Want to buy 300h-age of average driver bothers me
05-03-14, 08:27 PM
#1
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Want to buy 300h-age of average driver bothers me
The ES 300h appeals to me as a comfortable and quiet ride with all the tech features I want. I feel the 2013/14 model has a more aggressive body style than previous years and that is attractive to me. When I see one on the road, I notice the driver is usually over 60 years old. I am in my thirties and it bothers me that it bothers me about the age of the driver. Does that make sense? I shouldn't care about my perception of the usual Lexus owner. I like the car and feel it will provide a serene atmosphere after a day of work. What is your perception of a Lexus owner?
05-04-14, 12:11 AM
#2
Lexus Champion
The average age of ES buyers has always been around 60. It's a car that appeals to that demographic. If it bothers you now it might be best to shop around for something that you are more comfortable with. If it's not a deal breaker, go for it and enjoy.
05-04-14, 12:11 AM
#3
Instructor
I understand what your saying, but I wouldn't let it bother me.... when I was in my late 30's, I bought a brand new Oldsmobile 98. Car had a plush interior, dependable engine / drive train and rode like a dream.... but I certainly remember reading at the time the avg. age of the 98 OLDs customer was 60 to 65 years of age.. and there I was at 37. I loved that car til the day I traded it in... don't get hung up on that kind of stuff... if you like the car, enjoy the car... I think maybe to be more direct to answer your question of our perception of a lexus owner... I have always thought the perception of a lexus owner was older, established and usually with a little bit of coin in their pockets.. but I think that Lexus is now aiming at new demographic.. particularly younger people... while at the same time keeping the LS line which for ' most people " in their 30's is still pretty much out of their range...... like I said, if you like the car, don't worry about peoples perceptions...
05-04-14, 03:28 AM
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The ES 300h appeals to me as a comfortable and quiet ride with all the tech features I want. I feel the 2013/14 model has a more aggressive body style than previous years and that is attractive to me. When I see one on the road, I notice the driver is usually over 60 years old. I am in my thirties and it bothers me that it bothers me about the age of the driver. Does that make sense? I shouldn't care about my perception of the usual Lexus owner. I like the car and feel it will provide a serene atmosphere after a day of work. What is your perception of a Lexus owner?
With respect to your question, it is interesting that a major reason why I finally made the move to the ES350 is because of its more youthful, aggressive styling, which appealed to me more than that of previous ES models. So I'm not surprised that it appeals to you. In fact, it's likely that Lexus designed it specifically to appeal to a younger subset of drivers, without alienating its usual customer base- that's a smart move. That's exactly what Cadillac is trying to do with its more aggressive styling, as well as Mercedes. You just have to determine whether the image that you perceive about this car is something that you can live with, knowing that you would be driving a car that is better than what most other 30 something drivers would have in this price range. And the more people like you who own this car, the less people like you in a few years will even ask the question you are asking
. It's more perception than reality, and only you can determine how important perception is for you....
05-04-14, 04:05 AM
#5
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The choice of car is partly determined by reality, and partly determined by marketing/perception. For years I drove BMWs, because I liked the way they handled and truly had fun driving them. But to a lesser extent, if I am being truthful, I also liked them because they made me feel good about myself and projected a signal that I had "arrived". But after several years, when I had nothing to prove and realized that BMWs were over-priced for what you get, and not particularly reliable, I moved over to the ES350 2013 (I had a BMW 335i before this one). I did that because I really like the ES350- the looks, quality, reliability, and the value, and because I'm at a point in my life where I'm immune to what anyone else might think (and most people love my ES350). If I were in my 30's (I am 59, which will unfortunately validate your concerns), I'm not sure what I would think but would consider my alternatives carefully, because the bottom line is that there's almost no other luxury brand in this price range that can offer as much.
With respect to your question, it is interesting that a major reason why I finally made the move to the ES350 is because of its more youthful, aggressive styling, which appealed to me more than that of previous ES models. So I'm not surprised that it appeals to you. In fact, it's likely that Lexus designed it specifically to appeal to a younger subset of drivers, without alienating its usual customer base- that's a smart move. That's exactly what Cadillac is trying to do with its more aggressive styling, as well as Mercedes. You just have to determine whether the image that you perceive about this car is something that you can live with, knowing that you would be driving a car that is better than what most other 30 something drivers would have in this price range. And the more people like you who own this car, the less people like you in a few years will even ask the question you are asking. It's more perception than reality, and only you can determine how important perception is for you....
With respect to your question, it is interesting that a major reason why I finally made the move to the ES350 is because of its more youthful, aggressive styling, which appealed to me more than that of previous ES models. So I'm not surprised that it appeals to you. In fact, it's likely that Lexus designed it specifically to appeal to a younger subset of drivers, without alienating its usual customer base- that's a smart move. That's exactly what Cadillac is trying to do with its more aggressive styling, as well as Mercedes. You just have to determine whether the image that you perceive about this car is something that you can live with, knowing that you would be driving a car that is better than what most other 30 something drivers would have in this price range. And the more people like you who own this car, the less people like you in a few years will even ask the question you are asking
. It's more perception than reality, and only you can determine how important perception is for you....
05-04-14, 06:41 AM
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The choice of car is partly determined by reality, and partly determined by marketing/perception. For years I drove BMWs, because I liked the way they handled and truly had fun driving them. But to a lesser extent, if I am being truthful, I also liked them because they made me feel good about myself and projected a signal that I had "arrived". But after several years, when I had nothing to prove and realized that BMWs were over-priced for what you get, and not particularly reliable, I moved over to the ES350 2013 (I had a BMW 335i before this one). I did that because I really like the ES350- the looks, quality, reliability, and the value, and because I'm at a point in my life where I'm immune to what anyone else might think (and most people love my ES350). If I were in my 30's (I am 59, which will unfortunately validate your concerns), I'm not sure what I would think but would consider my alternatives carefully, because the bottom line is that there's almost no other luxury brand in this price range that can offer as much.
With respect to your question, it is interesting that a major reason why I finally made the move to the ES350 is because of its more youthful, aggressive styling, which appealed to me more than that of previous ES models. So I'm not surprised that it appeals to you. In fact, it's likely that Lexus designed it specifically to appeal to a younger subset of drivers, without alienating its usual customer base- that's a smart move. That's exactly what Cadillac is trying to do with its more aggressive styling, as well as Mercedes. You just have to determine whether the image that you perceive about this car is something that you can live with, knowing that you would be driving a car that is better than what most other 30 something drivers would have in this price range. And the more people like you who own this car, the less people like you in a few years will even ask the question you are asking. It's more perception than reality, and only you can determine how important perception is for you....
With respect to your question, it is interesting that a major reason why I finally made the move to the ES350 is because of its more youthful, aggressive styling, which appealed to me more than that of previous ES models. So I'm not surprised that it appeals to you. In fact, it's likely that Lexus designed it specifically to appeal to a younger subset of drivers, without alienating its usual customer base- that's a smart move. That's exactly what Cadillac is trying to do with its more aggressive styling, as well as Mercedes. You just have to determine whether the image that you perceive about this car is something that you can live with, knowing that you would be driving a car that is better than what most other 30 something drivers would have in this price range. And the more people like you who own this car, the less people like you in a few years will even ask the question you are asking
. It's more perception than reality, and only you can determine how important perception is for you....
05-04-14, 06:45 AM
#7
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Here are a few somewhat random thoughts that have come to my mind related to this topic.
First, I, too, am going to reinforce the image of ES drivers being older because I'm also in my 60s. On the other hand, while I bought my first ES in my 50s, I started driving vehicles in the same class in my mid 40s.
While many of the ES drivers who participate on this forum are in their 60s, I've actually been surprised at the number of people here who have said that they are in their 30s, and that number is much higher than I would have expected.
I'll admit to not having spent much time thinking about the typical ages associated with different vehicles, but, as I think, now, about what kinds of vehicles create, in my mind, an image of drivers in their 30s, I think of vehicles like the Chevy Malibu and Honda Accord. When I think of of vehicles that I might associate with people even younger, I think of cars like the Chevy Cruz or Nissan Sentra or Honda Civic.
I'm sure that there is, at least, some sort of loose correlation between the ages of vehicle owners and the cost of the vehicles and that younger drivers would, often, have less disposable cash and would be inclined to buy lower-priced vehicles. Thus, if people in their 50s and 60s are more likely to be able to afford an ES and are more likely to drive one than those in their 30s and if those in their 30s are more likely to be driving a Malibu, I would think that an extension of the same thinking is that the typical age of, say, Lexus LS owners is likely to be even higher than that of ES owners.
My impression of typical owners in other vehicle segments is similar. When I picture a typical SUV owner, I think of those who buy a Lexus LX as likely to be in their 50s or 60s, and I think of SUV owners in their 30s or 40s as more likely to own a Pathfinder or a Trailblazer. Similarly, I think of a typical Porsche or even Corvette owner as being older and of a typical Mustang or Camero owner as being younger.
Finally, even within the ES price range, I think that there are aspects of the ES design that are more likely to appeal to people in their 50s or 60s than would many other vehicles in the same price range. I know that, for me, when I was in my 20s, 30s, and 40s, I wanted a vehicle that was fast off the line and that would give me thrills from being able to accelerate through decreasing radius curves, and, when I was younger, I had no concern whatever about fuel economy or reliability. In my 50s and 60s, I found that my priorities did change. I became more able to appreciate a quiet and comfortable ride. Feeling a bit pampered became a higher priority than being thrilled, and factors such as reliability and getting better fuel economy started to become more important to me. And the ES seems to fit the bill quite well with regard to these changed priorities.
With all of that said, while I'm sure that there are general profiles that would fit drivers of various vehicles, I don't think that those profiles are absolute. Further, for everyone who thinks of an ES driver as being old and staid, I'm sure that there is someone else who is going to think of owners of other vehicles that might have a younger image profile as being people who, regardless of their age, need to grow up. Thus, the bottom line for me is that buying a vehicle based on what vehicle the buyer feels meets his/her priorities seems to make more sense to me than buying a vehicle based on some sort of thinking related to a perception of typical age of the buyers of that vehicle.
(Note that all of this is being said by someone who is an admitted old fart and proud to be one.)
First, I, too, am going to reinforce the image of ES drivers being older because I'm also in my 60s. On the other hand, while I bought my first ES in my 50s, I started driving vehicles in the same class in my mid 40s.
While many of the ES drivers who participate on this forum are in their 60s, I've actually been surprised at the number of people here who have said that they are in their 30s, and that number is much higher than I would have expected.
I'll admit to not having spent much time thinking about the typical ages associated with different vehicles, but, as I think, now, about what kinds of vehicles create, in my mind, an image of drivers in their 30s, I think of vehicles like the Chevy Malibu and Honda Accord. When I think of of vehicles that I might associate with people even younger, I think of cars like the Chevy Cruz or Nissan Sentra or Honda Civic.
I'm sure that there is, at least, some sort of loose correlation between the ages of vehicle owners and the cost of the vehicles and that younger drivers would, often, have less disposable cash and would be inclined to buy lower-priced vehicles. Thus, if people in their 50s and 60s are more likely to be able to afford an ES and are more likely to drive one than those in their 30s and if those in their 30s are more likely to be driving a Malibu, I would think that an extension of the same thinking is that the typical age of, say, Lexus LS owners is likely to be even higher than that of ES owners.
My impression of typical owners in other vehicle segments is similar. When I picture a typical SUV owner, I think of those who buy a Lexus LX as likely to be in their 50s or 60s, and I think of SUV owners in their 30s or 40s as more likely to own a Pathfinder or a Trailblazer. Similarly, I think of a typical Porsche or even Corvette owner as being older and of a typical Mustang or Camero owner as being younger.
Finally, even within the ES price range, I think that there are aspects of the ES design that are more likely to appeal to people in their 50s or 60s than would many other vehicles in the same price range. I know that, for me, when I was in my 20s, 30s, and 40s, I wanted a vehicle that was fast off the line and that would give me thrills from being able to accelerate through decreasing radius curves, and, when I was younger, I had no concern whatever about fuel economy or reliability. In my 50s and 60s, I found that my priorities did change. I became more able to appreciate a quiet and comfortable ride. Feeling a bit pampered became a higher priority than being thrilled, and factors such as reliability and getting better fuel economy started to become more important to me. And the ES seems to fit the bill quite well with regard to these changed priorities.
With all of that said, while I'm sure that there are general profiles that would fit drivers of various vehicles, I don't think that those profiles are absolute. Further, for everyone who thinks of an ES driver as being old and staid, I'm sure that there is someone else who is going to think of owners of other vehicles that might have a younger image profile as being people who, regardless of their age, need to grow up. Thus, the bottom line for me is that buying a vehicle based on what vehicle the buyer feels meets his/her priorities seems to make more sense to me than buying a vehicle based on some sort of thinking related to a perception of typical age of the buyers of that vehicle.
(Note that all of this is being said by someone who is an admitted old fart and proud to be one.
)
Last edited by lesz; 05-04-14 at 03:28 PM.
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05-04-14, 07:05 AM
#8
Lexus Fanatic
I was 22 when I bought my first ES. I was 28 when I bought my second ES. If you like it...get it.
05-04-14, 07:34 AM
#10
Interesting association....age? Wisdom, class distinction, fun, are other consideration. I'm sorry that BMW's are unreliable as hell (my experience) because I like their looks and performance....and Mercedes, Infinity, Cadillac, IMO don't stack-up especially for the price. I own an ES350, 13yr old Corvette convertible, & a 3yr old Jeep GC.....my bases are covered. Of the 3, if I had to pare down to 1 car, I would choose the ES350. BTW, I'm 72 yrs young. 
When I was in my 30's I drove a piece of crap & a motorcycle. 
When I was in my 30's I drove a piece of crap & a motorcycle.
05-04-14, 02:31 PM
#11
When I bought my 2013 ES 350 (with the help of my parents) I didn't think of the average age of the people who buy ES. I chose the ES because it was everything I wanted except for the Front wheel drive. I wanted a big fully loaded luxury car and the ES was in the price range (47k) while other mid/full size luxury sedans where price much higher or not as big such as the IS and BMW 3series. Since I'm consider very young to own an ES i get jokes such as "does your father know you have his car?" I just smile and and say "are you talking about my car?" After almost a year now owning my ES it doesn't bother me, in fact after modifying my ES I get lots of other Lexus owners coming up to me telling me "nice car and smart buy!" Most of them in there 60s driving LS. Oh by the way I was only 17yrs old when I drove it off the lot in May last yr, I'll be 19 at the end of June.
05-04-14, 03:05 PM
#12
When I bought my 2013 ES 350 (with the help of my parents) I didn't think of the average age of the people who buy ES. I chose the ES because it was everything I wanted except for the Front wheel drive. I wanted a big fully loaded luxury car and the ES was in the price range (47k) while other mid/full size luxury sedans where price much higher or not as big such as the IS and BMW 3series. Since I'm consider very young to own an ES i get jokes such as "does your father know you have his car?" I just smile and and say "are you talking about my car?" After almost a year now owning my ES it doesn't bother me, in fact after modifying my ES I get lots of other Lexus owners coming up to me telling me "nice car and smart buy!" Most of them in there 60s driving LS. Oh by the way I was only 17yrs old when I drove it off the lot in May last yr, I'll be 19 at the end of June.
My Son was 19 when he bought his first brand new car (with a little help from us
)It was a 2010 Dodge Challenger RT. I would have slept better at night if he picked a Lexus just for the safety factor alone.
He loves his challenger but it seems every time he is going on a road trip he asked to borrow my ES.
05-04-14, 03:19 PM
#13
Come on in and join the club! I was 33 when I got my ES300h last year. Funny thing is, I was actually eyeing the IS when I was in the showroom, but the missus chose the ES. I liked the IS's looks, but ES is a more practical purchase for us: fuel economy and room for the kids (one at the time, and now we have two). I don't think the IS can fit a car seat in the rear. The more I drove it, the more I loved it.
THEN, I researched the average age of ES owners after purchasing it. I was like, "Eh...I don't care if average owner is the older demographics." Bottom line is I'm enjoying the vehicle. I agree with someone posting the reason is due to budget/disposable income. When I'm done paying off my mortgage and my kids are on their own, in 20-25 years' time, then I hope to be able to afford the GS or the LS.
THEN, I researched the average age of ES owners after purchasing it. I was like, "Eh...I don't care if average owner is the older demographics." Bottom line is I'm enjoying the vehicle. I agree with someone posting the reason is due to budget/disposable income. When I'm done paying off my mortgage and my kids are on their own, in 20-25 years' time, then I hope to be able to afford the GS or the LS.
05-04-14, 03:46 PM
#14
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Well I just turned 31 and bought my ES300h. I love it!!! I could care less if the demographic is 50+. It is a great reliable car that is a wonderful automobile to drive. Couldn't ask for anything better. I have turned some heads at the car wash though and gotten a few comments along the lines of "that's your car". As I hop in my ES next to the other 30 year old in his Honda enjoy your car and don't worry about!
enjoy your car and don't worry about!
05-04-14, 08:55 PM
#15
I used to own a 2008 Acura TL. I purchased this car as I liked the styling and reliability. I was in my 40's at that time. I just recently traded for an ES300h based on styling, reliability, fuel economy and comfort of ride. I could care less what the typical age of folks that purchase this car. I'm extremely happy with my very first Lexus.
Also highly considering trading in my wife's Acura MDX for a Lexus RX.
Also highly considering trading in my wife's Acura MDX for a Lexus RX.