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Comments
stevestein - The cruise definitely doesn't re-engage after you go through e-z pass. I tried it this morning. It did resume from 40mph though on an ordinary highway slowdown. Personally I prefer having to re-engage it after a stop or a slowdown to a very slow speed as it is a better safety policy since those type of slowdowns are a real break in your driving pattern. Flicking the cruise arm to set a new cruise speed isn't exactly a herculean task.
Do you have any idea what the dealer did to correct the rattle in your LS430 moonroof. My dealer needs to order new tracks and remove the whole inside of the roof to fix it. I really dread that day. It will be about 10 days out. Thanks for the info.
Somehow I think no matter what the farm cost it didn't put a dent in Bruce's lifestyle.
Bitkahuna - I'm not impressed by that 7 at all. I preferred the fake at Arcoates site and actually thought the best design at that site was the one BMW rejected. I would have been interested in that one. I don't think it will put any hurt in Lexus or Mercedes. The design they chose, assuming it's correct, looks like it's competing with the Q, the GS430 and BMW's own 5-series. The latter two, particularly the GS are great looking cars because the shorter wheelbase is more appropriate for that design - IMO. I think it looks too much like the Q, its' rear and especially its' rear lights are not attractive and the interior doesn't have the luxury panache of the LS - actually far from it. I also think the I-drive will be a disaster. Do you like the Q? I thought I would like it more than I do but it is a darn good value and Infiniti reliability is way up there too.
Stevestein - $8-10mln is what I read in the local papers. That's about 1-2 years interest for Bruce. Maybe. He's supposed to be a great guy.
As for the Q, I don't like the looks. The front headlights are neat, but by avoiding the need for foglights, the front spoiler makes the overall front end look cheap to me. And the quality will probably be good. But I haven't seen ONE on the road yet, but I continue to see more and more LS430s and SC430s lately too.
Price is relevant, but I think Infiniti is making the SAME MISTAKE AGAIN, with their positioning of the car as a luxury hot rod. That's just dumb, unless they really have the goods to beat a 7 series and apparently they don't.
I love that sc430 but when the Times reviewed it they said there was as much as a 2 year wait! Did you hear anything about that? What do you think of it? I drove it and it is phenomenal. I do see more and more of them on the road and most certainly many many LS430's now. I liked it in January when I had a rare to be seen one. These days I have one in my rear-view mirror everyday at some point.
I've got to stop keeping these late hours.
As for the SC - yes, I've heard about huge long waits... and people buying them and selling them the next day for 10K-20K more. I think Toyota/Lexus has a great but real problem on their hands, how to allocate the 4.3L engines between the LS, SC and GS! They must easily make the most money on the SC so I suspect they'll keep upping the production there as long as the demand is so high.
And on that point - g'nite!
http://www.bmwnation.com/home.html
The one thing I find really strange is the shape of the trunk lid, especially at the sides. I'm sure this is to make it easy to get things in and out and to maximize room, but it still looks unusual.
And while I'm now not quite as convinced on the overall design as I was, I think it's going to grow on me and be a winner in the market.
That is if all that technology works! That will be one complicated car!
Lexus is in an incredible position if they choose to get agressive. The demand for their V-8's, as you note bitkahuna, are high and they have an allocation problem. If people are willing to pay 10-20k over list or wait 2 years for the SC430, and on top of that the LS430 ultra is so hard to come by than the public is willing to pay premium prices for their cars.Given their costs to produce are much lower than MB/BMW and the Yen has held up so well (thank God I didn't short it) they have many alternate strategies. They can lenghten the car, add awd, put a v-12 in it (an LS600) and probably still sell it as the ultimate ultra LS at a price below an S-500. They can also put in a 340+ hp engine with an ultra package or the custom lux package combined with a awd option (an LS500) and keep it comparable to S-430 prices or below and they can leave the existing LS430 as is with only the ml/nav package or maybe the custom lux and awd as options. Thus a layering of the LS product line which I think they need. They can also do this with the SC and probably mix/match some of these options in the GS. The financial clout they have and breathing space they have in pricing relative to the Germans would scare the hell out of me if I was their competitor. They are in the drivers seat - let's see how agressive they drive the car.
Bitkahuna - great to talk to you. BTW - on the Jersey turnpike this morning there was a GS400 in a gorgeous blue color (never saw one before in that color before) that shot right by me (I was at 75mph at the time). Man was that car screaming - made me think of you.
Blue GS's are rare, and dealers WILL NOT stock them (they say they make the lot look bad), but I agree it looks good. Mine's silver, because I like the look and I'm lazy about cleaning cars.
If he was flying on the Jersey Turnpike I hope he's got a radar detector!
I priced the 30,000 mile check for my wifes' LS400 a few months ago: Oil change, tire rotation, cooling system flush and brake fluid replacement, at Lexus, $300.00. At Firestone, about $120.00 (I don't remember the exact price)How can anyone economically justify routine maintenance at a Lexus dealer?
I like the peace of mind of letting my dealer do the service, who I trust, and who I can give grief effectively to if anything doesn't go right, because they know if I give a bad write-up or phonecall to Lexus, it hurts them.
Does anyone have similar experience in other parts of the country?
with the ultra luxury package, i know that the interior colors are limited but does that also coincide with the exterior colors?
thanks
I had the original LS400 and a SC400 in the past. ALWAYS very happy with the cars and the service (at 3 dealerships!).
I want luxury now, not performance. Although the AS has the same 0 - 60 as the 540!
My rep was Cory Williams, 800/899-5398. He's also their Internet sales guy.
Jeff
Is this normal for this car, or do I need to visit the service department?
After a month and 1800 miles on my Custom I think it is an all around very good car. So far the nit I have trouble adjusting to is that the FM sensitivity is significantly worse than on my Pioneer equipped LS400. I can no longer listen to the only radio station I like when driving to work, WQXR in New York.
My other nits apply to the dealer installed options: Clear plastic stone protection for the front of the car (poor workmanship in applying and positioning the film). Window tint (bubbles). Alarm upgrade (never worked at all).
Cruise - my cruise maintains same speed whether I am going up or down a hill.
Motor Trend - predjudiced opinion. Several of us commented about it a few weeks back. The S-430 is noticably slower than the LS430 in 0-60 and in torque. How can any performance magazine rate that better??
E-430 4matic - Had a chance to drive the E-430 this week for 3 days as I was away on business.(How I ended up with this car on business is too long a story to get into.) Anyone who pays 60k for this car is simply buying a brand name. Couldn't wait to get back into my LS430. What an incredible difference for cars that are close in price. The E-430 is cheap and plastic like inside for a car at that price point. The leather is not high grade at all. It's not that it is a bad interior - just relative to the price. Noiser, more harsh ride and cramped interior - this is a smaller car than I realized. Either the Lexus should be $10k higher in price or the E $10k lower in price. When I got back in the LS430 I felt like I was stepping up several notches in class. The E had good handling and I do like the design - but I prefer the GS430 to this car. Nicer ride, better handling and very quiet. It's remarkable that MB can charge a price that high for a car so inferior to the LS430.
By the way the past week was an interesting car week for me. I had to drive my boss about 100 miles in my pine car before I went away. He thought the car was spectacular - couldn't believe the interior, the ride quality and the absence of noise. I told him the interior was a lot nicer looking with the nav and that the ultra or custom takes it up even further. He then demanded to drive the car. His German auto lease ends in September and he will not be re-newing. Nuff said except that the E was such a dis-appointment.
Leaving tommorrow afternoon for rest of the week. Hope everyone has a great 4th.
Anyway, I was wondering, what DON'T you like about your new LS430's, or what could be improved, or what would you like to see added?
And what would you be willing to pay for these changes / add-ons.
bitkahuna can describe us as having too much sentiment in here pro-Lexus, but this particular forum is specifically LExus! Since most of us haven't as yet experienced the volume of problems listed in the Benz forum, I don't see his point. No one here is saying Lexus is perfect. They don't say it themselves (tho, they claim to pursue it, and seem closer to it IMO than Benz).
As for the new 7, as I said to arcoates, I think it shows some promise, but I personally have doubts about the styling from the pics I've seen. The rear end looks like a marriage btwn a Porche and Intrepid.
Lastly, I too, have had the pleasure of driving (past) co-workers and others around in my Ultra and they were all highly impressed. At least one of them was a Benz owner and admitted the obvious differences in build quality and interior design. I have been in his Benz and tested the new S, and found it less to MY liking. Doesn't make me a Benz hater or Lexus zealot - just says that I have a preference and one that, at least in this forum, is shared by others of like mind. Have a great 4th - I'm off to frustrate myself on the golf course and re-learn the meaning of "humbled".
Those of you due for service may want to make sure that this procedure is followed since my dealer had never done this and was unaware of the directive. I have a feeling that others may not know about it.
The LS430 is clearly a fabulous car, but every car can be improved in one way or another.
Is Internet access of interest? S-Class owners can check the news or stock quotes or sports scores on their cars (when it works of course!).
Is a rear view camera like the new Q has interesting?
Would a long wheelbase version of the LS430 be of interest?
How about more power or a V12?
How about massaging front seats? Why don't they offer those? I'm sure they wouldn't offer a massaging driver's seat that would operate while driving though!
How about different colors? A brushed aluminum type interior option?
Here's one I'd like to see... tie the nav system in with traffic data and have the car advise ways around it before you're even aware of it.
What do you think?
"Is Internet access of interest? S-Class owners can check the news or stock quotes or sports scores on their cars (when it works of course!)."
Not to me - probably unsafe
"Is a rear view camera like the new Q has interesting?"
Not to me - doubt it's very useful from what I've read. Sounds more gimmicky.
"Would a long wheelbase version of the LS430 be of interest?"
Not to me, I have all the room I need, but I imagine some might like it, esp. the chauferred crowd, but they would most likely opt for a different car in the first place.
"How about more power or a V12?"
It might be a nice option for some, but again, not for me - I have all the power I need and can easily keep up/pass the majority of the others.
"How about massaging front seats? Why don't they offer those? I'm sure they wouldn't offer a massaging driver's seat that would operate while driving though!"
That, I would like. And other cars do offer it in front, including Caddy.
"How about different colors? A brushed aluminum type interior option?"
IMO, LExus could definitely do better with its color schemes, but brushed aluminum interior would not be to my taste in this type car/interior.
"Here's one I'd like to see... tie the nav system in with traffic data and have the car advise ways around it before you're even aware of it."
I believe this technology is just around the corner and will be available in all the high end nav systems sooner rather than later. It has many other possibilities as well.
Lastly, please stop putting words in my mouth about this subject. I have never said my car (or any other) is perfect. I have merely pointed out some inaccuracies and misrepresentations that I believe were evident in other posters viewpoints about either their car (be it Benz, Bimmer, Jag, etc) and/or the Lexus. I am fairly certain that ljflx shares this view and don't recall his making such statements either. We both occasionally like to spar in a spirited way with some of the High End board members, but also will stand our ground in defense of a very well built and executed product (LS430) when it is demeaned for such silliness as "heritage", etc. For those that value that "heritage" I say fine. I, for one, value my comfort, my taste in luxury and interior, systems integration, supreme reliability, customer service and value for all that money spent. That always seemed to rankle the Benzophiles. Possibly because they have different priorities, spent far more and are experiencing a significant number of problems - as painfully described in their own posts.
In the end, we must all be happy with our own choices. I am with mine. I hope they are with theirs, as I truly do not wish them anything but goodwill. And to you as well.
A choice as whether or not to spend 1000+ dollars for the Lexus Link System.
A power sun roof shade.
Ability to change destinations on the navigation system while driving.
A more complete navigation system for we rural residents.
A hands free telephone system that would accept your phone or a phone and service company of your choice.
More cooling power for the cooled front seats.
Have the front seat slide rearward a few inches when the key is removed. I have memory #3 set to do this now.
Have the memory seat/mirrors/steering wheel work quicker. Now, first steering wheel positions then seat positions. Have both move at once.
Better AM/FM reception.
Satellite Radio Reception ability.
Aim the parking assist sonar lower to pick up curbs (it doesn't catch them all the time - will talk to my service dept at the 1st oil change).
The car should be 3 to 4" longer adding some length to the hood.
Dream on...............
As for desired improvements, I've been in this forum a while and haven't seen any comments, but anyway...
From your comments I didn't see ANYTHING you don't like about the current LS430, which is great, but surprising.
bonger - great comments, thanks. One thing I found interesting is why you'd want the hood to be longer? Lexus takes the 'form follows function' approach, so I guess they'd want to know what this would add to the function.
Here's another one (not a new idea)... how about a solar fan to extract heat from the cabin when the car is parked?
As for your improvements, I responded to your suggestions. If you truly have been around this board for a while, I don't know how you could have missed so many past discussions of both improvements and complaints. These have included groaning steering columns, moonroof rattles and the ever-popular poor cell phone integration. We have all been hard on that last one - how did you miss it??
There have been numerous calls for additions/improvements as well. Some of the nav. system items mentioned by bonger have been previously requested, cruise control changes, better option packaging, to name a few. I would also agree with bonger on the improved cooling seats and would like more active voice integration in the nav. Much of this will come, I would imagine, in the near future.
My point is and always was, that Lexus is doing a better job of all this than the others, but they are not perfect. All of these cars are fine examples of the breed, but when we tried to have that discussion in the comparo boards where it belongs, we were roundly chastised with poor logic and bad facts. There is a hard core element that can't accept the faults in their favorite - and they all, including Lexus, have faults. I accept mine.
Lastly, your "drool" comment was only part of my reason stated previoulsy. I did take it as humor, but there were other issues - and when we get into them, it bugs the hosts and appears to become personal. It isn't personal with me, though it might seem that way. I just like an even playing field where all opinions are welcome.
As far as improvements, I did see the problems mentioned of course (groaning, rattling, phone issues, etc.) but I wasn't thinking of rectifying 'bugs' as improvements really, I was thinking more about possible new features, or improvements in ergonomics or other design aspects. And to try to think as wide afield as possible, even if we ourselves might not personally buy such a feature or model.
How about a convertible LS430!? :-)
It would be interesting to know if Lexus reads these message boards (I think they would be crazy not to).
Either way, I just like to speculate how Lexus could improve the value and luxury proposition even further, particularly of its flagship sedan.