ghenley

I cheated a couple of times on an LS 400 and always came back.....

Greg

MarkGS400

iTrader: (1)

I am guilty of this very thing. I turned my back on my 2005 LS430 UL for a 2006 530i. I wanted a sportier car, so I ventured over to the dark side to try my hand at a BMW. i got suckered into it due to the handling.
Biggest mistake I ever made. The BMW was a total nightmare. I finally got rid of it last week, after having it for only 4 months and putting on only 3k additional miles. I took a great financial hit, but just couldn't stand the BMW and it continuous problems. I wish I never turned my back on my LS430. It was truly the BEST car I have ever owned. I am still in the Lexus family (2000 GS400), but it is no comparison to an LS430.

KILLERGS4

I miss my 545i when I want to push and take corners in the LS. Other than that, not so much. The 545i was the fastest car I've ever owned, and I'll never forget that feeling. The Bimmer was truly eager to perform, were the LS is eager to put me to sleep behind the wheel...

KILLERGS4

it's a role reversal when I owned the Bimmer and the Benz, the Benz was the Luxury and Bimmer was the Sport.... Now with Lex and Benz in the garage, Lex is the Luxury and Benz is the Sporty Car.

Budhah

Well got mine up north of 120... fast enough for me. Had my son's Impala up to 90+ and it felt like it wanted to float. Had an Corvette once that did 150+,,, and that was fast too.. but the dumbest fast move ever made was doing 90 on a Bike, and watching the front wheel bounce two inches off the pavement every time I hit an expansion joint on the highway.

I think that the LS430 is a happy choice of present day cars, at least for the money I am willing to speed.

Guess I have a threesome now,, Bought an 02 Avalon the other day, just so the LS can sit in the garage on bad days. LOL

MarkGS400

iTrader: (1)

The BMW performed very well in the handling and speed dept (until the rear subframe decided to fail after having the car for just one month) Then the car never felt quiet like it did after I got it back with the new subframe. I had my 2006 530i up to 135 mph, the car was very sure footed and confident. It kept wanting to go! Now I only miss my 530i when I to approach turns and corners. I had my LS430 up to about 125, then I chickened out. These are two totally different cars that tailor to two different types of driver personalities.

GS3Tek

iTrader: (8)

Good story

I came close to having an affair also

I was close to getting an 06 S55AMG (yes, the older model), but the rational part of me took over
On my daily commute, I hardly go past 80 mph, 90% of the trip is straightaways, no place to take the carve the corners

The LS is perfect for me

BNR34

iTrader: (1)

BLACKASH,

Thanks for sharing your fun story, I think most of us have been there.

For me, I know exactly what all the other car's offer on the market, so I know the LS430 is the best by far in this price range, actually the LS430 is better then most cars that are much more expensive. The only car that would make me give up my LS430 is a Bentley Arnage, which is way higher in price.

I am totally 100% satisfied with my LS430 and SC430, I stop looking at or test driving any other cars, that's how happy I am with them.

BNR34

iTrader: (1)

I used to do that, but after driven just about everything, I got tired of it, nothing else even come close to what the LS430 offer unless it is a Bentley or Rolls.

It is cool to drive all the crappy cars out there though, make me realized just how amazingly good the LS430 is.

I guess most of all, I am sick of talking to stupid low life car salesman, please don't be offended if you are a car salesman, since there are a few exception that are good. But most of them are very unpleasant to talk to.

BNR34

iTrader: (1)

You guys are thinking of 2 different things. AlexusAnja is thinking of luxury/relax feel and sensation and I6turbo is thinking of power and speed. They are 2 different things.

I agreed with both of you.

I agreed with I6turbo, yes a more advanced V6 like in the IS350/GS350 or a boosted 4 or 6 can make more power and be faster then the outdated V8 in the LS430. And yes AlexusAnja, I6turbo was correct, the IS350 is quite a bit quicker then a 04-06 LS430. A IS350 is 400 lbs lighter then a LS430, makes a little more peak power and it's newer 6-speed tranny shift faster.

I agreed with AlexusAnja, in a ultra luxury car like the LS430, in order to create that ultra serene feeling, a low revving V8 is a must, no 4 bangers or 6 can create the same feeling. In a luxury car, you want the motor to make a tons of low end torque, so it can power the car down the road effortlessly in very low rev, only a low revving V8 can be that quiet and smooth. All 4 or 6 cylinders that can make the same or more power, have to work a lot harder, they make more noise, less smooth, they feel strained, that hard working, urgent feeling is opposite of that serene, relax feeling. I compared the power/torque curve of the LS430's V8 to the newer IS350's V6 before, from my memory, the V8 makes 325 lb-ft at 3400 rpm, at the same 3400 rpm, the V6 makes 100 less lb-ft or something like that. The V6's peak torque is 277 lb-ft at 4800 rpm or so. That means in order to get the same speed, the V6 have to rev higher, working a lot harder.

My slightly modded STi is another perfect example, with the mods on the 4 bangers, it makes 330 hp @ 6k rpm, 360 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm, it weight 3200 lbs, it is WAYY quicker then my LS430. But the power delivery is way harsher then the V8, doesn't matter how smooth I tried to drive it, it would never match the effortless feeling of the LS430.

BNR34

iTrader: (1)

My condolences, a 06' 530i is a way lesser car then a 05' LS430 UL, if you want a sportier car, should have got a 06'+ GS430/GS460.

Sport suspension BMWs are the best handling cars in the world, by far. But that doesn't compensate for a bunch of shortcoming from the rest of the car.

The suspension on the LS430 is nothing to be proud of, but the rest of the car is flawless.

I know which one I want

sojah

iTrader: (1)

i researched the E55 AMG a lot last month and seriously thought about test driving one which i think was an 05 or 06. similar price range, much more powerful, but many many more problems supposedly.

BNR34

iTrader: (1)

The E55 is an amazing car......... if you ignore the reliability aspect. I really wanted one and actually seriously look into getting one a few years ago. They are insanely fast, I test drove a couple of them, looks pretty good, and I love the air suspension calibration, it is very sporty on sport mode, and very comfy on soft mode.

The only problem is, you guessed it, it is one of those cars that are in the shop a few times a month. I can't handle that, I would go insane.

If people think the Lexus's air suspension have issues, it is flawless compare to Benz's air suspension build between 2000-2006. It supposedly got better from 07'+ though.

AlexusAnja

Okay, are we all here baseing our opinions of MB and BMW on past twenty-years let's say of "historical" data, of reliability? I'm not defending or saying it's not true, but if these things are that big POS, then how come they're still selling well?

Marketing, hype, or just people leasing for 3-years and offloading them before they fall apart?

I6turbo

iTrader: (1)

I owned my first MB in 1986, an '82 model. That car was a tank. I owned 2 more, the last being a 2001 model, and I kept up with them through the years. They DID get really crappy in terms of reliability. Even die hard MB people finally gave up in droves and went to Lexus and elsewhere. A lot of wanna-look-impressive-to-others came in and replaced those buyers, or othewise MB would have been in *****ter, sales wise, IMO.