Overview: First off, I'd like to say that I REALLY like this car (and I'm very picky about cars)...maybe even LOVE. It's pretty fast, luxurious, looks great, and since it's built by Toyota, you know it's reliable. I've been driving the car for well over a month (I got one of the first ones at my dealership) so I think I can give a decent review. It's a long review...so have a seat and put the kids to sleep...


FYI: This car is know as the Toyota Aristo (JZS161) in Japan. The only real differences being is no GS430 in Japan (The closest is the V300 Vertex Edition which is a 280 HP turbo charged inline 6). The GS300 is close to the Japanese version (of course, their cars are right hand drive).


EXTERIOR/BODY - RATING: 9
This year, Lexus did some VERY minor updates. The front grill has wider bars and less of them and a bigger Lexus logo. The back tail lights also have been updated. More red with a lens in lens look. I think the grill and the lights looks better than the previous GS's. Other than that, it looks the same as the previous GS. Fit is great. Paint job is mediocre (but it's as good as any factory paint job)...if you want a awesome looking paint job, have your car "color sanded" (by a professional body shop...it's not a weekend job for Joe Average) to take out all the "orange peel" and it'll look like a million bucks guaranteed (color sanding will make it a 10)!

The water repelling driver/passenger side widows is very cool if you live a rainy area (in Southern Cali, this isn't a big feature.)


WHEELS - RATING: 4
I just got the stock 16" non-chrome wheels. Why? Well for one, I hate chrome (it's ghetto nowadays) and the factory 17" are looking dated...it's the same wheel since 1998. Also, there was no point in paying extra for the wheel upgrade when I already have 20" rims on order. WHATEVER you do, do NOT pay $1900 (or whatever) for the "17" Chrome Wheel" package. If you REALLY want the factory 17" chrome wheels, just get the $200 upgrade (from 16" to 17") and then take your wheels to a chroming place and pay less than $400 to get all four chromed (make sure they triple chrome with a nickel base...DO NOT get the "one step" chrome...they'll chip or wear within a few months). You'll save yourself $1300 which you can send to me in small, unmarked bills. At any rate, whoever runs the wheel department at Lexus needs to be FIRED for offering such lame rim choices and for charging WAY too much money (for the chrome). The Lexus 17" chrome wheels are just a straight out RIP OFF...

Some Lexus dealerships offer "aftermarket" wheels. DO NOT BUY FROM THEM. These are low quality, cheap brand rims that they try to pawn off for TONS of money. Visit websites like www.wheelexperts.com and buy some HIGH QUALITY Japanese rims. You can also get some HIGH QUALITY FORGED (the best method!) American wheels from www.hrewheels.com, www.fikse.com or www.kinesismotorsports.com. Remember, this is a LUXURY CAR. Spending anything less than a few thousand dollars on EXCELLENT rims is stupid. If you're going to "cheap out" on the wheels, don't even bother! Just leave the stock wheels...otherwise, you're just going to cheapen your GS430 (and look ghetto in the process)!

Stay away from brands like Giovanna, G-Racing, Lexani, Alba, Arelli, etc. These are LOW quality wheel that are not only UGLY AS SIN, but they cost a TON of money because like P.T. Barnum said, "There’s a Sucker Born Every Minute." These are popular among "rappers" such because they don't know sh*t about wheels, they just want whatever is shiny and obnoxious (it's called "Bling-Bling"...stupid!)

Brands you should consider include: HRE, Fikse, Kinesis Motorsports, LowenHart, Racing Hart, Rays/Volk, Lsportline, Dazz, Weds, Manaray Sports, AVS/Advan (Yokohama), BIM Creative (Bridgestone) etc., etc...Excellent quality 1 piece rims should cost around $350/wheel and up. Excellent quality 3 piece rims should cost around $600/wheel and up. Don't spend any less...otherwise, just sell your Lexus and buy a Honda Civic...

Lexus also offers some rims under their "L-Tuned" program (sort of a "Sport" package like BMW or Mercedes...except on the Lexus, it's all reliable...also, did you know the American BMW M3 is a FAKE...check the web...we don't get the "real" M3...) They have some different rims (18" and 17") but these wheels are not that exciting. All the L-Tuned is just mediocre compared to what you can get in the aftermarket. The ONLY thing I do recommend is the L-Tuned Steering ECU. Now I have heard that the newer built GS430's already have this ECU built-in so you may not need it. You can check with your local dealer or L-Tuned to find out. I had one installed on mine and it made a difference (I also have one of the earliest GS430's)


INTERIOR - RATING: 9.9
I opted for the Black interior and it looks fantastic. The leather quality is excellent. Fit is perfect. Wood trim looks good and is finished perfectly...and it's REAL (Infiniti and Acura, please take note). The carpets are nice and thick. Seat adjustments are great. The controls are excellent in feel (when will American car companies figure out their interiors look like CRAP!?)

I also opted for the wood steering wheel and I LOVE it. The audio controls on the steering wheel are excellent (the audio controls also come on the non-wood steering wheel). You can change inputs (CD, Radio, Tape, etc.), change CDs/Tracks (stations), volume up/down, and there's a "set" button that lets you have a "preset" volume. I have mine set to real low so I can use it as "mute" button (for cell phone calls or police).

Other parts of the interior...center console is a double level deal with a extra accessory jack in the bottom compartment to charge your cell phone, laptop, etc. The glove box contains the CD changer (6 disc) and a extra compartment to the right of the CD changer for a extra magazine, a paperback book, etc. :) The main compartment of the glove box looks huge but it's really not. It's really tight when you close it. When closed, anything that's close to the front of the glove box must be shorter in thickness than the user manual (about 1") or it'll get crushed. I guess it can be described as a wedge shaped glove box when closed....I almost crushed a good pair sunglasses...

The drink holders are by the shifter and they only hold regular size drinks...no 7-11 Super Big Gulps(TM) here...The drink holder in front (closest to the radio) seems to hold larger drinks...but not by much.

The rear seats are comfy with a nice wide center console with drink holders (only for regular size drinks...again), but I don't really care about the back seats! :) I still don't understand why Lexus can't get GOOD drink holders...Fat Lazy Americans like to have big friggin' drinks in their car! I'm sure in Japan, those cute Red Bull size cans are all the rage (along with the cute Red Bull size cars), but not here!

Anyways...the gauges look awesome (as then have since 1998 version), the HomeLink system is great (as most cars have this now), seat memory is also good (remembers the side mirror locations too). How about a memory rear view mirror too? And how about a reverse assisting passenger side mirror like in the LS430 (hey, when you have $5000 rims, you'll understand)? It's about $5 worth of electronics for that feature and Lexus can't add that in?


DRIVE/HANDLING - STOCK RATING: 6 (NOW: 9)
Let me explain this rating...the car drive AWESOME if you want a nice quite luxurious ride. That's all great and dandy for my mother, but for me, I like a little more AS5 whooping in the ride (my Mom likes the way Cadillacs ride/drive so what does that tell you?). I want race-car like handling with a luxury ride...I know that everyone buys into BMW's marketing and how BMW's are suppose to handle like DTM Touring cars (YEAH, RIGHT!), but in reality, they don't. Stock for stock, a 540 does handle better than a GS430, but with a few small add-ons, the tables turn...BIG TIME.

After have a few items installed, the handling rating is now a solid 9 (not 10...read on). I have since installed full coilovers (Tein CS) lowered 2.5", upgraded TRD Sway Bars (thicker), TRD Strut Tower Bar for the front, TRD Chassis Brace, L-Tuned Steering ECU, and of course, 20" wheels (20"...which are NOT ideal for handling...19" or even 18" would be better but I'm willing to sacrifice a LITTLE handling for the look of 20's on my car...which is why I said it will be a rating of 9, not 10) Even with 20's, I still burn those fakers (check out www.beaterz.com... you see what I mean) down my local canyon...

Even with all this added on, my GS430 still cost less than a comparable BMW 540 and now not only is it faster than the 540 (even the 540 Manual), it outhandles it with no problem. My tail lights are a familiar sight to every BMW owner trying to race me down my local canyons...


ACCELERATION - RATING: 8
Why not a 10? Because when you own a Honda RC51, no car that you can buy for any reasonable amount of money, will satisfy you. Not to mention that I've be in sub-11 second quarter mile Honda 4 bangers, a built twin-turbo Supra, a 450HP supercharged LS400, a built R34 Nissan Skyline GTR (I would take this over a Ferrari anyday!), etc...for a 4.3 liter motor, it should have more than 300HP (350-375HP would have been good for me). Compared to most other cars though, it's pretty quick (5.8sec. 0-60 AUTOMATIC isn't shabby for a heavy 4 door luxury sedan...I heard that Lexus is planning on bumping up the horsepower rating soon....I plan on doing my own horsepower increase via a SuperCharger. :)


OVERALL - RATING: 9
Yeah, yeah, yeah...9 is not the average of the scores I gave...so what? The 9 rating is because the car is an excellent overall car and can be fixed up to be a SERIOUSLY B-A-D A-S-S car. There is a LOT of stuff for this car (both here and overseas) in the aftermarket arena. This is a good thing if you're into fixing up your car.

One thing that REALLY P I S S E S me off is that the GS430 is no longer offered with E-SHIFT. Some BS about how Lexus wanted to meet ULEV rating or something...whatever the reason was, the GS430 SHOULD have E-Shift. Whoever made that decision at Lexus should also be hunted down...and tortured...seriously, that was a REALL DUMB AS5 decision.


Oh yeah...the obligatory Q&A

1) Why did I buy this vehicle? - Because I have always loved the design of this car and it has the potential to be bad-a-s-s. And even stock, it's a excellent ride.

2) Describe what you love and hate about this vehicle. - Read above monologue.

3) What is it like to drive this vehicle? - Refer to question 2.

4) Who should buy this vehicle? - Whoever can afford it...with one catch...If you plan on fixing this car up and you can bearly afford the car payments, get something else instead. It's better to fix up a car you can afford the RIGHT way rather than fixing up a car you can BEARLY afford the WRONG way. The WRONG way is buying cheap add-ons. Fake add-ons. Knock-off rims, etc. Don't do that. Don't turn your luxury ride into a a ghetto P.O.S. DO IT RIGHT OR DON'T DO IT AT ALL.

-mp5pdw

ps: From all the years of doing crack, I forgot to include the Nav and Mark Levinson review (and I just remembered that you can edit your reviews)...so check out the first post in the Comments section where I added those little tidbits in...