airtime

I know what you mean. It seems like its on no friction ball bearings that keeps the car moving. On following cars on a decline coasting, I would have to step on my brakes to keep from hitting cars in front of me and I don't see brakes lights from them so I know I coast much better that they are.

thinkin

I know what you mean about the incredible coasting prowess. When I've been driving the LS for awhile I don't register it, but then when I get in another car it's like the brakes go on lightly whenever I take my foot off the gas. Nope, they just don't coast like the LS! I think it's related to a few things, low CD, low driveline/engine friction, and mass (though the LS isn't nearly as heavy as one might think).

V8_Fan

I think it's transmission design. Most domestic rental sedans do that, too, especially coming down the mountain. My LX470 will start slowing down once I take my foot off the gas, even when on a mild downhill. If the downhill is steep, it'll gradually speed up due to sheer mass, but if I brake down to 35mph, the tranny will downshift and stay in that gear, eliminating the need to shift it into 4th manually. The LS will coast more, of course, eventhough it has less mass. I'm under the opinion that the torque converter stays locked up longer or something. However, if you do brake on a long downhill so that the tranny drops into 4th, like the LX's 5spd, it will stay in 4th rather than continuing to accelerate into higher gears like every other auto (except for the LX and LS) I've driven. The GS/IS/ES/RX also continue to accelerate just like domestics.

DutchLS430

There is not agreat difference between de 17 and 18 inch wheels, but over here in the Netherlands the 2005 and 2006 LS430's are always stock 18 inch rims with airsuspension.
We do not have the grades as in the states, we only had 2 versions, the executive and the president grades. The difference between the 2 are only the backseat with the massage funtion. Navigation and ML stereo was a standard feature in the Netherlands.

Stock is always 18 inch with airsuspension, no european spec suspension with coils, a bit confusing maybe overthere in the states, but al the LS 430 for Europe are standard equiped with airsuspension. Funny they call it in the states the eurospec.

Even the ECU's are different between US spec and Eurospec, topendspeed with limiter in Europe is 250 kp/h or 156 mp/h and we even do have software to override the limiter so topendspeed is 282 kp/h or 176 mp/h.

fergo308

If you're after the best possible handling,don't worry about which factory wheels are better,as they're both inferior to aftermarket.
The factory 18's are obviously better than the 17's with a slightly lower profile and wider tyre. These cars are pretty heavy and need all the tyre they can get to turn in sharply.
My car came stock with the 5 spoked 18x7.5's and I swapped them pretty quickly for some aftermarket 18x9's. I lost a lot of the floaty steering response as a result,with little difference to ride comfort.
If comfort isn't a huge concern,consider going to 19's.

Don't got for a UL if you want best handling,unles you're prepared to go to coilovers.


JW: I've found that giving the brakes a quick tap on a slight downhill will get the car to downshift and engine brake slightly,which prevents the speed from running away too far when coasting. Something to try?


Justin...