I posted a similiar question in car chat with many respectable answers. I wanted to hear from the LS owners also. So thanks to all.
The story goes.
I wanted a Cush vehicle so I was sold on a less than $25k used ES. One that drives like your on a cloud. I was bit by the SUV bug and bought a top of the line 2021 turbo Mazda CX 5. Didn’t like it, way to rough of ride. Sold it.
Now Im back in the market for the cushy, I’m on a cloud ride. Car under $25k.
Through my research and a couple limited test drive of a 2017 Es 350. Not so sure that model is like riding on a cloud.
Are any of the ES 350 a cushy type of ride? Should I not give up on the less expensive 350 model ?
If not which year of LS should I look at. Thanks

 

The LS is well over twice as expensive as the ES new, and the difference in comfort and quality is commensurate to that difference in price. The ES is a very nice riding car, its just an entry level car and doesnt have the sophisticated suspension setups the LS has.

I'm surprised you found the CX-5 a rough ride. One of my employees just got one and its really nice. Obviously nothing like an LS.

For year, as new and as low mileage an LS as you can get. $25k you're likely priced out of a 13-17 model

 

https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...ckType=listing

 

Having owned 2 LS's and 2 ES's I feel i have a somewhat unique perspective to answer this question.

My ES's were a 1990 ES250 and a 2002 ES300.
My LS's were a 1997 LS400 and my current 2008 LS460.

The biggest difference between all of them besides price and fit & finish was road noise, and maintenance costs.

The ES is based of the Camry/Avalon, and until 2018, they shared the majority of mechanical components. This makes ES's pretty cheap to maintain (not at the dealer). Cumulative total between 3 of my older Lexus' cars, I spent less on all of them over their lives than Lexus wanted to do one repair on my LS460. The dealer wanted $3,500+ to do the control arms and ball joints on it. I did them in my garage for $350. If you are not handy with a wrench, or don't know someone who is (or can get it repaired cheap at an indy shop), I would go with the ES. The most expensive thing to go wrong on my 2002 ES300 was a catalytic converter. From Toyota they were $900. Got one installed at a muffler shop for $250.

The LS460 takes NINE quarts of oil, and has 2 air filters. Front end suspension components only last 100k, less if you are hard on it. Older ones, air suspension can be problematic. and then there's the big ticking time bomb. The brake actuator...a $4,000 repair at Lexus (what I was quoted at Park Place). It can be done cheaper (about $2500) at an indy, but they have to have proprietary software to set it up and bleed the system. Check to see if that has been done. If not, pass on the car. Brakes are pretty spendy too, but last awhile. If you're handy or have plenty of disposable income, the LS is a wonderful car. the LS460 has by far been my favorite for the combination of comfort, power and fuel economy. It's better on fuel than my 2002 ES300 was too, largely due to having more gears. I will say, to date, the LS460 (I am 2 years into ownership in december) has cost me more than the other 3 cars combined in maintenance. But, its all done now, should be another 100,000 miles before it needs anything else. I also do 99% of my own work. The only work I didn't do on the LS was the lower ball joints, because they are pressed into the spindle and I lack the tools (hydraulic presses) to remove them.

TLDR: Comfort, power and highway fuel economy, can't beat the LS460. They just eat highway miles like nothing. Cheap/easy maintenance, city fuel economy, and age of car important to you? Grab an ES. You can't go wrong with an ES, it will serve you well for many years.

 

Sounds a little daunting. If one wants expensive repairs. I would think a Beamer or Benz or Audi would be the ticket.

 

I look at it this way, its a long game. For me the LS460 will be the car I keep for 10-15 years, if not forever. If it costs me $500/100k to do suspension stuff in my garage, I am good with that. Over the course of 15 years, I would estimate total cost of ownership to be around $10k USD and thats accounting for brake actuator failure in there, depreciation, etc. notwithstanding. That's an average of less than $1k a year in maintenance and repairs (oil changes, brakes, tires included). That's a hell of a lot of car for that kind of money. But, I also do most of my own work, saving myself thousands of dollars. When I bought this car, Lexus said it needed $10,000 worth of repairs. I did all of it for less than $1500, most of it with OEM parts. The only thing I had done elsewhere besides the lower ball joints, was the brake actuator, and that was done at a Lexus Warranty Certified (as in they are an authorized Lexus Repair Center-not a dealer) indy shop called Davenport Toyota/Lexus Service Center in Plano, TX. The actuator replacement was $2,100 there (was quoted $4k+ at dealer), with a 3 year warranty.

 

Nothing lasts forever. His LS460 is 14 years old. Lexus or not it’s a complex high end car and when they get old they get expensive to fix.

 

^this. I would steer far clear of any flagship luxury model out of warranty if you can't work on them yourself, or know someone that can, for a reasonable price.

In the end, they are just cars, and most cars are similar enough that any technician can work on them. The only time you run into issues with indy's is when they don't have the proprietary software needed to diagnose or repair the car's systems. Mechanically, an engine is an engine, suspension is suspension, transmission is a transmission, etc. If you can fix one, you can fix most. If you can't, you need to be either friends with a guy like me, or ready to hand over dough.

I changed my blower motor the other day because it was making a god-awful racket. Ruined the entire LS driving experience. Sounded like a lawnmower under my dash. Lexus wanted $1500 to change it. The Denso part was $165 on Ebay (new old stock) and It was literally 3 screws, a plug, and 15 minutes of work to change it.

 

If you have to be under $25K, I wouldn't recommend an LS. Even a 2012 is about to be 10 years old. If you can find a decent mileage 2012 car it will be closer to $30K. With the ES, it won't be the same cushy ride and probably has more noise, but the price will fit your bill and the model will be newer. Newer generally can mean lower miles and that's always a good thing. Consider the ES. I think you could get a 2015 in your price range.