Just bought my 1st: 2006 GS300
01-07-11, 12:41 PM
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Just bought my 1st: 2006 GS300
My trusty 1998 , BMW 528i crossed the line last year... repairs and repair cost exceeding the value of the car. Probably should have ended that relationship about 6months and $2000 ago!
The wife drives a 2002 530i (BMW) so I wanted to try something different, just to have some variety in my driving, something to fight the boredom. I love the 5-Series BMWs but one wants to experience something different after 6 years. Looked at the Infinity (G35 and M35) as well as the Acura TLs. I originally was looking at the Lexus IS250 cause the wife wanted something smaller than the 5-series. The Infiniti M35 was where I was leaning just to get a lot of cool options. I was not familiar with the GS and stumbled across them while doing an eBay search. Up until that point I wasn't really excited about the look of the cars I had been exploring.
Initial impressions: Some things I miss from my old 528i but there are some new items I hope will grow on me. I had upgraded the nav on my BMW and it was very good and easy to upgrade and easy to hack (3-D view). The Lexus Nav, at least the version in my car is just different enough that it will take some getting use to.
The ride is smooth and quiet.
The voice-command stuff leaves a lot to be desired, in fact at this point, it's horrible! Sound Off... turns off the radio, great. Sound On... attempts to do a bunch of stuff, none of what I want. The system just doesn't seem to understand the majority of my command attempts. Unless something changes (maybe a system upgrade by the dealer or hack), I probably won't use it much if at all.
I regret not waiting to find a used GS that had the parking assist option. I knew for sure I wanted the reverse camera (wife complains about not being able to backup very well) but now that we have it (less than a week now) it's not exactly what I expected. Since it is such a wide angle lens, the camera indicates there's a lot of room back there but when I turned my head and looked out back, I was right on top of another car!!! I guess I'll get better at judging distances with it but the parking assist sensors would have been a nice addition.
I do love the push button engine start and how the doors can be unlocked with the key fob in the pocket... very convenient and very slick. Not a feature I thought much about but certainly my favorite so far.
I look forward to learning much here in the forum.
Ken
The wife drives a 2002 530i (BMW) so I wanted to try something different, just to have some variety in my driving, something to fight the boredom. I love the 5-Series BMWs but one wants to experience something different after 6 years. Looked at the Infinity (G35 and M35) as well as the Acura TLs. I originally was looking at the Lexus IS250 cause the wife wanted something smaller than the 5-series. The Infiniti M35 was where I was leaning just to get a lot of cool options. I was not familiar with the GS and stumbled across them while doing an eBay search. Up until that point I wasn't really excited about the look of the cars I had been exploring.
Initial impressions: Some things I miss from my old 528i but there are some new items I hope will grow on me. I had upgraded the nav on my BMW and it was very good and easy to upgrade and easy to hack (3-D view). The Lexus Nav, at least the version in my car is just different enough that it will take some getting use to.
The ride is smooth and quiet.
The voice-command stuff leaves a lot to be desired, in fact at this point, it's horrible! Sound Off... turns off the radio, great. Sound On... attempts to do a bunch of stuff, none of what I want. The system just doesn't seem to understand the majority of my command attempts. Unless something changes (maybe a system upgrade by the dealer or hack), I probably won't use it much if at all.
I regret not waiting to find a used GS that had the parking assist option. I knew for sure I wanted the reverse camera (wife complains about not being able to backup very well) but now that we have it (less than a week now) it's not exactly what I expected. Since it is such a wide angle lens, the camera indicates there's a lot of room back there but when I turned my head and looked out back, I was right on top of another car!!! I guess I'll get better at judging distances with it but the parking assist sensors would have been a nice addition.
I do love the push button engine start and how the doors can be unlocked with the key fob in the pocket... very convenient and very slick. Not a feature I thought much about but certainly my favorite so far.
I look forward to learning much here in the forum.
Ken
01-07-11, 01:00 PM
#2
welcome ken and congrats on your new car
you are right that the voice command on lexus (at least so far) is way less than impressive, i don't even bother with it. i can do everything with my fingers and i am happy with that
indeed, parking sensors will help coz' it will beep when you get close enough. but i am sure the camera is helpful too
enjoy your new ride
you are right that the voice command on lexus (at least so far) is way less than impressive, i don't even bother with it. i can do everything with my fingers and i am happy with that
indeed, parking sensors will help coz' it will beep when you get close enough. but i am sure the camera is helpful too
enjoy your new ride
01-07-11, 01:50 PM
#5
Pole Position
My wife repeatedly tells me that the parking sensors are her favourite thing about our car. :P Even if she backs up past the point where it's screaming bloody hell and indicating the distance as red there is still just enough space to squeeze between the car and my motorcycle to get groceries out of the trunk.
01-07-11, 02:04 PM
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My wife repeatedly tells me that the parking sensors are her favourite thing about our car. :P Even if she backs up past the point where it's screaming bloody hell and indicating the distance as red there is still just enough space to squeeze between the car and my motorcycle to get groceries out of the trunk.
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01-07-11, 02:29 PM
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GS300 AWD with Navigation, backup camera, misc. other. Since I'm new the world of Lexus, not sure what is standard and what was an option.
* I did see and 07 Black on Black that was stunning to look at but I tend to prefer a lighter colored interior. The black one had the Levinson sound system as well as the parking assist. The plus with the white 06 was that it is a CPO.
I hope I made the right decision!
Anything I should be aware of regarding the AWD vs regular?
Thanks
Ken
01-07-11, 02:44 PM
#9
Pole Position
Not really. An extra differential that needs oil changes at specified intervals. You can't really put staggered wheels on, if you choose to do so. Lowering the GS AWD has proven to be a troublesome exercise that results in unwanted vibrations so you may want to steer clear of that.
Overall it's a trouble free drivetrain that works.
Overall it's a trouble free drivetrain that works.
01-07-11, 03:10 PM
#10
welcome ken and congrats on your new car
you are right that the voice command on lexus (at least so far) is way less than impressive, i don't even bother with it. i can do everything with my fingers and i am happy with that
indeed, parking sensors will help coz' it will beep when you get close enough. but i am sure the camera is helpful too
enjoy your new ride
you are right that the voice command on lexus (at least so far) is way less than impressive, i don't even bother with it. i can do everything with my fingers and i am happy with that
indeed, parking sensors will help coz' it will beep when you get close enough. but i am sure the camera is helpful too
enjoy your new ride
01-07-11, 03:24 PM
#11
Agreed on the unimpressive voice commanding. So far I can get three voice commands to work 100% reliably: raise temperature, lower temperature, go home. Not to hijack the thread anyone knows how to get it to raise/lower temperature on both sides by voice command? It only works on driver side in mine, regardless commands spoken by the driver or the passenger. Maybe there are different commands for that? Maybe I should put in a touch of Japanese accent? Congratulations to the OP for the purchase! But watch out the wife may want to trade her BMW for it
01-07-11, 07:02 PM
#12
My GS doesn't have voice command but my wires ES350 does. Same problem. I think it must have japenese as it's first language...engrish second! Or, it may just have a hearing problem?? Ok...JK...enough of my two cents! Welcome to
The Lexus family here at ClubLexus.
The Lexus family here at ClubLexus.
My trusty 1998 , BMW 528i crossed the line last year... repairs and repair cost exceeding the value of the car. Probably should have ended that relationship about 6months and $2000 ago!
The wife drives a 2002 530i (BMW) so I wanted to try something different, just to have some variety in my driving, something to fight the boredom. I love the 5-Series BMWs but one wants to experience something different after 6 years. Looked at the Infinity (G35 and M35) as well as the Acura TLs. I originally was looking at the Lexus IS250 cause the wife wanted something smaller than the 5-series. The Infiniti M35 was where I was leaning just to get a lot of cool options. I was not familiar with the GS and stumbled across them while doing an eBay search. Up until that point I wasn't really excited about the look of the cars I had been exploring.
Initial impressions: Some things I miss from my old 528i but there are some new items I hope will grow on me. I had upgraded the nav on my BMW and it was very good and easy to upgrade and easy to hack (3-D view). The Lexus Nav, at least the version in my car is just different enough that it will take some getting use to.
The ride is smooth and quiet.
The voice-command stuff leaves a lot to be desired, in fact at this point, it's horrible! Sound Off... turns off the radio, great. Sound On... attempts to do a bunch of stuff, none of what I want. The system just doesn't seem to understand the majority of my command attempts. Unless something changes (maybe a system upgrade by the dealer or hack), I probably won't use it much if at all.
I regret not waiting to find a used GS that had the parking assist option. I knew for sure I wanted the reverse camera (wife complains about not being able to backup very well) but now that we have it (less than a week now) it's not exactly what I expected. Since it is such a wide angle lens, the camera indicates there's a lot of room back there but when I turned my head and looked out back, I was right on top of another car!!! I guess I'll get better at judging distances with it but the parking assist sensors would have been a nice addition.
I do love the push button engine start and how the doors can be unlocked with the key fob in the pocket... very convenient and very slick. Not a feature I thought much about but certainly my favorite so far.
I look forward to learning much here in the forum.
Ken
The wife drives a 2002 530i (BMW) so I wanted to try something different, just to have some variety in my driving, something to fight the boredom. I love the 5-Series BMWs but one wants to experience something different after 6 years. Looked at the Infinity (G35 and M35) as well as the Acura TLs. I originally was looking at the Lexus IS250 cause the wife wanted something smaller than the 5-series. The Infiniti M35 was where I was leaning just to get a lot of cool options. I was not familiar with the GS and stumbled across them while doing an eBay search. Up until that point I wasn't really excited about the look of the cars I had been exploring.
Initial impressions: Some things I miss from my old 528i but there are some new items I hope will grow on me. I had upgraded the nav on my BMW and it was very good and easy to upgrade and easy to hack (3-D view). The Lexus Nav, at least the version in my car is just different enough that it will take some getting use to.
The ride is smooth and quiet.
The voice-command stuff leaves a lot to be desired, in fact at this point, it's horrible! Sound Off... turns off the radio, great. Sound On... attempts to do a bunch of stuff, none of what I want. The system just doesn't seem to understand the majority of my command attempts. Unless something changes (maybe a system upgrade by the dealer or hack), I probably won't use it much if at all.
I regret not waiting to find a used GS that had the parking assist option. I knew for sure I wanted the reverse camera (wife complains about not being able to backup very well) but now that we have it (less than a week now) it's not exactly what I expected. Since it is such a wide angle lens, the camera indicates there's a lot of room back there but when I turned my head and looked out back, I was right on top of another car!!! I guess I'll get better at judging distances with it but the parking assist sensors would have been a nice addition.
I do love the push button engine start and how the doors can be unlocked with the key fob in the pocket... very convenient and very slick. Not a feature I thought much about but certainly my favorite so far.
I look forward to learning much here in the forum.
Ken
01-07-11, 07:34 PM
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Well I drove my first GS today.. an 08 GS300 which was fully loaded. I've had SC400s before and my mom has had an IS350 for several years now so I'm somewhat experienced with what Lexus has to offer in their cars. Current car is an 08 C6 Z51 with NAV, and is the first car with OEM nav that I've driven.. Vettes don't have bluetooth unless you buy a ZR1 and can't play DVDs. No hacks, no nothing. If you hack the GS/IS the limits are endless, which is nice.
My impressions of the GS300 vs. IS350.. It's extremely quiet, almost as quiet as my friends old Prius. Ride was incredibly smooth, even bumps felt like I was gliding over them. The IS350 is definitely faster, better handling, and has a tighter turning radius but when looking at a luxury sedan, performance isn't really what I care about anyway.
The exterior styling is more manly looking to me than the IS or ES and the chrome trim accents the car very well, especially with black.
PROS:
- Voice recognition for just about everything (bluetooth, address entry while moving, turning POI icons on and off, etc.)
- Lots of buttons on the steering wheel for answer, hangup, voice, radio controls, display options, etc. All very conveniently placed.
- The parking assist, backup camera, rear-windshield shade, and even the little flip down spot where all of that is located is awesome!
- Seats are very comfy and plush!
- Nav screen graphics look good too.
- Quick dialing is also neat.. you can save quite a few contacts which is something I've never seen before.
- Mark Levinson radio = great sounding. Would be pretty badass with a wire hack and watching movies on road trips.
CONS:
- wish the speedo gauges and everything looked a little more like the IS gauges.. but meh, it's a minor detail.
- kinda wish you could navigate around more by touching the nav screen rather than pressing buttons on the side of the nav.
- climate controls in the back are non-existent.. a lot of newer luxury sedans have that as pretty standard but the GS does not. Oh well, eff the back seat drivers lol.
All in all, this is a great daily driver car that has plenty of options and class to keep you interested for a long time. If performance/handling is your goal, the IS is probably a much better option for you. If you want more VIP type look and feel, the GS is amazing and for the price it's almost unbeatable. Used 06s are going for high teens to low 20s. Can't really find that in a car of that year and quality with any other maker.
My impressions of the GS300 vs. IS350.. It's extremely quiet, almost as quiet as my friends old Prius. Ride was incredibly smooth, even bumps felt like I was gliding over them. The IS350 is definitely faster, better handling, and has a tighter turning radius but when looking at a luxury sedan, performance isn't really what I care about anyway.
The exterior styling is more manly looking to me than the IS or ES and the chrome trim accents the car very well, especially with black.
PROS:
- Voice recognition for just about everything (bluetooth, address entry while moving, turning POI icons on and off, etc.)
- Lots of buttons on the steering wheel for answer, hangup, voice, radio controls, display options, etc. All very conveniently placed.
- The parking assist, backup camera, rear-windshield shade, and even the little flip down spot where all of that is located is awesome!
- Seats are very comfy and plush!
- Nav screen graphics look good too.
- Quick dialing is also neat.. you can save quite a few contacts which is something I've never seen before.
- Mark Levinson radio = great sounding. Would be pretty badass with a wire hack and watching movies on road trips.
CONS:
- wish the speedo gauges and everything looked a little more like the IS gauges.. but meh, it's a minor detail.
- kinda wish you could navigate around more by touching the nav screen rather than pressing buttons on the side of the nav.
- climate controls in the back are non-existent.. a lot of newer luxury sedans have that as pretty standard but the GS does not. Oh well, eff the back seat drivers lol.
All in all, this is a great daily driver car that has plenty of options and class to keep you interested for a long time. If performance/handling is your goal, the IS is probably a much better option for you. If you want more VIP type look and feel, the GS is amazing and for the price it's almost unbeatable. Used 06s are going for high teens to low 20s. Can't really find that in a car of that year and quality with any other maker.
