C/D Preview of 2007 Lexus ES350

Setec Astronomy said:
Oh, was that the car that was supposed to be the distinct Lexus with no comparable Toyota model? If someone had sad that a long time ago, I would have stood corrected and we could have skipped a bunch of animosity. Maybe I misunderstood that ALL Lexus' were supposed to be distinct going into the future, not just certain models.
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Lexus and Toyota are two very distinct lines of vehicles. Anyone who says that an ES is just an overpriced Camry, IMHO, has little to no knowledge of cars. I've had people call my 1st gen IS a Corolla. LOL! The 1st gen IS shared zero platforms with any Toyota vehicle selling in the US; it's 2JZ-GE engine came from the Supra. The difference in fit & finish between Lexus and Toyota is night & day.



That being said, Lexus is owned and operated by Toyota, so essentially a Lexus is a Toyota. But is a Toyota a Lexus? That would be a resounding, "No." Tech sharing with a subsidiary is going to be a given. Whether it be Toyota/Lexus, VW/Audi, Chrylser/Benz, etc. the companies will share R&D. What's wrong with that? The hybrid technology that Toyota developed, is and will be used in future Lexus hybrids. If you ask me that's a good thing. Toyotas are known as good reliable vehicles, no one can dispute that. That same reliability is transferred over to their luxury division where it has become a different beast altogether. Lexus has earned the #1 spot in vehicle reliability for the last what? 10 years or so? That alone is worth the price of admission.
 
SpoiledMan said:
It's apples to apples when they are at least based on the same *current* platform and not generations apart.









Number one on her list is that the other owners are "snobs." Second was the cost of repairs/parts. Surveys are not *hard* facts. What's a problem for customer A isn't for customer B and vice versa.



[Service is about a lot more than a buffet and free soda. It's about professionalism.]



My sister went with me to take my Integra in for a minor service(yeah, the little $20k car) and didn't see/feel all that different than she did at the Lexus dealer while her car is/was considerably more expensive. Oil changes don't need to be expensive for *me* to feel like I have a better car. I'll take a very good and reliable car with the $20 oil changes and donuts. I'll buy my own food.
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Well, dealerships are independently owned so your experience there may differ from others. Lexus owners snobs? You must have us confused with BMW owners. I have yet to meet another Lexus owner who was a snob, while there most assuredly will be a few bad apples that spoil the bunch.



Your Integra is an Acura correct? Isn't an Acura the luxury division for Honda? I would hope that the service at Acura would be on par with other luxury dealerships.
 
LightngSVT said:
The sales people were all in suits and ties and were so nice that it seemed fake. They were helpful and all but it wasnt a "how's it going?" friendliness but more stuffy. This also may be atypical but the other customers "seemed" a bit "high end" or "blingy", strange mix. Overall I didnt feel very comfortable there.



The customer service is much better at the Acura or BMW dealers, more down to earth and real feeling. Almost more helpful because it didnt seem like they were trying so hard to make you feel like you were "somebody" and concentrated on helping with your needs.
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Again, each dealership is independently owned so your experiences may vary. My personal experience at my Lexus dealership/service center is very much like your experiences with your Acura and BMW dealers. My salesman always notices me when I cross his path at the dealership. When he's not with a customer he always comes over and chats with me a bit, sometimes filling me in on rumors and general car talk. Even when he is with another customer he always acknowledges my presence, waves and says, "Hi." Overall, Lexus service for me has been a great experience.
 
Pedalsteeler said:
Thanks for the feedback. I already have a BMW Z4 so I can have fun with the sport aspect of driving. I tried the IS and it handles nice but it has run flat tires with no spare. The sticker on the window from Lexus states that the tires may only last 14,000 miles. There are people complaining about poor milage from run flat tires on other cars also.



I will wait for some owner reviews to come out on the ES 350 before I make a decision.



Thanks again,



Steel guitar is where it are!
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The IS is a sport sedan and is equipped with Z rated tires. By nature, high performance tires have a tread life of around 12K to 15K miles. In practice, I've been able to get as much as 20K+ miles out of these types of tires. It's all dependent on your driving style. You can always equip your vehicle with a tire that has a longer tread life. It's the price of ownership when you buy a vehicle that's tuned for a more sporty ride and feel.
 
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