I am going to be driving a gorgeous new GS350 2007 within the next few months (waiting for car I want to come in), and I am curious to how many ex MB people have made the switch to Lexus? If you read the MB boards once someone is fed up with all the issues they have with their Benzes and they get sick and tired of the car being at the shop all the time, they will say they have switched over to Lexus or they are switching to Lexus. Not a popular thing to say on that board! They do get some support from others who feel for them and their car woo's. MB is a great car to drive but you better have some money to invest in it if you own it and warranty has expired. So just wondering how many fellow MB people now own Lexus and how does it feel driving a totally different car? Though I have read Lexus when first came out based a lot of their cars on MB. Any regrets? Happy with your decision? I am excited about driving a new brand of car that is rated #1 on quality and reliability year after year! It is also a beautiful car!

 

I am not the brand-loyal sort; I always buy a car that captivates me and fits my wallet...I had a very good experience with my Merc - it was perfect at the time I sold it only 14 months from new. My 1st year GS is rattling like mad now that winter is here and it is driving me potty. I doubt you'll experience this in your 350 since they've sorted out all those early bugs...My experience with Lexus after-sales is very good compared with Merc - at merc it was very impersonal.

06 Lexus GS300 RWD NAV ML Quartz Shadow Beige Leather
- squeaks & rattles
02 Mercedes CLK 230 Kompressor Silver two-tone Grey Leather SOLD
- no problems at all
01 Chevrolet Lumina SS Silver Black leather WRITTEN OFF
- literally started to fall apart
99 Toyota Corolla 1.3 White Limited Edition SOLD
- impossible to balance for a smooth ride
92 Peugeot 605 Maroon SOLD
- dodgy electrics, overheating
92 Mazda 929 Sentia Ivory Beige Leather SOLD
- ac recirculation ,radio antenna, power steering, water pump
89 Subaru Legacy 2.2 gx Light Brown SOLD
- exhaust muffler

 

I once owned a 1998 E320 and 2001 SLK320 and both were purchased new. I had a good experience with both of my Mercedes'. But with the terrible quality reports and user comments of the newer Mercedes, I chose not to buy another Mercedes. I traded in both of the Mercedes for the '06 GS300, and over this summer I traded in our 2000 RX300 for a 2005 Certified Pre-Owned RX330.

I'm happy I made the switch to Lexus. My GS continues to experience some interior rattles or noises, but it's not bad since my dealer worked on the noises. Other than that the car's been great. And the RX330 is superb, although it also experienced some dash noise in cold climates, but I don't live there. My old RX300 was the most reliable and maintenance free car I've ever owned.

At the moment Lexus is my first choice for a new car. But I'm entirely open to other brands should I find something interesting. But, I'm not open to buying another Mercedes in the near term. From what I read they still have along way to go to match the overall quality of Lexus.

Also don't overlook the driving experience. The two marquees drive much different. Mercedes will probably give you more road feel, and Lexus gives more driving luxury and silky smooth operation.

My Mercedes dealership experience was just fair. I had better dealer experiences with Honda and Toyota. My Lexus dealership experience is superb, and from a service standpoint, I couldn't be more happy. I've worked with 2 Lexus dealerships in 2 states.

Hope that helps somewhat.

 

I currently drive a 2005 E55. I bought it brand new in april 05 and as of today i have had 4 major issues with a brand new car. I love the performance and finish of the car but the techincal issues are getting a little annonying. I am debating about trading the MB in for either a GS450H and waiting for the GS460, which i though was going to be out early 07. I would have never have though that i would be trading the e55 in but i didnt pay $100k to drive the dealerships C class loaner around once a month

 

Just switched over 14 days ago, i traded in an 18 month old, bought brand new, 2005 C230 Komp Benz for a 2007 GS350... i wont even compare the 2..no contest.. but the benz SUCKS in the winter, and god forbid you completely disable the traction control, then your really not moving in the snow... that was my biggest reason for switching, also because i got lied to when i originally bought the car and was told it would be "maintenance free" then i found out 9k miles later on a brake job that mercedes doesnt have "maintenance free" anymore... if that was the case i would have gone with the bimmer like i originally wanted, but whatever, good bye benz HELLO Lexus... cant beat the service..

 

My wife always wanted a Benz. I got her a 95 C280 and she loved that car. I liked it too. I thought it wouldn't be a real Benz but it is...regretfully. Anyway, it smells like the bigger cars, feels like them and rides like them. Solid and safe as a tank. When the door closes you feel like a suction cup just sealed all the air out. With the chrome AMG wheels I put on, it rode confidently. The paint is solid also, resistant to scratches and feels like butter with severals coats...it's deep and reflective.

Then it happened. Problem after problem. Bought it used and had no warranty. It drained my wife's bank account. Then it started working on mine. That's when I said enough. I forced my wife to get an ES300 which she hated. Although she spent thousands in repairs, my wife was willing to keep that car. We didn't spend any of our own money on the ES but she never ever liked it. Wifey is happy now that she drives the 3GS but she still talks about that Benz every so often.

 

I traded from Mercedes to an ES350, a mistake given my experiences.

My C240 MB never gave me any problems, never even minor ones, I wish I could say the same about my Lexus.

 

I have had an E190, SLK230, E320, and a C43 AMG, all of which I had problem after problem with. I put alot of miles on my vehicles and with this reason in mind I made the switch to Lexus. The AMG was a truly amazing car, but it got to a point I was afraid to drive it in fear of something else going wrong. I didn't pay to have another garage ornament. The 2nd generation GS has been a great car for me, I have had no problems with it whatsoever. My wifes ES is the same way, we have owned it for 6 years without any trouble. I'm working on getting the GS to perform a little more like the AMG, once this is accomplished we're set.