So I don't know how to use the right title to grab your attentions but, it just means for those previous Mercedes Benz owners who are now Lexus owners. Wh you made the jump, which model did you have before. And possibly a brief review on a comparison.. I'll add my thoughts in later. Have too much to write up right now.

 

Still have my 06 SLK... beach car for top-down rides. Otherwise the GS is my daily car... buttery smooth and powerful. Not as many rattles, but you can't really compare it with a roadster like the SLK... it's going to be noisier. Next sedan will be a Lexus... much nicer overall for my tastes (power, smooth ride, no issues, easy/cheap service schedule...).

 

This is an easy question for me... My E320 Mercedes has been a piece of crap!

It has a looong history of spending time in the shop -- at inflated repair prices I might add. I've spent thousands on check engine lights and new brake cylinders, and other electrical problems. I might have just got a lemon but it just seems like there is always some kind of warning light going off in that thing. I even had a gas leak that took SEVERAL visits to fix (they eventually replaced filler hoses and the whole gas tank). For instance, right now 50% of the time, the speedometer shows a +50mph reading no matter what I'm doing (even when stopped). It looks kinda cool for the speedometer to show that I'm driving 130 mph on the freeway but it gets old pretty quick.

Even if the maintenance issues didn't exist the Lexus has a nicer interior and way more power. I may be biased but the Lexus also seems smoother and quieter than the Mercedes as well. Then you add in all the toys my new Lexus has and I barely ever want to drive the Mercedes anymore... Unless I'm going to a parking lot full of cars and there is a risk of receiving a door ding (I guess do prefer the Mercedes sometimes!).

 

replaced my G500 with a smaller SUV. thought maybe RX400h because it was faster than the rx330. didn't want a ML because they suck.

Too bad my RX died via (***hole), bought a 3GS with the insurance money because i liked how the 2 GS was put together. thought maybe 3GS would be even better (heh)

I still think MB cars look and drive better. I've never had any bad things with any of my MBs. They certainly are louder, but MB has great V8's that i feel lexus has a hard time matching. Interior-wise, the lexus seems softer, but both MB and lexus are nice. The only beef really is that they just cost a lot more to maintain than lexuses.

 

I have driven many Lexus and many Mercs.

I do have to admit, MB trumps Lexus in terms of style, design, power, performance, driver feedback, personalization, and material quality. I think MB would be a great weekend car to have, but it does not have the reliability to be used as a daily driver. It is the splurge luxury driver.

Lexus trumps MB in terms of mechanical and electronic reliability, technology, audio/stereo system, gas efficiency, "plushness" and "smoothness" of transmission, driving "isolation," and resale value. The Lexus is an everyday driver's car. It is meant for use for work on the weekdays and fun on the weekends. It is the practical luxury driver.

I would love to have an MB. I would have gone for the CLS instead of the LS for my weekend car, but alas, when practicality set in, the LS was just more functional (and had the bells and whistles that the CLS cannot provide).

 

+1 good one phil...you hit the nail on the head

 

I still have my 95 GS, my CLK and my 06 GS 430.

 

My wife has a 07' GL450, yes it's a big a$$ suv and it will be unfair to compare it to the GS, but the ride is not as smooth and not as quiet as the previous SUV we had: a Honda Pilot...
As for the quality of the interior and of the electronics, the leather is very hard and harsh, the contour seats control are touching your legs, making the seat worse than the actual normal seats, the nav system is just horrible (low res and slow and no touchscreen), ipod integration is terrible (the passenger cannot operate it).
The only thing that is nice about the car is the stiched dash.
I wish Lexus actaully made an mid size, 3 row seats SUV that was not a body on frame construction.

 

Traded in my S430 for GS350RWD. Still have a 2003 E500.
GS350 vs E500
GS350 - likes - interior is sportier and love the stainless steel gauges! The seats hold nicer on the GS350 but I found the seat to be a little short. Love the touchscreen controls and the dash overall is well thought out. The exterior design is gorgeous and from a distance it can be identified as a Lexus GS. The paint color (GFM) is incredible.
- dislikes - could get rid of some of the 1980's clock and airbag warnings. Would like a panaramic roof. Buttons are inadequately lit at nighttime. Trunk could be larger. The wheels need to be wider to fill up the wheel well nicer.

E500 - likes - ride is silky smooth and the interior is also very luxurious with the wood trim on the dash. Air Suspension is highly adjustable. Interior is overall very well done and the exterior is also very identifiable as an MB E-class. Power head restraint. HIGHER QUALITY TIRES FOR QUIETER RIDE
-Dislikes - Horrible MB service, Expensive MB service, HORRIBLE RELIABILITY,HORRRIBLE RELIABILITY, HORRIBLE RELIABILITY,

Overall the GS350 wins due to the fact that I am able to drive it to other locations than to the dam dealers. The MB was so unreliable that most of the driving was done going back and forth to the dealers.

As for the S430 well that was a rust bucket. Total piece of crap. Imagine a 100k car and MB can't figure out how to put paint on it to prevent it from rusting.

 

maybe you got unlucky? my dad's never had a problem with rust and we live next to the beach....

 

Actually MB had a recall on the doors for rust but they can't really recall the other parts for rust so they do it under good will. It is a well known issue in the S-class especially if you live in parts of the country that has snow and salted roads which I live in Canada so the beach is nothing compared to salted roads. I had to wait 3-4months for MB to fix $15,000cdn (front fenders both sides, trunklid, all 4doors) of rust because they were backed up at their bodyshop because MB head office only allowed 2 cars per week and it still took me 4 months waiting time. Bodyshop and MB customer service told me of the primer problem because became good friends with them since I had 3 MB serviced and fixed with them. I was actually lucky compared to my friends MB which actually had an unbelievable $27,000cdn dollars of bodywork on his S-class basically all panels was changed out and whole car was repainted that is just unbelievable. And both our cars are accident free.

 

keep the comparisons coming guys... I'm surprised to see so many coming from the higher end models. like the S classes to the mid size GS and being more than satisfied.

 

So D, what is your reason changing from MB to Lexus? A wrecked MB?

 

d??? I dunno what the D means but I shopped around.. and for the money the Lexus offered the most in the price range I was shopping with. I'm very pleased with the car too. Just not done with it yet. PM sent to you too..

 

I had an '02 Merc CLK 230 Kompressor and loved it. Compared to the Lexus it sounded like a truck...that 4 cylinder engine was seriously unrefined...but it was very stylish, solid, and had no problems whatsoever.

My '06 GS was perfect except for creaks & rattles...
My '07 GS is perfect except for creaks & rattles...

I considered an E class when buying the GS but found it to be much more expensive when similarly equipped, less stylish and overall a little more downmarket.

Alex