I can maybe see some of the RL bashing from Autospies, but the Oddy - no way - it's still the best minivan.
When you can get a 2 year old fully loaded BIGGER RL for 30K that 50K for a new one seems a bit much. I have a feeling those RL sales will take a hit in April when the GS and M are both available - although I think the Germans are going to be feeling it even more.

 

I agree, the Oddy is still the best or the 2nd best mini-van. And the old one could still be in the top 5 it was that good.

 

And Infinti needs to step up the marketing or just quit the bad timing etc. Motor Trend actually tests the M35/45 in the new Feb issue. The PROBLEM is
1. Its not on the cover
2. There is not even a small pic of it on the cover
3. There is not even anything written about it on the cover

The cover has the GTO, SRT-8 and Vette. They test the M45 and IMO, the review was very positive. The title was funny though "The punching bag hits back". They got a 0-60 time of 6.1 seconds as an estimate.

Hopefully, the M35/45 will make a cover or 2 as the new GS will probably be tested next month. B/C the article was just bunched in the magazine.

 

I saw the Infiniti M45 at the Washington Auto Show yesterday. I thought it looked very good in person. In fact, I thought it looked better than the new GS on display.

 

i Agree one sick lex i read that article about 3 days ago and ur right the cover said American Muscle Is Back and the power list . Luckly i graze threw the index and found the m45 article read it first. It impressed me. But the question again is infiniti good lexus great.. Which one will have mor eproblems etc etc etc... Very hard decision on me and anyone who is in a lock between these two great cars i am a little stuck here but yes Infiniti has done good marketing but not enough.. I was ont he infiniti site months ago building and pricing the m something lexus still hasnt got around too.

 

C&D just clocked the M45 0-60 at 5.6 seconds.

5-60 street start time was 5.7 seconds. This street start time, which is more representative of the real world (no brake torquing), is the best ever for a sedan in this class, I believe.

 

Wow, that's pretty damn fast. Usually there's a huge variance between a car's 0-60MPH vs 5-60MPH times (due to dumping clutch or brake torque starts).

 

http://www.caranddriver.com/idealbb/...?topicID=60263

 

You won't know this until several months after the launch. If you have to be an early adopter the only thing you can go by is the general history of the brand - more or less the same at this point.

 

The car & driver article on the M45 is VERY positive. Great looking car.

 

damn sick, you are such a lexus fanboy it is amusing that anyone actually puts value in what you say.

Once again, go drive the RL. Hell, go sit in the thing. Then come back and ***** about its "cheap" interior.

I bet I am the only person on the friggin forum who has access to the LS430 with ultra lux package and an RL. You have no clue how close the RL is to the LS430 with respect to the interior quality. NO CLUE. The other known RL owner here who ahs Lexus background can tell you the same damn thing.

It is a shame some members on this forum cant seem to just accept other cars can be as good or maybe even better than lexus models. Why do this? All it does is make you look like a biased idiot.

Know what is funny? I'm a huge Lexus freak and could defend the company to anyone...but I realize Acura has a geat car with the RL that aside from the current LS, is better than every Lexus sedan ever made...

I am convinced that if the RL came out as a lexus model all the criticism it gets here would be gone and the CL boys would praise it. I know of one other CL member who has experience with lexus cars and now owns the RL just like me. He seems to speak highly of it but naturally gets cast aside because he isn't blind to the big L.

I expect this type of brand whoring with BMW owners but not Lexus owners...guess I was wrong.

Oh yeah...all the wood in the RL is real. Why would soemone say the wood around the dash is fake? Also, while not a big deal, the RL's guages destroy everything out there including those found on the LS. That amazed me when I first saw them light up but it is true. They took the Lexus design of gauges and made them better on this car. Hats off to them.

Not that it matters (especially with this crowd) but I think the RL has the best interior of the 3 followed by the GS. The M's layout is funky. I am also willing to bet the RL and GS are equal in material quality.

I think all 3 will turn out to be great cars but it will take a lot to better the all around package that the RL has. If the new M and/or GS prodivde the better package then that is GREAT to hear because I will know both are incredible cars.

I just love hwo the RL keeps getting praised review after praised review and has received a handful of awards (including car of year in Japan) yet fanboys like 1sick (who hasnt driven the thing which I still find funny) keep saying it won't be a competitor to the GS. Talk about ignorant but i geuss that is what fanboys are.

 

RJML i am not totaly against ur post but just a few points u made. First of all in my opinion the rl is not a competitor to the gs for a couple of reasons. One the engine displacement the rl has no v8 option. Another is the gs350 comign soon and the gs450 which is hybrid where is the rl on that one. Another is initial quality in the company Lexus by far is a better make and a better quality car then acura. It is the little things that make the difference. I love acura i love the rl great car. As one shopping in this class i have driven the rl about 4 times. In my opinion acura in general has went a little to sporty. The ride is just a tad bit to sporty than what i expected from the flagship. And lexus has saw this problem and solved it with the 4 different suspension settings. Some people want a boat ride liek me luxurious floating on air and then some want to be speed racer. Between the two i picked the gs for a few reasons(only by specs and initial reviews). I think if i am going to spend 55k+ i rather spend it wiht a lexus due to the residual value after i drive it off the lot. Another is the quality... acura great - lexus phenominal. And one more is styling i love the rl and all but its a little small and a little accord like not saying the gs isn't a little maxima like but in the end my decision was the gs. Hope you understand where my post is coming from not one sided but a comparison with a winner being lexus.

 

I received a safety recall notice recently on my TL Type-S Automatic Transmission. This is applicable to 01-03 3.0 CLs, 00-04 TLs. If Acura/Honda can't fix its A/T problem for CL/TL with 260 HP engine, I am not going to spend 50K for a new RL with even more HP. My friends frequently mentioned about my Lexus but not my Acura. When they mentioned about my Acura, they called it "Honda"

 

Badge whoring -

 

RJML, getting access to the ls430 ul isn't something ground shaking man, if i need i can have that car tomorrow. i drive that car extensive enough to know most of it. and i happen to have driven the rl as well.

i am not going to go into details, coz' i don't think there is a need. coz' putting the rl together in comparison with the ls430 ul would be the last thing i consider doing. this might be subjective to certain extend, but probably more objective than what you said

the rl is a nice car, i dont think anyone is saying that it's crap. but it's nothing like ls430 bro, let alone the two letters UL