romy:
Check out this latest thread in the GS section:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=162108

 

UPDATE on my purchasing dilemma

I just came back from lexus and they quoted me the following lease:

Base ls430 no nav $648 + tax with $5000 total down
Base GS430 no nav $615 + tax with $5000 total down
This with a 0.00178 money factor and about a 53% residual

Now the M45 has to match that or I am going with the LS. The thing is the M45 looks more like a racer and is bigger than the GS. Drawback is the M45 does not isolate you in the cabin like the lexus does.

 

Pick the M45... that car is gorgeous and the horsepower is GREAT. I love the new GS and LS too, but the M45 has my number when it comes to looks.

Jeremy

 

IMO, the LS is truly an outstanding automobile, its looks are a bit more conservative but that sharp, aggressive prow, the luxurious, purposeful interior, the quality and refinement are an unbeatable package. The LS truly makes your life easier and more fun, and it is a wonderful environment to be in.

 

It is hard to compare, The new M is a very stylish car. It is the only Nissan I like. All the other Nissan products sorta look goofy.

 

This is from my personal experience only. I have gone to a super big Lexus dealer in Southern California and a Infiniti dealer in Cerritos for services. Size-wise the Lexus dealer is so much bigger, especially the service lounge. However, service-wise the Infiniti dealer is so much better.

 

The M45 is a boy racer car. Its main selling points are its outdated 5 speed auto with very aggresive gearing to the 4.5 335hp engine. Yes its fast, but only a tick or two better than the new GS, barely noticable. What you WILL notice is at 60mph the M45 is revving at 2300rpm which is ridiculous for a luxury car. The styling, IMO is no better than the 2nd gen GS let alone the 3rd gen. It is spacious for its class of car, that is b/c the car is 58 inches tall, TALLER than a LS!
You had a LS 430 and a GS. Your used to Lexus craftmanship. The M45 is a FM platform car stretched. In other words, a 350Z to G35 to M45. It makes for a sporty car but Carlos Ghosen has made it clear he is only concerned about PROFIT and not building the best anything. If you go to the forums, rattles, seats are not working the usual Nissan problems are glaring already. The M45 also WEIGHS MORE than a LS 430!! Fuel economy is worse. It is Nissan at its best, Power and Flash as its selling points. But its very backwards in thinking, Lexus would never come close to producing something so 1-way in execution.

Now don't get me wrong, its a very good car. The car magazines love it. Its a huge improvement over the preivous M Infiniti. It is a good drive, it has the best interior of any Infiniti and its a great car to own/drive.

The LS is simply of the the GRANDEST cars in the world, for ANY price. Its that good. Its now world-reknowed for providing luxury and the Lexus ride/quality etc. And its no slouch either, now doing 0-60 in under 6 seconds due to the new 6 speed tranny.

The M45 Sport is great for those that don't mod. Stock, its a very sporty sedan.

 

It is now the 24th and I still have not bought, largely due to not wanting to make a mistake. Funny thing is my wife who really wanted a minivan is now telling me to get a gs430 because the ls430 is too much of an old man's car. I am happy because I have her full support now without having to bribe her. Maybe she has something up her sleeve, who knows.

I was driving down the road one day and saw a car delivery trailer on its way to JM lexus with brand new ls430s. I really liked what I saw. The ls is growing on me each day. The gs seems too small now the more I go back and sit in it. Feels much smaller than my current gs400.

I am in real estate so getting the room of an ls and the image of an ls may be good for me, but that me all be in my head. I will let you all know when I finally buy ... maybe this weekend when she is out of town.

 

Definitely get the LS..........There should be no comparison between these 2 cars. They are in different classes and serve different purpose.

My parents just leased 05 LS430 and the car is just incredible. It has every feature u can imagine and more. If u like to drive aggressively the LS is NOT the car to get. This car is a cruiser that gets u from point A to B in the most peaceful way possible. Personally I like driving my GS more because its much smaller, more athletic, and much more responsive. The LS is the king of luxury though.

BTW your lease rate is pretty high imo. The rates my family got was:

39months/ 12k per year, $0 down, $780/month including tax in payment for 05 LS430 with ML,NAV, rear camera, SmartKey, AFS, 18in wheels etc.

 

Not at all!!! I know quite a few realtors in our area who drive LS's...excellent to show clients houses in.

 

Ok so I bought a car finally.

I went to the infiniti dealer to pick a car out and they did not have one to my taste on the lot. They also did not have one coming in in the next month. I wanted base M45 with Nav, none of the extra gizmos they charge for. I stopped by another day and I was waiting on my saleman to finish up with another client so I could ask him a couple questions. In the mean time I went across the street to JM lexus to pay them a visit. They were having a memorial day sale. I though mayve if the price was right I would indeed buy a GS430. I sat in it and for some reason I liked it again better than the M45, the interior quality stood out. I sat in the LS430 and said naa.

The next day (today) I went bright and early to the infiniti dealer because they had a truck coming in with cars. No truck showed up and they did not know where it was. I went across the street again to lexus. My salesman was there all nice and happy to see me. I told him I wanted to drive the GS430 again. We did and I was ready to buy one because they got me a lease for $650 with 2500 down (so I thought). When I came back I said I wanted to just drive the LS430 one more time to quench that question of whether it was the wrong fit for me. As a realtor I needed the extra back room for clients which the GS did not have. Again the M45 truck was nowhere to be found.

I loved the LS, again why I did not like it before I don't know. I ended up telling the guy to get me what I wanted payment wise and I would buy it. First they told me the GS430 deal they quoted me was actually on a GS300, like I am that stupid. Anyhow I told them to bite me. I wanted what I wanted or I was going across the street to buy a M45. They told me $3000 off MSRP was the best they could do on the GS430. I told them I wanted the LS. They said it was a $62,000 car and my payments would be way more than the $699 I wanted. I told them to bite me again.

I told them I was more educated than they may think. The bottom line is they sold me a Black 2005 LS430 with tan interior, Custom Luxury package, Nav and Mark Lev for $54,000. I put $2500 down and I got 15,000 miles per year for $699 per month + tax.

I love the car. I get it tinted on Wednesday. I feel right about the purchase because I know I got one of the greatest cars made. No buyers remorse at all. The weird thing Is I was soooo close to buying the M45 but due to a stroke of luck I didn't.

 

Congratulations, it's a good choice, & definately the better car for a realtor. The LS430 is one of the finest automobile ever built

 

EXCELLENT Choice indeed!

 

Outstanding car AND an outsanding price/finance deal! kudos- nice work.

Patience is a virtue- it just paid off for you in dividends.

 

$54k for a custom luxury LS430!! Incredible negotiation skills you've got there. Congratulations on getting this amazing car with an amazing deal!!