I8ABMR

The LS460 is a luxury car. As a luxury car it is top notch. The luxury car is made to coddle not to engage the driver. The germans have always been better at doing both at the same time.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

i have to say the s550 imho is a better blend of luxury and driver feel when it comes to flagship

stanatl

I have an LS Sport and have test driven the S550 and BMW 750i. The Sport in the "sport" suspension setting drives fairly similarly to the S550 but nowhere near as tight as the 750i. If money is no issue and you want a combination of comfort and driveability I would go for the S550. Again, if money is no issue and you wanted the best driver's car of the three go for the 750i - it's not even close. If money is an issue and you like Lexus comfort/value but want the option to have it be more of a "driver's" car, test drive the LS Sport. I don't think I've switched the suspension setting out of "sport" since I picked it up a year ago. I turned in a 550i Sport off lease and, while the LS doesn't handle like my BMW, it is pretty good in the twisties. They are somehwat hard to find, however, since not many are sold.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

great way to put it

ikeb

i did the opposite of you - i had a 2004 350z (with 7500 miles on it) and got rid of it because i like the ride and feel of my 2010 LS better. The 350z was a very rough ride, like a sports car should be. My LS has a smooth comfortable ride and handles perfectly for me. My LS suits me perfectly. The only other car i would consider is the new Equuis. My 3 prior big cars were all Jag XJ. But i always had some problems with them. I'm at the point in my life where i don't need or want problems.

BTW - i have had my LS for 13 months and have 7500 miles on it - no problems and no complaints.

I8ABMR

I would have to agree 100%

OBRon

Hi, I'm a newbie and this is my first post. Reading this thread doesn't make me feel that great about my buying decision. I custom ordered a 2011 LS 460L in Starfire Pearl with Alabaster interior. Stock 18" wheels for the potholes here in Northern Virginia. Stock suspension. Adaptive cruise control. Luxury package and cold weather package, Mark Levinson sound.

I chose the LS for its roominess, quality, comfort, quiet, and reliability. I don't want a harsh ride and my wife won't let me take corners too fast. I don't mind a boring ride if I can listen to great music on the ML and get from point A to point B in comfort and without driving fatigue. Maybe it's just an age/generational thing but I have a bad back and don't need a harsh ride. Didn't really want to pay $20k more for an S550 anyway.

Oh, and I don't have the car yet. It's sitting on the dock in Newark, NJ. The ship, the London Highway, docked the morning of December 30. Port ops got backed up from all the snow they had. The car is still sitting there in A status and it has to get to G before being trucked to the dealer. I'm hoping to get it some time next week, around 1/12.

Sure hope I didn't make the wrong choice. Nice to hear that at least some of you love your LS.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

congrats on your upcoming new car and welcome to clublexus!

no, you just have to think about your priorities and what you want out of the car. i know plenty of people, ls460 is a car they use for point a to b transport, sitting in traffic. they want something comfortable, quiet, trouble free, something that they can always just get in and drive and not to worry about anything. nothing that will bother them when they drive, etc... they love their ls460

what i have been trying to say is, ls460 is really good for what it is intended for. but also because of this, it has zero feel and response, and to few people, that's "boring". they want more fun in driving. more road feel, feedback, handling, etc... in that aspect, ls460 might not be the right car

OBRon

Thanks, rominl. I hope the new LS is a joy to own. From reviews I've read, I know the handling leaves something to be desired but maybe that's fine for my needs. My wife is hell on wheels in her old Acura so maybe I should buy her a new, sporty car that can handle mountain roads and tearing around town on errands. For long trips, the LS should be great.

Oh, although my wife is a spritely driver, she's different as a passenger. Same with me.

bossku69

I can tell you first hand from having a bunch of other sporty luxury cars.

I have a 750Li that I'm trading in. Its a money pit after it hits 3 years old. These cars are prone for problems so I'd suggest leasing one and walking away to another.

The 7 is nice, but the old body style (2002 to 2008) is boring and lame. A 2007 750Li vs a 2007 LS 460L hands down goes to the LS. The interior is clean and designed well. The 7 interior hasnt gotten an update since 2002. The price tag for a decent new body (F series) is $95k+ and not worth it IMO for what you can by an Audi S8 for.

A lot of people who ride in my car state they are disappointed by the interior

Personally, if your looking for something sporty, Id go with a BMW M5 or 550xi, or a MBenz E63. Likewise, if you want to spend the money, but a Maserati Quattroporte... but be prepared for disappointment when you look at the cockpit. One you might want to check out is the Audi A8. The new ones look nice.

I keep wanting to buy a S550, but everytime I get back in one, I realize that they are over priced compared to the LS. The only one to consider would be a S63, or your lucky, someone who put some money on upgrades with the S550 AMG kits, but its rare and they are pricey even for used.

Anyone, it comes down to your taste and what YOU want. I personally have always like the LS. Looks classy but yet luxury inside and out... almost like your saying "I'm doing well, but I don't need to show it off"

Luxofreak

If the new Jaguar XJ-L wasn't so full of stupid glitches on their nav/music system it would be a serious option. With 470hp in the supercharged version it's an awesome car to drive, I test drove it. The supersports have 510hp. But of course, too many annoyances (maybe a 1st year run plague) really scared me away as a potential buyer.

MannyRCF

Read through all the comments and most make sense,after spending the last week and a bit car shopping I have come to the conclusion that bang for the buck you cant beat the LS460l...dealers were offering me 40k on trade...dollar for dollar for 40K you cant get squat....we have decided to keep the LS,its a great car..yes its not a drivers car but thats not what its meant for ....I have planned to do some nice mods this spring to bring the boring look up to par of what I want...as far as satisfying my need for getting behind the wheel of a newer more driver oriented car..I am in negotiation with a buyer for my Z...should be gone by Wednesday..after that will decide on a second car...really like the drive of the M3 and the new Audi A4-S Line..M3 is a bit more then I want to spend..but will keep you posted.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

get the m3 (e9x), you won't be disappointed to me it's month well spent. i don't think i'd be close to this happy with the s4

MannyRCF

Thanks Henry...will keep you posted...

frunty

iTrader: (1)

I'm glad to see this thread, because I feel a little bad about being bored with our 2007 LS (SWB) after 5 months. It's definitely the nicest and most luxurious car I've ever owned, but I find myself driving the IS a lot more. I drove my friend's a bunch and took one home from the dealership for a weekend before purchasing, but I guess it took a while before I realized that I'm looking for something more exciting.

I'm looking at a 2011 AWD IS350 (in Iowa, after all) or a used IS-F for the performance factor. BMW or Audi might be in the running too, but I'm not as familiar with their offerings, having only owned Japanese cars for the past 15 years. Best of luck to the OP!