They didn't say a "hotel designer designed the car dashboard"; more so that they studied a lot of high end American things/places. Lexus is (or was) known for that. They didn't say they designed the seat after an airline seat (that was my mistake), they said they looked at first class cabins and seats, high end jets, etc. Remember how the first SC was designed in California? I guess that could be "markety" but it still was what it was. And look at the result there, too. Resounding success. Lexus was built on sweating the details when Mercedes was being lazy, at least back then. LS430 also was a massive seller.

 

Of course they sweat the details, but they hype it up in their literature to try and be this bizarre lifestyle type stuff that was meant to hype it up

 

Because he interned directly with a tanning company during vet school who also owned a farm that produced cows that they had a stake in to have control over quality of life of the cows.

The leather companies actually IMPROVE the life of livestock vs just standard production houses. Life is much worse for pure food only outfits who don't have a leather company standing over them wanting materials

 

The fact that the animals are treated well before they are slaughtered for her chair doesn’t do anything for my wife lol

Look, it’s just reality more and more people want animal free vehicles. More and more people are vegan, and vegetarian (she was for years and years). This is just reality, and it’s only going to become a larger and larger group of people as that’s the way a subset of society is going. So, get used to animal free options in high end vehicles.

 

Lots and lots of pufferey in marketing, no doubt about that.

But, I think it is legit to study what people like and use that to make thinks like buttons, seats, door closures, etc mimic it.

As far as real leather, I like it but that's just me.

I eat burgers too. Lol. 🍔 🍟

 

Of course they engineer things to feel and sound and click a certain way, it’s the “drama” of them “scouring the world and listening to sounds” that is all BS.

 

So all the engineering claims that went into the first one, and your ‘98… it’s false? The engineers spent half of their time here, studying what we like. Lexus purposely made the first LS400 smell like a Jag inside bc they knew we Americans love leather, for example.

Prove to me it’s BS.

I absolutely believe Lexus studied high end stuff for the LS430.

 

Reality doesn't care about people sentiments, you are the one who doesn't seem to realize all this "cruelty free" stuff has a massive toll on the environment and animals. If people actually cared they would go out and interact with people who actually know how it works.

Hell even just raising a few animals yourself will really bring things in perspective but city dwellers are totally divorced from the supply chain

 

I wouldn't stress about it much, he drives a Mercedes now so he is obligated to bash the lesser brands lol! It's a sub section of the buying agreement that you must go around EMPHASIZING how much better the triple pointed star is even if objective measures don't support it lol!

 

in s. fl and went to a huge used car lot (over 400 cars!) to look at a couple of inexpensive (under 20k out the door) used cars for someone else.
looked at a jetta... bumper clip was broken and it was coming off and they only sell 'as is' so pass.
looked at a kia optima... 75k mi. 2018 in great shape, about 18k out the door... test drove, drives absolutely fine.
looked at a hyundai elantra 60k mi. 2020 in ok shape, also about 18k out the door. when i say ok shape there had been an accident in back that doesn't show on carfax but i could tell someone didn't do a great job putting a rear bumper on it. it test drove absolutely fine too, but was lower trim level than the optima.

this used car place had a ton of cars... i went to the rest room in another showroom which i guess is where they only display the 'good' cars, lol.
there was 2015 s550 for $27k i think, and a 2016 A8 L for 25k i think... both looked pretty immaculate! fun to look at.

doing this 'research' was helpful to know a bit about what you get for what.

worst part... the decent optima was advertised for about $13.5k. get the 'out the door' price (over 18k) and it includes $1299 for "pre-delivery service" (meaning fix shat that needed doing), $699 for filing, $899 for a 'protection package' (which apparently is interior and windshield), and sales tax of course. sales droid says they don't negotiate.

yup, car dealers still suck but this guy was pleasant at least.

 

This is hilarious, sad, and frankly baffling to me. This is why 75% of these cars are absolute pieces of shytt.



In other news, helllloooo from the lake!

 

striker... u might like this one.

2020 s8, 11k mi.!
https://www.hgreg.com/used-car/audi-...sale-411064971

 

Interesting how cheap the S550 and A8 were.

I need to start looking at used cars for my son next year when he starts driving. Luckily a good friend of mine owns a used car dealer so I will have him get me something decent. I’m thinking something safe, reliable, not too big and has decent utility. Maybe a RAV4 or CRV.

 

For one, my LS400 didn’t smell like leather when it was new. Nor did my LS430 or any of my Lexuses. The Japanese find the smell of leather offensive.

Of course the designers studied our needs and our wants and what we like, but it’s not to the level that they play it out to be. Vehicle seat designers don’t need to study airline seats, they know how to make great vehicle seats. This idea that Lexus designers went outside or the vehicle world to design the vehicle is just silly marketing.

BTW, I’m from Southern WV.

Bottom line is many people just don’t want to sit on or interact with animal skins. It’s not about the environment per se. Those people aren’t wrong they just want different things than you. Leather tanning uses a ton of caustic chemicals that are very environmentally unfriendly, so manufacturing these materials are harmful either way.

This is why we have OPTIONS

Oh please lol, you’re the king of this.

I think I’m pretty objective actually. I have written pages on the pluses and minuses of each. I just don’t buy the marketing fluff. They engineered a great car, they didn’t study the pyramids or spend time in the redwood forests to do it.

 

LOL ok this made me laugh.

To be fair all the article said was they “studied” hotel couches and luxury airline seats. The term “studied” is subjective and could mean anything but I don’t doubt they studied it. I have stayed at some nice hotels but maybe I haven’t stayed at the ones they studied because I have not been impressed with any hotel furniture.