That suspsension by Infiniti came with a 4 or 5 thousand dollar price tag (...or was it something like 7 or 8? It had MANY problems, and they were all costly problems. I am not familiar with how well it worked though...

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2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

Speedy, don't be too surprised, I mentioned it in my last post on this topic, right after I said Airmatic sucked, I said ABC is the system to have, that's Active Body Control. That is just an awsome suspension, drove a CL500 and a S55AMG with ABC, just had a ball!!!Gilly

The fact that Japanese copied other auto makers' design can NOT be denied, yet the fact that they sometimes improved the design so much, it's FAR superior than original, that also can NOT be denied.

Early Infiniti Q45s with Active Suspension was one of the strongest point of Q45. The body roll was greatly reduced. ABC, sadly, uses the same concept of Active Suspension, and improved it with newer technology.

Lexus makes damn good cars, that's a fact. But how many first gen LS400, with original parts and more than 300,000 miles on the clock, have you seen???

Andy Kuo

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1992 Mercedes-Benz 400SE
http://members.shaw.ca/AKRY/W140_Side.gif

2002 Acura TL Type S
http://members.shaw.ca/AKRY/type_s_side.gif

It is really a question of ignorance and pride. Ignorance of the ratings of the two companies side by side (remember ignorance is not meant as an insult, merely a statement), and pride in a very old traditional car company.

Do a search on my post regarding Lexus and MB, I put up things such as Reliability tests, safety tests, etc etc. At least my Lexus and its comparable MB come out very very even in ALL areas.

Also it might behoove you to check out the new Car and Driver I believe, which rated all the 2001 cars, as well as all cars back thru 1992 I believe. The Lexus overall got much better ratings than the MB in most, if not all categories.

As to the "well that old Lexus looks bad, but my old MB looks good still", there is no stock to the notion that a MB ages better in regards to trim, wood, interior, paint, etc.

Bottom line, they are BOTH very good companies and cars. Putting aside the pride and anectodal stories, the ratings, reviews, safety testing, etc. all speak for themselves.

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2007 Corvette Convertible Torch Red
1996 MBz SL500
2008 Harley Davidson Night Rod Special

"But how many first gen LS400, with original parts and more than 300,000 miles on the clock, have you seen??? "

I'd be willing to say that there's not very many 1990 Mercedes' OR Lexus with 300K miles. Thats a hell of a lot of miles in 11 years.

And what do you mean by "original" parts?

Spinedoc,
Car and Driver is not good comparison, they are biased!! They hate MERCEDES-Benz, and love lexus, bmw, etc.

SpeedyD,
Original parts are original parts!! THE ORIGINAL PARTS! And I bet you anything that there are 10X + more MB with 300,000 miles than any Lexus!

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2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

there's probably 10 times more Mercedes with 300K miles than Lexus BECAUSE maybe.... PERHAPS...

Mercedes has been around 10 times LONGER than Lexus has. Now if you wanna talk about Toyotas with 300K miles.... yadda yadda

SpeedyD,
That's not the point. THe point is that Mercedes is very capable of pulling 300K miles + with ease. While Lexus are very capable cars, this not nearly as possible to due the price of parts, high labor because things are so damn complex and the mere fact that if you put 300K miles on a Japanese car, then the interior and exterior are *****.
You missed the point, hopefully this will clarify.

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2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

I will never believe a car mag again about quality on cars. The 2 biggest US mags listed the 88 Acura Legend Coupe as one of the 10 best cars in the world. POS started falling apart in the first yea, for me and for every other 88 legend owner I have met. Doors sagged (Acura saved money using the same hinges on the heavy coupe doors as on the lighter 4 door sedan), AC (Acura used 2 different compressor styles the same year!), hydraulics, electrical, and plastic fallout everywhere - that car would shed something plastic ever time the door was closed.

William Randolph Hearst said "The purpose of a Journalist is to generate enough lucid copy to hold the advertising together." Car Mags live on advertising. Car mag writers enjoy 'comps' from the factories, like trips to sneek peek the new models - if you aren't nice, your competitor gets the first look. I put much more faith in the opinions of members of this forum than I will ever put in a car mag!

Boy that felt good - the old Blood pressure is almost back to normal

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John

2003 Firemist Red/grey leather SL 500
2015 Palladium Silver/black mbtex GLK 350
1987 Smoke Silver/burgundy mbtex 300E Sportline (SOLD)

Click to see 87 300E

John
(Glad to hear the blood pressure is back down..!) Thank you for backing me up on that one. I agree with you completely. It's really not fair, and so lame. But like you said, it's what holds the advertising together.

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2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

Hey speedy300Dturbo, the C112 concept that came out in 1991 had ABC and thats before when the infiniti came out with active body control.

Besides Lexus sucks !

It is true Lexus did change the way EVERY luxury marque presents their models. When that 1989 Lexus LS400 came out with a price tag under 36 grand american, people were awestruck. Lexus purposely sold those cars at a loss to get people's attention. Great stunt that paid off, no question.

IMAGINE.....FOR A MINUTE
THAT
LEXUS NEVER HAPPENED......


Mercedes would be better off. BMW aswell. Audi is in the same boat too.

Mercedes-Benz models would still be built to a standard not to a price.

I'm angered by the Japanese making copy cat cars featuring flashy new technology to win market share. These models have no flavour. They are a bland blobs of techno garbage and shiny new plastic everything.

If Mercedes-Benz was able to make as much as they used to per vehicle, the models offered for sale today would be MUCH BETTER BUILT!!!!!!!

The stupid general public car buyer is to blame.
Wake up morons!!!!!!!

Mike McKinney

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1989 300CE - 269,000 km
1994 SL600 - 59,000 km

But Lexus makes a great boat motor, and an even better boat anchor...

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Scott Longston
Northern California Wine Country...
"Turbos whistle, grapes wine..."

My View on lexus is this, I'd Drive one over a toyota, because of its more luxurious appointments, but its still just a toyota with more luxurious options.

There is nothing wrong with it, but the sheer fact that it is essentially mechanically a toyota, and cosmetically a toyota, to me it doesn't have nor will it ever have the same class as a mercedes or other luxurious automobiles.

I feel around the same about acura and infinity, but I have much higher regard for infinity and acura, as they make cars that are not the same as their cheaper counterparts. Except in the case of the SUV's.

Infinity has designs that are not like other nissans, and acura has designs that are not like other honda's. Sure they may share mechanical items and such, but thats generally it. Not all their designs are just rebadged versions of their other cars.

The one lexus I thought was very nice was the SC coupe, which I think shared the Supra Chassis, but I can't be sure, but the car's overall design is the same shape.

I do think the new IS is a very good looking car, but I hardly ever see any men driving them, usually I only see young girls driving them. But it is a very good looking car right out of the box....

The GS series lexus also does not look bad, but around here, you wont find anyt hat aren't decked out beyond normal means, slammed to the ground, 4-6 inch exhausts, tails, spoilers, 18,19,20" wheels, they all look the same, completely overdone.

I am sure the lexus do drive nicely, and all, but its just not a car for me.

Their new Convertible coupe, is ugly, no doubt about that, and is very similar to a mercedes SLK and Audi TT in design. The wheels are absolutely disgusting, and the only nice thing about it is the interior looks nice. I think its a horrible looking car.

Thats my opinion on it, I don't like lexus as a car I would drive, but if someone else wants to waste their money on an inflated toyota, they are more than welcome to do it. I get to see every lexus model every single day, so I always get to see them up close, and in the parking lot at my office, all you see are bmw, mercedes, aston martin, and other exotics, then you have about 50 or so lexus cars, waiting to be sold by the dealership thats down the street.

Personally I'd take a 20 year old benz over a lexus any day, because I know how solid the benz will feel even with 20 years on its chassis and body.

Alon

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'92 300CE - Sold
2004 C240 - 744 - C7 Wheels - Android Radio
2002 C320 - 816 - Sport Wagon

All that has been said, I have much respect and admiration for having produced a Lexus. I would have considered owning a Lexus if money had no equation in the decision making process.

But logic dictates I will invest in a MB at any given time.

Nevertheless, the Lexus technology has something that can be learnt.

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... Kerry

126 tailed by a 203, 129 leading the pack.