vladbph

I cannot explain to you more then I did. I had a chance to compare 2 different cars in the same condition and gave you the facts from my experience. The question was about specific conditions...

akfd

I had the seat pushed back until my legs fit, and had the steering wheel telescope all the way forward, but in order for me to grab the steering with my arms bent a little I had to get the seat's back up to a 90 degree angle. Unless I always sit with my back pushed against the seat (which I don't most of the time), I would be crouching forward driving like a 90 year-old.

Stormforge

dayam, it's gonna be hard for you to find the right fit! if the RX doesn't fit you, i don't know if a GS or GX would fit any better. i guess the only way to find out is to go to the dealer and sit in each car and see which fits better. good luck!

akfd

The GS fits me fine, and I'm looking forward to test-driving both the GS and the GX very soon. When I was at the dealer looking at the RX back in May, the GX wasn't in the showroom. The dealer even said their manager had received an order from Lexus Canada telling them not to let people test-drive the GX as there might be a brand new model coming in very soon. Well, when I was driving by the showroom a few days ago, and a GX was there!! I don't know what's going on, but if I can get my hands on one, and if it fits me and my family, then I'll certainly put that on my purchase list.

Stormforge

i believe that the new GX is due to come out sometimes in 2010 (not sure what month). the current GX is very dated (for example, it does not have push button start), so that may be a factor you should consider. by all means test drive the GS and GX. the car that best suits your needs is the one to get.

The G Man

Did both cars have the same tires?

Lexzam

Exactly my thoughts! Plus there are huge differences between the qualities of different makes of winter tires.

The G Man

Given the same snow tires in the same condition, the GX470's Torsen center differantial 4WD system plus the 4WD lock feature and the low range will work much better than a AWD GS350.

Solo_D33A

... I got around in Richmond, Vancouver and Burnaby just fine last winter...mine's lowered GS400 with Blizzarks.... never went West Van though...

Richmond have a lot of unplowed streets, probably 2 ft ? deep, I plowed through... sometimes I'd almost get stuck since people wouldn't yield to others while they're driving a SUV and force me literally off the road to avoid them then I have to try to get out while other cars are behind me didn't know I'm RWD, but I got out without a push.

vladbph

In what conditions?
"The reasons why SUV rollover accidents happen so often are simple High School Physics.
With a high center-of-gravity and a comparatively narrow track, such vehicles are
relatively unstable as a natural fact. Unless either the track is greatly widened or
the center-of-gravity lowered, the situation cannot be improved."
....
Acceleration due to gravity in this case is a function of vehicle speed, mass AND center of gravity. You need to have way more better traction on your SUV to over compensate steepness of the hill, which is the contributing factor for such acceleration.

Oh, yeah , go and visit West Van. When you see this you wouldnt want to drive in winter at all there... )

The G Man

What does roll over risk have to do with traction on a hill? When you are going 5 MPH, there is no roll over risk.
The last time I check, the GX470 have a wider track than the GS350.
The heavier GX470 will have a heavier load on the tires creating more traction in the snow. Unless you are climbing a hill more than 45 degrees, there will be more vertical load vector than the Horizontal vector.

vladbph

It is not clear? roll over is caused by the same factors... Weight and height. Now, you are going 5mph downhill and you the brake. Question to you: how much better traction you need to have to overcompensate weight and height in order to have the same stopping distance?

BTW, GX wheel base is shorter 2.5 inches , weight is more ~1000lb, height is 18inches higher. Width of the car 2 inches wider, but it doesnt mean that applies to wheels. Even if it does, 18 inches diff in height....?....

The G Man

Here is your original comparision between the GX and the GS, every post you make, you change the senario. First it was uphill, now is downhill, then there is the roll over risk at a stop. Now its is the height causing your GX to slide backwards
Like I have already said, stopping and sliding after a stop has to do more with winter tires than any of those factors that you mention. Just because it happen to you in one senerio, that doesnt mean its the general case.
I think you can ask pretty much any GS AWD owners here who have driven the GX or the 4runner and they will tell you that the GX is much better in the snow.

akfd

Thanks for the great advice folks, I really appreciate it. I now have second thoughts about the GS; it sounds like the designers didn't do enough testing before selling the vehicle to the public. The dash rattles and the brake squeaks seem to be design flaws, and they're not isolated cases meaning quite a few people are getting those problems. I might look into the 2010 Merc E Class instead, as it is more high tech and maybe they've improved their usual electrical glitches. I'm still looking, but I think I'm leaning more towards a GX for Lexus and the Merc E Class for an AWD sedan.

femmert

Say, Lexus Lovers....Just bought a 2006 GS300 with AWD and, in preparation for the weather this coming Winter here in the foothills of California where I live, I want to learn
about my AWD...how it works, when it will cut in, driving tips, etc. Lexus couldn't help
me - no AWD section in my Owner's manual or available from Lexus. Can anyone help
me find info on how my AWD works and how best to make use of it? Thanks....femmert