Lexus LS460 - any thought?

Lexus LS460 - any thought?

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junglie

Original Poster:

1,929 posts

219 months

Saturday 23rd January 2016
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http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...



I went to see this yesterday and it seems beautifully built and loads of kit.

Does it seem expensive? Similar cars are going for nearer £10,000.

One of these or an E55K AMG Estate!

Sump

5,484 posts

169 months

Saturday 23rd January 2016
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Had a 430. No competitor will come close to reliability and Shinkansen style refinement.

jas xjr

11,309 posts

241 months

Saturday 23rd January 2016
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I like that.pop a private plate on and away you go.looks like a lot of car for the money. Not as common as the equivalent German saloon so to me,not as dated.
I would not worry too much about the price as long as you are happy with the car

TakeTheJaaaag

390 posts

103 months

Saturday 23rd January 2016
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I've been tempted by the 430 for the reliability (couldn't stretch to the 460!) but the image thing (I'm 24) and that I would struggle to park it in my works car park as its very tight has made me look at the IS250/GS300.

I can't think of many better cars than used lexus for power, refinement, decent spec and reasonable price. I really want something as reliable as possible and ive only heard good things.

The 460's look like pretty good value and less likely to cost an arm and a leg to own long term.

sly fox

2,232 posts

221 months

Saturday 23rd January 2016
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A few things to look out for;

Gearchange must be perfect. Any noticeable hesitation from rest and walk away.

Air suspension is better than previous generation LS, but check it feels ok, that the rear height stabilises, that you can raise it via dash button and it resettles quickly.
The suspension itself is ok, it's the height sensors that fail. (if you buy one, avoid jet washing rear wheel arches as water ingress is what damages the part).

The big one is Steering.
Steering columns / racks have been known to fail, and they are, i kid you not, a £5-6k fix.

Great cars, i couldn't find the right one to replace my LS430 last summer then changed tactics and bought a Jag instead.

It might not be the most stylish car on the road but boy does it do the whole relaxing stress free motoring thing better than almost anything else out there, perhaps a Jag XJ would be close.

junglie

Original Poster:

1,929 posts

219 months

Saturday 23rd January 2016
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I have had a look at a warranty and £500 a year appears to cover the bigger ticket items.

junglie

Original Poster:

1,929 posts

219 months

Saturday 23rd January 2016
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twoblacklines

1,575 posts

163 months

Saturday 23rd January 2016
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E55 AMG is not a competitor.

The Lexus is made for either chauffering people around or the nicest kind of car you could drive.

S class or 7 series or A8 or Phaeton are direct competitors.

If you can get over the badge you can pick up a great Phaeton 3.0tdi for £9k.

twoblacklines

1,575 posts

163 months

junglie

Original Poster:

1,929 posts

219 months

Saturday 23rd January 2016
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Not a direct competition just the 2 cars that I am interested in - an A8, S Class, Phaeton are all good cars also.

Selmer Mk6

245 posts

129 months

Saturday 23rd January 2016
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twoblacklines said:
E55 AMG is not a competitor.

The Lexus is made for either chauffering people around or the nicest kind of car you could drive.

S class or 7 series or A8 or Phaeton are direct competitors.

If you can get over the badge you can pick up a great Phaeton 3.0tdi for £9k.
The 460 is 4.6 V8, any diesel is not its competitor. The S500, 745i and the A8 4.2V8 are unless you can find a Phaeton 4.2 V8.

BIRMA

3,813 posts

196 months

Saturday 23rd January 2016
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I very nearly bought one, they are fantastic cars with one of the best hi-fi systems put in a car the ride is superb plus a fabulous engine. The only thing that really irritated and only negative point on the whole car was the £2.50 LED clock they put in it. Other than that it appears to be a typical bomb proof Jap Luxo Barge.
They do seem to hold their value too.

belleair302

6,874 posts

209 months

Sunday 24th January 2016
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I have a 460 LS 2008 and what a huge engineering job Lexus have achieved. Beautiful for ploughing up and down motorways and a very smooth ride in central London. Somewhat thirsty below 30 mph, high teens mpg. Servicing isn't bad so long as you have a decent Japanese indy nearby. have had a battery fail, gone through tyres, issues with a water pump and under impressed with quality of wheels and callipers. Trim is hard wearing, electrics are good, suspension is a huge improvement on a 430 and the weight can be felt across the car. A decent sized boot, loads of room and storage options, epic Mark Levinson hi fi (owned by JBL I believe) . Good air conditioning and great wipers plus lights. Hard to find as few were sold from newt well worth spending money on and can cover massive mileage in all weather. Go ahead a crawl over a couple then buy.

Roger Irrelevant

2,971 posts

115 months

Sunday 24th January 2016
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My thoughts are that I'd bloody love one - the ultimate understated luxo-barge. Regarding the steering problem thing, am I right in thinking that this was more prevalent on 2006/7 models? I'm sure I remember reading something about needing to be more careful with 06/07s for whatever reason, but this may just have been someone talking rubbish on the internet. I was thinking about getting a Mustang in a few years but, even though it's clearly a very different type of car, I can see myself instead getting one of these for 1/3 the price and not caring so much if it goes expensively wrong.

junglie

Original Poster:

1,929 posts

219 months

Sunday 24th January 2016
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They do seem to tick many of the boxes.

The interior is not the '90s Toyota' it may look like from pictures; quite the opposite.

The clock is utter rubbish but, surprisingly, it did not bother me!

The Lexus will no diubt be reliable, comfortable, be enjoyable for the kids but will I see an E55 AMG and wish I had that supercharged grunt?

CX53

2,973 posts

112 months

Sunday 24th January 2016
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junglie said:
They do seem to tick many of the boxes.

The interior is not the '90s Toyota' it may look like from pictures; quite the opposite.

The clock is utter rubbish but, surprisingly, it did not bother me!

The Lexus will no diubt be reliable, comfortable, be enjoyable for the kids but will I see an E55 AMG and wish I had that supercharged grunt?
Yes of course you will, it's definitely a lot more exciting. But as you waft along in your comfy chair I doubt it'll bother you that much!

DSLiverpool

14,807 posts

204 months

Sunday 24th January 2016
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I have had a GS430 and a GS450 and driven LS`s quite a bit, what they do is simple uneventful motoring in great comfort what bored me with them is the interior, I like small details and the "not far off a Avensis" buttons and texts etc are not a patch on an Audi for example.

Saying that I have a LS600 on my radar biggrin

Pommygranite

14,281 posts

218 months

Sunday 24th January 2016
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I absolutely respect so deeply what the LS is but you never hear what a great drive they are, you never how enjoyable it is - it strikes me as the car to have when you really don't like driving and need to get somewhere at quietly and smoothly as possible.

No bad thing but would think it's a car you buy with your head not your heart.


BIRMA

3,813 posts

196 months

Sunday 24th January 2016
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DSLiverpool said:
I have had a GS430 and a GS450 and driven LS`s quite a bit, what they do is simple uneventful motoring in great comfort what bored me with them is the interior, I like small details and the "not far off a Avensis" buttons and texts etc are not a patch on an Audi for example.

Saying that I have a LS600 on my radar biggrin
I tried the 600h too and again it's a lovely car just like the 460 but I didn't like the extra premium the hybrid had price wise over the 460.
When I drove the 600h the auto box really put me off can't quite put my finger on it but it seemed lifeless OK if you do a lot of town driving but on open roads I didn't gel with it, the only thing is to drive one to see if it suits. I concluded I'd rather buy the 460 and the money I saved would go towards the inevitable fuel bill.

junglie

Original Poster:

1,929 posts

219 months

Sunday 24th January 2016
quotequote all
Pommygranite said:
I absolutely respect so deeply what the LS is but you never hear what a great drive they are, you never how enjoyable it is - it strikes me as the car to have when you really don't like driving and need to get somewhere at quietly and smoothly as possible.

No bad thing but would think it's a car you buy with your head not your heart.
This is exactly it. You will buy an LS460 and it will be fantastic at what it is designed to do but will it leave you feeling a little cold? Starting up that big V8 in the E55 and listenting to those AMG exhausts will put a smile on your face!