gs450h? or gs460?
07-09-08, 04:15 PM
#16
Driver School Candidate
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Location: CA
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What do you get with the 460?
On long road trips at consistent speeds, I can get as much as 27 or 28 miles per gallon in my 460.
07-09-08, 05:14 PM
#17
Just to give 450h reference I have never been below 23 MPG even having fun with it. On the highway at the speed limit I got a tank average of 36+ but realistically 30-35. But 23-27 in the city is what I have achieved.
07-10-08, 03:11 PM
#20
not sure about 450h coz' it's still so new, but it has the same technology as the prius, and there are prius cabs with over 300k miles from what i heard and battery still shows no sign of wear
if you have to replace bettery, that can easily be 7-8k ordeal. but in real life i guess the question is when would that happen. from another perspective it's like saying gas engine will wear down over years as well, but after so many years, you don't hear people worry about "replacing engines"
if you have to replace bettery, that can easily be 7-8k ordeal. but in real life i guess the question is when would that happen. from another perspective it's like saying gas engine will wear down over years as well, but after so many years, you don't hear people worry about "replacing engines"
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07-10-08, 06:59 PM
#23
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If the driver utilizes the regenerative brakeing to get it's full benefit the brakes will get less wear. If you don't wait til you are inches from the light before you jam on the brake but anticipate the stop and apply light pressure on the pedal most of the slowing down will be done by the regenerative brakes. So instead of using the brake pad to absorb the energy, the system will use the electric motor as a generator an transfer it to the battery. In some situations you can stop the car with out the brake pads touching the rotor till the last second before the car stops
07-10-08, 08:32 PM
#24
Mine hasn't actually gone in for maintenance yet but the service department was telling me that it costs just as much if not less and there is nothing extra in terms of maintenance. As someone else mentioned the battery is warranted for 8 years and I think 100,000 miles but are known to last well beyond that figure. Although demand for the batteries is rising they are building factories quickly and I expect the cost to go down by the time replacement is necessary. Also there should be less brake dust due to the use of regenerative braking!
07-10-08, 08:39 PM
#26
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450h performance is very good ... ride is great (IMHO) ... green is in ... that being said, I would pick the 450h except for the very limited size trunk (due to the batteries). I thought the standard petro 460/350 already had a small trunk, but the 450h is exceptionally tight. Call me a bit practical, but I would choose the 460 because of it.
07-10-08, 10:56 PM
#28
Lexus Fanatic
generally the added cost of the hybrid is greater than the fuel savings. at least so far. who knows in the next 5-7 years whats going to happen with fuel prices. generally a fan of the added power though.
07-11-08, 05:21 AM
#29
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I picked up my 450h yesterday and love it. Its missing a few nice touches my LS 430 had but I can easily live without them. I was surprised how easy it was to get one of these- and at a discount too. I thought there would be a wait list for any hybrid vehicle. Even though it doesn't get 40+ mpg like a Prius, its better than a gas engine at least for city driving. Should make a big difference here in Chicago.
07-11-08, 05:38 AM
#30
Lexus Test Driver
I think you were able to buy the 450h so easily at a deep discount because it is not selling well. The root of the problem is that the 450h is a hybrid system design for performance, not gas mileage. Most performance enthusiast have not bought into the hybrid technology yet. If you look at the specs compare to a GS350, which is about .3 second slower to 60 mph. The 450h is actually rated worst on highway mileage than the 350. In the city where the 450h should really shine, it only gets 3 mpg more than the 350.