gs350noob

I've never been a car guy, and I'm really not knowledgeable about them. Have always bought pretty basic cars based on their reliability and pricing. Have had a 94 Saturn (bought new, surprisingly solid, lasted 190K), an '03 Honda Accord (bought new, amazing vehicle, 130K trouble free miles), and most recently a Volvo S60 (bought with 26K miles was totaled after an accident at 70K).

When the Volvo was totaled, I was actually relieved because the car always made me nervous from the time I first got it. It was really a nice car and fairly quick with decent handling, but it always seemed fragile, plus it drank oil and had a very clunky transmission. State Farm gave me a fantastic settlement, far higher than I expected, and I had as much as $20K to spend on a new vehicle. Originally I bought a '12 Honda cRV, and I was immediately disappointed with it. It felt exactly like a golf cart, and while the Volvo wasn't that great, I wasn't satisfied driving a soccer mom car like the crv.

Luckily, my dad actually wanted the Honda, and when I looked at craigslist again I saw a 2013 GS 350 F Sport for sale at the top of my price range. I went to drive it and was impressed, and decided to buy it and give the Honda to the old man. At first I was a little ambivalent because the Lexus is about $7500 more than I paid for the Honda, but in hindsight I think it was a great decision.

At first I was a little put off with how the car drove (gas pedal is a little unresponsive especially off the line), and I toyed with the idea of getting a chip tune or one of those goofy Apexi throttle controllers. Over time though, I've gotten a feel for the car, and I've totally fallen in love with driving it I swear the car got used to me too - it seems like it responds quicker now when I step on the gas - I'm sure I'm imagining it. I also like how it seems to have two personalities. When I'm in a mellow mood and just cruising down small streets, it's so plush and quiet and regal as it soaks up the bumps and blocks out the outside world. But if I get on the highway and want to haul ***, I put it in Sport or Sport + and she comes to life beautifully.

I have found myself finding excuses to drive when it's not really necessary, and I love putting down the pedal when I get an opening. I think it's especially intoxicating over 4000RPM, it's just a thrill to hear the engine and feel the pull. I know that compared to many other cars, she's not really that sporty or special in reality, but to me she just seems perfect. I've even been researching detailing techniques (my previous cars were all totally neglected in this sense lol), because I want to keep the car looking as good as possible. Every time I see her in the driveway it actually makes me a little happy, and I find myself looking back over my shoulder at her when I walk away. It makes me feel a little silly, I've never been that attached to my other cars.

Anyway I'm sure no one really cares, but I just wanted to put it out there.


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JeffKeryk

We all love our GS350s. There's a reason for it.
The GS is a wonderful car.

greys0uled

Picked up my 14' F Sport a little over month ago - I'm loving it as well. Sometimes I go to the garage just to look at it, lol.

Only thing I can say about the car is that it's a gas drinker. 2GR's are not good on gas (I came from a Camry V6, as well)

I see a 450H in my future, but loving my 350 currently.

JDR76

I totally understand!

As I've said on here before (so sorry for repeating it), I always lease because I get tired of a car after about 2 years. I leased a 2014 IS350 but upgraded to a leased 2015 GS350 a year and a half later. That GS was the first car I've ever leased that I didn't want to part with when the lease was over. Buyout wasn't good, so I purchased (not leased!) a 2019 GS350. Loved that car but had made a mistake on the color choice, so I swapped it out for one of the last 2020 GS350s on the lot. So after never being happy in the same car for more than 2-3 years, I am now about 7 years in with the GS and they are just fantastic cars.

The throttle sensitivity thing is a real issue, but over time you learn these cars and just how to extract the most rewarding performance.

I've also posted this article before. It's old, from 2012, but I feel that they perfectly describe the best attributes of the GS and sum up the driving experience perfectly.

https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/s...luxury-sedans/

Enjoy your GS! And post pictures! We love pictures!

gs350noob

Great stuff guys thanks

I'll try to post some pics of her pretty soon. The color is actually one of my favorite things about the car. It's the nebula gray, and even though the car has several minor imperfections and dings, the paint quality is in great shape (no swirls or much scratching) and the gray color really pops when she's freshly cleaned.

Mileage wise, I've been getting close to 24mpg so I feel that's not too bad.

I come from a history of standard transmissions so I've been using the paddles about half the time It's like the best of both worlds with the convenience of automatic and the responsiveness of a stick.

Im2bz2p345

Great write-up! Really enjoy reading your first-hand experience with the vehicle, how it compared to other vehicles you owned, and what led you to the 4GS. Regarding your last statement, a lot of folks actually care, hence why your topic is receiving so many views/likes.

Like you, all 4GS owners should be proud to own this vehicle, especially knowing that Lexus has no plans to continue to the GS line. As much as I like the other vehicles in the Lexus lineup, imho, there isn't anything that can compare that gives you a true, luxury-sporty-sedan experience in this price range.

I'm on my 8th year of owning my GS450h and don't plan to leave it/sell it anytime soon. I've babied the car and I would hate to part with if I had to. Besides being outdated in tech (like most Toyota/Lexus vehicles area), I still think it holds it's own so many years later.

~ im2bz2p345

jeverett72

I also do this frequently.

Gr8

I own a 2016 GS350 AWD since, well, 2016. In the last 2 years, during the pandemic, so many times I considered upgrading to GX460. I even got estimates from Vroom and Carvana a few months back. But every time I got in to my GS afterwards I would think to myself "what am I thinking? this car is perfect for me!" So yeah, it is a special car to pretty much all of us.

Perhaps, the longest I ever held on to any of vehicles that I personally drive. And yes, it is my daily driver.

ItzFilyO

Yeah, two personalities with this car. It can be a comfortable cruiser and a monster when u need it.

LowRent

@gs350noob I can identify with what you wrote. I have been more of a car guy in that I appreciate and like cars, but never a car guy in the sense that I indulged that much. Usually the practical won out over the exciting. But, I'm not getting any younger, and I feel like I get both with the GS!

chinee

LOL! That was me as well when I got my 2015, then my 2018. I can’t tell you how many times my kids have looked at me, shaking their heads… lol

ItzFilyO

Admit it... ur still doing it now. Oh and the scooters too!

chinee

He he! You must have a video camera spying on me in my garage!

Just 2 nights ago I was in the garage checking the air pressure in the scooter tires and adjusting the tension of the brake cable... out came daughter... "Can't you leave those things alone? Geez!"

ItzFilyO

Just found out that the Yelp app in the Enform app suite is working again. All apps are working again! Damn I love this car even more now!!

zheka130

I also have been driving cars with manual gearboxes for the past 15 years. I wanted to keep that trend going, but apart from some BMW's , you can't get manual cars these days, unless it's something basic.

I also like the Lexus, I think it has a pretty decent transmission, but sometimes I miss the immediate response of a real manual gearbox.