- #294 of 3321
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Re: AWD [oac]
by ljflx
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Jun 14, 2005 (9:55 am)
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Replying to: oac (Jun 14, 2005 9:36 am)
Lexus sells more LS430's in 5 or 6 weeks than Audi sells A8's in a year. Audi gets little, if any thought here. The AWD in an LS 430 will be aimed at the S-class 4-matics.
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- #295 of 3321
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Question
by callmedrfill
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Jun 14, 2005 (5:34 pm)
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Will the LS still sell 30k units a year if they sell at $65k base price?
Maybe Year 1. Could that be sustained?
With LWB and Hybrid sales, share will probably be the same, but profit will increase. I'm sure the Germans don't see the LS as a direct competitor because of the price difference.
DrFill
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- #296 of 3321
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Re: Question [callmedrfill]
by ljflx
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Jun 14, 2005 (6:39 pm)
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Replying to: callmedrfill (Jun 14, 2005 5:34 pm)
I couldn't possibly agree with you. Lexus has gotten rich in the most important market in the world. They are taken very seriously by MB, who is barely profitable right now. Just about everyone I know who drives an LS would have been in an MB S or E-class if Lexus wasn't around. You can't look at this as a world wide issue. Gaining or losing share in a market like the US can be the make or break on worldwide profitability. If your profits are hurt you seek all causes and you take them very seriously. Incremental profits that are lost from a market you once owned are a killer on any business.
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- #297 of 3321
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callmedrfill
by lexusguy
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Jun 14, 2005 (8:47 pm)
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" I'm sure the Germans don't see the LS as a direct competitor because of the price difference."
Haha! This isnt 1989. The LS may not be a threat to them in their home market, but here in the states, M-B definitely considers the LS as a competitor.
Just curious, can an anyone tell me the ratio of S500 4matics sold to RWD S models? I just didnt think there was big demand for AWD in this class.
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- #298 of 3321
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Mercedes doesn't seem to care
by callmedrfill
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Jun 15, 2005 (5:36 am)
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They will keep selling a V6 for $75k, even into the next generation. And a comparable S450 will be $90k+. So it hasn't become a better value against an LS.
The 7's ergonomics have gotten worst over the years as Audi and Lexus have raised the state of the art.
VW went over the LS' price by $10k without a thought.
The next LS should join them in the mid-60's, but it will bring plenty of market share with them.
DrFill
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- #299 of 3321
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Re: Mercedes doesn't seem to care [callmedrfill]
by ljflx
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Jun 15, 2005 (6:07 am)
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Replying to: callmedrfill (Jun 15, 2005 5:36 am)
Where are you getting your MB prices? The V8 S430 is in the $75K MSRP range right now and has been heavily discounted (I've seen them advertised at $65K with lease deals cheaper than an LS by a decent amount) plus 4-matic is a freebe throw-in on top of that if you are lucky enough to find a 4-matic. The V6 S350 is supposed to be about $10K less in MSRP if it is even here. If MB raises the price of an updated S450 to 90K where does the next gen S500 go to - $105K?? They can kiss their sales goodbye after 6 months with those prices.
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- #300 of 3321
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Re: Question [ljflx]
by aggie76
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Jun 15, 2005 (9:03 am)
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Replying to: ljflx (Jun 14, 2005 6:39 pm)
I am one of those who cross-shopped the LS vs. the E-class seriously (and a few others for the fun of it) and went with the LS just as you said. I would have gone MB but given the value, reliability & space for what I was willing to spend it was an easy ultimate decision to go with an LS last year. No regrets at all.
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- #301 of 3321
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aggie76
by lexusguy
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Jun 15, 2005 (4:48 pm)
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CR has customer satisfaction ratings currently back to '97, and there's an LS400\430 in the top 5 every year up through 2004. It probably goes back further than that Im sure. People that own a LS tend to like it very much.
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- #302 of 3321
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Re: Mercedes doesn't seem to care [ljflx]
by merc1
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Jun 15, 2005 (9:52 pm)
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Replying to: ljflx (Jun 15, 2005 6:07 am)
Lots of Mercedes talk in here. The S350 is here and 4Matic S-Classes aren't hard to find. Though I doubt the new S450 will base at 90K, that is a bit much even for Mercedes.
M
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- #303 of 3321
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Re: aggie76 [lexusguy]
by aggie76
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Jun 16, 2005 (3:15 am)
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Replying to: lexusguy (Jun 15, 2005 4:48 pm)
Agree with the ratings background as I had a '98 GS300 before my LS430. Have got a business associate with an '04 E500 with numerous issues. Every time he visits me he makes at least one statement regreting his purchase of his MB. Dealer service is the #1 complaint he has and he knows the entire team by first name in their service dept. I just have to LOL.
Can't wait for more specifics and photos on the next generation LS - had planned to keep this one for 6-8 years but who knows, the bug may bite me hard.
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