The 2005 Lexus LS 430 represents the third generation of the LS – and despite it being boring for some, it was a solid player.
Tommy got his hands on a clean 2005 Lexus LS 430, and dove in head first into its gadgets and gizmos. One of the things he wanted to point out is that it is a fairly remarkable sedan. It still provides a buttery smooth ride, it’s chalk-full of luxury amenities and it has plenty of power.
It has a 4.3-liter V8 that makes 290 horsepower and 320 lbs-ft of torque. Connected to a buttery-smooth six-speed automatic transmission, it drives as nice as many “modern” luxury cars. For a car that weighed two-tons, it was fairly efficient. The 2005 Lexus LS 430 was rated at 18 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. On top of that, when new, 0 to 60 mph times
History:
Brendon bought it at an auction for $3,000 – and immediately found out that the LS needed a new transmission. The poor guy had to spend another $3000 to replace the transmission. Still, for $6,000, he bought himself a hell of a sweet ride. One that had an option for adaptive cruise control. One of may options that was ahead of its time.
Tommy felt that, despite having about a quarter of a million miles on the clock, this LS is as tight, and elegant as it was 17-years ago. For $6,000 – he feels that it’s an absolute home run of a deal.
Here are a few notes:
- The trunk toolkit absolutely enchanted Tommy
- It has a wheelbase of 115.2″ – which is only two inches less than the Lincoln Town Car from the same era, yet the interior is just as comfortable. Also, it has a ground clearance of 5.7″ – which is acceptable (in snowy climates).
- Tommy noted that the 2005 Lexus LS 430 has a proximity sensor, which was ahead of its time.
- The twist dial starter predates push-button starters which are on almost all modern vehicles.
- It has self actuated, oscillating vents – which Tommy freaked out over.
Check out this video and you’ll get a detailed tour of a vehicle that may be better than you think!
