I guess we're going to have to disagree on the influence the press has on purchases by the majority of the car buying public. Most buyers, other than enthusiasts, pay little or no attention to the automotive press. Older Buick, Caddy, Lincoln, Lexus etc. buyers could care less what MT, C&D, R&T etc. have to say about the cars they're interested in. They may refer to CR but that's about it. IMO the press just reports on what people are buying, and has limited influence on their purchase decisions.

 

exactly what mmarshal said

 

I've been seeing more and more younger people owning Lexus' over the last couple of years. I think a lot of this can be attributed to the sportiness and mass-market appeal of the 2nd-gen IS and the refreshed and laid back, young appearance of other Lexus models. There was a time where Lexus' were boats.

Closer to home I think that Lincoln and Cadillac are heading towards the same direction as Lexus with mass-market appeal models with young, sporty looks.

 

I totally agree. The average car for a person my age (21/22) would be something along the lines of an EG or EK civic, mx-6? But seeing the sexyiness of the IS was enough for me. I saved and invested my money to buy the IS instead of buying a "younger" car.

 

If the manufacturer knows that the average age of their customers are older they will infuse with more features that appeal to older drivers. More luxury than sports, silent interiors, and ease of maintenance. The average Lexus above the IS is like a sensory deprivation tank. You don't fell or hear anything . It took me some getting used to when I first got the car

 

Age isn't everything. And I admire some new Buick products that get away from the geezer-pleaser dated style and low performance attributes.

But car companies do pay attention to the demographics of the buyers, it's all part of selling consumer products. I really don't see how any of this info influences the typical buyer.

 

I have been noticing the same thing about Buick and even Lincoln. Recently the styling of the cars is bang on.

 

I would find it hard to believe that the average age of the ES driver is lower than that of the LS driver.

However, there are tons of younger to middle aged housewives driving RX's, and since that's the most popular model, the 60+ average age is likely false.

 

According to the JD Power info the age difference between LS and ES buyers wasn't too much, but the LS was a little higher.

 

Sorry.....you misunderstood me. I didn't say that the auto press has a lot of influence on auto purchases. It DOES have a lot of influence on auto design, though.....that is obvious from the way automakers are doing a lot of today's body styles, interiors, powerplants, and chassis. The auto press, by their enormous influence on automakers, has made many of today's designs distinctly more sporty than they otherwise would be..........at the cost of neglecting some of the older and more traditional customers (who, incedentially, often have more money to spend on new cars than younger people do).

 

I think affordablility has a lot to do with the age of the owners too, the LS should be less affordable to more of the younger demographics ...

 

That's just it, IS-SV. The so-called "Geezer-Pleaser" characteristics you speak of are NOT just for geezers. That is one of many automotive stereotypes that the auto press has successfully managed to paint...and people believe it. It is true that Buicks do predominate among older people, but more young people drive them than you would think. There are some younger people who place comfort above performance.

Since the thread topic is the age of Lexus buyers, to make a comparison, just look at the number of younger people right here on CL that own (or have owned) and drive the LS....the Lexus equivalent of a big Buick. They are probably far younger than the average age of an LS buyer.

 

It's probably not just an age issue alone, but economics as well. A new or used LS generally costs a lot more than an ES, whether buying or leasing. Older people, in general, have been working for more years, and have more money saved up.

 

I see your point about auto press painting a picture, but comparing a current LS to the recent array of mediocre Buicks is like comparing night and day. The LS is a vastly superior car in all ways, including quality, luxury, refinement, ride/handling combo, safety, performance, resale value, handling, braking, features, etc.

 

Sure, there's no question the LS is a better car, mechanically, than the average Buick, but Buicks, in general, have better-than-average repair records, among the best at GM. I only compared the two because both the LS and Buicks are designed primarily for driving/riding comfort and quietness. (that may change with the new 2010 LaCrosse....we'll see)

Actually, the first LS models, back in the early 90's, did not necessarily have better brakes. The rotors were too small for the car's weight, and tended to warp from heat buildup. But that was also the case with a lot of GM cars.....in GM's case, it was just poor-quality metal on the rotors. But, yes, since then, LS models have been virtually bulletproof.