omniskye

hi, i'm a rookie to this forum and am about to purchase a new 2008 GS 350 RWD. i'm pretty biased towards Lexus as we also own a 2007 RX350 and we like it a lot.

i'm about to close a purchase on the 2008 GS 350 RWD and would like some feedback:

i) price i was given: $45050 EXCLUDING taxes, title, and license. they claim that it's about $1200 BELOW invoice. all the other dealers i asked quotes from said they can't beat it, but sometimes i wonder if there's a collusion or conspiracy among dealers that are close to one another. Includes:

Mark Levinson audio,
Nav system,
18 in wheels,
Rain-sensing wipers,
rear sunshade,
preferred accessory package,
ventilated seats,
wood and leather steering wheel,
intuitive parking sensors/assist,
illuminated door sills,
spoiler

Is that a good price for all of that?

ii) ALSO, before i pull the trigger, wanted to get everybody's opinion of what they like LEAST about their GS 350. (to me, it would be the DVD/navigation freeze while the car is in motion, although i realize there are ways we can mod them.) but strictly out of the factory and stock.....what do you like least about your GS 350?

thanks and any help is appreciated.

valgs350

iTrader: (1)

I love every bit of my GS I just hate the SOFT PAINT!

I modded mine more to performance!

That a great price for a fully loaded GS, I am biased towards Lexus also but I think my next car will be german!

Nav Hack is a must + Dvd Bypass

Good Luck

MrFC1000

First off, I love mine. But least favorite aspects:

1. Nav/Bluetooth stuff that doesn't work while driving
2. Stock sound system not great imo
3. Can't have the I-Pod adapter and XM

I mean seriously, other than a few tech issues, I"m not sure how you can't love this car for the price. You need to spend $15k more to get a comparably equipped 5 series.

I just wish I had held out for the ML :-(

MELODY7

I love it!!!!!!

Hate;
Manuel folding side mirrors
Sensitive exterior windshield, you'll fill it with swirls and scratches.

The G Man

The Nav lock out dont bother me that much, I can always use voice address input or destination memory buttons. The biggest negative to me is the rattles, a 50K car should be have rattles, especially since the last gen was solid. Its almost like they went a step backwards in fits and finishes.

BTW, that is the best price I have heard so far for a 08 GS350.

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

Buy it!


I hate the locked NAV,run flats,no ML center channel volume control.

No rattles yet but my Lexus sevice advisor told me rattles will appear when weather turns cold but the rattles can be eliminated.

B.Diddy

iTrader: (1)

The only downside to this car is the no RWD allocations to the NorthEast. Otherwise I really like this car.

ecount00

for the record, you can have ipod and xm, you just can't use the part lexus sells. there are others available that give control through steering wheel and touchscreen and allow for satellite radio.

HeadCase

I've had my GS for about 3-4 months now and I can't find one thing that stands out as a major negative on this car. There are a few minor annoyances, but nothing like my previous Cadillac STS.

Minor Annoyances:

-Wish it came standard with iPod integration
-Navigation input lock while car is in motion. (I don't feel like modifying it myself)


The positives on this car definitely outweigh those small annoyances I listed above. Everything on my GS just works, which was so foreign to me after driving a Cadillac for 4 years. My bluetooth phone works flawlessly. The engine provides smooth power and is quiet...etc. etc. etc.

Just pull the trigger and go buy that GS immediately. You won't be disappointed at all!!!

socalJD

The price you were quoted is close to invoice (not 1200 under like the dealer claims) according to KBB. Holdback is about 1000, but most dealers won't give that up. Not sure if you're in NorCal or SoCal, but you could email the internet managers of some of the bigger SoCal dealers for a price quote and have your local dealer match it. Still, 45k isn't a bad price.

The major downfall of the 3GS is depreciation - the car takes a big hit the second you drive off the lot. I'd either lease it or make certain you plan on keeping it for the next 5-6 yrs or you'll get hosed in trade-in or resale. Good luck.

daepp

Great car.

Bads:

Small trunk
Nav lockout - just had it undone by a dealer recommended vendor - $399
Manual folding mirrors
Clicking from engine (high pressure F.I.)
Text on screen gets truncated

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

Wish I had a vendor near me that would undo the NAV lockout.

You do have power folding mirrors.

tom2517

I think he meant it doesn't fold by itself when you park the car.

MassGS

Having bought mine recently that seems like a good price for one so fully loaded.

In my short driving experience with it, I would agree with a couple of the minor electronics annoyances (mirrors, iPod), although I agree with G Man that the voice recognition adequately compensates for the Nav lockout (that's definitely a minority view on this board). If you are tall, check the headroom. As far as the driving experience, I am finding the run-flats and suspension on the AWD version bangs the bumps harder than I expected. But the 18-inchers on your RWD may be totally different.

This is all small stuff compared to all the good things this car brings that others can't match.

omniskye

thanks guys. appreciate all of this feedback. scheduled to be going in tomorrow or saturday to close.

also, if i recall correctly, the back seats don't fold down, correct? (i know there's a hole for skis or longer items, but that's it, right?)

as far as the nav/dvd hack.......i wasn't going to go the "wire-cutting" route, as i read in the posts that it will most likely void the warranty.

but i've read that many peeps found the Datasystem kit a bit easier to install with some minor jams in fitting of some plugs. saw some on ebay for about $232. would you all recommend it if i forego the wire-cutting route?

thanks again!