460, 430 or RX350 for road trip?
07-03-18, 10:05 AM
#16
Lexus Fanatic
I got the alternator replaced for my 460 last month. In case you are interested in the associated post: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...lternator.html
I have just test-driven my sister's RX running at 70 mph (Do not dare to go beyond that as it is not my car) for a 60-mile drive to Galveston (an island near Houston). The experience is completely different. It offers a much wider visibility (not sure if this is the right word) seeing much more on the road than any of my LS. However, one aspect I do notice is that the ride is not as smooth as LS, at least to me the engine is not as quiet.
Um...I wonder if my 460 can travel 400 miles with one full tank, not to mention 500 or more. I always have a feeling that the fuel efficiency is not as good as it used to be (I have made a post about its cruising range started with 420 to 365 miles without a change in driving pattern while always only using premium grade fuel). Well, this is not what I worry because my girlfriend is going to pay half of the gas 
Those of you with older 460s, are you sure theres not some exhaust leak somewhere? I know roadfrog had one on the top of the mufflers that he never knew about...
My LS460s were/are both extremely smooth and quiet...
Never have experience with such a long drive. You think better to stay quiet with 430 or have some music with 460?
The following 2 users liked this post by SW17LS:
dlbuckls10 (07-05-18),
Thomasin (07-05-18)
07-03-18, 07:54 PM
#17
Being a current 430 owner and having driven 460s, my vote is the 430, naturally. 
As you already know, the 430's ride is a little softer and more compliant, and soaks up the bumps just a *little* better than the 460, and is a smidge smoother and quieter.
I'd cross the RX off the list unless you really need the extra cargo capacity. Also note that the 430 has a larger trunk (20.2 ft³) than all 460s (18ft³), and even more if your 460 has rear AC.
Which car do you feel more comfortable with as far as driving dynamics? Along those same lines, which seats are more comfortable to you? The 460 has great seats, but the 430 has a little more cushioning in my opinion.
Another consideration is... which car has better tires and more tread? As much as I'm biased to the 430, they're honestly pretty close to each other, and a far cry from the louder and rougher RX. With that said, there's a good possibility you can hit some rain/wet highways at some point during your drive, so if one car has less than about 30% or 40% tread remaining, and the other has substantially more tread depth, I'd want to take the car that will be less likely to hydroplane since you'll be going so fast on the open highway. Same thing goes for snow if you'll be driving anywhere higher up in elevation that might get snow - and depending on where you're going in CA, some mountain passes require you to carry chains in your vehicle to even attempt driving over the mountain pass, and you may be stopped at a chain control checkpoint near the bottom of the mountain to verify that you have them with you (having 4WD or AWD doesn't necessarily exempt you from these requirements, even if you have snow tires). If both cars have about the same tread depth or both have more than 50% tread remaining, which car has generally more expensive/better tires? (Yes I realize more expensive ≠ better in all cases) Driving that many hours constantly at the high speeds you'll be driving at builds up a lot of heat and is demanding on tires. If one car has crappy no-name tires or similar, I'd want to leave that car at home and avoid a potential blowout at 80 mph after driving for 10+ hours straight in a day.
Just because the 430 didn't come with Bluetooth capable of streaming audio from the factory doesn't mean you have to sit in silence lol. There's always CDs, or like most of us, we have either Bluetooth kits wired in or another device that gives the ability to stream directly into the system at full quality. There's also lower tech solutions to this like those cassette tape adapters or FM transmitters that have a 3.5mm cord to plug into a phone's headphone jack.
As a long-haul truck driver that drives 700 miles a day for 11 hours straight (while governed at 65 mph, mind you, ) I can give you tips for a long road trip. First, stop every couple of hours for at least a few minutes to get out and walk around. Get that blood flowing and keep your joints from stiffening up from being in the same position for so long. It'll also help fight something that we call "white line fever." Fatigue is going to be one of your biggest enemies on such a long drive. If you're a coffee drinker, stop and buy some before you start to get really tired. As soon as you begin feeling less alert, or just a little 'zapped' mentally or physically, stop and buy yourself a cup. If you wait until you're already yawning and thinking about a bed, it's too late. If you're not a coffee drinker, I've found that those "5 Hour Energy" shots work wonders. I tried one for the first time about a year ago and was pleasantly surprised at the effects.
One of the best ways to keep from getting sleepy is to have a conversation with a passenger. Music can lull you to sleep, even something like heavy metal lol. Talking will keep your mind engaged and active on something other than just driving. If everyone in the car is asleep, and you're starting to feel a little sleepy, your biggest red flag and sign that you need to stop is if you realize that your don't really remember driving the last few miles. If you do get to this point and you're not yet to a good stopping point with a hotel/motel, it's time to pull over for a 20-30 minute nap on an on-ramp. NASA did a study on astronauts and found that a 20-30 minute nap can improve your judgement by 35% and vigilance by 16%. #NapScience! Also, I specifically said to pull over on the side of a freeway on-ramp because it's safer than the side of an off-ramp. If someone else falls asleep and drifts out of their lane on the highway and onto the off-ramp at highway speed, or a truck takes that exit and loses it's brakes, then you're a sitting duck as they come up behind you at 70-9 0mph. Stopping on an on-ramp means vehicles are traveling much slower as they drive past you since they're just accelerating to get onto the highway, and all but eliminates the problem of being struck since no one ever falls asleep as soon as they turn to get onto a highway lol.
As for fuel economy, you're going to get basically the exact same with the 430 as you are the 460. You might even get .5 mpg-1.5 mpg better in the 430 since they both have same coefficient of drag, but the 430 is 400 lbs lighter than the 460, in addition to 300cc less displacement. Also, they both have the same 22.2 gallon fuel tank. Just last week I took my car on a 200 mile drive and averaged 27 mpg going 75 mph the whole way.
As you already know, the 430's ride is a little softer and more compliant, and soaks up the bumps just a *little* better than the 460, and is a smidge smoother and quieter.I'd cross the RX off the list unless you really need the extra cargo capacity. Also note that the 430 has a larger trunk (20.2 ft³) than all 460s (18ft³), and even more if your 460 has rear AC.
Which car do you feel more comfortable with as far as driving dynamics? Along those same lines, which seats are more comfortable to you? The 460 has great seats, but the 430 has a little more cushioning in my opinion.
Another consideration is... which car has better tires and more tread? As much as I'm biased to the 430, they're honestly pretty close to each other, and a far cry from the louder and rougher RX. With that said, there's a good possibility you can hit some rain/wet highways at some point during your drive, so if one car has less than about 30% or 40% tread remaining, and the other has substantially more tread depth, I'd want to take the car that will be less likely to hydroplane since you'll be going so fast on the open highway. Same thing goes for snow if you'll be driving anywhere higher up in elevation that might get snow - and depending on where you're going in CA, some mountain passes require you to carry chains in your vehicle to even attempt driving over the mountain pass, and you may be stopped at a chain control checkpoint near the bottom of the mountain to verify that you have them with you (having 4WD or AWD doesn't necessarily exempt you from these requirements, even if you have snow tires). If both cars have about the same tread depth or both have more than 50% tread remaining, which car has generally more expensive/better tires? (Yes I realize more expensive ≠ better in all cases) Driving that many hours constantly at the high speeds you'll be driving at builds up a lot of heat and is demanding on tires. If one car has crappy no-name tires or similar, I'd want to leave that car at home and avoid a potential blowout at 80 mph after driving for 10+ hours straight in a day.
As a long-haul truck driver that drives 700 miles a day for 11 hours straight (while governed at 65 mph, mind you, ) I can give you tips for a long road trip. First, stop every couple of hours for at least a few minutes to get out and walk around. Get that blood flowing and keep your joints from stiffening up from being in the same position for so long. It'll also help fight something that we call "white line fever." Fatigue is going to be one of your biggest enemies on such a long drive. If you're a coffee drinker, stop and buy some before you start to get really tired. As soon as you begin feeling less alert, or just a little 'zapped' mentally or physically, stop and buy yourself a cup. If you wait until you're already yawning and thinking about a bed, it's too late. If you're not a coffee drinker, I've found that those "5 Hour Energy" shots work wonders. I tried one for the first time about a year ago and was pleasantly surprised at the effects.
One of the best ways to keep from getting sleepy is to have a conversation with a passenger. Music can lull you to sleep, even something like heavy metal lol. Talking will keep your mind engaged and active on something other than just driving. If everyone in the car is asleep, and you're starting to feel a little sleepy, your biggest red flag and sign that you need to stop is if you realize that your don't really remember driving the last few miles. If you do get to this point and you're not yet to a good stopping point with a hotel/motel, it's time to pull over for a 20-30 minute nap on an on-ramp. NASA did a study on astronauts and found that a 20-30 minute nap can improve your judgement by 35% and vigilance by 16%. #NapScience! Also, I specifically said to pull over on the side of a freeway on-ramp because it's safer than the side of an off-ramp. If someone else falls asleep and drifts out of their lane on the highway and onto the off-ramp at highway speed, or a truck takes that exit and loses it's brakes, then you're a sitting duck as they come up behind you at 70-9 0mph. Stopping on an on-ramp means vehicles are traveling much slower as they drive past you since they're just accelerating to get onto the highway, and all but eliminates the problem of being struck since no one ever falls asleep as soon as they turn to get onto a highway lol.
As for fuel economy, you're going to get basically the exact same with the 430 as you are the 460. You might even get .5 mpg-1.5 mpg better in the 430 since they both have same coefficient of drag, but the 430 is 400 lbs lighter than the 460, in addition to 300cc less displacement. Also, they both have the same 22.2 gallon fuel tank. Just last week I took my car on a 200 mile drive and averaged 27 mpg going 75 mph the whole way.
The following 4 users liked this post by Mbodall:
07-05-18, 10:39 AM
#18
Rookie
Thread Starter
Along those same lines, which seats are more comfortable to you? The 460 has great seats, but the 430 has a little more cushioning in my opinion.
Another consideration is... which car has better tires and more tread?
having 4WD or AWD doesn't necessarily exempt you from these requirements, even if you have snow tires.
Just because the 430 didn't come with Bluetooth capable of streaming audio from the factory doesn't mean you have to sit in silence lol.
Fatigue is going to be one of your biggest enemies on such a long drive. If you're a coffee drinker, stop and buy some before you start to get really tired.
it's time to pull over for a 20-30 minute nap on an on-ramp. NASA did a study on astronauts and found that a 20-30 minute nap can improve your judgement by 35% and vigilance by 16%. #NapScience! Also, I specifically said to pull over on the side of a freeway on-ramp because it's safer than the side of an off-ramp. If someone else falls asleep and drifts out of their lane on the highway and onto the off-ramp at highway speed, or a truck takes that exit and loses it's brakes, then you're a sitting duck as they come up behind you at 70-9 0mph. Stopping on an on-ramp means vehicles are traveling much slower as they drive past you since they're just accelerating to get onto the highway, and all but eliminates the problem of being struck since no one ever falls asleep as soon as they turn to get onto a highway lol.
The seats are almost identically comfortable for me. Personally the headrest in 430 is softer in which its texture resembles that of my pillow. This is what I worry: I don't want to get to sleep during driving
Both cars have Michelin tyres. I have replaced all 4 in my 430 in 2016. My 460 comes with new tyres when bought from Lexus earlier this year.
Can I assume my cars to be RWD? While I do sometimes notice about the "AWD" markings at the rear of some LS on the road. None of my cars have such markings. It hardly ever snows in Houston, so winter tyres are uncommon here.
I enjoy listening to the engine sound of 430! Best audio entertainment ever! So there is no need to have ML in my 430 although I have to admit that I love the ML in my 460!
I used to be a heavy coffee drinker during the time taking University entry exam. Not anymore. I am now a huge fans of Chinese milk tea. Will try to limit not more than 6 hrs drive each day. This is the only thing I can control along with the regular breaks every few hours you suggested.
Sorry I don't quite get the logic of staying "On ramp". Wouldn't I be blocking the traffic entering the highway? In Houston, On ramps eventually lead to Off ramps (they are of the same lane). Apparently it may be safer to find and take the earliest available exit and pull over on the far right lane?
Last edited by Thomasin; 07-05-18 at 10:44 AM.
07-05-18, 07:20 PM
#19
Lexus Fanatic
I think you're over thinking this choice here a little bit lol. Just choose your favorite car and drive that one. Problem solved.
Out of my cars, my favorite car is the LS, if I had to choose "which car should I take on a long trip" I would always choose the LS vs the Pacifica. However, because I have young kids and have to carry them and all their crap, we almost always take the Pacifica on trips so the utility need outweighs the "driving enjoyment" need.
Do you need to carry a lot of stuff? Thats the only reason to choose the RX.
I would choose the LS460 basically because its much newer. I wouldn't personally be taking any long trip in a 17 year old car if I had a newer car to drive, regardless of how good shape its in.
But why would I want to mess with any of that. I don't even own any CDs anymore. I burned them all into iTunes and threw them away. Cassette adapters and wired in things and FM transmitters are fine, if thats all you have...but he has another almost exactly the same car sitting right there that doesn't need any of that. No brainer IMHO.
Out of my cars, my favorite car is the LS, if I had to choose "which car should I take on a long trip" I would always choose the LS vs the Pacifica. However, because I have young kids and have to carry them and all their crap, we almost always take the Pacifica on trips so the utility need outweighs the "driving enjoyment" need.
Do you need to carry a lot of stuff? Thats the only reason to choose the RX.
I would choose the LS460 basically because its much newer. I wouldn't personally be taking any long trip in a 17 year old car if I had a newer car to drive, regardless of how good shape its in.
Originally Posted by Mbodall
Just because the 430 didn't come with Bluetooth capable of streaming audio from the factory doesn't mean you have to sit in silence lol. There's always CDs, or like most of us, we have either Bluetooth kits wired in or another device that gives the ability to stream directly into the system at full quality. There's also lower tech solutions to this like those cassette tape adapters or FM transmitters that have a 3.5mm cord to plug into a phone's headphone jack.
07-05-18, 07:37 PM
#20
Pole Position
Steve makes a great point on the "new-ness" factor of a 460 vs a 430. (Not that experienced on long distant in an RX.)
Owning both I would not hesitate going with a well maintained 430 as I prefer the ride over the 460 and it feels roomier and the trunk has a tad more space.
Nice "problem" to have and either LS will be a good experience......
Owning both I would not hesitate going with a well maintained 430 as I prefer the ride over the 460 and it feels roomier and the trunk has a tad more space.
Nice "problem" to have and either LS will be a good experience......
07-06-18, 10:49 AM
#21
Rookie
Thread Starter
I think you're over thinking this choice here a little bit lol. Just choose your favorite car and drive that one. Problem solved.
Do you need to carry a lot of stuff? Thats the only reason to choose the RX.
I would choose the LS460 basically because its much newer. I wouldn't personally be taking any long trip in a 17 year old car if I had a newer car to drive, regardless of how good shape its in.
.but he has another almost exactly the same car sitting right there that doesn't need any of that.
Do you need to carry a lot of stuff? Thats the only reason to choose the RX.
I would choose the LS460 basically because its much newer. I wouldn't personally be taking any long trip in a 17 year old car if I had a newer car to drive, regardless of how good shape its in.
.but he has another almost exactly the same car sitting right there that doesn't need any of that.
I am not sure how much stuff my 4-yr old nephew will need. This is the first time my sister to travel with her kid so she has no idea either. Will see. Leaving RX to the last resort.
Basically you are right. My 460 sits in the garage most of the time. In theory, a newer car is going to be more stress-free. May be I should give 460 a chance to unleash her full potential other than weekend grocery shopping.
07-06-18, 12:59 PM
#22
Lexus Fanatic
I didn't think about the kid...kids need a lot of stuff lol
07-06-18, 07:58 PM
#23
I own both and I would take LS460 on long drive any day.
Not that LS430 isn't good but LS460 power difference, low RPMs, higher gas mileage, and quieter ride make it all worthwhile.
Only additional consideration I would have is losing extra 2 cubic feet of trunk space.
Not that LS430 isn't good but LS460 power difference, low RPMs, higher gas mileage, and quieter ride make it all worthwhile.
Only additional consideration I would have is losing extra 2 cubic feet of trunk space.
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