General Car Conversation

Closed Thread Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Mar 1, 2023 | 08:21 PM

#2851

Striker223

Lexus Champion

Joined: Oct 2019

Posts: 18,101

Likes: 1,742

From: Ohio

My god they are so bad yet SO good. It's a true dichotomy

Mar 1, 2023 | 08:23 PM

#2852

AJT123

Lexus Champion

Joined: Jan 2012

Posts: 17,024

Likes: 496

From: Knoxville, TN

Those Geo/Suzuki things were SO.SLOW. A Prius is *fast* compared to those old Trackers, literally.

Mar 1, 2023 | 08:30 PM

#2853

mmarshall

Lexus Fanatic

Joined: Oct 2003

Posts: 94,334

Likes: 237

From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs

Quote:

Originally Posted by geko29

I dunno, a friend of mine had one, and I drove it once. Absolutely miserable. I've never driven a vehicle where I had to suspend my entire leg in mid-air so I could step DOWN vertically on the accelerator pedal. My leg hurt so bad after a 15 minute drive.

Agreed.....miserable they were. I don't remember any leg-pain from my test-drive like you mentioned, but the whole structure (and the steering wheel) seemed to shimmy and vibrate, even on smooth roads, and the extremely short wheelbase made for a choppy ride. And the lack of insulation gave the noise level of the inside of a drum.

And it wasn't just the Tracker. All of the small Suzuki-designed body-on-frame SUVs were crude and uncomfortable like that ...Samurai, Tracker/Sidekick, and Vitara. The Samurai, of course, in addition to its crudeness, was famous for flipping over at the drop of a hat.

I did like their paint jobs, though. They came in some interesting colors.......lemon yellow, magenta/pink, purple, bright mariner blue, etc.....

Last edited by mmarshall; Mar 1, 2023 at 08:36 PM.

Mar 2, 2023 | 08:26 AM

#2854

SW17LS

Thread Starter

Lexus Fanatic

Joined: May 2012

Posts: 68,486

Likes: 3,998

From: Maryland

A couple of teenage guys in that green one had a lot of fun, thats all Im sayin lol

Mar 2, 2023 | 09:45 AM

#2855

xjokerz

Racer

Joined: Mar 2019

Posts: 1,535

Likes: 71

From: WA

They remind me of a Scion TC in a way. This was very fun to drive. Certainly helped that the car was under 3,000 pounds. Felt just like a go-cart in one of these:

Mar 2, 2023 | 10:52 AM

#2856

mmarshall

Lexus Fanatic

Joined: Oct 2003

Posts: 94,334

Likes: 237

From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs

Quote:

Originally Posted by xjokerz

They remind me of a Scion TC in a way. This was very fun to drive. Certainly helped that the car was under 3,000 pounds. Felt just like a go-cart in one of these:

^^^^The First-Generation tC, which you posted, was a nice little coupe

....IMO, it would have made quite a nice Toyota Celica instead of that POS that replaced the excellent 1994-99 Celica in 2000. The Second-Generation tC, IMO, was also a POS.

Mar 2, 2023 | 10:55 AM

#2857

TangoRed

Lead Lap

Joined: Nov 2006

Posts: 4,585

Likes: 24

From: Washington

Oof I hated the Scion Tc. I had a friend with one, the manual transmission was unnaturally difficult to shift smoothly.

Mar 3, 2023 | 07:25 AM

#2858

SW17LS

Thread Starter

Lexus Fanatic

Joined: May 2012

Posts: 68,486

Likes: 3,998

From: Maryland

I put the S560 in the shop for the engine vibration and they gave me an A Class. It is hot garbage. Last loaner they had. Woman before me got a nice red GLC...

The guy walks me over to it and says "The A Class doesn't have power seats, it has manual seats like we had when we were kids" I actually laughed out loud lol

I mean, I'm not one to expect special treatment, but to put an S Class owner in an A Class with no power seats for what is likely to be a multi-day dealer stay isn't right...IMO...if they call me this afternoon and tell me its not going to be back today I'm going to request something better for the weekend...

ClubLexus Stories

Celebrating Lexus & Toyota from Around the Globe

10 Lexus Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine

Verdad Gallardo

8 Tips for Improving Your Hybrid or Plug-in Hybrid's Efficiency!

Michael S. Palmer

10 Best Lexus Models No One Remembers

Joe Kucinski

TRD Off-Road Premium: Best 2026 4Runner, Except This One Thing

Michael S. Palmer

Top 10 Lexus & Toyotas to Drive Before You Die!

Joe Kucinski

Top 10 Lexus/Toyotas With The LEAST 5-Year Depreciation

Joe Kucinski

Lexus LC500 Convertible Auction: A Preview of Rising Values?

Brett Foote

GX 550 vs TX 550: Best 3-Row Luxury Lexus Family Hauler

Michael S. Palmer

9 Best Lexus Models You Can Buy for Half Price (And 1 You Shouldn't!)

Joe Kucinski

2026 Lexus NX Buyer's Guide: Models, Features, Prices & More!

Brett Foote

Mar 3, 2023 | 07:29 AM

#2859

TangoRed

Lead Lap

Joined: Nov 2006

Posts: 4,585

Likes: 24

From: Washington

Wow. My dealer has pulled pre-owned cars off the lot if they didn't have an E-class above for S/SL/G-wagen/etc. owners.

Mar 3, 2023 | 07:33 AM

#2860

SW17LS

Thread Starter

Lexus Fanatic

Joined: May 2012

Posts: 68,486

Likes: 3,998

From: Maryland

Quote:

Originally Posted by TangoRed

Wow. My dealer has pulled pre-owned cars off the lot if they didn't have an E-class above for S/SL/G-wagen/etc. owners.

I had them one time pull a C Class off the new lot and put a tag on it for me as a loaner because I was an S Class owner, but thats a different time with supply I'm sure...

This car is terrible though...the audio system sounds like it has one speaker. Interior noise is 66 db on the highway (my Pacifica is 63 and my S Class is 59), the engine is coarse and loud, throttle is laggy...

I priced this out, optioned like it is....$46,000. Insane anybody would buy this for that money...

Last edited by SW17LS; Mar 3, 2023 at 07:41 AM.

Mar 3, 2023 | 07:40 AM

#2861

TangoRed

Lead Lap

Joined: Nov 2006

Posts: 4,585

Likes: 24

From: Washington

Quote:

Originally Posted by SW17LS

I had them one time pull a C Class off the new lot and put a tag on it for me as a loaner because I was an S Class owner, but thats a different time with supply I'm sure...

Ha! My dealer did stop this practice for a while when inventory was low and I opted to just get driven home a few times. These days they're flush with inventory though so I'm shocked your dealer isn't.

Mar 3, 2023 | 07:44 AM

#2862

SW17LS

Thread Starter

Lexus Fanatic

Joined: May 2012

Posts: 68,486

Likes: 3,998

From: Maryland

Quote:

Originally Posted by TangoRed

They have way more inventory than they used to...we'll see what happens this afternoon. Its 10:45 and they haven't started it to take it back yet, so I'd be shocked if its back today...I really don't want to drive this thing all weekend

Mar 3, 2023 | 08:14 AM

#2863

1111GS

CL Community Team

Joined: Oct 2011

Posts: 3,417

Likes: 198

From: US

I remember we were discussing about fake exhaust tips. How do you folks feel about this design? The old one looks nicer imo. And damn the light bulb under the swoosh is definitely weird imo.

Mar 3, 2023 | 08:23 AM

#2864

AJT123

Lexus Champion

Joined: Jan 2012

Posts: 17,024

Likes: 496

From: Knoxville, TN

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1111GS

I remember we were discussing about fake exhaust tips. How do you folks feel about this design? The old one looks nicer imo. And damn the light bulb under the swoosh is definitely weird imo.

I just don't see the point.

I really doubt that little vehicle has a true dual exhaust.

Mar 3, 2023 | 08:29 AM

#2865

geko29

CL Community Team

Joined: Feb 2007

Posts: 9,343

Likes: 601

From: IL

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1111GS

I remember we were discussing about fake exhaust tips. How do you folks feel about this design? The old one looks nicer imo. And damn the light bulb under the swoosh is definitely weird imo.

That doesn't look fake to me, it just looks tucked away. That's fine. What I personally hate is when the actual pipes are hidden like in this picture, and then put "openings" (that aren't really openings) on the bumper where they might have put the exhaust instead.

One of the big offenders is the Audi SQ5. The previous generation had a true quad exhaust exiting through the bumper:

But in the current one, they hid away the real exhaust tips, and then put this fakery nonsense in the bumper cover in some misguided attempt to make it look sporty:

If Audi did what you showed in your picture, I'd be a little disappointed because it lost some of the cool factor. But I wouldn't be offended like I am now.