Luxury Lounge

bristol2

LOL! :shades:

hpowders

I really should buy a second-hand Civic with some dents for shopping duty.

hpowders

"LOL!"

It sounds like my pain has created for you some real gain.

That almost makes it worth enduring.

bristol2

I read some notes on the rules for keeping your loved one happy at home and one that particularly stuck with me seems applicable:

To earn brownie points:
Make bed = 10 brownie points
Forget to put decorative pillows on bed = -20

Sometimes you can't win for losing....

hpowders

Right. I've been through the decorative pillow routine.
Even the rare times I do actually put them on the bed, my technique is never quite good enough. A fraction of an inch off here ... a bit off there.

Believe me... my spirit cabinet is well-stocked!

tagman

I'll remember that.
TM

tagman

Believe me... my spirit cabinet is well-stocked!

I've seen some of your best posting right after you've messed up the pillows and then hit the spirits.

TagMan

lexusguy

It sounds like my pain has created for you some real gain.

The Germans have a word for that - schadenfreude. Coincidence?

houdini1

I think you got that backwards......

tagman

LOL.
TM

hpowders

"I've seen some of your best posting..."

Guilty as charged. Good thing printed words can't be slurred! :shades:

hpowders

"Schadenfreude"

I've been called worse! :surprise:

Seriously, wasn't that word used in a recent German car commercial?

houdini1

I took my RL in for routine maintenance today and got an RDX as a loaner. This was the first time I have driven one of these and overall, especially for the price, (around $40K) I was not impressed.

It had a very firm but jiggly ride and also very firm seats. For your $40K you get a manually adjustable passenger seat. The brakes felt kind of mushy but it was very peppy and good steering feel.

I did not care for the transmission because of abrupt shifts, hesitation, and excessive gear hunting. It might be better as a manual. It felt very small and cramped but that may be because I am spoiled by the LX.

Instead of $40K this felt like it was worth about half that. I would not buy this vehicle even if it had a diesel engine.

blkhemi

Mr. Magic, I kinda felt that way too.

On Monday, in sweltering 110 degree heat and all, my wife and I were in Memphis for the King's 30th. Upon being called to airport, my brother-in-law picked us up in his spiffy black-on-black RDX. I've been waiting a while to get feedback from people who actually own the vehicle.

All I can say is I came away disappointed. The ride was choppy, the engine had a very displeasing groan to it(not smooth but revvy like a Civic SI), and interior space makes the X3 feel like the MDX. A bit of an exaggeration, but it is relatively small.

I asked him what his fuel mileage was. He replied that he hovers around 16. I thought to myself: I have an SUV that's 1500 pounds heavier with a motor that is 2 and half times more powerful than this, and I get 15 all together. And this is a 4-cyl that DEMANDS premium petrol.

He said that he spent around 40 for his also. He turned in an '04 MDX that he swears that he should've kept, but the twins went off to college, so he felt he didn't need all of the grand space that the MDX affords.

All I can say is we'll just have to ride it out until the Mercedes GLK gets here as the X3 is way to pricey for what it offers, the RDX was an instant write-off the list, the LR2, while a huge improvement over the Freelander in room and content, just doesn't cut it for us. The Lincoln MKX- need I elaborate? Volvo and Cadillac are supposed to be making SUV's for this class too, so we'll just have to see.

blkhemi

I've had my first problem with the Audi's. I just don't know what I'm going to do. I knew Consumer Reports were right and should've listened to them in the first place.

Audi never said that the rear license plate bulb was going to blow out. Bummer. :P :shades:

laurasdada

You may want to give 60 Minutes a call, too...

houdini1

I wanted to like this vehicle but did not. Ditto on the high revving little turbo gas hog engine. Gosh, I do a little over 14 mpg in the LX.

I hope you got to sample some of that Memphis bbq. Must have been hot there and oh that HUMIDITY!!

WALKING IN MEMPHIS!!

louiswei

When I saw an E-class pickup on my way home from work. No, it wasn't a typo and yes, it's a frigging E-class PICKUP. It was on the opposite direction of a 10-lane road and since it's during rush hour in LA although I really want to make a U-turn and snap some pictures I just couldn't.

It looks like it's converted from a previous gen E-class sedan. The trunk got chopped off and replaced buy a bed. The vehicle that closest resembles this is probably the Subaru Baja.

I guess when you got money, anything is possible...

tayl0rd

Fellow dingaphobes, what would be worse? Coming back to your car and discovering new dings/scratches? Or coming back to an empty parking space?

For me, I think I'd rather come back to an empty parking space. At least I could collect some insurance money and buy a new car. With dings, you're just stuck unless you fork out more dough than the repair is worth. Even then, you always know that it was there. :sick:

jlbl

I witnessed a sad thing the other day, while I sat on a café terrace at a boulevard (looking patiently forward to see if my family would interrupt its light shopping to join me for a while; life is like short periods of amusement between repetitions).

Picture there a battery-parking lot, with a brand new MB CLK next to an empty place. The driver was in the car, when a bumped old Volvo wagon filled the hole. Once parked, the Volvo doors opened energetically to let out two playful kids and a soft mother. One, two, three big dings (one was a rebound) before the man could go out of its car to let the lady know that his new car was damaged by hers. Then, the dismayed answer was, —Oh! you know,they are kids, aren´t they? Imagine now the man's face when the lady tried to leave disdainfully.

(My feeling while watching the nasty discussion that followed was: How lucky I am! My family and I have come downtown in the underground!)

Regards,
Jose

lexusguy

It had a very firm but jiggly ride and also very firm seats. For your $40K you get a manually adjustable passenger seat. The brakes felt kind of mushy but it was very peppy and good steering feel.

I agree completely. The only mag to rate the RDX higher than the X3 was "stir things up" Motortrend, who made no mention of the faux-luxury interior and absolutely pathetic mileage.

Once the compact lux-ute is larger than 3 cars, I think the RDX will be sidelined and no longer invited to future comparos. It just can't compete with the EX, GLK, Q5, and probably the XC60 as well. Lexus supposedly has something in the oven, but they will be very late to the party. Saab is also working on something, apparently now called the 9-4X. As for Cadillac, I don't think they'll have anything before the end of the decade.

lexusguy

When I saw an E-class pickup on my way home from work. No, it wasn't a typo and yes, it's a frigging E-class PICKUP. It was on the opposite direction of a 10-lane road and since it's during rush hour in LA although I really want to make a U-turn and snap some pictures I just couldn't.

How about the Rinspeed Porsche pickup?

louiswei

This is exactly what I saw...

lexusguy

That is some piece of work alright.

blkhemi

"Gosh, I do a little over 14 mpg in the LX."

Sad part about it, you can hold twice as much stuff and twice as many people.

OMG, Memphis felt like Death Valley that day. The locals say it's not ordinarily 110, more like 95, in August. Factoring in the 60 percent relative humidity, their normal day in August feels like 100. Ouch.

As a parting gift, my brother-in-law took us to The Rendevous bbq joint in downtown Memphis. All I can say is that Memphis definitely ranks in the top 3 bbq places in this country.

louiswei

Factoring in the 60 percent relative humidity, their normal day in August feels like 100. Ouch.

Wanna try Florida? Not to mention the Hurricane threat and the twice a year love bugs invasion, ewww...

Just moved from Melbourne, FL to LA, it's like night and day. When I first got here I can't believe my apartment doesn't have A/C but after just one night I was fully convinced that I don't need one.

But the downside: Sunshine Tax :sick:

I miss Atlanta every now and then...

blkhemi

apparently some Lexus LS460 drivers were going faster than they wanted to.

Apparently Lexus has some issues with "unintended acceleration" themselves. 12 owners in different parts of the country have reported that their 2007 Lexus LS' have accelerated for periods far beyond them taking their foot off of the gas.

In one serious case, one drivers says her car accelerated to 100mph in rush hour Phoenix traffic. The only way she could get the car to stop was to run off into the shoulder, totalling the LS. Another driver says his LS accelerator "floored" itself briefly before he ended up rear ending a city bus in the process.

Although I'm sure these problems are isolated, or more or less, the only reported ones, but I must wonder, will this do to Lexus what some say(Doc among others) it did to Audi? It was big enough news to make Bloomberg and CNN news, so I wonder what does this hold for them?

No ill wishes or anything, but this is pretty serious stuff. But Lexus being who they are, I'm pretty sure they will definitely take care of things.

lexusguy

Here are some details from C&D about the EX. Looks impressive, the interior embarrasses the MDX pretty badly.

"At least the EX35 should be enjoyable to drive. Most of what you’ll find under its curvaceous skin—including its 3.5-liter V-6 and five-speed automatic transmission (with requisite rev-matching on downshifts)—is closely related to the other FM-platform-based Infinitis, the G35 and M35 sedans and the FX35 SUV. In this application, the V-6 makes 290 horsepower. Base models get rear-wheel drive and 17-inch wheels, but all-wheel drive and 18-inch wheels are upgrades we expect many people to make."

"The EX35 will be available in two trim levels: base and Journey, the latter being the better equipped of the two with standard leather seating, front and rear sonar parking aids, and power folding rear seats. Like other Infinitis, the EX35 will be chock-full of available technology, including a hard-drive-based infotainment system with 11 Bose speakers, adaptive cruise control with predictive braking, an active lane-departure prevention system that uses the stability control system (i.e.: individual brakes) to keep the vehicle in its lane, and our favorite, self-healing paint. Creepy."







C&D

blkhemi

"Wanna try Florida?"

You're preaching to the choir now brotha.

Years ago, when I was 30 pounds lighter and could swim for 60 laps, my wife and I lived in Jupiter for a while.

It was the weirdest thing. Sometimes, it seemed so hot that it would melt the pavement. But then sometimes, you'd get those Atlantic breezes, and it would cool things down drastically. But I did like the place, and the golf courses, WOW!!!!

blkhemi

Self-healing paint? Too much Terminator action going on there.

I don't know about this one LG. I'm seeing way too much G in it. This will be one of those I'd have to see in person.

But, besides the Q and QX, Infiniti knows how to style sexy. I said the same thing about the new G35 and I really like it now. And that interior not only knocks out the MDX, but the EX's big brothers too. Would not look out of place in a pricier machine.

lexusguy

I don't know about this one LG. I'm seeing way too much G in it. This will be one of those I'd have to see in person.

Yep. The critical issue will probably be cargo space, chances are it won't have much more space in back than the typical hatchback. Without a 3.0TT powered X3 to challenge it, the burly VQ35 under the hood should make it fastest in class, at least until the inevitable GLK AMG appears. That's in addition to having the most tech in its class. The interior is arguably Infiniti's best ever.

jcoby

It appears that you are actually referring to the ES 350 instead of the LS 460.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070815/BUSINESS01/708150373

OR HERE:

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=122210

I do not expect it to be a significant issue, but it will certainly be a headache for Lexus - regardless of the outcome. Improper floormat installation (by the customer) may have caused the majority of the accidents reported.

I hope no car buyer is still avoiding Audi over those controversial reports from nearly 2 decades ago; they would be missing out on a great vehicle because of an irrational (at this point in time) fear.

jcoby

"The interior is arguably Infiniti's best ever."

I totally agree. Too bad I don't really need an SUV, because this would be a top choice.

houdini1

Many reports say it reminds of the Hyundai Santa Fe. I like it a lot!! Any idea of the pricing? I would guess around $40K.

blkhemi

Yeah, with that VQ35 under the hood, it should scoot pretty fast, especially seeing how it moves the heavier FX in under 7 seconds.

Cargo space will definitely be important. With the X3 boasting 70 cu.ft., I wonder how much will the EX come in under or over? But the one thing I know for sure the X3 will hold it's edge on is fuel econ. The VQ engines were never known for great fuel economy, from the Altima(19/26), to the Infiniti M(17/22-ouch). The X3 can get upwards of 30 on the highway. That straight-6 is really known for good fuel econonmy, relatively speaking for the class of car.

But back to that interior: Why the heck Infiniti chose NOT to put this in their Escalade-fightin QX is beyond me. It really does make that SUV totally obsolete interior wise now, given the fact that I felt that way about the FX anyway. Until the Audi Q5/VW Tiguan and Lexus whatever gets here, I pretty sure it will remain best in class and perhaps Infiniti's best ever.

blkhemi

I stand corrected. I really do hope that it is the floormat issue as that seems to be a really critical issue if it is proven otherwise.

More interesting is that the Camry and ES350 have the same electronic throttle control and speed sensors for cruise, yet the problem is not a problem with the Camry. I guess this one will have to work itself out.

lexusguy

But the one thing I know for sure the X3 will hold it's edge on is fuel econ. The VQ engines were never known for great fuel economy, from the Altima(19/26), to the Infiniti M(17/22-ouch).

But back to that interior: Why the heck Infiniti chose NOT to put this in their Escalade-fightin QX is beyond me.

I'm quite sure the X3 will remain the fuel economy champ. I wouldn't expect the EX to be any worse than the RDX though, and it certainly should do better than the LR2's "are they serious?" 14mpg.

Infiniti has never been able to repackage Nissan products and make them look upscale and luxurious in the way that Lexus does with the ES, GX, and LX. The QX56's interior stinks because it's nearly identical to the Armada's. The old I30 was identical, panel for panel, with the Maxima GLE on the inside.

When Nissan hands them great cars like the Skyline and Fuga, they do well. When they are handed average Nissans like the Maxima, Pathfinder, and Armada, and told to turn them into luxury cars, thats when they get into trouble.

The Q5 definitely has a chance of taking down the EX, but the Tiguan isn't really any nicer on the inside than a Jetta. It seems more Mazda CX-7, RAV4 class than luxury. I'm curious to see what the GLK looks like, the new C-class interior hasn't blown me away.

tagman

LG - The EX35 is a nice surprise in the small-ute category... which is clearly destined to be one of the hottest categories. The exterior styling is current Infiniti styling all the way, but the interior, while very characteristic of Infiniti as well, is better than any other interior in its class, IMO... at least so far... and easily rivals many more expensive interiors as well.

The upcoming Mercedes GLK is already reported to have a conservative, yet incredibly well-executed interior, stealing C-Class styling cues and components, but supposedly even better than the C-class. But, regardless of what anyone else does, the EX35's interior will not need to make any apologies to anyone, that's clear.

Alternative powerplants?

FWIW, I'm patiently waiting for the GLK with a diesel.

TagMan

brightness04

At some point, someone is going realize that it's far easier to graft an E-class facade to a Ford Ranger or Toyota Tacoma than butchering a real E-class to make that pickup. The Ranger or Tacoma platform would also aquit themselves better as pickups; how long can the E class independent real suspension with multi-links really last under a loaded truck bed? Sheesh, some piece of work all right; definitely more money than common sense.

jcoby

I am not sure what you are looking for in your next SUV, Houdini1, but my loaner RX400h was simply fantastic! I had to specially request it (and be available at the right time) because my dealership only has 4 RX400h's in their fleet of several hundred Lexus loaner cars. First off, I was able to achieve just over 29 MPG in a mix of roughly 70% city/30% highway! Even at a 50% city/50% highway mix and with minimal efforts, you should still be able to easily achieve 24-26 MPG overall. Hybrids are much more sensitive to driver behavior than conventional gasoline or diesel powertrains, so you cannot expect to get anywhere near the revised EPA estimates if you drive and brake the vehicle like you have a V12 under the hood and Brembo brakes at the corners. :surprise: Even so, the powertrain is very quick and I had to adjust my pedal effort to ensure that I would maximize my fuel economy. The transition between gas and electric was smooth (although sometimes perceptible) and it was just great to be able to pilot through parking lots and side streets with electric power only - or sit in traffic or a drive-thru without wasting gas. The cabin was spectacularly quiet and the A/C still operates with the gasoline engine off! The gauge cluster has a small monitor (separate from the monitor that is housed with the navigation screen) that lets the driver know whether or not the vehicle is operating on electric-only, gasoline-only, or both; I found this monitor to be profoundly useful in adjusting my driving habits for fuel economy maximization. I was able to coast on electric power for very long stretches of time (at a speed of 40 MPH) by paying attention to how my throttle effort affected the powertrain's choice of propulsion; I really enjoyed this feedback and the fuel economy "game" that the monitor allowed me to play. I also applied my brakes earlier and more gently (than I normally do) to ensure that I maximized the amount of energy generated to recharge the battery. Due to the usage of this regenerative braking, brake pads on hybrid vehicles last MUCH longer than in conventional vehicles and these savings are almost always left out of so-called hybrid premium calculations.

After I returned the vehicle, I suffered from hybrid withdrawal for several days and have just recently recovered. I am looking forward to my next scheduled maintenance service so that I may experience the RX400h again. One of my coworkers was so impressed by the hybrid powertrain that she wants a hybrid as her next vehicle.

Contrary to some of the nonsense you may have read elsewhere, you do not have to replace the batteries at 100,000 miles and Toyota has a full recycling program in place for those valuable batteries when they actually DO need replacement. In addition to the standard 4yr/50k bumper-to-bumper and 6yr/70k powertrain warranty that comes with all Lexus vehicles, the hybrid components are covered for 8 years or 100,000 miles.

http://www.lexus.com/models/RXh/warranty/index.html

I definetely recommend that you take one for a test drive, if you have not already done so.

houdini1

Thanks jcoby. I bought my wife a new RX300 back in 2000. She kept it for 3 years and it was trouble free. Nice car but I kind of got tired of it. I have driven a couple of RX 400 loaners so I am familiar with the car though not the hybrid that much.

A friend of mine has a RX400h that his wife drives. Her long term mpg is around 22mpg. However, she does not have a clue as to how to max her mileage as you do.

I want to wait and explore some of the new diesels but certainly I would not rule a hybrid out. Currently I have not been able to find anything I like better than the current LX 460 that my wife drives. We have had it for over 4 years now and it has been a stellar performer. The only downside is the mpg (about 14mpg) but we only drive it around 10K per year. Unlike the RX, I have not grown tired of the LX.

2001gs430

I only have about 700 miles on my new RX350 Awd, so far averaging about 26 mpg. I find this is excellent for an CUV with a powerful V6. I like everything about it, except for the more pronouced engine noise under acceleration when comparing to my GS.

I had an RX300 once while my GS was at the dealer for the annual checkup. I was not impress with it at all. I found the new 350 is much much better.

lexusguy

ut the interior, while very characteristic of Infiniti as well, is better than any other interior in its class, IMO... at least so far... and easily rivals many more expensive interiors as well.

The switch back to glossy wood is interesting, as Infiniti has been using matte finished wood since '05. I know the '08 M is switching to white gauges, perhaps it will get EX style wood trim as well.

tagman

Depending upon the application, I sometimes like glossy wood as well as matte finished wood... but overly glossy wood can approach resembling the artificial plastic wood.

Regardless of the wood's finish, however, it's got to look natural in order for me to appreciate it.

Infiniti appears to have done a good job with the wood, IMO, based upon those pics you posted.

TagMan

jcoby

I am interested in the clean diesels, as well; I have no particular attachment to gasoline. In fact, I would be at least equally as interested in the clean diesels as I currently am in full-hybrids if these newer diesels incorporated some of the features of hybrid vehicles - namely engine start-stop and regenerative braking. I would sorely miss the opportunity to drive with electric-power only, but at least I would not feel guilty while waiting at stoplights or the drive-thru because the engine would be OFF instead of guzzling fuel. I am very CAUTIOUSLY optimistic that BMW will offer these two features on later iterations of the upcoming 1-series, in combination with a diesel engine; of course, I may be living in Dreamsville with this optimism. If this somehow comes true, then I will be EXTREMELY (!!!) interested in purchasing a 1-series with that configuration.

tagman

I am very CAUTIOUSLY optimistic that BMW will offer these two features on later iterations of the upcoming 1-series, in combination with a diesel engine; of course, I may be living in Dreamsville with this optimism. If this somehow comes true, then I will be EXTREMELY (!!!) interested in purchasing a 1-series with that configuration.

The 1-Series sure looks interesting to me, and I completely agree that it would make a great candidate for a highly fuel-efficient alternative powertrain, such as the one you describe... but if it should ever happen, I don't think you'll see it anytime soon.

On the other hand, I can't help myself from thinking that the 135i, with that wonderful 300hp twin-turbo engine in a car the size of that 1-Series, would be an amazing little screamer and a total blast to drive. Now, that's the 1-Series for me!

I believe the 1-Series will prove to be a great success story. A brilliant move by BMW, IMO.

TagMan

tagman

Here's the article, some pics, and then a link to more pics followed by a lengthy official press release:

Infiniti has revealed the 2008 Infiniti M45 and for this year, the new all-wheel-drive M45x joins the M35x. Infiniti has made some interior and exterior styling enhancements with added luxury. Infiniti’s Lane Departure system also makes its M45 debut.

On the outside, the 2008 Infiniti M45 receives a revised rear fascia, grille, rear decklid and taillight design. Like the new Infiniti EX, the 2008 M45 gets Infiniti’s Hard Drive Navigation System with a touch-screen, 9.3GB Music Box hard drive for digital music storage and playback and available XM NavTraffic.

Also for 2008, the M35 and M45 Sport models have been replaced by a Sports Package option. The 2008 Infiniti M45 is powered by the same DOHC 4.5-liter V8 engine as last year. The engine produces 325 horsepower and 336 lb-ft of torque.









Personally, I really like the M's interior, as much as I do the upcoming EX's interior. I like both the carbon fiber treatment and the wood. Nicely done.

Here are some more pics, followed by the official lengthy and detailed press release:

link title

TagMan

jcoby

"I don't think you'll see it anytime soon."

That is exactly what I am afraid of. My optimism comes from articles like this:

http://www.egmcartech.com/2007/06/26/bmw-1-series-gets-201hp-twin-turbo-diesel-5- - 43mpg/

Maybe this vehicle will make it to the US if the 128 & 135 are successful.

"On the other hand, I can't help myself from thinking that the 135i, with that 300hp twin turbo in a car the size of that 1-Series, would be an amazing little screamer and a total blast to drive. Now, that's the 1-Series for me!"

I totally agree, and I was excited about the fact this engine will be offered in such a small car - but I am trying to be calm and rational.
Besides, the novelty of the energy-efficient technologies would bring a different type of excitement to my life; I have never owned a vehicle with a diesel engine, regenerative braking, or engine start-stop technology.

"I believe the 1-Series will prove to be a great success story. A brilliant move by BMW, IMO."

I need it to be so that I can get my 123d!

jcoby

I have also found the M's interior to be very appealing, but I still like the EX's interior just a bit more.

tagman

I need it to be so that I can get my 123d!

I understand completely. If a car like that ever came to our shores, I'd honestly be tempted to take a close look. I could easily see myself enjoying the morning commute in a cute little diesel Bimmer... Starbucks coffee cup holder being one of my few commute requirements.

TagMan