vp911

Yeah, almost an impulse sale for $39k today. I would have bought my cousins LS430 - loaded 05' navi, bt, cooled seats - everything 18k miles for $42k (that's what the dealer is offering him on a trade-in).

Then I realized how big the LS really is and how much I love my RL. As much as I would want the cooled seats and backup cam, the LS is just too big for me.

Just thought I would share

Nocturnal

Whew! That was close. You almost owned a boat.

vp911

Yep, that was another reason - I don't like the looks. I would have a hell of a time getting used to parking that thing.

crazytsxmods

Smart move, I might get flammed for this. Don't get me wrong the LS 430 is one hell of a sweet ride buuuuut I think the RL is allot sexier and stands out allot more. Also you could have been driving the LS430 2 months from now and seen a sweet apec RL pull up next to you and been like Damn. But sure glad you decided to stay in the RL. The LS430 does have one hech of a nice back seat.

vtecracer

$42k for a loaded '05 Lexus LS430? Wow, and everyone was complaining about how the RL's resale plumeted after the discounts. Good choice in keeping the RL BTW.

vp911

Yeah, trade in is kinda low on it I don't know why. He was offered 48 from a private buyer but turned him down thinking he could get more. Now he is stuck with trade-in..or me.

Rob L

hehe dude, the RL is basically the same size as the LS.

Length

RL- 193.6" LS- 197.4"

Width

RL- 72.7" LS- 72"

Height

RL- 57.1" LS- 57.9" (with the air suspension)

Weight

RL- 4012 lbs LS- 3990 lbs


I guess people just think the LS is way bigger because it does look bigger. Oh and the RL's handling is so good that it does feel smaller than it really is when driving around town.

Oh and the LS430 is WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY EASIER to park than the RL. The RL's turning radius BLOWS.

I love the look of the LS430...saw a black one last night with nice dark tint. Looked great. My folks' LS430 is silver but no tint.

I know AWD is good for you since you deal with snow like some of us so it is good to keep the RL but damn, if I didnt have a use for AWD I'd have probably done that trade even giving up the better handling of the RL. I love the LS430. Quietest car out there and is so damn smooth and it has some nice touches that I wish the RL had like the swing air registers in the dash and power fold mirrors and power headrests and power seat height and jsut a ton of other little things.

I'm a luxury whore I guess.

The new LS coming out next fall will OWN. Looks great and no doubt it will have amazing luxury.

vp911

I see you fixed the RL to LS as being bigger

I didn't realize they were so close in size! It does look a ton bigger. My cousins is black with 35% tint and the chrome wheels.

It is silent, even my dads LS400 from 1996 was nearly silent.

I prefer the AWD because of the snow - indeed. I wish I could make the RL as quiet as the LS. I know the ANC does a damn good job - but of course, it just isn't as quiet as the LS.

Rob L

Yeah even my folks didnt think the RL was close to the LS in size when I first got it but I told them it was. They still didnt believe me

Sounds like your cousins is like the one I saw yesterday. Yummy

Another thing people dont realize is how aerodynamic the LS430 is. With the air suspension its coefficient of drag is 0.25! That is incredible. Oh and at 80mph it's noise level is on par with like the RL at 50mph or so...just is amazing how quiet the car is.

I hear the new LS will also have AWD. Oh man...I need to get my folks to trade in for it. I am moving next month and will be like 5 mins away from them so if they get the new LS I'll be giddy as I'll be able to frequently drive it.

vp911

It would be amazing to see an AWD LS. I am still not a huge fan of the design - I know a lot of people like it. It just doesn't get me. (Not saying its anywhere near bad - its great, but just not something I want to drive...yet.) I really wish the RL had IMA - that would help the low end torque. If it could be as quiet as the LS

Rob L

Have you seen what will basically be the new LS design? It looks tight...like a stretched IS350.

Oh and the new LS will have a hybrid version pumping out over 400 hp and 0-60 in 5 seconds or possibly a bit under. hahaha crazy. I fully expect the hybrid also to have the awd.

paul_philly

Glad you kept the RL. We need you

vp911

Rob L

Vik,

Don't know if you have seen this but here is what the next LS will most likely look like. I think it looks GREAT.

I dont know what your thoghts are on the NEW IS or if you have seen it in person but I can say that it looks much better in person than in pics...like the RL IMO. Based on pics I thought the new IS looked "ok" but when I saw it in person I was amazed at how great it looked. Seeing as I think this new potential LS design looks great in pics, I fully expect it to just totally blow me away in person.

vp911

Rob. That will be one AMAZING car.

Fabvsix

RobL:

Can you get me the comparo spec's for a 2004 RL against the 2005 LS 430 ? I think my 2004 RL is closer to the Lexus.....

vp911

I would agre, I think the 04 RL is closer in size but I still did not realize how close the 05 RL is. It is amazing how well it handles for such a large sedan!

Rob L

2004 RL

Length 196.6"
Width- 71.6"
Height- 54.5"
Weight- 3893 lbs


LS430

Length- 197.4"
Width- 72"
Height- 57.9"
Weight- 3990 lbs

So yep, quite close to the LS430 aside from the height.

vp911

wow those are almost identical.

Rob L

I think Acura has some funky way of interior measurements or Lexus is just conservative with the LS430s because apparently the RL's back seat has about 1.5" less in legroom and like half an inch less in headroom yet the LS430s rearseat feels as though it has much more of both these categories. I sit up straight and have my back against the seat in the RL my head touches the ceiling but this doesnt happen in the LS. Also, I can have the rear seat fully reclined in the LS430 (the seat bottom travels forward a few inches doing this) and still have more legroom than in the RL...maybe it is just the way the back of the front seats are designed that make it feel as though it has a lot more legroom than the RL.

I wish there was a real standard to interior measurements because I notice differences in other cars despite what the numbers say. My folks also have a 04 Chevy Impala SS and it supposedly has more legroom in the back than their LS430 but there is NO WAY it has more. I also remember sitting in a RX8 a while back when I had my IS300 and according to the specs the RX-8 has 2 more inches of rearseat legroom than the IS but it wasnt even close as the IS had much more.