1. How did you come to the decision of buying this car?
I had a 2014 WRX daily for a couple years but the road noise was insane, and was growing unhappy with it. Also had a car note. Money spent on the daily was less I could spend on my project cars (and kids), and it was going to get beat up on and be worthless after a while.
I needed 4 doors, wanted it to be quiet, and cheap. So I researched old Lexuses. I narrowed it down to the LS 460 (more modern features) and the LS 430, but the 460s at the time were still pricey. Found a 430 from some old retired guy with white New Balance shoes and a Corvette. He was a stickler on the price but it was a solid car.
2. What has your ownership experience been like?
Driving: Love the way it drives. Heavy, but powerful. Easy highway overtaking. Quiet & comfortable af. Has lots of features of modern cars (power everything, all windows auto up & down, auto dimming mirror, memory seats, etc., etc.). The leather seats handle my kid spewing crap all over them. It's also old enough where I don't care nearly as much with a non-beater when he scratches the paint.
And I get zero attention from the cops. The WRX was a cop magnet.
Maintenance: Great. I do my own work, and I track everything I purchase for my dailies to get an idea of total cost of ownership. Paid $7,000 for the car, and about $1,000 for repairs in the 2.5 years I've had it.
3. What is your fondest memory with this car?
There's no one moment, really. Whether intentional or not the car represents me trying to move away from "showy" to utility. It's got tons of space, 9000 airbags, comfort. And it was cheap. It allows me to focus on things that really matter, like my 280Z and my wife's 300ZX. And my kids.
That said I did autocross it. That was fun. And it was way more predictable and consistent than me in my "race car".
4. Why do you love cars?
A couple parts: The engineering aspect of it, and the social part. I grew up taking things apart, building lego machinery, etc. So I'm fascinated by the technology and making modifications, testing them on a dyno, getting more power, and spinning out at autocrosses. But, now that I have a job I've noticed working alone in my garage isn't nearly as fun as working alone in the garage while some asshat friend makes fun of you while drinking all your beer.
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If you would like to participate, just answer the above four questions and submit one to three photos of your daily driver to milhousevanh at geemail. Thanks and have fun!
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