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9978 messages, Last post on Nov 02, 2009 at 1:30 PM
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Replying to: frisconick (Sep 08, 2005 10:32 am)
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Replying to: lexusguy (Sep 08, 2005 7:53 pm) I might do this when the GS 450h comes out next spring. After a short time in our RX 400h, can't wait for what the Lexus hybrid performance approach will do for the GS. Hope it comes out with a bit better performance suspension as the 400h has, with 18" wheels and tires standard. Great torque and accleration on demand may really bring the GS up a couple of notches in the LPS evaluations. Fingers crossed anyway.
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Replying to: hendjaz (Sep 08, 2005 9:05 pm)
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Replying to: lexusguy (Sep 09, 2005 1:23 am) |
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Replying to: frisconick (Sep 08, 2005 10:32 am) My 2001 has had LOTS of problems...I have a stack of service records several inches deep. The thing that is maddening is that it's as if (at the time) they had no quality feedback loop. The w210 version was introduced as something like a '97. That's 4 iterations and it still has had all the same bugs everybody talks abou ton this forum. Luckily, with the approx 12k mile service interval you can just pile up the issues and have them address them when you are in for scheduled maint (as long as the problem isn't severe like a leaking transmission x3 or BAS/ABS failure, etc). My dealership (that I've grown to despise) is a 50+ mile round trip. If it were 5, even after my experience, I'd consider it again. As it is. No way. Bring on the LS460AWD. Regards, BigRob. |
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I've been putting in super since day one, now at a bit over 5,000 miles I am trying regular for the first time with a fillup yesterday- after 40 miles, no noticeable difference. See the below. I use my car primarily to commute to the office, no racing or any type of high performance driving. ========== • How thirsty? GS 300 RWD is rated 22 miles per gallon in town, 30 on the highway. GS 300 AWD is 21/27. GS 430 is 18/25. Premium fuel is necessary to get advertised power. Regular is OK but cuts horsepower 2% to 6%, Lexus says. |
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I'll be in Munich later this month (Oktoberfest, don't you know?) -- and it will be perhaps my 20th visit to Germany. I almost always wander into a couple of car retail outlets whilst I'm "in country." I have found that -- based on MSRP -- Audis and BMWs and Mercedes retail prices are closer THERE than they are here. Earlier this year, I moaned and groaned about the lease price differential between an A6 and a 530. The 530 was (and remains) more from the MSRP perspective. Then -- 7 months ago perhaps -- the lease per month on a thousands more 530 was over $100 less than an A6. Subvented leases, bumped residuals, etc etc etc aside, at MSRP, the BMW 530 and the Audi A6 3.2 shows the Audi at a several thousand dollar advantage IF you option them as closely as possible. The disparity widens if you attempt to configure "option identical" Audi A6 3.2's vs BMW 530ix's. Yet, when you go to Germany and price cars, the prices are closer together -- depending on how you look at it, Audis cost more or BMWs cost less. Go with this for just a second. Politics aside, Germans and Americans are "modern" countries. We have similar access to information and products. And, we have similar wealth that would allow us to acquire LPS cars with an eye toward preference rather than mono-vision favoring the least cost product. So. . .I saw this: LPS sales (for August) numbers for Germany: Total LPS cars sold: 15,723 Audi A6 = 5,739 Merc E = 5,601 BMW 5 = 2,749 The rest = 1,634 The rest = Lexus, Jaguar, Saab, Volvo and a cast of plaster. In the US Audi or Acura seem to fight tooth and nail to see who can be last on the list. Using the basic rules of price's ability to effect demand, wouldn't you think that since Audis are closer in cost to their German cousins IN GERMANY than they are here, that Audi would be at even a greater disadvantage over its rivals? Once again, I wonder how much of Merc and BMW's market penetration and performance is due to the number of retail outlets? Who knows how many Audi, BMW and Mercedes dealers there are in the US? Inquiring pea brains want to know.
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Replying to: markcincinnati (Sep 09, 2005 8:28 am) More than # of dealers (although I suspect this has to do with it to an extent), I honestly think that it has more to do with "brand" image in the US. 1) Americans LOVE luxury brand names. MB and BMW has a much higher status cachet in the US relative to Audi. 2) MB and BMW, relatively speaking, do not have the brand status in Germany that they have in the US. In Germany, people probably don't differentiate THAT much between Audi, BMW and MB in terms of status. All three makers sell a LOT of decontented, downmarket cars in Europe, like the A class, etc. 3) The A6 is the newest model out of the 5 and the E. Domestic (in this case German) shoppers tend to go for the "newest" thing out. 4) I would think that because of adverse weather conditions in Germany, the fact that most A6's are Quattro gives it an advantage over the 5 and the E, most of which are RWD. just my 2 cents
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Replying to: jrock65 (Sep 09, 2005 9:51 am) I believe you're right. Surprisingly they have that brand status in Japan.
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