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Comments
I thought it looked fine but personally I prefer chrome wheels on my cars, adds that extra bit of sparkle to it. No other rim options other than chrome as far as I know.
TOS here does not allow me to reference names. All the staff at Glendale Lexus was great. I first requested a quote thru their internet sales group.
The wheels are georgeous, makes a huge difference to the apperance of the car. The picture of the wheels in the catalog does not do the wheels any justice.
Anyone have experience with using regular gas in this car, or is that not worth trying and just stick with premium?
Opinions on the standard sound system vs the ML would be appreciated. Trying to decide if the upgrade is worth it.
:confuse:
Thanks for your info. I will contact them this weekend and hopefully everything will workout great for me.
Any opinions anyone?
Why do you want AWD? $2,000 more expensive, 200 pounds heavier, lower gas mileage, slower acceleration. An alternative: Get RWD and snow tires in the winter.
Regular not recommended, will hamper performance. Alternative: do what Andy Rooney of 60 minutes does: mix half 89 octane with half 93 octane and get a perfect blend of 91.
Standard sound system is excellent; ML is even better. Is it worth an additional $2,000 to you? By the way, depending on where you live, you may have trouble getting the ML without the NAV, if that's the way you want to go.
Howardg1, you should never use regular in a car speced for premium. The engine will "deal" with the crappy gas by losing horsepower and your mpg will suffer. If you cant afford 15-20 cents a gallon, dont buy a car that needs 93, plain and simple.
The V551 was easy to setup and works great. At my age, hearing is not as good as it used to be and I can hear conversations clearly.
Funny how this post made me recall how absurd it was that the then brand new Acura NSX was getting only 5K to 8K on its custom OEM Yoko's. I remember the dealer was explaining to me that was the only complaint from his customers.
The best I have seen on the GS300 w/ ML/Nav packages (the $50,209 MSRP version) is $47,995 from Lexus of Westminster. Lease rate of 0.0017 and with $2000 drive off $666+tax for 48 months w/ 15,000 miles/year based on same car and sell price.
(GS300 w/ ML/Nav packages (the $50,209 MSRP version) is $47,995 from Lexus of Westminster. Lease rate of 0.0017 and with $2000 drive off $666+tax for 48 months w/ 15,000 miles/year based on same car and sell price. )
Thanks.
Does anyone have validation of this? Is it an overstatment or true? Thanks for the help-----
(Buying vs.leasing)
If you purchased and financed at 5% for 48 mo. with down payment of $21589 (lease residual value after 48 mo), the payment comes out to $715.88.
I have not seen any resonable lease yet. This one might be best for now.
Thanks for the replies guys--It's helpful in to me--
I'm a real fan of the new GS and couldn't wait for it to come out etc---Have driven twice and still am fan. Additionally, I've never been interested in buying an LS---will likely buy a GS430--
However.....
Until the Lexus sales rep suggested I test drive one, and I did.....Wow---it's with out question a step-up from the new GS----in just about every way. The interior blows the GS away and the performance kills the GS 300 and just about rivals the GS 430----
Net Net--Given that atttractive leases can be had on 2005 LS 430, in fact less than GS 430's isn't it a no brainer? I understand the GS is a different car and sleeker etc--But the gap between the two cars seems considerable to me---I guess the stigma of the LS being for "older" people is something to consider---
Opinions?
The LS 430 was very roomy, had good seats with seemingly unlimited adjustment possibilities, a normal sunroof, a roomy trunk and as much power as the GS 430. Its steering was much lighter but for such a big vehicle, I thought it handled okay.
I'm sure I can get the LS for a cheaper lease than the GS.
Forget the age thing. The Lexus salesman said many of the professional football players in the area own the LS. That's good enough for me.
For me this is a no-brainer!
The GS just isn't sporty enough (or BMW like) to distinguish itself from the other Lexus products. This has plague the GS since it's inception - unfortunately Lexus stll hasn't addressed this issue. They were stupid to bring over the 300 engine (instead of the 350) and I think many of the advanced features found only in the GS 430 should have been in the 300 as well.
Comparing current prices between the GS and LS is suspect. Wait until the normal discounts apply to the GS and then run the numbers. The GS will depreciate significantly for those who insist on buying it now at MSRP (or close to it). Just wait and see what happens to it's value when the new LS, ES and GS 350/460 arrive.
I feel that if the new GS was as soft as you claim, how would Car and Driver be able to remark "Despite the supple ride, there is discipline in the chassis. An adaptive damping system and keen steering help the Lexus hurry through the canyons at speeds most people would not attempt"? To me, that indicates that the dynamic capability is there, it just doesnt speak as loudly as it would in a 5-series, for example. And for what its worth, I dont feel that any ES would appear in the same breath as the phrase "hurry through the canyons".
Finally, you are incredibly dramatic with respect to depreciation and value.
Q: What happened to the ES300 depreciation when it became the ES330 in 2004? What happened to the GS300 when the ES became the ES330 in 2004?
A: Nothing, from what I've observed. Why would it be any different this time around?
~alpha
Car and Driver's article is about the 430. This car is much more sporty in relationship to the 300. Didn't Lexus say about 90% of their sales will be 300s?
Hmm....if you buy a GS now at say $50K and I wait for a few months and buy it at $47K....in three years I believe both cars will be worth about the same, other things being equal. As Lexus introduces new models I believe the buzz about the GS diminishes as does it's actual selling price.
I think that the y2007 ES will be more competitive with the GS than you think. My guess is that the new ES will have the same engine as the y2005 Avalon. If that is the case, then the ES will have much better handling, power, etc. than the current model. In addition, if the options they offer in the new ES are similar to the Avalon then the the ES will be equipped similarly to the GS as well. AND finally...the ES will me much less expensive. In addition, I believe the IS will give GS some competition as well.....
I believe the plan is to have the ES, IS and GS share the same 350 engine (guessing about 280 hp) although there might be tuning differences between them for a few extra horspower here and there. Lexus will definitely need to upgrade the performance components of the ES to keep up with the engine. Not sure if all the Avalon goodies will be on the ES - it will still be based on the Camry although this is the last generation to be based on the Camry.
The new ES is scheduled to arrive next March - I still think it will be very competitive with the GS 300 which just isn't a great handling car yet. Drive both the GS 430 and 300 back to back and you will see that the 430 is much closer to the Lexus targeted BMW.
IMHO Lexus made two big blunders by not bringing the 350 engine now (even Motor Trend in their GS 300 test this month said the engine struggled) and by not including the extra performance goodies found on the 430. In magazine testing the 430 will fare much better against the competiton than the 300 would.
IMO- The best point made was related to the GS's not being distinct and sporty enough. They are definitly polished well put together cars. Nevertheless, I'd have to describe Lexus's move with this iteration and timid and very conservative.
I can't imagine anyone genuinly considering the new GS as a BOLD move by Lexus towards BMW turf-----We can say what we want to about BMW's new style being off etc etc-----It's change the fact that it was a BOLD move by them and it's paid off they sell a ton of the new 5's and 7's-----Maybe it's because I'm in Florida but the few new GS's I've seen on the road have much older drivers in them---than the drivers of BMW's and even Audi---
If you're talking Lexus then--LS is the play!
I wonder how long until Lexus supports more attractive leases?
At the end of the day, the consumer will be the ultimate judge of the 3rd Gen GS. Not this board, not car mags but regular folks will vote with their dollars as to what they prefer. It's funny and yes still early, but with all the hoopla of the stalwart Infiniti Ms, the GS still outsold them by about 1K copies last month. I'm still flabbergasted that when I went by my dealer a couple of weeks ago, they had sold every GS on the lot except the demos. Evidently, others besides myself thinks the GS is pretty good.
So if you want to buy the LS, or wait on the hybrid or buy another brand, be my guest. I just don't want someone who is using this board to decide on the purchase of their next vehicle to get only a one-sided view of the new GS. For me, the new GS is a great vehicle as based on my personal ownership, and I don't think I'm alone with that opinion.
We've owned our new GS 300 for a month. It's our 3rd Lexus and our 2nd GS (the GS we traded-in was an '03 w/15K miles). The '06 is FAR superior in virtually every cpmparison you might care to make. Runs better, rides better, handles better, looks better, is quieter, etc., etc. etc.. The only negative is that it's slightly tighter, spacewise, in the interior. I'm a 6 footer and my head still clears the headliner (front and rear) but it is closer to the top than in the '03. Still, it was an easy choice trading for the '06. An added (and unexpected) bonus is the MPG we're getting. So far, in primarily local (city/semi-city) driving we're averaging over 25MPG. We feel sure the 30MPG EPA rating for Highway Mileage will be easily achieved. At this point in time we absolutely love the car. It may not be in the same class (sportwise) as the BMW or M-Sport, but it looks lots better, will retain it's resale value better and it is, after all, still . . . . a Lexus. A different car for a different taste. And we find it most, uh . . . tasty!
Hope this helps.
I was under the impression that the y2007 ES will move further away from the Camry platform. Is this correct?
I realize that an ES will never be a GS-my point is only that if the ES comes out first with the 350 engine and has similar bells and whistles as the GS and is less expensive, then some people might be swayed to save a few bucks and get the ES. Also, those wanting more room than the new GS has to offer and at the same time, do not want to spend the bucks for an LS, may consider the ES.
I actually like the new GS, but my husband is 6'4" and there just isn't much room for him. Still trying to decide between the GS300, and M35.
Thanks for the comparison between the earlier GS and the current model. There are so few people on this board who have owned both that your comparisons are especially valuable. I drove an '04 last year, but was not particularly impressed with the handling. From brief test drives with the '06 recently , the handling seemed much improved (although from a short drive it was difficult to tell, but your experience seems to confirm it).
Aside from everything else, the mileage is definitely a consideration. Both the Infiniti M and the Acura RL have EPA mileage ratings that are much lower. And the previous GS did not get great mileage either.
I assume you got rear-wheel drive? What options did you get and what would you recommend?
Thanks.
re: comparison between the ES and GS. My guess is that the bigger 3.5l engine will be introduced in both the ES and GS at about the same time next year, with the GS given slightly more power. That will neutralize the appeal of the ES for possible GS buyers.
If your husband is 6'4", I'd stay away from the current GS. All agree that headroom front and back is tight.
From a marketing standpoint, Lexus could not bring the 3.5 to market at launch. That engine puts out 280hp on the low end. That would make it almost pointless to have the 300hp GS 430. Almost nobody would pay the extra money for 20hp. So, Lexus has to wait until the 4.6 is ready and the GS 430 becomes the GS 460 (with additional hp). Then the GS 300 can, and will, become the GS 350.
On a side note, the new VDIM system in the 430 is quite an interesting technological offering. I know some car enthusiasts are bemoaning the fact that it can't be turned off, but for normal drivers, who cares? All I know is that on paper it could get a driver out of a sticky situation and ultimately could save some lives. It also potentially could provide much better emergency handling prowess during harsh weather and other terse conditions. I hope mine never has to be engaged, but I sure feel safer that its there if I need it.
Once again, I'm not touting that the new GS is for everybody, it certainly isn't. Particularly in this car segment, there are some terrific offerings out there. But all things considered, the new GS is pretty darn good.
When they finally bring the GS 350 the mags will say "this is the engine it should have had from the beginning."
But I understand the marketing, Lexus can sell a bunch of brand new GS 300s now then "reinvent" (most likely Fall 2006) the GS with the 350 engine and sell a bunch more. Previous generation GSs have started out with strong sales numbers and then faded away. This strategy will create two intitial strong numbers.
By the way the GS 430 is a much better automobile than the GS 300 and not just because of the engine.