Luxury Lounge

1119120122124125428

Comments

  • deweydewey Member Posts: 5,251
    Jim Press has dedicated 30 years of his life at Toyota/Lexus and never ever owned either a Lexus or a Toyota.

    I guess you guys know the saying about the restaurant where the chef and staff eat all their meals next door. :P

    Press has always loved cars. He built his first go-cart at age seven, got his first car when he was 12. At age 13, he started washing cars at his family's dealership in Kansas. But he said he never bought a Toyota or Lexus. The only vehicle he owns is a Yamaha motorcycle. But he'll soon be driving Chrysler vehicles."
    Are you kidding us -- the guy worked for Toyota for over 30 years and never once bought one of the vehicles he sold? We're stunned. Seriously, stunned. Full verbiage of the post below the jump.


    link title
  • houdini1houdini1 Member Posts: 8,356
    I guess he either leased them or they gave them to him. Or he was chauffeured everywhere.:P

    2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460

  • merthedesbenzmerthedesbenz Member Posts: 4
    Sure, I swear to god that I saw an idea out there by Audi for a Four Cylinder engine 225hp with 265 torque(something along those lines, maybe off).
  • lexusguylexusguy Member Posts: 6,419
    Sure, I swear to god that I saw an idea out there by Audi for a Four Cylinder engine 225hp with 265 torque(something along those lines, maybe off).

    I'm sure Audi's 2.0T FSI could easily dish that out with a bit of strengthening and a jump in boost. I haven't heard anything about it going into the A8 though.
  • drfilldrfill Member Posts: 2,484
    They give him a company car to use whenever he wants, if he needs a car, so why would he buy a car?

    Duh! :confuse:

    DrFill
  • deweydewey Member Posts: 5,251
    If Jim Press was not an auto buff than yes it is no big deal that he used a company car or got chauffeured around.
    An affluent auto buff who can own any car in his garage will definitly have his favorite car/cars in his garage?

    Dont you think :confuse:

    The only reason Jim Press from Toyota did not own a car is because if he owned a non-Toyota/Lexus than he would have to explain why it is not a Toyota or Lexus.

    The CEOs of Porsche, VW/Audi, BMW and MB are all auto buffs. And they own cars they love and are not embarassed to own one of their own marques or other marques. I guess it must be tough being a closet auto buff at Toyota. ;)
  • drfilldrfill Member Posts: 2,484
    That should answer any questions. You seem confused. :confuse:

    DrFill
  • deweydewey Member Posts: 5,251
    Doc,

    do YOU own a current Toyota or Lexus?

    You like your stick and a sporty suspension. I would find it surprising if you do own/lease a Toyota.

    Jim Press is not a confused auto buff. He just chose not to have the car he really desired(non-Toyota product). Sort of like a Catholic Priest's vow to abstain from certain desires.
  • drfilldrfill Member Posts: 2,484
    Gas isn't really good, doh. :(

    DrFill
  • deweydewey Member Posts: 5,251
    My 83 MB300D is a green car compared to your high emissions horse. ;)
  • drfilldrfill Member Posts: 2,484
    like a cowboy on horseback!

    Yee-Haw! :)

    DrFill
  • houdini1houdini1 Member Posts: 8,356
    Jim Press is not a confused auto buff.

    No one said he was. I think Doc was referring to you. :P

    2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460

  • designmandesignman Member Posts: 2,129
    I had to check in to see how you're holding out with this epic collapse. Got anything left in the bag of hope for the Mets?

    :sick:
  • bristol2bristol2 Member Posts: 736
    If Jim Press only owns a bike (and a Yamaha at that) it's pretty clear that when he said he never bought a Toyota or Lexus, he was being absolutely literal.

    Do we seriously think an exec would travel by Yamaha to all his meetings? Does his family vacation on the back of a bike?
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    "I ride horseback"

    C'mon, Doc... I thought you drove a Mitsubishi... Or a pickup.

    Dewey's question has sparked my curiosity!

    TagMan
  • drfilldrfill Member Posts: 2,484
    Dude, I just got back from Shea!

    Like......the best ballgame I've EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE!! Live or on TV!

    Johnny Maine pitches the game of his life in our game of the year, stikes out 14, two when he was behind 3-0! We win 13-0! Season high 19 hits. He had a no-hitter until 2 out in the eigth, the sorriest swinging bunt you ever saw broke it up. :mad:

    We hit three homers, caused two errors with our hustle (?!?), got into two fights, the weather couldn't have been better...... it was beyond baseball. It was baseball from another dimension! I will be a Maine/Mets fan for life! :shades:

    I even got free parking! Being a Mets fan toatlly rocks! The place was electric, but only about 30k strong.

    But we we're the rowdiest, angriest, happiest 30k in NYC! ;)

    It wasn't a perfect game, but it was for me.

    DrFill
  • designmandesignman Member Posts: 2,129
    Yeah awesome, I was thinkin' of going myself but didn't want to miss any part of the Philly game. Now I'm sure you're planted in front of the TV... rub off today's magic on the Nationals.

    ;)
  • houdini1houdini1 Member Posts: 8,356
    Doc, great post. I could smell the "lime" and taste the hot dogs. You should have been a sports announcer!!

    2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460

  • drfilldrfill Member Posts: 2,484
    Is a pretty lofty position, in and of itself, my friend.

    Ya gotta believe! :blush:

    Thanks for the luv! I'm a better writer than a loudmouth. As you'll know, I feel things rather deeply. If I ever needed a sweet day, today was the day!

    There were also 4 Phillies fans, walking thru the upper-deck, swinging shirts, baiting the fans. Those guys had some rocks! They needed a crew to survive that game. Met more than a few bottles today.

    They had great attitudes! But they're team is goin' down! :)

    Even the Nathan's hot dogs were better than the one's they sell in the stores! Much thicker. Didn't have Gulden's mustard, but it was a good substitute.

    For $4.50 a piece, let's eat two! :shades:

    For a 40-year old stadium, with much to improve, hard to beat a game like today's.

    First place. Welcome back! ;)

    DrFill
  • designmandesignman Member Posts: 2,129
    And the Brewskies just beat the Pods!! Still 2 ways to get in!

    ;););)
  • drfilldrfill Member Posts: 2,484
    We trust.

    DrFill
  • designmandesignman Member Posts: 2,129
    And umps who call wide strike zones. ;)
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    Doc, I can feel your excitement and it's awesome. Unfortunately, our A's bit the dust early on this season.

    BTW, you mentioned the free parking... so where exactly did you tie up your horse? :P

    TagMan
  • drfilldrfill Member Posts: 2,484
    I know the owner of the Stable. Duh! :blush:

    Gotta buy my own Oats, doh.

    Looks like I'll be back tomorrow. Now that I've turned them around, can't let them fall back into bad habits.

    I is their inspiration.

    They heard I was coming. ;)

    DrFill
  • topspin628topspin628 Member Posts: 373
    It wasn't a perfect game, but it was for me.

    I agree. It wasn't a game but a 3 hour celebration. I so much wanted to see the no-no. I was there with my son and if I could have witnessed the first Mets no-no in history with him and in such a meaningful game, it would have been unbelievable. I passed the genetic Mets obsession to him when he was just 2 yrs old and rooting for Daryl and now he's even more into it than me. Do you think the Phils felt the collar tightening a bit today? It's one thing to be an underdog all year and another to be the front runner.
    By the way, it was a nice all around day for me as before I went to Shea, I placed my order for a 550i. So in about 6-8 weeks I'll be back in the ultimate driving machine.
    Oh and we picked up tix for tomorrow too, Dontrel vs Glavine, I think the place will be electric again. It's a better crowd than for playoff or world series games. All of the people who go just to be seen don't show up for these games and it's only the real fans. I love it.
    Lets Go Mets!
  • drfilldrfill Member Posts: 2,484
    Darryl is what got me into the Mets, back in '84. he was getting so much press, and hadn't eevn played yet. I thought he was going to be Willie McCovey, reincarnated. :surprise:

    Damn straight the collar is tight! Heavy is the head of he who wears the crown.

    The Mets have been running things for 4 months before they buckled.

    Phillies can't last a day on top!

    You know how the Mets are. They're just building suspense. Real drama queens! LOL! :D

    Glavine is 1-1 against the Marlins this year. Willis is the same vs the Mets. Time for a rubbermatch.

    You want a veteran out there for times like this.

    Congrats on the Bimmer. Love the 5, except for the iDrive, standard. Hope it has a 6-speed. That's the only way to fly! :blush:

    Why not the 535i? It might smoke the 50. :surprise:

    And with the money you'll save, Season tickets at Citi Field?

    DrFill
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    he never bought a Toyota or Lexus, he was being absolutely literal.

    Why buy one if they provided him any one he chose at no cost?
    :shades:
  • topspin628topspin628 Member Posts: 373
    Daryl could have been a very different player IF he didn't fall in love with the long ball and get "distracted" off the field.
    When he first came up he would hit to all fields and with power. I think he could have been a legit triple crown threat but then he just wanted to see how far he could hit it.
    It was interesting today in that you could feel the dislike between the two teams. Cabrera was mouthing off to everyone including the fans and Alomar was getting into it with some of the Marlins as well. We kind of saw the "fight" coming. (by the way, hockey players everywhere are laughing). Reyes was kinda dumb to get into anything because if he got suspended it would have been really bad. And how does he not run out that squib? He's gotta grow up a bit.
    Looking forward to tomorrow.
    Re the car, I went for the new sport auto trans. No stick for me, sorry. This is my everyday commuter car and rowing the gears is out of my system for now. It does have the paddle shifters and a very aggressive sport setting. I drove the 535 and it's very good but it's not a 550i. The 550 has a very different feel to it. More like an M car since it has an M suspension package. Plus you if you want the aero kit and bigger wheels for the 535 you are close to the price of the 550. And I don't think that you can residualize the aero kit on a lease of the 535 because it's a port installed option. The 550 has 360 lbs of Torque vs 300 for the 535 and I could really feel it. Plus the sound and feel of the 8 cylinder vs the 6 sold it for me. The 535 is a great engine and it's a great car. I just think the 550 is a notch up, like an M5 is another notch (or league)up.

    Oh and the Mets can't get to Citi field fast enough for me. Shea has been archaic for about 30 yrs and was designed as though the goal was to see how they could seat the most people the furthest from the field. I've sat in the upper decks of some of the newer parks and the seat is better than the lodge at Shea. And they need to get a more fan friendly attitude. If you go to another park, Houston, Camden Yards etc, yould be amazed at how nice the ushers, concessions people and ticket takers are. Not too many smiling, friendly faces in the working ranks at Shea. And my vote is for an organ at Citi Field and let's tone down the music blasting through the speakers. We, the fans, can make enough noise when it's warranted. We don't need artificial enthusiasm at the park. Let the game speak.
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    Here's a lot of info, a video, and a great gallery on the upcoming 1-Series Convertibles.

    I just might have to place an early deposit on the 135i. IT looks soooo good. That way if no suitable diesel SUVs show up, I'm still good with a fun car.

    link title

    TagMan
  • drfilldrfill Member Posts: 2,484
    Want all of the heart, but none of the soul, bless you. But you drove both, and now know what you want. Just trying to help. :)

    Plus in NY, AWD is almost mandatory, so the 535xi is an appealing option. Do what you gotta do.

    Tag

    The 1 sure is a temptress! Wish it were 150 lbs. lighter. :shades:

    DrFill
  • designmandesignman Member Posts: 2,129
    Can't wait to drive the 1, both coupe and convertible. Very glad to see the coupe has the fold-down rear seats. I can't say enough about the convenience of it in my 530... turns it into a semi wagon.

    There will be lots of scoreboard watchin' today on the benches and it sure looks like the Phillies were intimidated by it yesterday. The Mets start 25 minutes earlier so it would be great if they could have a big first inning. Glavine has the decided edge in season stats as compared with the Phillies' Moyer and his 5.15 season ERA vs 4.14 for Glavine. Phils are 16-11 in September but lost 3 of the 5 games that Moyer started. Glavine, at 41, is also the younger old goat by 3 years. As you can see I'm digging for an edge here. ;)

    BTW, there could be a 3-way tie for the wild card. This weekend is incredible. It's the playoffs to get into the playoffs.

    Time for Reyes to snap out of it, get on base 5 times and return to being the little crook that he's supposed to be.

    Shhhhhh... when discussing players, do NOT mention the W word!!!!!!!!!

    ;)
  • drfilldrfill Member Posts: 2,484
    When Reyes sets the table. As great as Wright is, Reyes is the MVP of the Mets. It's incredibly hard to win when he isn't playing well.

    DrFill
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    It looks to me like Audi's upcoming A1 is a spin-off of the VW 2-door GTI.

    image

    TagMan
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    Tag

    The 1 sure is a temptress! Wish it were 150 lbs. lighter.


    Temptress it IS!! I'm definately seduced by it... I find myself liking it even more than the 335i... which I already admire.

    image

    image

    image

    With all the understandable excitement over the Mets, some of you might have missed the link, so just in case, here it is again. Lots of photos, info, and even a video.

    link title

    And they kept the canvas top on this one, which I think is appropriate for this car. It's truly a gorgeous little machine... The photos show a 125i, but I'd go for the 135i without any doubt. That 300 hp twin-turbo should do well in this size car.

    I am a little concerned about the tight rear passenger legroom, so I do hope that the front passengers can give up just enough legroom to allow for the rear passengers (the kids) to fit back there with enough reasonable comfort for all. Other than that possible deal killer, I'm sold on the car... unless something else comes along that is even more compelling... like a diesel GLK? Very different categories, but that would still be a tough choice.

    What do you guys think of this car... the 135i convertible?

    TagMan
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    link title

    :)

    TagMan
  • designmandesignman Member Posts: 2,129
    Nice. I always thought this one was hilarious:

    VW Rabbit Commercial
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    Thanks, D-man... :)
    T-man
  • houdini1houdini1 Member Posts: 8,356
    Tag, I am not trying to be cute here because I like that car. So is it just me or does it look a little cross eyed in that last head on shot?

    2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460

  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    Tag, I am not trying to be cute here because I like that car. So is it just me or does it look a little cross eyed in that last head on shot?

    Yeah, if I look for it, I see what you mean. If it has that piveting adaptive headlights feature that is starting to show up lately, it could very well be that they are tightly aimed. I don't know for sure, but I can tell you that it doesn't bother me a bit and I wouldn't care at all.

    I did see a picture of the coupe, and it has those fold-down pass through rear seats that Designman was mentioning. They do look convenient. I'd have to check out the coupe as well.

    TagMan
  • houdini1houdini1 Member Posts: 8,356
    No, it wouldn't bother me either. I just wondered if anyone else was seeing what I was seeing. Probably just the angle of the photo or something.

    I see this car in your future! The Great Houdini has spoken! Or was that Carnak?

    2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460

  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    I see this car in your future!

    Well then help me out here Carnak! With the Carrera S as a convertible, it makes me question if I truly need another ragtop. I really wonder if the coupe wouldn't be more practical with those fold down rear seats. That really looks cool to me, and I can see many times when I'd really be glad I had them... yet that convertible sure looks nice. Gosh... decisions, decisions, decisions. :)

    TagMan
  • houdini1houdini1 Member Posts: 8,356
    Carnak was temporarily distracted by the Chiefs/Chargers game. I love the Chiefs, but my next door neighbor, during the off season, is Darren Sproles, who plays for the Chargers. So Carnak is conflicted.

    Darren is a fine young man. He's about 5'6" and looks like he is about 12 or 13 years old. He is tough...and modest to the extreme.

    Definitely go for the coupe. You're good in the convertible department! :shades:

    2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460

  • deweydewey Member Posts: 5,251
    Designman and Tagman,

    thanks for those VW Ads.

    This is the BEST VW AD EVER MADE IN THE 20TH CENTURY:

    link title

    And here's another one with DUSTIN HOFFMAN :

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9OoqkXiKEM
  • topspin628topspin628 Member Posts: 373
    In Glavine by drfill Sep 29, 2007 (4:39 pm)
    We trust.

    Well our trust wasn't justified. This was the worst of all possible endings. He was awful and the team just rolled over and died after he gave up the 7 spot in the first. I mean Dontrelle had nothing, the Mets had the bases loaded twice in the first 3 innings and couldn't do anything. And then the "vaunted" Marlins middle relief shut them down for the rest of the game. The Mets are a flawed team who caught some lightening in a bottle last year. When you go into a season with your number one ace on the DL at least until August and then make no move to replace him, what do you expect? Anyway, they made it interesting. I'm sure that there will be a lot of changes next year. How ironic that the team with the biggest stretch drive collapse in
    Baseball history has now made the biggest comeback. That's why I love this game! (Do I need to make an obligatory car reference or does that break rules not to?) Just to be safe-
    I think I'm going for the Cobalt Black in the 550i. It's a color that had been exclusive to M Cars and now it can be ordered on the 550i.
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    Dewey, those were some great ads, and thanks! :)
    TagMan
  • esfesf Member Posts: 1,020
    Well, you understand that this is for my wife. I love wagons- but she just won't. She's not a fast driver, either, so no S4/(LOL)RS4.

    I've been considering the 3 or C-Class for her. If she's really serious about getting a car with good mileage... why not? The 335xi sedan is excellent, and I love the new C's looks.

    The Touareg. Yes, I know the interior is fantastic. It's a great vehicle. But it's a VW, and she's just not okay with that. She's a bit of a badge whore.

    She doesn't want another Lexus- let alone another RX. She's had two RXs over the past nine years, and is definitely ready for something different.

    I'm definitely considering the Inifniti EX35. It looks beautiful.

    Thanks for your input, BTW. Whatever she gets will have an impact on what I get- if she gets an SUV, I'll probably get a sedan as a winter car (like an S6 or RS4(!)), but if she ends up with the sedan, I may just keep the S4 for awhile and then replace it with another AWD, four-seat convertible. Or maybe even a coupe- but that would be hard to swallow.

    Nah, I'll probably have to get another winter car. ;)

    '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet • '04 Lexus RX330
  • esfesf Member Posts: 1,020
    • X3: meh. A friend got the refreshed one, and although it's more attractive, I would just wait for the other premium small 'utes to come.

    • A6 4.2: it's heavy and boring. I'm a huge Audi fan, obviously. But this generation of A6 has not impressed me. Oddly, I really, really like the S6 and am very anxious for the super-powered RS6. But not the A6. It's dynamically uninspiring.

    • S80: too similar to the last gen. I had it as a rental a few months ago. It's utterly bland.

    • M45X: I don't know... I really like this car, but it's not for her.

    • There is no such thing as a C350 4Matic, BTW. They only make the C300 with it right now. Which is ample- for the wife. But I'd rather get a 335xi. It's a shame that the E90 (sedan) has to be so much less attractive than the E92 (coupe), as well as the C-Class sedan. It's so much better under the skin, though.

    '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet • '04 Lexus RX330
  • esfesf Member Posts: 1,020
    Q7: too big, too thirsty. Unnecessary. I only have one kid living at home. The 3.6 is painfully slow, so I've heard. A Q5 would make much more sense- but it's not out yet, obviously.

    The wife won't do wagons... I love the E wagon, and the 5 Series is the second-best performance wagon available in the US (S4 Avant is first). But my wife still thinks they're uncool. She's wrong.

    '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet • '04 Lexus RX330
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    After reading everything you just said, I'll now focus my previous suggestions down to the all-new C-class. I bet she'll love it. Since she is so badge aware, the three pointed star should be right up her alley, but the new C-Class is a lot more than a badge. It's a terrific car that lives up to the badge, and I would expect that she might really appreciate the new C. I think you will be pleasantly surprised and impressed by the new C-Class. This is one car that Mercedes definately did a good job with, and is a terrific value. Value is not something often associated with Mercedes any more, but the new C-Class has genuine value. "You'll C"... (now that was silly).

    Anyway, I strongly urge you to check it out and let me know what you and your wife think of it... especially before you might buy an Infiniti.

    TagMan
  • designmandesignman Member Posts: 2,129
    I just hope Willie Randolph isn't the fall guy.
Sign In or Register to comment.

Your Privacy

By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our Visitor Agreement.