Interesting Talk With A Client: LS460L or S550.(long)
02-18-07, 08:01 AM
#78
Pole Position
Probably No.1 reason why people confuse these two from the back are the white stripes on taillights. Same goes when they say LS has 5ers tails. It's because of those thin stripes that are positioned almost same as on 5 or Camry
02-18-07, 08:32 AM
#81
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Posts: n/a
You are entitled not to like it, but that statement is far off.
02-18-07, 09:26 AM
#82
sort of way is more acceptable to me than if it had looked like a
Camry.
Anyways, I can't deal with those grotesque wheel arches... The Camry
look I may be able to deal with. For now I'll just settle with driving
my 50K Altima
02-18-07, 09:28 AM
#83
Lexus Fanatic
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02-18-07, 09:32 AM
#84
Super Moderator
I am not sure it would look better with a silver strip on the bumper, it may actually look worse. You won't scruff the paint as easily with that strip though, even with parking sensors & backup camera's these days, you still can't prevent others from doing that to your car.
02-18-07, 02:16 PM
#85
Lexus Fanatic
Looks more like a cheap Nissan to me. Which in a strange, twisted
sort of way is more acceptable to me than if it had looked like a
Camry.
Anyways, I can't deal with those grotesque wheel arches... The Camry
look I may be able to deal with. For now I'll just settle with driving
my 50K Altima
sort of way is more acceptable to me than if it had looked like a
Camry.
Anyways, I can't deal with those grotesque wheel arches... The Camry
look I may be able to deal with. For now I'll just settle with driving
my 50K Altima
I had the opportunity to possibly get a 3rd Gen GS because the Lexus dealer wrote me a letter saying they would give me top dollar for my 01 GS and offer a great deal on a 3rd Gen because of their lack of inventory of 2nd Gens and high demand for my color options etc. I really looked at the 3rd Gen and it just did not do it for me even though it would be great to have a new car, warranty and nicer interior. A couple of my friends came with me to look and pretty much all said the car just did not have a presence like yours and did not look as nice or like a luxury car. After looking it over I just thought it looked too much like a Altima or Maxima and a little bland and did not offer much over the 2nd Gen besides a few more options, a slightly nicer looking interior, and being newer and was not worth all the extra money over my car.
I am not a badge snob and would have bought the 2GS even if it was a Toyota and would have preferred to get the Japan only model with the twin turbo Supra motor. I think at 50K the 2GS was overpriced and I would never spend that kind of money for it new but at least it looks pretty much like a 50K car should from the exterior where the new GS to me doesn't.
Alot of new Japanese cars like the RL, M45, and new GS may look good but to me just do not really like upmarket high priced luxury cars from many angles like the German and British competition but they do have nice interiors. The previous GS and even the previous RL and Legends I think looked a little more upmarket then their replacements. Even though the Mercedes E class gets alot of flak for being overpriced and unreliable it does look like an expensive car inside and out. I just saw a new black E350 a few days ago parked and it was just gorgeous inside and out. I think it is my favorite in this segment as far as looks and the interior just about ties the RL even though the RL uses some higher quality materials. I just would never buy one new because they are so overpriced and all the reliability problems.
The new LS460 is a nice looking car and most likely will be the most reliable in the segment but it just does not have much presence and can be easily confused with lower priced Lexus cars like the E350 and possibly the new Camry because they look pretty similiar although have different details. Every time I drive past the Lexus dealership I look for the new LS but get confused with if what I am seeing is the LS or the E which is not good in this class. With the last LS I never had a problem of confusing it with other Lexus or possibly Camrys or Avalons because it looked so different and had more presence even though it was not very good looking. Most Mercedes models aside from the low end C class, M class, and that hatchback have generally always have had a presence that most makes can not touch and just looked expensive and classy. I think that is why Mercedes has so many die hard fans that will always stay with the brand even though they are way overpriced and unreliable and would not switch to a more reliable Lexus.
02-18-07, 03:05 PM
#86
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Bitkahuna, oh my, you are so right about that bumper! Up until now I just couldn't realize what is it about all new Lexus models that makes them look like cheap soapboxes, and now I do! It's the cheap, Toyota like bumpers. For instance, all previous Lexus model, besides perhaps ES, had this silver strip separating the bumper from the body, instead of just an ugly cheap looking seam.
They are getting rid of the excessive detail which is definatley not a bad thing. The cars now look more sporty, clean, and modern.
Here's the new S550. No need to single out Toyota/Lexus when everyone's doing it.
02-18-07, 04:27 PM
#87
Funny people don't complain when MB's C, E, & S class's all follow a similar design theme with different lengths. The same with BMW, especially up to the late 90's when all three of their classes followed the same design theme.
It's called having an identity. Now, you know right away that it's a Lexus because it looks like a Lexus. You wouldn't want to confuse it with a car from an entirely different company.
It's called having an identity. Now, you know right away that it's a Lexus because it looks like a Lexus. You wouldn't want to confuse it with a car from an entirely different company.
I really have to do a double take to figure out whether I'm looking at an ES or LS.
02-18-07, 04:36 PM
#88
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Holy crap! When did Gates become an engineer?
Last edited by doug_999; 02-18-07 at 04:46 PM.
02-18-07, 04:40 PM
#89
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Hey there. . . I can appreciate a salesman, and I want to share a few tips with you if I may.
To qualify myself a bit, I won't get into the specifics, but I am with an IT company. I am currently one of the highest performing representatives in my district for the highest grossing district in the nation. . . and it's a global company.
Let me explain what happened to you from a sales standpoint (and I'm not ciriticizing you, just offering my experience). In sales, we ALWAYS encounter questions, objections, rejections. Once a customer starts to consider a purchase, they almost always will have a number of objections (features, performance, quality, price, etc).
When a customer does not want a product and has objections, our job is just that much more difficult. Our job isn't necessarily to eliminate their objections. Just think about it. If I was able to convince you on all the reasons NOT to do something, it doesn't exactly make you WANT to do it either.
What your customer failed to see was the value in purchasing a Lexus (whatever "hot" buttons they have). They have to really want it, and if that becomes the case, objections are only something that slow down a deal and not something that stops the deal.
Now, you may be the best salesman in the world and none of this may apply to you, so I have no idea. I don't know you, and I can't judge you. I'm only speculating on what happened, so I could be 100% wrong. But, given my assumptions, and knowing they are big fans of Mercedes you've GOT to find out WHY they love Mercedes. And then, you show them how Lexus does it better. Also, you have to find their pains and show them how Lexus can MAKE it better.
From what it sounds like, they had some other problem about Lexus (image, no experience with the brand, or something else), and they were using the stereo as an excuse not to buy the car.
To qualify myself a bit, I won't get into the specifics, but I am with an IT company. I am currently one of the highest performing representatives in my district for the highest grossing district in the nation. . . and it's a global company.
Let me explain what happened to you from a sales standpoint (and I'm not ciriticizing you, just offering my experience). In sales, we ALWAYS encounter questions, objections, rejections. Once a customer starts to consider a purchase, they almost always will have a number of objections (features, performance, quality, price, etc).
When a customer does not want a product and has objections, our job is just that much more difficult. Our job isn't necessarily to eliminate their objections. Just think about it. If I was able to convince you on all the reasons NOT to do something, it doesn't exactly make you WANT to do it either.
What your customer failed to see was the value in purchasing a Lexus (whatever "hot" buttons they have). They have to really want it, and if that becomes the case, objections are only something that slow down a deal and not something that stops the deal.
Now, you may be the best salesman in the world and none of this may apply to you, so I have no idea. I don't know you, and I can't judge you. I'm only speculating on what happened, so I could be 100% wrong. But, given my assumptions, and knowing they are big fans of Mercedes you've GOT to find out WHY they love Mercedes. And then, you show them how Lexus does it better. Also, you have to find their pains and show them how Lexus can MAKE it better.
From what it sounds like, they had some other problem about Lexus (image, no experience with the brand, or something else), and they were using the stereo as an excuse not to buy the car.
Hi there, thanks for your inputs. I am doing quite well (knock on wood). I am averaging 15-21 cars a month. My #1 concern is to make my customers happy and making sure through the whole transaction everything goes smoothly and MOST importantly after they drive the car away that I will be there in the future if they need any help. Also to point out through the couple of years of being in the industry, I came to realize even though "car salesman" has a bad name, customers can be REALLY messed up. Some customers really treat car salesman as a POS straight from the start WITHOUT getting to know me. Though I keep a smile and just proceed as usual. Thanks for the inputs, appreciate it.
