A Special Review: 2007 Lexus LS460
12-07-06, 09:41 AM
#91
Awesome review mmarshall and quite a surprise
So this was the "treat" you were talking about
I was going to hold off on responding (since I haven't had the chance to check the out LS again), but can't wait no more
The 745's also have the brake hold feature. Not sure how different from the LS, but when I stopped at the gate to punch in the #, I had the door open and accidently let go of the brake. I thought the car was going to move forward but it just stayed there
After getting back in , I had to put the car back in D.
Glad to hear that the car's driving dynamic is better while maintaining the Lexus quietness and comfortness
So this was the "treat" you were talking about I was going to hold off on responding (since I haven't had the chance to check the out LS again), but can't wait no more
The 745's also have the brake hold feature. Not sure how different from the LS, but when I stopped at the gate to punch in the #, I had the door open and accidently let go of the brake. I thought the car was going to move forward but it just stayed there
After getting back in , I had to put the car back in D.
Glad to hear that the car's driving dynamic is better while maintaining the Lexus quietness and comfortness
12-08-06, 10:17 PM
#92
Thanks for the review. I didnt' have the chance to test drive the new LS but I did manage to see the APGS in action. It seems that the better you position the car, the less adjustments you'll have to make on the screen. You really have to nail that corner pole at the rear corner of the car you're gonna park behind. I'm sure after some practice, you can pull up beside the car and get it dead on which means no adjustments whatsoever to the green box.
12-09-06, 07:30 AM
#93
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Thanks for the review. I didnt' have the chance to test drive the new LS but I did manage to see the APGS in action. It seems that the better you position the car, the less adjustments you'll have to make on the screen. You really have to nail that corner pole at the rear corner of the car you're gonna park behind. I'm sure after some practice, you can pull up beside the car and get it dead on which means no adjustments whatsoever to the green box.
When I first got my Drivers' License ( trust me...that was some time ago ), I had to demonstrate, myself, to the police officer checking me out, an ability to parallel-park without either jamming the wheels into the curb or the bumpers into the cars ahead or behind me. If you failed you didn't get your license.
12-09-06, 11:07 AM
#94
Lexus Connoisseur
All new Lexii, LS460 included, are rather flimzy inside. When I went to Taste of Lexus event in October, one of the LS models that was on the floor already had some of the interior pieces falling off, and the front doors already felt loose and didn't have that premium closing sound. The GS450h that I test drove had the entire dash squeaking and rattling like it was about to fall apart. ]
12-09-06, 11:40 AM
#95
Lexus Champion
Speaking of car show abuse, I was talking with a guy who takes care of the Corvette display among others at the major auto show circuits and he said that in the more popular cars, where everybody wants to sit in them, especially cars with a low point of entry and tall side bolsters, like the Corvette, the seats experience so much wear from some of the major cities they visit that they literally replace the leather seat covers after each major city and typically after every 2nd or 3rd smaller city on their route.
He said those cars get to simulate several lifetimes of abuse, particularly anything to do with entry and exit of the vehicle like the doors and seats.
He said those cars get to simulate several lifetimes of abuse, particularly anything to do with entry and exit of the vehicle like the doors and seats.
12-09-06, 11:44 AM
#96
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Speaking of car show abuse, I was talking with a guy who takes care of the Corvette display among others at the major auto show circuits and he said that in the more popular cars, where everybody wants to sit in them, especially cars with a low point of entry and tall side bolsters, like the Corvette, the seats experience so much wear from some of the major cities they visit that they literally replace the leather seat covers after each major city and typically after every 2nd or 3rd smaller city on their route.
He said those cars get to simulate several lifetimes of abuse, particularly anything to do with entry and exit of the vehicle like the doors and seats.
He said those cars get to simulate several lifetimes of abuse, particularly anything to do with entry and exit of the vehicle like the doors and seats.
( This machine, BTW, simulates the abuse to a seat that MY oversized frame does
)
12-11-06, 01:53 AM
#97
Speaking of car show abuse, I was talking with a guy who takes care of the Corvette display among others at the major auto show circuits and he said that in the more popular cars, where everybody wants to sit in them, especially cars with a low point of entry and tall side bolsters, like the Corvette, the seats experience so much wear from some of the major cities they visit that they literally replace the leather seat covers after each major city and typically after every 2nd or 3rd smaller city on their route.
He said those cars get to simulate several lifetimes of abuse, particularly anything to do with entry and exit of the vehicle like the doors and seats.
He said those cars get to simulate several lifetimes of abuse, particularly anything to do with entry and exit of the vehicle like the doors and seats.
it's just painful to see
12-11-06, 12:29 PM
#98
Guest
Posts: n/a
I've sat in the LS/RL and GS and the LS sorry, BLOWS the other 2 away. I am shocked that it was a Lexus, felt like an older model (Tank) S-class. The door feels like it is 100lbs..THe leather, the materials, all first rate. Everything is soft and easy to find. With the car closed, it is a tomb.
Lexus I can see went ALL OUT with the LS, I cannot say they did with the 3GS and the RL is nice but cannot overcome its Accord/FWD based orgins. I feel Acura has not built a car as strong as the Legend and that does show how incredible the Legend was but shows they have not really advanced on build quality, just in offering techno features.
I do feel the 3GS is superior to the 2GS in build, the panel gaps are so small it is ridiculous.
Lexus I can see went ALL OUT with the LS, I cannot say they did with the 3GS and the RL is nice but cannot overcome its Accord/FWD based orgins. I feel Acura has not built a car as strong as the Legend and that does show how incredible the Legend was but shows they have not really advanced on build quality, just in offering techno features.
I do feel the 3GS is superior to the 2GS in build, the panel gaps are so small it is ridiculous.
12-11-06, 12:40 PM
#99
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
I've sat in the LS/RL and GS and the LS sorry, BLOWS the other 2 away. I am shocked that it was a Lexus, felt like an older model (Tank) S-class. The door feels like it is 100lbs..THe leather, the materials, all first rate. Everything is soft and easy to find. With the car closed, it is a tomb.
I do feel the 3GS is superior to the 2GS in build, the panel gaps are so small it is ridiculous.
Panel gaps ALONE, though, only tell part of the story. You can make a car body out of cardboard, and if you are careful enough in trimming the cardboard panels, you will have minutely small gaps so thin you can't even see them....but you will still have cardboard.
( I didn't use this example to say that the GS HAS cardboard-like panels. Of course it doesn't.......but just wanted to illustrate a general point ).
Anyhow, 1SICK, as you know, I have an extremely high opinion of all three cars, and all three are on the list of All-Time Best new cars I've ever test-driven. ( And I'll agree with you that the LS460 is THE best RWD new car I've ever driven ( overall, beating out the BMW 500i I checked out Friday ) ....as the RL, so far, is THE best AWD car, narrowly beating out the GSAWD ).
Last edited by mmarshall; 12-11-06 at 12:45 PM.
12-11-06, 12:46 PM
#101
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Did you check out the Mark Lev stereo with the windows up? I promised you, didn't I, that THAT would be an experience.
12-11-06, 12:50 PM
#102
Guest
Posts: n/a
12-11-06, 01:00 PM
#103
Lexus Champion
Panel gaps ALONE, though, only tell part of the story. You can make a car body out of cardboard, and if you are careful enough in trimming the cardboard panels, you will have minutely small gaps so thin you can't even see them....but you will still have cardboard.
-The material used for the two panels that are meeting is not susceptible to major expansion and contraction in warm/cold weather
-The chassis is rigid enough to keep those two gaps from touching when bumps are hit or, hopefully allow the doors and such to still open when the car is up on jacks and/or in an accident
-They manufacturer feels that their consistency of assembly is consistent and accurate enough to where the small gaps won't allow their range of tolerance to be easily noticed to the naked eye of an observer (smaller gaps make variances more apparent)
All in all I think tight panel gaps are over-rated and focused on too much when it comes to build quality as there are a number of reasons why they may be larger even though the build quality of the car is otherwise excellent.
Now if I go look at a brand new car and measure mirroring gaps on each side of the car and see a big variance from car to car or the side of one car to the other, then that's when I start to assume quality control isn't too hot. If it's a used car it makes me wonder if it has been wrecked and not quite repaired right, or just wasn't built right from the factory and have to look under the car and feel around behind the panels for sings of repair or adjustment.
12-11-06, 03:50 PM
#104
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Good...you're finally listening. I won't have to repeat it.
Tight panel gaps really just mean three major things:
-The material used for the two panels that are meeting is not susceptible to major expansion and contraction in warm/cold weather
-The material used for the two panels that are meeting is not susceptible to major expansion and contraction in warm/cold weather
-The chassis is rigid enough to keep those two gaps from touching when bumps are hit or, hopefully allow the doors and such to still open when the car is up on jacks and/or in an accident
-The manufacturer feels that their consistency of assembly is consistent and accurate enough to where the small gaps won't allow their range of tolerance to be easily noticed to the naked eye of an observer (smaller gaps make variances more apparent)
All in all I think tight panel gaps are over-rated and focused on too much when it comes to build quality as there are a number of reasons why they may be larger even though the build quality of the car is otherwise excellent.
Now if I go look at a brand new car and measure mirroring gaps on each side of the car and see a big variance from car to car or the side of one car to the other, then that's when I start to assume quality control isn't too hot. If it's a used car it makes me wonder if it has been wrecked and not quite repaired right, or just wasn't built right from the factory and have to look under the car and feel around behind the panels for sings of repair or adjustment.
Agreed.
Last edited by mmarshall; 12-11-06 at 03:58 PM.
12-11-06, 04:21 PM
#105
Lexus Champion