We had only one day in town before leaving on a cruise and this seemed like a good way to see LA without driving around in an area I don't know, even though we had a rental car.
The tour was just as they described, with the stops they mentioned. The stops were brief (45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours) but you got the flavor of the area.
Our driver Johnny did a great job of keeping us informed and entertained. We drove 112 miles in 8 hours, so there was a lot of time in the bus (small bus, about 25 - 30 passengers). The speaker volume in the bus was louder than I would like, but it made it easy to hear and understand everything Johnny ahd to say and the music was pleasant to listen to.
PLEASE NOTE: The last stop you make is in Venice Beach. There are public bathrooms available, but women will not want to use them. I have seen outhouses that were cleaner and better than these uni-sex stalls with steel toilets (think prison) and no toilet paper. Make sure you use the facilities at the Santa Monica Pier before you get back on the bus, because you've got 2 1/2 - 3 hours before you get back to your hotel!