ChuH

Just came back on a test drive at my local Lexus Dealership during my lunch break. I was hoping to test drive a GS430 but the 2006 GS430 will not be arriving until 1st week of March. All available units are being allocated to you guys in the mainland.

The dealer is currently selling at Retail US$44,999 (tax and destination included). Can't tell you what my price will be. I have been a good loyal customer since 1992 and my price is always less than what they normally sell at.

06 GS300 With following options:
- Parking assistant
- Rear backup camera (in US mainland I guess you need to purchase with NAV which is no use here in Guam)
- Mark Levingson
- Sunroof
- Rear Sun Shade


ROAD TEST:

I am going to campare it to my 2001 GS-430 L-Tuned with 18" rims.

The steering is a bit too light compare to my 2001 GS430 for my taste. I believe the 2006 GS430 will have a different steering system. I took the 06 GS300 to a part of the road that as a circle loop at 45 mph. With my GS430 L-Tuned and stock sway bar it would lean a bit when taking this part of the road. On the 06 GS300 it was flatter than my L-Tuned GS430. I took it on a small s-curve and the 06 GS handles quite good.

Based on memory the 3rd Gen GS has a firmer ride than the stock 2nd Gen GS but softer than my GS430 L-Tuned with 18".

The engine with the 245hp and 6-speed is what really amaze me. The acceleration is very smooth. The engine noise is better than the raspy V6 found on the RX330 or ES330. I don't know how I can describe it but it sound like I have a turbo engine. I did a hard acceleration and there is a whistling sound with a mild exhaust rumble. Very pleasing. The power is more than adequate for most buyers for everyday driving. The 06 GS felt lighter in accelerating. My GS430 felt heavy and slower during the 0-10 mph.

Tried the manual gear selection and it respond very quickly compare to E-Shift I had tried on past GS400 and 2001+ GS300. The 6-speed transmission was very smooth and could not feel when the gear shifted. Only time I could tell was between 1-2 (very faint jerk). Down shift when passing cars was more responsive than my GS430 (almost no delay).

I tried to do a sudden braking and the front end does not dive as much as my GS430.

INTERIOR:

The leather seat was perforated in the inner part only.

This ML sound system blows my 2001 GS430 ML. The sound quality was a whole lot better then my 2001 GS. I'd played some Trance Cd with strong bass and I did get some rattle with the rear deck where the 10" subwoofer sits. I believe the rattle was from the Rear Sun Shade (didn't try to locate it). Sound is much more cleaner than the 2001 ML system. I had alway complained my 2001 does not have good high frequency response the 06 GS is crisper. I did not like the fact to change the tone setting I need to go adjust it in the touch screen. There is a option to turn on/off the ASL and Surround Sound.

I did not like the fact that in order to access the center arm rest storage you need to slide the armrest back and lift (but I will live with it).

Sitting in the driver seat I felt the door was higher than the 2nd Gen. Played with the mirror folding feature (very cool). Tried the camera while backing up. If the rear sun shade is up and place the gear to reverse the sunshade will retract automatically then return when you move to Drive position.

For those with tall rear passenger BE WARN the head room is lower than the current 2nd Gen. I am 5 feet 11" and in my 2001 GS430 with sunroof I have about 2 inches of head room space. In the 06 GS300 with sunroof I have about 1 to 1-1/2" space. Rear leg room improved though.

The rear window is smaller than the 2nd Gen. I see more problem with blind spots. The C-Pillar is larger. Guess I am not use to it yet.

FEATURES:

One thing I would like to note. The trunk does not open and close automatically like the RX330. When you open the trunk the trunk lock is release but the trunk does not open. You would lift like normal cars. When you close it close normally. But if you close the trunk by not slamming it down like slowly closing the trunk (the trunk sitting about 1/2" up) until you hear the first click sound the motorize lock would pull the trunk down to complete close and lock position.

The spare tire is a temporary high pressure tire and not a full size.

Didn't get the chance to play with the parking assistant feature.


If anyone want additional information and can't wait until your local Lexus Dealership get their hands on one let me know. I will visit my dealer this weekend to play some more with the features. I am going to wait until next year for the GS450h or the GS460.

Chu...

akbergq

My god...with all those in options and the car sells for 45K INCLUDING all taxes....and thats for the general public?!?!?!?!?!?!??! .



maybe we need to move where he is.

DaveGS4

iTrader: (2)

Great wriiteup ChuH! Thanks for sharing.

Rockville

Very useful comparisons by an experienced Gen 2 owner. Let's see Suspension better, Engine response excellent, transmission smoother and quicker downshifts, dream sound system with good subwoofer. Cons...Less headroom in back, center armrest different. That's fair enough and I will compare notes when I get my hands on the GS430 around the 15th. I want to go by the BMW store and cruise the lot.....

flipside909

You ought to cruise an Infiniti store just for kicks.

BugattiT59

Thats the best write-up I have read thus far. Nice observations, its the little things that make the difference. Thanks for taking the time.

frebay

great write up. thanks.

Neo

iTrader: (3)

Thanks for the review. Exterior styling is still somewhat a hate it/love it thing. Everything else sounds great though. I did notice this.
So what is it? I liked the fact that the 2nd gen had a full size spare.

Rockville

I too would like to see a full size spare with alloy wheels. I guess space was an issue. Here in the East we are getting 100% run flats. In our SC430 experience with run flats the ride was much harsher than conventional Z rated or W rated tires with 18's. I am told that the new run flats are much improved so I'm trying to keep an open mind. At least you are not on the side of the road getting yourself dirty and wrestling with the lugs which were driven on too tight at your last service........

ChuH

I just found out the price may be lower. One of the salesman just inform me that the price is for the AWD GS300??? The sales manager that I deal with was not present so I spoke to one other salesman that the sales manager informed that I will be dropping by at lunch for a test drive. The salesman inform me that the price was for a AWD. I will post here once I confirm if the price is for the RWD or AWD.

As for the buying cars in Guam we have 4% Gross Receipt Tax already included to the price. I remember when the SC430 first came out the price in the states that the car were selling were higher the MSRP. There were several instances that people in the state coming to Guam to purchase, drive a few miles and ship it to the states.

Chu...

ChuH

Additional things I would like to add.

When I opened the hood and when closing if felt whimpy. The hood felt very light (maybe it is using a thinner gauge of metal???) and does not have the solid feel and thunk sound when closing like the 2nd Gen.

Never had a touch screen in car before. It was cool that I can change the background color of the LCD display. I was able to see the LCD screen in direct sunlight with and without polarized sunglasses. I was worrying that in some LCD screen I have problem with sunglasses with polarized lenses.

Chu...

rominl

iTrader: (4)

wow veyr nice write up man, awesome!

now i can't wait to do my own test drive

akbergq

how int he hell can they get a GS300 for 45K including all taxes and fees and include the ML nav package...thats a freakin fully loaded car for 45K DRIVEOUT!?!?!??!?!



GRRRRRR i wish i was there instead now.


Im gonna pay 48,800 including all taxes and fees here for my car withouth the nav/ML package.

ChuH

No. $45K is without NAV but with ML. Normally the rear camera system is an option that need to be purchase with NAV. In Guam we get a different option packages. NAV is useless for our small island. I should get back from the dealer today if the $45K is for the RWD or AWD. The salesman still insist it is a AWD. I am going to ask the sales manager instead.

Chu...

ChuH

Okay, just received confirmation. The retail price $44,999 is for the RWD. The AWD with the same setup is $46,499. These are out the door price with taxes and destination charges included already. This will give you guys a idea how much to expect to pay.

Chu...