mjeds

can't fix stupid.


Camry is a mid-size car.


LS is a full size car.


If anything I would compare the LS to the Avalon, but then again I am a car guy and know the difference between a FWD soccer mom car and a RWD luxury sedan.

Hiroshi12

iTrader: (1)

True story: I almost considered an Avalon over the LS but I just couldn't get over that weird tall roofline. The newer gen is pretty nice tho.

Kansas

We had a high spec 1998 Toyota Camry and a 2000 LS400 parked side-by-side in our garage for eight years. Interior dimensions, headroom, legroom and even the sizes of the doors were nearly identical - I was astonished when I measured. Both were excellent cars. Oddly, even though the Lexus cost three times what the Camry cost new, both brought about the same price when each was sold at the 14 year mark although the Camry had only 125,000 miles when sold compared to the 180,000 miles of the 2000 LS400. Our V6 Camry was fast too - substantially faster than our 1990 LS400 - and its running costs were a fraction of what it cost to run our LS400's. My CPA wife complained endless about the cost of running "my" 2000 LS400 compared to "her" 1998 Camry but she never wanted to take her Camry on road trips due to the LS having more adjustable front seats and maybe due to its "image". She really liked my 2000 LS400 although she rarely admitted it.

I've always considered "Lexus" to be a completely artificial and needless brand. Everyone should remember that all Lexus vehicles were sold under the Toyota brand in Japan though 2006.

Hiroshi12

iTrader: (1)

^^^Yes Kansas, Lexus was/is an artificial brand but in the days before Wikipedia or other online sources of information; your average consumer outside of Japan was like "oh look, this is something special". As you mentioned, the exact same (or sometimes slightly improved/better) car was already for sale in the domestic market just with a different name, right? Clever marketing that paid off big time - especially in the early days.

Stroock639

sometimes i wish there was no 'lexus' but then again i think toyota definitely made the right move creating a separate marque to sell the lexus cars under. i know the LS is just a toyota but it's the best toyota (shhh i know there's the century but that doesn't count) and it's a unique platform not shared with any other toyota. but they knew that in order to be successful they needed to distinguish this new car as "not just some toyota" and history has shown toyota was right to do so.

then again i often wish i could call my car a toyota celsior, there's less snobbery with saying i have a toyota as opposed to saying i have a lexus. which i guess means that toyota did a good job at establishing the marque. i think if toyota had sold the crown in the US all along they might not have needed to make a separate lexus, but you also had acura and infiniti so toyota needed to play the game as well.

RA40

iTrader: (6)

With globalization and maximizing profits what we associate as Toyota today is largely USA made. (Prius and Yaris excluded) In many regards a Lexus is an expensive variant because it has to cross the ocean and what they offer is the RWD experience for the higher line. Agreed though that is isn't a marked up Camry.

The Camry is a good car in that class as is the Avalon. I'd almost picked an Avalon but couldn't get past the FWD aspect. I've only had RWD Toyotas and Nissans. (Scratch that, had an 85 FWD Maxima SE 5 spd.)

Hiroshi12

iTrader: (1)

That brings up an interesting point, RA. I know my 98 was made in Japan but what about other years/models? Have they always been made exclusively in Japan? If so, that could be one of the main underlying reasons for the prestige/price that goes along with the badge.

Legender

I had a couple of Cressidas in the 80's / early 90s that was right after my Pontiac was asking for it's 3rd transmission in about 3 years. That was my last US model.... from Cressida I went to 95 Avalon and thought it was a baby Lexus... that was until I bought my first LS400 and realized I was only fooling myself. The 93 LS with 90K on it was so much more/better than the 95 and 2004 Avalons I had. The Avalon is a nice car, don't get me wrong, but it's not a Lexus. I wish they were still making the LS with the same mix of electronics and hardware... not excited about all the software and electronics in the newer versions.
You keep thinking it's only a Camry and that will leave more in the used market for those of us how know better.

Stroock639

the LS really is just sooooo much more than a camry or avalon. everything just feels much more solid and well built, of course because it is. and yes i too don't care for all the fancy new infotainment systems in cars, my LS has literally everything i need. an aux port would be welcomed but it's ok the cassette adaptor actually sounds really good. not quite as good as the CD player but much better than the radio and i get to maintain the lovely integrated design of the head unit.

RugbyDad

Speaking of things the good ol ls400 could use... Cooled seats, heated steering wheel, definitely Aux port or Bluetooth connectivity... With those added features it really would be the perfect, top notch, no frills car of the century. Automatic rear sunshade isn't a bad option either but it's totally snobbish and unnecessary but cool lol. Yes I know the ls430 got some of those features (the UL edition) but it also got a face lift. One I'm not too fond of. Ls430 features in a ls400 body? *drools uncontrollably*

Stroock639

a power rear shade and steering wheel volume controls / heated wheel would make it perfect. there's only buttons on one side of the wheel... it upsets my internal desire for symmetry. oh actually one more thing that would make it perfect would be for the indicator to flash 3 times like many modern cars do when you just want to do a lane change without pressing it all the way down. it's ok though it's still good enough lol.

RugbyDad

Google one touch turn signal... They're pretty cheap and universal. There are also add on modules for steering wheel controls. The heated steering wheel thing takes a bit more money and sending your wheel out to get it done. Power rear shades are expensive for our platform. I have yet to see them cheaper than 500 bucks. I can't justify that kind of money on a superfluous add-on.

Hiroshi12

iTrader: (1)

But spending $3,000 on a body kit, $2,000 on wheels and $4,000 for air sus on a 20-year old car isn't superfluous? Jk. I'm guilty too

RA40

iTrader: (6)

For the most part Lexus is Japan produced. The Prius and Yaris among Toyota are also Japan built. Some Yaris may be stateside, I'm not familiar with US Toyota production numbers for breakdown. So essentially Japan built is prestige level Toyota that most associate as Lexus.

The Cressidas are great cars, still see them on the roads in lesser numbers. A true testament how well built they were for the time. Except for the low torque on the heads of the 7M models that caused BHG/death of the car to owners. Yesterday we saw a '78 Cressida. Well worn but still going.

DoktorYes

If your going to buy a new Camry , get used Avalon, if your are going to buy a new Avalon, get a used Lexus LS400.You wont be unhappy. But shop around, I looked for 2 years to get the right LS400. Very Happy with it.