I've been meaning to buy a Lexus for about a year now and haven't been able to bite the bullet on a specific model yet.

I SERIOUSLY LOVE THEM ALL. I WANT THEM ALL!

I need a daily driver, as well as want to arrive and depart in style (I'm a bachelor).

I love the SC300/SC400 for it's sleek body, awesome cabin, speeeed, and sexiness.

I love the GS300/GS400 for it's huge trunk, 4-door practicality, and pimp factor.

I love the IS300 Sportcross for it's 5-door practicality, speed, sexiness, upgradeability, and availability of aftermarket parts.

CAN'T I BUY ALL 3!? CAN'T I BE SELFISH AND HOARD ALL THESE BEAUTIFUL CARS!?


But seriously, I really need to bite the bullet now...I'm sick of my Camry.


ANY input would be appreciated, thanks you guys for helpin' out the fatboy in the corner wanting to get into the social circle and play kickball.

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UPDATE 01/20/08 I finally decided on one!!! I ended up getting a modified '99 GS400 [so he had limited buyers]. All of your input truly made a difference!

There are some things I gotta prepare before it's street ready...

The front tires got to go. Need to get the driver side window control replaced [he gave me the new part, just need it installed]. There's a crack on the front bumper, it's cosmetic, so I'm not sure if I'll get it fixed. The brake pads need replacing, rotors need to be shaved, and new brake lines need to be installed. The SRT intake filter needs to be replaced, if not cleaned.

The car has about 93,000 miles and I bought it for $10,500. The clincher for me was that he got a Lexus tune up done at 80k miles. I think I got a good deal.

Here are the modifications he made to the car:

Greddy Evo 2 Cat back exhaust
SRT Intake Manifold
Blitz Full Body Kit
ECU upgrade
19' MMR HR2 Staggered Machined wheels w/Kumho Ecsta - F/245/35/19 R/275/35/19
TRD front and rear sway bars & strut bars
Daizen front arm bushing kit
Brembo cross drilled rotors w/Akebono brake pads w/shim kit
JDM red/clear taillights, clear front bumper lights, and yellow fog lights
Alpine IVA-D310 touch screen DVD player w/10' infinity subwoofer
Custom dash kit to match factory trim
Clifford remote start alarm w/pager


You guys think I got a good deal?

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Is that rust?

 

I'd take the SC, and this is coming from somebody that owned a GS400

 

"I need a daily driver, as well as want to arrive and depart in style (I'm a bachelor)"

SC. GS if you want "her" friends in it too if you know what I mean.

 

GS300. Definately.

More room and functionality than the IS300. Less insurance costs than the SC300. And of all the mentioned vehicles, the GS300 is the most "moddable" model, so that you can have the pimpiest ride...

Is pimpiest a proper word?

 

Dare 2 B Different.

 

The only thing that scares me off of the Sportcross though, is this review from USNEWS: http://www.usnews.com/usnews/biztech...exus_is300.htm

The Sportcross was actually at the top of my list at one point, until I read that article. Damn USNEWS for eating my dream and poopin it out!

Here's the final quote they said:

 

Proper pimpiest. Word.

I thought the IS300 was the most "moddable". Guess not, goes to show you how little I know. Maybe it's because the GS is older. The GS VIP mod is siiiiiiiiiiick.

MAN...I want the GS400 too. It looks so nice. And that trunk! I could fit a lot of junk in that trunk.

The GS400 I'm looking at, has got the stock 16" rims. They gots to go, son! What would you say is the hottest, I mean, pimpiest rims on a GS?


Thanks for ALL the input guys. Believe it or not, I think by the time you guys air yourselves out and I suck it all in, I may come to a conclusion.

A conclusion that I hope doesn't end up in a Pinto.

 

Why'd you sell your GS400? What about it made you think, this GS is Great *****?

I mean honestly, the SC is such a classic beauty. And MUCH cheaper. MUCH.

This is what's making the decision so hard.

 

sportcross = rare

USNEWS is complaining that the back cargo area isn't like an suv ... well of course not, it' still a car ... but it's still super cool.

i find a lot of north americans are against wagons because it's associated with those really big old (ford i think?) wagons from the 60s (or 50s? yes, i'm only 22 so i could be entirely incorrect on what i'm referring to).

sportcross is unique, yet still practical: example: skiing, dog transport (should you have a dog), camping (i kno many single guys that do this).

but, if you want to be completely NOT practical, get the SC and call it a day

 

I sold the GS and bought a Corvette to take the pimpin' to the next level

The GS is cool but you see them everywhere, at least in Boston. Being a young guy like yourself, I didn't really want a sedan either, I just like the idea of a coupe a lot better

 

The easiest car to live with, day by day, and the most practical, is, the SportCross, especially if you have to stuff big things in the back through the hatchmack lid. It is built like a Swiss Watch (I know.....I had an IS300) and IMO clearly outdoes the present IS250/350 in overall quality, despite the glitzy but plasticky new IS interior. The IS300 was the most reliable sedan in Consumer Reports' database for several years.

But they can be hard to find (unlike the sedan, they sold poorly as new cars), come in RWD only (so they are not recommended for bad-weather areas), are tight in the rear seat, and have a couple of quirks that NEWSWEEK did not mention.......the chrome ball transmission shifter gets sizzling hot in the sun, the transmission buttons and the lever's shift pattern are quirky and block out some shifts until you get used to how they work, and 2002 models may(?) have a couple of very small electronic glitches in the transmission shift controller that come and go. Other than that, they are virtually bulletproof.

 

I really enjoy driving my bro's IS so thats what I voted for, but as far as cars that can handle or perform in bad weather there are better choices. Though I hear that '02 and up is better than the '01 IS.

 

have had 2 GS, 9 Scs, 3 IS300 ( no sportcross, but I assume they are just a bit heavier )
SC looks the best,
IS handles better, but too small and under power for me.
GS gets my vote, 4 drs, 300 HP ( I am talking about gs4 ), 5 spd auto, and more, but the truck for GS is NOT big, no, they are actually very small, IMO.

 

I say go with the SC300. It makes a great sleeper and its slick looking.

 

The 02's and up had the choice of a manual transmission, but that did not apply to the SportCross. They also had fewer electronic glitches in the transmisison shift-programming. Later models....I believe '03 or '04...offered meomry-power seats and mirrors.