After 3 Lexus LS's,(The latest a wonderful 2008 LS600hL), I won't be going to a fourth (at least not for my next car.).

I need a new car on August 28th for a 6-week cross-country Oregon to Maine road trip. I'll be purchasing the new car in Oregon and driving it home to Maine.

Lexus won't have their new model available by then, and I have issues with the current model.

So, after I return from the NYC auto show next week, I'm going to be ordering a 2016 BMW 750i x Drive.

Decision points?

Plus Lexus: Reliable, comfortable, familiar, quiet, attractive (2008 model).

Minus Lexus: I really don't like the new spindle look, no touch screen navigation(important to me), only adequate power, tiny trunk (600hL).

Plus BMW: Comfortable, quiet, prodigious power, many electronic gadgets (I like gadgets), I like the look, touch screen navigation, all of the little amenities of the LS600hL that I liked (soft close doors and trunk, driver can control passenger seat, and more).

Minus BMW: Uncertain reliability, no spare tire! (run flats)

I'll probably do a 3-4 year lease on the BMW, so after that, maybe I'll like the new LS again.....

HBH

 

I must say that I didn't like the spindle grill at first; however I think it looks great on the LS 460 F Sport. I still don't care much for it on some of the other Lexus models.

 

Nothing wrong with changing up. The next generation LS is still top secret and no official release date. Hopefully you will like the next generation LS and come back.

 

At the price point you're at there I wouldn't get an LS either. What made you choose the 7 over the S Class?

 

Touch screen navigation. All else is close enough to equal.

Touch screen is that important to me...

HBH

 

I'm with you on both the spindle grill and the touch screen. I couldn't believe Lexus dropped the touch screen. I don't know what their thought process was in doing away with it. For me it was a huge selling point. It's interesting that BMW which was so heavily criticized for their little confusing control **** now uses a touch screen and Lexus doesn't.

I think it is wise to lease it rather than buy. This way you don't really have to care as much about reliability. You will always be under warranty for the life of the lease.

 

When you live with these controllers for a while they work fine. I don't miss the touch screens at all.

 

I'm a huge fan of the controller. I have a touch screen in my Tacoma and couldn't imagine having to reach up to activate the screen on my LS from the driver's seat. I do however think the dual screen model might work like having a smaller touch screen in the area of below the radio and a larger widescreen as a display in the current position. I also didn't like the spindle grill but it quickly grew on me.

Good luck and enjoy your new BMW!

 

The touchscreen functionality I miss are personal preferences and relate to road trip things:

1. We spot a POI in the distance on the map. I simply touch the POI, and up comes detailed information, including distance, time of travel and phone #. I touch the phone # and call to see if they're open. Often we'd find them not open and save a detour. Especially useful when looking for a grocery store or restaraunt, which were often not there any more, even though my map DB was fairly fresh.

2. Again, spot an interesting POI, touch it, and see how long (miles and time) the detour would take.

3. Scrolling around the map looking for POI's is just much easier and more intuitive...

4. Personally, I find it quicker and easier when entering an address to simply touch letters and numbers than to twirl a controller to the letter/number and then push the controller to select them.

In any case the BMW has both, so I can pick which is more appropriate....

HBH

 

Nice. Let us know how it goes. Hopefully you will share your experiences here. I would be interested in hearing how it goes and how it compares from a previous LS owner.

I personally don't like touchscreens simply because I don't like fingerprints all over the screens. Having driven some loaners with touchscreens and seeing greasy fingerprints on it from the previous driver, I get OCD about it, lol. I would be constantly cleaning that screen. I agree that it's easier to scroll around, but with the Enform app, it's almost as easy just searching it on my phone and sending it to my car.

 

It would be an interesting comparison. We did a Lexus cross country trip in 2011 (Los Angeles to Florida to Maine) so our 2016 Oregon to Maine trip will be an interesting contrast....

As to fingerprints, that seems to be the only objection I ever hear, and, to me, a 10 second wipe every few weeks is well worth the gain in functionality and ease of use.

HBH

 

Good luck Helmar!.

I too don't like spindle look - in fact I hate it. Also I feel Lexus is slow in adopting technology integration compare to its competitors. If the next generation LS doesn't come with much electronics (important to me) and good reliability (by its own standards), I will switch to S class.

Hope you keep us posted about your experience with 750......

 

Interesting that Consumer Reports just rated the 750 as better than the S-class. I too would like to hear about your BMW experience. I am happy LS owner who secretly lusts for an A8. In the latest CR reliability survey the A8 came out as reliable (probably because it's now using the 3.0 V6 from the A6 in their best selling model). I anxiously await the new LS; I'm hoping it looks a lot like that prototype, drives great, and is reliable. BTW I like the spindle grill.

 

OP ... great times we live in ... right? So much choice. The new 7-series is a fantastic looking car. Hope you have a lot of fun driving it!

 

You can do all of these things exactly the same way, you just touch and click with the mouse controller instead of your finger. The software and interface are the same. The RTC is not like iDrive.

There are other plusses. The ability to have a bigger screen higher and deeper in the dash to me is a big plus for design. When underway I find it easier to use the controller instead of trying to touch a small point or button on the screen.

Its all about living with it over time, when you just test drive one I can see the frustration but once you get used to it they work fine.