OneOfOne

first off, THIS IS NOT A TROLL OR ARGUMENT STARTER. I had an 01 ultra which I loved but I wanted a smaller car because of driving enjoyment and fuel concerns so I got an IS350 which is quite a car. of course its no LS and its not supposed to be. anyway I am long range planning and researching for my next car for when my lease on this is up in a couple of years and at this point I am fascinated by bmw 750i. I love the interior and have always liked the presence that car has. now yeah I am a club Lexus member and I know that Lexus is much better than bmw regarding reliability and unlike some people I consider reliability to be part of hallmark of luxury. what I am asking here especially for those who owned or considered the 750i [not the 12 cylinder] what makes the current LS 460 the better car. and don't mention idrive because I don't see that as a negative. thanks in advance.

Johnny

I've never owned but have considered purchasing BMWs in the past, because they are in my opinion a benchmark in this industry, at this level anyway. I considered the 750i when I finally decided to buy at this price point. My reason therefore does not take into account actual ownership, but is heavily weighed toward the purchasing consideration. In the end, it was strictly a financial decision, and later after reading other owners' experiences, I was glad I made the right one.

That's my perspective anyway...

Nospinzone

I seriously considered the BMW 7 series when I bought my 1995 Infiniti Q45a and my 2007 LS460. In both cases it came down to both price and reliability. With the Q45a ("a" for active suspension) even handling was wasn't a factor as the Q45a handled better than the 740iL.

On both purchases, when I priced the two cars with the same options, the BMW was much more expensive. Other than the name, and the handling vs. the LS460, I just don't see what I'm getting for all that extra money.

Since I buy my cars and keep them (I still have my Q45a), reliability is a factor for me. Infiniti and Lexus consistently have high reliability ratings as well as high owner satisfaction (as measured both by Consumer Reports and JD Power). BMW doesn't come close in reliability, and even with devout owners, their owner satisfaction is average at best.

If I were leasing a car for 2 years, I'd definitely try a 750i, but buy it? Nope!

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

Well, there are a number of factors.

Beside the iDrive and reliability ( ), I found that the Lexus does well with value, electronic gadgets and mastery, comfort, 8-speed tranny smoothness, resale value, and Mark Levinson rocks!

However, the BMW definately has more road presence, better choices/options, heritage, handling ("feel"), and I do like the "cleanliness" of the interior with less button overload.

If you are going to lease the car, and you find the BMW pleasing, go for it. For myself, if I bought the car instead of leased it (which I did), the LS may be a better long-term vehicle.

Gojirra99

I think by the time his IS350 lease is up in a couple of years, the next generation 7-series will be available already . . .

Luxofreak

I think they're both great cars and it's a matter of taste.

Now, if you consider cost of ownership, it's Lexus hands down.

garyr

I've owned both......some of you guys might kill me for saying this but I do prefer the 7. I hated the new look of the E-65 (02 to currant) and the interior over the E-38 (95-01) and the E-32 (88-94) that is the main reason I bought the LS460L Touring.

The BM will out handle the LS and has much better road manners at any speed. The LS does fit me better than the 7. I've owned 3 generations of 7's and bought the LS because I felt BM lost their design direction, TOTALLY.

This might sound strange but BM's have souls when you drive them if anyone can understand what I mean. The LS is a great car but it does lack soul.

dmvp29

Someone who has owned a 750Li and an LS460L made a comparison topic here:

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=295041

OneOfOne

thanks for the responses thus far. I really like the interior of the 7 and the extensive color combinations available not including the 'individual' option. one of the things that really bothers me, having just examined a demo at the local dealer, is the similarity of the interior in the LS to my IS. yes I know there are a lot more gadgets available but I'm not seeing 30k more of cost. I really wish lexus offered more leather colors especially the darker 'tan' shades. last nite I watched the latest 'best motoring' dvd and it featured a comparison of the LS460, LS600hL, and the S600. I am not going to talk about the performance of these cars other than to say the 1/4 mile times were quite fast but the s600 was 1.5 seconds faster than the faster Lexus, the LS600hL. the leather interior of the S600 was fabulous [subjective] and actually I think the previous gen LS offered it [saddle]. anyway I look forward to more opinion.

for those interested, the best motoring dvd is entirely in Japanese. you do not need to understand that language to enjoy it however.

dmvp29

I think the fact that the LS 460/460L can even compete with the S600 is a remarkable feat.

Certainly the S600 is going to give you more power and better handling, though it comes at the cost of passenger ride quality. My uncle recently purchased an S550 4matic, and I truly missed the hallmark smooth, cushy "on air" ride quality that the Lexus offers.

But the thing is, you always have to bear in mind that you're comparing a $70,000 base MSRP car (Lexus LS460L) with a car that costs more than double (the S600 costs you $145,000 base MSRP).

As far as the BMW 750i is concerned-

With the BMW 750i, you're getting less horsepower, less torque, comparable (but slightly less) 0-60 acceleration than the LS 460, lower gas mileage, less reliability, but better handling on curves for $15,000 extra base price.

The LS 460/460L offers more of an effortless, "detached" driving experience but a remarkably brilliant passenger experience.

The 750i offers more of the "driver's experience" and comparable but slightly inferior "passenger experience."

encore888

Well let's just say the S600 is a bit overpowered vs. all the competitors, including other V12s and the LS 600h L.

GS3Tek

iTrader: (8)

The so-called "soul" comes alive when you corner and make turns and u-turns. The 7 is so planted especially when you make a u-turn, close to a C6 (that I test drove)
Otherwise, straight driving is just straight. However, being used to lexus cushy ride, the 7 was fatiguing to the body on choppy freeways.
At the end of the day, I miss my cushy lexus

I love the big body look of the E65, good road presence.
The LS is deceptively large, sleek like the old S class (w220). I noticed how long it took for my head to follow the car from front to back

I still don't know why people want to feel the grain of the asphalt, every bump and dips in the road. All that annoyance gets transferred to your back and neck anyways since the suspension is firm.

You mentioned that bmw lost their design totally. I say about that to the new S class. I lost any interest in the new S totally when they ripped off the 745's interior...so much for ground-breaking/prestige that mb was praised for

I love the lexus isolation but want the controlled ride. I need to test drive the touring package.

Nothing beats Lexus for long term ownership/reliability-if you value your time

Gojirra99

Take a look at the review of the LS600hL in the current Sports Car International magazine, it also have some comments on the LS460L Touring Package (as a comparison to the 600hL), they have some positive things to say about the sporty handling of the 460L Touring Package.

MPLexus301

iTrader: (3)

Could you post a link to the S600 vs LS 600hL video you are referring to? I would like to see that!

I do agree with your comments though, Lexus does need to examine more interesting color choices on it's vehicles, both inside and out. Some Lexus colors look a lot like those on Toyotas, just with a more pearlescent finish. The Impulse Red on the Corolla is very similar to Matador Red on the GS, for example.

Perhaps most frustrating, as you mention, is their interior pallet. We are left with the same Black, grey, or tan time and time again. You LS owners should be thankful that you get two shades of tan to choose from! I mentioned it in another thread but the SC offers two beautiful, rich leather colors that I feel should be offered across the line:





These colors are both so rich and exclusive looking, that I really cannot remotely understand why they are not offered on other Lexus products. Really, it is astounding to me. While Lexus leather is far above the quality of a Toyota, the color choices are almost identical. A wider variety of richer colors, as seen above, would help to distance these similarities and promote exclusivity.

Gojirra99

The saddle leather was offered for the LS430 post-facelift, it doesn't seem too popular though since they are rarely seen.
I would like them to have the saddle leather available for the LS460 eventually too, but maybe a slightly different version that appears "less orange", especially under the sun.

I also think the camel leather(the second pic above) would be a good option for the LS460 too.