GS or LS as a daily driver
10-02-18, 08:46 PM
#46
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
if you want small and sporty the LS is not the car for you. however you will notice a difference in power. the LS is very fast if you want it to be and can feel pretty small at high speeds in the twisties. if you want the V8 then go with the short wheel base ls460. its still a big car but the 460L is gigantic heavy and feels like it. still an awesome car but the swb 460 is noticeable. however, you should also look for a GS460 if you can find one. they are just pretty rare but it will give you everything the LS460 gives you in a smaller and slightly less refined package. they ARE sporty and are screaming fast, again just hard to find, plus the geezers didn't buy the GS460 and they havent made them for awhile, so finding one that hasn't been beat on will be even
10-02-18, 08:51 PM
#47
Lexus Fanatic
yeah GS 460 is rear so now you mean to tell me there’s a 460 base, a460L , 460LWB and a 460AWD. I have seen mostly L and they are much heavier than the base? Not by much I hope,not really looking at the GS I just see to many around the neighborhood and the job but no LS .
The L cars are definitely heavier than the non L cars, but not by a lot. The LWB does change the way the car feels, in a positive way IMHO having had both.
GS460 is nothing like an LS460.
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mckellyb (10-06-18)
10-03-18, 12:58 AM
#48
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
No. There are two wheelbases for the LS. The LS460 and the LS460L. Both the 460 and the 460L come in either RWD or AWD.
The L cars are definitely heavier than the non L cars, but not by a lot. The LWB does change the way the car feels, in a positive way IMHO having had both.
GS460 is nothing like an LS460.
The L cars are definitely heavier than the non L cars, but not by a lot. The LWB does change the way the car feels, in a positive way IMHO having had both.
GS460 is nothing like an LS460.
and I agree no matter what they do to a GS it is still a GS and the LS is a whole different animal
10-05-18, 03:39 AM
#49
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Was reading a thread stating that the LS460 is not a reliable vehicle comparing it to a newer Modern lexus but how does one rate a vehicle unless they have had one when I heard nothing but how reliable they are
which brings me to this purchasing a LS . Do you by the car with fewer miles no real history or one with lots of miles with a decent history report or from a dealership or private party
which brings me to this purchasing a LS . Do you by the car with fewer miles no real history or one with lots of miles with a decent history report or from a dealership or private party
10-05-18, 09:04 AM
#50
Lexus Fanatic
Its a very reliable car lol, all you have to do is look at statistics to see that.
10-05-18, 09:39 AM
#51
Lexus Fanatic
Was reading a thread stating that the LS460 is not a reliable vehicle comparing it to a newer Modern lexus but how does one rate a vehicle unless they have had one when I heard nothing but how reliable they are
which brings me to this purchasing a LS . Do you by the car with fewer miles no real history or one with lots of miles with a decent history report or from a dealership or private party
which brings me to this purchasing a LS . Do you by the car with fewer miles no real history or one with lots of miles with a decent history report or from a dealership or private party
You get the car that checks out from your thorough inspection and from a mechanic/dealer inspection and you get the best deal on so you can save some money for potential issues. There are too many variables to just go by whether it has history or not but no history anywhere can raise some red flags, it could be used as a bargaining issue. Some cars with little documented history can be really reliable while others with decent history can still have a bunch of issues. Your best bet to try to avoid reliability issues/cost is to narrow it down to a non AWD/non air suspension/non hybrid, 2009+ and go from there, the older ones with more miles will more likely have control arm issues sooner if it wasn't addressed and other issues, newer is generally better but you will end up paying a lot for that, splitting the difference with a 2011-2014 with less then 80K miles can hopefully increase you chances of a more reliable LS while not costing too much.
10-05-18, 10:39 AM
#52
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
It is generally a reliable car but it has its trouble spots, too many in some people's opinions including mine for a Lexus flagship which can cost a lot of money to fix. Some of the trouble spots are control arms especially and some other suspension pieces, melting dash, failing ML amp, air suspension if it has it, brake actuators, trim around sunroof. Issues with the LS will tend to cost more, in some cases much more then other Lexus models too.
You get the car that checks out from your thorough inspection and from a mechanic/dealer inspection and you get the best deal on so you can save some money for potential issues. There are too many variables to just go by whether it has history or not but no history anywhere can raise some red flags, it could be used as a bargaining issue. Some cars with little documented history can be really reliable while others with decent history can still have a bunch of issues. Your best bet to try to avoid reliability issues/cost is to narrow it down to a non AWD/non air suspension/non hybrid, 2009+ and go from there, the older ones with more miles will more likely have control arm issues sooner if it wasn't addressed and other issues, newer is generally better but you will end up paying a lot for that, splitting the difference with a 2011-2014 with less then 80K miles can hopefully increase you chances of a more reliable LS while not costing too much.
You get the car that checks out from your thorough inspection and from a mechanic/dealer inspection and you get the best deal on so you can save some money for potential issues. There are too many variables to just go by whether it has history or not but no history anywhere can raise some red flags, it could be used as a bargaining issue. Some cars with little documented history can be really reliable while others with decent history can still have a bunch of issues. Your best bet to try to avoid reliability issues/cost is to narrow it down to a non AWD/non air suspension/non hybrid, 2009+ and go from there, the older ones with more miles will more likely have control arm issues sooner if it wasn't addressed and other issues, newer is generally better but you will end up paying a lot for that, splitting the difference with a 2011-2014 with less then 80K miles can hopefully increase you chances of a more reliable LS while not costing too much.
I don’t want AWD or air suspension cause I want to change that
the funny thing about getting a used car even with a mechanic is that something can still go wrong , so by saving some money for potential future repairs you will be somewhat prepared . I do like older models cause Years from now it will turn heads cause everyone will be driving the newer models and you will have the classic
10-05-18, 10:46 AM
#53
Lexus Fanatic
The important thing is to understand that it is a $80-90k car new, its expensive and its not deigned to be inexpensive to repair, its designed to perform really well. Its the most reliable flagship luxury car you can buy by far, but that sort of car is just more expensive to own than lesser cars.
Just be sure you're not so stretched by the initial purchase you can't handle potential repairs also.
Just be sure you're not so stretched by the initial purchase you can't handle potential repairs also.
01-09-19, 10:37 AM
#54
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Ok so now time has passed and still didn't pull the trigger on a LS just cant get pass the brake actuator after reading a few threads with horror stories and that's a 3000 or so job? Darn. Does anybody have one a ( LS ) that they had for years with low miles and then went 130,000 plus miles that didn't need the actuator done
01-09-19, 10:44 AM
#55
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
You get the car that checks out from your thorough inspection and from a mechanic/dealer inspection and you get the best deal on so you can save some money for potential issues. There are too many variables to just go by whether it has history or not but no history anywhere can raise some red flags, it could be used as a bargaining issue. Some cars with little documented history can be really reliable while others with decent history can still have a bunch of issues. Your best bet to try to avoid reliability issues/cost is to narrow it down to a non AWD/non air suspension/non hybrid, 2009+ and go from there, the older ones with more miles will more likely have control arm issues sooner if it wasn't addressed and other issues, newer is generally better but you will end up paying a lot for that, splitting the difference with a 2011-2014 with less then 80K miles can hopefully increase you chances of a more reliable LS while not costing too much.
Last edited by Yafeelme; 01-09-19 at 10:46 AM. Reason: spelling error
01-09-19, 11:20 AM
#56
Racer
Ok so now time has passed and still didn't pull the trigger on a LS just cant get pass the brake actuator after reading a few threads with horror stories and that's a 3000 or so job? Darn. Does anybody have one a ( LS ) that they had for years with low miles and then went 130,000 plus miles that didn't need the actuator done
01-09-19, 01:45 PM
#57
Lexus Fanatic
If you cant put your hands on a few thousand dollars for a repair you should not buy one of these cars, or anything else at this level. The opportunity for costly repairs is just too high.
The GS will have less opportunity.
The GS will have less opportunity.
01-09-19, 02:10 PM
#58
Lexus Fanatic
01-12-19, 10:08 AM
#59
Lexus Test Driver
FWIW, the brake actuator on my '08 made obviously bad noises for the two years I owned it, never was a true "problem", though. The brakes felt excessively touchy the instant you touched the pedal, but were okay, mostly, afterward. Putting better pads/rotors on it fixed this, so I'm hesitant to say it was the actuator doing it.
Tried to get a local dealer to at least acknowledge the actuator was a problem, and all they could do was look at the calipers and say, "those don't look stock".
They were larger brakes from the sport package on a LWB car, and they just could not wrap their heads around this being a combination.
I don't go to that dealer any more. Instead, I drive almost 30 miles to the other one.
Also, I liked my '08 LWB so much, after it was totaled in November, I found another LWB, this time an ultra-luxury one. No sport stuff on it, but they did put OEM 19" wheels on it, so it looks proper. Definitely rides slightly more comfy, too. Brakes are the standard issue ones, and honestly, they feel the same. I'm still going EBC rotors/pads on it, but over time.
Tried to get a local dealer to at least acknowledge the actuator was a problem, and all they could do was look at the calipers and say, "those don't look stock".
They were larger brakes from the sport package on a LWB car, and they just could not wrap their heads around this being a combination.
I don't go to that dealer any more. Instead, I drive almost 30 miles to the other one.
Also, I liked my '08 LWB so much, after it was totaled in November, I found another LWB, this time an ultra-luxury one. No sport stuff on it, but they did put OEM 19" wheels on it, so it looks proper. Definitely rides slightly more comfy, too. Brakes are the standard issue ones, and honestly, they feel the same. I'm still going EBC rotors/pads on it, but over time.
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