SW17LS

The salesman was wrong. AWD/RWD doesn't make a difference when it comes to Sport +

Why did you get the better car when you could have gotten the much slower and less fun to drive car? Does that question make any sense?

Disgusting and embarrassing? I think you need some perspective. If you think having a Lexus with Nu Luxe is disgusting and embarrassing, you've led far too privileged a life.

Personally, I think the NuLuxe feels and looks nicer than a lot of the cheap leather thats in cars nowadays. This was apparent when I was looking at the ES350 before I decided to go up a class and get the GS. The NuLuxe is, IMHO nicer looking and feeling than the leather in the ES' luxury package. That leather is coarse feeling cheap looking around the seams, the Nu Luxe by comparison is none of those things. Now, when you talk about the semi-aniline leather in the UL thats different, I have that same leather in my GS and its very nice leather. I would however much prefer NuLuxe over the leather in your Camry or Venza though, which I find to be very cheap feeling and looking. Most of your seats are actually vinyl anyway in those cars, its only the very center of the seat that is leather. Bolsters, headrests, sides, armrests...all vinyl.

MerlotISF

My Camry has the leather/ suede... We have the UL ES350 because it was the nicest and we had to have it... The Venza has decent quality leather. My family has always had Lexus vehicles, my dad has always had the LS and my mom has always had the ES and GS... and got her first ES in 98. I guess you could say I am privileged.

MerlotISF

I do wish we would have paid only 15k more and got a 550i...

SW17LS

Correction, its vinyl, some leather coated in a polyurethane (plastic) coating, and imitation suede. Quite cheap feeling, IMHO. I'd rather have Nu Luxe.

I looked at a Venza before I bought our Jeep, and sat in a new one just the other day. I find the leather quality to be what I would describe as terrible. Seriously, I would not buy a Toyota branded vehicle nowadays, I think they make some of the worst interiors in the business. There are signs that they have realized this and are trying to improve, but they need work.

Ditto. My Dad had the LS. I bought my first Lexus when I was 21. Difference is I don't go around saying anything about a Lexus is "Disgusting and embarrassing". To say something like that shows a complete lack of perspective or basis in reality.

$15k more than what? Your UL ES? A 550i is more than $15k more than your UL ES unless you want no options.

McBrain

I agree. The BMW 335 also comes with "leatherette". I like the Nuluxe - its very sporty and it doesn't require an animal to birthed, raised in horrible conditions and then slaughtered just so I can sit my *** on its skin. I bet it will also wear much better over the years. I wish they would provide non-leather options on more luxury cars.

SW17LS

For the record, I'm not someone who worries about such things...I like leather...

BUT, theres something to this. More and more there are consumers who appreciate having an option that does not involve the use of animal skin. My wife would prefer it, if we were buying her a Lexus no doubt she would want the Nu Luxe actively over leather.

MerlotISF

We paid 49k for our ES... It was the only UL within 500 miles... We worked out a good deal on the 550i but it was a RWD and couldn't find an X drive... I'm gay and you know we have to have the best of everything. I had my first Lexus when I was 16... paid 13,500 in 2005, for a 1998 with every single option and 124k miles.

MerlotISF

If I didn't drive 50k a year, I would have a GS or GX... right know I have 41k on my 2013 Camry that I bought in early April.

Glashub

lol I understand the attraction of leather. When I was a kid I'd oil my baseball gloves every night and shape it. Nice leather coat always seems to bespeak class BUT now that I know that the planet is falling apart and a lot of it has to do with cows and now that I know the conditions animals are raised in and now that I have a dog and see her intelligence every day -- well, that's a game changer. Also, I blame the Chick- fil-a commercials. Those cows are too darn cute.

MerlotISF

Cows are disgusting... lmao I try to keep all of my cars off of rural roads, because quite honestly, they don't deserve to be in that type of atmosphere. I cannot stand Chick- fil-A... cheap and gross, and they've lost my business.

SW17LS

You got killed.

I think they'll survive.

MerlotISF

49k is very cheap... now that the UL is easier to locate and get, the exact same 2014 ES is 46k... I have been raised to expect nothing but the best so that's how my partner and I live. We don't have to worry about what money gets spent on and personally I think there are too many people who are a Lexus who cant afford them and it amuses me!

Glashub

I've never eaten there but the cows in their commercials are cute. Just for you

SW17LS

I really hope life teaches you some humility at some point. It will, it always does. Your parents did you a disservice by raising you to have this outlook.

Young people who live high lifestyles off of other people's work and effort and then think they are something special amuses me.

LOL! $49k for a Lexus ES is not cheap, whether its a UL or not. I had two of them, they're great cars but they aren't $50k cars. $49k could have bought you a lot more car somewhere else. Hell, you could have gotten a GS for not much more than that...

The ES is a great car beneath about $44k. Over that there are better cars.

MerlotISF

I am 24 years old and I have a good education and a good job. My partner is 28 and has a great education as well and a great job. We live in one of the nicest apartment complexes in the St. Louis area... My parents were pretty much raised in the same way. Wealthy families live with their noses above everyone.