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C & D TOP 10
Written by: dewey on Dec 3, 2006 1:30:13 PM
Have you noticed that there is not a single HELC as defined in this forum among C & D Top 10 Best Cars? The BMW 3 series has consistently been picked among the top 10 since 1992 The Car and Driver 10 Best for 2007 are: BMW 3-series Chevrolet Corvette Chrysler 300 Honda Accord Honda Fit Infiniti G35 Mazda MX-5 Mazda Mazdaspeed3 Porsche Boxster and Cayman Volkswagen GTI
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Re: Car mags... [designman]
Written by: merc1 on Nov 1, 2006 9:41:36 PM
If you want to see cars get old quick wait until the next round of BMWs come out which will bid good riddance to this current fleet. True, especially if BMW does something radical to "fix" idrive in the press' eyes. They'll harp endlessly (as they do now) about how terrible idrive was. If BMW smoothes out their new look and makes the next 7-Series (the next major redesign) a looker ... Read More
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Peugeot 908 RC, C230 etc.......
Written by: merc1 on Oct 1, 2006 3:05:49 PM
Thanks to everyone for the comments on the Peugeot 908 RC concept. Going by the comments posted, I think that you all seem to like the car somewhat just as I do. Interestingly, no one called it hideous or awful looking! I think the French could make it big here being different, but they would have to get with the program when it comes to reliability. Did I mention that Alfa-Romeo ... Read More
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Re: Oac [blkhemi]
Written by: lexusguy on Jul 9, 2006 12:14:37 PM
Japanese comp? We're still waiting..... How about the Skyline GT-R? "The GT-R's success in motor racing was formidable, particularly in the annual race at the Mount Panorama circuit in Bathurst, Australia, where the champion three years running was a GT-R (despite receiving additional weight penalties in years two and three due to its unbeatable performance), and in the Japanese GT series where it has remained dominant up to the present day. ... Read More
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Re: Potpourri... Tagman, question for you... [ljflx]
Written by: merc1 on Jun 14, 2006 10:18:38 PM
In the case of MB you are rewarding them for tremendous inefficiencies in their production process and bad cost controls overall. They have to get those prices because they'd be bleeding to death without them. In CFO land this is the ultimate no-no. On the other hand you are penalizing a brand that is lean and mean and can price aggressively. In CFO land this is another major no-no. All things ... Read More
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Re: The Inside Line article re: Audi [tagman]
Written by: merc1 on Jun 12, 2006 10:32:16 PM
Yeah just read it. A quote from the article: So, Audi's problem in this market is not product, it's not design, it's not manufacturing, and it's definitely not engineering, technology deployment or product development. The only thing left to blame is sales and marketing. Bingo! Audi, Audi where do I start. The biggest problem of which is touched upon in that article is that Audi wasn't allowed to be itself. I've ... Read More
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Re: Honda to offer diesel in the US [ljflx]
Written by: sv7887 on May 24, 2006 10:24:24 AM
Hi Everyone, Diesel is a great technology. In Europe 50% of all new cars sold are Diesels. It's not a perfect solution, but a practical one to the current gas woes. This talk about Lexus hiking prices is crazy. Lexus has always appealed to the "Objective" buyer. Oppressive price hikes would simply eliminate the Value that the LS has over the S Class. I would have bought a S Class a ... Read More
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Re: LS 460 pricing: quantum leap and incremental increase, new deal [garyh1
Written by: stevekilburn on May 7, 2006 8:04:24 PM
So you want to call me a looney who lacks cogent thinking and gets lampooned left and right. Alright, carry on, but then dont expect me to save you next time when you make a less than perfect comment. You think I am doing this just to "GRAB ATTENTION". Well I dont get it! I have been saying all along that it does not behove Lexus to under-cut competitors prices, when ... Read More
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Re: Merc, I already won this argument! [drfill]
Written by: merc1 on Apr 10, 2006 9:42:36 PM
Re: the SC vs. the SL, part of the reason for the HUGE success of the SC is the SL-matching V8 within the Sc430 engine bay. Whether the Lexus built the SC to compete with the SL primarily, at $25k less is debatable. But the SL, for 3 years, would struggle to outrun the Lexus. I'm sure this was used in "walkarounds" often. Won? Won what? The bottom line is that ... Read More
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Merc, I already won this argument!
Written by: drfill on Apr 10, 2006 7:14:34 AM
:P You are too late! :) LOL! "Every time I try to get out, they pull me back in!" Re: the SC vs. the SL, part of the reason for the HUGE success of the SC is the SL-matching V8 within the Sc430 engine bay. Whether the Lexus built the SC to compete with the SL primarily, at $25k less is debatable. But the SL, for 3 years, would struggle to ... Read More
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Re: Merc [designman]
Written by: lexusguy on Apr 7, 2006 9:53:35 AM
"By the way, for someone who has a taste for the likes of Jags and Maseratis, I don’t get your fondness for the SC400. In my opinion it is as plain and uninspiring as it gets... as interesting as a bar of ivory soap. I certainly think the SC430 has more styling booty and panache.: Woah, I never said that I think the SC400 is the best looking car ever, or ... Read More
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Re: Plain as day [tagman]
Written by: sv7887 on Mar 17, 2006 7:06:27 AM
Tagman, I respectfully disagree with your assessment. I still own my 1992 LS400 and will not part with it period. I don't need to justify anything: My experience with Lexus Customer Service and their Service Department has been very poor. How would you like it if you've invested $200K in a certain brand and they treat you poorly when you need them? That's not called Service. They were not loyal to ... Read More
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2006 Detroit Autoshow Report!
Written by: merc1 on Jan 18, 2006 11:23:29 PM
Well I'm back. I see I haven't missed anything, but 325+ posts about the same stuff we've been arguing about for years now it seems!! I may or may not go back through all of those posts to respond to some of the more curious items. Anyway, down to business. This year's NAIAS was without a doubt the best I've ever been too. The sheer number of new cars and stunning ... Read More
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Re: A little perspective, please [tagman]
Written by: ljflx on Jan 15, 2006 6:36:39 AM
Tagman - I expect a fully loaded LS460L to be in the 78-82K range and it will sell like hotcakes. I expect that there will be some available in the mid 70's. The demand will outstrip the supply IMO. The LS600H will push somewhere from about 6-7% above that top price to $100K with some special option packages. In general I think Lexus status with this car plus the LFA and ... Read More
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Mercedes, Lexus...again.
Written by: merc1 on Nov 4, 2005 8:18:43 AM
Same old stuff, just rehashed it seems. The 2007 S-Class is "dated" and has too much bulk - though it has yet to be seen in person by anyone here. I'm trying to find an article that says the car has too much bulk or that it looks like it does. Mercedes is struggling to find a new look for the marquee car while Lexus has been struggling to find a ... Read More
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Re: Land Rover [merc1] Mr. Potato Man of SUVs
Written by: greenbelt on Oct 11, 2005 7:27:53 PM
I think if I was a plastic model car company, I'd do a 'Mr. Potato Man' model SUV kit and call it Range Roofer. There you could stick parts from all kinds of SUVs together onto a boxy frame to get your own Range Roofer design. Like tinted rear glass from Presidential Cadillac limos, while the front windows are clear. Maybe you could glue on the 'mountain profile' GPS receiver antennae ... Read More
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Re: merc1 [ljflx]
Written by: merc1 on Aug 14, 2005 11:11:15 PM
It's like unneeded bad advertising. On the opposite end of the spectrum I never believed Audi had a real acceleration problem in the 80's yet all those news reports took their toll heavily. Yeah that was really something, and it was based on a problem a lot of Americans still have, not knowing how to drive. Right after that everything from Camrys to 300Es were claimed to have the same problem, ... Read More
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Re: Lexux? [brightness04]
Written by: jtbenz on Aug 11, 2005 9:55:31 PM
Wheel placement also has to do with refinement. By having the wheels farther away from the cabin, you have less road noise and less vibration. Sound deadening material also makes a car feel more refined. The I-6 in my 190 is way more refined than the buzzy japanese engines in the Toyotas and Hondas. Not the quickest engine anymore but still can do 100+ and still feel better than the new ... Read More
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Re: Just for the heck of it here's the next level down [oac]
Written by: merc1 on Jul 26, 2005 10:41:31 AM
And how long has BMW or MB being building cars versus Lexus ??? Ahhhh ! Right.... You see how pointless your argument is ??? Its pointless to have more than just sedans and Suvs? What does the amount of time Lexus has been building cars have to do with any of this. They had a great coupe back in 1992 and for some reason dropped the ball in styling and dynamics ... Read More
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Re: ljflx [ljflx]
Written by: merc1 on Mar 18, 2005 8:02:31 AM
Yes there was a 6-cylinder 735i at one time from 1988-1992, just before the last S320 came out. The previous S320 made up 40 percent of S-Class sales during certain years from 1992-1999. The Audi S8 is/was performance model and doesn't "die" like you say it does. Its the same has MB not having an E55 from 1996-1998, or BMW and M5 from 1997-1999, those models always come a few years ... Read More
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Oac
Written by: merc1 on Mar 5, 2005 11:43:28 AM
"And why should production be the concept ? I work in a firm that puts out prototypes. Trust me, the final product is often much different from the prototype. That is what marketing input and meeting market demand is all about.... Here is the problem. It seems that all Lexus types like to equate the car business with other type of business and they aren't always the same. Carmakers use concept ... Read More
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Re: [syswei]
Written by: jovialanus on Feb 24, 2005 12:46:17 AM
"What has MB done for the industry in the last 15 years?...Yes, MB has managed to do more here in 120 years than Lexus has in 15. " You must have been living under a rock for the last 15 years. Even if we disregard countless Mercedes innovations and only include those introduced since 1989 Mercedes STILL trumps Lexus by a wide margin. Virtually every safety feature in every Lexus car ... Read More
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michael_mattox
Written by: merc1 on Aug 1, 2004 10:15:27 PM
This is amazing. (Last Post) "In your previous post the chart showed 700+ units and you said that was US sales???? I accept 1700+ for the SL500....Allante sold 6700 in 93." No chart or link I ever posted said anything like that. Period. It said (they MBUSA.COM) said 1721 sales for 1993. End of story. You said 700 or 800 in your confused state. The link didn't change from one posting ... Read More
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michael_mattox
Written by: merc1 on Jul 29, 2004 6:03:43 PM
It is painfully obvious that you don't have a clue about the Mercedes SL. You seem to be the only one that is "confused" here. Everyone else has pretty much agreed that the SL was the superior car. The question is whether or not the Allante is so lame that its sole supporter is reduced to harping about trunk space over a decent top design, you know something that most people ... Read More
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no title
Written by: sv7887 on Jul 13, 2004 4:29:39 PM
livinbmw, Perhaps you've ignored the SUV craze that has all manufacturers running to take advantage of..Even Porsche of all nameplates has a SUV..Lexus would have to be stupid not to capitalize on the market. I still own a 1992 LS400 and have experienced few issues with the car.. As for calling the LS an overpriced Camry..The LS was designed specifically for the US market and released later in Japan..It took 6 ... Read More
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no title
Written by: sv7887 on Jul 13, 2004 12:15:05 PM
Quemfala, You're quite right about the Military's GPS systems..It was built in the old Cold War days. The Soviets had a similiar system and the Europeans are planning one as well. This is probably the one innovation I can appreciate. linvinbmw, BMW wasn't considered a top tier brand until the 7 Series arrived. This has been discussed only a few posts ago..You've simply ignored the Success of the LS series in ... Read More
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michael_mattox
Written by: merc1 on Jun 13, 2004 10:29:40 PM
"Note to mention your constantly changing the years we are reviewing..I provided specs for a 93 SL and a 93 Allante...AS IS YOUR CUSTOM YOU WANT TO MOVE THE BALL TO THE 90 ALLANTE AND NO DOUBT COMPARE IT TO THE 93 SL." You're confused. It doesn't matter which 1990+ SL you use! You can use whatever year SL from 1990 onward and it will be the same outcome since the ... Read More
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745i
Written by: 92735i on Jan 13, 2004 12:44:46 PM
Ok...I'm bitting the bullet...ordered my new 2004, black on black 745i. Gonna do the BMW Performance Center delivery in S. Carolina. I am leasing so if this baby bugs out...no problem, they get the car back. Giving my trusty 1992 735i , beautiful white/tan, 174k miles, running like brand new, to my son. It was between a nice 2001 740i w sport package for $35k with 35,000 miles or a new ... Read More
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1992 735
Written by: f1buick on Jan 2, 2004 2:35:32 PM
. . . I have a 1993 750 and feel the same way. Agree with nvbanker that BMW has serverely overengineered the E65, it is crawling with bugs, and anyone who purchases it will be seriously sorry when the warranty runs out. the 1995-2002 7 series (E38) basically is an update of the E32. That's what I'd be looking for. Should be pretty bulletproof. The A8 is intriguing, but very rare--who ... Read More
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my trusty 1992 735i
Written by: 92735i on Dec 29, 2003 1:40:33 PM
I love my bimmer. Dreamt of owning a 7 since 1986. Have now owned my 7 for almost 12 years and have 173k loving miles. It has been a Florida car since new but last year I relocated to Chicago (hold laughter please!) and during the first winter, had to replace radiator 163k mi., a couple of injector hose connectors, and fuel pump. Since at this time last year I was ... Read More
