jrock65

I'm thinking that the TL will be cross shopped the most with the ES330 and G35. The average shopper in this category is looking for an entry level luxury name plate car with decent room inside. The 330i might be conceived to be too small, too pricey, and not have "Japanese reliability."

Configuring the ES330 on lexus.com as close as possible to a base TL, I get $34,980 including destination.

Configuring the G35 on infiniti.com as close as possible to a base TL, I get $34,095 including destination.

Of course, each car has different strengths and weaknesses, with the G35 more performance oriented, ES330 more luxury oriented, and TL somewhere in between. And each car may have features that another car may lack.

So,

ES330 = $34,980
G35 = $34,095
TL = $34,000 ?

Personally, I think all these cars are tremendous values and each will sell well.

ATSOU

I'll pick TL or G35............

juan01

I'd still go ES.

XenonES3

Same. So much luxury at such a low price. Truly a great value.

But for fun, I'd go with the TL. I'm not a big fan of the G35 Sedan.

<VENOM>

Lets not forget the I35, Infiniti is keeping it around for the MY 2004 probably cause it's head to head with the ES330.

Only if ES had like 260hp

EGainer

well, being that you cant compare any of the cars directly, especially the g35 which now as a coupe option, it depends on what you want. the es is a great car, and the new one is the most luxury you can get for that price, infiniti is still infiniti, even if you make it go fast and have an sc430 profile. g35 is for the 35 year olds who think they have a luxury model, but really have a 350z with some bells and whistles. i hate the g35, and i think the sedan is extremely ugly. i35 is even worse. the tL, i heard was being dropped off the model line soon enough, but not guaranteed on that. lexus is the only one of the 3 that i would trust for guaranteed reliability and best luxury, but it doesnt come with a 5/6 speed and isnt going to work for a kid like me... (i drove both of mine very very hard sometimes) its up to you, performance or luxury. id get the es, and get another cheaper car for sport

squarehat

The forthcoming TL looks like it has lots of bells and whistles (such as Bluetooth) and a strong engine, but still can't match the luxury and refinement of the ES.

LunarDDS

I just got my new ES330 this last weekend. The G35, Acura TL (last gen), and the ES were my top choices. The G35 is a nice car. Lots of torque, and I mean lots. You feel like you can light up the tires with this thing. The ride is definitely sport tuned. The main problem I had with it was interior fit and finish. It just felt cheap. The Acura was a solid car but lets face it, a honda drives like a honda. All honda cars feel the same to me. Like your isolated from the road. The ES was just what my wife wanted (notice married people say this alot, it's not about me, it's about the wife). Interior is plush and the ride is smooth and solid. Money being pretty much equal we went with the ES. If I wanted more sport, the G35 probably would have been the one. I just don't care for the drive of the Acura too much. Ok, that's my first post on this forum.

flipspeed

i dont even think infiniti and acura play in the same league as lexus. if anything, lexus is up there with mercedes in terms of quality and luxury . even though the es330 is the entry-level lexus... nothing about the car feels cheap, something that can't be said about the infiniti g35 where cost-cutting is evident. as for acura... its still a honda. one can make the claim that the es is basically a toyota camry but a camry is a terrific car to begin with and is just as reputable as the corolla. i could care less if a g35 or TL is faster than an ES330... i could name A LOT of cars that are faster than an es330 at half the price! i like the es or any other lexus because of quality and that's what i think makes those cars so special. if you're in the market for a performance-oriented luxury automobile, there's none better than the ultimate driving machine

rogers2

I truly feel the last generation was nice but imo the new ES is just to grandma looking. I hate to say it my gs300 ride comfort doesn't feel no better than my friend’s Camry. Cushy. But I’m not complaining.
I truly feel the new TL is simply a better overall car. It combines performance with a nice interior. That car is coming with a 6sp. whoa
The ES is simply a nice luxury car.
G35 imo the performances kicks ***.

jrock65

So, the MSRP, similarly configured as a base TL:

ES330 = $34,980
G35 = $34,095
TL = $33,195

TL will be at $33,000 for a while, while the ES330 and the G35 can be had for about $32,000. Whatever your choice, I feel that all of these are fantastic deals. Just four or five years ago, you had to pay $50,000 to get a car with the features and performance of these cars.

For some cars, such as the 2004 530i, I guess you still pay $50,000. Configuring the 530i as close as possible to a base TL, the MSRP is $50,220. To be fair, the 530i has more standard features and a better combination of sport and luxury (good quality interior with RWD) than the TL, G35 or ES330, but I just don't think it's worth the extra $17,000.

Kohinoor

iTrader: (22)

id pick the g35 & go jdm with it - skyline!!

pkchin

Either the TL or the es330. TL, more performance - ES330, more refined fit & finish - can't decide

iammikey

I, too, looked at the aforementioned cars, Infiniti G35, Nissan Maxima, Mercedes C230, BMW 3 and 5 Series, and the Acura TL before I decided on the ES330.

While shopping, I considered several things. First was the expense of owning the car which included scheduled maintenance, fuel, and experience (mine and friends) with the choices. The Nissan/Infiniti cars were nice, but too plasticky. Besides, Nissan FAILED to cover my car when it was only 50 miles out of warranty, while the Bimmers were too uncomfortable for my frame size on long distance drives. The TL (03 MY) was nice, but not even close to Lexus' quality - the 04 TL quality doesn't look any better (at least in pictures). The Mercedes still suffers from bad reviews from co-workers (maybe it's just a bad batch here in Northern CA).

I've had great experiences with Toyota warranties in the past such as a FREE motor for my 91Toyota 4Runner after the headgasket blew at 135,000 miles, and a check for $800 after my 89 X-cab 4x4 paint started to delaminate after 5 years. Both cars were totally out of their warranty and I wouldn't expect anything less from their Lexus line.

It all ended quickly with the ES330. Value, Comfort, Refinement, Quality and Safety Features set this car apart from all the others. It has more than enough power for a work car. For those of you still shopping, ride it before you drive it, touch it before you sit in it, and talk to the owners in the lobby of a dealerships service center - most of the ones I spoke to are on their 3rd or 4th Lexus. Lastly, the ES does not require 91 Octane (was $2.25/gal this summer), but only 87 Octane. The scheduled maintenance is VERY resonable. With the 700 - 1000 mile I drive each week, mileage and expenses add up quick.

If plastic is what you want, then go for the Infiniti/Nissan.
If you enjoy driving rental cars, then go for the Mercedes. (hehe)
If you want a sports sedan, then go for the Acura or Bimmer.
Lastly if Value, Comfort, Refinement, Quality and Safety is on your mind, then a Lexus it is.

gs400jon

I only have 105 miles on my ES 330 but certainly agree with your comments. In the past, driving ES 300 loaners, there wasn't a whole lot to rave about but the 2004 is very solid and a pleasure to drive.