flipspeed

Hi. I've been a long time member of this forum and some of you may know me. I used to be active often on the ES forums and just recently I parted with the ES300Also I've just sold my STi. So now I'm in the market for a 2006 GS 300 awd. I just have a few questions. First I'm a huge believer of Lexus reliability however I was wondering how much of risk I'm taking if I buy it without a warranty. Also, I was wondering if anyone who bought a GS 300 and wished they got the GS 350. I'm really not looking for performance at this point in my life (the experiences I've had with the STi will last me a lifetime ) Then there's the color... preferably I want a white one but for some reason it's hard to find one in NYC in my price range (mid 20s) Your thoughts on gray, silver?

niteflite

for me the price diff was too big to make the 350 worth it to me over the 300. have had it for almost a month and put on 800 miles on it or so, and i'm liking it.

one question for others: if you put the car into gear too quickly after turning the engine on, does it stall and require a restart? or is mine special. haha.

Iocca

iTrader: (2)

i dont wish i got a 350, as i dont really care about performance anymore, i just wish i would have gotten a rwd instead of awd. cause i live in az and dont need it. mine ran out of warranty the day I bought it. it still has the powertrain, but no bumper to bumper, I thought about buying an extended warranty, but for $2000? no way, I'll take my chances. the car runs fine, and I have only owned toyotas and never had a problem that I didn't cause (went mudding in my tacoma and fried my starter and alternator). Hell I'd even consider selling you mine if I found a rwd for the same price in white.

apok003

I have a 2006 AWD Silver, and I think, if you stay updated with all the service, you should be fine.

flipspeed

Thanks for all the replies. I think I'll get one without warranty. There's a black '07 gs 350 awd with 17k miles and a year left of warranty that I've had my eye on but asking price is around $34k. I think I'd be happier with a white '06 gs300 awd with around 30k miles for $25k. But then again, if the dealer offered to sell me the gs350 for $31k I don't know whether to consider it or pass on it. I'm sure others have had this dilemma where you have a set budget but then come across a great deal that involves spending more money.

telmz1

iTrader: (1)

I'm with Iocca. If you plan on lowering the car - don't get an AWD.

Iocca

iTrader: (2)

i dunno if u are going to find one with that low of miles for that cheap. i paid 23k with 47k miles. and that was private party, out of warranty the day I bought it.

steviej

iTrader: (1)

hey flip. I made the jump to the GS last year. You can't go wrong with silver. It goes with everything, black, grey, white, etc. Do get the AWD being in the northeast. The only reason I would have gotten a 350 was the bigger engine, however, the 300 has plenty of power especially if you hit the ECT button. The other reason I got the 300 was my aunt didn't have a 350 she was selling. hahaha. I love my GS. It was the best last winter. Like what was said, just stay on the regular maint and you won't have any problems.

nardeezy

Unless you already have your mind set, I wouldn't recommend a Lexus GS AWD. From my experience, even prior to minor modifications, the interior exhibited more unwanted noise (intermittent rattles, creaking, etc.) than I would expect from a $50,000+ vehicle. Also, in a stock configuration the gas mileage is great but the performance of the AWD GS300 is not. However, I'm in Califormia where the weather is mild and I don't need to drive in the snow. PM me if you want additional feedback.

IXI187IXI

iTrader: (3)

my car is rattle free

what options are you looking for? if your not looking for the performance end, i would still get the 350 for the 5th gen navi instead of the 4th gen in the 06 GS.

I have an 06 AWD GS and im still pretty happy with it. overall the car has been great with very minor problems. even after lowering the car, its not that bad.

I'll sell you mine

greg0723

i'm fine with my 300. i never drove the 350 but i dont think it is that important for me to pay extra for 61 more hp. get a cpo (certified pre-owned) thats what i did.

718LS430

umm my cuz has one for sale its a gs300 awd silver on black 2006 with i think 58*** miles no mods done . just tints he was asking about 22500 . really clean car . pm me if u wanna take a look at it

nardeezy

Things you may already know, but if you do decide to go with an AWD GS (which I do not recommend highly):

• Make sure it wasn't previously modified (lowered with aftermarket wheels). Although the theory has not been proved, lowering the suspension with oversized wheels/tires on the GS AWD could have potentially accelerated the wear and tear on the drivetrain.
• Take it on a very thorough test drive (freeway, rough and smooth roads). Pay very close attention to any vibration.
• No need to buy an extended warranty but at least purchase it as a CPO vehicle.

maying856

iTrader: (31)

AWD ftl....

flipspeed

wow steviej... haven't heard from you in a long time! why am i not surprised you got a silver car... hehe. just like you I want my GS to be the same as my previous ES... white. gs350 is nice but i really dont want to spend mid 30k on a car.