crzyis

Well Im kinda facing the same. Normally with my 335 no one really says much but its a nice car. When i got the X5 no one said much and or cared I Drive an X5 but ever since i got my Lexus every one is on me like white on rice. Ohhh now you drive a Lexus you can afford this and that and this and that. Honestly I don't get it. people spend 500 600 a month paying for a other crappy cars when they to can be in a Lexus but i guess they choose not to be.

I too try to hide my Lexus now from everyone just so I don't hear it from anyone. Im so sick of it!

Brian231

Now that is a great response (LOL)!!!!

dogfish

A friend who used to drive a BMW (he now has an EVO) actually warned me about this before I got the car. Too many people think that because some pretentious a**holes are attracted to name brand luxury cars, we're all like that. The truth is, while these cars can get expensive fast, the IS is a reasonably priced car for what you get.

The fact that it is a Toyota is a plus for me and is the big reason I was interested in the car. If Toyota had a car in its lineup that was based on the IS, I would have probably looked at that car first. Anyway, when I get the comments from co-workers, I usually remind them that they paid more for their cars than I did for mine.

as3.0cl

iTrader: (2)

i baught my car with my own money and have do have a small note on it.

i commute to college so not to many peoples know ha i drive nor do i try and mention it. i get the what do you drive and i respond with a Lexus, then i get the what kind and i say an IS, then they are like an 03-04, i'm like no an 07, then all they have left to say is O. then it's a buzz of what i have.

also with women i tend not to mention it then they realize i drive a Lexus.

i get alot of stears and what not from people, and a lot of your lucky type of things. i'm like no i'm not lucky i worked for it so i'm enjoying it.

4TehNguyen

iTrader: (1)

you can say this about anything expensive *shrug*

ssmoked

In the minds of the jealous, ANY Lexus model is worth about $60-70k. But in reality, I paid less than half ODT for my new IS. Its the name in general that misleads most and makes them think and envy that you are ultra loaded.

If most people would get the Luxury brand out of their heads and actually do some research before buying their cars, they could easily pick up a lightly used Lexus for about $20k. Which prob. equals how much they are paying for a new Ford or Dodge.

Threxx

I bought my lightly used low mileage GS400 at the age of 20 and got sick of hearing people judging me based on the brand name of the car (for better or for worse). Some people buy luxury cars because they want the image/status/prestige associated with it. Personally I roll my eyes at those people... shallow and materialistic concern, IMO.

If they made a car that was identical to the GS400 but with a Toyota badge I'd have bought that instead.

Now that I'm older and in a higher up position in the corporate world people don't give me crap about driving a nice car, but it still bothers me to think that people are looking at me and the badge on my car and thinking whatever thoughts they're thinking.

Lil4X

A couple of years ago I had one client - fortunately and old friend - make some remark about my driving a Lexus now. When I said I couldn't afford Suburbans anymore, he thought I was joking. I explained that on a lease, you are paying the difference between price and residual value at the end of the term. He was shocked when he looked at the numbers.

He's driving a GX now, and his son has been asking me how I like my RX. I think I'm about to cause another sale.

Big Andy

Unfortunately, in the UK, Lexus is still trying to live down its most famous exponent, Norfolk DJ, Alan Partridge:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km11Cb5NDp0

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

The worse of the bunch are probably those BMW owners from high school that either inherited their car from their parents, or bought it cheap because it's junked. Usually it's the E36 owners too. They run around whoring their badge like no other.

Around here, Lexus doesn't really get the 'prestige' that BMW and Mercedes get.

Faymester

Maybe it depends on the city you're in.

I got a bit of the 'you drive a Lexus? ... hmm ...' even from people related to me when the car first came home. I would just say 'yes I do' and leave it at that.

That said, in Vancouver there are a lot of them around (there are definitely more bimmers but there are also more civics) and a lot of the Vancouver members on this board go to my school so it usually isn't a huge deal.

A couple years ago I had to go out of town to a wedding; I was not only the only Lexus, I was the only import so I was sure I was going to hear about what I drove up in. Surprisingly no one had anything to say.

So lets say its partly the city you're in and partly the people you interact with.

T0ked

iTrader: (2)

I've gotten more thumbs up and attention in my FJ than in my Lexus. There are so many Lexus vehicles in the tristate area, not a novelty anymore. Same thing with bimmers and MB. The FJ on the other hand, seems to draw lots of attention, both good and bad. People don't know what to think since they don't know what it is. LOL.

fasteddy91

iTrader: (5)

I bought my Lexus is350 for the power, looks, rear wheel drive and most importantly....reliablity. Heck, I would have still bought it if it had a toyota emblem.

dunnojack

toyota got the name right.

sounds like Luxis.

got that lux for luxury.

TopGearLA

this is pretty interesting in accordance to something I just recently read on a blog. There is a project site called http://www.brandtags.net where people input the first word they correlate with a brand name. There is a list of words that pop up for each in relation to what people write. The more people type in a certain word the larger the font appears on the list... lol for example... BMW one of the biggest words... *******... atleast Lexus didn't get that. Check out the site... its a bit confusing at first but pretty entertaining. Don't want to promote for others... but its pretty much sums up this thread.