LS - 5th Gen (2018-present) Discussion topics related to the current flagship models LS500 and LS460 F.

‘18 LS500 ownership 1yr+

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Old 08-13-21, 07:36 PM
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LS500Fan
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Default ‘18 LS500 ownership 1yr+

My experience:

Lexus LS 500 One Year Later...
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Old 08-14-21, 11:14 AM
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mikesrx350
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that video amplifies the non excitement of the entire ls500 thread from day 1

I can not understand how lexus took 10 years to develop this car and gets these results

1) good handling / ride mix
2) safe car
3) user interface and touch screen disappoint failure
4) 20 mpg combined in a new powertrain really in 2021??
5) service visits that was shared in this video
6) smaller interior space
7) maddened the entire older group that loved one LS over and over
8) styling that is controversial


I am at a loss for underastanding
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Old 08-16-21, 10:13 AM
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703
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The LS has less leg room than the 2016 ES. 38.9 vs 40 inches. Not sure what the logic is there!

I’m surprised at the the amount of things that have gone wrong at the 1 year mark!

Old 08-16-21, 12:11 PM
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I'm surprised that the replacement seat air massage bladder thing failed. Like first time OK second time WTF.

It's true the LS500 is not really comparable to the LS460 and earlier. I think Lexus was "forced" into making the car sportier and less luxury due to journalists roasting them.

I am planning on doing a things I like and things I hate video, still thinking about the most important things to mention. They did fix some LS500 shortcomings for 2021 at least...
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Old 08-16-21, 02:59 PM
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I enjoyed my year with the LS. But I had pretty much the same issues. I didn't notice the white smoke though.
Old 08-19-21, 09:12 AM
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turnne
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Originally Posted by mikesrx350
that video amplifies the non excitement of the entire ls500 thread from day 1

I can not understand how lexus took 10 years to develop this car and gets these results

1) good handling / ride mix
2) safe car
3) user interface and touch screen disappoint failure
4) 20 mpg combined in a new powertrain really in 2021??
5) service visits that was shared in this video
6) smaller interior space
7) maddened the entire older group that loved one LS over and over
8) styling that is controversial


I am at a loss for underastanding
I am going to assume the Toyota made the same assessment that Cadillac/GM did years ago
Their customer base was getting older and older for the LS
Meanwhile ...younger and more affluent people were buying the German cars in much higher numbers

So..they try to offer something " german-like " to reach that crowd

Warren
Old 08-19-21, 09:17 AM
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Originally Posted by turnne
I am going to assume the Toyota made the same assessment that Cadillac/GM did years ago
Their customer base was getting older and older for the LS
Meanwhile ...younger and more affluent people were buying the German cars in much higher numbers

So..they try to offer something " german-like " to reach that crowd

Warren
It's all about the money
Old 08-19-21, 11:38 AM
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Big mistake. If people want to buy a German like car, they go buy a German car.

Lexus should have made a Lexus like car instead. That is, the quality of the original LS in what made it unique from the Germans.

Lexus made way more money from the LS400 than they would from the LS500. In fact the LS500 is a money loss maker as the volume is so low.

Last edited by 703; 08-19-21 at 11:42 AM.
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Old 08-19-21, 12:03 PM
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turnne
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Originally Posted by 703
Big mistake. If people want to buy a German like car, they go buy a German car.

Lexus should have made a Lexus like car instead. That is, the quality of the original LS in what made it unique from the Germans.

Lexus made way more money from the LS400 than they would from the LS500. In fact the LS500 is a money loss maker as the volume is so low.
Except...the prior version wasn't selling well
Check the stats of say 2013-2017 models years.
AND I am going to bet the average buyer was getting older and older

Meanwhile Mercedes is selling 3X more S class cars at a higher price and to a more affluent and younger buyer

Again..I would love to see the demographics of the typical buyer. But I am betting that Lexus LS buyer was getting old
Its the same thing that happened to Cadillac....sales dropping and buyers kept getting older

So they tried to revamp their line to appeal to a younger person. It seems to me Lexus has done the same thing with the LS
I personally dont think a buyer of new German car is really looking hard at it too seriously...but I think Lexus is trying

Warren
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Old 08-19-21, 12:18 PM
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turnne
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Originally Posted by 703
Big mistake. If people want to buy a German like car, they go buy a German car.

Lexus should have made a Lexus like car instead. That is, the quality of the original LS in what made it unique from the Germans.

Lexus made way more money from the LS400 than they would from the LS500. In fact the LS500 is a money loss maker as the volume is so low.
Here are the numbers for sales of the Lexus LS in the United States for the past several years since 2005....source is goodcarbadcar.net
Year (#SOLD) 2005( 26,043) 2006 (19,546) 2007 (35,226) 2008 (20,255) 2009 (11,334) 2010 (11,675) 2011 (9,568) 2012 (8,860) 2013 (10,727) 2014 (8,559) 2015 (7,165) 2016 (5,514) 2017 (4,094) 2018 (9,301) 2019 (5,528) 2020 (3,650)


Warren
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Old 08-19-21, 03:45 PM
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On a side note, I bought the recommended wireless CarPlay adapter he mentioned in the vid. Works great so far, and very convenient not having to plug anything in.
Old 08-19-21, 04:50 PM
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The problem with Lexus and Toyota in general, is their snail-like pace to update their vehicles. 10+ years to update the LS was horrid, as many buyers moved on to other brands.

Do most people lease a luxury vehicle? If so, most do not want to lease the same old tired vehicle 3 times, while waiting for a total redesign. I am assuming a 3 year lease.

Look at the LX, Sequoia, Tundra, etc. all old and should have been redesign years ago.

I like Toyota, but will consider other options. I definitely will not get an LS 500 when I get rid of my LS 460.
Old 08-19-21, 06:03 PM
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Interesting comments in this thread. I am a relatively young buyer (below 30) and special ordered a 2021 LS 500 with my dealer.

For me personally, I wanted a quiet sedan that I could use for a long time. The S class is a natural alternative, but I don't like the interior (find it too gaudy), find the exterior meh, and am pretty sure that in spite of its flaws, the LS is more reliable than it. Plus, a reasonably loaded S class is at least 30k USD more expensive than an LS. I can't think of anything else that fits.

Fingers crossed that many of the 2018 issues have been fixed for the 2021 LS. My study of the internet (this forum, savagegeese video:
, etc) suggest that the 2021 definitely ironed out some of the issues. To some extent, I expected this since the first batch of a new design (like the 5th gen LS) often have more glitches that need to be ironed out.

Anyway, worst come to worst I find something seriously concerning by the time the car arrives. In that case, I will simply walk off with an ES 350 from my dealer: the deposit is valid for any car on their lot at the time. The ES 350 should be good on the reliability front: it shares a lot of stuff with the Camry platform.
Old 08-20-21, 04:22 AM
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turnne
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Originally Posted by mbarron37
The problem with Lexus and Toyota in general, is their snail-like pace to update their vehicles. 10+ years to update the LS was horrid, as many buyers moved on to other brands.

Do most people lease a luxury vehicle? If so, most do not want to lease the same old tired vehicle 3 times, while waiting for a total redesign. I am assuming a 3 year lease.

Look at the LX, Sequoia, Tundra, etc. all old and should have been redesign years ago.

I like Toyota, but will consider other options. I definitely will not get an LS 500 when I get rid of my LS 460.
Luxury cars evolve slower ....BMW, Audi..MB all have cars on 6-8 year cycles with a refresh somewhere in the middle
Where as Camrys, Accords etc are typically on 3-4 year cycles

The larger trucks and SUV's are also on slow cycles

With defense to Toyota...the LX had not been selling well in the last few years so I would have expected them to put a ton of money into it

I bet at least half of the luxury cars over $75K or so are leased. But I do think at the $100K plus mark there are a lot of all cash buyers. Similar to the over 1 million dollar mark in home purchases

Again..I think the other thing was that the LS buyer was getting older and older and they felt like they had to try to get something a younger person would want to drive

I do know what you saw ...but the typical person I saw driving around in a Lexus LS a few years back was clearly over 65

Warren
Old 08-20-21, 04:34 AM
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Originally Posted by turnne
Luxury cars evolve slower ....BMW, Audi..MB all have cars on 6-8 year cycles with a refresh somewhere in the middle
Where as Camrys, Accords etc are typically on 3-4 year cycles

The larger trucks and SUV's are also on slow cycles

With defense to Toyota...the LX had not been selling well in the last few years so I would have expected them to put a ton of money into it

I bet at least half of the luxury cars over $75K or so are leased. But I do think at the $100K plus mark there are a lot of all cash buyers. Similar to the over 1 million dollar mark in home purchases

Again..I think the other thing was that the LS buyer was getting older and older and they felt like they had to try to get something a younger person would want to drive

I do know what you saw ...but the typical person I saw driving around in a Lexus LS a few years back was clearly over 65

Warren
Yes, all true. Problem is they took the middle ground by designing and building a vehicle that didn’t appeal to either side. There was a mistake made. I am not saying go for the older or younger demographic, but build something consumers actually want. 10+ years for this?

We are in an SUV and truck craze the past several years, with less desire for sedans. That LX should have been redesigned a long time ago. Nobody wanted the LX because it’s ancient. I am very eagerly awaiting the redesigned LX. Let’s just hope they don’t screw this up too.



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