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OAC/syswei - mags are reporting the super LS is August 2006. I'd bet its a 90/10 likelihood we get the next ordinary LS with hybrid options in Sept. 2005. This 600hp LS is being picked up by everyone so it's becoming a very safe bet. That is going to be a near impossible car to match, let alone beat.
new Acura RL - you have to love that traffic report tie-in to the nav system. I guess the next thing after that is adding doppler weather radar imagery from the weather channel.
I like the "handling" consistency of an all leather steering wheel and worry about the slipperiness of the wood during an emergency manuver.
I think those old time all wood and/or all plastic (bone?) steering wheels went away because many of us didn't wish to wear driving gloves constantly.
I'd much rather that the steering wheel wear the "gloves" rather than I.
The 600HP car will be a low volume car but it will have a large halo effect on the Lexus brand. I'm pretty sure you'll get a sport coupe with very high HP At some point for its halo effect as well.
I know the speed sensor wire for the 2001-2003 LS models is violet/white and is located behind the nav screen. On the GS models, the wire is a different color and can be easily accessed from a wiring harness in a kickpanel. No such luck for the LS.
Sean
On side subject,,my friend purchased a Mecreced for his wife. Got her just what she wanted..She drove the car two hundred miles, and did not feel safe in it(c230) went back to dealer to upgrade to an E class, and dealer wouldn`t do it..It`s a frre country, but the dealers are so hard to work with that it really detracts from the car..Lexus on the otherhand is very comfortable to deal with..Not to say they are perfect, far from it, just way better than the Mercedes dealer.The Mercedes service dept has gotten better, where the Lexus has dropped alot in the last few years..Tony
As the head of a software department for an eCommerce company, I found that our customers were by far my richest
source of ideas for product improvement.
As a Lexus owner, I have yet to be asked by Lexus for my opinions on the car, or what changes I'd like to see.
I find that quite puzzling. If asked, my response would be:
Pros:
1. VERY comfortable and quiet. All of the controls are in just the right place and are easy to use.
2. Except for the reluctance to downshift, a quick car, which I enjoy.
3. The turning radius is wonderfully small.
4. The laser cruise control is the one "Gadget" that I use all the time. I wish it would work in inclement weather though.
5. Some owners don't seem to like the partial wood steering wheel. I really like it.
6. The navigation system (My wife calles her "Molly") is excellent and easy to use. When my wife tells me where to go, Molly tells me how to get there.
Cons:
1. Far to aggressive climate control system. I'm often manually setting the fan speed down from high.
The new Chrysler 300C has a selection for High auto or Low auto. Something like that would help.
2. The relutance to downshift under moderate throttle. This has caused me to abruptly abort merging attempts several times. I consider this a safety issue.
3. The external styling of the LS430 isn't as gracefull as the LS400.
4. I know you shouldn't, but sometimes it sure would be nice to be able to set the navigation system without stopping.
Suggestions:
1. If they had an AWD version, I'd trade my '03 right now.
2. Add that climate control maximum fan speed switch.
3. Lose the voice activation system for navigation and climage control. It only seems to understand me about 10% of the time
and who can remember those 200+ commands?
4. PLEASE stop nagging me every time I start the car about my Lexus Link system being active. Only tell me when it ISN'T active (Which I understand will be all the time in a year or so...)
HBH
1) On the lexus link you can turn down the volume to the lowest setting you will still be able to hear it but I hardly notice mine and it no longer annoys me.
2)I think If you pre-set your Nav. to previous destinations... it will allow you to change while on the fly..(I am pretty sure that is true?)
3) I also wish they would take out the disclaimer on the Nav. screen everytime I start start the car.
4) I also love the laser cruse control and will Never own another car without A Navagation system.
Now in the 04, once you have set the cruise control, pushing the lever up increases the set speed to the next higher multiple of 5 mph, and pushing it down lowers the speed to the next lower multiple of 5 mph. So now when you come to an area where the speed limit is 10 mph lower, you just push the lever down twice, and the car will automatically slow to the proper speed. Similarly, when you leave the reduced-speed zone, you just push the lever up twice and the car resumes your earlier speed. Never have to take your eyes off the road.
When I first used this feature, I thought the increment should have been 1 mph rather than 5, but now I have become used to it and I think the 5 mph increment is actually more convenient.
I agree with the above posts, but Lexus for some reason asks me through surveys what I think..I tell them my opinion, but so far they have just added more chrome..Wwest`s car is more handsome imo..I guess it is just the headlight chrome , and a massive amount of it that overwhelms the front...No mattr what, it is a good value, and a very dependable car in comparison to the other guy(Mercedes)and I guess BMW. Who ever said the a/c fan is poor is right imo. Tony
It's nice to hear some objective statements about the LS. Helmar, I agree with everything you've said..All those cons are the reason I still held onto my 92 LS..I've kept buying the newer LS cars simply to keep a newer car around. Although the styling is lacking, the LS series is probably the most dependable car out there.
I saw the Motor Trend sketch of the 07, but wasn't overly impressed. It's an improvement over the LS430, but is still abit bland for my tastes. Perhaps the drawing doesn't do the design justice, but I wish Lexus would rehire those Italian designers they had for their original cars.
SV
On my RX 3 toggles get me approximately 5mph increase.
Renny
PS. I realize you don't think much of the laser cruise control. But I sure like it.
If so I don't remember and I don't at the moment have an opinion one way or another other than to say I don't think I would buy that option unless included with a package I wanted.
1) Nav. system
2)laser Cruse control.
3) The way the bottom of the drivers seat can slide out for more thigh support.
4) The sport and power settings when I am in the mood to use them (rare..but still cool)
My least favorite:
1) Through the seat cooling, Doesn't seem to work all that well.
2) The cost of Lexus link $5 per mo. would be a reasonable price not $20
3) All the back seat stuff rarely used.
Nice features not in my top 4
Automatic Wipers, the folding outside mirrors, The ability to run down the rear headrests from the drivers seat, ML of course. The very tight turning radius for such a large car.
"During the 1000 mile/30 day service on my LS, I asked my dealer to reset the auto door lock function to operate when the car speed exceeded 12mph rather than when the transmission is taken out of Park. This option is described on page 48 of the owner's manual. When I picked up the car, I noted on the invoice that the technician "did not find programming change in the computer to allow for doors to lock at speeds of 12 mph...". To make a long story shorter, the Service Advisor and Duty Service Manager basically told me that it couldn't be done, that the owner's manual was probably incorrect, and they could not (or would not) produce a copy of the '04 CBEST settings for the LS. I had earlier been shown a copy of what turned out to be the 2002 LS CBEST which said the locking function could be changed to 5mph - their reaction was that Lexus must have dropped the option for 2004. They advised me to take up the issue with "the factory". Customer service at its finest!!"
After a long discussion with Lexus Customer Service in Torrance (they have not yet gotten back to me) and a longer discussion with my selling dealer's Customer Satisfaction Manager, I got a call from the dealer service advisor. He said that they had just received a new computer program from Lexus that allowed the technician to 'unlock' additional functions in the CBEST handheld setting equipment. I took the car in yesterday and after one hour, including a wash job, I now have auto door locking at 12mph just like the manual says!
There is about 7 pages of programable stuff on the LS430, you kind of need to drive it awhile to determine what you want to change if anything.
I own '03 LS430 w/ black cherry pearl exterior [burgandy] and ecru interior. To me the leather color is more like eggnog w/o nutmeg, not white [like a refrigerator? ;-)]