GS to LS advice
11-17-17, 03:42 PM
#16
Lexus Fanatic
I came from a 2013 GS Luxury Package, bought new to my 2015 LS460 bought new. The GS is a great car, but the LS is exactly the sort of difference you’re looking for. Much more softly sprung, just glides along, quieter and much more refined feeling in general than the GS. Totally happy with my decision to switch.
Mine is the standard suspension and the ride is great. I also had an LS430 years before the GS350 which had air suspension. A little softer but very soft sloppy handling, the LS460 is much more enjoyable to drive overall.
No other Lexus compares to the LS.
AND, I had my rear brakes replaced today for $192. What other $80,000 luxury flagship can you drive and have brakes replaced for $192?!?
Mine is the standard suspension and the ride is great. I also had an LS430 years before the GS350 which had air suspension. A little softer but very soft sloppy handling, the LS460 is much more enjoyable to drive overall.
No other Lexus compares to the LS.
AND, I had my rear brakes replaced today for $192. What other $80,000 luxury flagship can you drive and have brakes replaced for $192?!?
11-17-17, 06:24 PM
#17
Rookie
Thread Starter
I just drove an L/Certified 2014 LS. It actually wasn’t as big or boaty feeling as I thought it might be. Definitely quieter and more refined than my GS. The only down side is it’s a corporate lease return and the major services (20k and 30k) services were completed 3k or 4K miles late. And there were a few rattles on the interior, nothing crazy but more than I would expect for the year and mileage. I’m assuming it wasn’t babied how many LS’s probably are that actually are owned.
11-18-17, 11:33 PM
#18
Our '14 base model had 20K miles when we got it; we had no issues and have not had any reasons to have any CPO warranty items addressed. Now have 33K and getting tires replaced soon.
11-19-17, 07:00 AM
#19
Lexus Fanatic
I see no reason to get the air suspension that outweighs the potentially huge cost of repairing it.
11-20-17, 01:52 PM
#20
I just got rid of my 2013 GS350 luxury edition and went with a 2014 LS460. My 2014 LS460 does not have lane keep assist but it does has parking sensors, blind spot monitor, and heated steering wheel. The 2013 GS has a 6 gear transmission which translated to a jerky and noisy, high-revving drive. This reason was ultimately the one that made me switch to the LS. I don't know what the newer 8 speed transmissions are like in the GS350, but I definitely didn't like the 6 speed. I could drive the GS on windy roads like a sports car, but I couldn't really get a luxury feel from it while driving in the non-sport modes. If you are going from the 6 speed GS to the 8 speed LS, you will notice a major difference. It is much quieter and much smoother.
I lost some features going from the luxury edition GS to a base LS. The luxury GS had more seat control options and had rear seat controls, but when I really thought about it, I think I had maybe one or two people fool around with the rear seat controls when I had the car. The 2014 LS seats are WAY more comfortable than the GS seats. The LS seats feel like an expensive leather recliner chair. The GS seats were hard and not as luxurious. The LS has real leather seats which are much more durable. The GS seats were a soft leather feeling material, but they were not real leather and they get shiny and lose the softness after a lot of use.
The weird thing is that I read some reviews that said the GS was a better choice than the LS because it is not much smaller and you can save a lot of money, but I totally disagree with that opinion. I feel like the LS is way more spacious and a big step up in the luxury department even coming from the luxury edition GS350 to a base model LS. I read someone else's comment saying that the LS has a floaty feel and I would agree with that. You definitely don't get the sense that you are in touch with the road at all. I am not sure if the F-sport version of the LS460 is very different. I really enjoy the LS because I think it is a much better fit for me personally compared to the sportier GS.
Find an LS that doesn't have any rattles or weird wind noise, or make sure that gets fixed. That is going to really annoy you! The quietness of the ride is one of my favorite things about the car.
I lost some features going from the luxury edition GS to a base LS. The luxury GS had more seat control options and had rear seat controls, but when I really thought about it, I think I had maybe one or two people fool around with the rear seat controls when I had the car. The 2014 LS seats are WAY more comfortable than the GS seats. The LS seats feel like an expensive leather recliner chair. The GS seats were hard and not as luxurious. The LS has real leather seats which are much more durable. The GS seats were a soft leather feeling material, but they were not real leather and they get shiny and lose the softness after a lot of use.
The weird thing is that I read some reviews that said the GS was a better choice than the LS because it is not much smaller and you can save a lot of money, but I totally disagree with that opinion. I feel like the LS is way more spacious and a big step up in the luxury department even coming from the luxury edition GS350 to a base model LS. I read someone else's comment saying that the LS has a floaty feel and I would agree with that. You definitely don't get the sense that you are in touch with the road at all. I am not sure if the F-sport version of the LS460 is very different. I really enjoy the LS because I think it is a much better fit for me personally compared to the sportier GS.
Find an LS that doesn't have any rattles or weird wind noise, or make sure that gets fixed. That is going to really annoy you! The quietness of the ride is one of my favorite things about the car.
11-20-17, 03:15 PM
#21
Lexus Fanatic
I agree with you on everything except for two items, the seats and leather.
If your GS350 was the luxury package it absolutely had real leather, in fact it had the upgrade semi-aniline leather, which is the best leather I've ever had in a car, and it was considerably better leather than what is in my LS460. Does your LS have the base leather or the upgraded leather? Do you have stitching on the steering wheel airbag cover and a suede headliner? If so you have the semi-aniline leather which I do not have in my LS. The quality of the leather is really the only thing that dissapoints me about my LS, the semi-aniline leather found in the GS should be the STANDARD leather in the LS, with better leather available. Sadly both my old Kia Sedona Minivan, and my new Chrysler Pacifica minivan both which have Napa leather have considerably better leather than whats in my LS which isn't right.
And seats, I loved the 18 way power seats in the GS, and think they were better than what I have in the LS, especially the passenger seat which lacks the same range of motion as the driver seat, while on the GS both front seats were the same 18 way power seat with the thigh extender, etc. I find the passenger seat cushion way too short without that high extender, and my wife (who rides in the passenger side) agrees. Seats are softer in the LS, but not as adjustable or comfy overall IMHO. I also miss the adjustable backrest from the GS.
Yes my GS had better back seat tech, had side window sunshades and the rear audio and 3 zone climate, but passengers much prefer the tradeoff of MUCH more room in the LS lol
If your GS350 was the luxury package it absolutely had real leather, in fact it had the upgrade semi-aniline leather, which is the best leather I've ever had in a car, and it was considerably better leather than what is in my LS460. Does your LS have the base leather or the upgraded leather? Do you have stitching on the steering wheel airbag cover and a suede headliner? If so you have the semi-aniline leather which I do not have in my LS. The quality of the leather is really the only thing that dissapoints me about my LS, the semi-aniline leather found in the GS should be the STANDARD leather in the LS, with better leather available. Sadly both my old Kia Sedona Minivan, and my new Chrysler Pacifica minivan both which have Napa leather have considerably better leather than whats in my LS which isn't right.
And seats, I loved the 18 way power seats in the GS, and think they were better than what I have in the LS, especially the passenger seat which lacks the same range of motion as the driver seat, while on the GS both front seats were the same 18 way power seat with the thigh extender, etc. I find the passenger seat cushion way too short without that high extender, and my wife (who rides in the passenger side) agrees. Seats are softer in the LS, but not as adjustable or comfy overall IMHO. I also miss the adjustable backrest from the GS.
Yes my GS had better back seat tech, had side window sunshades and the rear audio and 3 zone climate, but passengers much prefer the tradeoff of MUCH more room in the LS lol
11-20-17, 04:17 PM
#22
Rookie
Thread Starter
I’m going to look at this LS tomorrow, I’ll be in North Texas for the holidays:
https://www.pattersonauto.com/vehicl...tx-id-20969395
Do you all have any thoughts on the price? It seems like a reasonable deal to me, except that the factory warranty expires in December.
https://www.pattersonauto.com/vehicl...tx-id-20969395
Do you all have any thoughts on the price? It seems like a reasonable deal to me, except that the factory warranty expires in December.
11-20-17, 04:19 PM
#23
Lexus Fanatic
Looks like a nice one...the bamboo interior is rare too if you like that. Price looks good, I was offered $44,000 for my 2015 with less options and more miles 2 weeks ago,
11-20-17, 04:22 PM
#24
Rookie
Thread Starter
I actually can’t decide if I like the bamboo or not. I probably would be ok with it, just wasn’t sure if it would be an option that turned off buyers down the road.
11-20-17, 04:26 PM
#25
Lexus Fanatic
In my experience more people like it than don't. Its not my thing.
11-20-17, 06:12 PM
#26
11-21-17, 10:00 AM
#28
I agree with you on everything except for two items, the seats and leather.
If your GS350 was the luxury package it absolutely had real leather, in fact it had the upgrade semi-aniline leather, which is the best leather I've ever had in a car, and it was considerably better leather than what is in my LS460. Does your LS have the base leather or the upgraded leather? Do you have stitching on the steering wheel airbag cover and a suede headliner? If so you have the semi-aniline leather which I do not have in my LS. The quality of the leather is really the only thing that dissapoints me about my LS, the semi-aniline leather found in the GS should be the STANDARD leather in the LS, with better leather available. Sadly both my old Kia Sedona Minivan, and my new Chrysler Pacifica minivan both which have Napa leather have considerably better leather than whats in my LS which isn't right.
And seats, I loved the 18 way power seats in the GS, and think they were better than what I have in the LS, especially the passenger seat which lacks the same range of motion as the driver seat, while on the GS both front seats were the same 18 way power seat with the thigh extender, etc. I find the passenger seat cushion way too short without that high extender, and my wife (who rides in the passenger side) agrees. Seats are softer in the LS, but not as adjustable or comfy overall IMHO. I also miss the adjustable backrest from the GS.
Yes my GS had better back seat tech, had side window sunshades and the rear audio and 3 zone climate, but passengers much prefer the tradeoff of MUCH more room in the LS lol
If your GS350 was the luxury package it absolutely had real leather, in fact it had the upgrade semi-aniline leather, which is the best leather I've ever had in a car, and it was considerably better leather than what is in my LS460. Does your LS have the base leather or the upgraded leather? Do you have stitching on the steering wheel airbag cover and a suede headliner? If so you have the semi-aniline leather which I do not have in my LS. The quality of the leather is really the only thing that dissapoints me about my LS, the semi-aniline leather found in the GS should be the STANDARD leather in the LS, with better leather available. Sadly both my old Kia Sedona Minivan, and my new Chrysler Pacifica minivan both which have Napa leather have considerably better leather than whats in my LS which isn't right.
And seats, I loved the 18 way power seats in the GS, and think they were better than what I have in the LS, especially the passenger seat which lacks the same range of motion as the driver seat, while on the GS both front seats were the same 18 way power seat with the thigh extender, etc. I find the passenger seat cushion way too short without that high extender, and my wife (who rides in the passenger side) agrees. Seats are softer in the LS, but not as adjustable or comfy overall IMHO. I also miss the adjustable backrest from the GS.
Yes my GS had better back seat tech, had side window sunshades and the rear audio and 3 zone climate, but passengers much prefer the tradeoff of MUCH more room in the LS lol
Interesting opinion on the GS seats. Maybe the seats just fit people differently, but I feel the LS seats are way softer. I have the thigh extender in the LS also. I miss the side window shades in the back seat. I don't know why they don't have that in the LS. The 3 zone climate was cool, but rarely utilized.
11-21-17, 01:18 PM
#30
Pole Position
Interesting opinion on the GS seats. Maybe the seats just fit people differently, but I feel the LS seats are way softer. I have the thigh extender in the LS also. I miss the side window shades in the back seat. I don't know why they don't have that in the LS. The 3 zone climate was cool, but rarely utilized.
