draco

Now I will also do a post of this in the GS forums as well. I haven't posted in this forum before, as I tend to hang around the ES / GS section most of the time.

The next car we buy will be a Lexus. The problem comes down to this. A choice between a 2nd Gen GS300 or a 2nd Gen RX330. My personal preference is the GS300 as it is a car I have always wanted, but the RX does have a certain appeal as well.

One of the main questions (as per usual is fuel). I have done searching on the net and got some figures which are pretty much the same. The perplexing problem I have though, is when I compare it to my ES300. The ES has a 70L tank. When the car gets to empty I generally only have to put in 50L as it won't accept any more. Is this the same situation in the RX330?

I also get at min 480kms and max 520kms out of 1 tank. What is the mileage (preferably in kms) that one can get out of the RX330 tank?

Please only provide informative replies. Yes if you're worried about fuel, maybe think about something else etc. etc. I'm not overly worried about, it's more curiosity than anything else. Effectively the decision will probably come down to the driving feel. Regardless I will be buying a Lexus of some sort. I have had 5 of them, so it's become a bit of a habit

jfelbab

On the expressway I get over 640 km per tankful on my RX330 AWD.

salimshah

Fuel capacity/economy is only one factor, but there are huge differences between the two ... the basic purpose and what you can do with each.

We have '98 GS400 and '99 RX300 [both are old ]. If you want the utility part, the RX wins [large capacity volume and length to carry lumber etc and capability for light towing]. The rear seat of RX can more easily seat 3 while the GS can only hold 3 for a short distance. Road clearance is more for RX [I have lowered the GS]. GS400 (my old model) is built better, hauls ***, with suspension modifications tracks superbly... it is a thrill to drive and ride.

So if you want 4ppl transportation on paved roads, GS is a good choice [you may even consider ES], but 5 ppl or moving stuff at the loss of performance*, the RX wins out. By the way it is just me, but I would not touch GS if the suspension mods are not made.

* With apologies to GS and ES owners: they are good vehicles but some what of a blah to drive.

Salim

fw1

personally i'd go with the RX... aside from the points salim has highlighted, i like the way i step in/out the RX (it's a more natural motion for the body). for most sedans (including the GS or ES), there's always a step down feeling. not sure if i explained it well but it's something i realized only after owning the RX for a couple months.

tromly

I own two RX's, love them both. Originally bought one for myself, then got another for the wife. This car does everything you want it to do, and it does it very well. Both are 04's with no problems to date. The older I get, the less I like to step down into a car seat. The RX is so comfortable and I get 20mpg/city and 28 mpg on the highway. I highly recommend the RX, good luck with your decision.

draco

Thanks for the feedback so far everyone.

I have gone out and performed a test drive on both vehicles. The GS is fun and a thrill to drive, even on the short drive I took it on. I felt immediately comfortable in it and it just responded as I wanted it to. I also took a RX350 Sports Luxury (05) out for a spin as well (different days).

The Mrs no doubt is overjoyed with the RX, but I'm still somewhere stuck in the middle. The RX ride was smooth and comfortable and it was great to drive. Both are fantastic vehicles. I could hear just a touch of the wheel well noise which I am sure is common on SUV's.

Still I am not sure. The GS300 is my dream car. I did have an idea of doing the following as it could make sense. Would it be worth doing though?

1) Sell the ES and pick up some cash for it
2) Buy a GS300 (probably going to add a bit more cash on it)
3) After 2 years buy the RX and use the GS as a trade-in (or sell privately) as no doubt I will get more from the trade-in (selling private) from the GS than I would the ES.

This option gives us both the satisfaction being that I get my dream car for a little while, and then eventually get the RX (by then there will be a couple of kids no doubt).

Thoughts?

salimshah

If a car is your dream car then you need to follow your heart [basically the car is sound, so you are not making a bad choice].

Pardon me for discussing GS in RX forum:
The 2nd gen GS line has had changes over time, so it is hard to make a fair comparisons. Other than looks, the weight/power ration is different between the 3 & 4. The reason I said, I wont touch the stock GS, is the suspension tuning and floating feeling on a quick lane change maneuver. [A trait common in all GS and ES line]. I threw out the stock suspension and put in LTuned [a line that Lexus has now discontinued]

Back to the thread ... If you list what factors are important to you, may be we can help clarify the things that your heart is overriding your mind.

Salim