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#1
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Old Top Gear Lexus review...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N8hiUZL6gk&feature=related
And that car is exactly why MB and BMW started to go wrong. MB overshot it with the W140, then they pulled back and cheapened the W220 up to try and match it. Then they tried to stick a lot of electronic crap in there cars because Lexus did. Now they are fighting this stupid 7 or 8 speed transmission battle with them. The MB costed more because it was a better built car. For example the Lexus used plastic interior bits, MB's were aluminum covered in foam and vinyle. The average person can't tell the difference, but there is a difference.
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1999 SL500 1969 280SE 2023 Ram 1500 2007 Tiara 3200 |
#2
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I agree...I have a Toyota Supra (Toyota's flagship model) that is from around the same time as the LS400...and while it is reliable (over 220,000 miles) it just isn't built as solidly as the Mercedes, or BMW, or Jaguar. It sort of "flops around" alot...kinda hard to explain, but it just doesn't feel like it was carved out of a solid piece of granite like the Mercedes does.
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Current cars: 2000 ML55 AMG, 174k miles 2003 C240 T-Modell, 202k miles 1995 S320, 207k Miles |
#3
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Quote:
That 80's LS sure was a boring looking car. The new ones look much better than the German sedans now IMO. Less of those body creases everywhere everyone seems so fond of using nowadays.
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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi |
#4
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I agree this is where Mercedes started to lose their way.
But it's not an excuse, nor is it the "fault" of Lexus. (Note - not saying that's what you mean. Just making a point.) There is no reason why the Germans should not be able to build a vehicle with electronics as reliable as the Japanese at a similar price point. None. Nada. I have not owned one of these cars (recent Germans) but what I have read is shameful and unacceptable. I will never believe it costs less to build a car in Japan. If MB, BMW, Audi, et. al. charge moderately premium prices to the Japanese on account of more solid body structure, etc. that is fine. But the gap in electrics is absolutely ridiculous. |
#5
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Well the Japanese are good at electronics, they are playing to their strength.
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1999 SL500 1969 280SE 2023 Ram 1500 2007 Tiara 3200 |
#6
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Heven't we been here already?
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past MB rides: '68 220D '68 220D(another one) '67 230 '84 SD Current rides: '06 Lexus RX330 '93 Ford F-250 '96 Corvette '99 Polaris 700 RMK sled 2011 Polaris Assault '86 Yamaha TT350(good 'ol thumper) |
#7
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I remember seeing this issue when it first came out. The glass of water on the engine cover still impresses me.
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With best regards Al |
#8
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Quote:
I drove an LS400 once. It was a customer's car and I just got to pull it out of the shop and park it, but I remember thinking it had a similar "feel" to the Lincoln Town Car I was driving at the time.
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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar. 83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles 08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles 88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress. |
#9
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Quote:
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1982 240 D, 308,000 - 321,127 miles (sold) 1982 300 TD,166,500 - 226,000 miles 1998 E 320, 120,000 - 144,000 miles 2005 C 230 K, 26,000 - 77,000 miles (sold) |
#10
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Maybe the Germans ARE buying Japanese electronics.. All the rejected stuff...
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Sharing my partner's 2012 Forte 5dr SX til I find my next 123 or 126.. - Do I miss being a service advisor ??? |
#11
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Today I drove (city) an '01 LS430 with 98k miles. It looked like a 40k mile car. The engine was very quiet and smooth, too much however -- I could hear the tires through the rear doors. Nice car, but it felt like an oversized Camry with a big V8.
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'07 Yukon 2500 '13 Subaru Outback 3.6R '13 Orbea Carpe 9-speed Currently Benzless Formerly: 300TD, S600, E55, 560SEL ---= The forest breathes, listen. -Native American elder |
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