Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see May lease deals!
Options
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
True Cost to Own (TCO): Revealing the Hidden Costs of Car Ownership
http://www.edmunds.com/advice/specialreports/articles/59897/article.html
kirstie_h
Roving Host
Edmunds.com
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
Need help navigating? kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
Share your vehicle reviews
High performance tires have a shorter life than standard all-season tires. As I understand it, this is partly because the rubber is softer and more pliable, in order to get a better grip on the road. The Michelin treadwear rating on the tires you see recommended for the LS is only 240-300, whereas the cheaper Michelin's I'LL put on my wife's minivan have a treadwear rating closer to 500 (meaning they'll last almost twice as long). Expensive, short-lived tires are a price you pay for having a car capable of high performance... (just like the premium gas, ugh...)
I didn't mean to malign any of you, and if I came across that way, I do apologize.
Pat
Sedans Host
Pat - didn't take it that way. Personally I think you do a great job.
here is my question: the car does not have an extended warranty, so what kinds of things can go wrong on such a late model vehicle ? can anyone help me with potential issues i have to look out for ? how about the price ? dealer says he is discounting from kbb # of $32K, and thinks $25K+ is fair enough.
any help would be greatly appreciated
thanks a bunch
I love gadgets and I believe that Merc1 described the ride in a LS430 as a ride in a coffin. If that means quite and comfortable, sign me up. I've had the sports car, but I'll be doing a bunch of highway driving in the future and want to be pampered.
I use cruise control all the time and would like to now about the laser cruise control. I think that it ensures that you don't come too close to someone in front of you and that you can set it to follow someone at a certain distance. Am I correct about this? What are the revues of the LS430 owners that have this option, how do you enjoy it?
First, it would certainly be foolhardy when buying a $60K+ car to judge the ride on anything other than personal experience. You must judge it for yourself. Merc1 has never been in one, is admittedly biased against them and bases his opinion on hearsay only. Generally, this would not constitute the basis for a sound buying decision for you.
As for the laser cruise - it basically operates as you describe and I, personally, have found it to work well if you use it as intended and understand its limits. You set the desired speed and one of 3 following distances. The system will attempt to hold the speed until it closes on the car in front. It will then gradually slow to match the speed of the car in front and even apply up to 20% of the brakes if you are closing too fast. When the slower car moves away, the cruise will return to the original speed. If you get too close, it will beep at you as a warning to take control. It is not accident avoidance and doesn't satisfy (me at least) in heavier traffic. Hope this helps.
The flip side of that quietness is that some of it is obtained by sacrificing the amount of fresh air, oxygen, coming into the cabin.
Very well insulated (sealed), extremely low HVAC blower speeds (no inlet airflow), very little exit airflow (restricted outflow), results in a stale and humid cabin atmosphere.
Hmmm, except for the darkness aspect maybe "coffin-like" is the more correct term.
And speaking of the laser cruise how often does it "false", give you a "reading" from something other than the vehicle directly forward?
I own an LS430 Ultralux with the Laser Cruise Control. I really did not have time to fully test it before I bought the car, but I am happy to say it works well. I use it all the time, even in SF Bay Area commute traffic. The feedback system seems to look at the distance to the next car and its speed. Speed increases are gradual. There are 3 selectable distance settings, each of which seems to vary with vehicle speed. I usually use the closest setting, which has you follow at a greater than average distance in commute traffic, but at the distance I usually like to maintain from the car ahead. It slows the car in three stages: first by letting off the gas, then by downshifting once or twice, and then by applying the brakes. It beeps at you if you get too close to the car ahead of you. It's great on highways. It doesn't work in heavy rain. I guess the laser and sensor does not work when when the window is wet. There is a way to return to normal cruise control in that event.
It depends on the car ahead having reflectors to work. There have been times when I followed old trucks with tiny reflectors. The cruise control did not detect the truck as far away as it should have. It is not an auto pilot.
In short, I use it all the time. It is a feature that adds to the enjoyment of both commute traffic and highway driving. It makes me drive less aggressively and lets me enjoy the ML sound system.
The laser cruse control is very cool. Set the cruise at the desired speed and the car will automatically break (using engine breaking - down shifting to a lower gear) if someone cuts in front of you. But that doesn't mean you can kick back and not be fully aware of the traffic. For example, if there's traffic in front of you that comes to a stop, or slows very suddenly, YOU have to do the breaking. The manual also warns you not to use the laser cruise control in bad weather.
The other thing I like about the car is that it's very quiet and the Levenson sound system is awesome. On the down side, the seat controls are on the bottom of the seat and confusing to operate. But once you get the seat adjusted properly, the memory takes care of the rest.
I noticed someone made a comment about the HVAC...that the car tends to get humid inside due to the "coffin-like" seal to keep the car quiet. Happily, I have not had this problem. I'm in So Calif. so it never gets very humid. About the warmest it's been this winter is about 80-85 degrees and the A/C has worked perfectly.
Hope this helps.
1. Does the rear climate control systems operate on a different systen than the front? I want to be able to set one temperature for the driver, front passenger and a different temperature for the rear passengers.
2. How well does the voice recognition work and what does it control. Temperature, NAV, radio, cruise control, phone?
3. Is XM radio available on the LS? FM reception has been subpar from what I hear from previous LS430 owners. The power rod antenna seems to work much better in the last generation models. I like to listen to Baltimore stations and I work in Va. So far, only rod antennas seem to give me clear reception.
4. Do the heated seats only cover the seat bottoms or the entire seats.
These are some of the features that I'm looking for in my next car.
thanks,
I have an LS430 Ultralux. This car has rear climate controls in the rear armrest. The car has a separate A/C evaporator and air purifier behind the back seat which recirculates and purifies the rear seat air. The back seat controls can adjust temperature, but this affects the front temperature, too. The car can maintain a left/right temperature difference in the front seat, but the rear seat temperature is set by overriding the front seat setting. This car is made for Japanese executives. They sit in the back seat. They get the control, not the driver. The rear passenger can also adjust the rear fan speed and rear A/C compressor independent of the front seat controls. All these settings can also be controlled by the driver. Sometimes my wife sits in the back seat and controls the temperature. I then try to select my temperature by changing the left/right front temperature difference.
The voice recognition is somewhat primitive. It works most of the time. I have found the touch screen buttons to be more convenient. I have only used it for the NAV system. I am not aware of other capabilities.
I have no knowledge about XM radio. The FM sensitivity is OK, but not the selling item of the car. I carry a lot of CDs with me. Get your kid to download and burn CDs of your favorite music and keep them in the center console or 6-disk CD changer. I enjoy DBS radio at home and XM is something I would be interested in but only if it were integrated into the car. The Mark Levinson sound is very good.
The seat heaters heat the entire seat. The seat coolers heat the entire front seat. The rear seat vibrators vibrate only the back and are rarely used.
I don't have the Ultra Pkg...just the Custom. The custom has most of the options that the Ultra has except for the back set climate controls and reclining seats/message. So I can't help you with back seat controls.
However, I do have the voice recognition system. Quite frankly, it was all too confusing for me so I just use the touch screen controls. I think voice recognition only works with the NAV system...not the climate control or audio system. There are lots of gadgets in the car and it does take a while to get used to them all. And the voice activation is one that I just haven't had time to conquer. Now that I'm used to the touch screen, I'm not sure I'll even use voice system.
I do agree that in heavy traffic it is best to turn it off. But in less-than-heavy traffic it is extremely convenient; whenever I have to drive a loaner car I really miss it.
The one improvement I wish they would make is for the car to remember the setting at the time the engine is turned off, and restore the same setting when it is restarted, so that all you need to do is to push the Set lever, instead of having to push the On button, then select the following distance, and finally reset the desired speed.
I am currently in the market for a new Lexus LS430, and before I head of to my dealer I would like to know reasonable prices to pay, or what to "shoot" for. I am definitely going to lease, because i much prefer it. If you wouldn't mind, could some of you tell me what a fair lease deal would be? What are some of your lease deals?
Thanks very much in advance! I appreciate any insight.
It's funny, but there are so many different ways to command everything even a techno-idiot like me can do it.
It seems like I always have to push the voice button on the left side of the steering column to turn it on before using it. It doesn't stay on. Does screen transition have to be turned on for the voice command system to stay on? Any experts out there? Thanks.
I am still checking to see if the Voice system can control the HVAC. It does not seem to in my quick pass through the NAV operation manual.
I am here to report that the 16" wheels do indeed give you a much quieter ride! On smooth pavement, there isn't a very noticeable difference -- the 17" was already so quiet, you couldn't improve much on it. But on noisier pavement, including bridges (we have so many freeway overpasses here in Southern California), where the 17" tires sometimes were embarrassingly noisy, the difference is dramatic. So if any of you have 17" wheels and wish for the quietest possible ride, I highly recommend making the change.
Rennybosch...thanks for the input on tires. I think I like the look of the 17 in. tires better than 16. I guess it's a trade off between handling/quietness/durability/looks. Check a few messages back as another LS owner had positive feedback on the Michelin 17" Pilot HX MXM 245/55 16 tires. I also took a note that Bridgestone Turanza LS-Z 225/45-ZR17 were pretty good.
My bet would be on the tires.
Thanks,
Jeannine Fallon
PR Director
Edmunds.com
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
Need help navigating? kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
Share your vehicle reviews
In any event, I am very satisfied with the combined results.
I just put the LS-H tires on my wife's '98 LS400. Fantastic! I will be following rennybosch's lead and replace the 17"
wheels on my LS430 with the 16" Turanza LS-H. Great grip, quiet, and fantastic cornering.
He also says Lexus is horrendous at communications and forthcoming model literature. Unlike MB which makes future model and model changes literature available to dealers very early Lexus has been known to drop brochures and the like on them just before the car arrives. I remember how late the LS430 brochures became available in 2001. The car almost beat them in.
I work for a company that buys a lot of capital equipment from Japan and I have personally been involved with the purchases and post-sales contacts. My feeling, based on what I have been told and see, is that many large Japanese companies are not able to risk the possibility of not measuring up to what they have promissed. Also, they really don't understand or trust their American representatives. The easiest way out is for them to say nothing. I have found smaller Japanese companies that do not have this problem. Toyota seems to belong to the former group.
It is easy to deal with this once you understand it and your contracts are written with the tendency toward poor communication in mind.
Did you know it was basically the same vehicle as the other?
Why did you choose it over the other?
Please submit your response to jfallon@edmunds.com no later than Wednesday, May 15.
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
Need help navigating? kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
Share your vehicle reviews
You've made me want to check out the site again. It's www.toyota.co.jp if you're interested.
The question: Has anyone had this problem with their LS? And if so, any suggestions on how best to handle the problem with dealers?
Thanks.
The easiest way to fix this problem is to put in synthetic oil. Synthetic can withstand much higher temperatures than regular oil.
I heard many Toyota owners did end up paying but got reimbursed. My wife had a 4 Runner in the past which had a gasket problem. It cost us $2000 in repairs. A year later, Toyota annouced a recall about this gasket problem. Now the repair is free. Fortunately, she wrote a nasty letter to Toyota and got reimbursed for the $2000.