Lexus LS460 or LS600h... Which one to buy...

[Haylands]

Well it looks like I'm coming back to the fold, Had the 5.0 Supercharged Range Rover for two years, done 20,000 trouble free miles (who thought that would happen..!!) but now it has to go (for various reasons I'm not going into here..!!) 

 

I bought that LS460 a few years ago and it was a pup, pretty sure it had been comprehensively clocked and I wasn't too keen on it....

 

Fast forward a few years and I really can't live without radar cruise (first world problems, I know) so am looking at an LS460 or a LS600h...

 

The 460 is faster, more economical and has a proper gearbox, the 600h has a better spec, but this seems to be just more leather, and it has the CVT box... what's that like..? 

 

So, others must have been here... which one do you choose and why...?

 

I'm not concerned with anything in the back as no one sits there since the kids left home...!!

 

Help me choose, thanks guys....

[royoftherovers]

7 minutes ago, Haylands said:

Well it looks like I'm coming back to the fold, Had the 5.0 Supercharged Range Rover for two years, done 20,000 trouble free miles (who thought that would happen..!!) but now it has to go (for various reasons I'm not going into here..!!) 

 

I bought that LS460 a few years ago and it was a pup, pretty sure it had been comprehensively clocked and I wasn't too keen on it....

 

Fast forward a few years and I really can't live without radar cruise (first world problems, I know) so am looking at an LS460 or a LS600h...

 

The 460 is faster, more economical and has a proper gearbox, the 600h has a better spec, but this seems to be just more leather, and it has the CVT box... what's that like..? 

 

So, others must have been here... which one do you choose and why...?

 

I'm not concerned with anything in the back as no one sits there since the kids left home...!!

 

Help me choose, thanks guys....

welcome back Pete.👍

[runsgrateasanut]

The issue of Ethanol may determine which year cars you prefer?

[Haylands]

Stuart,

I would have thought both will be fine, the earliest is 2007 so I presume they will run happily on it....??

Or is there something I should know...??

[serbarry]

I have never driven neither LS460 nor LS600H but if I had to choose I would pick LS600H simply because is hybrid and I love the smooth ride and moving in the silence at low speed. When you say that LS460 is more economical, do you refer to the price or fuel consumption? I would not be so sure about better fuel consumption compared to LS600H.    

[PCM]

4 minutes ago, serbarry said:

I have never driven neither LS460 nor LS600H but if I had to choose I would pick LS600H simply because is hybrid and I love the smooth ride and moving in the silence at low speed. When you say that LS460 is more economical, do you refer to the price or fuel consumption? I would not be so sure about better fuel consumption compared to LS600H.    

+1 

[Haylands]

Thanks for replying guys....

On paper the 600h does more than the 460 but apparently, reading the US forums in reality the 460 is better...

As for quietness... my wife now runs a CT200h and at low speeds it is so quiet you can't tell if the engine is on or off so I presume there won't be much difference between the 460 and 600... or am I wrong..?

The 600's are thousands more than the 460's for same age and mileage, I don't mind the extra just want to know if it is worth it...

[runsgrateasanut]

My comment may be a Red Herring but this thread referred to early LS460's. 

 

 

[serbarry]

1 hour ago, Haylands said:

Thanks for replying guys....

On paper the 600h does more than the 460 but apparently, reading the US forums in reality the 460 is better...

As for quietness... my wife now runs a CT200h and at low speeds it is so quiet you can't tell if the engine is on or off so I presume there won't be much difference between the 460 and 600... or am I wrong..?

The 600's are thousands more than the 460's for same age and mileage, I don't mind the extra just want to know if it is worth it...

It seems to me strange that a 4.6cc V8 petrol has a better fuel consumption than a 5.0cc hybrid. As for quietness it depends if you like to have the engine switched off while queuing in the traffic and moving at low speed in electric or if you don't mind the engine running all the time. Personally I love the silence and saving some petrol. 

[BigBoomer]

From the governments E10 compatibility page.

Lexus

E10 petrol is cleared for use in all Lexus European petrol models made from January 1998, excluding:

• IS250 2.5 litre V6 with engine 4GR-FSE made between August 2005 and September 2007.
• GS300 3.0 litre V6 with engine 3GR-FSE made between January 2005 and September 2007.
• LS460 4.6 litre V8 with engine 1UR-FSE made between August 2006 and September 2007.
  These models, and those produced before 1998 should continue to use E5.

[Malc]

remember the 460 like the 430 will need the radiator changed etc ...  to prevent the ingress of water to the gearbox

Malc

[BigBoomer]

Other than the E10 issue it's down to which you prefer driving.
The 600h will have lower VED and slightly better fuel economy if driven the same.
The 460s I test drove were not as involving to drive as my 430 is.
Can't comment on the 600h as haven't driven one.

[Exdee]

I have owned both.

I prefer the 600h as it is the faster and smoother (due to CVT) car of the two. The rolling performance is where the 600h is truly a beast. 

The LED headlamps in the 600h are also better than the Xenons in the 460.

The rear relaxation package is only available in the 600h and the 4 seat configuration gives it a more premium feel. I don't think you can get the 460 in a LWB configuration in the UK. 

The only downside of the 600h is that the boot is smaller in comparison to the 460. 

This is all I can think of at the moment.

 

[Haylands]

Thanks guys, great to hear your thoughts...

Exdee, how much smaller is the boot...??

The main problem is finding one, 8 on auto trader and either imports, high mileage or wrong colour...

I'm very impressed with the wifes CT200h so would like a hybrid if I can find the right one in a timely manner, if not I might have to slum it in a 460...lol...

[Exdee]

In layman terms, the 600HL can only carry one large suitcase whereas the 460 can carry two large suitcases.

Yes they are a bit rare and the decent ones don't hang about.

Good luck!

 

[Haylands]

Thanks Exdee...

Next question...

What do the collective think about high mileage 600's they seem to wear well bodywork and interior but how about the rest, anyone heard anything...

[GEN]

I started with a 1998 LS400 (from 80K miles to 238K miles) and then the transmission went. Bought a 2005 LS430 with 68K miles and about 3K miles later it was written off by a careless van driver who ploughed into me. Then bought a 2008 LS600hl with 120K miles and have covered about 10K miles so far.

My conclusions:

The Ls400 was the most comfortable of all three. It had fewer blind spots than the other two.  The Ls400 did not need a rearview camera or any parking assistants!  Provided you avoided the air suspension (which was rare on this model anyway) the maintenance was predictable, straight forward and rendered the car pretty much bulletproof.  (My transmission could have been fixed but the 2 solenoids needed were no longer available).  I never had to have any suspension work done.

The Ls430: excellent car with a very planted drive. Had to replace the radiator preventively. The satnav screen was playing up which may not seem a problem except that some of the a/c controls were only available via the screen.  This car had air suspension. I did not have it for long enough to have a problem.  This would be my second choice .

Finally: the Ls600hl: full of gadgets, comes with all wheel drive which I'm hoping will be useful in the event of snow. The rear of the car is substantially more comfortable but then this car is pretty much intended to be chauffeur driven although I do enjoy driving it.  The hybrid or better put the electric side of the car is in use relatively little: if memory serves the claimed range is about 3 miles and it is for low speeds and I don't think it makes a substantial difference to the fuel consumption. I get best mpg (28-30) on a motorway drive. By the way this is not bad for car that weighs in at almost 2.5 tons.  Things to worry about:. the hybrid Battery replacement cost is four figure.  

the air suspension.

It has a CVT transmission.

These 3 items can easily total the car.

And the boot is just unbelievably small.

I don't know but I gather that the LS460 is the same as the Ls600 without the hybrid.

So, for my money, my first choice would be the Ls400 but the parts are not there. I would avoid the LS600hl and the Ls460.  So I would go for the Ls430.

But of course that is just my opinion...

[Malc]

7 hours ago, GEN said:

my first choice would be the Ls400 but the parts are not there.

but cheap enough too just go buy another in the ( hopefully, extremely unfortunately ) unlikely event some damn critical part that goes kaput cannot be replaced 

I have neither had a 460 nor a 600 BUT I would probably go for the 600 just for the credibilty of having an extremely rare car for a daily runner .........  bit like the Ls400 is these days methinks !

Malc

[Tulpen]

I owned a 400 for 15 years before changing to a 460, which I have now had for 9 years (80,000 miles). I haven't had any experience of the 430 or 600.

I think we all agree that the 400 was/is a very special machine. If they were still making them, I'd look no further. However, that isn't the case and, like many people, I wanted to drive a more modern car.

The 460 is an LS, make no mistake, but it isn't as 'whisper quiet' as the 400. I think my problem is that my car came with the, optional, 19" wheels. It is quiet, but not AS quiet as the 400.

I don't have the rear seat goodies pack, therefore my boot is huge.  I appreciate the extra electronics, although the self-parking system seems a bit gimmicky. I used it once in an empty car park but wouldn't trust it for real. Things like the 'Brake Hold' and automatic parking brake are great.

The points you made about the hybrid Battery and CVT system on the 600 would worry me, also. The air suspension can be problematic; but not if you are driving on good roads. I live in Holland and, with 120,000 miles on the clock, there are no signs of wear, at all, in the suspension.  However, I have just returned from Xmas and New Year in the UK (and £650 worse off, thanks to the robbing gits and their PCR checks). Your roads are appalling and, if I was to come back there to live, I would probably get an LS which had been converted to coil-overs.

The car has been, as was the 400, completely reliable and, virtually, trouble free. I have had the radiator replaced as a precaution but, apart from that, it has been regular servicing only. I get my car looked after by my local Lexus dealership.

As I'm sure you know, Audi, Mercedes and BMW make lovely cars.......but have you looked at the latest reliability index?  They are all in the bottom half of the table.

Regardless of what you decide, if you get an another LS, you won't be disappointed.

 

 

[SSUR]

I have the LS600hl premier update model. Super rare car with amazing build and special feeling of driving the Lex flagship model.

cvt is great (so is 8 speed on 470), mpg not much in it against 460 but much lower rfl, yes boot small but perfectly acceptable (use our CT with folded seats if required) and can always use enormous rear cabin to stand up suitcases if required! 
 

go for it you will live the 600! As others have said the good ones sell so quickly.

[ambermarine]

On 1/6/2022 at 11:56 AM, Haylands said:

Stuart,

I would have thought both will be fine, the earliest is 2007 so I presume they will run happily on it....??

Or is there something I should know...??

The LS400 Mark 4 will run on it if you can find one .

[Haylands]

Thank you all for taking the time to write, it is interesting to hear everyones thoughts...

Having driven the last 20,000 miles with adaptive cruise I feel my life would not be complete without it... first world problems, I know...!!

So it's a late, rare 430 with it but the grille looks so ugly with the slab of perspex...

Or the 460 or 600...

RFL cost is not in the equation for me, but boot size is.... so I'm still on the fence...

I expect the first one of either I find that has the right colour/spec/condition will win...

[peterj]

Just a small point, although the 2009 comes with adaptive cruse it doesn't come with Keep Lane Assist, I believe because Lexus couldn't get it to work sufficiently at night with the newly introduced LED headlights. They fixed this it and it came as standard with the 2010 model (I do believe). I have a 2009 LS600hl with 52k. Took me a little while to find.

[Haylands]

Thanks, I have had Lane keep assist and I will not miss it at all...!!

Each to their own....!

[Tulpen]

A policeman friend of mine reckons that Lane Keeping and Distance Keeping gizmos are dangerous in the wrong hands. It means that idiots think it is OK to text or watch a movie because 'the car will keep me out of trouble'.

I prefer to be in control.