Thinking of an LS460

[mooneyls430]

Hi. Thinking of changing my 04 ls430 to a 07 ls460. Any thoughts on same. Are they as reliable as the 430.  

Thanks.

[Tulpen]

I've got a 2007  LS 460 and had it since 2013. I am very pleased with it (previously had a 400 for 15 years) and have had none of the problems that seem to be associated with the 460. However, I live in Holland and don't have to suffer the daily battering you guys get from the UK roads. My car has 80,000 miles on it.

If you have any specific questions just ask.

[dendonc]

56 minutes ago, Tulpen said:

If you have any specific questions just ask.

How many km's on the clock? thank

[mooneyls430]

The one im looking at has 120k miles. Looks good and drives good. 

[Tulpen]

Mine has 130,000 km..........80,000 miles on it.

The only problems I've had are:

Shattered front wheel bearing - caused by hitting a huge speed bump in the UK during a visit.

Steering wheel went 'off-centre'. On the USA forum they say the fix is a new steering box at a cost of $4,000!  My local Lexus garage did a complete reset of all the computers - cost 150 euros - and there has been no problem since. That was a couple of years ago.

There is a lot of talk about the air suspension struts, I've had no problems.

[mooneyls430]

Thanks for that info. Think ill go ahead with it. After having a 400 then a 430 its the next logical step.  

[Chris Skelton]

Why change? It's not compulsory to keep moving on. You might regret it.

if your car is running well, stick.

[mooneyls430]

True but couple of jobs need doing. Sat nav screen blank, rad leak , steering column adjusting motor went. She needs tyres and motor tax (motor tax in ireland aint cheap)  plus when you get the bug to change its hard to shake it off. 

[jonthetourist]

You might want to search for Haylands LS460 to get a different perspective. Summing up, less build quality, more sportiness = less of a Lexus.

 

[dendonc]

21 minutes ago, jonthetourist said:

Summing up, less build quality, more sportiness

Yes >but< that applies to all Lexus built after the 400, I 'think', after the mark3.

This is the story which I picked up on here a few years ago. Toyota told it's engineers, designers & whatever other trades are involved to build the best car in the world >Toyota< had an open checkbook on the outcome & for around the first 3 (someone correct me if that's wrong) models the checkbook stayed open, no cost to great policy. After around the first 3 models to get their top luxury car off the ground, they then brought in the accountants & started to build on a budget basis & of course that reflects on build quality 'throughout' the Lexus range and everything else.............so, thats the foundation story I picked up on this forum a few years ago.

[moriwaki]

Sorry to all the 460 owners on here ho have had good experiences....but this is my Story.....and nothing has changed....I am looking for another 400 mk3......

Apologies also to those who remember reading this before.

I had my 400 MK3 for 6 years and it had 120,000 on when I bought it....I did another 90,000 of the happiest motoring I had ever experienced in 30 odd years of driving...

The main reason I ended up going for a 460 was a bit of rust on the 400....around the arches and the windscreen....I panicked a bit over nothing....if I had the chance again....and know what I know now...I would have spent as much as it cost treat the 400 to a full Top Notch respray....and still own the best car I have ever owned.

Fact is..... a friend of mine has always admired the car....and when I was set on a 460 I gave it to him as a gift.

the 460...was a one owner car with 9,000 miles on....I did not even test drive it....went on the train from Cumberland to Turriff....near Aberdeen....and drove it back through the night...

I knew in the first mile I had made a mistake....but I thought wait a minute....this is a 460...ten years younger than my old 400....with only 9000 miles on....it MUST be Me.

We set off for Venice a few days later....drove there non stop...took 26 hours from Cumberland....and every mile was full of thoughts of what a pleasure this would be in the old 400....and what a poor experience it was in this 460....BUT I still ...over the next year or so....tried to convince myself I was mistaken.

What I didnt like about the 460 : Brakes are almost impossible to judge....like you have no real connection to them....terrible.

Steering was a mystery....some days it was OK ish...other days it had a a mind of its own....over one bridge I regularly crossed ...it would dart around as if the Mysterons were driving it !

The steering also felt like an old car with worn out Track Control arms ....worn ball joints etc....wandered around over road irregularities....awful sensation through the steering wheel.

Cruise control was so bad I gave up using it...and oh boy did I try to master it....but it mastered ME in the end....far too complicated for its own good.....slightest bit of dirt on the Radar in the badge and it would tell you on the dash that it was not available to use anyway.....is someone washed their windscreen if front of you it would say Not Available to use.

When washing the windscreen with a hose.....water would pour out of the side winkers on the wings...Lexus Carlisle said it was normal. ?

Wind noise around mirrors.....better if you put the window DOWN a few mm ?....

I did the JMc Raney fix that is on the Net.....and took a Caulking gun to the mirror mounting plates......I remember thinking....what am I doing....this car was nearly £70.000 New......it didn't really help...but tried to "believe" it did.....for my own peace of mind.

Tyre noise is a given....and was expected with the quite frankly "Stupid" on a car like this ....low profiles rubber....

Engine lacked low down torque....needed to get it revving to make progress...again....in a car like this...Stupid IMO.

Far too many gears....always hunting around...

And Mark Levinson my arse....the 400 Stereo was better too.

 

 

But I remember there was someone on here who was a disappointed as me....and it was a relief....I thought I had imagined the whole thing.

Things I didn't like about the 400 MK3.....can't open the boot with the engine running.....that was annoying....but that's IT.

Again..... just my opinion.....but that 400... is one of.....if not The Best Car ever made.....and to think you can waft around in one... for less than the price of one years depreciation on any new car on the market....well....quite frankly.....if you don't have one....your Crackers.....

err...hang on....I have not got one right now.....excuse ?...need a Jeep for the muddy Hounds to jump in the back of. 

At this point I must again apologise to anyone who is enjoying their 460....I am not here to upset anyone...

Things I liked on the 460....the looks....it is a Great looking car....with a great looking interior.....and the rear view camera was a Godsend.

Sorry for long post lads....but hey lads......who else would listen ? ? 

•  

[Malc]

well, just approaching 200k miles and sheer bliss still 

Malc

[Spacewagon52]

4 hours ago, moriwaki said:

Sorry to all the 460 owners on here ho have had good experiences....but this is my Story.....and nothing has changed....I am looking for another 400 mk3......

Apologies also to those who remember reading this before.

I had my 400 MK3 for 6 years and it had 120,000 on when I bought it....I did another 90,000 of the happiest motoring I had ever experienced in 30 odd years of driving...

The main reason I ended up going for a 460 was a bit of rust on the 400....around the arches and the windscreen....I panicked a bit over nothing....if I had the chance again....and know what I know now...I would have spent as much as it cost treat the 400 to a full Top Notch respray....and still own the best car I have ever owned.

Fact is..... a friend of mine has always admired the car....and when I was set on a 460 I gave it to him as a gift.

the 460...was a one owner car with 9,000 miles on....I did not even test drive it....went on the train from Cumberland to Turriff....near Aberdeen....and drove it back through the night...

I knew in the first mile I had made a mistake....but I thought wait a minute....this is a 460...ten years younger than my old 400....with only 9000 miles on....it MUST be Me.

We set off for Venice a few days later....drove there non stop...took 26 hours from Cumberland....and every mile was full of thoughts of what a pleasure this would be in the old 400....and what a poor experience it was in this 460....BUT I still ...over the next year or so....tried to convince myself I was mistaken.

What I didnt like about the 460 : Brakes are almost impossible to judge....like you have no real connection to them....terrible.

Steering was a mystery....some days it was OK ish...other days it had a a mind of its own....over one bridge I regularly crossed ...it would dart around as if the Mysterons were driving it !

The steering also felt like an old car with worn out Track Control arms ....worn ball joints etc....wandered around over road irregularities....awful sensation through the steering wheel.

Cruise control was so bad I gave up using it...and oh boy did I try to master it....but it mastered ME in the end....far too complicated for its own good.....slightest bit of dirt on the Radar in the badge and it would tell you on the dash that it was not available to use anyway.....is someone washed their windscreen if front of you it would say Not Available to use.

When washing the windscreen with a hose.....water would pour out of the side winkers on the wings...Lexus Carlisle said it was normal. ?

Wind noise around mirrors.....better if you put the window DOWN a few mm ?....

I did the JMc Raney fix that is on the Net.....and took a Caulking gun to the mirror mounting plates......I remember thinking....what am I doing....this car was nearly £70.000 New......it didn't really help...but tried to "believe" it did.....for my own peace of mind.

Tyre noise is a given....and was expected with the quite frankly "Stupid" on a car like this ....low profiles rubber....

Engine lacked low down torque....needed to get it revving to make progress...again....in a car like this...Stupid IMO.

Far too many gears....always hunting around...

And Mark Levinson my arse....the 400 Stereo was better too.

 

 

But I remember there was someone on here who was a disappointed as me....and it was a relief....I thought I had imagined the whole thing.

Things I didn't like about the 400 MK3.....can't open the boot with the engine running.....that was annoying....but that's IT.

Again..... just my opinion.....but that 400... is one of.....if not The Best Car ever made.....and to think you can waft around in one... for less than the price of one years depreciation on any new car on the market....well....quite frankly.....if you don't have one....your Crackers.....

err...hang on....I have not got one right now.....excuse ?...need a Jeep for the muddy Hounds to jump in the back of. 

At this point I must again apologise to anyone who is enjoying their 460....I am not here to upset anyone...

Things I liked on the 460....the looks....it is a Great looking car....with a great looking interior.....and the rear view camera was a Godsend.

Sorry for long post lads....but hey lads......who else would listen ? ? 

•  

An honest view of your experience - thanks for sharing again.

[SH20]

Bought a siena red 460 in 2015 and have run it for 2 years.  Two warranty claims under extended warranty which I would not have liked paying for, a rear drive shaft and a rear air ride strut, both cost £1000 each to fit.    Serviced and MOT'd twice under my ownership under a service plan,  no issues or advisories.  66,000 miles and to be honest the best car I've owned.  Not ever experienced a 400 or 430 which seem to have legendary reputations, but this first Lexus covers all the bases for me.   At 10 years old it drives and feels like a 4 year old car and not a squeak or rattle due to the high build quality and superior materials.   I'm the second owner and the first owner opted for 19 out of the 20 possible options back in 2007 and every one of them works or has not deteriorated in that time i.e comfort pack.   

[mooneyls430]

Thanks to everyone for posting. Plenty of info out there. Ill let ya's know if/when i purchase. I like how  they look. Was happy with the drive in one. 

Thanks again.

[moriwaki]

SH20....." Not ever experienced a 400 or 430 which seem to have legendary reputations "....I would have most likely felt the same......if I had not driven the 400 for so many miles.

And those repairs sound scary at so little mileage.....but best of luck with your future miles in it....keep us posted. 

[Cotswold Pete]

I would say test drive a 460 and if it feels right then from the driving experience it should be right. If not then try another one or two, and you'll know.

As to reliability, a more sophisticated motor is bound to have more sophisticated faults (and wallet impact), and the 460 is a more teched-up motor than the 400.

I would say I found my Mk3 a really strange drive after previous Vaux Omega, and for a while I was wondering if I had done the right thing.  I would say that the first 30 minutes in the Mk3, told me it was worth sticking with, but previous test drives if a wide range of motors in the past - mid range priced Vauxhalls, Fords, Mazdas, Mitsubishi, BMW, Audi, VW, Rover, Saab - I would know within 10 minutes if I was going to like it, and most of them I did not.  

The only car I ever drove (just for a day) that I fell in love with straight away was a Rover 827 Vitesse Fastback (down the M4 in dead of night at a touch, just a touch over 70), but had to give it back to my manager after 24 hours.  Then had to go back to my Cavalier SRi