Sal Collaziano

Hey all.. I know a guy looking to buy a Toyota Avalon and I'm seeing if I can convince him to buy a GS300 instead.. Could you give me a few of the advantages that come with the GS300? Anything but the fact that it's a "Lexus" will do.. I already tried that. I mean things like options, how much more power there is, handling is better if it is..

Thank you!

Johnny Mo

Here's one...the GS doesn't even offer the bench seat as an option.


Seriously, assuming your friend is in his 30's or younger, if the bench seat doesn't scream old man's car (not implying that if you are not in your 30's is old) the much more reserved styling does. Tell him to "look around" while he's driving and take notice of the age group driving the Avalon. If he's making the justification that he doesn't want to pay $$ more for essentially the same car, you won't change his mind. Personally I think they are similar to an extent, but maybe distant cousins in other aspects.

Sal Collaziano

The bench seat is ridiculous! I know.. But he's getting the one with bucket leather seats.. He seems to have seen a nice one on the road lightly tinted with nice 17" rims. Style-wise, the GS is way ahead. But, he's convinced that with minimal effort (tint, rims, spoiler that it comes with) it wont look bad..

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

Sure it won't look that bad but it still handles like crap. It's front wheel drive with REAL soft springs. It's Toyota's answer to Buick. Also, the dash looks like a Buick unlike the cool guages and layout on the GS.

The Avalon is a good realtor's car - lots of room, reliable, quiet, and boring as hell so clients won't think they make too much money.

ebruce2

iTrader: (1)

Go with him on a test drive and take a GS3 out. And then take out an Avalon. I guarantee he will make the "right" choice.

Frank T

The Avalon is an OK ride...actually has more rearseat room than my LS430...It just has no exterior styling whatsoever. I don't think there is anything that anyone could do to make it ever look as good as a Lexus.

PHML

iTrader: (33)

The Lexus will turn heads.....and Toyota will not.

Does your friend want ppl to turn their heads? Is $ your friend's deciding factor?

I speak from experience.....I got a Lexus GS....and my friend got a Toyota Avalon.

Guess who gets all the "Ooooooooos and Ahhhhhhhhs".

PHML

Lexozz

He should go with the GS3. The Avalon is not that cheap when you include all the options and handles like crap on the road. The back of the car sits way up in the air like its an SUV. The GS has better handling and much better styling and of course it's rear-wheel drive . Like Johnny Mo said. Why not spend a few extra bucks and get a much better car!

kapdori

Lexus is LEXUS.. Toyota is TOYOTA...
I think lexus is made different. As I have made decision from acura. once test driven I don't think your friend will have any problem chosing which is better.
With upgrades that your friend would do to toyota, when he does little money into the gs, he WILL have much better car then toyota ever will be.
Just my opinion tho.

APLUS

Does your friend like girls? Does he likes girls chasing him and begging to ride with him? If yes get the GS. Unlike guys most girls don't even notice the differences in a GS430 and a GS300. They only see Lexus. My GS300 is a 99, and with my Lorinzer D-93'. wheels they just stare in aaahhh. I don't even get out my car to talk to girls. I get them all from 20-40, doesn't matter. I'm not saying get the car to get the ladies but trust me he will have mad fun in the summer at night comin from the clubs. In the Avalon he won't even be noticed.

The Avalon is a nice ride (for a family). It reminds me of a Mercury Sable, but doesn't even come close to a Lexus GS.

Here's what you do. Log on to Club Lexus with him. Browse the picture gallery (for GS) and let him see what a truly tricked GS looks like. If that doesn't win him over, than oh well.

Sal Collaziano

I should have probably mentioned that my friend is 30 years old and married.. Is the suspension that much worse? Why would that be? The front wheel drive is one of the things he likes better. His current car is a 2000 STS and he's pretty happy with that. Now, he's looking for alternatives to spending $55k... He doesn't feel the importance of a good 0-60 or 1/4 mile.. And, he actually likes the interior a little better in the Avalon.. I guess it's all a matter of taste...

APLUS

With all that out know he should get a fully loaded ES300 then. The GS is a more sporty car, doesn't have quite the room (new ES is actually larger), and the GS is geared more toward a driver.

PHML

iTrader: (33)

Sal:

Seems as though he already made up his mind on the Avalon..... I would just leave him be.

Sound like you want the GS more than he does. Maybe he doesn't want to own the same car that you want.....since you are an "ASPIRING LEXUS GS430 OWNER".

PHML

kapdori

You know, I am 31 and married. But I am still very young at heart. My wife loves my car just as I do with all the after market tuning that I did, she does think that I spend too much.
But its just about personal preference. I like my gs for that it is very luxurious when I wanted it to be, and it is very sporty and performance oriented also. When I drive the car normally, it just drives like pure luxury car. Ride is very firm but not harsh at all, it absorbs all the bumps nicely. When I drive like I am 21, it responds to all of my demands. So the reason that I like my gs is I am getting best of both worlds. Maybe its just me but I believe most gs owners do agree with me on this point.
Believe me for guys I don't care if you are 20 or 50, with suspension tuning even with just l-tuned setup(can't wait to get sways), it is sooooooo much fun pushing the car to see what it can do on twisty roads. But thats just me.

RNM GS3

The GS300 gives you better performance and its much more luxurious. The Avalon is based on the Camry platform so its FWD, which is a big difference. GS has a lot of personality, Avalon is a very plain looking car targeted toward old people that usually buy Buicks.

I guess ur friend doesn't care about styling. In my opinion the Avalon is very ugly, but the interior is very nice, and the Avalon is a very nice car. My father owned the previous gen Avalon.

I feel the GS300 is better than the Avalon in every way. Tell ur friend to test drive both cars and he will see why the GS is the better car.