rominl

iTrader: (4)

maybe from some magazine? i can't be 100% either but somehow i only recall 5.2 from lexus site

same with is350, i think it's always quoted low 5 on lexus site but i remember reading mag saying high 4s

sucka

Airlaird, i just got mine recently, albeit a 2007, as i couldn't possibly afford a new one and consider myself fiscally responsible to my family at the same time. Believe me, you will not be dissappointed. that 5.2 number feels kinda long to me. If i put it in power and hammer it, i'm fairly positive it is quicker than that. It doesn't hug the road like my '92 SC400, but it is so silky smooth and effortless that it puts a grin on me everytime.
Other than that is it me or has the overall quality gone down alot? I've owned a 1997 ES300 as well, and the GS lacks that heavy duty feel of the older cars.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

i wouldn't say a lot, but i do feel that the quality of the gs has gone down a bit from previous lexus. 97 es300 was a very solid car, so was the 2gs, 3ls, and sc430. all of them are super solid and well built, excellent quality, great fit and finish. on the newer generations, i do see more uneven gaps and little issues here and there. nothing big, but room to improve

sucka

Why do think that is. Was it a deliberate decision by toyota to rest on their laurels and reap the profits at the expense of quality? Or is it an inevitable situation that all the car companies seem to go through?

rominl

iTrader: (4)

just my speculations, but i think the past 4-5 yrs (since end of 05) toyota in general tried to expand too quickly. if you look back, during these time they came out with a lot of new model designs, don't forget about scion. same on lexus side, a lot of new designs came out. toyota also pushed more on quantity (growth was substantial)

however with the growth, i have a feeling they haven't been able to keep up with the same kind of quality control. lexus is a good example i think, with more problems on the es, and quality issues i notice on all of the new lexus compared to old ones.

that's why a few yrs ago with all the growth, i said in a post that toyota has to be careful. getting to world no. 1 is good no doubt, but that's not at the cost of quality, which at the end of the day is what brings them here