Testing Lexus Reliability with a 5,000 Mile Trip Across America in My 2001 LS 430

The best way to connect with a new car purchase is to take it on a road trip.

I purchased my 2001 Lexus LS 430 based on reviews I watched and read online. The Lexus LS 400 and 430 are well-known within car enthusiast circles for their durability and reliability. As much as I loved my 1990 Volvo 240, it was showing its age with electrical gremlins—not to mention it was slow. Taking a 33-year-old Volvo on a cross-country road trip is a romantic idea but in reality, it would probably be a nightmare. 

The LS 430 stood out to me amongst other soon-to-be classic sedans for being reliable, useful, and safe. I know the LS 400 is a legend but that car was developed in the 1980s. I think it would be fine for a cross-country trip but I worry about its safety features. The LS 430 (or UCF30 if you’re in the know) took everything the LS 400 was good at and made it better. Several automotive blogs have claimed that the LS 430 is the best used car to buy.

The Lexus was designed for driving long distances, comfortably. It’s not uncommon to see these cars with 300,000 miles or more. Recently, a 2001 LS 430 sold on Cars & Bids with 628,000 miles! Knowing that these cars can handle high mileage, a 5,000-mile road trip should be nothing. 

For more information on why I purchased this car initially, read all about it here. 

Preventative Maintenance

Even the most reliable cars need to be maintained. If you’ve been driving the same vehicle for the past 10 years and all you’ve done to it are tires and oil changes, that’s not a good thing. Chances are your car needs loads of maintenance items done, and could potentially break soon.

You can buy tired LS 430s for under $4,000—you’ll more than likely put another $2,000 into it just to get it reliable enough for daily use. Above-average cars like mine sell for $6,000 to $10,000. Cream puffs with fewer than 100,000 miles are typically around $15,000.

I didn’t want a garage queen because I knew I’d be driving my car and thus driving down its value. My car, I believe, is the sweet spot for LS 430s. It was owned by the same people for 22 years. The maintenance was up to date, with a new timing belt, water pump, and radiator.

Since I’m taking my car on a cross-country road trip, I wanted to make sure all of the possible maintenance items were complete. I had the oil changed with full synthetic oil that’s good for 5,000 miles. I changed the dirty air filter with a new STP unit. I installed a new cabin air filter. I replaced the air conditioning relays just to ensure they wouldn’t go out during the long, hot days. I replaced the original spare tire—that had the year 2000 date code—with a new tire. 

I removed the anti-theft lug nuts because I didn’t have the matching socket. I could see it now: I get a flat tire in Nebraska only to find that I can’t remove it due to a stupid anti-theft lug nut. The removal process was straightforward. It involved four new 19mm sockets, a breaker bar—and like any good car project—a big hammer. I replaced the anti-theft lug nuts with four new units and torqued them to spec.

The brake fluid looked pretty old, and I had no record of it being changed, so I opted to have the lines flushed and replaced with new fluid. Beyond these maintenance items, the car is running great and hasn’t given me any issues in the four months that I’ve owned it. But you never know what could happen which is why I’ll be traveling with a set of tools and a jack.

The Road Trip

My brother-in-law is getting married this month. I hate flying on airplanes with the kids so I opted to drive. Fortunately, we have family members who are helping my wife with the kids on the cross-country flight. I’ll be making the trip with my brother who I haven’t seen in a year.

A road trip is the perfect way to reconnect with a friend or family member. We’ll have 30 hours of driving time to get caught up. Not to mention the stops and meals we’ll have along the way.

Day 1

We’re leaving Athens, Georgia early with the plan of stopping in St. Louis, Missouri. My brother has never seen the Gateway Arch. It’s definitely worth seeing if you haven’t yet. Originally, we were going to stop in Nashville but there’s a country music festival going on and hotels were more than double. I’ve never stayed in St. Louis, so if you have any recommendations, please share them with me.

Day 2

This will be a shorter day due to us taking a detour up Highway 61 and the Mississippi River to visit Nauvoo, Illinois. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Nauvoo is a hallowed place. The city was purchased by Joseph Smith in 1840 and its peak population was around 12,000 by 1844. Regardless of the city’s connection with Smith and the LDS Church, it’s an interesting place in the context of American history. Nauvoo was the start of the Mormon Pioneer Trail, which was part of the Westward Expansion Trails of the mid-to late-1800s. 

More than 500,000 people emigrated on these trails, which went on to shape the modern Western United States. Many of my ancestors traveled from England through Nauvoo and onto these trails during their journey to find a new home in Utah. My ties to Utah are inescapable regardless of where I live. I like to visit locations like Nauvoo to understand my ancestors better and to pay my respects to their sacrifices. 

Passing through Nauvoo, Illinois in 2019 while driving my cousin’s van cross country.

Day 3

We’ll cross the Mississippi River and cut across Iowa and much of Nebraska. I always find this section of the trip surreal. You’re essentially in the middle of the country with several hundreds of miles of prairie in either direction. I know many people find the corn country boring to drive through but I love it. Whenever nature makes me feel small, I know I’m somewhere great. Would I want to live in the Midwest, not right now, but maybe one day. We’re planning on making up time this day from our Nauvoo day trip. This is when the Lexus should be in its element: cruising through the open country at a good clip. 

Day 4

Depending on where we stop in Nebraska, we should have an eight-hour day of driving. Wyoming is a beautiful place because it’s so empty. The wind is usually blowing and the weather can be mixed. I’ll be prepared as best I can. I love when the mountains appear in the distance as you drive west. Seeing the landscape change is exciting because you know you’re almost done. Our final destination will be Logan, Utah. I always know I’m in my home state when I see the Wasatch and Bear River Mountain Ranges. This year should be especially beautiful due to the snow-capped mountains. 

Road Trip Connection

The best way to connect with a new car purchase is to take it on a road trip. I’ve done this with several of my cars and I’ve found that it helps me determine if I truly like a car or not. I bought a Volvo C30 in Philadelphia in January 2019. I flew to Philadelphia, picked up the car, and drove it back to Georgia. I had a blast on the trip because I visited states I’d never been to like Delaware and Virginia. I discovered what I liked about the car and didn’t within a day of driving. I ultimately sold that car because it didn’t fulfill my initial expectations.

I purchased my 911 the day after my youngest brother’s wedding in Utah in 2017. I had been looking for a black over black early 996 with a manual and found one in Salt Lake City. I contacted the buyer prior to my trip to set up a test drive. I drove the car, made an offer, and purchased the 911 knowing that I would have a 2,000-mile trip home. I changed the car’s oil, got my dad to join me, and headed east. We completed the drive in two days. That trip cemented my love for Porsche and the 911. I don’t think I would have the connection I have with my car had I purchased it locally and driven it sparingly. 

This trip will decide if I keep my LS 430 long-term. If the car annoys me and causes small frustrations then I don’t suspect it will stick around for long. But I believe the car’s design and engineering will shine on the transcontinental journey.

I’ll be taking photos of my trip and sharing them on this Substack. If you have any recommendations for places to stay and eat, please share them.

As always, thank you for your attention.