E500 vs LS430
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Joined: Nov 2002
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From: N. California
ML430, E500
LS430 has a very high residual value. They retain value higher than most mercedes, except CLK last year I believe.
My father has a 2002 LS430 and the interior is beautiful and incredibly( almost eerily) quiet. The interior is definitely more luxurious appearing than the new E. It does drive like a cadillac in terms of cornering and road feel. The exterior styling is also like a S class that was stripped of any style and made into a box. I hope they do correct that in the 2004 as reported.
It's reallly a matter of taste. You can get a new LS430 for $500 over invoice here in N. California. My E500 on order was about $1300 over invoice. I don't think there any comparison in the ride quality. The E500 just blows the LS away. It really is a matter of taste. Both cars are great cars.
My father has a 2002 LS430 and the interior is beautiful and incredibly( almost eerily) quiet. The interior is definitely more luxurious appearing than the new E. It does drive like a cadillac in terms of cornering and road feel. The exterior styling is also like a S class that was stripped of any style and made into a box. I hope they do correct that in the 2004 as reported.
It's reallly a matter of taste. You can get a new LS430 for $500 over invoice here in N. California. My E500 on order was about $1300 over invoice. I don't think there any comparison in the ride quality. The E500 just blows the LS away. It really is a matter of taste. Both cars are great cars.
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Brand wide MB had the highest resale value in 2001.
Individually, CLK has had the highest resale 4 years running, followed by the Porsche 911 TT.
LS430 is very high as well.
Which is one good reason to lease them IMO.
Individually, CLK has had the highest resale 4 years running, followed by the Porsche 911 TT.
LS430 is very high as well.
Which is one good reason to lease them IMO.
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Joined: Aug 2002
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From: So. FL
2003 SL Launch Edition, 2003 E500 Pewter/Stone
I have owned a Lexus LS400 and now own an E500. While I have not owned the current LS, I have driven one. IMO, there is no comparison for ride, feel, styling, uniqueness. The E500 is more of a driver's car and more stylish. However, if you want a "cloud-like" ride, a very bland interior and a more cadillac-like interior, then the LS430 may be the way to go. I personally would not make the navigation system the determining factor unless I really had a lot of use for it.
From what I have seen of the Lexus stylists, I would not hold my breath on the redesign. Look at what they have done on the LS and ES in redesign. Decent on the LS became an aircraft carrier and fabulous on the ES became some kind of insect looking bug-eyed car. The SC was fabulous too and look what they did with that!!!!!
From what I have seen of the Lexus stylists, I would not hold my breath on the redesign. Look at what they have done on the LS and ES in redesign. Decent on the LS became an aircraft carrier and fabulous on the ES became some kind of insect looking bug-eyed car. The SC was fabulous too and look what they did with that!!!!!
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2000 W210 E55->2003 R230 SL500->2004 W211 E55->2007 997TT+2007 E63->2010 GLK350->2012 E550 4matic
2003 Lexus LS430 depreciation
Will be hefty considering the redesign next year, stay away.
MitchE500 - put your name down for the E55. You're only paying a few thousand dollars more than a fully loaded E500 but it will have excellent resale value. Nothing from Lexus or BMW can touch it.
MitchE500 - put your name down for the E55. You're only paying a few thousand dollars more than a fully loaded E500 but it will have excellent resale value. Nothing from Lexus or BMW can touch it.
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As someone pointed out - "Three pointed star" both front and rear!!! Autospies is offbass and wrong to think that this is a 2004 Lexus 430. I believe that this is a sketch of MB 2004 or later S-Class!!!What a joke if you believe all you read. And costly too sometimes.
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From: Genoa, NV
2014 GLK250 BlueTec & 2009 ML320 BlueTec
originally posted by gobenz
This whole thread is a joke, right? Right?
The LS430 is a good car...great for those daily trips to the proctologist, nursing home, pharmacy, bingo hall, senior center or shuffleboard park.
None of these appeal to me...so, neither does the LS430.
If you want to DRIVE, then their is NO comparison.
Good point of view!
This whole thread is a joke, right? Right?
The LS430 is a good car...great for those daily trips to the proctologist, nursing home, pharmacy, bingo hall, senior center or shuffleboard park.
None of these appeal to me...so, neither does the LS430.
If you want to DRIVE, then their is NO comparison.
Good point of view!
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From: Port Moody, BC,Canada
Guys:
The autospies article does not say the sketchs are the 2004 LS430:
Quote: "The 2004 model resembles the look of the designs concepts of the current S-Class (see below)"
The (see below) is refering to the sketchs which are indeed sketchs of design concepts for the MB S-Class... hence the MB logo!
I am not saying Auotpsies are right or wrong, but lets face it they seem to get a lot right and early than most!
Put yourself in the place of other car manufacturers and you see the new E class and even the current S class... I would suggest that you would get off your tail and get working on a redesign ASAP in order to catch up.
You only get 3 years out of your tooling when you were planning on 6... however it does no good to run your tooling for the extra 3 years if no one wants your cars.
I have been on both sides of that fence in business, it is great when you are the one with the new a latest mousetrap... however when you see that you have be obsoleted overnight that is a VERY large incentive to act quickly.
I believe Lexus and BMW are in the obsoleted boat right now and they need to move quickly.
Just my opinion... I have been wrong before.
Time will tell.
The autospies article does not say the sketchs are the 2004 LS430:
Quote: "The 2004 model resembles the look of the designs concepts of the current S-Class (see below)"
The (see below) is refering to the sketchs which are indeed sketchs of design concepts for the MB S-Class... hence the MB logo!
I am not saying Auotpsies are right or wrong, but lets face it they seem to get a lot right and early than most!
Put yourself in the place of other car manufacturers and you see the new E class and even the current S class... I would suggest that you would get off your tail and get working on a redesign ASAP in order to catch up.
You only get 3 years out of your tooling when you were planning on 6... however it does no good to run your tooling for the extra 3 years if no one wants your cars.
I have been on both sides of that fence in business, it is great when you are the one with the new a latest mousetrap... however when you see that you have be obsoleted overnight that is a VERY large incentive to act quickly.
I believe Lexus and BMW are in the obsoleted boat right now and they need to move quickly.
Just my opinion... I have been wrong before.
Time will tell.
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Lexus is not an original thinker. And Autospies is misleading here. And Autospies does not have a clue as to how the new Lexus will look. The first Lexus 430 was a rip off of the prevailing MB design theme. Anybody can guess that Lexus will try to rip off good design of MB. Just look at the new Hundai Sonata???.or something Korean. Looks like a cross between the MB C-Class, E-Class and Jag all rolled into one. And does not look as good as either of them.
Well go ahead, get yourself a Lexus if you please. May make the MB more rarer. But I see a lot of Lexus on used car lots and advertized for resale, and very few MB there or advertized.
But I do know that the E-Class turns on a dime especially noted while doing "sharp" corners and turns these corners going fast and is stable as a rock doing just that.
Well go ahead, get yourself a Lexus if you please. May make the MB more rarer. But I see a lot of Lexus on used car lots and advertized for resale, and very few MB there or advertized.
But I do know that the E-Class turns on a dime especially noted while doing "sharp" corners and turns these corners going fast and is stable as a rock doing just that.
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The Japanese and Korean car manufacturers have absolutely no pride or shame when it comes to exterior design (and in many cases the same is true for engineering specs).
They simply pilfer info from the Germans, esp MB, and try to accelerate its entry into production so they can attempt to be seen as contemporary with German product.
They used to do the same with American product 20-25 years ago.
The motto there is that it's much cheaper to copy off someone who is successful than to dump major $$$ into R&D to develop and bring to market your own product.
I think Milli Vanilli is still revered in Japan.........
They simply pilfer info from the Germans, esp MB, and try to accelerate its entry into production so they can attempt to be seen as contemporary with German product.
They used to do the same with American product 20-25 years ago.
The motto there is that it's much cheaper to copy off someone who is successful than to dump major $$$ into R&D to develop and bring to market your own product.
I think Milli Vanilli is still revered in Japan.........
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From: Hong Kong / Jakarta
CLS350
When i went to korea i saw so many Hyundai's that looked exactly like S-classes. My friends and I were pointing out what we thought were mercedes' but actually just Korean made cars that resemble German cars.
I got a ride in one and i'd have to say it was not bad.
I got a ride in one and i'd have to say it was not bad.
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From: California
i535
Originally posted by Tezta
When i went to korea i saw so many Hyundai's that looked exactly like S-classes. My friends and I were pointing out what we thought were mercedes' but actually just Korean made cars that resemble German cars.
I got a ride in one and i'd have to say it was not bad.
When i went to korea i saw so many Hyundai's that looked exactly like S-classes. My friends and I were pointing out what we thought were mercedes' but actually just Korean made cars that resemble German cars.
I got a ride in one and i'd have to say it was not bad.
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Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Southern California
2003 E320
korea
korean body shops do work to hyundai cars to make them look like an S class on the exterior only. it is the independent body shop that does this for a fee and has nothing to do with the hyundai factory, etc.
it's actually kind of funny seeing these cars because the if you look inside, it's the same as the old hyundai.
Rock
it's actually kind of funny seeing these cars because the if you look inside, it's the same as the old hyundai.
Rock
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i know lexus is a quality car, but check out the resemblance between the old S (w140 i think) and the LS. See some similarities? ive been to japan pretty recently, and i didnt see one lexus. All i saw were toyotas. Some were "lexus" toyotas, but they dont sell them as Lexus in Japan. So now my mom thinks that Lexus is just "the foreign devils over-priced car," or "rebadged toyota," which i am still trying to convince her of otherwise. I know lexus is a good car, but for overall quality, driveability, luxury, resale value, telematics, and fun. Trust me. Or, if you are really in a bind, try looking into the s430 std wheelbase, like someone else suggested. It is an S class, which has been the luxury standard for god-knows-how-many years.
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Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Southern California
2003 E320
knock off mentality
the knock off mentality isn't frowned upon in korea but it's certainly laughed at. everyone laughs at those people who convert their cars.
it's not only korea. the US had a popular body kit that would transform a pontiac fiero into a ferrari. the kit was pretty expensive but the end product looked pretty good with the badges, etc.
Rock
it's not only korea. the US had a popular body kit that would transform a pontiac fiero into a ferrari. the kit was pretty expensive but the end product looked pretty good with the badges, etc.
Rock
