How many daily drivers out there?
- Thread starter Wannabe77
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How reliable is the lexus LS compared to a landcruiser, genuinely thinking of adding one to my fleet.
In my experience after owning 2 LS, they are the closest thing to car based Land Cruiser that I've found.
470SNC
03 GX470
My 99 is my daily Mon-Thurs
The LS is even more reliable than the LC. This is just mainly because the LS doesn't have to work off road.
Ditto everyone else. Other than the gas mileage (I carry 5 extra gals on the roof rack when I need)....and I haven't done anything about the blown out speakers on the "legendary" ML sound system...it's the perfect car for what I need:
A great round-town car with legroom (I'm 6'2"), motorized adjustable seats, visibility is great, nice turning radius - esp. compared to the Suburbans I used to own. Nice on the freeway, although the M+S tires hum a tad. Whatever.
A good rig for winter trips up to Mt Hood & with steel now front and back, I feel relatively safe when the road gets greasy.
She looks like heck from Sept to NYrs as I do a lot of hunting and fishing, which it is exceptionally perfect for (long freeway drives followed by bumping along dirt roads). It gets up and down a lot of terrain with confidence, so I don't have to buy an ATV, at least where I hunt.
Nothing fancy on mine: M+S tires, a gamiviti rack, steel bumpers (not pictured). I don't do any rock driving, just back-roads mostly and a little sagebrush. I put 50-100 miles a week on it for whatever I'm doing that week: groceries, road trips, heading into the outback. It's my office.
A great round-town car with legroom (I'm 6'2"), motorized adjustable seats, visibility is great, nice turning radius - esp. compared to the Suburbans I used to own. Nice on the freeway, although the M+S tires hum a tad. Whatever.
A good rig for winter trips up to Mt Hood & with steel now front and back, I feel relatively safe when the road gets greasy.
She looks like heck from Sept to NYrs as I do a lot of hunting and fishing, which it is exceptionally perfect for (long freeway drives followed by bumping along dirt roads). It gets up and down a lot of terrain with confidence, so I don't have to buy an ATV, at least where I hunt.
Nothing fancy on mine: M+S tires, a gamiviti rack, steel bumpers (not pictured). I don't do any rock driving, just back-roads mostly and a little sagebrush. I put 50-100 miles a week on it for whatever I'm doing that week: groceries, road trips, heading into the outback. It's my office.
Probably the most reliable car (not truck) Lexus/Toyota ever made to be honest.
I also have an 03 GS430 that was in our family since 2010 and we racked up a ton of miles on it, has over 210k miles on it now and still drives like day one.
The only thing I'd avoid with the LS430 is do not get the Ultra Luxury edition....even though that's a forum favorite, the air suspension is a common failure item and costs an arm and a leg to replace. I specifically looked for one without air suspension.
To me the LS is like the car version of the LX. Similar room inside but even better insulated and better driving due to having full independent suspension front and rear, 6spd trans on the 04-06 models, better acceleration, etc. Probably the most comfortable driving sedan you'll ever be in unless you get a Rolls Royce or something. I remember reading somewhere that the LS430 has the lowest coefficient of drag of any production vehicle only matched several years later when the Nissan GTR came out. It gets better MPG's than my GS which has the same motor and weights several hundred pounds less. If you're cruising at like 75-80mph and let off the gas pedal, it takes a looooong time for the car to coast down to speed, real evidence of how great the aerodynamics are. It also has one of the quietest cabins ever recorded. Mark Levinson would not install their sound system in any car before the LS because they felt like there was no car that was quiet enough for their system to really be appreciated. The LS was the first vehicle to have ML.
I drove that thing back from Socal to Chicago which was about a 2000 mile trip, going 80+ the entire time with some stretches of highway comfortably cruising at 110mph (In Mexico of course) for multiple hours no problem at all.
Not that the LS needs my help in talking about how great it is, it's widely known, but watch this video from back in the day:
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There’s an article somewhere (consumer reports?) from a few years back that states the most reliable cars ever are the 100 LC and LS 430. I would have to agree. Both of mine are 2005’s with 200k + miles and have required minimal repairs outside of regular maintenance. Best of all, they both have no monthly payments.
wife has DD an lx470 for 15 plus years (not the same one) I DD a 100 everyday as a work truck 333k miles it's always dirty my dog works with me everyday, so i keep an extra lx470 that is always clean when i have to have a clean one to drive... use it to tow the race karts on weekends at the track... not sure i ever get more than 12mpg but all are paid for and i like them...
25k a year on my LX. I've daily'd a LC/LX since 98. Probably spent 1 million USD on fuel.
The LS430s are known to be one of the most reliable Lexus sedans produced by Toyota. The 4.3 liter V8 is one of the smoothest V8s if not the best out of that era. Coupled with the 04+ 6 speed transmissions it is an incredibly pleasant car to drive. I have done a few 10+hr road trips in my 2004 LS430 cruising at 70-80mph getting 20-22 mpg, best car for it. I think you would be hard pressed to find a car that comfortable, smooth, and quite(I mean silent, if the car is idle you can forget it’s on). Also the interior is really nice, and has held up extremely well over the past 12-15 years.
I second going for “base” model. Air suspension is a common failure, and usually replaced with standard equipment. But even with a base model the ride is really, really good. If you own a Land Cruiser, the LS430 is probably right up your alley for a daily commuter.
(My wife has been driving the LS for two years now, her JCW mini is a garage queen now. Can’t match the comfort on the commute to work)
Issues I have had with the LS in 40k miles of ownership.
1: Replace starter
::end of list::
Car has 83k on it now so timing belt and water pump service are in the near future. That can get pricey $1000-1500. But we all know about timing belts.
I second going for “base” model. Air suspension is a common failure, and usually replaced with standard equipment. But even with a base model the ride is really, really good. If you own a Land Cruiser, the LS430 is probably right up your alley for a daily commuter.
(My wife has been driving the LS for two years now, her JCW mini is a garage queen now. Can’t match the comfort on the commute to work)
Issues I have had with the LS in 40k miles of ownership.
1: Replace starter
::end of list::
Car has 83k on it now so timing belt and water pump service are in the near future. That can get pricey $1000-1500. But we all know about timing belts.
My 99 with 301k miles has been my daily driver from day 1 back in 1998. Kept driving her in spite of all the mods, ARB front and rear/with swing outs, old man emu lift heavy with winch and 35’s... I’d drive her anywhere today cuz I know how well I’ve maintained my baby... avg 9miles to the gal. Ouch!!!
but love driving my 99 the same as the day I bought her new.
but love driving my 99 the same as the day I bought her new.
Wow, a car is for live and not just for Christmas. I don’t think I have owned a car for more than 6 years. It might have something to do with salted roads as each year you see a decline in condition. I am trying to keep the Cruiser and keep up with the body work and undercarriage condition through the winters, it is part of my service plan now to do a autumn clean and protect, time will tell to see if it pays off.
Ok now I want an LS...
You need to do a tune up to get that MPG higher!
Same here...
I would say its right up there..... I consider the 100 series the most reliable vehicle produced for the early 2000's. If not taken offroad or modded these things would just last forever.
The LS is by far the most reliable Luxury car of that ERA. The one thing dinging the lexus is the amount of sensors, and electronics on it. As they get up there in age they do start to go out and they are not cheap..... the car really has no aftermarket support that is decent at all so lexus prices are just about the only way to go.
The 430 is not quite as reliable as the 400 but the 400 may be the most reliable car ever built. Lexus/Toyota dumped more than 1 billion dollars in the R and D of that car in 1980's money. Both the 100 and the 430 are gifted some of that R and D when it comes to the ultra reliable engines in both of them.
Replaced air filters (all 8 of them, not a knock just a staggering amount to pay for lexus air filters)
fluid/filter changes
Things i've done in one years owner ship (current miles 196k)
TB WP job (not a knock on the car as it is something all cars need just about)
Resealed Auto trans pan
Replaced tilt motor for the steering wheel
Things that need work
Motor is dead for rear power sunshade (have new one it is just a job and a half to remove the rear deck, the rear powered, massage, heated cooled seats have to come out and it isn't something I can do outside with the current snow/rain here
I think a piston in one of the front calipers is seaized
Lidar cruise control sensor is dead
head light washer motor is dead or the expensive relay... not sure yet, not too worried about it.
One of the rear air shocks is leaking air... no aftermaket OEM only at $1000+ each
Drivers side mirror swings freely (not a knock on car I bought it that way and it would seem someone walked into it)
This list isn't really showing anything bad with the car as with the miles electronics are expected to die.... the knock is the price to replace these things but it is a luxury car... which is why you can get them dirt cheap at the miles. Electronics aside the drive train on the car should pass 500k easily.
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Love the early LS; had a ‘93 for a very long time, eventually sold with 280k miles and it still ran great. Mechanically they’re pretty incredible.
I just picked up an 04 LX to daily drive, low miles but plan to change that quickly.
I just picked up an 04 LX to daily drive, low miles but plan to change that quickly.
Does the GS have the same motor just smaller car? Kind of like LX/GX use same motor?
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