chinee

My story... 3 months ago I needed to replace my 03 Infiniti G35 with 265K miles... and for reliability, dependability and some performance, I was 100% locked in on a 2018 Honda Accord Sport 2.0T, but at $32K-ish OTD, I figured there had to be options out there that still needed exploring. Voila! 2015 GS350! Picked up a base in obsidian with 25K miles for $30K OTD at the beginning of June. After 11 weeks of ownership and 1,500 miles, a couple of idiots on the I-95 decided that I needed to go car shopping again so swerved in front of me at 70 mph and it got totaled in a 5 car wreck. Only a few bruises and sore body parts, no serious injuries to anyone. Thank God.

So decided on another '15 but with extra options, maybe one with the Luxury pkg for $28-$31K.
That quickly turned into "may as well get a 2016 then..." for $33-$35K. - More standard features - a refreshed look that will last a little longer through the planned 10-15 yr ownership period - and a higher level of initial buyer satisfaction (talking about myself).

And that quickly turned into "You know, I've ALWAYS wanted a big premium sedan...and the LS has come down a little in price..." So I'm seeing a few 2013 - 2015 in the $36-$43K range, with 28-60K miles.
I am hoping you LS guys can steer me either towards the LS, or tell me why I should be content with the GS as the smarter, and clearly less expensive option. This will be a car I will be driving for the next 12 years or so, putting on 12-15K miles a year, here are my considerations:

- Reliability... can I assume this will be like any other Toyota out there, or better? (right now I'm driving my '02 Sequoia with 325K miles)
- Common problems or issues that crop up
- Big ticket repairs or maintenance items I should be prepared for?
- I'm a DIY guy, except for the big stuff like, transmission, A/C and suspension. I've done cooling, brakes, steering pump and rack, starter, that kind of stuff
- it's 1 to 3 model years older than the 2016 GS
- I like the idea of a V8, especially a naturally aspirated engine
- much higher initial buyer satisfaction (again, me)
- highly desired options, or those to refrain from having, e.g F Sport is a no-go for me on the GS, higher costs for brakes and tires are further accelerated in the heat and roads of So. FL

These thoughts and ideas are bouncing around in my head all day and all night, making me nuts, and there's no one in my home who cares about this stuff like I do, so I'm turning to the internet like a millennial.

Thanks in advance!

tofuprod

- Reliability... can I assume this will be like any other Toyota out there, or better? (right now I'm driving my '02 Sequoia with 325K miles)
A: I would say it's fairly reliable, as with most cars, if you take care of the car, it'll take care of you.
- Common problems or issues that crop up
A: Search "control arms", also the sunroof trim sometimes may deteriorate a bit quicker, it's about 1k to fix if you're out of warranty, this includes the glass though too. If you get one with the ML Audio, there are numerous threads about the amp going bad or something.
- Big ticket repairs or maintenance items I should be prepared for?
A: Air suspension, if you get that option, same with control arms. This is a relative question and answer as the LS, most parts are not that cheap considering it's also Lexus' flagship.
- I'm a DIY guy, except for the big stuff like, transmission, A/C and suspension. I've done cooling, brakes, steering pump and rack, starter, that kind of stuff
A: You'll do just fine, it's not an over-engineered German car (heh, relax), it's not hard to work on in comparison.
- it's 1 to 3 model years older than the 2016 GS
A: You're not wrong, but there's not a huge difference in my opinion when it comes to the years, but I do believe the '15 and higher has a nav refresh
- I like the idea of a V8, especially a naturally aspirated engine
A: I like the V8 myself, the gas mileage is obviously a tad lower than the GS350, but it's not night and day in my opinion
- much higher initial buyer satisfaction (again, me)
- highly desired options, or those to refrain from having, e.g F Sport is a no-go for me on the GS, higher costs for brakes and tires are further accelerated in the heat and roads of So. FL
A: I also went without the F-Sport just due to the fact I didn't like the whole brake issue and 19" wheels. My base came with 18" wheels and which I use for winter and I have 20" aftermarket wheels to rock during the nice weathers here in Chicago. I do love the f-sport front end on the LS, that's just me but I still went with the Base because overall, I wanted more of a 'classy' look vs. sporty, but many here seem to love the F-Sport more. The nice plus about the F-Sport is I think they come standard with the LED headlights and the Base is an option, mine didn't come with it, but that's okay, I feel the HIDs are brighter than the LEDs, though the LEDs do look cooler in my opinion.


-- Sorry for my very unorganized responses, I'm literally typing it out as it's popping up in my head.

chinee

No apologies necessary... I just hit the grocery and came back to read your timely response... it's much appreciated. Gotta go download some brochures and manuals for the different years now.

TriC

In addition to educating yourself about options, etc., I would strongly encourage you to spend some time reviewing old threads about the 460 where a wealth of real world information can be found.

Being in Florida, you likely have no need for an AWD model, so you'll likely be faced with 2 major decisions: 1) short wheel base or long and 2) air suspension or not. Like most everything, there are pros and cons on each question.

Some of the potential problems already mentioned are more known to the 2007 to 2012 model. They may or may not also show up on 2013 and later years. Only time will tell.

sktn77a

iTrader: (2)

If you go for an LS460, get the newest one you can afford. They are good cars but if something goes wrong, it ain't gonna be cheap. And the older they are, the more there is to go wrong. You should be able to get a 2015 CPO for $40k. If you intend to keep the car a long time, you can get a 5/unlimited CPO extension warranty from Lexus for about $2600. That will cover any big ticket items.

SW17LS

Having had both the current generation GS and two LS460s, I can tell you that I much prefer the LS460. I just love a big sedan, and the much better ride comfort and refinement of the LS trumps the sportier feel of the GS for me.

Having had both a SWB car without the air suspension and a LWB car with the air suspension, I would say get the LWB car with the air suspension. Its surprising how much more I like my LWB car than my SWB car when you understand they are almost exactly the same car (my LWB car is more highly optioned).

On a 13-17 car, I would say the common LS issues aren't necessarily going to be an issue with the newer cars...

It will be more expensive to maintain than the GS, but worth it.