It is always kinda funny to hear LS owners complaining about another vehicle being boring to drive....

 

Not sure about being boring, but JEEZ I hate the driver seat in my LS! I know the thread exists for the uncomfortable seats in the LS, but man...with the RL seats I can drive 4 continuous hours with a big wallet in my back pocket without a pain in my a$$! The RL's armrest is at perfect height and LENGTH also!

I usually have to take my wallet OUT whenever driving the LS..even for a 20 minute ride!!! and have to adjust my lean every 10 minutes bc the armrest isn't long enough and isn't adjustable up or down!

Another RL seats & armrest......another LS430.

BTW..I love Burger King...so go ahead and FLAME BROIL ME.

-disclaimer
OBVIOUSLY the LS is a superior car...but the (2000-20004) RL that I am defending is not the EDSEL that a lot of you are making it out to be!

 

You must love BK, because if the seats in the LS are not comfortable, then you must have two giant whopper buns... ah ha. I think the seats lose it's comfort as the driver's rear gains in width. I've driven my LS to Orlando from NJ (over 1K each way) and I did it in 13 hours with kids in tow and no problemo.

No, the RL is a very competent vehicle, but only to be compared to the GS, not LS.

 

Whichever is the top of the line now, equivalent to the LS 430/460? I guess that is the RL?
Yes.
Reliability, safety, comfortable ride, and at least some toys to make trips more bearable. GPS is as necessary as gas now, but I have a portable one. Good mileage is essential, too.

 

THAT was funny!!!

Fyi---I'm 5'10" and weigh 187#.....and i love long walks on the beach, and i love b&w movies, and i love animals...and......lolololol!!!

 

Was that necessary? This is a LS forum where clearly owners like boring and in their OPINION they may find another vehicle even more boring.

You do realize the vast majority of these vehicles in this class and the one below it are driven rather leisurely. Car & Driver isn't the real world.

I'd much rather own a "boring" car than a one that is a complete failure for over 14 years thank you. I'll take the LS thank you. Its meant to be make the life of the owner "easier" and it does a tremendous job of it.

 

LS is in the class with the 7/A8/S etc
RL is technically in the class of the GS/5/E etc but while those other cars offer RWD & AWD and V-6/V-8/hybrid or SuperSedan, the RL comes with V-6/AWD only.

 

Don't get me wrong, AS I HAVE STATED MANY TIMES BEFORE, i am a big fan fo the LS430 due to its comfortable quiet luxury ride. I also like the Toyota Avalon, which REALLY tells you that i am an old person! Again, feel free to search for MY POSTS in the LS430 subforum...i am crazy about it!

Ya know, the Ford Explorer was #1 in sales for many years...and did we think for a minute that it was better than a 4runner? No. Sales figures are nice to have (esp. if you're the manufacturer), but they certainly don't tell the whole story. There have been many good cars in the automotive history that suck in sales. (My Mercedes G-wagen is one example!) Poor marketing is a good reason for many failures.

 

Since my previous response was deleted by your fellow moderator, i guess that i have to make this short.

When was i passionate about accords? I brought up the ES350 because you mentioned how the RL was a re-badged Accord and how it is such a poor value. (The "facts" that you stated are far from the truth, as pointed out by other members and myself.) With YOUR logic in hand, i think that Lexus has a few poor values in their lineup too! Please remember that the RL costed $15-20k LESS than the LS...so, you have to compare its value with other vehicles in its class.

The reason i mentioned the JBL system is because the JBL system in the Camry rivals that of the ML in the ES350. This is not the case with the RL vs. accord, where the BOSE in the RL is clearly superior to anything Honda can come up with. THAT IS MY POINT.

ML has its ups and downs...i am sure that you know that. ML in the RX, ES, and to a lesser extent your GS have been lackluster in audio performance. The ML in the LS430 was the first of its kind and may have been spectacular back in 2001. However, by current standards, it is not that great, even when you compare it to the lowly Toyota JBL counterparts. Reason why? Please see my previous complaint about poor imaging. And FOR ME, imaging and staging are very important, as important as clarity. (I don't care too much about bass.) Is the RL system that much better? Not really, but it is not a clear win for the LS in this regard.

Now, the ML in the LS460 (and Lx570) is truly spectacular!

 

I wanted an LS400 7 years ago, but bought an Acura Legend. I liked the Lexus more, it was bigger, smoother, quieter and more comforable, but I wanted a front wheel drive ( for winter driving ) that was more understated. Also the Legend was about $15,000 less than the LS400, and at that time, I didnt fell like spending it.

There is no doubt the LS400 and LS430 has always been a more upscale car than the RL. It better be, it a lot more expensive ! Yes the RL's AWD system is a technological advantage, but unless you are racing on a track - its hardly going to be an issue for most drivers.

I feel the RL beats the LS430 in one area only .... it is more fun to drive. You can hear and feel the engine, you can hear the wind. You can feel the bumps on the road. Not everyone wants total and complete isolation from the outside when driving.

They are both great cars, but their styling and driving manners will appeal to diffferent buyers.

 

That is your definition of fun? I would imagine it would be pretty hard to drift in an RL, not that it's easy in an LS, but because of it's RWD format, makes it easier.

As for the other items to make it fun, you can do the same in LS by driving with windows down to hear the wind, keep the hood slightly open to hear the engine, and inflate the tires to 45 psi to feel the road. ha ha.

I understand where you're coming from. The LS is a cruiser, as in battle cruiser... just floats around and doesn't do much. This is why I still have my little Integra, for those days that I really need to "drive" and there's nothing more windy, enginey, and rough on the road than my Teg.

 

Drifting ? In a Lexus LS ? You are kidding right ? I'll take your word about drifting, because I have never tried drifting, and can't imagine ever wanting to.

We are taking about two luxury/performance cars, so mentioning drifting is ..... not really relevant. Neither the RL or the LS are cars designed or built with drifting in mind. My guess is anyone who drifts in either car is probably driving their parents car or a rental, had too much to drink or just enyoys beating on ( and then repairing ) their car.

My point is really they are both great cars, and alway were, but the LS has more luxury. The choice between the two depends on their preference, budget and what they enjoy driving more.

 

What we have learned from this thread. (Feel free to add on)

1. LS430 RL vs. RL are in two different classes
2. LS430 RL vs. RL is an apples to oranges comparison
3. 1SICKLEX & tigmd99 know about cars and agree to disagree on the subject matter.
4. Bose vs. ML is subjective, depending on year and vehicle
5. Several members have compared both LS & RL (including me)
6. There is no love for the ES
7. You should not try driffting in either car
8. LS430 & RL are both great cars depending on what you are looking for within your budget and taste.
9. End of story.

 

tee...maybe we should just delete this whole thread and leave your summary up...nice quick summary for sure!

Although, i do agree that 1SICKLEX is wrong. (just kidding)

 

That might have been me you're thinking of. Now that you mention it, I went back and checked -- it was in fact an RL that I drove and hated so much! I had forgotten that they changed the name by then -- looking at the photos, it was ~'98 or '99 model -- I guess I just wanted to erase that ugly memory from my mind.