Lexus LS: Buy a 2006 or 2007?

pat

If you were in the market right now for an LS, would you go with the 06 or wait for the 07? What sort of deals do you think are available for 06s since the 07 is right around the corner?

nvbanker

that's a good question. I LOVE the looks of the 07, but for the first 6 months at least, they'll be so hot, you won't be able to touch one for sticker probably. Likely there'll be add-on stickers as much as $10,000 at first. So, I would probably get the 06, hopefully at a very deep discount now, and wait for the 08 to come out before upgrading. Eliminates first year issue syndrome as well, although with a Toyota, it's not usually a bad experience.

luckylou

Three months ago I bought my wife a brand new Lexus LS430 with the Ultra Package , we have no regrets , also we got a terrific deal over $ 9000.00 OFF MSRP.
I agree with nvbanker statement , wait for the 2008 or 2009.
Lexus just send us a notice for the initial free 5000 miles check up , this new car came with six miles showing in odometer , at the present she is about 100 miles shy of from breaking the 1000 miles .
I only got one regret instead of buying an new 2006 LX470 I should have bought two LS430 , but it would have not been a practical move , need a SUV or a EL Truck.
A very sweet car to drive, wonderful seats and a great options .
My wife is a very Happy Camper . But for myself , I am back on the HUNT looking for a
more versatile vehicle instead of the LX470 . Perhaps the 2007 Tundra Extra Cap

nvbanker

Lucky- what's wrong with the LX-470? I'm considering one....

oac

NV: I own an '03 LX470. The truck is real nice, very plush ride, does everything so well, except when you have to fill-er-up (running me $70/week). That truck is a real gas guzzler. Mine does 12mpg, when I am lucky. It may be my lead foot tho'

Personally, I will take the LX anytime. Its such a wonderful truck I can't imagine what could be wrong with it. Just got back from a round-trip San Diego-Las Vegas-San Diego. No worries, no tiredness, seats were comfy, ride was super comfy.

nvbanker

I understand. My Navigator delivered the same, ummmm, "economy", except the tank was larger! I was hoping the LX would be better, since the engine and the truck are smaller, and Lexus may have a more efficient power module, but I guess not.

Still considering one anyway. Thanks.

rcf8000

I recently traded my LX470 for an RX350. I much prefer my LS430 to either of those for road trips, unless conditions dictate the use of an SUV. I've been following the LS460 news closely. Right now, I can't get excited about trading my LS430 for one. The LX470 got 16-17mpg on the highway. The LS430 gets about 25. The RX350 gets about 24.

luckylou

Hi guys , really it has nothing to do with an specific vehicle.
The LX 470 is great but not as comfortable as the LS430.
The last few months I been withdrawing from certain medication ( Zoloft )sometimes I am angry , sad , also have tremendous mood swing . I suspect that the opinion I express was, at one of my lowest point . The latest MPG is appx. 14 or 15.
I went from a 2003 Toyota Land Cruiser to a 2006 Lexus LX470 , the only reason was I got a very good deal.
The new bigger BMW X5 , The 2007 Tundra and even 2007 LS460 , might be replacements for the aging LX470
This morning I fill up 24.4 gls. Supreme at $3.09 9/10 at $ 75.64 .
I remember filling up my 1955 Dodge (very used) Regular gas at $0.16 per gallons .
1962

nvbanker

Ah yes, and I filled my 62 Ford up for .20 cents a gallon as well. $5 would fill the tank easily. And I still worried about Mileage! Crazy.... Course, it got about 7 mpg too.....in town or on the highway.

duffner

Back to the subject: I have wondered about the choice. I am driving a Camry that wont die, but I would like to finally get an LS. The 2007 is certainly a big step forward in design, but it is a first year car and I have a hunch the visibility is compromised, like many new hot cars. A friend bought a 2005 at the end of its model year and says it is all you can ever ask for. It was reduced about ten grand at the year end. That seems to be happening to the 2006, but no further reduction than that, so it seems to be still appealing to many buyers. Its a tough choice.

nvbanker

If you're ready for the car now, buy the 06. The discount makes them the best buy on the planet. It'll realistically be 2 years before you'll get any kind of deal on an 07, and from what I hear, they're going to cost $20,000 more than what you could nail an 06 for.

kennyg8

I am in the market for a new car. The 06 LS 430 looks very attractive with the deep discount. I believe one with the Modern Lux Package can be had for around $53k or $1k below invoice. When was the last time you see Lexus selling at below invoice ?

The one drawback, however, is that the 430 is rear wheel drive, and since I live in the NE, I will need snow tires for the winter, which I am not too thrilled about.

So, I have also been looking at the M35x and the RL, which are AWD sports/sporty sedans. Although these cars may not necessarily be in the same class as the LS, they are viable alternatives for someone who likes luxury combined with sportiness. Oh, I think I should also mention the $$ savings (anywhere from 4k to 6k) you'll get on these V6 sedans.

nvbanker

I believe the M35x is also RWD, is it not?

kennyg8

The M35 is RWD, but the M35X is AWD. I test drove an 07 M35x last week, and found it responsive and powerful enough (as a V6). I haven't researched the 07 LS, and wonder whether it has AWD as an option.

rgsw

I can't find in my research that the 2007 LS460 or LS460L will have AWD. I have read in this forum where some LS430 owners have had good results with certain brand snow tires. They recommend that you purchase after market wheels or take offs from the dealer and keep them mounted on a separate set of wheels. You might try a search on this forum for "snow tires". The top of the line 2008 LS600hL will have full time AWD and will be more expensive than the LS460 or LS460L.

rcf8000

Lexus claims 5.4 seconds 0-60 for the '07 LS, and 5.9 seconds for the '06. Going from 278 to 380 HP and from a 6 speed transmission to an 8 speed gets you 0.5 seconds? I'm not impressed.

gteach26

You make a good point. People often read too much into horsepower. You've got to get in the car and drive the thing -- that's the ONLY way to really see if it has the "oomph" you're looking for.

I often hear that "torque" is more important to the way a car feels than actual HP.

I'm looking forward to test driving the LS460 to see if there is a noticeable difference from my 430.

Anyone driven both yet and care to comment?

theguru78

no one has seen times of 5.9 secs on the 06 LS 430. They are more like 6.5 Secs. Lexus performance numbers are never right, but from what I have read it looks like the LS 460 number are on point. But then again, why care so much about lexus performance numbers when most people don't buy a lexus for performance, but rather comfort and reliability.

rcf8000

I haven't seen any test results showing 5.4 sec 0-60 for the LS460. Edmunds: 5.8; Motor Trend: 5.7; Road & Track: 5.6; and Car& Driver: 6.2 is what I've seen.

slexy1

I have a blog post that basically says that the trunk hinge mechanism on the 2007 LS 460 is superior (in my opinion) to the "strut" trunk lid mechanism on all the LS 430's from 2001 to 2006. But the "stuts" enable the LS 430 to have a bit more trunk space capacity as my blog post details here:

2007 Lexus LS 460's Retro 1990 Trunk Lid Mechanis>/a>">link title

pat

I moved a post to a discussion where it's more likely to be seen by someone who can help. Here's the link: mcoleky, "Lexus LS 460/LS 460L News, Views and Opinions" #730, 28 Jun 2007 6:24 pm.