LexFan87

Hello everyone, I'm new to the forums here and I got a question to start off.

I'm considering whether to buy the LS 460 or the LS 460 L.

The LS 460 has plenty of room but my main concern is the touring package which only comes in the L version.

Does the air suspension make much of a difference in handling or is it a gimmick?

Thanks.

encore888

Welcome to Club Lexus, LexFan87!

We have a few Touring LS 460 L members on here recently, but as in previous models the air suspension is somewhat rare in the U.S.

I have yet to test drive the touring model but Edmunds' review seemed to indicate that the air suspension did help:

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=119408

I think it boils down to how much road feel/performance you want out of the car. If you have a chance to test drive the models that might be best. Taste of Lexus in SoCal is having a session as well later this month.

Good luck with your purchasing decision!

rominl

iTrader: (4)

air suspension makes huge difference in the ride. it's much smoother and softer (in a good way). personally i wouldn't go without it

LexFan87

Thanks for the responses guys.

The dealerships here, the San Francisco Bay Area, have a bunch of touring package equipped LS 460s but I couldn't really tell the difference in ride. I'll be going to the Taste of Lexus Event here in Alameda this Saturday so I'll put the car through a very thorough/extreme test on the course there.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

really? have you tried to go through those very uneven roads? that's where i felt the biggest difference. on smoother roads they are very close i say

they do have ls460 and ls460l at the TOL event, go there early if you plan to drive different flavors. i am not sure if they have touring package there though, which might give you wrong feeling about handling.

plus, personally i am not sure if TOL event is the best to test difference between normal suspension and air

garyr

If you did not feel a difference than don't get it. It's a high priced option. In my case I came out of BMW's 7 and the stock Lex did not come close to the ride or handling.

All the tests I've read knocked the LS in brakes and handling. The touring package gives you, larger tires, bigger rotors and calipers and high performance ceramic brakes and 3 way adjustable suspension for sport or just cruising.

Their is a huge difference to me in the touring package, thats why I bought it. You can't get some of the options available in the stock cars like rear air conditioning but you do get a larger truck.

The touring package is really for just the opposite meaning, It's for high performance driving. I think all the LS should come with this option standard but I guess lex needs to keep the price down compared to other models in it's class.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

hehe, we are on the same page. i also wish the touring is more like standard at least make it available with the rear seat upgrade!

Gojirra99

Lexus assumes that if the owner wants the Touring Package, he/she will be driving the car themselves, so they don't care much for the rear seat passengers

rominl

iTrader: (4)

lol, i guess then put that damn package on swb as well then!!!!

just messing. bottom line is i think it's a pretty silly setup from lexus. and we all know that in japan you can get all these combos....

Gojirra99

BTW, even the non-Touring models have very good brakes, stopping distance comparable to a C6 Z06 corvette (in Autoweek review of the production non-Touring LS460L). The reviews with the poor braking distances are preproduction cars with crappy tires.

Gojirra99

I think the European LS460 (no L version available to them) have the equivalent of the Touring Package as standard, they should make the Touring available for the SWB at least as an option here.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

agree, basically the way they do it now where the touring is almost like a standalone setup for one wheel base, that's just way too limiting

that might explain the not so impressive braking i experienced at the TOL event. when i did panic braking from ~60mph, i did started to hear tire squeal pretty soon. it would be really interesting to see more real world testing with better, more capable tires

asolare

I thought the purpose of the air suspension was to add the option of a sport mode to reduce sway on turns etc. Are you saying that a vehicle with the air suspension on the standard setting makes the ride smoother than a vehicle without this option? I had thought the standard setting on the air suspension was equivalent to the regular suspension on cars wothout this option.

By the way, I have a 2004 LS430 with the air suspension and feel just a little difference between the sport and standard modes.

Gojirra99

The LS460L air suspension has 3 modes : sport, standard & comfort.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

to be honest, i tried the 3 settings on the air suspension and i couldn't feel too much of a difference. so i basically just kept it in standard most of the time for comparison. and to me i felt some difference with the normal springs/shocks setup