My 2014 LS460L AWD has 25000 miles on it after a 1500 mile road trip to NM Mountains. I had driven it to Houston 500 miles RT and Norman Ok 350 miles RT before this longer range one. We make the 600 mile trip out and back in one day, takes about 9 hours.

While I liked my vehicle before this trip I am awed by it now. It is so quiet, smooth, comfy, roomy and the seats are awesome. I do this trip three times a year and until now in my Infiniti QX56 which is loaded (AWD, 22 in wheels, hydraulic suspension and dynamic cruise control and blind spot and lane departure warning. Its a 2011 with 75k miles on it nd its been flawless), I usually drive to Amarillo, 430 miles to do a rest stop and refueling, at this stop my 69 year old legs are stiff. This is the limit of the range in my QX, the LS lets me move legs around more readily so when we arrived at this standard stop I had no leg stiffness and the range had over 100 miles more I could have rolled.

The LS is a road car for sure, quiet, smooth, handles fine and roomy. I was getting the itch to get back into the big V8 Long version Infiniti before the trip but that urge is long gone now.

 

Oh I know, it is fabulous on a trip. I'm bummed we can't take it on more trips (with our twins the van is just much more practical).

 

Johnhw2 - Good write up. At the end of this month, my sons and I will be going on a cruise, leaving out of Miami. I would take us there in the LS, but this is our first cruise. The thought of leaving the LS in some cruise line parking lot for 5 days to me is NOT appealing. If I had done it before and had an idea of the security of these lots, it would make me feel a lot better. I'm seriously considering taking my old (2003) Camry. Because I have no issues with leaving it in the parking lot for 5 days. And it is 80% as good as the LS. Not as quiet, not as roomy, not as Lexurious, but more fuel efficient, more trunk space and adequate in every way. It's about 650 miles each way, to / from Miami.

Talk me out of being such a scaredy-cat...

 

If it's going to diminish your enjoyment of your cruise if you take the LS, take your Camry. I'd be worried about it.

 

I agree with Steve- if you're going to be worried about your car while you should be enjoying yourself, you should drive the Camry. I don't view it any differently than leaving the car parked at the airport, so I don't think it would bother me. I've never been to the Miami port so not sure of the overall feel of the security there. Driving from Atlanta to Miami is quite a haul (I'd guess around 11 to 12 hours), so just make sure you'll be comfortable in the Camry for that long of a trek. No question you'd be comfortable in the LS.

 

My thing is whether or not its covered parking. I park my LS at the airport no problem, its in a garage. I pay extra for the garage. I get there early and find a good spot. However, I wouldn't want to park it in an open lot.

Does the cruise terminal have a garage or an open lot? I would check on that, if its a garage I agree I'd be fine, I wouldn't want it in an open lot however.

 

Not to hijack the thread, but I think the parking structure has multi-stories. So all but the top would be covered. The links to the cruise line's FAQ is broken, so there's questions I cannot get answered at this time.

It's 9.5 hours of driving. I'm on the south side of Atlanta. The Camry gets the job done very well. Just as comfortable up front, not as spacious in the rear seats, but plenty for the 12 and 14 y.o.'s. Although, if I take the LS, we ... I mean they , could watch some DVD movies... Hmmmmmmm. Seriously, I would just be listening. I do not take my concentration off the road.

Back to the original topic, which is a good one.

 

I would disagree the Camry is just as nice upfront lol. I had that same year ES300, in fact it's still in the family. It's a nice riding comfortable car, but the LS is considerably better in every way, and especially out on a long highway trip which is where the LS really shines.

 

What are you guys getting for long-term-road trip mileage? I'm planning on taking some long road trips and this is a factor in the next car I'm trying to get into.

-Mike

 

Mike - When I brought it home (cross-country, west to east), there were some long boring stretches that I pushed it a bit above 30 mpg. I would have to guess I had some minor amount of tailwind. Not that it was pushing me, but that it wasn't pushing through as much wind. But typically if I'm doing a pure interstate run and holding the speeds to around 75 mph, it will wind up 27 to 29 mpg. In that range anyway. Actually the Camry (4 cylinder) is not significantly higher. All things being equal, the LS would knock down about 27 mpg, and Camry would be 33 or 34 mpg. 140k on the Camry and it drives like a champ.

 

Oliver -
I have been on a cruise last year, and I can say they do have covered parking structures. I know your fears I am not sure how I would feel about leaving my ls out for 5 days but I do know security is pretty tight.

 

Maryland cruise terminal has an open lot. Wouldn't leave the LS there LOL.

 

The 460 shines so well on the highway and especially on longer distances.

It literally eats up the road and does it so smoothly

 

That's good to know. Did you end up with an AWD 460 or an RWD version? I have thought about buying long distance as well, sometimes there are used cars available out west that just don't exist up here on the east coast. Prices are often a lot better, too.

-Mike

 

Best I've seen on our trips is 25mpg (2010 L AWD) but this also involves slowing down through small Texas towns. Haven't been on a strictly highway/interstate trip so I too am curious what I would see at a sustained 65-70mph.