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^^^^ Well, I see you were out yesterday before the road got plowed or treated....although that truck ahead of you may be doing some of the work. I take it that was to (or from) the trip across the Bay Bridge.
I could tell it wasn't this morning, because we have a solid overcast.
I'd like to consider myself a pretty objective guy lol. One of the differences between the S Class and the LS is that the S Class feels more connected to the road. As someone who likes detached soft comfortable cruiser type cars, I always looked at "connected to the road" as a negative thing. Taking that heavy rain drive with freezing rain and snow and 3 passengers the other day, the LS would have felt way less sure footed in that situation because that detachment dulls your senses about what the road is doing under the car. The S Class just feels a lot more confidence inspiring. Its hard to describe. Now, my previous LS was RWD but the LS I had before that was AWD. Its very interesting that the car can feel as refined and detached and muted as the LS, maybe even moreso, yet still communicate more of what the road is doing...
Yesterday morning I had an early appointment and was out on snow and ice covered roads early, we had a hard freeze the night before and it was pretty ugly out still. I will say I am happy to have AWD again. The house I was going to was at the bottom of a one way hilled street, No way my RWD LS would have gotten back up that hill.
You mention cost, and thats something my buddy and I were talking about on the way back the other night (he's also a car guy). This car cost $33,000 more than my LS460L. If I were buying a car, would I think it was worth $33,000 more? Probably not. You get to a point of diminishing returns. However, I'm leasing, and i"m paying $250 more a month for this car over what I was paying for the LS. $250 a month isn't all that much...so far I think I'm getting my moneys worth...
That's the thing about Toyota & Lexus, they pretty much shield the driver and passengers from the road. Especially the Luxury models like the LS. I've owned 3 Camry's and 2 Sienna's in the last 20 years, and you are almost completely isolated from road feel, which I don't mind. Euro cars, German in particular are about connection to the road, although the complaint about the newer BMW's is that they no longer have that connection.
In 2018 I gave my 2006 Camry SE (3.3L V6) to my daughter who just started college and bought a 2018 Honda Civic Si, mostly because it was pretty cheap, but also because I wanted to get back into driving a manual. It had a pretty peppy turbo charged 1.5L, variable dampers and an LSD. Way to much road feel for me, who is now 53 years old and suffering from Degenerative disk disease (not as bad as it sounds!), and driving a manual daily, feeling all the imperfections in the road was just not for me. Ended up buying a low mileage 2010 IS350 Sport (52K miles) and sold the Si. Did a few things to stiffen the steering and suspension and now I'm back in my element! Except for the EV (2020 Hyundai Ioniq) I leased for my wife, I like keeping my cars 10 to 15 years before moving on
That's the thing about Toyota & Lexus, they pretty much shield the driver and passengers from the road. Especially the Luxury models like the LS. I've owned 3 Camry's and 2 Sienna's in the last 20 years, and you are almost completely isolated from road feel, which I don't mind. Euro cars, German in particular are about connection to the road, although the complaint about the newer BMW's is that they no longer have that connection.
I never minded that either, but I'm starting to see what german car fans have been talking about. You can have excellent comfort AND feedback from the road.
When you read things that people on MB World and Bimmerpost say who have come from Lexus vehicles say on the subject, you hear a lot of "I can just drive straight through a downpour and feel much more in control" and I can see that.
I never minded that either, but I'm starting to see what german car fans have been talking about. You can have excellent comfort AND feedback from the road.
When you read things that people on MB World and Bimmerpost say who have come from Lexus vehicles say on the subject, you hear a lot of "I can just drive straight through a downpour and feel much more in control" and I can see that.
No, I get that! I came from German cars, and road feel and feedback are what they are about. I was driving my IS350 in the pouring rain yesterday (RWD) and basically you don't feel the car even slipping in the turns due to traction control and less feedback to the driver. The only reason I knew it was slipping was because I could see the tt light flashing! But watching this video below, I'm starting to really doubt the handling abilities of BMW's...or maybe BMW drivers just don't know how to drive
Yep, thats the same thing I'm talking about. Had i been in the LS the other night, I would not have had confidence I was not slipping and it would have ratcheted my confidence overall way down. in the S I knew I was not slipping.
In 2018 I gave my 2006 Camry SE (3.3L V6) to my daughter who just started college
that's funny like a year before that my dad gave the 2004 Camry SE V6 (3.3L) to my sister who was just starting college... that car is great! a real sleeper with that torquey yet silky V6
most people don't know or don't remember that there were 3 engine options for the camry back then with the SE exclusively being able to get the 3.3L, i've always called it the lexus ES330 GT3 RS lol
that's funny like a year before that my dad gave the 2004 Camry SE V6 (3.3L) to my sister who was just starting college... that car is great! a real sleeper with that torquey yet silky V6
most people don't know or don't remember that there were 3 engine options for the camry back then with the SE exclusively being able to get the 3.3L, i've always called it the lexus ES330 GT3 RS lol
Ha that's interesting! It is a great car, definitely a sleeper. Drove it for 13 trouble free years. It's now pushing 155k miles with no end in sight. No oil leaks, although it is seeping power steering fluid. In 2018 I had to change the radiator, last year I had to change the CV boot and rotors, a few things external to the engine are creeping up, but it's still solid.
I told my daughter I'm going to replace it with a Corolla or Civic, she's not having it! It's that good of a car! Just not to good on gas
Ha that's interesting! It is a great car, definitely a sleeper. Drove it for 13 trouble free years. It's now pushing 155k miles with no end in sight. No oil leaks, although it is seeping power steering fluid. In 2018 I had to change the radiator, last year I had to change the CV boot and rotors, a few things external to the engine are creeping up, but it's still solid.
I told my daughter I'm going to replace it with a Corolla or Civic, she's not having it! It's that good of a car! Just not to good on gas
a basic camry to a corolla isn't too much of downgrade, but yea with the SE V6 you're not making me give that up for any corolla haha
ours was always solid too, the water pump started to get a bit clackity so that was actually just replaced like not even a year ago, i blamed him for never changing the coolant and almost exclusively taking short trips to and from the train station
Yep, thats the same thing I'm talking about. Had i been in the LS the other night, I would not have had confidence I was not slipping and it would have ratcheted my confidence overall way down. in the S I knew I was not slipping.
I feel a lot of this could also be due to the tire one has on a car. With most of the Lexus’ I’ve had when on factory tires it was white knuckle driving in the rain and snow. Once I change over to Conti DWS tires it changes everything and I feel more confident in my cars than my SUV in bad weather.
Obviously I know you’ve changed tires to what you have now in all of your cars too based on posts here so your experience is more apples to apples but tires make a big difference to me in driving confidence.
I feel a lot of this could also be due to the tire one has on a car. With most of the Lexus’ I’ve had when on factory tires it was white knuckle driving in the rain and snow. Once I change over to Conti DWS tires it changes everything and I feel more confident in my cars than my SUV in bad weather.
Obviously I know you’ve changed tires to what you have now in all of your cars too based on posts here so your experience is more apples to apples but tires make a big difference to me in driving confidence.
Oh tires make a huge difference I agree, both on really similar tires though.
Poor car is totally filthy right now, I hate winter.
a basic camry to a corolla isn't too much of downgrade, but yea with the SE V6 you're not making me give that up for any corolla haha
ours was always solid too, the water pump started to get a bit clackity so that was actually just replaced like not even a year ago, i blamed him for never changing the coolant and almost exclusively taking short trips to and from the train station
Here's a pic of it (on the left). Although it's a 5 speed auto, it runs quieter and at lower rpm's than my IS350 that has 100 more hp and a 6 speed auto. At 80 mph it's a little over 2k rpm's while my IS is hitting around 2400 rpm due to way shorter gearing. Done dozens of trips between Northern California and Southern California (360 miles each way) and at 80 mph it feels more like 60!
sorry lol saw an opportunity for rickles... they both look great, that is kind of surprising to hear but i guess the IS being the sporty intentioned car is more geared for response and power rather than cruising... i did always like how the camry came with a strut brace though, how sports car is that!
sorry lol saw an opportunity for rickles... they both look great, that is kind of surprising to hear but i guess the IS being the sporty intentioned car is more geared for response and power rather than cruising... i did always like how the camry came with a strut brace though, how sports car is that!
12-18-20 | 08:48 AM
