Why am I not as EXCITED as you!!??
03-15-12, 08:47 AM
#31
Guest
Posts: n/a
Wow, great write-up I read the entire thing. Really great to see such enthusiasm.
Some of my thoughts.
1. I can understand how people percieve BMW/Benz higher than Lexus here. Audi still seems to considered Tier 2/midpack here. On the flipside in Europe Audi of course is highly revered and Lexus is seen behind Audi. What we have discussed of course is the reality that with Audi's rise with BMW/Benz's stature makes a solid German 3 whereas from Japan it is completely different as Lexus is by far the leader and the other 2 brands continue to struggle. In America Lexus is without a doubt a Tier 1 brand as evidenced by a decades worth of surveys by the wealthy and general public.
2. Lexus really seems to have hit the ball out the park in regards to the tech, features, interior and the drive. The powertrain and exterior might be weaker points but they are strong enough to still be part of a good package. While the forum is not representational of reality we are seeing many conquest sales here and the feedback is the car is better, not cheaper as some try to imply. Being cheaper is icing on the cake
If Lexus continues this focus on all new products it will be a great thing!
3. jjscsix, Lexus has always been known for their attention to detail, the way things open and close, the way the car makes life easier for the driver, the way the wood is selected etc. Unless a change was made to the 2010, my 2007 has a sunglasses holder in the roof up front. The 2010 doesn't have this anymore?
Some of my thoughts.
1. I can understand how people percieve BMW/Benz higher than Lexus here. Audi still seems to considered Tier 2/midpack here. On the flipside in Europe Audi of course is highly revered and Lexus is seen behind Audi. What we have discussed of course is the reality that with Audi's rise with BMW/Benz's stature makes a solid German 3 whereas from Japan it is completely different as Lexus is by far the leader and the other 2 brands continue to struggle. In America Lexus is without a doubt a Tier 1 brand as evidenced by a decades worth of surveys by the wealthy and general public.
2. Lexus really seems to have hit the ball out the park in regards to the tech, features, interior and the drive. The powertrain and exterior might be weaker points but they are strong enough to still be part of a good package. While the forum is not representational of reality we are seeing many conquest sales here and the feedback is the car is better, not cheaper as some try to imply. Being cheaper is icing on the cake
If Lexus continues this focus on all new products it will be a great thing! 3. jjscsix, Lexus has always been known for their attention to detail, the way things open and close, the way the car makes life easier for the driver, the way the wood is selected etc. Unless a change was made to the 2010, my 2007 has a sunglasses holder in the roof up front. The 2010 doesn't have this anymore?
03-15-12, 09:34 AM
#33
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
03-15-12, 09:53 AM
#35
Pit Crew
Thread Starter
I just want to send a resounding THANKS to all those who appreciated my LONG writeup and provided comments. I wasn't sure how my OP would be perceived but with the exception of one or two comments, everyone offered substantive feedback. The true intent was to address this uneasiness I am feeling which in no way lessens the car itself or the Lexus brand as a whole. Nor does it suggest an area of insecurity since a few posts suggest I care what others think of me.....I addressed that in post #16.
Last edited by GX4704ME; 03-15-12 at 09:58 AM.
03-15-12, 10:08 AM
#36
I just want to send a resounding THANKS to all those who appreciated my LONG writeup and provided comments. I wasn't sure how my OP would be perceived but with the exception of one or two comments, everyone offered substantive feedback. The true intent was to address this uneasiness I am feeling which in no way lessens the car itself or the Lexus brand as a whole. Nor does it suggest an area of insecurity since a few posts suggest I care what others think of me.....I addressed that in post #16.
03-15-12, 10:16 AM
#37
Pit Crew
Thread Starter
Nothing more nothing less. Even when I would stare and admire the car (from the side because the front is meh), her comment was always the same...."It's nice"! Something came alive in her when she saw the 4G!
03-15-12, 10:39 AM
#38
"I do care about the image I portray"
03-15-12, 10:51 AM
#39
Pit Crew
Thread Starter
Hilarious!!!!!!!!!!
03-15-12, 10:52 AM
#40
who cares what others perceive on the lexus brand, what you think of the cars is the key. in my eyes lexus is just the same as bmw and mb. some areas they offer better, some the other brands better. i consider them all equal and it all depends on what i need / want from the car
03-15-12, 10:59 AM
#41
I agree with spwolf. I didn;t buy the BMW 5 for the prestige of it but rather the drive and it was dissapointing and so is the E-Class which both are choppy, numb, heavy. So the GS wins hands down from me who drive 20-30k a year. We enjoy the 2006 Audi A8L, 2010 Mercedes ML350, and 2008 BMW 335xi coupe in the garage and the GS trumps them all.
03-15-12, 12:19 PM
#42
Pole Position
At the end of the day, test-drive the car for yourself and don't let past glories sway you. A car brand is only as good as it's last ownership experience/test-drive. Lexus caught the Germans napping with the new 4th Generation GS and its initial sales numbers seem to support my claim.
If some professional car reviewers refuse to acknowledge the objective numbers showing the GS350's superiority over the 535i/E350 at a lower price point, well...they'll soon be playing catchup to the savvy car consumers who refuse to be blinded by a roundel or 3 pointed star but instead judge a car based on actual quality and tangible features rather than on nebulous qualities like "heritage/pedigree"(vomit).
If some professional car reviewers refuse to acknowledge the objective numbers showing the GS350's superiority over the 535i/E350 at a lower price point, well...they'll soon be playing catchup to the savvy car consumers who refuse to be blinded by a roundel or 3 pointed star but instead judge a car based on actual quality and tangible features rather than on nebulous qualities like "heritage/pedigree"(vomit).
03-15-12, 02:44 PM
#43
My 94 S500 had that feature and it was cute and all, but in reality. Dude if you dont know how to properly close the door without slamming it, lets just say YOU really do need that feature.
Also, to the OP.
I fully understand your fascination with MB cars. Let me assure you it is purely a SNOB thing. Their resale value is bad, reliability record is horrid. So Lexus is a better and smarter vehicle to own. As married guy in his early 30s, I want a car that will last me a few years without trouble so I could make investments into the future.
From an Image point of view, Lexus might not be a MB, especially if you are a car buff and know cars like 540K,Gullwing, 300SLs, 280SE3.5 , 6.9, S600 to name a few. But if you are trying to get the most out of your money, Lexus is yet to be beaten. And I respect that.
Enjoy your new car.
03-15-12, 02:51 PM
#44
My 94 S500 had that feature and it was cute and all, but in reality. Dude if you dont know how to properly close the door without slamming it, lets just say YOU really do need that feature.
Also, to the OP.
I fully understand your fascination with MB cars. Let me assure you it is purely a SNOB thing. Their resale value is bad, reliability record is horrid. So Lexus is a better and smarter vehicle to own. As married guy in his early 30s, I want a car that will last me a few years without trouble so I could make investments into the future.
From an Image point of view, Lexus might not be a MB, especially if you are a car buff and know cars like 540K,Gullwing, 300SLs, 280SE3.5 , 6.9, S600 to name a few. But if you are trying to get the most out of your money, Lexus is yet to be beaten. And I respect that.
Enjoy your new car.
Also, to the OP.
I fully understand your fascination with MB cars. Let me assure you it is purely a SNOB thing. Their resale value is bad, reliability record is horrid. So Lexus is a better and smarter vehicle to own. As married guy in his early 30s, I want a car that will last me a few years without trouble so I could make investments into the future.
From an Image point of view, Lexus might not be a MB, especially if you are a car buff and know cars like 540K,Gullwing, 300SLs, 280SE3.5 , 6.9, S600 to name a few. But if you are trying to get the most out of your money, Lexus is yet to be beaten. And I respect that.
Enjoy your new car.
and i guess you also don't have kids falling asleep on you and you really appreciate the feature with just a slight click
03-15-12, 03:29 PM
#45
Pit Crew
Thread Starter
Also, to the OP.
I fully understand your fascination with MB cars. Let me assure you it is purely a SNOB thing. Their resale value is bad, reliability record is horrid. So Lexus is a better and smarter vehicle to own. As married guy in his early 30s, I want a car that will last me a few years without trouble so I could make investments into the future.
From an Image point of view, Lexus might not be a MB, especially if you are a car buff and know cars like 540K,Gullwing, 300SLs, 280SE3.5 , 6.9, S600 to name a few. But if you are trying to get the most out of your money, Lexus is yet to be beaten. And I respect that.
Enjoy your new car.
I fully understand your fascination with MB cars. Let me assure you it is purely a SNOB thing. Their resale value is bad, reliability record is horrid. So Lexus is a better and smarter vehicle to own. As married guy in his early 30s, I want a car that will last me a few years without trouble so I could make investments into the future.
From an Image point of view, Lexus might not be a MB, especially if you are a car buff and know cars like 540K,Gullwing, 300SLs, 280SE3.5 , 6.9, S600 to name a few. But if you are trying to get the most out of your money, Lexus is yet to be beaten. And I respect that.
Enjoy your new car.
All the points you made are valid and in my heart of hearts I know MB or any German car cannot compete with the intangibles such as resale value and reliability of a Lexus.