Without a doubt, Lexus produces very fine cars. However the current LS 460 is not a very fine looking car. The front and rear do not blend very well, the dash has a high hump and that ugly marble wood they offer needs to go. The previous LS 430 was very elegant and had a well blended design. They sold very well. Maybe it is the economy but I think the uninspired design has not been well received. The ES and GS have much better lines as I see it and offer a greater value.
Al
I agree AL. Our ES350 in Classic Ruby is beautiful. We even have cars on the road pull up beside us and remark on how beautiful the car is. It also rides great over the road, fit-and-finish is good, and with the 6-speed tranny the engine is only turning 2000 rpm at 70 mph. Unfortunately, our car's engine has piston slap. An inquiry to Lexus received a reply from them that the noise was "normal operating noise". The diagnostic service man at the Orlando Lexus dealer picked another ES 350 off the lot, and it also had the same piston slap.
We never had a similar problem with our previous Toyota Avalon - a great car. We thought that we were making a step up when we traded for the Lexus. I guess this is our first and last Lexus, unless they decide to do something about their blunder.
Graybeard
I think we got it -- you have a noisy car. Understood. Message received. Clear as a bell. No need to keep repeating yourself. We know. Sorry to hear it. That's a shame. Really, no kidding, we heard you the first 2,000 times. OK? OK. Thanks for sharing.
Geez.
GIga.
GLGA !!!!! There you are !!!!! Sitting in your corner, flipping your finger over your lips as you make a humming sound! And out comes an astonishing message which attempts to totaly dis this poor fellow who has been terribly served by trying to upgrade to a Lexus! He has a point which needs to be repeated often - as often as possible so that all hear it. If all potential buyers know to look for this piston slap, and decide not to buy a Lexus which has it, I bet that it will dissapear. But then your humming interruptus seems to say that Lexus is all perfect and look at the magnificant clothes on the king!
Yes I agree. I thought that response from GLGA was uncalled for. It would be poetic justice of GLGA bought a car with piston slap, now. I'm glad this man told us about this problem. Some of the people posting here are just so childish. POst your comments about LEXUS or bug off!
Blah blah blah...
First oil gelling and now piston slap. Surprising Toyota continues to have problems with its V6.
Cost cutting is always a high priority with Toyota. Using cheaper (probably non-hypereutectic pistons) and looser production tolerances won't help either. But you're right, the Toyota V6 has always been problematic - 3VG, 1MZ, etc.
What do you mean? It looks like a Camry from a distance.
Those mean bastards! Why can't they be like all the other manufacturers, who only want to help people, and don't care about making a profit.
You think the LS460 is not good lookin'? You're right. But check out the front of the Lexus IS, it looks like the designer got the inspiration from a door stop wedge. No wonder April Lexus car sales was down 22%.
Of course the 8-speed transmission is a clunker when driven other than to the supermarket. Motortrend on the 8-speed in a GS: "The tranny doesn't keep up, endlessly hunting for that ideal gear (remember, there are eight of them) and delivering lethargic shifts when in manual mode."
as a 2002 ES300 owner, I can understand the exclusion...I'm just waitng for the day this transmission falls out the bottom, after all the hard shifting and hunting that it has done in its lifetime...
sorry, replied to wrong thread...
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