LS430FL

I think it goes for any car with air suspension. As time goes on and miles rack up eventually like regular shocks the air suspension will need replacing its just a matter of time. I think people make a big deal about air suspension because of the cost of replacement over regular coil overs. It seems they last longer than air shocks as well.

FatherTo1

Pardon my ignorance, what is the difference between the LS's air suspension versus air shocks? Glad to hear the air suspension lasts a little longer. I am at 97K on what I presume is the original air suspension components. Hoping I make it another 50K miles before one corner gives out. That may be asking a lot though.

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

Air suspension is the same thing as air shocks.

213374U

Air shocks/struts are part of the air suspension; same same. And I believe he meant that coil suspension lasts longer, though that isn't necessarily true: it doesn't necessarily last any longer, but the negative impact of a part going bad is minimal compared to an air strut and can be ignored for quite some time, whereas a failure in an air strut (bag in particular) will require immediate attention.

When they go and with how many miles seems to have little rhyme or reason. FR on mine was replaced under warranty at ~35K, FL with a used OEM strut w/ 58K @ 103K, and both rears are still OEM with ~113K on it now.

aslowdodge

SW17LS

It all depends on whether the dealer does it or an independent does it in terms of cost.

If you want the LS460 to ride like your LS430 with air suspension you need the air suspension, and probably the LWB.

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

I would def get the air suspension if you want the BEST ride. Ppl can debate is it worth the potential cost for replacing it but riding in air is so much better than the coils. The ride on coils is pretty great too just not as seamless.

LS430FL

Sorry for the confusion Fatherto1, I mean to use air shocks as part of air suspension as compared to regular coil shocks, I should have been more clear.

Having had a LS430 with air suspension, then a LS430 without air suspension and then a 460L without air suspension I would agree that the 430 with air suspension did ride better than the 430 without and the 460L without. But I considered the cost and decided against it. A good set of tires also goes a long way and while not quite as soft, it is close enough for me personally. If I were buying a 430 again and even some older 460's and they had air suspension I would just plan ahead for eventually having to make that repair. In my opinion as a buyer the older the car and more miles the sooner I would plan for it but like others have said they can fail at any time. I remember the drivers side front failed and I complained of a constant noise and if I remember correctly Lexus had told me it was the compressor constantly filling the air shock because it was leaking? It was several years ago but I remember from my description to them they knew it was an air shock gone bad.

I think we are lucky that Lexus offers both with and without air suspension. It is my understanding talking with the service guy at my local Mercedes dealer that some of the higher end Mercedes including my CLS550 which I guess is middle of the road are only offered with air suspension and it is equally as troublesome.

FatherTo1

Thanks, @LS430FL . What kind of effect do you think road conditions, driving style, climate, and even suspension setting (soft Comfort vs firmer Sport+) has on air strut longevity?

LS430FL

Thats a good question and a little out of my league. The 430 that had air suspension wasn't that advanced to have all those settings. It has normal and high setting. I am sure that road conditions will have an effect just like normal coil suspension. I have a second home up north and drive my LS up there each year for a little over a month and the size of those potholes are crazy. Every time I go over a large bump or pot hole my heart hurts "my poor car". I give the snow regions a lot of credit. Here in FL roads are pretty smooth for the most part we are lucky. Not sure to what degree that will have an effect on suspension but I am sure it has some influence on longevity. However, as others have noted some air shocks going bad at 35K miles I am not sure what would explain that. I would expect them to last a lot longer than that. I have family in Palm Desert California and I bought one of their Lexus vehicles off lease. Some rubber parts were drier when compared to my FL cars and required replacing earlier than I had done on other RX vehicles but I am not sure if that would apply to air shocks as that car didn't have air suspension more regarding bushings,etc. Maybe someone will 460 air suspension over a several year long period of time will have something more to add.

SW17LS

The difference the air suspension makes can't be described in terms of "riding softer". The car doesn't really ride softer on the air suspension than on the coil suspension.

Whats different is the refinement of the ride, rebound from road impacts, and the feel and sound of the suspension when it's working. The air suspension has no suspension sound, no hiss from gas rebounding shocks, and the car feels more disconnected from the road and the wheels, sound and NVH don't come up through the air suspension the way they do in the coil suspension, and when you hit a bump the body stays more level with the air suspension and there isn't any rebound from the suspension like there is in the coil suspension.

I had an LS400 with air suspension and an LS430 with air suspension, then many years went by and I got my 2015 LS460 with coils. While that was a great riding car and I enjoyed it very much, something was always missing from what I remembered my 430 and 400 to be like, and I chocked it up to the differences we've heard others talk about when it comes to the 460 vs the 430. However, now that I have my 2017 on air suspension I can definitively say that "thing" I was missing was the air suspension. The car truly feels like an LS, the LS that I remember now where the 2015 never quite did.

Having had this experience, I will never buy another car like this without air suspension.

FatherTo1

Perhaps I am spoiled by the air suspension and have not driven enough miles in a non-air 460 for the differences to stand out. Sometimes, especially in Comfort mode, the air suspension feels too floaty and there is still more rebound than I'd like when hitting a big dip. I don't know how a non-air would have reacted to the same road conditions. Comfort mode is great on the highway and when the road isn't too bad but the car wallows more than I'd like on dips and uneven surfaces. I have grown to prefer the balance of Normal mode now. What do you normally have it set to?

SW17LS

I leave it in comfort most of the time, I put it in normal sometimes on the highway since it seems to settle the suspension down.

When it comes to the suspension, the benefits go far beyond just the drive settings. I think if you got one without the air suspension you'd ultimately be sorry you did.

Mbbarron

Good luck with your search...it helps to have some patience along your journey. I agree with others that you should get the newest model that your budget can afford. When I started looking I was also trying to decide between the 2011/2012 or the large price jump to a 2013. The upper end of my budget barely allowed to get into a 2013 and I needed slightly higher miles to even get there. My criteria were SWB AWD and ML, but I was VERY picky with color combinations which made it a super challenge for me because the majority are black on black which I didn't want. Here's a link to a post I wrote when I was trying to compare differences between the 2012 vs, 2013 MY. https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...2-ls460-2.html
I probably drove each of these model years twice 2011, 2012, 2013 and after driving each one I knew that I really wanted a 2013 if I could find one with my criteria in my budget. It took me 5 months to find the perfect one for me, but the search and the wait was worth it! Good luck and let me know if I can answer any questions.