geko29

And you're so committed to your craft you travelled 2,400 miles so you could share it with everyone.

SW17LS

I don't do anything half assed! LOL

AJT123

Yes, I may be many things… but one of them includes a good sense of humor, though somewhat twisted.

And thanks! I was without it over a month, no wonder I’ve felt off lately. I couldn’t read and write like usual.

Stroock639

that's what impresses me so much about my old cars, they still feel VERY luxurious even after driving a modern car... if it were possible to time machine back and forth to 1999 and 2005 respectively to when each were brand new it'd seriously be interesting to feel what each was like fresh out of the showroom, even today they're certainly comfier than a modern lexus/benz

i bet if you found a really nice GS 400 you'd be surprised at just how good they still are, and how lively and refined that 4.0 VVT-i V8 was (and still is)

SW17LS

Not my modern Benz lol

Stroock639

well i was more so going for a modern E-class lol... but unless the W223 seats are a major improvement over the W222 seats i'm still not too convinced, and those W222 seats are already quite comfy

SW17LS

The current E Class is way more comfortable than your E Class.

Having had a 98 LS400 and the W222 and W223, the 222 and 223 are both more comfortable than the LS400. Its a very comfortable car obviously with a great ride, but the modern air suspension and all of the chassis and suspension sophistication just are on another level. Then there is the quietness, especially the W223 is significantly quieter. My 223 is without a doubt the quietest best riding car I have ever owned, probably one of the top 2 or 3 I have ever driven...and I'm still on the Hankook runflats...

When it comes to seats the LS400 has the old style spring cushioned seats, they don't make seats like that anymore so the feel is different...but in the LS400 you have no extending thigh length, no adjustable bolstering or mutli-contour seating, no seat ventilation, and obviously no massage or active seat kinetics. The LS400 seats may be more comfortable when you just sit down, but if you take the time to get the seats dialed in right in a W222 or W223 the seats deliver a lot more comfort. It took me 2 weeks of driving to get my seat right... Then you go to the rear seats, you have no power adjustment, no heating or cooling, no sunshades...

The LS400 is an incredible car for its time, but today it is totally outclassed by modern luxury sedans. S Class, 7 Series, A8...all of them...

AJT123

Yep. I had to jump off the LS430 today because it's been sitting but I drove it around all day. I don't care how nice new luxury cars are, LS430 hands down one of the best luxury cars ever made. The wood and trim on the W222 is inferior, so is the A/C fan noise. So is the ride over bumps but I won't blame low profile tires. I lovvvvve luxury cars obviously but I don't nor will never need another one. That's why we want the LC500. I'm starting to pile too many miles on the Mercedes, I'm close to 70k. 6k a year.

Oh it's a great engine. Out of all the V8s I drive I finally have it down:

-The LS430 has the best mechanical whir. Surprisingly eager.
-Yukon has the best snarl, by far. Around 3kRPM you might as well be taking a swig it is so intoxicating.
-LX570 is the burliest sounding, love it
-Mercedes is my favorite, M113 makes it torquiest feeling and has dual intake runners and sounds the best overall, including exhaust.

Yes the Yukon has massively more torque but it's engineered to rev when you accelerate. Old Mercedes were lazy with the gas and just relied on low end torque, which is also intoxicating. You will be in a high gear and move maybe 500 RPM but the speedo swings wayyy up.

Striker223

[QUOTE=bitkahuna;11785890]that's why you get one in black.



what was the recommended OCI?



definitely... they're never as good as we 'remember'. examples are noisier, rougher, less room, etc.

on that legend though, i still love how honda made cars with tall side glass (low belt line) vs. today's overall market tanks with slit like windows and giant slabs for doors.[/QUOTE

Mercedes says 10k stateside and a "flexible service" in Europe but they use a higher spec oil and the coding is different, it's hard to explain.....

Technically Steve's car functioned perfectly, no issues until the warranty ended.

Striker223

Multi-contour active seats are a freaking game changer, it's impossible to go back once you have them dialed in to your body.

The LS430 has one of the quietest fans I've heard, that's one thing that still stands out to me

AJT123

Everything is quiet in it. The power seat belt movers are almost silent and they're located right by your ear. Wipers are silent, engine has a nice almost silent purr.

Agree about the MB active seats, awesome.

SW17LS

Guys, 20+ year old LSs are not superior to brand new S Classes lol. Come on. They were great cars when they were made, and are certainly some of the best cars ever made but modern technology has taken cars to a place that just didn't exist when those cars were built. Doesn't mean they aren't still impressive and enjoyable cars...but they aren't better than a brand new S Class...or E Class...

Stroock639

i'd never try to deny that, but my feeling is that these newer benzes are nicer for now... however i believe they're more designed to be disposable, and idk if that's just a result of the world changing its priorities or the companies themselves just focusing more on cost cutting

in the last 20 years mercedes has introduced like 500 different new models lol it's just impossible to keep quality consistent when you go from fine dining to fancy upscale buffet

SW17LS

I think thats true of cars and everything in general...

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

unless cost is no object (e.g., rolls royce), no one is building cars to last decades, and frankly, it can't be done. and as 'feature wars' have gone on and cars have become rolling computers, there's inevitably a shorter lifespan... who wants to drive a commodore 64 (a what?) on wheels.

world is brutally competitive. mercedes has face onslaughts from many new 'upstarts' including lexus. they've had to scramble mightily to survive. early cost reduction efforts like the first ML suv were pretty terrible, lol. now, WAY better.

and besides competition, the regulatory landscape has changed (and grown) so much, putting immense pressure on car makers to do all kinds of contortions and compromises which also adds a ton of complexity.