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  #46  
Old 05-31-2001, 10:51 PM
public enemy
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My girlfriend was looking for a good used car. She wanted a Mercedes as she is nuts about them. I suggested to her to get a Lexus. She did not want to hear about that, but I eventually persuaded her that she would be better of in the Lexus. We finally found (at a car dealer) a 1991 Lexus LS 400 in mint condition with only 80K miles. She bought it for $12,000. I drove it home (a 50 mile trip). What a difference! It handles like a Mercedes that has broken shock absorbers and no steering damper. I have to admit that it is quicker than my 300E though. It is also lacking the sturdy solid feeling of my 300E. Evenmore the quality of the construction is FAR INFERIOR to my 300E. Just take a look under the car. Look carefully at every welded seam between metals. The Mercedes is incomparably better. My biggest surprise was when I looked at the rear suspension. What a COPY of Mercedes engineering (I knew that Japanese always copy the Europeans but THIS was unbelievable!) They have copied the Mercedes rear suspension to the "T" with the exception that they use a 3 link system instead of the Mercedes 5 link.

What about Lexus reliability you may ask? Let me tell you about Lexus reliability: In the three months that she has been owning the car she paid the following: $800 to replace the rear crankshaft main seal which was leaking badly. $1,200 to repair the Air Condition system which gave up two months after she bought the car.
Little electrical problems such as a tendency of the car to burn the rear stop lights (this was due to the fact that the whole rear light plastic case was leaking water anytime it rained and it eventually made the light bulb contacts rust!).
The cassette radio also recently started making a buzzing sound (and mind you there is NO aftermarket radio that fits the Lexus opening!) which means BIG bucks wasted at the dealer for a POS stock radio.
Furthermore the dashboard turned out not to be able to handle the Southern California burning heat and got unglued and warped.
Same happened to the power window button panels which became unglued (and which by the way enabled me to discover that they are NOT real wood but plastic wood imitation - my 300E has real wood).

Make any conclusion you want, I know I made mine...

By the way what surprises me is that the blue book value of this cheap Mercedes COPY is higher than my 88 300E. Only in America... Because in Europe, where I come from, a Lexus is considered an seriously inferior car to ANY Mercedes and the Lexus resale value is incomparably lower than a Mercedes.

And not to mention that my girlfriend is now pissed at me for talking her into buying a Lexus and not letting her get the Mercedes she always wanted... Live and learn!


  #47  
Old 06-01-2001, 03:14 AM
David C Klasse's Avatar
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NOw the real question:

Why did YOU (who loves and has faith in Mercedes) talk her into buying a Lexus then...!

Obviously a mistake, I'm sure you know. Though I, a Mercedes brother, feel your pain.

!

[Edited by David C Klasse on 06-03-2001 at 05:20 AM]
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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!)
  #48  
Old 06-01-2001, 07:24 AM
WILLIAM DESMARAIS
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Never tried a Lexus, have an MB dealer in town, very convenient.

Try a new C320, tremendous car, I think MB did this one right.
  #49  
Old 06-03-2001, 01:43 AM
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anecdotes...

Man you guys dont stop with the useless anecdotes ... "My girlfriends sisters hair dressers babysitter had a es300 that ran badly" crap.

Read through this post and the post "mercedes vs. Lexus" in the open discussion. The FACTS are well posted, with no anecdotal stories, and published. No opinions, no stories.

And thats the bottom line.
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  #50  
Old 06-03-2001, 05:19 AM
David C Klasse's Avatar
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I think GIRLFRIEND is a bit closer than "My girlfriends sisters hair dressers babysitter had a es300 that ran badly[.]"

And now the question,

Posting "Traded in my Mercedes for Lexus..." on a Mercedes forum, what did you expect!? For people to back up Lexus and put down Mercedes? You've got to be kidding. You should have anticipated the kind of reaction you'd get instead of being dismayed at the responses you get/got.
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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!)
  #51  
Old 06-03-2001, 05:30 AM
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WOW

Is this post still going on?

hehe

Do we need to deicate a whole forum to it?

I think we need to get over it. If the lexus he got is nice, and has so far served him well, and he likes it, who are we to judge.

I still think a lexus is just a glorified toyota, but To each his own. I happen to prefer the styling and feel of a mercedes.

I had my choice of cars, and I chose the mercedes over the BMW because the mercedes felt solid as a rock, and I have enjoyed driving it every single moment. I never even considered a lexus because I knew I wanted a german car. From my own personal experiences, they truly are the best out there as far as feel, drivability, styling, and reliability to me.

Sure recent years have brought less reliability and quality control issues, but maybe mercedes has fallen back, but others have stayed the same.. but I have no stats, so I can't back that up.. hehe

If you enjoy driving your car whatever kind of car it is, and if it makes you happy, then its all worth it.

I think this topic has been done to death.

Spinedoc, Enjoy your lexus, we know one day you will get another benz. Its already in your blood.

Alon
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  #52  
Old 06-03-2001, 08:05 AM
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When we type f*ck or ***** it shows up in the post as ****. Maybe webmaster should add Lexus to that list! Seriously, for each "My wife's mom's only daughter" Lexus horror story there's probably a "My grandfather's friend's hairdresser" Mercedes horror story. Hard to imagine! There are probably million mile Lexus stories out there as well, I haven't heard of any, but maybe I haven't searched hard enough.

Kuan
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  #53  
Old 06-03-2001, 07:10 PM
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haha

Man some of you guys kill me. I am far from dismayed at the responses, in fact I am quite secure in my posting of facts as opposed to anecdotes. I think lots of times readers just read the last page instead of the whole thread.

I should go back and list that JD Power listed Lexus above MB in all categories, nah too much work.

Anyhow, and only for the 999th time, I love both and the point is that facts should be used to discern between the 2.

My fingers grow tired of this topic, please for the love of god close it down, or at least read through the facts I have posted and respond to them one by one with your own opposing facts.

BOTTOM LINE: Glorified Toyota or glorified Chrysler, the ratings, reviews, safety testing, recalls, etc etc etc are all there saying that they are very COMPARABLE cars. If there is an elitist element with MB owners then that is a different matter. My entire point, across the 2 threads, is that they are very comparable and one has nothing over the other as auto brands. And yes there is a published trend (look in the other thread for link) on how Lexus quality is going up while MB is going down. What the future holds is very uncertain.

And yes MB is in my blood, and I plan on getting a MB again in the future. I just hate arguments based on anecdotes or emotions.

Close the thread !!!!!! please! !! If we cant argue as civilized adults with facts then just close the thread!!!
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  #54  
Old 06-03-2001, 07:29 PM
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I have avoided this post for its lack of merit, but it keeps coming back. I agree with David:

"Posting "Traded in my Mercedes for Lexus..." on a Mercedes forum, what did you expect!?"
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  #55  
Old 06-03-2001, 07:39 PM
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Last time I checked the 1st. Amendment is...

...still a part of the Constitution.

People have a right to post as long as the post is within the the website's guidelines. Who can say that spinedoc's "facts" are any more convincing that someone else's anedoctal experiences? Spinedoc, you can help kill this post by you not posting anymore on it. See, it seems that you want to have the last word in. anytime someone write here, you have to write another post, asking people to stop writing. Your posts only beget more posts. Let someone else write the last word in, don't repost anything here yourself and the posts will fade into oblivion. Lexus is ok for people who like those kinds of car.

[Edited by BENZ-LGB on 06-04-2001 at 01:38 PM]
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  #56  
Old 06-04-2001, 01:24 PM
public enemy
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Mr "spinedoc" your sense of sarcasm and humor does not excite me, I am sorry. Furthermore you are stating that my story is "anecdotal". Does that mean that you are calling me a liar?
  #57  
Old 06-04-2001, 02:12 PM
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Easy, easy now, boys (and girls)...

I think this topic (and the resulting 4 pages of replies) has been beaten into the ground, so enough already! Starting a thread such as "Traded my Mercedes for Lexus" in a Mercedes forum is expected to generate the same reaction as tossing a chicken in an alligator pit!

We love our Mercedes, or we wouldn't be in this forum! Those of us who don't for whatever reason have the right to make alternative vehicular selections.

Anyway, this thread should have been opened in the General Discussion forum...
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  #58  
Old 06-04-2001, 04:11 PM
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uncle~!

Stevebfl: "I have avoided this post for its lack of merit, but it keeps coming back. I agree with David:

"Posting "Traded in my Mercedes for Lexus..." on a Mercedes forum, what did you expect!?" "

Yes posting facts from reviews, JD Power, consumer reports, National Highway Traffic Safety, Technical service bulletins, I know I am forgetting a couple, yes these are without merit. But anecdotal stories are with merit. By the way anecdotal does not mean you are lying, it only means that you are arguing a point by using a story, ie: all Lexus are unreliable because my girlfriends Lexus was. An example of an anecdotal story is the story of my huge piece of crap Mercedes, which has had problem after problem.

Additionally I started this thread to ask if anyone knew of a Lexus forum. I had stated my problems with my particular vehicle, thanked the forum operators, asked for a Lexus forum, and stated my desire to be a MB owner again soon, reread my original post. So what happened? I got flamed for my decision. I would say my first post was pretty uninflammatory, but I suppose that does not matter.

Even more to the point, I have not posted even once that Lexus was a better car, I think the sore spot for some of you elitists is that all the factual evidence points to both auto companies being very comparable in terms of reviews and safety ratings, as well as reliability. What is so wrong about that? So I originally began a post for some advice and help, and maybe some happiness to be getting a new car,and it switched to having to prove myself right.

So like I said before reread the post, see how it progressed, see how my tone was in my first couple of posts. And yes I love to get the last word in, but in this matter I feel like the last word was ages ago, since no one has challenged my provided facts, nor provided their own.

Last but not least, no matter what you think, my tone has been nothing but respectful to even those that flamed me and argued with me. I love a discussion as well as the next Joe, but when it degrades into name calling and lip pouting, that is just too funny.

For those of you with an open mind, I will be test driving a CLK this weekend. I would really like one before the summer is over. Any impressions on these?

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  #59  
Old 06-04-2001, 04:58 PM
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In my post I was kind of just trying say enjoy your lexus. If its everything you expected it to be then great.

I love the styling of the CLK, Just can't tell you much on the car as I have no clue as to how they are.

I myself think that some of the lexus cars were very nice looking, but I myself for my own personal tastes and opinions, Consider a lexus a glorified toyota, and therefore I would not buy one based on that fact alone.

I have nothing against anyone owning or driving a lexus, you just wont see me buying or driving one. But as a passenger, Sure I'll drive "in" one.

And yes the Statistics may show it as a better car, but like I always say about these statistics on which car is better, show me specific stats as to what kinds of problems were reported per vehicle type. I think that I need more information on those things to make my own judgements.

And Spinedoc, I don't know why you seem to have to get the last word in here. You seem to be defending Lexus as if you need to prove its better, when you yourself showed us the facts. Stop defending the car already and just enjoy it!

Alon
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  #60  
Old 06-04-2001, 05:24 PM
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Sounds like the blind men and the elephant to me. Popularity contests, consumer reports, this tidbit against that. I could care less what car you like. I work on both and have kept my mouth shut through 4 pages, with my anecdotal evidence.

Lexus cars lack soul and are at least as expensive to own. Just my opinion of course; except I am a biased professional. Biased by the world I work within.

I remember butting heads once before; as you put down MB for problems with a 15 year old car. I kinda like these battles and I partake in some knock down ones on the tech forums to which I participate. It wouldn't be appropriate on this forum, everyone is too polite.

Keep your opinion, express your opinion and for the most part I will choose to ignore it.

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