kitlz

John, sorry to hear of your wife's disappointment. Some of the things you mentioned can be added or are available through the luxury package, but not everything. I have to admit I had second thoughts the first week in the 450h and questioned if I did the right thing. Part of it was the comfort factor. I had been driving my 330 for more than six years, knew it inside and out. It took a while but I feel at home in the 450h.

Good luck with your 330 and maybe we'll see you here in a year or two. You never know.

RXSF

cost is something that we cant give you input on but if you are looking for value, you cant find it in a luxury brand. lexus may have some value when compared to other premium brands, but you cant compare it to a kia. the prestige you mentioned comes at a big price.

We decided it was enough to go from 2gen to 3gen. I mean they redesigned the vehicle inside and out. I also wanted to be in a hybrid vehicle so I guess that was a big change for me. And I can say whatever I had in my RX330, I have in my RX450h (except for air suspension).

Some things you cant even get in the 2gen RX350 but can get in the 3gen RX350 are:
Smart Access linked to memory seats
Ventilated Seats
Power Folding Mirrors
Automatic highbeams
Head Up Display
Ipod/USB/BT audio connection
Semi Analine leather

Good luck with the ES and hopefully you will consider the RX in the future

InRBigness

Here are a few other things that I like about the 3rd gen RX's:

Wiper under the air foil. Seems little but its way easier for it to push snow down than lift it up. It also cleans better and looks better.

The redesigned rear suspension that gets rid of the shock mounts that inpede on cargo space in the back.

JohnS

I suspect that she will get the bug again - maybe next year at this time when the 2013s come out.
I appreciate her fiscal responsiblity though!

JohnS

Yes, those are certainly nice items too. I think in the end the driving experience felt so much the same - which she loves - that she did not see the urgency to spend $50K for it. But next April it will be 7 years that she has driven the RX so the time is coming. I can barely make it 2-3 years before I want new! I just got my ES a month ago but I am anxiously awaiting the 2013 redesign of it!

JohnS

I would definitely like the RX Hybrid but the ones I have seen are just out of reach budget wise for us as it is pretty close to $60K loaded. But another year or two might bring some sweet bonuses at work and that would help get there. I am really smitten by the RX Hybrid.

JohnS

Hi All,
Need your assistance please. My wife saw a Mercedes GLK at her work and wants to test drive it. I am a bit in shock as she has been diehard Lexus for sometime. Anyone know how the GLK compares with the RX? Have you driven it?
Thanks, John

LexBob2

I don't know to much about the GLK except that initially the reliability was not too good. I'm not sure if it has improved or not

I briefly shopped it along with the Audi Q5 when they first came out and noticed similarities in size etc.

JohnS

Thanks, I predict she will not like it, especially the interior. I will have to mention the reliability issue - if there is one as that will be a dealbreaker and then we can get back to the business of a new RX!

07LexusGuy

I've driven the GLK and I'm not impressed by it. It handled very well and had some good acceleration; however, it felt quite small inside. I think the one thing you and your wife will find most different from Lexus is the layout and placement of certain buttons and controls. For example, the wipers and turn signals are on one single stalk on the left of the wheel and the headlight controls are on a dial, not a stalk.

I took the GLK on a road trip from Seattle to Los Angeles and by the end of the trip, the driver's seat felt like a rock. I've also done the same trip in an older 2008 RX400h and I was comfortable the entire way.

RXSF

I own a C class which the GLK is based on. Value for money, it is pretty spot on. I bought my C350 with the same 3.5 liter engine at a starting price of 39K. The GLK with a larger body and same engine starts at 35K. Honestly, I too think the interior is the worst of the bunch and the exterior isnt all that great anyways.

Also, every other mercedes which had the 3.5 268 hp engine upgraded to a new direct injected 302 horsepower 3.5 for 2012. All except for the GLK!

Mercedes controls may be different than other vehicles like the aforementioned turn signal stalk in the lower left, but it isnt necessarily wrong, it is that you arent used to it. For the first week, be prepared to always hit the cruise control lever when you want to make a turn

German seats are hard in general. They somehow conform to your body though and even though hard is usually considered bad, they arent too bad. Reliability on my C class has been great, not a single problem, so I am surprised to hear you guys say the GLK has bad reliability, seeing as how they are built on the same platform and share a lot of parts.

Good luck with the GLK, but I think that is a step backward.

JohnS

Thanks for the input, I agree with it being a step back but she is "3pointed star struck" at the moment in the same way others are "L struck" when they see the Lexus. I am pretty sure when she sees the interior and drives it she won't like it as well.
I'm not anxious to spend the $$ on a new RX but even less interested in spending it on the GLK.

markrivers

i don't mean No disprespect to JohnS and his wife..
but has your wife considered leasing? you can be on a new car/SUV every 3 years or even less.

on one post you guys decided to stick it out with the 2nd Gen RX..
then after seeing a co worker/office mate with a Merc, her heart beat fast.

another thing, comparing Lexus and Kia? the problem with that is cherry picking..
you need to be fair and list down everything between the Kia Sorento and the Lexus RX starting from Safety going to suspension etc.

and You can't get value for money in a Luxury car.. it's the ugly truth.
if you wanted value you should have gotten a Hyundai Sonata or Azera than an ES

just my 2 cents

JohnS

Hi Mark,
Thanks for your input. No disrespect intended and I certainly am not comparing Lexus to Kia. The point I was trying to make is that 'Premium' should be more than the nameplate and should include all of the features plus the premium nameplate and customer service experience. I will never cross shop a Lexus with a Kia in the same way I laughed when asked if I cross shopped the Buick Lacrosse before selecting my ES. That is just crazy.
I am not trying to get value for money in the Lexus - we are way past that. But.. I do expect Lexus to be a leader in features along with the Premium experience. Lets be honest for a moment, we are way past the point of diminishing return when buying a Luxury vehicle - we buy it because we want it and I want all of the features for my Lexus cash and not be outdone by other lesser makes. Hopefully that makes sense.
John

Cruiter

Over the last decade the quality of 'most' cars has changed a lot. Most of them are screwed together pretty well and have warranties well above the old '12 month/12000 mile' warranty. That said the nuances start going to performance, comfort, size, economy, and yes features. Many of the features available on other cars were 1st pioneered by Lexus. And Lexus has most of the features available anywhere incorporated into one or more of it's packages but all of them do not come on every one so there is individuality. For instance many don't want the 19" wheels or NAV system or AWD or Hybrid system (don't know why on that one). So there is a fairly sizable price variation allowing some to buy a Lexus marque over say Toyota if they select one w/o some of the higher cost features they really don't want.

Now if you do spend this kind of money, then you should want the higher class of service the Lexus marque mandates. And you want to stand out above the 'norm'. Lexus is definitely perceived as above the 'norm'. Also Lexus is at the very top of the latest JD Powers survey which rates the quality of the cars based on owner feedback not advertising .

Resale: Proper maintenance and mileage being equal Lexus maintains a higher resale value in most models than almost any other car.

Just some of the reasons I'm still buying Lexus.