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The LX570 may seem like a barge but it is only 199 inches long. 205 inches isn't that all that long although the LS460L I test drove in 2011 seemed seemed huge and bigger than it was. Some SUV's are much larger. The Chevy Suburban and Yukon XL are 225 inches long and friends and relatives that have them don't seem to have difficulty driving them and finding parking places.
If you want massive rear legroom, go back to the Sienna which which is slightly longer and wider than the LX570. When our Sienna Limited is in what I call "four passenger mode", both rear (adult) passengers can use the ottoman leg rests when the front seats are occupied. The only sedans I've seen that can do that are the Maybach 62 and Mercedes S-class Pullman. Here's a slightly altered photo showing my wife the first time she saw the Sienna when when I picked her up at the airport - I gave her a glass of her favorite Pinot Grigio wine and put one of favorite movies on the overhead video screen.
I considered buying "just one more LS" in early 2014 before I decided on the Sienna but only if I could get one in white with PCS and DRCC. I don't know how hard the Lexus dealer person really tried but he told me that he was unable to find a white SWB LS460 with PCS/DRCC although I think he found one in black. It took exactly four weeks to get a white Sienna with PCS and DRCC custom built to my specifications. After decades of driving Mercedes and Lexus sedans, it's unexpectedly refreshing to drive a high feature "stealth limo" that almost nobody pays attention to ... until they get inside it.
Thanks, Kansas, good points. Although the LX 570 is comparable in length, it's the width and girth that I don't really want to deal with anymore. I still miss some of the utility and features of our 2007 Sienna (the interior space and cargo room) but I could not deal with the noisiness of the cabin and I didn't find the 2011+ to be much better during frequent shuttle rides from/to the dealership. I think the Ottoman seats in the back of the Sienna are awesome though. As upscale as the upper Sienna trims try to be, I want more opulence and better leather (which may be risky having a 5-year-old). It would just be hard going back to driving a Sienna. The Sienna is a great vehicle, I just didn't enjoy driving it. It served our family well while we had it and it was the right car for us at the right time.
Insofar as minivans, the new Chrysler Pacifica is the nicest riding, quietest one. Driven all of them too lol
The issue with the LX is not length, it's just a huge heavy vehicle and feels heavy. Something like a Range Rover feels smaller than it is, the LX feels bigger than it is.
The best thing about the LX is the resale value is going to be off the charts. Especially if purchasing preowned, it is the type of vehicle that will hold its value.
While this time around, I really do prefer the Land Cruiser over the LX, it is simply one of those vehicles that you can reasonably expect to get 300,000 miles out of.
Unlike the RR, the LX retains a live rear axle so as to give at least the wherewithal to go off-road in some pretty crazy places. It is also perhaps the best vehicle on the market for driving in driving in serious amounts of snow owing to its ground clearance and AWD system.
Granted, most who spend what even an LX costs rarely will go off tarmac. While I do appreciate that thanks to all of the RR's trick electronics, it can hold its own, but the 200 Series is what you see being used in some of the most inhospitable terrain in the world and folks like the UN and so forth use the less gussied up version to this day.
There is no denying that it is an actual SUV with traditional body on frame construction. That said, it could not possibly be more different than an LS obviously. That said, I really do miss my LX470, but still happy with my decision and not getting 10 MPG is great.
Even my dad's '74 Valiant 4 door was larger than my LS. No power steering, no power brakes, lol. Now THOSE cars were hard to park and manoeuver!
Close, but not quite. The Valiant was 195" long.
Still, pretty large for a mid-size car.
I know what you mean about no power steering...I've owned five cars with no power steering or brakes. Liked the brake feel, but the steering, when parking, could be unpleasant. Large steering wheels help, but to this day, I don't turn the steering wheel while stationary, out of habit. I mean, you could without PS, but it was a drag.
I know what you mean about no power steering...I've owned five cars with no power steering or brakes. Liked the brake feel, but the steering, when parking, could be unpleasant. Large steering wheels help, but to this day, I don't turn the steering wheel while stationary, out of habit. I mean, you could without PS, but it was a drag.
Close but not quite , the Valiant FOUR door was 203.2 inches - this according to WIKI and Valiant.org. Yes....there's actually a valiant.org lol
Now the old Q7 is a different matter, the all new for 2017 Q7 is what I'm talking about, which had a lot of improvements over the previous Q7. I wasn't nearly as impressed with the old Q7 as I am the new Q7:
Spec'ed out exactly like I would want a Q7 Prestige new is $76k...which I expect to be ~ $20k less than an equally equipped LS500.
Can anyone share their experience with a Porsche Cayenne? That may be one of the few SUVs I would consider. Used 2011 or 2012 base are only $28k-35k. For the price of a used 2014 LS we could entertain a 2011 or 2012 Cayenne Turbo.
I just don't know where to take it to locally for maintenance and I don't have any clue how much it costs to maintain a Porsche. The Porsche forums are not as helpful as CL. I can't even find interior dimensions to compare against other vehicles.
The Porsche Cayenne is extremely high maintenance like any Porsche. If you're considering purchasing one you could call a Porsche dealer service department or a independent shop that services Porsche and they could guide you. I had a neighbor who owned a Porsche and he said an oil changed cost almost $500 but he was surgeon.
The Porsche Cayenne is extremely high maintenance like any Porsche. If you're considering purchasing one you could call a Porsche dealer service department or a independent shop that services Porsche and they could guide you. I had a neighbor who owned a Porsche and he said an oil changed cost almost $500 but he was surgeon.
Originally Posted by greg3852
Two front air shocks on a Panamera were over $7k. Guy at work has one and was shocked at the cost.
Yikes! Thanks for the warnings, dlbuckls and greg! I dug around a little more last night and found a reference to $200 oil changes but even that is almost $1,000 annually at the rate I drive. Geez, and I thought the LS air shock replacement was bad. I guess the Cayenne is relatively cheap to buy, but expensive to own.
You can get quality oil filters for the Cayenne at about ten bucks apiece (Mahl or Mann). Use Mobil 1 0W40 Euro at Walmart, and your well under 75 bucks for an oil change.....or about the same price as an LS460 oil service.
You can get quality oil filters for the Cayenne at about ten bucks apiece (Mahl or Mann). Use Mobil 1 0W40 Euro at Walmart, and your well under 75 bucks for an oil change.....or about the same price as an LS460 oil service.
Thank you, roadfrog. I am accustomed to DIY maintenance on Hondas and Toyotas but admit I am intimidated by caring for a Porsche. Hope I don't need any special tools or training just to do a simple oil change. Took dlbuck's advice and reached out to a local, reputable, Porsche/MB shop for some service quotes. A coworker also owns a Cayenne and I'm trying to reach her husband to learn more about how their ownership experience has been and where they take the Cayenne for service and costs they've had to deal with in the first year.
EDIT: Coworker's husband will call me back later. Their 2016 was bought new and now has 10K miles. Dealership oil change was $400.
Chris brought up a good point here regarding what the cost of an oil change really "could" be...
Learning about the idiosyncrasies of this car and its upkeep cost may prove to be quite costly if using the dealership for all services.
But as many of us know, regarding the LS, if you find a reputable indy, that should cut down on the dollar tally a good bit, but how much who knows...
The LS (older model) has been fairly easy to work on via DIY but I wonder how that would translate over to the German-made Cayenne.
Can you just pop out an old battery and replace it like a traditional car, or does it require some sort of programming like the BMW?
Can you just change the filter, drain and fill the oil or is there something else to it that can or cant be done in your garage?
Brakes, radiator/coolant, alternator, starter, etc.
I think your on the right track doing as much homework and question asking as possible.
That, for me was what helped me seal the deal and pull the trigger on an LS, as there are really only a handful of issues that plagued the older models, and if your handy, the issues aren't really a big deal.
Looking forward to hear about the feedback you receive.
Chris brought up a good point here regarding what the cost of an oil change really "could" be...
Learning about the idiosyncrasies of this car and its upkeep cost may prove to be quite costly if using the dealership for all services.
But as many of us know, regarding the LS, if you find a reputable indy, that should cut down on the dollar tally a good bit, but how much who knows...
The LS (older model) has been fairly easy to work on via DIY but I wonder how that would translate over to the German-made Cayenne.
Can you just pop out an old battery and replace it like a traditional car, or does it require some sort of programming like the BMW?
Can you just change the filter, drain and fill the oil or is there something else to it that can or cant be done in your garage?
Brakes, radiator/coolant, alternator, starter, etc.
I think your on the right track doing as much homework and question asking as possible.
That, for me was what helped me seal the deal and pull the trigger on an LS, as there are really only a handful of issues that plagued the older models, and if your handy, the issues aren't really a big deal.
Looking forward to hear about the feedback you receive.
Enough of reading Cayenne reviews. I had to go see it for myself. Just got back from test driving a 2013 Cayenne S (72K miles, $42K). The particular dealership specializes in ultra lux vehicles. Saw quite a few Land Rovers, Ferraris, Aston Martin, Porsches, and two NSXes (my dream car from high school!). Anyways, back to the Cayenne.
Surprisingly (to me at least), the Cayenne backseat is wider and roomier than our LS 430. Actually, the seat isn't as wide as the LS 430 but, because of how the doors are scallopped, the Cayenne affords more hip and shoulder space when sitting on either side of a Britax car seat placed in the middle. The Cayenne rode very stiff along the broken streets of downtown Sacramento. However, the ride greatly improved on the highway despite the 21-inch wheels. Of course I shouldn't expect a soft ride since that isn't what the Cayenne was designed for. Freeway on-ramps and clovers put an instant smile on my face as the Cayenne showed tenacious grip with nary any body roll or lean! This is a great SUV but I wouldn't consider it for a daily driver, more as a secondary weekend car (in which case I would probably just grab a Boxster S). The Cayenne V8 had great power once it got going. Strangely, even though they just had it inspected and tuned up at the same Porsche auto shop that I researched earlier, the engine felt lethargic and slow to respond on initial pedal tip-in. The brakes also seemed very grabby after the new pads and rotors. Overall, it was a fun SUV to drive but lacked smoothness. I am glad to have experienced the test drive as it reaffirms the LS is the right car for me. Everything I've test driven so far makes me want to go back to the LS. At least with the LS I already know who to take it to when maintenance is needed.
02-12-17, 01:45 PM
, the Valiant FOUR door was 203.2 inches - this according to WIKI and Valiant.org. 
Yes....there's actually a valiant.org lol
