02-05 Q vs LS430

[nuck]

I am looking at buying a used Q or LS. Much higher prices for the LS cars. How do they compare? I have owned a G35 and the wife has an FX so I am partial to Infiniti based on my experiences to date.Is the Q at least comparable in ride and noise quality? What about interior finish?I have checked out a couple of Lexus locally and am extremely impressed, but no big surprise. I will have to go long distance to even find a low mileage Q but for the 5-7k difference in price it would be worth it.Any thoughts on these two competitors? thks
Modified by nuck at 10:46 PM 6/3/2009

[maxnix]

Read the original tests, go for a 2003 or later F50 Q45 if you decide to go that way. In Canada, support to the later Q45 seems minimal.

On the Lexus, be sure to consider the timing belt replacement. Read the the how to buy a Q45 sticky above, and apply it to any car you purchase.

[seldomseen]

Spend the extra money and get an '04+ Lexus LS. It's a boring a** car to drive but is much more reliable than Infiniti's Q45. The F50/Q45 isn't a "quiet" driving luxury sedan and the Lexus fit and finish is slightly better. You may experience dash cracking on the Q45, premature leather wear/tear, electronics failure etc amongst many other things.

[NightRiderQ45]

Spend the extra money and get an '04+ Lexus LS. It's a boring a** car to drive but is much more reliable than Infiniti's Q45. The F50/Q45 isn't a "quiet" driving luxury sedan and the Lexus fit and finish is slightly better. You may experience dash cracking on the Q45, premature leather wear/tear, electronics failure etc amongst many other things.

Exactly my thoughts too. I would go with the LS in a heart beat!

[qship96]

Sorry to say, but the Lexus LS is so much more car than the 02-06 Q45. Overall, the LS feels like you stepped up an entire class of vehicle compared to the F50 Q. Better materials,fit/finish, isolation, ride quality, build quality,everything. Only downside is it is soo smooth and isolated, it is boring to drive like a racer.

[NightRiderQ45]

Sorry to say, but the Lexus LS is so much more car than the 02-06 Q45. Overall, the LS feels like you stepped up an entire class of vehicle compared to the F50 Q. Better materials,fit/finish, isolation, ride quality, build quality,everything. Only downside is it is soo smooth and isolated, it is boring to drive like a racer.

Well said. I've been in a few of them and it's a great car! I was looking to purchase the 2000 LS400 before I purchased my car. The large front end clip with the HID's...I still love that model but I haven't had ANY complaints with my Y33 though.

[MinisterofDOOM]

The Lexus is so BORING though. Skip them both and get an A8 or a 7-series.

[macmanks]

I prefer my 2004 Q45 over the 2005 LS430 I had for 2 months. The LS had 52,000 miles on it and within the first week I had it the Laser Cruise went out and the rear air-ride suspension went out too. Over $4,000 in repairs on the MOST RELIABLE CAR EVER MADE! Yet, even though the car was out of factory warranty, Lexus customer care stepped up and covered the parts so all I paid for was the dealer labor and diagnostics.

After having my Q45 for 3 days I came to realize my right side headlight had lost it ability to raise/lower and was stuck in the lowest position. Because it was out of warranty by time (not miles as it had 46K vs the 60k) Infiniti customer care said tough luck. $1,663 total in repair. Thank God I bought an extended warranty from my credit union!

The LS has more bells and whistles as mine had every option possible.

The ride of both these cars is stellar, comfy and quiet, though the seat pad of the LS had little support for my bony butt and it hurt to sit on.

My LS averaged 22 mpg, my Q45 averages 19.

Lexus service and customer care runs circle around Infiniti.

Yet, dollar for dollar and all things I find important I prefer my Q.

[seldomseen]

If you're adamant about buying a Q45 look into getting an '05/'06 model year that's fully stuffed with all the options. Most of the expensive problems have been ironed out for '05/'06. The Q45's powerful V8, and scarcity makes it a very nice vehicle to own and drive. There's also tons of good looking JDM aftermarket support for the Q45 too----albeit, $$$ as hell.

[slybydesignq45t]

I think Max, really gave me some good advice on this subject. If I had the money I would most likely go for the LS. The biggest reason would be reliability. I wanted a F50 so bad, and I am happy I've waited. I know feel like the body style of the Y33 is a bit more my taste and the abundance of aftermarket parts like in dash navigation and back up cameras can bring a Y33 up to spec with other cars these days. I guess it just would be hard to find one with low miles in a good condition as well. I personally believe that in the long run the extra couple of grand for the LS will pay off. That is just practical thinking with the way the economy is.

You have to really like the F50 all together to want it. Like others mentioned you can get the 05/06 F50 and be the only one on your block with it. Nonetheless the F50 is still a very exotic and impressive car to own. From what I see there is going to be a $5,000 price gap between the LS and the F50.

[seldomseen]

Despite knowing the Lexus LS is pound for pound a more reliable car than the F50/Q45, I'm still quite content with purchase last year. My car has been pretty reliable thus far. Luckily, everything was fixed under warranty thus far. I'm quite certain I will experience a few grand worth of problems within the next year or so though.

[qship96]

If you plan on keeping the car til it is 10,15,20 years old- the LS will be MUCH MUCH easier to obtain parts for from the boneyard compared to the 02-06Q.....just look at how many LS were sold in USA compared to Q.

[seldomseen]

If you plan on keeping the car til it is 10,15,20 years old- the LS will be MUCH MUCH easier to obtain parts for from the boneyard compared to the 02-06Q.....just look at how many LS were sold in USA compared to Q.

True...it took the dealership nearly two weeks to get a hub bearing for my Q45...

[nuck]

Thanks for the responses. I am buying the car mostly for highway travel for work. That means I flip it every three years or lose the good tax deduction.I don't trust German reliability that much. As best i can tell Infiniti is kind of in the #2 spot to Lexus, albeit not that close. I am looking for solid transportation for maybe another 75,000km and the Q I have my eye on is a loaded 04 with NAV, 18s, cooled seats etc and 65,000km on the clock.The M is sort of nice but just reminds me of a bigger G and I don't get the luxury feel. I would consider an Acura RL before that.Anyone know how common the oil consumption issues are on the Q?

[MinisterofDOOM]

The M is sort of nice but just reminds me of a bigger G and I don't get the luxury feel. I would consider an Acura RL before that.Anyone know how common the oil consumption issues are on the Q?

Funny you say that since the RL is just a luxurious Accord. Not really any better off than the M. At least the M has real RWD and a V8.

Nothing from Acura is even on the same level as Lexus and Infiniti. Acuras are all just Accords with fancy front-drive based AWD and V6s trying to make up for weaknesses and sell themselves for twice what they're work. If the RL meets your needs, you might as well save yourself some cash and get a Maxima.

[elwesso]

Where are you guys getting this information that the LS is a more reliable vehicle??? Outside of the oil consumption issue, which isnt really THAT big of a deal IMO unless its excessive (and infiniti will take care of it if it is), what else fails on F50s? Everyone claims that the LS is a more reliable car, but I see no data indicating what fails on an LS or what fails on a Q.

Theres a lot of things that are "relative" in these previous few posts... Then again, I come from the G50 mindset where you're on your own, no one is here to help you, so fix the car yourself...

For me, I dont like the dull feeling of lexus cars. The only time i'd drive a lexus is if I had a handful of people I wanted to drive with on the highway.. Any other condition, I'd rather have my Q, which is noisy and rough, but OH MAN is it fun to drive... The Q kinda blends it all together IMO, a comfy smooth car to drive your family/friends around in, but still good enough handling and enough "feel" to make it fun to drive..

But hey, you're the one driving the car, not me!

[qship96]

Wes,you are talking about the g50, we were commenting on the 02-06 F50, which really feels not much more than a bloated Altima.

[BadQ45t]

I drove a 02' Q and I didn't feel like it was a bloated Altima at all. I agree the LOOKS on the exterior are not optimal...the LS 430 just looks stately and very boring. but the interior is very nice in both cars, but I' like the Q better.

Now the LS460 compared to any of the last Q's is a different story. My dad had one (which he gave up to his partner as their business wasn't doing as well as they wanted) and I LOVED that car. If he'd kept it and was coming off least in 3 years I was very tempted to take it and sunset my Q.

Overall the Q is VERY reliable. The oil burning issue aside there isn't anything much that goes wrong with that car from what I hear.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Agreed... I've never driven an F50 but I've been in them. They don't feel like bloated Altimas to me. They feel like Infinitis. The G35, I've said many times, does not feel like an Infiniti, it feels like a Nissan. I do not get that impression from the F50 at all.

Even though the F50's styling took some time to grow on me, I'll take mildly ugly but interesting over soulless bland any day. The LS is amazingly boring looking. There's nothing interesting about it. It's just an unabashed amalgam-ripoff of BMW and MB. The Q stands out, is very unique, and I genuinely like the styling of it, especially the '05+. I don't really like or dislike the styling of the LS...because there's nothing TO like or dislike. There IS no styling. Just bland. Bland, bland, bland, bland, boring.-

[seldomseen]

Wes,you are talking about the g50, we were commenting on the 02-06 F50, which really feels not much more than a bloated Altima.

C'mon...this statement is sheer absurdity!

[konatown]

Well, I have extreme first hand knowledge of the Lexus.

Yes, it has good reliability on the mechanical. But Laser Cruise and Sonar Sensors are entirely too common a failure for me to be comfortable with.

Driving the LS is more effective than 30 dosings of Ambien. Steering is completely numb, no effort and feed back so faint it may as well not be there. The ride is not quite but akin to a Buick Century. The motor is completely muted and you'll never get that grin when you goose it on a free-way on-ramp. Never.

At best the LS is a fantastic A-B car and nothing more. If you ever want to have a thrill in a car, the LS is the exact opposite of what you're looking for. This car has no soul; the biggest disappointment a car can ever have, in my eyes.

There is a reason that Lexus has one of highest ages of ownership on average.

Signed,

Kyle S.Lexus Service Manager.

[seldomseen]

Well, I have extreme first hand knowledge of the Lexus.

Yes, it has good reliability on the mechanical. But Laser Cruise and Sonar Sensors are entirely too common a failure for me to be comfortable with.

Driving the LS is more effective than 30 dosings of Ambien. Steering is completely numb, no effort and feed back so faint it may as well not be there. The ride is not quite but akin to a Buick Century. The motor is completely muted and you'll never get that grin when you goose it on a free-way on-ramp. Never.

At best the LS is a fantastic A-B car and nothing more. If you ever want to have a thrill in a car, the LS is the exact opposite of what you're looking for. This car has no soul; the biggest disappointment a car can ever have, in my eyes.

There is a reason that Lexus has one of highest ages of ownership on average.

Signed,

Kyle S.Lexus Service Manager.

Being fun to drive and performance orientation is the only thing Infiniti has going for itself though. If Infiniti added more quality to their cars they would be in excellent shape. Common problems seem to carry over from year to year with Infiniti's cars, and for the price folks shell out to drive them---it's unacceptable.

[maxnix]

The "common failures" are common or even more frequent on the German cars.

Even the very first LS400 LCD displays and rear view mirror failed miserably in the TX heat, and are very expensive to replace.

The key to any car carrying as much electronic doo dads that owners of these cars seem to crave must have an OEM backed extended warranty.

[konatown]

Being fun to drive and performance orientation is the only thing Infiniti has going for itself though. If Infiniti added more quality to their cars they would be in excellent shape. Common problems seem to carry over from year to year with Infiniti's cars, and for the price folks shell out to drive them---it's unacceptable.

And don't forget the styling which is only rivaled by Jaguar's new vehicles.

I can't relate in full other than reading testimonies on here, but the G was just published as the single most owner-recommended car in the US at 95% satisfaction.

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/0...ended/

My Q has had two parts that needed to be replaced besides the normal maintenance: The power steering rack and gear at 135,000 and the alternator at 150,000. Thats it. Its easily the most reliable vehicle anyone in my family has ever owned, running the gauntlet of MB, BMW, Lexus, Honda, Audi, Jaguar, Land Rover and Porsche.

Everyone in this thread is raving about the quality of interior materials on the LS, and I'll be honest the textured plastic dash is not only ugly but remarkably cheap. Sure, the leather on the seats and armrests is a great cut, but the door panel and dash material is awful. The G50's leather dash is stratospheres above the LS. Unfortunately I can't compare the F50 to it, I have zero experience in one and that should show you the rarity of the F50.

Lexus still has not figured out how to make an inviting, non-isolationist interior.


Modified by konatown at 7:27 AM 6/5/2009

[MinisterofDOOM]

The F50's interior has nice materials. Soft-touch plastics where there isn't leather, wood trim, or metal. I'm not hugely fond of the layout (it's one of those minivan style ones where the center stack is vertical rather than angling away like in the G50) but I didn't find it lacking in class at all. The one thing I don't like about it is the multitude of buttons Infiniti crammed into the steering wheel. There are at least half a dozen buttons on each side, between the spokes.

[maxnix]

True...it took the dealership nearly two weeks to get a hub bearing for my Q45...

Should have gone with Joe of even after market of top quality.

[Q45tech]

Whichever brand you buy, make sure you can purchase the 7 year [until 2011] /100k oem extended warranty or survey all local junkyards for wrecks of the same model and year.

The electronics are so very expensive mult thousands just for parts.

Heck the 1990Q had $7,000 in electronic modules and new ones may have $14,000 [dealer msrp].

Avoid NAV to lessen potential.

[maxnix]

Skip them both and get an A8 or a 7-series.

And hope your mechanic is the best looking blonde female you've ever seen because she will be screwing you often!

[nuck]

Whichever brand you buy, make sure you can purchase the 7 year [until 2011] /100k oem extended warranty or survey all local junkyards for wrecks of the same model and year.

The electronics are so very expensive mult thousands just for parts.

Heck the 1990Q had $7,000 in electronic modules and new ones may have $14,000 [dealer msrp].

Avoid NAV to lessen potential.

I have had a couple of Audi's and a Jaguar XJR so I know about getting the shaft off of warranty. They were all very good cars but the parts were obscenely expensive. Gotta have the NAVI though. Is there a history of issues with that?

If I can't get the Infiniti warranty I see the dealer only offers powertrain coverage through A-Protect. http://www.a-protectwarranty.com/index.php Is no warranty for the electronics a possible deal breaker? The one thing I am not too concerned about with a used Infiniti is the drivetrain.

[Q45tech]

Oem don't worry about making a profit on warranty. They can suffer losses forever! Aftermarkets must! and remember for every winner there must be a series of losers to stay in business.

19 years of experience with dozens of different aftermarkets insurance companies forces me to say almost all are never worth the $2,000+ they charge. They try to nickle and dime shops, force used parts, make the customer wait until they send in a 2nd and 3rd opinon claims adjuster, etc. They hope shops will take a loss just to get the customer's vehicle off their property.

We refuse to deal with them unless they pay in advance. Have had some checks bounce.

For example our labor rate is $85 and they offer $55, when we refuse, they call back the next day with $70 take it or leave it ......we leave it!

A few send parts which are obviously junkyard take out and want us to give a warranty on our work..................... Hell NO!