OK, I have to chime in here. My 1995 Q45a was one of the best cars I have ever owned. I had it until the fall of 2011 when I finally had to give it up. So I had it for 4 years after buying my LS460. Obviously from a technology standpoint the two cannot be compared due to age, however I can compare it from reliability, handling and quality. I really like my LS460, but I loved the Q45a. The Q45a was a real driver's sedan.

From a reliability standpoint I have to give a slight edge to the Q45a. In 16 years and almost 200,000 miles, it never had any repair whatsoever and never had a recall. My LS460 has had no repairs thus far in 70,000 miles, but it has had 3 recalls.

My Q45a had active suspension. For a car the size and weight that is was, it handled as well as most smaller sports cars. I compared its handling characteristics to my 1990 300ZX. Without exaggerating, I could drive circles around my LS460.

From a quality build standpoint, I find them approximately equal. The fit and finish are about the same. I do think the leather on my LS460 is better than the leather on the Q45a. The paint quality is the same.

I do agree that the second generation Q's were a disaster. The styling was not appealing and they de-tuned the engine. I think they made a poor attempt to emulate Lexus. The third generation models were better, but by then I guess they just lost too much ground to competitors.

I would still have my Q45a today but for two reasons. The Northeast winters with all the salt on the roads took its toll, and this effing idiot decided that his cell phone conversation was more important than driving his car. He badly rear ended me and pushed me into the car in front of me, so both ends were damaged. If it wasn't for the accident damage I would have restored the car, but it was just too much with all the body damage. At the time I had a chance to buy a pristine '95 Q45 for $4000 and didn't do it. I am still kicking myself.

 

I had a friend who had an early 90's Q45, black/tan, it was the one without the grill. Really nice car, but he kept on having problems with the fuel injection. He was constantly replacing injectors and parts of the fuel system because of all the ethanol they now put in gas. It became rather unreliable and he sold it, that was 3-4 years ago so I'm sure the next owner probably junked it by now.

 

Aron, your post did remind me that I did have one recurring repair. The right front caliper kept freezing up. I had to replace it two or maybe three times. It was very odd how that kept happening.

 

Stumbled onto this photo of an absolutely GORGEOUS Q45, and figured to resurrect one of the Q45 threads on here.

 

That is a great pic, very Jaguar-esque. I test drove a second-gen Q45 back in 2000 and quite liked it, but ultimately decided it was bigger than I wanted.