v8lvr

Was looking at the LS460 for my dad, and decided not to read the marketing hype from Lexus, but rather, from car magazine reviews. My friend, who work for Lexus of Westminster, warns me that the based model would be very ...so-and-so. Just as not everyone buy their LS430 w/ every options checked, I see no point on looking at the fully optioned LS460, w/ that nice ottoman, as a typical new LS.

I know that the new Lexus LS wants to compete with the A8, S550, and 745. However, unless you plan to check the entire option list, I think the based model would make the LS a joke if any magazine would want to compare it against the big german 3.

At the starting price of mid 60s, I think it's silly that Lexus considers navigation as option, and instead, put a cheap center console with monochrome text on A/C and Stereo just as the Camry. Even the Mercedes E, BMW 5, and Infinity M now have a center monitor (color LCD !!). I know some people like Big Jim buy his LS w/o navigation, but at certain price point, shouldn't these thing be standard ?

And steel spring suspension ? Even my 3 years old LX has air suspension. So at the base level, the suspension is no different than any typical sedan out there. Last I checked, even the base model of S class, 745, and A8 have all of these as standard options.

I let the picture of the based model interio speak for itself. Lot of button and look down right cheap with those A/C and stereo display. And the unless you plan to get the L version, the standard wheel base version is not as roomy as the current LS430, so forget comparing it against the German 3 in term of room. For the handling, if you go for the "standard" steel spring suspension, no need to guess on how it'll handle.

As for the list of option of: self-parking, backup camera, laminated side glass (even the new sartun has it as standard !!), bluetooth (huh?), sat radio, navigation w/ touch screen & voice (for 66K based price car ??), ottoman & massage seat, active air-suspension (imagine a 2 tons luxury car without this as standard ??), smart cruise control, zone individual A/C from them sensor, active headlight (don't they put this in every car now ?), ...blabla..., some are worth to be considered as option, other is just another way for Toyota to rip us off. And unless you plan to check on all of these, the new LS would be a very typical sedan, no new benchmark created.

encore888

I think that it depends on that allocations, perhaps most of all LS' sold will have navigation. But I agree with you, there should at least be the display--the ES doesn't have it, the IS doesn't have it (without NAVI), but the GS comes with a display standard, NAVI or not...the LS should have it also. I agree the 'placeholder' stuff is rather strange.

I'm not sure about the air suspension--others on this board really like the fact that the air suspension is not standard.

Agreed on not as roomy. Not sure on the handling yet, supposedly it's better this time.

I think that self-parking, laminated side glass, sat radio, ottoman, massage seat, air suspension, dynamic radar cruise, zone AC could be options.

However the bluetooth should be standard, active headlight, and maybe some of the safety features should be standard.

LexFather

With 2 posts here, your comments are duly noted. You sound like those guys in 1989 that thought the LS was a joke.

Who's laughing now?

What credentials do you have to call the look and feel of something "cheap"?

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

I like the interior. Big improvement over the rather bland LS430. Though I have to agree, the center console does look outdated for a higher end car. The interior lines are what lexus has been missing the whole time. It's about time they got a bit more into style. I'm glad the interior came out to be an improvement.

Rexus300

iTrader: (1)

He has a point. I have to regret big time the base LS is terribly boring.. The interior is too 1990s with too many buttons and simple looking gauges. The lexus GS has a much better standard interior with the center screen then the LS. The wheels also makes the LS look too much like the overgrown Avalon or Camry. But the optional wheels on the LS makes the car look much better. So I think it is all what ppl prefer. I am going to hold final judgement until I see the fully loaded LS460 L. I saw on at the auto show, and it was a beaut.

GRAND_LS 4

iTrader: (2)

Let me comment on a few things here. First off, you comment about why the LS doesn’t have navi standard, and I used to wonder like you, till I realized there are MANY, MANY people who don’t want to deal with touch screens to operate their cars.

It’s very smart from Lexus to offer those people a chance to drive a nice car, without having to learn everything (and might even give up on it). Remember, most of the people buying these cars are not exactly technology savvy, or care to be one. I don’t know about you, but my grandmother doesn’t know how to program a destination, nor she cares to learn how. If I bought her a brand new UL LS600Lh Right now, she wouldn’t use 90% percent of the features. My father wouldn’t use 50%. Why force them to go through screens to do simple commands? I think Lexus learned from BMW's mistake.

If you notice, Lexus isnt short of money, or cheap. On the GS, (younger crowd) screen is standard. (i think on the IS too).

IF you notice, there are many S-class’, and CLS’ that come without even HID’s, or navigation. Standard price isnt cheap either. I don’t think you are really looking around.

At least the LS comes standard with a 380HP V8 engine.

GSsnarl

My friend, who work for Lexus of Westminster, warns me that the based model would be very ...so-and-so. Just as not everyone buy their LS430 w/ every options checked,

Are you sure he works for Lexus? At least he “warned” you. I personally would never consider buying a base model LS or base model anything. I like to have almost everything, the more toys the better.

I see no point on looking at the fully optioned LS460, w/ that nice ottoman, as a typical new LS.

??? Just because some people don’t buy a fully loaded LS, you decided you won’t either? If I may give you a word of advice, if you have the money and want to get exited about the LS, buy it loaded, trust me you won’t regret it.

I know that the new Lexus LS wants to compete with the A8, S550, and 745. However, unless you plan to check the entire option list, I think the based model would make the LS a joke if any magazine would want to compare it against the big german 3.

You make it sound like it doesn’t compete with the Germans. I got a little secret for you, the LS has always been a car that shook the car industry. Even Mercedes acknowledges that the LS is a serious competitor. The LS, a joke? That’s the funniest thing I’ve ever heard. Ever! How about you compare the LS, S, 7 and A8 based on specific amount of money rather than “this is a base LS and that’s a base S-class”. So let’s say, you got $80k to spend on a car; what does 80k get you in an LS460l and what does 80k get you in an S-class? A LOT MORE in the Lexus!

You talk about Toyota ripping us off? A fully loaded LS will probably cost 86K, a base MB S550 start at around 84K with way less features. Who’s ripping who off? Did you know that the previous generation S-class offer CD player as an option? Does this make the S-class a joke and ridiculous?

At the starting price of mid 60s, I think it's silly that Lexus considers navigation as option,

Although I would definitely get the Nav option when I buy the LS, not everyone wants one; some people prefer “straight to the point” process when it comes to A/C and audio controls.


So at the base level, the suspension is no different than any typical sedan out there.

So you really think an altima/accord or camry rides like the LS?

Last I checked, even the base model of S class, 745, and A8 have all of these as standard options.

Again, compare them by price. You can get air suspension on the LS, since 89.


And the unless you plan to get the L version, the standard wheel base version is not as roomy as the current LS430, so forget comparing it against the German 3 in term of room.

You cant compare the short wheel base LS460 with an S-class long wheel base. The short wheelbase LS compares with the short wheel base S-class and vise versa.

As for the list of option of: self-parking, backup camera, laminated side glass (even the new sartun has it as standard !!), bluetooth (huh?), sat radio, navigation w/ touch screen & voice (for 66K based price car ??), ottoman & massage seat, active air-suspension (imagine a 2 tons luxury car without this as standard ??), smart cruise control, zone individual A/C from them sensor, active headlight (don't they put this in every car now ?), ...blabla..., some are worth to be considered as option, other is just another way for Toyota to rip us off. And unless you plan to check on all of these, the new LS would be a very typical sedan, no new benchmark created.

You seem like a very typical Lexus hater. This is your first post, with nothing positive to say about what’s considered to be one of the industries finest.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

Guys, he's just voicing his point of view on the car and what he experienced. Dont take it the wrong way, and besides, we need different opinions. What good would it be, other than to satisfy our own egos, if everyone loved the LS? There would be no end to boring discussions and we'd say the same thing in every thread.

Just because one person may not see it the same way as another, doesn't make him a lexus hater. He has his preferences of cars and the LS may not live up to his expectation, but we shouldn't backfire him because he doesn't love it as much as the next LS fan. The LS doesn't really move me as much as the IS350, so does that make me a lexus hater?

GSsnarl

He didn’t say he experienced it; he just looked at car mags and got an opinion from his friend that works at Lexus. So what is his opinion based on? I’m not trying to bash him for having a different opinion; neither am I trying to force him to bow down to the LS, but by reading his post you would think the 460 is a joke.
I would understand his statement if we were in 89 as 1sicklex said, but today? Please! He makes the LS sound like it’s such an insignificant car. Numbers on papers are not everything, go experience the car first hand loaded, I truly believe you'll appreciate it.

By the way being a Lexus hater doesn’t make you a bad person (actually it kinda does, lol just kidding). I like lexus haters because it’s what keeps me going, it’s what pumps the blood in me, it’s what makes me more confident, it’s what makes a Lexus lover, in fact I’m the middle east’s biggest Lexus fan. People know me, when they hear my name, they think “ Here comes Mr Lexus ”

exBMWowner

I know this forum is read by Lexus corporate, and I'm assuming there are at least a few marketing people reading our posts. Keep in mind that Lexus has not announced their final prices yet. If everyone in this conference keeps gushing about how great the new LS is, it will motivate them to raise the price higher and higher.

We need more people like v8lvr to keep the marketing folks from getting so confident that they continue to inch their pricing closer and closer to MB and BMW pricing. This poster should give Lexus a good dose of reality in this conference, which is otherwise only read by mainly adoring Lexus fans who gush about it so much you would think they would pay almost any price for one of these toys.

FrankyJ

everything is optional because the car is ONLY 60 thousand... for a car that is on the same level,or better then the German 3, as u put it. Once you fully load it it would easily be better and on the same level as a stock S550, A8, or 750

Stevekil

The Lexus corporate people are very well sorted out. Japanese are typically very humble people and quite self-effacing. So if anything, they are always concerned and paranoid about being too confident.

You have also assumed that what v8lvr is saying is a "good dose of reality".
I am not sure if its either good or even real.

he first criticizes the base LS 460 and then goes on to say, most irrationally, that he is not even going to consider a fully optioned LS.

He has also carefully chosen the most poorly taken images for added effects and then relentlessly started attacking Lexus.

As I said before, the europeans have a lot of hired merceneries floating on the internet masquerading as

1. Sons of wealthy individuals who are looking to buy a new car and quite disappointed by Lexus after checking it out.

2. Wealthy buyers themselves, who are on their 4 or 5th Benz and have half a dozen other cars in their multi-diamond encrusted garage and just happen to be on a clublexus thread to attack Lexus.

3. Rational, pious, god-fearing value Lexus owners who were quite impressed with LS 400 but quite disappointed with LS 460 after "giving a careful look", either alone or with their hypothetical husbands/wives.

4. Intimate friends with some high profile dealer (after smoking from their crack-pipes of course) who warned them not to lust after that terrible car called the new LS 460.

5. Rational, highly intelligent folks who score 150 on the IQ tests, but nevertheless, immediately declare Lexus specifications to be "ALL MARKETING HYPE" but hold car mags to be "FULL OF HONESTY, INTEGRITY, PERFECTLY RATIONAL, HOLY, PIOUS, GOD FEARING, PRINCIPLED, UN-BIASED".

According to them, Lexus is forever bad and evil and lowly, MUST ALWAYS OFFER MASSIVE VALUE because being japanese class leading innovation-technology-luxury-a healthy concern for environement is not enough, must never even dream of competing with "divine europeans", and must always take a good dose of attack from mags.

Their IP address should be traced and their paycheck might lead you to BMW or Benz head quarters some where in NY or NJ or their sympathies to KKK or Aryan Nations.

Badman Forever

the only way the words 'cheap' and 'lexus' can end up in the same sentence is if that person is a dumbass.

v8lvr

I don't get it, some of you are so hype up (and full of it ??) about Lexus, you can't even accept anything less than perfect about it.

3 years ago, when I was looking for an SUV, I looked at the LX470, the ML500, the Inifity QX, the X5 4.4, and Ranger Rover. After reading lot magazine reviews (save me time), and test drive them, I decided to purchase the LX, since I think it's the best car for the money. Some other car cost more, some less, but on value based, the LX hit my target.

Now, as I'm looking for a sedan for my dad, by reading review and talking to my friend (who recommend me to the LX), I am not yet impressed with the new LS. Of course I would test drive it. But my initial impression about Lexus putting some of features as option, and reading about its torque curve and space, I'm not yet impressed, what's wrong with it ?

Just because Lexus LS400 shook the car industry 18 years ago doesn't mean every new model will be another industry shaker, if anything, they help to make the whole segment better, due to competition. How do you explain the failure of the GS and SC ?

flipside909

You may not be impressed with the new LS, but is your dad really that unimpressed as you are?

Perhaps your father should drive and see the car in person to make a fair assessment of the car? Reading reviews and seeing photos on the internet is not a good way to judge how a car really is in real life. Afterall, the car is for your father to own and drive, not yours.

www.tasteoflexus.com