Lexus GS430 Review - With Richard Hammond (2001)
Richard Hammond takes the Lexus GS430 for an exhilarating test drive, delving into a comprehensive review that meticulously examines its performance, practicality, and style.
With a top speed reaching an impressive 155 MPH, the Lexus GS430 stands as a testament to cutting-edge automotive engineering, promising a driving experience that seamlessly merges style with high-performance capability.
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Meanwhile this test car is likely running as perfect as the day Richard drove it. Can't say that for equivalent E class and 5 series of 2001!
I assume most W210 Mercedes are rotten away by now 🤷♂️😄
MOT expired in 2017. Registered as SORN so it might still be around.
Damn straight!
Every single old reviews on these say the styling is weird or something, I think it's aged extremely well, and it still turns heads
Yeah, it's great looking car, I think being a somewhat newcomer, the hardcore car guys just didn't want to accept that it really was the real deal.
Lukas someone thought my car was an 09
I don’t like this generation... I loved the generation after this, but than again I’m biased as an owner
Lord Rupert .. Factz! I’m The Same Way I Just Want A Clean Nice Looking Reliable Car!👍🏽
I agree!
Anyone who's ever owned a GS 430 knows that it's one of the best cars ever made, period.
I've got the gs300 :p 2jz poweeeeeeer
+behem0th777 agreed. This is the 2nd best Lexus ever made, after the 1st gen LS400. It was literally the fastest automatic sedan in the world when introduced, clocking in 60mph at 5.7 sec.
+Senior Lopez So do I, all GS's are great
+behem0th777 It is, isn't it? Mine is 14 years old ! and I still can't justify replacing it with anything new. It requires some maintenance but as far as cars go there isn't much that get close.
I own an IS300 (I'm on my third one) and I'd drive a GS in a hot minute.
Time proved him wrong.
roshan firozkhan Wrong and misogynist to boot.
Got 2004 gs 430 with 250k miles and still drives like a dream ❤
In my humble opinion, this is the best looking Lexus since the introduction of the Lexus LS400.
The first gen SC is pretty nice too! 👍
The first gen GS300 is much better than this late model aristo
Lexus was ahead of the time putting touch screens in their cars since 2000's..
I had a 1998 Lexus GS400 until it got stolen... It took me almost 2 years to finally find another gem. I bought a 2001 Lexus GS430 and I still have her in my possession. Best luxury/sporty combo car ever made. Not to mention reliability as long as you do the regular schedule maintenance. The best part for me it's design still turns head. I would've turn her in for a newer car. But up to these day I haven't found a replacement. Most new cars nowadays regardless of brand all seem/feel the same to each other.
Do you miss the E-Shift?
This car is timeless. In good condition you still pay close to10k
Anderson A. Even tho this comment is 4 years old they still are at 10k
@@Moecean thats way on the upper end i got mine for $2,200
@@Moecean whoever pays 10k for one of these is either really dumb or bought one with like 2,000km with modifications or something. I paid like 3k for my GS 400 with 180,000km and I'm barely the second owner too. so everything is absolutely mint. Even has the first aid kit from 1998. Hell, it still has the little fucking pen that comes with the manual for writing maintenance things down.
@@yuri0_187 ... You got a good deal thats it depending on where you live the price might be different i paid 3k in canada for my 1998 with 245 000 km. myself i would tottaly buy a mint 2003 g430 with low mileage for 10k
@@lexus9337 I'm looking at a 2000 gs400 with 110k miles (177k km) for $4500 USD.
Gotta love Japanese Luxury Cars
These generation GS will run forever. The 1uz and 3uz can take a beating but the 2jz 3.0 will take severe punishment and still come back for more.
My '98 GS4 has 260k miles so far, and I'm thinking it should last well into the 300s before it starts to show any sign of age or wear.
I have the 95 GS 300........370,000 km and the 2jz will calmly cruise at 90 - 100mph on the highway
I have an IS300 with 2jz 3.0 :)
lmao yet 80% of the 2jzge' have blown head gaskets....please stop....
TwoJay Lexo change it when youre supposed to duhh timing belts are not lifetime parts
The car reflects japanese attitude. It is like a geisha: servant must serve excellent, but has not allowed to make a number of him/herself. Excitement and passion are easier to find somewhere else, than car garages.
I love them so much I have 2 a 2001 gs430 and 2002 gs300, the 2002 is my daily driver I bought it in 2007 with 32000 miles and now it has 250000 miles still same motor and transmission and still going till this day I will never get rid of them, till death do us part
Loved your comment! I think 2GS's shape is the sexiest ever created! And their performance is on a different level altogether. Now, could I ask you a question as you'd probably be the best person to qualify to answer it : I'd like to buy either GS300 or GS400, but can't decide which one. Is there a great difference in handling, smoothness/luxury level acceleration/breaking and overall control between these 2 models? Read somewhere one guy's very strange comment that GS430 is "dangerous" as its motor is waaay too powerful for the body and driving it, it's a toss-up between riding a "golf cart" (at low speeds) and a "Formula 1" as you slightly accelerate -- and "there's nothing in-between". Is that even true? Does the handling of these 2 models differ so greatly? Thanx for anticipated reply -- it's just that I never drove either one of them and probably will be buying one out-of-state, sight unseen, so now I'm gathering as much info as I can. Also, which year do you think is the best?
best damn car ever. Bought a used '01 in 05 and still have her (yeah, it's a she), and she's got 286K miles and still runs great. Lexus has impeccable quality and reliability. I'll never look anywhere else (well, maybe Porsche)
Chris Melton don't buy a Porsche. Unless you want foreign parts flown in from overseas any time you need something repaired. It's a joke
What if all have you had to replace. I have a rx with only 75k
Alexis
first of all, this is such a biased review >.>. Secondly, this car is fantastic. These cars are still cool today and have plenty of street cred if they are in great condition. I am so sick of them always flogging German cars. German cars DO NOT stand the test of time and they cost a lot of money to maintain and repair. All you would have to do to this car is swap out the suspension if you want sports handling and put some better brakes in if you want higher performance braking. simple. German cars are cool but they make me nervous. I wouldn't be nervous buying a Lexus, especially a used one.
I love my 2001 Lexus GS430 V8... BEST car ever!
I loved my Mercedes.... When it was not in the shop having 3 pages of codes looked at..
Was on hunt for three months for gs430. They're so rare now. Like 5 on the market in uk and some priced as high as £4000. Managed to get one £800 , it's done 110k miles and it really does like it's real mileage. Interior is as new, so beautiful. Really happy with this car, came from same shape gs300, completely different feel of car 😁
106'000 miles on the clock and this actual car is still on the road in 2021.. reliability.
I have an is300 which is the baby version of this car and I LOVE IT. Almost at 200k miles and still putting a smile on my face.
LOL I like how he says it's bland. Now honestly I used to think that because it was a Lexus and I had no knowledge about this car up until last year (I used to think it was a dressed up Avalon a la Camry/ES300)- but it's grown on me. In fact, the more I look at it and its peers the more I'm amazed how much BETTER it looks for its age. I hope mine will last for another 100,000 miles, wallet disagreements notwithstanding!
Lexus never sold on its looks? Hello? The 1st gen Italdesigned, Sc300/400, 2nd gen GS........
You have to get over obvious prejudice when watching Lexus reviews. Everybody hates Lexus, because everybody hates the best.
Ooh the GS after this one was a stunner
1st gen GS was designed by Pininfarina. So that explains the sexy front end styling. 2nd gen looks more jdm and looks ridiculously sexy. 3rd gen is nice and 4th gen is okay too
Europeans has always been keen on not giving credit to any other car that isn't European. And lets be honest. In this era of this GS430, the 5 series, the E class and the A6 where all pretty "dull" compared to the looks of this Lexus. Again, Euro snob bias.
Actually the UK is a huge market for Lexus, and was back in 2001 as well, so I don't think you are correct to be honest. The fact is though that it was a very dreary looking car. The Mercs and BMWs of the era were much more 'interesting' looking, with a bit more style. Note I don't say 'pretty' because they weren't, but definitely more interesting. Audi was just as boring as Lexus really.
krocialblack totally!
@@gregwilliams9122 I don't get what's boring about the 2nd gen GS... That car still looks nice today!
Kev27RS nothing was a gs looks more mobster and sporty at the same time, I guess they just can’t fit into the JDM style look, the M5 looked really cool but the base models were stale as a chip under a car seat. Give the gs a more sportier bumber bigger chrome exhaust and a straight pipe add a turbo and watch the young righteous son turn into a black leather wearing Mafioso outlaw that don’t give two dam about its rivals.
I had my doubts having a 540i e39 but I can tell you this the e39 and this gs400 body styles are some of the most beautiful cars on the streets to date everyone always thing both are newer than what they are
He was so wrong about the styling of this car. It was damn good looking and still look good today. That motor is a fucking beast and a gem. That interior still looks good today and better then the German cars at that time
I bet that Lexus is still running on the road reliably so.
I have a white 42k-mile 2000 Lexus GS400 and let me tell you this car is a unicorn in terms of driving experience!!!
this is my first car and i love it
+janetwon what does that mean
i bought it myself but thanks i guess. imgur.com/nEYj6DG respond like 10 month later lol
Yea I'd rather buy one of those german cars and keep paying for repairs because they are so nice... NOT!
ever heard of the warranty?
VonGutenburgen Steinenhoffer warranty in a 20 year old car?
I test drove one of these and was amazed by the acceleration. The IS300 really gets its torque up at about 4k rpm, whereas with this car it's about the moment you step on the pedal. Both are excellent cars.
Final drive and differential at play...
So down the road with BMW and Lexus. What problems have BMW owners had with VANOS? About everything that could go wrong did, and on just about all of them so equipped. What problems have Lexus owners had with the Vvti system? Nothing, not ever. Never heard of a problem with Vvti. It just works, like the rest of the car. My 98 GS400 continues to run. I gave it to my daughter and son-in-law. They love it as I did, and it still runs like the day I bought it. Keep the Krauter stuff. Unlike the Mercedes of that vintage the valve guides in the GS engine are still tight and it burns no oil. Mercedes still can't make an engine without the valve guides wearing out. Hammond should stick to gardening or something, or collecting lamp finials or whatever English punters do.
Bought a Gs430 2002 with an LPG conversion and 168k miles. Its an effortless beast that turns so many heads. The supreme comfort even at higher speeds circa 90mph is phenominal. The arm rest position is a gem and the heated seats will keep my ass warm in the cold winter runs.
The second gen GS 97+ was a game changer because it offered a V8 in a midsize body under the Lexus brand. These cars were around during the golden age of the Japanese luxury cars. These days the cars are made to post to social media, make phone calls, etc. The pleasure of just driving the car is way down the list in what it was designed to do.
texan176 And the GS just gets more cooler, nice agressive looker.
You really nailed it, man!!!
1999 GS400 here, with almost 300k miles, tons of abuse, and only preventative maintenance. Proved itself with age 🙏
This is a vehicle for those who appreciate quality and good taste. Not for insecure people who want to be noticed, like this reporter!
It’s gorgeous what is he talking about?
got the gs300 took a 25 mph turn at 50 to 60 without my foot on the gas and with driver side front strut busted that i gotta replace since i hit a small wall pretty hard with the wheel. Anyways yea the body moves about but took the turn effortlessly without one sound from tires. might be little wobbly for comfy round but one of the best handling cars i ever driven. and the heaviness of the steering wheel is superb. you handle the car inch by inch by its precise steering wheel. Never had anyone drive my core or rode in it that did not absolutely love it. It is so good that I wouldn't mind driving my whole life. not many cars out there are as good especially its competition when it was around. Every time you roll it out of garage it is a superb pleasureful ride great car for cruising
This car is a gentlemans express cruiser, not a sports handling car. It isn't meant to make sporty noises or handle like a BMW. It is a luxury saloon that offers comfort and reliability. It is different to other Germans out there. You get a lot of car for the money which makes it good value, will be a fraction of the cost to run and maintain compared to the Germans because being Japanese, hardly anything breaks down.
you are 100% correct
I always had a bit of a soft spot for Lexus, certainly the older models. Lexus understands that huge cars like these aren't meant to race around in. So what it isn't as ferme in corners as a 5-series, or the A6. And, Japanese reliability always is a plus point!
Totally outclassed the German cars of its day, and most of today for that matter. Of course, it also outclasses most modern Lexuses, as the brand look went south slowly but surely soon after. Current LC500 excepted.
I'd just like to give attention to the camera man, that was pretty slick going from outside the sunroof, to the interior and then outside without opening and closing doors in one take... impressive.
My first car. After 8 years of wear and tear the exhaust rusted out from a snowy climate and the replacement one we got sounded like a mustang with rwd. I never want another car even 3 years later i miss you alexis
Still looks current in 2024 and still runs and drives like perfection like it was new in 1998.
Miles?
I used to have this exact car. Loved it.
My buddy has one, its got about 870,000 plus miles on it, i'm not joking.
Miles or kilometers?
@@busy2012 Miles
The V8 has quite a bit of a punch when you floor it. I have a Mustang supercharger on the top of my gs430 making 400hp. Pretty fun.
Do you have a build thread anywhere? That Is badass!
HOW?!
The twin turbo says drug dealer more than any other car imo
reliability is not an issue when buying new so this review is perfectly reasonable. If I could choose any car from this era and not have to worry about repairs, I completely agree with hammond, the lexus would be far down on my list. Now that these cars have been out of warranty for many years so it makes more sense to go with the lexus. Does no one understand this review is almost 20 years old
I think Hammond has *exciting* confused with *excessively expensive to repair and service.*
This car still looks great today, and yet at the time Rich calls it bland, lol.
The sexiest sat nav of any car 😂 To be fair it was quite advanced for its time. My 2002 GS300 has the inbuilt sat nav and its surprisingly OK!
The excitment he's looking for is found in the "L" tuned model.
GS400 or GS430? (For dependability - not speed/horsepower) Drove an LS400 and found it to cushy and soft.
Best car ever created hands down. My euros are so sensitive bt the lexus will keep on keepN on long as theres alil air in the tires
Lexus>All Lol, Lexus' are ugly? Hahahahahah, says a fan of european cars whose boring librarian style has been re-hashed for 100 years.
♡ Kleinr Schmetterling ♡ (Liberty Schulz) I am a fanboy, and I'll admit it :P But I think the LS430 is more of a ripoff of Mercedes design than the GS ever was. The first generation GS was awesome, very futuristic of its time. If you think the GS was a take on a mercedes design, which do you mean? Like I said, I'll admit the LS borrowed heavily from Mercedes at time, but, in my humble opinion, improved on it :P Plus there's the reliability factor :P
My beautiful and amazing mistress there were many common themes during this era, most often seen is the quad headlight design. Infiniti did it, lexus did it, Mercedes did it, and many cars after did it to this day. Quit your belly aching and grow the f up you
Even the Ford Taurus got in on that action :P I don't like the look personally, but it was popular back then.
You should have tested the 2JZGTE twin turbo vvti version to this. With a tuned 800 HP and stock 320 HP you'd be singing a different tune.
You should now that just toyota aristo originaly have it, not lexus.
Such a good car love Lexus pure luxury
best cars to date
Ive owned my 2002 gs430 for 20 years now bought it straight off the lot, and man let me tell y’all I’ve put 267k miles on it! You cant kill a gs430
How on Earth did this person become a Television presenter?..He talks a lot yet says very little of value,he is just another "personality" churned out for mass consumption.There is no comparison between these present day amateurs and someone of the ilk of Raymond Baxter-A true,knowledgeable enthusiast of the old school...Greatly missed!
What a great car it is!
NOTHING BEATS TOYOTA/LEXUS
I own 2 and I love them
I like the IS400 for it's style, too bad it has only the big 4L engine.
Hammond 4got to mention by the time you add all the Standard options in the Lexus to the BMW and Benz you will be entering Exotic car price range 😎
Today only the Lexus is worth something. BMW, Mercs and Audis are worth next to nothing because people realise the repairs outweigh the car. What we have learnt over the years .....diesels create dpf problems and Toyota hybrids were initially not in favour although this has changed dramatically because of the diesel scandal. Rumour has it that Toyota and BMW were working on a car together and Toyota got so upset with BMW because they said the reliability standards were not up to Toyota standards. Toyota even made BMW improve the reliability of every bolt because they didn't stand up to the stringent testing applied by Toyota. This is the difference between perceived quality vs actual quality.
Good looking car, better than the E-Class of the time and it’s actual quality
It's a great car with power
MOT expired August 2017. Not a bad run.
I love Richard Hammond but if we’re talking about Japanese cars I would probably get into a fight with him
Lexus cars are way better than German equivalents. Just drive them & you will find out
It's a great bargain now...!!! 😀👌🚘👍
On the Classic Wall they’de probably put this in Crock, but now it’s a Classic :6
Sounds like at this point anyone who didnt choose to spend their 37k on a GS430 has lost just about all of their investment. I wonder how many of the competitors have 230k on the dash and still ride like new?
One thing not mentioned is the atrocious fuel consumption. Probably "not bad" for the time, but to own one now is a compromise. Both the I6 and V8 models chug fossil fuel like a pickup truck. Or worse. I've gotten better mileage in a diesel Ram towing a Mazda Protege, than my GSs. However, that, and the price of replacement parts, are pretty much the only downsides to the GS and LS models.
If you accelerate hard it will make you pay. If you cruise and let the car roll its not that bad. My car is LPG converted and performs sublime with the 4.3 V8
I've driven a BMW540i E39 (not m package but manual) and a GS430 and the Lexus handles way better than the BMW
Littile did he know how collectable these would become
Best car I've ever owned was a '99 GS400.
Dude missed a memo. This car was out in 97. GS400 was 99% the same car. A little less torque, no drive by wire and a few parts that were not made as well. Were they not imported to UK at the time?
No, Europe and the UK got only prefacelift GS300, the v8 version joined here only after the facelift.
That’s like $80K Canadian in today’s money, so yes at the time a ridiculous choice, but oh have the used car markets been good for buyers, this is probably the best
Best car reviewer out there.
Mat Watson is far better!
*This was the reason NO ONE takes this guy serious anymore because of this terrible review of one of the best cars ever made!!!*
This guy sounds soooooo much like Matt Watson from carwow
I'm a bmw fanboy and I have to say my gs400 is way more comfortable and spacious and better on the highway than my 540i the only thing my bmw is superior in is the handling through mountains at high speeds
Regret selling mine every single day 😔
Never understood the love for top gear. Constant snobbery and sarcasm is tasteless.
My m8s car now rare v8
Well now for 3k it’s the best car you can buy
they REALLY tried to sell the idea that japanese cars are boring.....i wonder what is more exciting about an e class lets say?
11years ago?
This review is from 2001… So he's right!
Kev27RS Oh I thought it was from 2013.
real eyes realize real lies Well it's on the title of the video (2001) XD
Kev27RS Ya I get it man.
i really honest dont understand why they even made the 400 and or 430 if they wanted to compete with the competition v8s why not just put the original supra twin turbo engine in it instead of going with the big ass v8
and thats where the toyota aristo comes in....exact same car in this video but with the supra engine (i have one)
They did just that, and it was called the Aristo V300. Unfortunately, North America and Europe(?) were not blessed with this engine. Not identical to the Supra's 2JZGTE mind you, it was the same as the Soarer's. The V8 was a good choice for the vehicle though, and it's actually a bit more powerful, stock compared to stock. The smoothness is nice for a car like this, too.
SO MANY PASS BY SHOTS!!!!!
i dont even get what he didnt like
There's not a lot wrong with a GS430.
1:05 the only thing Lacking in the Lexus is the drivers sex life.
Richard Hammond = Euro Biased
Toyota Lexus ??
God, this presenter. He opens with a sexist remark that doesn’t even make sense in the first place-the car looks good and still does today (a month from 2020). Then goes on with more valid commentary.
This guy is paid by jaguar...
whatever happened to this little guy ?
Little guy? 430s are really big sedans.
+Son Of Sisyphus hes talking about the guy talking in the video 😂
You mean Richard Hammond?
Nice Toyota. As The Hamster says no passion, not one for car lovers.