loaner es350 vs ls430
12-11-13, 06:06 PM
#1
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
loaner es350 vs ls430
just some thoughts i had a loaner es350 brand new while my ls 430 was getting service. My older ls is not perfect nearing 125k at continues to amaze me. over the years i am picky with the car that the suspension is not up to new car rigidity standards etc.. had the es for three days and they did a nice job with the car for 40 k hard to beat. and we all know you can't compare fwd against rwd but going back after i picked up my car some observations.
the v-6 is good in the es the smoothness and instant low end power of the 4.3 v 8 is unsurpassed
the old 5 speed tranny shifts smoother
the seating position in the ls is higher and much more comfortable than the es although the es has a more supportive seat for long hauls
gas mileage in the es avg around 28 for the three days with a lot of highway better than ls
the steering with my 17 inch rims is so much better than the es, the es feels disconnected from road where as my ls has an older hydraulic feel
kicked down both vehicles and the es really hauls but the v-8 is so damn good at keep pulling
radio of the standard es is very good and i am hard on the levinson system on the older cars there is a lot of room for improvement but i missed the vocals and the front bias of the speakers on the ls the es does have a better sound system though
brakes on the es were great, my car was getting rears done some past owner had not oem pads on there causing the rotors to warp.
all in all it amazes me i spent 11k on my car and its 25% more care than a 45,000 es, amazing validation of how these cars are so ahead of there time in design and implementation safe driving to all
the v-6 is good in the es the smoothness and instant low end power of the 4.3 v 8 is unsurpassed
the old 5 speed tranny shifts smoother
the seating position in the ls is higher and much more comfortable than the es although the es has a more supportive seat for long hauls
gas mileage in the es avg around 28 for the three days with a lot of highway better than ls
the steering with my 17 inch rims is so much better than the es, the es feels disconnected from road where as my ls has an older hydraulic feel
kicked down both vehicles and the es really hauls but the v-8 is so damn good at keep pulling
radio of the standard es is very good and i am hard on the levinson system on the older cars there is a lot of room for improvement but i missed the vocals and the front bias of the speakers on the ls the es does have a better sound system though
brakes on the es were great, my car was getting rears done some past owner had not oem pads on there causing the rotors to warp.
all in all it amazes me i spent 11k on my car and its 25% more care than a 45,000 es, amazing validation of how these cars are so ahead of there time in design and implementation safe driving to all
12-11-13, 07:54 PM
#3
I personally didn't like anything about the new 2013 es350 besides the looks and maybe the blindspot monitor. I don''t know if maybe it was just the loaner I got, but there was this vibration everytime I had to stop at a stopsign or light. It gave me a headache. The ride was so-so. It just makes me realize how well my ls430 treats me.
12-12-13, 04:51 AM
#4
I just shopped solid for 2 days as I sold my Touareg so wife could go back to school, total bummer as my first foray into German handling was impressive. The Acadia Traverse has a 3.6 I was told by the dealer is" Wards top 10 engines of all time". Not sure who the heck Ward is but he must be trained by Toyota as the V6 in the 010 Highlander I bought is seamless and better than GM's 3.6.
Jab you have the 3.5 in your Highlander? The 3.5 they can use in almost every car in the toyota lineup Rav4 and up but it is still a 6 not a 4.3. I had little torque steer in the ES loaner I drove.
Would you take the 3.5 in an LS, if it was the only change, if it got impressed fuel numbers? I might just drive it hard. What is the weight difference between the 2?
Jab you have the 3.5 in your Highlander? The 3.5 they can use in almost every car in the toyota lineup Rav4 and up but it is still a 6 not a 4.3. I had little torque steer in the ES loaner I drove.
Would you take the 3.5 in an LS, if it was the only change, if it got impressed fuel numbers? I might just drive it hard. What is the weight difference between the 2?
12-12-13, 02:18 PM
#5
Lexus Champion
I've had the new ES350 as a loaner. While it's a good car, I wouldn't trade my 04 UL with 96,000 miles for it as a direct swap if I had to keep the ES350 to drive and couldn't sell it!
12-13-13, 04:46 AM
#6
I would be checking out an A6 or 5 series BMW before I bought an ES. They are RWD or AWD and may make me think twice about trading the LS...may? I like the room in the LS.
12-13-13, 05:21 AM
#7
Moderator
Agree A6 and BMW 5 are very cool cars, although I have concerns about BMW ergonomics specifically with their user hostile idrive Nav and infotainment system. I also looked at GS350 a very cool car in many ways but had to reject based on its Nav and screen based control system - the "mouse" used to interface with that system on the GS is laughably bad.
I have had my LS430 for 4 years so if there was a better newer model used car than an 06 LS that was also very reliable I'd buy it right now.
I have had my LS430 for 4 years so if there was a better newer model used car than an 06 LS that was also very reliable I'd buy it right now.
Last edited by Jabberwock; 12-13-13 at 05:27 AM.
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12-13-13, 08:41 AM
#8
Racer
I have had mine for 3 years ... and if there was a better newer model used car than an 05 LS that was also very reliable I'd buy it too. There isn't as far as I can tell.
12-13-13, 11:27 AM
#9
Moderator
Although given my age, and possibility that I may retire fairly soon, I think my next car is likely to be a small gas sipping hybrid....really all we will need going forward.
12-17-13, 07:24 PM
#11
Pole Position
i agree with everything you said, plus the steering wheel of all new Lexus minus isf is really light, i personally don't like it.
i have not driven a smoother shifting car/engine wise yet. yes i drove the ls460s too.
i have not driven a smoother shifting car/engine wise yet. yes i drove the ls460s too.
just some thoughts i had a loaner es350 brand new while my ls 430 was getting service. My older ls is not perfect nearing 125k at continues to amaze me. over the years i am picky with the car that the suspension is not up to new car rigidity standards etc.. had the es for three days and they did a nice job with the car for 40 k hard to beat. and we all know you can't compare fwd against rwd but going back after i picked up my car some observations.
the v-6 is good in the es the smoothness and instant low end power of the 4.3 v 8 is unsurpassed
the old 5 speed tranny shifts smoother
the seating position in the ls is higher and much more comfortable than the es although the es has a more supportive seat for long hauls
gas mileage in the es avg around 28 for the three days with a lot of highway better than ls
the steering with my 17 inch rims is so much better than the es, the es feels disconnected from road where as my ls has an older hydraulic feel
kicked down both vehicles and the es really hauls but the v-8 is so damn good at keep pulling
radio of the standard es is very good and i am hard on the levinson system on the older cars there is a lot of room for improvement but i missed the vocals and the front bias of the speakers on the ls the es does have a better sound system though
brakes on the es were great, my car was getting rears done some past owner had not oem pads on there causing the rotors to warp.
all in all it amazes me i spent 11k on my car and its 25% more care than a 45,000 es, amazing validation of how these cars are so ahead of there time in design and implementation safe driving to all
the v-6 is good in the es the smoothness and instant low end power of the 4.3 v 8 is unsurpassed
the old 5 speed tranny shifts smoother
the seating position in the ls is higher and much more comfortable than the es although the es has a more supportive seat for long hauls
gas mileage in the es avg around 28 for the three days with a lot of highway better than ls
the steering with my 17 inch rims is so much better than the es, the es feels disconnected from road where as my ls has an older hydraulic feel
kicked down both vehicles and the es really hauls but the v-8 is so damn good at keep pulling
radio of the standard es is very good and i am hard on the levinson system on the older cars there is a lot of room for improvement but i missed the vocals and the front bias of the speakers on the ls the es does have a better sound system though
brakes on the es were great, my car was getting rears done some past owner had not oem pads on there causing the rotors to warp.
all in all it amazes me i spent 11k on my car and its 25% more care than a 45,000 es, amazing validation of how these cars are so ahead of there time in design and implementation safe driving to all
12-22-13, 04:10 PM
#13
Pole Position
I personally didn't like anything about the new 2013 es350 besides the looks and maybe the blindspot monitor. I don''t know if maybe it was just the loaner I got, but there was this vibration everytime I had to stop at a stopsign or light. It gave me a headache. The ride was so-so. It just makes me realize how well my ls430 treats me.
12-22-13, 04:14 PM
#14
12-22-13, 04:31 PM
#15
Pole Position