Dema

I'm also there, but I do not remember my id though. Good forum, enjoy it.

CE750

ahh... Phoenix Tower... Know it well. I worked for Swift for 5 years and flew in to PHX many a time... will say that ATL (for being so much busier) was a whole lot easier to get in and out of, especially when a couple of clouds manifest themselves .. seems like the whole airspace goes to hell and a hand basket here when it's not CAVU.

vraa

One thing I've learned is that a lot of folks who live in Texas love Lexus.
Because Lexus is the new Cadillac.

Dema

Last time when my Lexus was for servicing again, I visited neighbor Infiniti dealership. I was really impressed by M45. It's a bit to like a spaceship cabin, but looks very solid with good qualities of materials. I immediately sat in GS, but no comparison here. M45 is most likely my next car, so I'm going to test drive it when will have next Lexus problem. I also looked at G35, I like exterior of this car, but inside it looks very cheap, so no way. I highly recommend all E owners to take a look at M45, it's certainly nice car and has more features than current E. Only one thing I do not like in M, no iPod interface. I like ability to use it in E.

JimE430

Japanese car manufactures COPY, they do not create. Sorry, but their cars really are boring looking. Very safe and "cookie cutter"
JD who gives a ****!
If you have a negative experience with "any" car you will probably not buy that brand again.
The majority of people do not buy based on a survey, and that is a poor excuse to buy a car.
Safety is not peoples no.1 concern, if it was we would all be driving Volvos.
How many people do you know who aspire to own a Toyota?
Japanese car and motorcycle manufactures have been coping the world since the end of WW2. They have been doing this with Harley Davidson since 1978, without success. Why?
There is an intangible that Japanese car manufactures will never achieve. A Benz is a "Benz" and that will never change.
Do MBs have problems? Hell yes. What car doesn’t? I am sick of hearing how reliable something is just to justify it being a bad copy of the original.
"Why no it’s not a real (insert quality product here) but, it was less expensive and according to (I could care less) it is very reliable"
Bottom line…….quality is more than a spread sheet.
Enjoy you new car. by the way, when was the last time you heard MB compare their cars to Lexus?

CE750

good point.

E-Klasse

I still think that it is funny that Lexus has to spell out "LEXUS" as an emblem on the trunk so that you won't mistake it for a Toyota. A Mercedes just has to have the 3 pointed star on the trunk.

Jakpro1

Hotel California by The Eagles
"Her mind is Tiffany twisted
She's got the Mercedes Benz
She's got a lot of pretty, pretty boys
She calls friends"

Love don't cost a thing by Jennifer Lopez
"My love don't cost a thing
Think I wanna drive your Benz
I don't"

4) Heartbreaker by Mariah Carey
"She wanna pillow fight in the middle of the night
She wanna drive my Benz with 5 of her friends

14) Big Pimpin by Jay
"If I wasn't rappin baby, I would still be ridin Mercedes"

15) Mercedes Benz by Janis Joplin
"Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz?
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends."

1 of near 100 rap songs.
"If I wasn't rappin baby, I would still be ridin Mercedes"
She wanna creep past the block spyin' the game"

An apprentice was studying under a blacksmith and noticed the old, old anvil.
It was a bit nicked and dented, but stood tall and grand in the
middle of the shop like a majestic statue of creativity.
Asked the apprentice to the blacksmith, "How many anvils have you gone
through over the years, with all your hard work and so?"
"Just one," smiled the wise old blacksmith, "It's the hammers that wear out, ya know."

People have been chopping away at the worlds first auto maker for over 100 years now.
Many are gone....many more are sure to go.

Mercedes WILL fix the quality issues, and rise again to again be the
status symbol AND the quality leader of the industry it once was.
For now, poor old Mercedes Benz will just have to stick to being the fantasy
of every "have not" on the planet, the envy of every young buck working his way
up the ladder, the eternal words scribed by the worlds top stars.

Enjoy your Lexus.

Evil Duffman

this is very true for jersey too, alot of older people are buying up lexus like crazy. The LS seems to be the car driven mostly by men above the age of 55. (no offense to anyone). Honestly though in ratings the best car in that class (according to the recent car and driver comparison) was the M45, and in second was the Acura RL. BOTH cars are absolutely amazing. Dont get me wrong I love the E-class, and I think mercedes is returning to its old ways ( slowly but surely ). But its ranked 4th right behind the Lexus GS430, and rightfully so. ALL around these cars are better than the mercedes. A merc is a merc and no matter how you look at it, it will always have a elevated stance out of respect than any car out there today. But Pigskin interior????????????? WHY!!!! (the 300C SRT-8 is in a different class, but in the price range so its def a car that would be on top too)

Japan finishes in the top 3, and merc is left in 4th without a medal. Heres the comparison

CE750

In Japan, Lexus cars are sold as Toyota's.. A Lexus IS a Toyota in every way.. much like Maybach is a Mercedes Benz.

I agree that it's funny that they can't sell it as a $60K Toyota here, even though Toyota constantly wins the JD surveys.. Also, I did a comparison of a GS300 and a Toyo Avalon and when fully loaded, there isn't much difference. Unlike VW and Audi, where there is significant difference, even though they share some parts, these were identical.

vraa

Oh wow. And those Vette's you know, they just gotta let the world know that they are Vettes from the front plate holder!

I really don't see why it's such a bad thing to drive a Toyota.

Jakpro - Nice songs, I love it when they name drop cars.

CE750 - Lexus is going to be introduced in Japan in a few months.

And if you are seeing an Avalon and GS300 as identical, something is wrong.

As for enjoying my Lexus, it's not a car to be enjoyed. The Lexus LS430 was designed so that it wouldn't be noticed. If I want to enjoy something, I have a BMW for that

PHXATC

PM sent, so as not to hijack this thread.


Continue on bashing this poor soul for jumping ship...

JimE430

[QUOTE]Quoted directly from the 2005 J.D. Power Vehicle Dependibility Study:
"J.D. Power and Associates have released their 2005 Vehicle Dependibility Study (VDS) and Lexus tops the list for the 11th straight year. Overall the entire automotive industry improved by 12%. The highest ranked vehicle was the Lexus LS430 which suffered from only 90 problems per 100 vehicles sold. The first vehicle in the history of the test to have less than one problem per unit sold."
Mercedes-Benz rated 28 out of 38 manufacturers with 283 problems per 100 vehicles.

Like I said,
JD Who cares!
Statistics can prove anything if you want them to. Thats why everybody says, "Were #1". JD Pudwacker, Car and Drowsy, and all the other "experts" are not (and should not) the sole reason we drive what we drive. Stop hiding behind someone elses opinion about a car, and step up to the plate for what you drive. Those of us that drive and enjoy our MBs dont need to justify our purchase with a magazine article. We know that all the johnny come latelys use MB, BMW, etc. as a litmus test for their cars.

Air Marshall Eldritch

Well said Ricky.

And...

I am sick to death of fixing issues in my 430. Every month is another ordeal. On the other hand, there is none other like it in my area. I appreciate the styling, which no Lexus can match (and with my mods, no match in power either)

So it's a toss-up. :p

I6turbo

RJM, I think you made the right decision. I presently own a CLK 430 and a 2003 LS430 (and some other cars), and I've have owned other MBs. I selected the LS after driving the E-Class, the S-Class, and the LS back-to-back in comparisons. The S-Class wasn't even in the league with the LS, and the E gets cheaper-feeling with every new generation. MB is living on hype (their marketing department does a good job) and the myth that they created many years ago when the cars were actually pretty good at what they were designed to do (I owned some of those too). IMO, the current MBs have very little going for them beyond looks and some powerful engines in some models. They are numb feeling and waaaay more boring to drive than the LS.

I wonder how many people here who are advising you actually have some seat time in an LS? I truly hope these people aren't talking out of their a$$es and advising you purely based upon poser factor -- recommending that you own a particular brand because Ja Rule and Funkmaster Flex say it's the pimpest! But I'll bet many are.

rjm

Keep Drinking That Kool-Aid, Boys!! MB management is surviving on people who ignore the facts and refuse to face current realities!
Jim, I also drive a 2003 BMW 530i and IT puts the Mercedes-Benz to shame. You might want to take a test-drive in something different....you might be pleasantly surprised.

CE750

proof your a real airline guy.... ALPA Jargon.


As for the realities, you're right, I made the point before... 20 years ago would anyone dare compare a Toyota Cressida to a Mercedes 380SEL?

Anyway, enjoy your car, and take a minute to tell MB about what you did, so that maybe they can add you to their list of customer complaints that may finally turn that ship around in the right direction again.

steve-p

Is that really a new car? Looks like something from the early '90s.

CE750

It clearly looks brand-new.. but the design of the interior is dated... more over look at the door handles, they look EXACTLY like standard cookie cutter Honda/Toyota handles and locks..

PHXATC

That's a cool ride.

One thing I always remembered from our test drive (couple of years ago) was the buttery smooooooooooooooth leather in there. Mm, mm good!

guitarplayer

This post is just like the posts I see on all my guitar forums. Fender guys trash talk about Gibson guitars and Gibson guys trash talk about Fender guitars. I solved that problem and own many of each.

JimE430

Gibson Rules!

guitarplayer

OT.....my Strat Vintage White with EMG's will kick your Gibson's ****. And my V-Rod will smoke your Fat Boy! Take that.

mysticblu999

no way.... im an ibanez man!

CE750

I've got an Ibanez 5-string bass for my practice beater.. heck they're not even made in Japan anymore! Now an Alembic is a bass! And for Guitar.. Fender/Gibson both good.. my Choice is the SG, Angus Young special!