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From an enjoyment perspective, the car is on another level. The LS was a great car, but the Mercedes is just the total king of any road its on, and people's reaction to the car is really amazing. Friends, family etc want to ride in it just to experience it which is something I never found was the case in the Lexus. Even now that its not the current generation, you would never know that to judge people's reactions. Dealer service is easily the equal or superior to Lexus. They treat me like a really valued customer. The salesman who sold it to me reaches out and keeps in touch, hes actually a member at MBWorld and shows a passion for the brand that I never experienced with anybody at Lexus. Service writers have been great too, seeming a step up in caliber and professionalism. The cashier at the dealer wears a double breasted suit every day, he's been there for 30 years. Even the independent mechanic, when we first met (he was a referral from a client) he and his head tech and I spent about 30 minutes under my car on a lift talking about how it was engineered and why he loved the way they did this, and how they used to do that and weight savings meant they had to do this, etc. Just clearly a fan of and passionate about the car.
So, those who are considering branching out, don't be afraid and give it a whirl. Its going to cost you more, just be prepared for that...but life with a German car is not scary...its plenty reliable, find a good independent mechanic who knows the cars well to save some cost or just stick with the dealer...hell, even my Chrysler Pacifica, this one we have now has been perfect. Not one issue.
That's what I found when I owned a Benz too.
People give you much more respect in a Mercedes.
Starts at $11K more than the LS500 lol. What does that make the LS?
That makes the LS a car without AWD and with significantly less standard equipment, which therefore has a lower base price. If you add AWD to the LS, the gap drops to $7k. If you try to configure the LS500 to be as similarly equipped as the G90 without going overboard--for example skipping the matching 20-inch wheels that appear to be $920 but actually only come in packages that cost $16-27k--it winds up costing a few grand more, and is still a smaller car with fewer features.
Maybe …. Still a value..still a Hyundai. I’d like to Genesis price it as the same as S class or BMW. Price maxes out at $99,000.
And a Lexus is still a Toyota. That just doesn't bother me. And yeah, value is the main selling proposition of both the G90 and the LS. Knocking them for being cheaper may make sense when you're in the armchair talking about them in abstracts, but when you're a buyer and its your money its a different matter. No matter how much I love the S Class, the value is a huge draw. When you consider the fact that a new S Class like mine would cost me $35,000 more than mine cost, I promise you I will consider a cheaper car before I shell that out.
Originally Posted by Stroock639
is this not the same Steve who told me that having the E55 would be like owning a "coke-starved hooker"?
When you consider the fact that a new S Class like mine would cost me $35,000 more than mine cost, I promise you I will consider a cheaper car before I shell that out
You are paying for mild hybrid in the new S580 compared to your S560. Rear wheel steering. Lots of updates Genesis can’t charge $35,000 more. No V8.
Even with a V8 they couldn't charge $35,000 more, and the 6 cyl S500 is more than $35,000 more expensive than a loaded G90...let alone the S580. A new S580 optioned just like my S560 would be $35,000 more than the cost was on my S560, the pricing itself is up about $15,000, and then I got $20k off of mine which isnt possible now.
There is no doubt that if you want prestige and you want "the best", you should get the Mercedes...but you don't always have to have the best...
Even with a V8 they couldn't charge $35,000 more, and the 6 cyl S500 is more than $35,000 more expensive than a loaded G90...let alone the S580. A new S580 optioned just like my S560 would be $35,000 more than the cost was on my S560, the pricing itself is up about $15,000, and then I got $20k off of mine which isnt possible now.
..
‘You have to pay to play. You bought an end of model run. And there is now inflation.
‘You have to pay to play. You bought an end of model run. And there is now inflation.
I'm not saying the pricing is wrong, its just a reality.
Sure..if you want to go backwards.
I don't *want* to go backwards, but if I can get a car that I will enjoy driving almost as much for dramatically less cost, I'd be a fool not to at least consider that. I'd rather have another S Class, but money is money.
That makes the LS a car without AWD and with significantly less standard equipment, which therefore has a lower base price. If you add AWD to the LS, the gap drops to $7k. If you try to configure the LS500 to be as similarly equipped as the G90 without going overboard--for example skipping the matching 20-inch wheels that appear to be $920 but actually only come in packages that cost $16-27k--it winds up costing a few grand more, and is still a smaller car with fewer features.
The $90K G90 is missing plenty of features from the $100K model- no executive rear seats, no air suspension, no electric supercharger, no power doors, no rear steer, and more. The point isn't to compare price-per-feature, it's that the Lexus prices itself well below the G90 to start. It is effectively the cheapest car in the entire segment. So if the G90 is supposedly the value player, what does that make the even cheaper LS?
That the LS is a more poorly packaged car and technologically behind the G90 in just about every manner is a deficiency of the car regardless of the price range, and why it is currently the bottom of the segment.
Structurally the LS is all steel while the G90 is mostly aluminum like its German counterparts. That alone makes it more advanced than the LS.
Steel crashes better.....there are pros and cons to both materials. Alum is harder to make crashworthy since it tends to snap not bend, it's also somewhat harder to setup for rigidity since it takes up more space relative to steel despite being lighter
Steel crashes better.....there are pros and cons to both materials. Alum is harder to make crashworthy since it tends to snap not bend, it's also somewhat harder to setup for rigidity since it takes up more space relative to steel despite being lighter
Now that you mention it, I don't think the LS500 has been crash tested by either the NHTSA or IIHS. A bit strange.