise the LS400 and LS430. The regular car reviews guy praised it too. But why? Simply put - this is was the pinnacle of Japanese car building. Car is expected to go 200,000-250,000- miles with regular maintenance. The craftsmanship is outstanding, as are the materials. The engine is an old school normally aspirated V8. It's rear wheel drive. Double wishbone suspension. 4 wheel disc brakes. Cd changer. Mark Levinson sound. Ultra comfortable heated and cooled seats - in 2004!!!! Real wood trim coming from the same tree. A mass produced luxury car without the pretentiousness or exclusivity of a Bentley, Rolls Royce or high end Mercedes. Alan Mulally, past CEO of Boeing and Ford Motor Company drove an LS430 because "it's the finest car in the world."
A car like this will never be made again. Built like a vault. Reliable. Over engineered engines; not stressed in anyway. Normally aspirated. Horsepower through displacement. None of this turbocharged nonsense putting excessive force on the mechanical parts with increased compression through forced induction. The tolerances in the build quality are surreal - 1 millimeter panel gaps in the interior. The engine was certified by the FAA for aircraft use. Automakers don't want to build cars like this that were built to last. They plan for obsolescence. Build it to last 10 years or 150,000 miles. Get everyone to get rid of their gas hogs and buy a smaller displacement engine. A lightweight tin can on wheels. Electronic doodads galore. Better yet - buy an EV or hybrid that weighs 5,000 pounds. That's what they really want.
The future of transportation is electric claims Joe Biden. I completely disagree with Joe putting forth stupid ideas like this through executive action. The government has no place interfering with the free market - picking winners and losers. That's not the government's place. If electric cars were so great, people would want to buy them instead of being incentivized through rebates or forced through government mandate.
A used LS430 just sold on BringATrailer for 55,000USD. That's practically what they cost new. It was a near perfect specimen. These cars are appreciating in value. They're getting hard to find without a ton of miles. But there are gems out there if you're patient and do your due diligence. When I bought mine I found one at a price I was willing to pay in condition I was willing to accept. Here's a link to the 55 thousand dollar car:
One thing I do agree is with is climate change being caused by man burning fossil fuels is a complete hoax. Ron Desantis put it this way - they've found a way to politicize the weather for political gain, the collection of taxes, the confiscation of freedom and the seizing of power.
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