When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
You're comparing a $45,000 Enclave to a $90,000 LX570. Compare an LX570 to a Range Rover, or a GLS. The ride is night and day.
$50k price or not, the old Enclave had an impressive ride and quietness, drove nice. Has nice car-like characteristics and heralded chassis tuning, but I prefer a truck. I’d put an LX at least on par with your examples mentioned on a flat interstate. There’s an old Motor Trend test from 2015 that didn’t pick an outright ride winner, but they noticed the ones that rode better than others and had “very good rides” overall, LX and Range and GLS. Two unibodys and a BOF.
LX makes sense here, they’ll sell just what Lexus wants in numbers. They have a following, albeit small. We usually wave at each other especially ones that are ‘13-‘15 like mine.
nissan GTR engines are bench run for 45 minutes, 10 min at redline before delivery and the entire car is run on their racetrack. Break in is an old wives tale.
A GTR engine is quite different than a regular production motor. They can’t even let a spec of dust in there where the engines are assembled or so I’ve heard.
It is crucial to baby a new car for the first 500-1000 miles. Oil rings and seals among other things all need to “break in”. Severely neglecting breaking in could cause oil consumption.
A GTR engine is quite different than a regular production motor. They can’t even let a spec of dust in there where the engines are assembled or so I’ve heard.
It is crucial to baby a new car for the first 500-1000 miles. Oil rings and seals among other things all need to “break in”. Severely neglecting breaking in could cause oil consumption.
It’s not the same thing, engine application, but the first 20 hours of my new boat I have to adhere to some pretty strict break in instructions. First ten hours get it above 1500RPM as fast as you can and stay there, no more than 3/4 throttle. Drive different speeds/RPM. Check oil religiously during break in. The next ten hours I can WOT it but no more than 5 minutes at a time.
BMW still recommends break in. They even have break in service for performance models. From my experience, break in is real, even something as simple as the speakers. Whether one believes or sees damage otherwise is another thing.
$50k price or not, the old Enclave had an impressive ride and quietness, drove nice. Has nice car-like characteristics and heralded chassis tuning, but I prefer a truck. I’d put an LX at least on par with your examples mentioned on a flat interstate. There’s an old Motor Trend test from 2015 that didn’t pick an outright ride winner, but they noticed the ones that rode better than others and had “very good rides” overall, LX and Range and GLS. Two unibodys and a BOF.
Sure it does, but its not of the same caliber. Its like an ES vs an LS, the ES rides well but you can't compare it to the LS. If you want to see how other $100k SUVs ride, you have to drive other $100k SUVs
Flat interstate is only one type of driving, and not the type of driving most people do the most of. Most vehicles ride well on flat interstate, and have you driven all of these cars? Hard to pass judgement if you haven't.
And I don't read magazines to tell me how cars drive, I drive them myself. I've driven all the cars we're talking about myself. BOF trucks have a different ride, there are side to side motions and jiggles and top heavy heaving over road undulations you don't get in a good unibody setup. When you get out of a Navigator or Escalade or LX and get into something like a Range Rover or a GLS or X7, its immediately apparent.
LX makes sense here, they’ll sell just what Lexus wants in numbers. They have a following, albeit small. We usually wave at each other especially ones that are ‘13-‘15 like mine.
Something that makes sense for a small niche of people is well and good, but ignoring the larger pool of buyers just doesn't make sense.
Originally Posted by AJT123
It is crucial to baby a new car for the first 500-1000 miles. Oil rings and seals among other things all need to “break in”. Severely neglecting breaking in could cause oil consumption.
Out of date thinking, and the designers of these engines disagree.
It used to be that a new car required a detailed break-in period to protect the engine and extend its longevity. But has modern technology made cars more robust and break-in periods obsolete?
“I reached out to a manufacturer, in this case Volvo, and they said there is no prescribed or necessary break-in procedure with their newer cars,” says Mike Monticello, Consumer Reports’ road-test manager. “The powertrain continuously adapts to the driver’s style, and break-in is not really necessary.”
But some automakers give more instructions for new-car owners than others. For example, although the owner’s manual for Consumer Reports’ 2019 Mazda3 test car says that no special break-in process is necessary, the automaker still gives some recommendations. One of the most important suggestions is for owners not to race the engine, meaning don’t push it really hard when it’s brand-new. The manual also says it’s best to avoid driving at one constant speed, either slow or fast, for a long period of time. Do not drive constantly at full throttle or high engine RPM for extended periods. Avoid unnecessary hard stops. And avoid full-throttle starts. Of course, most of these are things you don’t typically want to do to any car, especially with a high-performance sports car or sedan.
Some mechanics will also add that you probably shouldn’t tow with a new car, either, in those first few thousand miles.
“With today’s new cars, the break-in period isn’t as critical as it used to be,” says Jake Fisher, Consumer Reports’ senior director of auto testing. “Cars are a lot more robust now, and for the most part you don’t have to worry about the break-in period as much anymore.”
I have never followed any break in procedures for any car, and have never had any problems. And yes, I have had multiple cars to 200,000 miles, I have never owned a car that used ANY oil.
As for the S Class, really? Pray tell what is that long list of break in procedures for my vehicle I own? Because Mercedes didn't put any in my owners manual...
Sure it does, but its not of the same caliber. Its like an ES vs an LS, the ES rides well but you can't compare it to the LS. If you want to see how other $100k SUVs ride, you have to drive other $100k SUVs
Was just saying, some people poo-poo LX ride when it is actually quite plush.
Originally Posted by SW17LS
Flat interstate is only one type of driving, and not the type of driving most people do the most of. Most vehicles ride well on flat interstate, and have you driven all of these cars? Hard to pass judgement if you haven't.
I listen to Motor Trend and other car magazines that have been in production for 50 years before fellow forum posters, not that posters in here are wrong but these are the professionals who take them for 2 weeks and rigorously test them in different conditions etc and they remain objective unlike a lot in here (or they did before they started shoving EVs down our throats).
Originally Posted by SW17LS
And I don't read magazines to tell me how cars drive, I drive them myself. I've driven all the cars we're talking about myself. BOF trucks have a different ride, there are side to side motions and jiggles and top heavy heaving over road undulations you don't get in a good unibody setup. When you get out of a Navigator or Escalade or LX and get into something like a Range Rover or a GLS or X7, its immediately apparent.
Yes and that's all well and good but you're still not a professional in the car-testing business, neither am I. I also know so much about cars its crazy but I realize there are the experts who do all kinds of tests and evaluations and remain objective. In this case, they basically said LX rode just as well as GLS and Range.
Originally Posted by SW17LS
Something that makes sense for a small niche of people is well and good, but ignoring the larger pool of buyers just doesn't make sense.
We've beaten this horse to death. Toyota doesn't care. Here the small amount sent are just cash cows. They sell enough Land Cruisers worldwide. There is literally a 4 year wait for the new 300LC.
Originally Posted by SW17LS
Out of date thinking, and the designers of these engines disagree.
It's not like it was many years ago, but let me just say I wouldn't be doing dyno pulls with a truck with 17 kilometers on it. It is crucial that the oil is fed properly so the rings seal, etc etc.
Also when these professionals do long term tests, they follow break in procedures. Why would they do that if it doesn't matter and isn't needed?
Was just saying, some people poo-poo LX ride when it is actually quite plush.
It rides well for what it is, its just never going to ride as well as a unibody vehicle.
I listen to Motor Trend and other car magazines that have been in production for 50 years before fellow forum posters, not that posters in here are wrong but these are the professionals who take them for 2 weeks and rigorously test them in different conditions etc and they remain objective unlike a lot in here (or they did before they started shoving EVs down our throats).
I trust my own experiences. I would recommend to you that if you want to know what its like to try something...try it yourself. In any event, find me a magazine article that says the BOF SUVs ride better than unibody SUVs of the same caliber.
Yes and that's all well and good but you're still not a professional in the car-testing business, neither am I. I also know so much about cars its crazy but I realize there are the experts who do all kinds of tests and evaluations and remain objective. In this case, they basically said LX rode just as well as GLS and Range.
I don't have to be a professional to know what I think about things I try myself. Do you read restaurant reviews and tell people who have eaten at restaurants that they are wrong?
If that article said the LX rode as well as the GLS and Range Rover (which it didn't, it said they all rode "nice") then it was wrong. I've driven them all myself so I trust my own experience. What I'm saying has also been repeated all over reviews and such as well.
And this is a quote from the very article you posted:
The LX 570's trucklike nature splits the judges' opinions. Evans doesn't care for the way it rides
We've beaten this horse to death. Toyota doesn't care. Here the small amount sent are just cash cows. They sell enough Land Cruisers worldwide. There is literally a 4 year wait for the new 300LC.
You're right, they don't care what customers actually want in these high end segments...which is why after 22 years I stopped being their customer. Other carmakers make cars I want, they don't.
Also when these professionals do long term tests, they follow break in procedures. Why would they do that if it doesn't matter and isn't needed?
Where did you read that? What "break in procedures" do they follow?
At the end of the day, if break in procedures were important, manufacturers would spell them out clearly. My S Class manual has 4 pages on how to wash it...not one mention of engine break in...
That language is in every manual. If it were so vital it would appear in the index and have its own section. Like I said, washing the car has 4 pages and is in the index, Mercedes finds that more important.
For AJT, he buys used cars....I guarantee no break in procedure was used in his cars when they were new, and they are just fine.
It rides well for what it is, its just never going to ride as well as a unibody vehicle.
I trust my own experiences. I would recommend to you that if you want to know what its like to try something...try it yourself. In any event, find me a magazine article that says the BOF SUVs ride better than unibody SUVs of the same caliber.
Taking a car for a test drive isn't even close to the same thing as a MT test or C&D. I'm not saying you or any of us are wrong in our impressions, but there are professionals that do this for a living.
Originally Posted by SW17LS
I don't have to be a professional to know what I think about things I try myself. Do you read restaurant reviews and tell people who have eaten at restaurants that they are wrong?
Don't get defensive, I said several times that none of us are "wrong". But yes I believe a huge, very expensive road test comparison tests that lasted 2-3 weeks where they lived with the vehicles over us who have just taken test drives.
Originally Posted by SW17LS
If that article said the LX rode as well as the GLS and Range Rover (which it didn't, it said they all rode "nice") then it was wrong. I've driven them all myself so I trust my own experience. What I'm saying has also been repeated all over reviews and such as well.
I've read every professional LX article there is known to man (trust me), the consensus is it has a nice, push ride.
Originally Posted by SW17LS
You're right, they don't care what customers actually want in these high end segments...which is why after 22 years I stopped being their customer. Other carmakers make cars I want, they don't.
You do you.
Originally Posted by SW17LS
Where did you read that? What "break in procedures" do they follow?
You've never read a long term test where they mention how it sucks they have to baby it for the first thousand miles or so?
Let me be clear, there is a huge difference between Motor Trend and Joe Blow on Youtube.
About break in, here is a 2021 LX manual. They wanted the simple 5.7 broken in:
Also, I bet my PO followed break in procedure. The truck came with the wireless headphones and remotes intact, 2 keys with Lexus all weather covers, it really was in stunning condition. And the truck gets 20MPG highway.
These break in procedures are pretty much similar to the ones I’ll need to use for the new boat.