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+--- Thread: LS430 to GS450h/GS430 a downgrade? (/showthread.php?tid=8974)
LS430 to GS450h/GS430 a downgrade? - jimxms - 15-09-2019
Marsdendean Yeah a gs450 engine only produces around 260bhp but the batteries are regenerated. The boot is tiny on a 450, you can fit a set of golf clubs in and a golf trolly, but the boot is smaller than a is300.
I just love how they pull, but some find the noise annoying ...
How much smaller than an IS300 boot would you say? And in what ways (L W D)?
Thats my other concern too - that I'll miss the sound of a real engine and maybe become annoyed/feel uncool at the sound of a milkfloat buzzing down the street
LS430 to GS450h/GS430 a downgrade? - sprinter2012 - 15-09-2019
Going by what I've seen you do to your IS300, I would say that you need to get a car that you are 100% happy with, even if it does mean an extra 8K.
Because I think personally that if you don't, a few months down the line you will either have spent that 8K on it anyway, trying to make it look like the car you wish you bought. Or you'll just swap it anyway. lol
LS430 to GS450h/GS430 a downgrade? - jimxms - 16-09-2019
Nah, the dealer decided (for some reason) that I wasn't worth the trip. So I'm going to take a look at a couple on saturday.
I'm beginning to think I shouldn't do it tho. I can spend £8k and have a 100% stock GS450h, or spend half that and have a quite nicely modded LS430.
LS430 to GS450h/GS430 a downgrade? - Phil01 - 16-09-2019
also think that if you spend 8k on a car then that car value is 8k if you sell it, where as if you spent 4k on a 5k car, that car is prob worth 6.5k if you sold it.
Jim, decide on the car for you before any mods, you will not be happy unless it is the car that you want to be in.
LS430 to GS450h/GS430 a downgrade? - speedfreek - 16-09-2019
jimxms I'm beginning to think I shouldn't do it tho. I can spend £8k and have a 100% stock GS450h, or spend half that and have a quite nicely modded LS430.
That's the spirit.
Once you have discovered the joys of Junction Produce, Garson D.A.D and the likes and have pimped your car you will love the LS to bits.
Get some curtains, swarovski crystal embellishments, neck cushions, BIG dished wheels and mental body styling and rock that bippu!
LS430 to GS450h/GS430 a downgrade? - parthiban - 17-09-2019
You've got to try the GS to put this to rest once and for all.
Personally I think the GS430 is probably the perfect car for you - can completely understand how impractical it is to drive a car that massive all the time, plus the GS is a lot less floaty than the LS.
Not sure what your budget is but there are a few decent looking ones on autotrader for around the £12k mark (although if you have to pay £8k more, how cheap did you get the LS??)
LS430 to GS450h/GS430 a downgrade? - jimxms - 26-09-2019
Just to bring this one back up again, the LS really isn't doing it for me at the moment. I have a feeling I might be more inclined to love it if it was black, but then it might have the opposite effect as unlike the IS300, my LS430 won't fit in the garage and it'd always be dirty and I'd be forever cleaning.
I went to look at some GS's recently. The 450H has a laughable boot that really wont work (which is a shame), the new-shape GS430's still command quite a premium despite not many people buying 4.3litre cars at the mo, and I really don't think I could justify putting £5,6,7k more into buying a GS which is a 'lesser' car than the LS.
So then I started looking at the older GS's. TBH I'm really not keen on the looks, but I've seen how they can be made to look nice. The only thing is I wouldn't want a GS300 (too slow) and the GS430's are really rare.
So how about an Aristo I thought. 3 Litre twin turbo...ticks all the boxes. But from what I can see the newest Aristo you're likely to see is a 1999? Which I'm not sure if I like the idea of from the point of rust and things generally disintegrating?
After that I couldn't really think of any other nice jap cars that would tick all of my boxes, so I started looking at other marques. Unfortunately I don't like Beemers or Audi's and the only Mercs I like are too expensive.
Then I came across the Chrysler 300C with the 5.7L Hemi engine. Yes it's a poorly put together American Bentley rip-off, but all of the important stuff (drivetrain etc) is made by Mercedes from what I understand, the engine is bullet proof, so most of the things that are likely to go wrong won't be show stoppers or overly expensive to fix?
This is just me thinking out loud though, so I've by no means come to any conclusion. Be interested to hear what you guys think?
LS430 to GS450h/GS430 a downgrade? - Stoney - 26-09-2019
There are some clean Aristos about, I wouldn't disregard it on age alone. Basic Performance Upgrades see them making 400+ bhp easy.
You are looking at other non-Jap makes now it seems. If I wanted a big, fast, 4dr saloon car I wouldn't go America, but stick closer to home and get a Jag. Though that's just me. My dad has just bought an XF with an Eaton supercharged AJ V8 in it. I have always loved that engine.
LS430 to GS450h/GS430 a downgrade? - jimxms - 26-09-2019
Stoney There are some clean Aristos about, I wouldn't disregard it on age alone. Basic Performance Upgrades see them making 400+ bhp easy.
Yeah, as its a 2JZ there's a wealth of after-market bits for them. Much like the Supra, the BHP limit is directly proportional to wallet size.
Stoney You are looking at other non-Jap makes now it seems. If I wanted a big, fast, 4dr saloon car I wouldn't go America, but stick closer to home and get a Jag. Though that's just me. My dad has just bought an XF with an Eaton supercharged AJ V8 in it. I have always loved that engine.
I do like Jags, and they look especially nice in black (bonus). The only thing is I'm not sure that my wallet can stretch to an XF (looking to stay under £10k). I like the look of the X-Type, but have been warned to steer clear, Don't liek the rear of the S-type, XJ 4.2 V8 Supercharged looks nice though...I'll have to check the insurance. hmm
UPDATE: XJ 4.2 Supercharged does look very tempting. Only issue is the wife can't be on the insurance as she's provisional. She can get on the standard 4.2 Sport (no supercharger), but I'm wondering if you can just strap on a 2nd hand supercharger at a later date?
LS430 to GS450h/GS430 a downgrade? - toxo - 26-09-2019
Import a GS400 from the states
