[BeelzeBob]

That title is for you, KC.

Anyway. I've been researching and researching and researching and researching and researching and researching and researching and researching and researching and researching and researching and researching and researching and researching and researching and researching and researching and researching and researching and researching and researching and researching and researching...

You get the point...

As it turns out, yes - Lexus is a pretty damn reliable car. But, still very expensive to own and maintain. Quite possibly less expensive than a Cadillac - but expensive, nonetheless... It takes a TON and a half of asking questions and actually reading into the answers and then asking more questions and then actually reading into those answers and... You know...

So before you consider buying a competitor over a Cadillac, consider the fact that any luxury car is going to be somewhat expensive in the long-run... Afterall, one of the reasons people respect you when you drive an expensive car is because they assume you have the money to keep it running...

At any cost, it appears that Cadillac is on the right track when it comes to building amazing automobiles. If you've been considering a Caddy but just weren't too sure whether or not it was the right decision - it probably was/IS the right decision...

Sal

 

[Brett]

I like Lexus, GX and LS are on my list to test drive this winter when i get a new car

 

[Katshot]

Luxury cars ARE more expensive to maintain overall but don't forget that the average ownership is less than the new car warranty, so cost of ownership is near zilch for at least the first owner.

Again it's down to the fact that the guy that drives a BRAND NEW luxury car either has money or works for a company that likes to spend it on making their employees comfy.

 

[elwesso]

Not only do you get more recognition, but IMO they are better built and will last longer. You do get what you pay for..... There are always those 4 bangers that run forever, but luxuary cars, when taken care of, KEEP looking good. .

What kind of problems were lexus' plagued with???

I heard the 1st generation LS400 was the most reliable lexus ever?!

 

[Brett]

but luxuary cars, when taken care of, KEEP looking good. .

this is something i've definitely noticed. Cadillacs, BMW's, MB's, Lexus, Infiniti, etc. Any luxury car seems to look better longer. When you see a 10 year old luxury car it still has a certain cache attached to it, even if its old. But when you see like a 10 year old Camry, you just think, man that guy needs a new car.

 

[elwesso]

True.... Maybe if people have crap for cars they care for it like crap, but if they have an expensive car (or was expensive) they may take better care of it.... But there is definitely a better build quality of expensive cars over cheapies....

 

[Ralph]

this is something i've definitely noticed. Cadillacs, BMW's, MB's, Lexus, Infiniti, etc. Any luxury car seems to look better longer. When you see a 10 year old luxury car it still has a certain cache attached to it, even if its old. But when you see like a 10 year old Camry, you just think, man that guy needs a new car.

Very true, I get new Caddy owners telling me that they still like the '89-93 style better than the new dare I say "fastback" The 2000+ are just so sporty and to me not very classy. IMO.

 

[BeelzeBob]

Actually, we're not talking about style here. We're talking about the fact that they don't lose their integrity like other cars. For example, most luxury cars get better paint jobs - and more layers of paint. Take a look at a Camry and then a Lexus ES - both 10 years old. Both cars are made by the same company but the Lexus will hold up longer. The paint is better - amongst other things...

It was hard to tell my '95 ETC wasn't brand new...

 

[Brett]

Actually, we're not talking about style here. We're talking about the fact that they don't lose their integrity like other cars. For example, most luxury cars get better paint jobs - and more layers of paint. Take a look at a Camry and then a Lexus ES - both 10 years old. Both cars are made by the same company but the Lexus will hold up longer. The paint is better - amongst other things...

It was hard to tell my '95 ETC wasn't brand new...

Great example, thats exactly what I mean. Same basic car, but the old ES gets more respect and seemingly looks better, even though its just as outdated as the camry.

 

[BeelzeBob]

Right. Except "seemingly" could be removed from that sentence. Since the paint-job is better, and the interior more luxurious (leather, console, wood, better stereo, etc) - it actually IS better...

 

[BeelzeBob]

Nowadays, even the drivetrain is better...

 

[BeelzeBob]

What kind of problems were lexus' plagued with???

I heard the 1st generation LS400 was the most reliable lexus ever?!

They're not plagued with problems but they have their share of things that need to be replaced - which aren't inexpensive. The 90,000 mile scheduled service could get very expensive. The soft suspension is probably the most well-known feature of those cars - and they're costly to replace. After awhile, you'll need to replace things or it wont ride the way it's supposed to (like any car).

It's just not like we usually hear it is. 'Nothing ever goes wrong'. The truth is, things do go wrong - and while it may not happen as often as with other makes and models, it's just as expensive - if not more expensive.

There's a phrase very rarely heard by us Outsiders.. "Welcome to Lexus". That's what they say when you freak out about how expensive things are to repair...

 

[elwesso]

Thats good information.......... So in actuality their not what their cracked up to be....

Is there any problems that are especially common (ie Northstar head gasket, case half leak, and oil consumption)

 

[elwesso]

Or things that HAVE to be done or the car will be destroyed (1st generation Q45 timing guide issue)

 

[Elvis]

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

Perception becomes reality. The Cadillac depreciates at an alarming rate in its first two years. The Lexus does not. The public perceives the Lexus to be far superior to the Cadillac, but I haven't seen any statistics (on the DeVille) to support this as factual.

The best buy on the luxury market today is a 2-year-old Cadillac with less than 30,000 miles on it. Somebody else takes the bath, and you get the quality for half the price.

 

[elwesso]

IMO, it is best to get any car used.... You could get a 2002 caddy with less than 3000 on the odo and save 20k......

In any case, depreciation by just taking it off the lot is extreme...

 

[Ralph]

IMO, it is best to get any car used.... You could get a 2002 caddy with less than 3000 on the odo and save 20k......

In any case, depreciation by just taking it off the lot is extreme...

I agree, if you know the owner. Many leased vehicles, in general, may not be as well maintained, for example the people leasing know they will get rid of it and not change the oil as often. Mind you, there will still be some warrenty. There are some women in my large apartment complex who are leasing and one has gone more than 8,000 kms on her Toyota Avalon without an oil change! 4000kms is my limit for guilt. Elvis said it best and has a firm grasp on reality, "The public perceives the Lexus to be superior than the Cadillac, but no stats on the subject." Sal, I would never call the interior of a Lexus MORE luxurious than a Cadillac, thats subjective in my opinion. Beauty in the beholder and all that. PS Did you know that 1991 was the first year that Fleetwood started using real American Walnut for its interiors? It's in my brochure. Anything mechanical will break down eventually. Gee this sounds like the "Cadillac VS other manufacturers" thread.

 

[Ralph]

On depreciation, true the first few years on Caddies they sink like a rock, but after that they level off a bit. It's the exact opposite for foreign luxury cars, they hold the first few years AND THEN depreciate. Especially after 100,000 kms or 62,000 miles. (here anyway)

 

[BeelzeBob]

The interior thing certainly isn't a fact - just my opinion. Being in both cars, I can tell one is better than the other - atleast to me. The Caddy's feel loose. Otherwise - the depreciation is just ridiculous.. A 1995 Lexus LS still sells for $25k. Have you seen what the 1995 DeVille's are going for? It's a damn shame...

 

[elwesso]

There may be a SMALL quality difference, but its definitely not worth 20k.....