Byprodrive

iTrader: (1)

I was driving my 1999 Jaguar XJR sitting at a traffic light when a new IS Black Sapphire turned left in front of me and thru the sunlight. I caught a glimpse of the blue thru the Black Sapphire in the sunlight and to these day I think that is the most beautiful paint available on a new car, Once I found out the IS350 had 306 hp I test drove one and then it took 6 months to find my IS350 in Black Sapphire Pearl. Still not particularly a Lexus fan but I like my IS350

CDNROCKIES

Great thread!

First car was a '85 Oldsmobile Cutlass Sierra....what a POS! On top of that it was Dusty Rose.

Next car was an '89 Thunderbird SuperCoupe. Easily, by far the best car that I or anyone in my family had ever owned. (until my IS F)!
If it hadn't been written off with 290 000 km on it, I'd probably still be driving it...lol.

After that I moved into a '00 Pontiac Sunfire GT. I knew this was a temporary car while I sorted out the legal from writing off the Ford. Surprisingly, I had no problems with this car...but then again, I only owned it for a couple of years.

Next up was an '04 Chevy Avalanche...full load (everything xcept the tacky plastic body cladding). Again, an incredible vehicle that I absolutely loved.

At about this time, we needed a second vehicle for the wife (g/f at the time). Her pos Hyundai Sante Fe needed to go....lol. We decided we wanted an SUV so we started shopping the Acura MDX (sorry 1SickLex), the XC90, the Toureg, the X5 and of course the RX. As much as I love driving the BMW, after witnessing problem after problem over 3 models and 15 years, we crossed off the X5.

We test drove the Acura and I actually loved it...lol. It had more power and technology than the RX did at that point. I had scheduled test drives for the XC90 and Toureg, but the RX was up next.

We drove the RX and admittedly it was more luxurious than the Acura....nothing else mattered at that point...lol. The wife decided that was her vehicle and we took it home a few days later. I had to call my friend at the Volvo dealership and let her know that we wouldn't be coming to see her. (Ironically, she now works for our Lexus dealership...lol).

My current IS F was a much tougher decision. I closely looked at the M3 and C63 AMG. Ultimately, I placed more value on reliability and luxury on winning at the track, and am very happy with it.

Can't wait for the '10 RX's to finally come out so we can get back to vehicle shopping again....lol.

superchan7

I drove a VW Passat in college, and when I graduated I went on my regular annual visit to Hong Kong, where my family decided to rent a Camry for the month.

Dealer was out of Camrys, so we got a then-new 2004 ES300 for a small increase in price. I drove it and was very impressed by the ES line and Lexus in general.

The VW had given me countless headaches and costly post-warranty repairs, so I decided to avoid German cars at all costs when I was shopping for my own car earlier this year. The deep impression left on me by the ES300 made the new ES350 one of my first considerations.

I considered the Acura TSX, Acura TL, Infiniti G35/G37 sedan/coupe (now both G37), the all-new MB C-class, BMW 3 series, etc.

The ES won with its combination of looks, smoothness and quietness, features, horsepower, expected reliability (i.e. not being German) and resale value. Everyone who sees and rides in my car is impressed. I only wish it were a little bit sportier, but I can't have everything. I don't really like the looks of the Infiniti G sedan and the practical limitations of the coupe, despite their obvious performance abilities.

Ryeno

iTrader: (3)

lmao they are both rebagged camrys. gen 3 and gen 4 camrys.

My story is simple. I lived in michigan so i couldnt get any rwd cars. My dad got me 98 camry i4. It was a good car to learn on but it had no power. Suspension was crap, so were brakes and just about everything else.

Then i came to newport beach. Well now i could get a good rwd car. So i looked around and wanted something that was nice and powerful.
First up was fletcher jones and his benzs but they just cost wayyy to much for what you get plus i'm not an old man.
Then it was on to bmw. They are nice and a pretty good stock. But i wanted great not good and with their whole realibity issue. its impossible to build one up and have it running without breaking.
So it came down to the supra. Its a nice car but i live in newport so i needed something a bit more "respectable" So i got an sc. All the potential power of a supra in a nicer package.

herbvdh

Out of HIgh School my parents funded my first car then I paid them back it was a 1974 Chevrolet Nova gas drinking POS factory defects no recalls wrecked it due to defective brakes. Fixed it traded it for a 1976 Toyota Corolla in 1975 then the Toyota love began.
1981 Toyota Corona Luxury Edition
197? AMC Pacer (Wifes Car)
1985 Suzuki SA310 (Should of leased a Corolla)
1987 Toyota Camry
1992 Toyota Camry LE
1997 Toyota Avalon XLS
2000 Lexus RX300 (sold to my son at 17) (son sold to my boss)
1997 Lexus LS400 CPO
2004 Toyota Prius
2006 Lexus RX400h CPO
2006 Lexus GS300 AWD (My Son)
2001 Ford F250 4 x 4 for yard work odd jobs (My Son)
1994 Toyota Tercel 50,000 miles (Moms age 83)

mmarshall

I got my first Lexus in 2001 when the IS300 first came out. I saw a yellow one at the 2001 D.C. Auto Show, and liked the bright yellow paint, chronograph gauges, and solid chrome-ball shifter. Bought one a few months later, without a lot of options. Cloth seats, no sunroof, 55-series all-season tires...just like I wanted it. A great car, mechanically, and almost trouble-free, but it had a quirky come-and-go-transmission flare that the factory couldn't handle, even with ECU reprogramming, and the RWD traction was unacceptable on snowy roads, even with ABS, traction control, all-season tires, and snow-mode transmission. Lexus should have given that car an AWD option and didn't. By the time it DID, with the second-generation IS250AWD, I had already gotten a Subaru, but decided to stay on with CL....I liked this forum.

I8ABMR

I had an 03 G35 sedan for a good five years. I had some solid annoying issues with the car. As the car got older the problems just got bigger and I didnt feel like having to constantly be at the dealership to keep her perfect like I prefer. So because of the more problematic G35 I ended going with a less sporty GS350 to combat the reliability issues. Not that a Lexus cant break or have issues, but they are fewer and further between and the service at the dealership is on another level in comparison to infiniti or Acura. Before my G35 I had an 1986 honda prlude Si , and before that I had the crappiest 86 civic 4 speed. Thats the car that made me want to earn myself a degree so I could get a nice car. It was soo old and had so much mileage on it, I think it used to burn more oil than gas. LOL.

Poverty is the greatest motivator.

slvrboolet

Pretty much started with the IS loved the way it looked and it was lexus something was good quality and reliable. Got my first I when i was 19-20 paid it off and wanted something faster so i bought a turbo IS and am in the process of modding it. Once i get tired of i just might move into the is-F...