AJLex19

Here's the only lux package i've seen avertised in the area: https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/d...3050/overview/

DeepBlue99

Thats actually a pretty decent one. Is there an easy way to spot a Lux without digging into the ad too deep? I've been looking for a pic showing steering wheel.

AJLex19

Easiest way is to look at the wheels...

There were some 2015's that had 19" wheels that F-sport wheels but without the dark graphite finish - but i've never seen one here in the NY area...The '13-'15 AWD Luxury Pkg cars i've seen have this 18" wheel design with all 13's with the brighter, silver finish and some '14 and '15 models with a slightly darker finish:

2013-2015 Lux Wheels:



The 2016/2017 Lux Pkg GS's have this wheel design:

charley95

So far on my 18 F Sport RWD with 5k on the clock I've had no issues with the front brakes. The first thing I did when I got it new was to change the front brakes to ceramic pads. Brake dust problem solved. Of course it's not to say I could have issues in the future with them.

chinee

TarmacSL3

I swapped mine out on my 2017 Fsport rwd at around 9k with Akebonos and to me the braking performance is the same but without all the dust. With the old pads my wheels were filthy in less than a week with the new pads I went 3 weeks before I washed the car and barely any dust. Many have done this with either aftermarket pads or just swap with the Lexus OEM pads for a non-Fsport.

AJLex19

Agreed with this sentiment - i ran Akebono brakes on my '01 GS430 for years (it had chrome wheels and i wanted less dust) and i'm currently running Akebono brakes on my '13 GS for the last couple of years - bite just the same as OEM from my experience and often with less dust.

bclexus

Some years ago a neighbor had aftermarket brake pads put on his BMW M3 to reduce the brake dust. He was 'into' having some racing mods on his street-driven M3. The fact is the new aftermarket brake pads he had installed didn't have the cold bite that his BMW OEM dusty pads had. The new pads were advertised to be 'low dust' and high-performance, but in reality they were more for track use and not a good choice for normal use on the streets. The new pads required the brakes to be heated-up before they had good stopping performance - something you just don't do with a street vehicle.

Long story short, he left his house one day on a cool fall morning and drove about ½ mile on a city street at 40 mph. He came to an stoplight intersection where the car ahead of him stopped rather abruptly when the light turned yellow. He was not following too closely, but when he applied his brakes his car did not stop in time because his [aftermarket] brakes were cold and didn't have the cold bite that vehicles with factory brakes universally have. His car rear-ended the car in front of him at relatively slow speed and the car he hit was pushed across the intersection where it was T-boned by a Ford F-350 pulling a heavily loaded trailer. One dead, one critically injured, and a seriously injured toddler.

Tail of the tape - the driver of the BMW, who caused the deadly accident, complained that his brakes did not stop his car quick enough. He blamed the brakes for the accident. He was asked if he had any brake work done recently... The brake pads he chose were chosen by him because they produced less brake dust yet was advertised to have equal or better stopping performance...but ONLY after the brakes were heated-up to optimum temperature, which is typical of many high-end aftermarket brake pads.

Bottom line - that man will never get over the fact that he caused the death of an 30-something year-old woman (cardiologist); the mother of a toddler child and the wife of a loving husband (anesthesiologist). The BMW owner was sued for many times the man's vehicle insurance coverage. I never heard what the final settlement totaled, but it entailed both medical as well a wrongful death personal injury lawsuit. The wrongful death personal injury lawsuit brought against the BMW owner was rumored to be for many millions of dollars that far exceeded the man's vehicle insurance coverage, as well as exceeding his net worth. Within 18 months the BMW owner (orthodontist, husband and father of two) filed for bankruptcy. I'd say this man made a very bad decision on which brake pads to install to reduce brake dust...
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er34

Sad story, but not sure what you are trying to get at. The Akebonos are not marketed as "track" pads and have equal or better bite compared to OEM in all situations, and after having them for close to 2 years now, I can say the dust reduction is very significant.

bclexus

It's my understanding the brake pads on the man's BMW M3 were aftermarket ceramic composition and not specifically for 'track' or 'track use only'.

I highly doubt that low-dust ceramic composition aftermarket brake pads will have "equal or better" bite compared to the OE brake pads "in all situations" as you stated, and you obviously believe. Aftermarket ceramic brake pads will NOT have as good cold bite compared to the originally equipped and recommend OE brake pads.

Have you ever wondered why Lexus (and other car makers like BMW) don't originally install ceramic low-dust brake pads on certain vehicles (like the Lexus GS 350 F-Sport) instead using the brake pads they do? If you find out why please let us know!

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Organic brake pads


Organic brake pads (also known as NAO, or “non-asbestos organic”) were developed as an alternative to asbestos pads, composed of various fibers mixed with binding resins to hold them together. Some common materials used in organic brake pads include glass, fiber, rubber, carbon and Kevlar. The materials and tools used to manufacture organic brake pads are still the least expensive today, which is why the majority (roughly 70%) of new cars sold in the US still come with them from the factory.

Pros:

• Soft, quiet, easy on brake rotors
• Don’t require much heat to generate good friction
• Produce less dust than metallic pads
• Low manufacturing cost
• Suitable for normal driving/commuting across many environments
• Perfect for every day vehicles and drivers

Cons:

• Only operate well within a relatively limited temperature range
• Wear out quickly compared to other types of brake pads
• High compressibility – can cause “mushy” brake pedal-feel
• Will quickly lose their coefficient of friction when overheated
• Not at all suitable for performance driving

Semi-metallic brake pads


As the name implies, semi-metallic pads contain anywhere from 30-65% metal by weight, typically consisting of steel, iron, copper, etc., combined with friction modifiers and fillers, as well as a graphite lubricant. Semi-metallic brake pads are arguably the most versatile style available, with the slight compromise being more noise and dust. They’re also longer-lasting and more durable, and their metallic composition can help draw heat away from the rotor and aid in more efficient brake-cooling.

Pros:

• Dramatically increased braking performance over organic pads
• Have a much higher thermal threshold due to metallic content
• Still provide good cold bite
• Have a much wider operating range (temperature)
• Low compressibility — will provide a firmer brake pedal feel
• Much more resistant to brake fade than organic pads
• Numerous compounds available — suitable for anything, from daily street-driving to extreme track use

Cons:

• Tend to be noisier than organic or ceramic pads
• Produce more brake dust
• More abrasive than other types of pads — will wear brake rotors more quickly
• More expensive than organic pads (but generally cheaper than ceramic)
• Require careful and proper bedding-in for best performance

Ceramic brake pads


The comparative new kid on the block is the ceramic brake pad. Ceramic pads are composed of a dense ceramic material (like pottery fired in a kiln) with embedded copper fibers. In use since the 1980s, ceramic pads were developed as an alternative replacement for organic and semi-metallic brake pads. At the time, these types produced too much noise and dust. Ceramic pads are also generally easier on rotors than semi-metallic pads.

Pros:

• Quieter than semi-metallic pads, they emit noises that are above the range of human hearing
• Produce finer, lighter-colored brake dust which does not stick to wheels
• Longer lifespan than organic or semi-metallic
• Stable under a wide range of temperatures for consistent performance

Cons:

• Typically, the most expensive type of brake pad
• Do not produce as much cold bite as semi-metallic pads — may not be ideal in extremely cold climates
• Do not absorb heat as well as semi-metallic pads, which can increase brake system temperatures
• Good all-around braking characteristics, but were never designed as heavy-duty or racing brake pads

UDel

That is a great price for that mileage and a nice GS Lux, someone should jump on that.

AJLex19

The carfax shows it had some non-accident damage but i'm sure it wasn't anything much since they were able to certify it...helluva price for what you're getting. If i were in the market, i'd offer $21,400 and ask for an additional 2 year platinum warranty extension to be all in for around $25k.

When we bought our 2GS, the original seller admitted to slipping on ice and having the entire rear quarter panel redone after he hit a pole - that car was perfect even without a certification so sometimes the risk is minimal especially in this case with the certification warranty.

jonathancl

How do you have this? Canada?

Edit: He has a 2013. It was not an option in the US in 2013.

JDR76

Power trunk has been available on the GS since I think 2014 MY.

UDel

It is available in the US, I have it on my 2014