What's up forum members.. My mom has a slight dilemna. She recently received from her significant other his Blk/blk 2004 LS430 with NAVI/ML (basically fully loaded) with 29K miles on it after his purchase of a 2008 LS460. She is contemplating trading it in and purchasing an 08 RX350. I have already told my mother to keep the LS, however she thinks it is too big of a car for her and thinks she would enjoy the RX350 more. Mind you I have told her about how Consumer Reports has named the LS430 one of the top sedans and I am sure the members here will agree the LS430 is a top luxury sedan so can anyone else share their opinions as to the pros and cons of both vehicles and whether she should keep the LS430 or purchase the RX350? Thanks...

 

This is definitely a personal preference issue. Do she like the luxury ride of the LS or the higher off the ground ride of the RX? My wife prefer the ride of the SUV as its higher up so she can see better. And shuttling kids around and hauling grocery is better in the SUV also. The 08 RX350 is indeed a nice car and if you needs to have all wheel drive capability all the better.

 

she should do what she wants to do...

 

If she drives the LS430 and still feels it is too big for her, let her trade it in. Oddly, the RX also is not exactly a small car, but it does feel smaller and easier to manuever in tight spots. My wife had a 04 RX330 which she really liked. After we sold it, I picked up a 99 LS400 for her. She never could get used to the LS and also thought, like your mother that it was too large for her to drive. We have had our LS400 for almost a year now, and while she can drive it, she still likes the smaller size of our BMW 3 series. She never complained when she had her RX330 though. So, if your mom's comfort level is not there for the LS430 no matter how good a car it is, let her get what she wants.

By the way, we are not selling our LS because of my wifes comfort level. I thought maybe the longer she drives it the better it will get and it does to a degree, but if you are not comfortable you are not comfortable. Nothing you can really do about it but get a car that you are comfortable driving.

 

I don't think its a smart move but if she don't like it or not feeling comfortable driving it then its up to her.

 

I would have tried to do everything I can to talk her out of trading the LS430, there's no comparison between the two imho.
Just make sure to get her test drive the RX extensively before deciding, but if she still thinks the RX is more suitable for her, there's really nothing you can do about it.

 

Well, as much as I love my '02 LS430, I'd have to say let your Mom choose what she is comfortable with. If I were to own a car I don't feel comfortable in, I wouldn't be happy. If it's too big for her, harder for her to manouver it around the parking lots, going in and out of traffic, backing it up... it's gonna get frustrating for her one day. After all, it is "her" driving the car daily, not you right?

If I were driving a Hummer H2, I'd probably think about trading it in for a Range Rover, H2 is too big for me.

But as I voted in the poll, if I have an '04 LS430, there's no way I would trade it in for a RX350. Sure, it is brand new, it looks good inside and out, the ride quality is un-SUV-like. But I got the 07 RX350 as a loaner car once, I liked a lot of things about that car, except the engine noise. I floored it a few times, and the engine noise decibel at high RPMs is terrible. It was very loud for a $50,000 Lexus, the exhaust note didn't even sound good, plus it did not feel as quick as it sounded.

That was the first time driving the 2nd gen. RX (I test drove a RX300 a long time ago). All these years I've been admiring the RX330 and RX350, but after that loaner car... bye. I still love the look of the car though. My wife will be joining me in New York in a couple months. She likes the RX, I might just have to trade the LS in for the RX.... [sigh]

 

Wonder what the reaction you would get if you posted this poll in the RX forum.. Of course we are gonna say the LS hands down.. Honestly I don't find that the LS drives that big and this is coming from someone who just got out of a G35 Coupe..

Like everyone said it is her choice and what she feels comfortable with so I guess the ball is in her court so to speak.. Let us know what she decides either way its a LEXUS so all is not lost!!

 

The LS 430 is the flagship, it is the best Lexus has to offer (at least until LS 460 ). The RX however is incredibly popular, particularly with women drivers (although the ratio is now about half/half IIRC, compared to when first launched), and has excellent features in its favor as well. If there is a need to carry larger stuff around, the RX has the power rear gate and cargo area, although the LS 430 has a pretty large trunk as well.