Ls430 Options Help For Prospective Buyer

[Malc]

This pre accident indicative sensor, inside the space the bonnet side of the radiator I believe ! ............ my son-in-law is a car body sprayer and a LS430 460 or 600 ( I can't remember which now ) they had in with bonnet damage cost £7000 to fix, with the pre accident sensor that was damaged being £4000 of that cost !

Malc

[ManicMark]

Me thinks its better to open eyes a bit wider than spend £4 k on a pre crash sensor.

[bookend]

The sensor didn't work that well then!!

[Malc]

Probably worked perfectly ... the driver just has to drive appropriately I surmise !

Malc

[scythe]

On my 460 I've had the precrash for both the front and the rear go off, each on two separate occasions, though none of them were in conditions that resulted in an accident.

The rear precrash simply brings the head restraint up to touch the back of your head. The first time it happened, I felt it touching me, and thought to myself "oh no, the head restraint has worked it's way loose, I hope I've got a screwdriver in the boot to tighten it up" I turned round to look, and saw the passenger one returning to it's normal position, and it was only then that I realised what had almost happened. The second time it happened I was at the back of a queue; I knew to push my head back into the head restraint that had come up to the back of my head, ready for a collision, and looked in my rear view mirror to see a 4x4 just managing to stop in time. That was a bit worrying.

I believe the front precrash has some different responses available to it, including starting to brake the car. My two instances were both at roundabouts. Both times I was driving fairly smartly up to the roundabouts, and both times I changed my mind about going straight in, and braked moderately firmly, to let a car joining the roundabout from my right go first. In both situations I was comfortably able to stop. However, the car decided otherwise.

My car must have spotted the other car with its cameras, and the fact that I was braking, and decided to join in a bit.

The first thing that happens is that you hear the doors unlock. At the same time as this, the seat belts in the front tension themselves, drawing themselves back in. For ten seconds or so they hold you so tightly that you can't breathe. The moderately firm braking is suddenly magnified, as the brake assist comes in. Other things happen too, such as the suspension tightens, and the electric steering sets itself to give maximum response, though I noticed neither of these.

For me and my passenger, this was all a bit of a surprise for me, but the second time it happened to me, when I knew what was happening, and why, I found it very reassuring indeed.

If the question is, in a car that costs £70kish when new, is it worth an extra £4k (if that is the cost) for this, then I'd be prepared to say yes, open eyes or not.

Incidentally, the front radar (which wouldn't have been involved in the situations above, but which is part of the precrash system) is required anyway for the adaptive cruise control, which I think is very well worth having.

: o )

[scythe]

... though I notice that precrash is missing from the specs of the new, overpriced LS460 cars!

[Maduggo]

Ls460 don't crash, they have minor altercations

[The Swede]

Spend what you want to spend! For me I always wanted a facelift so I got one but don't pay over the odds! A 53 plate facelift is worth no more than about 5500 - 6000 tops no matter what any dealer tells you! You may have to be patient but you'll get one eventually. Be careful if you want one with the adaptive cruise - buy after March 2006 and you'll be paying £430 a year in tax!

Why should one be careful if he wants one with ACC ?

[graham8370]

... though I notice that precrash is missing from the specs of the new, overpriced LS460 cars!

They have the 'Advanced' precrash

http://www.lexus.co.uk/car-models/ls/ls-460/index.tmex#/VehicleHighlights/safety/safety-impact-avoidance

[scythe]

... though I notice that precrash is missing from the specs of the new, overpriced LS460 cars!

They have the 'Advanced' precrash

http://www.lexus.co....mpact-avoidance

Well, perhaps if you have ten minutes you could click on the 'request brochure' button. They will email you a brochure, price list and accessory list almost straight away. That tells, in its wishy washy way, a somewhat different story - that this stuff is only available on the LS600.

I think they're just trying to dump Lexus in the UK. To me, its what they seem to be doing with this car - making it more expensive and less well equipped. When they started with the LS460 they sold far more SELs than basic and SE cars. People wanted this stuff in their new car. The only way to get it seems to be to buy one of their 600s.

It makes me sad.

[graham8370]

Scythe, if you look on page 23 of the brochure they give the standard features on all grades.

The 460 SEL which they now call the Premier comes with the Adaptive cruise control and the new 'Advanced' precrash.

This seems to be the same grading as before, the basic 460SE (now F sport) did not come equipped with the ACC/PCS. You had to go for the top spec then, as you do now.

ps. At time of writing a few Becks have been imbibed, so I could be completely mistaken.

[scythe]

Well, a think a few Becks could well be the way to go on a Friday night!

This is a brochure for the LS, rather than just the 460, and the 'premier' grade is the LS600, I think. Have a look at the price list, and see what you think.

The basic version used to cost £56k, the SEL £71.2k, and the SE somewhere inbetween. Now the basic is £72k. To get all the kit you've got to have a hybrid with a long wheelbase that costs over £100k. I don't like any of those three things in the list!

Ive got the same car as you, same age, and I love it. I got it cheaply, when it was a year old at 4000 miles when everything started going wrong for big cars in 2008, and I'll be keeping it for several more years. I'm just sad that when the time comes to replace it there won't be anything there, possibly not even Lexus at all.

[The Swede]

Not sure the LS460SEL is in de same price league as the LS430 of the topic here

[scythe]

Not sure the LS460SEL is in de same price league as the LS430 of the topic here

The price might not be the same, but the value is.

All part of the same spectrum, anyway!