UDel

So far I have not had much luck finding a GS I want. Did not think black or dark grey and flaxen with heated/cooled seats/NAV would be so rare, only found 1 luxury package within 150 miles of me and had more miles than I wanted.

I posted this in the LS460 forum, I am also considering a LS460 because every one has all the upgrades the luxury package GS has, it has a V8, and a nicer interior in my opinion but I don't know about a full size sedan. For anyone with a 2nd Gen GS or 4th Gen GS who also has a LS460 or had experience with them does the LS460 drive, hand, and feel significantly larger/heavier then the GS, does the LS really make you feel like you are driving a large, somewhat ponderous car compared to a GS or is it not that big of a difference. I have always loved big lux sedans but don't know if I might be too young for owning a LS or if I really want a full sized car. I took a quick look at 2 LS's and when I got closer it seemed larger then I remembered, they look much smaller on the road, and it may not be something I want to own and drive every day, only had a brief drive in one years ago and was not really paying attention to if I could live with it as a daily driver. I am concerned if it really feels like a big, heavy, ponderous car compared to the GS or if the difference is not very much.

I know a test drive would answer some and I plan to when I have more time but I was looking more for experiences from owners of both vehicles who have had them for a while. I know the LS is not going to be sharp or nimble and a great handling driver but I want something that does not feel too big when driving and is secure on say a quick turn or accident avoidance maneuver which I am having to do more and more lately unfortunately. Compared to the GS does the LS460 feel much larger, is handling noticeably sloppier, or is it something you got used to pretty quick and not too much different?

AJLex19

The LS is going to feel a lot different mainly because of the suspension and its characteristics (steering, braking, handling in general compared to the GS). A Lux GS is probably going to "feel" closer to an LS but even that is big stretch. I've driven a few LS's and they feel so buttery smooth compared to a GS...but not nearly as fun to drive. I've never driven an F-Sport LS so that might be worth test driving to compare. Lots of discussion on this topic in the past:

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-...ny-advice.html
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...ls460-awd.html
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...016-gs350.html
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...ned-ls460.html

SW17LS

I had a Luxury package 4GS and went to an LS460. The feel is totally different. The GS feels smaller, more agile, lighter. The LS is solid, heavy and big. Never feels ponderous.

The LS rides much better, it's quieter, smoother. The GS is more agile, fun to drive while also riding well. The LS is at its best on the highway at 80MPH. The GS is at its best on a curvy mountain road. I prefer the LS but I can understand why somebody would prefer the GS.

Lukas99GS

The LS does feel like a big car, but it has that smooth effortless v8 feel to it, have you thought of a 3rd gen GS460 or 430? Has almost all the features as the 4th gen and have really come down in price now.

SW17LS

He doesn't like the 3GS.

UDel

Thank you for the replies. I will have to test drive the LS and see if it is for me, I am under 40, look more like I am in my late 20's or early 30's and no kids so the full sized flagship is still a little odd to me but I think I could get used to it. My 2nd Gen GS430 was not a great driver, parents Acura's are much better drivers/handlers but it was pretty decent after I put Prothane bushings in it with Ultra High Performance All Seasons, it is nimble enough to avoid accidents/people making really dumb moves while going slow or fast and recover just fine, same with fast turns.

I think the 4th Gen GS is a better looking car then the LS, it is sharper and looks good modded, LS looks decent to me in a dark grey or black with multi spoke wheels but still not as good looking as the 4th Gen GS. I don't care much for the new GS interior, LS interior appeals to me way more, wish the GS had the LS interior and its V8, that would be my perfect car, well actually my perfect car would be the GS with the 2nd Gen D3 Audi A8 interior or I just wish the Gen 2 D3 A8 was reliable but that is another story.

UDel

I just don't care for the 3rd Gen, wish I did because I could get a V8.

boosteddsm

I have a GS430 and a 2013 GS350 w/the Luxury Package. The GS350 is significantly faster, it really gets up and goes. Have you driven one? You'd be surprised. That said, the GS430 definitely has a nice, floaty ride that is different than the GS350.

That's odd, I've never heard of a GS350 w/o the cold weather package (includes heated seats) out in the wild, the one you looked at must've been bare bones, a rare find for sure.

JDR76

^^ Heated seats are part of the Premium Package, not the Cold Weather Package. My F Sport GS does not have the Cold Weather Package.

gadgeeets

Here's a F-Sport with cold weather package not sure where your from but it's close to me
https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/d...3003/overview/

i think ink you can get them to lower the price a little and it's certified

UDel

The last GS350 I test drove was pretty disappointing in the engine/acceleration department. I was surprised at how under powered it felt with mid to full acceleration compared to my GS430, it only felt like it had maybe 270hp, felt kind of sluggish. I had it in sport too, it was refreshing getting in my GS430 with its smoother engine and higher torque. After the test drive I stopped thinking about getting a 4th Gen GS and figured I would just keep my GS430 longer but unfortunately it was totaled so I am leaning more to the GS or LS.

The first used GS I took a look at around me did not have heated seats, very bare bones and disappointing especially when low end Acura's all around it had heated seats standard. Even looking around on the internet I see a few 4th Gen GS's without heated seats, you can clearly see there are no buttons for them. It does look like if you get heated seats with a 4th Gen GS they also blow air as I have not noticed any GS's without both the heat/cool buttons for each side unless the cool button is just a dead button on certain ones. That is the only thing I like about the 4th Gen GS over the LS460 is there are buttons for the seat heating and cooling which I like more and look better over those small ***** for the LS460 which don't look very nice and like they may be easy to break, I noticed pictures of one LS460 that had a broken heat/cool ****.

AJLex19

Sounds like you really want to like the 4GS but it doesn't really check-off all the checkboxes in your priority list for a new ride to replace your 430. Seems like you are looking for lots of standard luxury features, a higher output engine, and a different/better interior look/feel.

I see a lot of of younger guys driving LS's around my area (in their 30's and 40's) often with nice wheels and a slight drop so don't feel like its not an appropriate ride for you if the 4GS just doesn't fit the bill.

SW17LS

I'm in my mid 30s and I love my LS

boosteddsm

Indeed, mixed the 2 up, thanks for clearing it up.

spoogenet

Don't let age be a factor in what car you get...unless, of course, you were considering the classic old-person's Toyota -- the Avalon.

Keep in mind it's common that the Luxury package isn't listed online, I found looking at pictures more reliable to determine. Best give-away is the wood steering wheel.

The most practical advice I could give you is go out and test drive anything you're considering. I'd recommend queuing up a few dealerships in the same day and drive the various cars on the same roads in similar conditions. Sometimes the nearest to side-by-side you can do, the more difference you'll notice.