bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

The ES being FWD just isn't here to play. They could at least offer it with AWD. It drives like a quiet boat. But yes, it clearly has a market. To me it's more in the Toyota Avalon / Buick Lucerne market.

BMW bringing twin turbos to the 3 series though seems to have been a stroke of genius generating incredible excitement. They have a very broad range. But I agree that Infiniti's done a great job with the G sedan and coupe.

IS is a nice car, but to me it's not quite sporty enough OR not quite practical enough (i.e., rear seat room in particular). I think Lexus needs an IS coupe in the worst way and then to make the IS sedan a bit bigger.

Definitely!

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

Are you really a doctor?

Nextourer

used to exist. Remember the I30/I35? lol. And the Acura TL used to be there too with the 2.5TL and 3.2TL. The C-Class also competed in that area (when the ES300 was smaller)... until they came out with the C36 AMG and C230 Kompressor.

DASHOCKER

iTrader: (2)

German cars are pretty solidly built compared to their Japanese counterparts. I am talking from ownership experience.

Nextourer

Yeah I remember my parents and relatives talking about how German sedans are very stable and you don't feel the crosswinds and such that you do with Japanese cars. Of course this was back then in the mid 90s but I'm sure it's still applicable now. Oddly enough, we all drive Japanese cars...

mmarshall

Yes.........and we drive Japanese (and, increasingly, Korean) cars for a REASON.

However, several newer domestic models have shown some good promise.....most notably some Ford/Mercury sedans/SUV's, and, especially, the new Cadillac CTS.

LexFather

I agree here. In most models, I do feel a certain solidity over Lexus.

LexFather

Well IMO, the new 3 is superb as the IS. I find the new A4 (from what we know) and C-class to be pretty average and not superior to these older cars.

I will say I agree that Lexus needs to continue to expand their lineups. No joke, in Europe there are 40 variations of the 3!!!

What is amazing is while Lexus has expanded, they still have a very limited lineup and they are the best selling in America and 4th in the world (luxury brands).

Nextourer

True but in Europe a 3 is a junior executive car and can also double as a family car (if you chose an economical 1.6 or 1.8 litre version or the 2.0 litre diesel).

I kinda like the simplicity of the models here. Yes, it's nice to see some options like the IS range splitting into 3 models and the GS into 3 models (both used to have only one engine/drivetrain choice).


But I don't know if I want to see an IS250, IS300, IS350, IS220d and in RWD and AWD and both manual and automatic. That's 16 different combos right there.

mavericck

To the moderators,

Why was my post deleted?

Faymester

$1400 over 7 yrs and ur including breaks and tires? ... HOW?


and the on topic note: lexus isn't as old as bimmer, benz, etc ... so i'd say relatively speaking, they're doing alrite

geko29

Brakes were free under warranty. Probably due for the fronts in another year or so, which will run me around $55 if the rotors don't need to be replaced, or $155 if they do. That will probably bring me up to right around $1500, and when I do the water pump and thermostat as a preventative measure, I should be at about $1600-1700.

Repairs/replacements/tools:
Tires were $500 (Continental Extreme Contact in a +0 size).
Battery was $60
Bentley Service manual was $120
Oil Filter housing wrench was $18
Final Stage Reisistor was $75
Fluid pump (for trans/diff fluid) was $12

Maintenance:
6 oil changes: 3 free, 1 $78 (dealer), 1 $65 (Jiffy Lube), 1 $45 (home)
Brake fluid changed twice: once free, once $24
"Lifetime" antifreeze changed once: $36
"Lifetime" trans fluid changed once: $27
"Lifetime" diff fluid changed once: $9
"Lifetime" Power Steering fluid changed once: $9
Fuel Filter: $20
Sparkplugs: $36
Air filter: 3 times free, twice at $18
Cabin air filter: 3 times free, once at $30.

Note I've done quite a bit of "non-required" service. And there are probably some small things (wiper refills, taillight bulbs) that I can't remember when I did them or how much they cost. But that's 90-95% of it there, at least. Now I did spend a little more than that because I have 5 extra quarts of oil, a spare oil filter, a guibo (flex disc) and mounting bolts that I thought I would need and didn't, plus tools not specific to the car: power bleeder, caliper reset tool, OBD II Scanner, torque wrench, etc. I included the fluid pump because I threw it out after changing the diff fluid (NASTY stuff!).

The list comes to $1200 exactly, though I remember the last time I added everything up it was more like $1320 (maybe I included the powerbleeder or some of the stuff I haven't used yet, or some of the little stuff).

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

geko, sounds good. What vehicle is this? And you've had NO other problems?

geko29

2000 323i (2.5L I-6, 5-speed Getrag, every option except sport package, Harmon Kardon audio, 6-disc changer and cell phone).

Problems under warranty:
cracked seat track trim at delivery, replaced following week.
squeaking front/rear brakes, replaced under warranty at ~30k miles.
failed driver and front passenger window regulators (EXTREMELY common problem with all german cars from 1999-2001, defective run of Bosch regulators), replaced under warranty at the ~18mo mark.

Problems out of warranty:
Battery failed at ~6year mark.
Final Stage Resistor started going out at the ~4year mark, dealt with wonky climate control for about a year before replacing.
One wheel dented by pothole at ~20k, swapped out with spare.
Car stolen by valet at 38k miles, seats destroyed, left side bodywork (front fender-rear quarter panel) wrecked, clutch detonated. Didn't include any of these "extraordinary" repairs in my total, because I wouldn't have expected the clutch to need replacing even by this point.

spwolf

ehm, another one of these threads... good work.