Considering Lexus 400

[Yaemish]

Please talk me out of it. Yesterday I drove a 2000 ls400 and I have to say it was much nicer than my Seville. Has anyone here ever owned one? It would be nice to hear the thoughts from someone who has owned both.

[iametarq]

Don't do it. If you do, I'm taking your SRX away from you. Just because I need one.

[I~LUV~Caddys8792]

I don't know first hand how they stack up against each other, but I know Ian or Jesda would have a great answer for you. Ian has had many, many 98-04 STS, and a few LS400s, and we've talked about them a lot, and the impression I got from him was that he loves the STS more, but the LS is the one he'd recommend because they're so dang reliable.

[CadillacSTS2003]

Ian is Playdrve4me (spelling) for those who dont know names hahah

and what year Seville do you have now?
STS or SLS?

[ted tcb]

I've owned 95/97/99/01 STS's.
Love the styling and sportiness.
I now own a 2000 LS400, only 59k.
It is a completely different car.
The LS is so refined in terms of solidity and isolation that some hate the car, citing the lack of passion.
I never feel the need to check fluids, watch temp gages, pull codes, or listen for funny sounds.
The LS is built to go the distance, and it does so in vault like silence and incredible smoothness.

The only thing I hate is the styling ... it looks like an S Class clone.
The build quality of the LS is second to none. My 8 yr old car feels brand new, driving through pot hole streets
at -26 degrees. I've owned over 45 cars in just 30 years, and I hope to keep this one for a long time.
The 4L VVt-i engine, combined with 5spd auto, propels the car to 60mph in 6.3sec, and it tops out at 150mph.
At a constant 70mph, I get 30 mpg on snow tires.

When I bought it, there was only
(1) 2000 LS400 for sale in Ontario. People hang onto them.
Some say you'd better leave the car in your will, because it'll likely outlive you.
Negatives ... styling, premium gas, timing belt, and rwd in the snow.
You decide ... I think both the Cadillac and Lexus are fine machines ... I'm considering an Eldorado for a weekend toy.
For my daily driver,though, I'm sticking with the LS400.

[misfit6794]

I am one of the few toyota/lexus lovers on here. They are built like a vault, rarely have any mechanical failures, and unlike caddies, actually hold their value. You could probably get away with buying one, rack up miles on it, then sell it for close to what you bought it for, especially an LS. Yes, you can call them boring, but thats about the only negative thing people have to say about them. I will take boring any day over thousands in constant repair costs, sorry caddy.

[CadillacSTS2003]

whats the point in owning a boring car though?
your buying something why not buy something youll ENJOY getting into EVERY day to drive everywhere...?

[Lord Cadillac]

Originally Posted by CadillacSTS2003

whats the point in owning a boring car though?
your buying something why not buy something youll ENJOY getting into EVERY day to drive everywhere...?

They're only boring to those who don't like them. If you want a quiet, comfortable car that's extremely reliable and at the same time, is a status symbol - you drive a Lexus LS. There's nothing wrong with that at all. The Cadillac Seville is a status symbol as well - but it's not as quiet, not as refined, not as comfortable (soft riding), not as reliable and doesn't hold it's value like the Lexus does/will. I think most people find the Seville a much better head turner than the Lexus, however.. They're two very different cars...

To the original poster - if you want to go unnoticed, buy the Lexus. If you want to be noticed, buy the Cadillac.

[Yaemish]

Originally Posted by CadillacSTS2003

whats the point in owning a boring car though?
your buying something why not buy something youll ENJOY getting into EVERY day to drive everywhere...?

I think this is what it comes down to. I drove both the LS400 and the LS430 and I thought both had much better build quality than my Seville. The engine was on par with the Northstar but was dead quite until you opened it up and even then the sound was much less violent than the sound of an open Northstar. I was thinking along the lines of realizability, but I will most likely keep the Seville. This happens to me every year when i put the snow tires on, I think when I get the summer tires and rims on I will be happy again.

[I~LUV~Caddys8792]

Originally Posted by CadillacSTS2003

your buying something why not buy something youll ENJOY getting into EVERY day to drive everywhere...?

It's enjoyable in a different way. Enjoyable because you never have to worry about repair bills or stress over something breaking down. It's a fantastic luxury car though, just not the most fun to drive or look at, but it's hardly ugly or slow.

[Lord Cadillac]

I've driven a few Lexus LS430s and I enjoyed the fact that my passengers couldn't remember another vehicle they were more comfortable in - and were very impressed with all the little things that make the LS430 special. The softest leather in the industry. The quietest interior they've ever experienced. The smoothest ride they're ever experienced.. And then the little things like how the vents move back and forth......

[chubbyranger]

Originally Posted by Lord Cadillac

If you want a quiet, comfortable car that's extremely reliable and at the same time, is a status symbol - you drive a Lexus LS.

With all due respect, to some, a Camry with wood trim is not a status symbol. And if I can get my STS running again for less than 1/2 the gross national product of Ecuador I'll go smoke an LS to prove it...

[I~LUV~Caddys8792]

Actually.......it's gonna be a close race....but the 98 and newer LS is a tad quicker. Cadillac quoted the 0-60 for the STS at like 6.7 or so. Starting in '98, Lexus quoted the 0-60 at 6.3, and it just got quicker once the LS430 debuted in '00.

http://www.albeedigital.com/supercou...0-60times.html

The thing is, with the Lexus, it'll never feel or sound as fast because it's so isolated. The Caddy definitely feels quicker and powerful because it's not as isolated.

[ted tcb]

Originally Posted by chubbyranger

With all due respect, to some, a Camry with wood trim is not a status symbol. And if I can get my STS running again for less than 1/2 the gross national product of Ecuador I'll go smoke an LS to prove it...

With all due respect, the LS 400 has as much in common with a Camry as does an STS. You have confused the Lexus RWD flagship with the ES300.

The only way you could possibly smoke a 98-00 LS400 with your STS is if your leaking half case drips onto your exhaust.

[Lord Cadillac]

Originally Posted by chubbyranger

With all due respect, to some, a Camry with wood trim is not a status symbol. And if I can get my STS running again for less than 1/2 the gross national product of Ecuador I'll go smoke an LS to prove it...

A Camry with wood trim? If you're serious, you really need to do some more research.

Originally Posted by I~LUV~Caddys8792

Actually.......it's gonna be a close race....but the 98 and newer LS is a tad quicker. Cadillac quoted the 0-60 for the STS at like 6.7 or so. Starting in '98, Lexus quoted the 0-60 at 6.3, and it just got quicker once the LS430 debuted in '00.

http://www.albeedigital.com/supercou...0-60times.html

The thing is, with the Lexus, it'll never feel or sound as fast because it's so isolated. The Caddy definitely feels quicker and powerful because it's not as isolated.

Right. As the STS got slower down the road, the LS got faster. 0-60 came in under 6 seconds from 2001 up...