Would you buy a Lexus?

[Edison]

Actually i do think that the lexus brand is already quite branded liao..I mean if u see someone drive a lexus, almost straight away u will associate him with rich or successful. Just imagine you are waiting at the lobby for someone, then a SC430 drives up, what kind of person do you expect to be driving the car? Will it so different from someone driving up in a CLK for Eg. Even uncles and aunties are familar with the brand nowadays. It's just that some stupid ppl wanna think too much about the origin or history of lexus and wanna keep thinking it's a toyota toyota...they are just kidding themselves, the image of someone driving a toyota and lexus is so different

[Santa]

I am just wondering this:

if u have $200,000 to spare to buy a car of that price, would u consider a Lexus? Knowing that it is essentially a Toyota with some improvement, would u pay the premium just because its called Lexus? or would u go for a Merc, Bimmer, Volvo, Saab or something equivalent? Although u may get a higher cubic centimeter but do u think its reasonable to pay so much for a jap?

 

I been pondering on gs300 from 2007 when the car bhp and torque has been increased from 2005 model. Till today the 2008 facelift has been out - i am still pondering. Everytime i make up my mind to get it, i am always sidetrack by bmw, or volvo...

[Silvermini]

if i have tat $200,000 of money i wont spent so much on a car. i would rather choose a simple common car lik honda stream or even a mitsubishi lancer. if example i brought a mitsubishi lancer at ard 50k, i have 150k to spare. i took 50k out and fully modified the interior to its best. sound proof, tv plus a psp at every seat, change every seat to a massaging chair blah blah blah. i am 100% sure it is more comfortable than a stock BMW. u can even watch a movie or ur own channel in the car lik wat u do in airplane. can a bmw do tat? NOPE. and i spend ard 100k for the lancer. u are sure to ask y not i buy a better car? but i can gladly say, my outlook is common, but my interior is best. somemore my lancer don drink petrol lik water or those lexus all tat do. no power nvm, wif such a comfortable ride y would i prefer to get to my destination fast? calculate and save all the fuel i been usin on the lancer rather than a bigger cc car, i might save up to $100 per month. 1 year $1200 to spare. i can upgrade my speaker or change my rim or upgrade my engine wat so ever. there is so much i can do than to juz spent 150k on a stock car. ya got brand, powerful, comfortable. but can the interior fight wif a fully makeover normal car interior? definitely not. engine wise yup a bmw or lexus all tat is powerful and good, but u cannot say mitsubishi, toyota or a nissan engine don last. at least it don drink petrol lik water. most ppl wif loads of money don use thier money wisely. REMEMBER, here is singapore. SINGAPORE.

[Wry85]

I'll get myself an evo or any other sports car. Will not be interested in getting any luxury car.

[Comfy]

...so u wan to let pple sit ah...

hey ..where u bring my gal...

din see her for a while le leh

 

what your girl?? i never bring out wor...

[The_young_once]

I am just wondering this:

if u have $200,000 to spare to buy a car of that price, would u consider a Lexus? Knowing that it is essentially a Toyota with some improvement, would u pay the premium just because its called Lexus? or would u go for a Merc, Bimmer, Volvo, Saab or something equivalent? Although u may get a higher cubic centimeter but do u think its reasonable to pay so much for a jap?

 

my father will knock my head if i get anything other than a lexus (for 200,000)

reason: its a toyota, reliable

 

but cars i would like for that kind of price:

bmw 3 series

merc e240 (none of that kompressor thing), or heck, a used s-class

lexus gs300 or is250

 

but knowing myself, and as someone said "you only live once", this is my golden chance to get behind the wheels of a used porker, what the heck air cooled, liquid cooled, coe car or not, manual or tiptronic, dont bloody matter, im a porker fan at heart

[The_young_once]

I am just wondering this:

if u have $200,000 to spare to buy a car of that price, would u consider a Lexus? Knowing that it is essentially a Toyota with some improvement, would u pay the premium just because its called Lexus? or would u go for a Merc, Bimmer, Volvo, Saab or something equivalent? Although u may get a higher cubic centimeter but do u think its reasonable to pay so much for a jap?

=====================

 

Well the Lexus is more a drivers car cos it handles very well but nowadays Merc & BM have pulled up their socks & improved their cars alot to compete with Lexus.

 

If u want the name & prestige of a conti, then dont buy a Lexus. If u r looking for a really good car, then get it.

 

or as what pisces said, UNLESS i can keep up with the running costs (fuel, tax, insurance etc) of a premium car, i would rather get a normal sonata, camry, accord, and keep the rest for rainy day

 

and no evo wrx this sort of thing for me, if going the 'sports' route, a porker no less

[Sony]

There's 2 option:-

 

1) buy what I like..

2) buy what I think I like but cannot make up mind, thus post in forum and let people fight it out..

 

but I don't see what a car which I drive and parked in my car pouch daily need to be influenced by others.

[Typhoonz]

Rather spend that money on a Conti... Why spend it on a Jap?

[Raining]

Whats wrong with jap ?

[Typhoonz]

Nothing wrong with a jap but when you have $200,000 to play with, I would definately buy a Conti...

[Rickster]

Actually i do think that the lexus brand is already quite branded liao..I mean if u see someone drive a lexus, almost straight away u will associate him with rich or successful. Just imagine you are waiting at the lobby for someone, then a SC430 drives up, what kind of person do you expect to be driving the car? Will it so different from someone driving up in a CLK for Eg. Even uncles and aunties are familar with the brand nowadays. It's just that some stupid ppl wanna think too much about the origin or history of lexus and wanna keep thinking it's a toyota toyota...they are just kidding themselves, the image of someone driving a toyota and lexus is so different

 

Well said!

 

Nobody would associate someone driving a lexus and a toyota corolla to be of equal wealth or society status.

 

Lexus is a good car in all aspects. I personally prefer the drive of the old model ES300 to that of the Merc S280. The ES300's engine is so much more refined & responsive! I'll gladly get the IS250 if i have the finances!

[Pisces69]

Well said!

 

Nobody would associate someone driving a lexus and a toyota corolla to be of equal wealth or society status.

 

Lexus is a good car in all aspects. I personally prefer the drive of the old model ES300 to that of the Merc S280. The ES300's engine is so much more refined & responsive! I'll gladly get the IS250 if i have the finances!

===========================

 

U wil actually b quite surprised that many very well off pple I know buy a normal Jap or Korean car to use just as transport.

 

1 of them ever told me when he changed his 10 year old Corolla to a 2 lit Accord & I commented that it is a much nicer car but he can afford a much better car. He said he travels alot & the car is just parked at home losing money every day. Car is just for his convenience to move around. Why spend so much on an expensive car here. When he decides to retire & migrate, he can have the nicest house & car in another country at a fraction of the cost if he buys here.

[Watwheels]

Actually i do think that the lexus brand is already quite branded liao..I mean if u see someone drive a lexus, almost straight away u will associate him with rich or successful. Just imagine you are waiting at the lobby for someone, then a SC430 drives up, what kind of person do you expect to be driving the car? Will it so different from someone driving up in a CLK for Eg. Even uncles and aunties are familar with the brand nowadays. It's just that some stupid ppl wanna think too much about the origin or history of lexus and wanna keep thinking it's a toyota toyota...they are just kidding themselves, the image of someone driving a toyota and lexus is so different

 

In that case they should not put the showroom, service counters and workshops next to each other or lump together. Lexus should stand alone. During visits to showroom and servicing should have the auntie come up to you and ask,"Good Morning Sir, big breakfast for u, can?".

[Vicz]

I always thought i would but I always ended up with a Continental .

 

I guess fellow Continental car owners know where i coming from

 

I think me too.

[Vicz]

As a consumer u always have a choice, if u think it is just a "toyota with some improvement" then u are being biased. There is no point debating if u make this kind of sweeping statements.

 

From wikipedia :

 

In 2005, the Lexus marque launched in Japan, marking the continued global expansion of the luxury division. Since its debut in 1989, Lexus has developed a reputation for the luxury and reliability of its vehicles, along with the quality of its customer service. In 2007, consumer ratings firm J.D. Power and Associates named Lexus the most reliable brand in the U.S. based on its Vehicle Dependability Survey, a measure of over 53,000 vehicle owners and the problems they experienced in the first three years of vehicle ownership. It was the thirteenth consecutive year that Lexus achieved this top rating. In recent years, Consumer Reports has also named Lexus among the top five most reliable brands in its Annual Car Reliability Surveys of over one million vehicles nationwide. Additionally, Lexus ranks highly on surveys of dealership service experience. The British Top Gear and Auto Express satisfaction surveys have had Lexus at the top of their ratings since the entry of the luxury division, with reliability and quality among the main selling points of Lexus around the world.

 

And what do u mean by "higher cubic centimeter"? very cryptic....perhaps you would care to explain that point ?

 

Different people have different needs and it depends on whether u enjoy cars a not. God willingly, i would like to try every single brand of luxury car in my lifetime. Next brand i will try if finances permit...BMW

 

Practically, i am limited by the fact that Cars are ridiculously priced in Singapore and the cost of running a car is not cheap...i would rather be paying for buying more property as a car is a depreciating asset.

 

Personally i like the Lexus marque as it gives me a good balance between luxury/performance/reliability. The car has not cost me a single cent to mantain the past 2 years. my servicing is free, the car is fun/fast to drive, the fuel consumption is better than some 2.0L cars and the aftersales is good ( at least for me )

 

If u were a smart man, dont buy a luxury car, go for a everyman's workhorse.

But as the ferrari salesman i encountered like to put it " you only live once " No point bringing all your money with u to the grave. You pay for quality, you pay for something u enjoy and most of all u pay for something u earned and worked hard for.

 

Yup, this is the kind of comments i like to see...

 

Btw, my higher cc comparo means eg. buying a Bimmer 318 or 320 vs an IS250.

 

Don't get me wrong, i have nothing against our toyota san. There's nothing wrong buying a Lexus and there's also nothing wrong being a Jap. Its the thoughts that I would like to see.... while i have my thoughts, others also, see? some would ask why would u go for a jap while u can have a conti with the same money. To me, i always think that the brain is 33.333% and the heart is the other 2/3 - if not, everybody will buy altis liao, what is Lexus? rite? no doubt about that. I know that Lex is not simply a little improvement but in some areas it actually out performs the conti counterparts. However, I am talking about the whole package here and not simply its performance... as all can see from this thread, a lot of people thinks that a Jap is still a Jap whether he call it valentino or ronaldo. So, to a lot of people who have tried contis, they will also tell u the same thing, all of their wonderful experiences with their ang moh. Well, of course the Akina or Seiko Matsuda scored a bit too I do like contis because i have my stories as well... yes???

[Edison]

What's wrong with having the showroom and service counter side by side? Mitsu and Mercs was side by side before, but is the feeling of walking into each showroom the same? And try owning a lexus to have the chance to experience being treated differently from a toyota owner when u send your car for service before making such comments

[Azarael]

true true. Now a days owning a luxury car is not just the buying of the car, it is the aftersales.

 

For the entry level owners of Merc and BMW cars, i find the ADs dont bother to give u good service if u buy a ordinary 320 or A or B class merc. they treat u like a farmer. Only people who drive in the 6 series or 3 series coupes or X5s or CLS or SLK roadsters or S class saloons get special service....

 

If we were all using our brains and not our hearts, all of us will be driving Honda Jazzs/Kia Picantos/Hyundai i30 - all good A to B cars with not much flair ....