tbilisi79

I own a 98 LS400 that i love dearly. It has been a great car with great reliability. I treat it very well and the car is good to me.

Next summer I want to upgrade to LS430 2002-2003 model even though I think ls400 is a lot better from a design standpoint, much more elegant. But LS430 is more grand and reminds me of my w140 S500 MB i owned in the past.

I surely want navigation and Mark levinson, heated seats, and VSC is a must.
I would love to have colled seats and massagers as well.

How reliable are all those toys in Ultra? How is the air suspenion and how often does it fail, and how much is it to repair it.
Is Ultra worth the extra money?, rear power seats are cool, but its useless to me since I dont sit back there.

Thanks.

tbilisi79

Ok...just read all the Ultra posts.
No reason for having it at all. Looks like another problem to worry about with zero benefits.
Can the toys in the back come without the air suspension.?

GRAND_LS 4

iTrader: (2)

No sir. Its only available in the Ultra package.

Nauticalx

OK, why all this air suspension bashing? Truthfully speaking there IS NOT an air suspension pandemic out there. The LS430 is one of is not the most reliable and durable cars on the road. This does not end at the air suspension. You will hear a disproportionate number of complaints about the air suspension on the forum because it draws concerned owners who are facing a hefty repair bill. But all in all, the rate of failure is not high. You do not see lopsided LSes on the road like you do those cadillac and town cars with their rear ends sagging. Consumer reports has a great repair history on the vehicle based on their surveys. While if you are one of the lucky few who end up with a failed suspension and it will be expensive, you are far less likely to have any trouble out of the air suspension at all.

KILLERGS4

ULTRA is GREAT... why buy top-of-line model w/o all the bells and whistles..., buy an ES then...

tbilisi79

Well it doesnt make any sence to buy a car with potential expensive repairs.
Ihave had my share of Lincolns, with airbag problems thyat I have dealt with. I am not afraid to work on it and have done so numerous times.
My S500 Benz also had the back Hydraulic shicks with accumulators, what a sack of crap that was.
In other words, I rarely carry more than 3 people, and I am not planning to go offroading in a lexus, so Air ride is useles. Car is smooth as it is anyhow.
From what I read so far, people are complaining about harshness with air ride suspension.
The ideo looks cool on paper, i will admit, and I LOVE toys. But to pay 2-3 grand for air springs. Why, regular springs do just as well.

And no I have nevr seen and Lexus on the floor. Like I do with Mercs.
So, if I see a bargain on an ultra I will not walk away from it, but just be extra carefull checking it out.

Thanks for input.

racinstyle

UL > *


/thread

gengar

He said it himself: He doesn't sit back there.

It's the same for me. Why would I want a refrigerator or massagers in the back? I'm always in the driver's seat and never back there, screw my passengers

Also, while I'm posting - I loved my 1997 LS 400 too. I still drive it sometimes; my dad uses it as his backup car now. But I'm currently driving an '03 LS430 and it is just a completely different car. The engine is dramatically quieter (which is saying a lot as it is!) and the ride is even more buffered. I feel so separated from the road sometimes that it feels like the car is driving itself, which is what I want from a luxury sedan. I don't know what you're looking for but if you want comfort and luxury I don't think you will be disappointed.

KILLERGS4

obviously drivers don't sit in the back... but it more than just the little toys in the back... lots of this stuff is good for the driver as well...

- Dynamic Laser Cruise Control
- Adaptive Variable Suspension
- Laminated side glass
- Manual rear-door window sunshades
- Intuitive Parking Assist
- Front and rear climate-comfort seats with heat/cool ****
- Headlamp washers
- Power door closers
- SmartAccess
- Rear-Seat Luxury Group:
Power slide seat adjuster with power headrest, with memory and massager
Air conditioner controls with Air Purifier
Cool box
Audio controls
Swivel-type reading lamps

gengar

But you don't need the Ultra Luxury package to get them. I reformatted your list to show only the options that apply to the driver:

• Front climate-comfort seats with heat/cool ****
• Headlamp washers
• Power door closers
• Laminated side glass
• Intuitive Parking Assist
• Dynamic Laser Cruise Control
• Adaptive Variable Suspension
• Smart Access (only after 2004)

Every one of these options was available on the custom luxury package for my 2003 LS430 (except for Smart Access, because it wasn't introduced until MY2004), so you don't need to get the extraneous backseat stuff to get it. My LS430 has the top five options; I didn't want the others.

Of course everyone is going to have different reasons to get a different option package on their car, but if someone is primarily going to drive it and doesn't care about passengers (hell, I'll just come out and say it - I don't want passengers in my car), I just don't see why he'd spend the extra money on the ultra package.

airtime

With all things, buy at a cost you are comfortable with. If you don't like all the bells and whistles that are standard on an Ultra, go for a loaded Custom. Not sure why all the bashing too with the air suspension. Anything can break at any time so saying that its a potential for trouble is kind of off. I specifically wanted an Ultra because I didn't want to have buyers remorse later and do a "should of, would of, could of". Yes I'd paid a premium for the UL, but I'm comfortable in paying the extra. If I was strap for cash, I would just go plain jane, no Nav, no extra and save a bundle. The car would drive pretty much exactly the same. Good luck in searching for your upgrade and keep us posted.

tbilisi79

Thanks for everyones inputs.

If i can find a custom with all those options i will be happy.
Air suspension in the car that is this smooth with regular spring doesnt make sence to me.
AS for toys. More the better, but I wount buy a car without Navi, Mark Levinson, VSC and heated and hopefully colled seats. I really want cooled seats too .

Doest the SPORT model mean anything besides the bigger wheels?
Thanks.

GRAND_LS 4

iTrader: (2)

Personally, the biggest advantage for me in the Ultra package is the air suspension. Again, the biggest advantage of the air suspension is the smooth ride, and most importantly the ability to switch from SPORT to Comfort Mode. You get the best of two worlds. You also get auto leveling which is also great.

I think my friend Nauticalx was trying to educate soon to be oweners about the Air Suspension false misconceptions that have been circulating all over the board as if it was epidemic. While in reality, it has been an exaggerated issue. So I dont think he was trying to force anyone to purchase anything, but merely educating others who do not own an Ultra that the Air suspension issues were isolated incidents, and are not as widespread as they are conceived to be.

However, if you feel that you do not need the A/S option, than the custom luxury will serve you well.

GRAND_LS 4

iTrader: (2)

Yes, firmer shocks (and I THINK sway bars) = firmer ride.

CG lover

well I'm not looking back on my purchase,, love every minute I'm behind the wheel,, as for all the goodies in the back, the grandkids love em as well as the sister in-law when she is with us,, heck I would rather drive than be in the back anyway,,

as for the cooler it has been nice for some drinks while traveling as well as storing some "costly" chocolate the wife bought one hot afternoon,,

if I had to do it over again, yes I would write the check,,