Dallas, Texas

[Hondaman]

Hi folks I'm currently vacationing in Dallas Texas.My family live in an affluent area named Frisco. Whilst here I have been conducting my own little survey about what people are driving here.Besides the usual Cadillac 4x4 the most popular marques seem to be Mercedes and Lexus. In fact I have never seen so many in one place.

In this area houses start at £500k, so you know they are not short of a few pennies. I think that this testament to the overall quality of the Marque and I still do quite understand why Lexus does not have a better foothold in the UK market share.

I must admit; the Mercedes C300 sport I was in yesterday was fabulous. Smooth, quiet and very rapid.

[The Editor]

Hi folks I'm currently vacationing in Dallas Texas.My family live in an affluent area named Frisco. Whilst here I have been conducting my own little survey about what people are driving here.Besides the usual Cadillac 4x4 the most popular marques seem to be Mercedes and Lexus. In fact I have never seen so many in one place.

In this area houses start at £500k, so you know they are not short of a few pennies. I think that this testament to the overall quality of the Marque and I still do quite understand why Lexus does not have a better foothold in the UK market share.

I must admit; the Mercedes C300 sport I was in yesterday was fabulous. Smooth, quiet and very rapid.

This has been the case for many years. The americans have realised that Lexus is actually a better automobile than the German marques and have quite rightly given the brand the recognition and class it deserves.

Unfortunately in the UK, we are still anal about having something made in Germany, and if you do not have a Germanic sticker on your bonnet then you haven't really 'made it' in life mentality.

It's a bit like the brits still bang on about cars with auto gearboxes are 'not really driving' etc etc.

We may catch the rest of the world up one day but for now we remain 'Third World'

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

Lexus is the top luxury marque in the US. Out selling BMW and MB. Guess the yanks aren't that stupid after all

[Postman]

I currently own 2 Japanese cars and one German one. A 1999 uk turbo 2000 impreza, a 2007 is220d and a 2007 535d. Each has its own qualities and drawbacks. My preferences are at the other end to my wife's. She likes the toys and the perceived class of the lexus which to be honest whilst nice when waiting for the kids to come out from one of their never ending activities, leave me a bit cold. The subaru is by a country mile the most reliable, the BMW the most comfortable and the Lexus has a DVD player, and the subaru wins hands down to put a smile on my face.

Having lived and holidayed in the USA I have driven many of their home brand vehicles, and can see the attraction of the Lexus marque over those. If BMW et al were a bit more affordable over there they would be more common IMO.

Most of us compromise when we buy cars, I know I do. How we compromise tends to define how we look at life or what makes us enjoy life. For me a car is a tool not a status symbol or any other statement for that matter. Unfortunately the world seems to be full of people who refuse or maybe are incapable of individual thought and will go with whatever herd they want to be in, which is why we are flooded with BMW and Audi models over here (most of which I wouldn't take home if given as a present)

In the USA I think Lexus has somehow replaced Cadillac as the statement of success.

The reference to auto boxes above makes me smile. The single drawback on my BMW is that it has a stupid slush box. It is great on the motorway slog I suppose but kills the enjoyment of driving a very capable car on A and B (and indeed c) roads.

[petayV8]

Americans deff do give Lexus the respect it deserves, a good IS300 over there costs around $12k. I think the best ill be able to afford when i emigrate is a old mk1 GS300 or one of those crummy ES's lol. I would take my IS200 with me if it wasnt RHD

[petayV8]

The reference to auto boxes above makes me smile. The single drawback on my BMW is that it has a stupid slush box. It is great on the motorway slog I suppose but kills the enjoyment of driving a very capable car on A and B (and indeed c) roads.

I think he was talking about autos in general not just slush boxes, we've come along way since those! there a thing of the past

[steve2006]

You couldn't bring back several quarts of Toyota Type IV transmission fluid could you?

[petayV8]

And bring me back a DRL module out of a IS300 for me while your at it :P

[steve2006]

He-he we'll make a list, last time I flew to the States we went with Virgin Atlantic and they basically had an unlimited baggage allowance. Would I make use of that today!

[Hondaman]

Unfortunately my luggage space is already spoken for. I guess the yanks really are not silly. Lexus have got so many models over here. My personal favourite is the IS350.

[ColinBarber]

Lexus is the top luxury marque in the US. Out selling BMW and MB. Guess the yanks aren't that stupid after all

Not for the last couple of year they haven't been, both MB and BMW overtook them although it is mainly due to supply issues from the earthquake.

[noby76]

yeh was in New York and Boston summer last year and in my two weeks there, I saw a lot of Lexus , Infiniti and Acura's than I have in UK . the only ones i didnt bump into was the IS-F and LFA. I did see the usual German brands but the BMW's and Audi's were quite rare. infact I have never seen so much Japanese cars compared to UK . the common ones being Honda's and Toyota's the Americans love them and they all seem larger in size aswell. the US Honda Accord is about the same size as a Lexus GS same as the Toyota Avalon which was a car i really took a liking to including some Acura's and Infiniti's . they in US seem to have a lot to choose from with regards to the cars and models compared to the limited ones we have here which brings some varieties compared to the same models and colours we drive here. and the mercs i saw was the C300 4MATICs those ones looked really nice i dont think we even have this model in UK. I dont think the americans drive Lexuses and Infinit's because BMW and Audi's are not affordable as they can finance a car like we can do here its just they not badge snobs like us here in UK where as already confirmed most not in the know think mmh its a BMW its a Merc so it must be good and only people who have 'made it' drive them and they follow the herd. . The Americans know a good thing when they see it and they tend to look past the badge thats why Infiniti's Acura's and mostly Lexus's are doing well there than here.

talking about autoboxes, I always thought autoboxes were boring and not much fun until i bought my IS and its opened my eyes about how fun autoboxes/tiptronics can be in that one can leave it in D mode when they cant be asked during start stop traffic or relaxed driving and have it in M or S mode to select gears for twisty A B roads and up till now i have never had a situation in my IS where i thought geez only if it had a manual box. becuase i can put it in 2nd or 3rd gear same as any manual car can when se both approaching a corner ;) .

IS350 would have been my next Lexus but will settle with either a GS430 or get that Infiniti G37 when the prices are within my budget.

[petayV8]

IS350 would have been my next Lexus but will settle with either a GS430 or get that Infiniti G37 when the prices are within my budget.

G37 good choice! Ide get the hybrid. Im not a hybrid type person but this one is built with performance in mind and really is best of both worlds. Fastest hybrid in the world i believe.

And yeah jap cars over there are really affordable. my Aunt pays $199 a month to owns a bran new Honda Accord. That would only get you a Honda Jazz over here!

[noby76]

yeh Hybrids are growing on me now dont know why am still not sold on diesels i dont know its just something about how they sound and drive although my mate took me for a blast in his M Sport 530d and that car shifts..but then i think its a BM too common for me. was at the garage couple of weeks ago having a new rear silencer fitted to my IS and this lady came in with a Toyota Prius and as i havent seen one up close i looked inside and must admit it looked quite nice with some funky lookingdash interior and as she drove into the garage there was no sound from the whole car.. the thing was quiet which made me think its running on batteries. thought that was cool. prices of GS450h's are coming down most could be picked up for around £8k now so another year or two they might drop to about £5K then i can pounce on one if i consider a hybrid motor. :) those GSh's are rapid beasts with manners to much.

[petayV8]

The only diesel ide ever own would be a 5.9 or new 6.7 Cummins or Detroit 6.5 V8. All in Pickup trucks. Real diesels for real men designed for raw power and nothing else :) hehe

Yeah i rode in a Prius for the first time a few months back in London, it was super quiet and smooth. I was also impressed

[thesmileyone]

Hi folks I'm currently vacationing in Dallas Texas.My family live in an affluent area named Frisco. Whilst here I have been conducting my own little survey about what people are driving here.Besides the usual Cadillac 4x4 the most popular marques seem to be Mercedes and Lexus. In fact I have never seen so many in one place.

In this area houses start at £500k, so you know they are not short of a few pennies. I think that this testament to the overall quality of the Marque and I still do quite understand why Lexus does not have a better foothold in the UK market share.

I must admit; the Mercedes C300 sport I was in yesterday was fabulous. Smooth, quiet and very rapid.

This has been the case for many years. The americans have realised that Lexus is actually a better automobile than the German marques and have quite rightly given the brand the recognition and class it deserves.

Unfortunately in the UK, we are still anal about having something made in Germany, and if you do not have a Germanic sticker on your bonnet then you haven't really 'made it' in life mentality.

It's a bit like the brits still bang on about cars with auto gearboxes are 'not really driving' etc etc.

We may catch the rest of the world up one day but for now we remain 'Third World'

I apologise but there is no Lexus model that can beat a Merc S class or BMW 750i at what they do best.

[noby76]

I apologise but there is no Lexus model that can beat a Merc S class or BMW 750i at what they do best.

and what does Merc S class and BMW 750i do best that hasnt been surpased by Lexuss???

you cant get any more refined than a Lexus - LS460, LS600H

you cant get any quieter than a Lexus - LS400,LS460,LS600H, (infact most reviews i read complain these cars are too quiet)

You cant get anymore reliable than a Lexus - IS,GS,LS,RX,CT All models (maybe except the diesel models)

You cant handle better than a Lexus - LFA Nurburgring record 7 :14 minutes (which super car BMW or Merc has beaten this time?)

You cant get better customer service anywhere than a Lexus customer service.

If in doubt put the Passat keys down and test drive an LS460, LS600h

If still in doubt check review/award websites which has been reviewed by real owners and not paid Journalists and let us know what real owners had to say.

e.g. JD Power awards manufactures based on what real owners say about vehicle appeal, quality.reliability, running costs and dealership satisfaction. Lexus has scooped these awards in a 10 year spree.

Lexus are not the best car's in the world but from the information above, can you now see the picture they are very close to being one?

[petayV8]

If you want a quiet, reliable, refined and a well built luxury full size saloon the Lexus LS beats the 7 series, S class and A8 im afraid to say. This is fact not just my opinion like Noby said. If you want to sacrifice ride and comfort and want something with driving pleasures in mind in the same class then the germans do that well but only that. Yes the LS is boring to drive but so what. If you said Bentley Arnarge, Mulsanne or Royles Royce Phantom then fine, they would beat the LS hands down

surprised you support German cars like you do driving a Passat, my Dad had countless problems with his, being his first German car it shattered his expectations of the so called amazing German build quality

[Exdee]

The top-tier S Class models compete with Rolls Royce and Bentley's. Comparing it to 7 series, A8's and LS's is a bit silly. Reliability aside a top spec LS is absolutely no match for a top spec S Class.

[noby76]

Yes the LS is boring to drive but so what. If you said Bentley Arnarge, Mulsanne or Royles Royce Phantom then fine, they would beat the LS hands down

And those cost prob twice the price of a new LS so i would be surprised if they dont beat the LS ... The Germans know how to build a car and no one disagrees. I owned a BMW 520i briefly , I have driven my mates BMW 330Ci few times, rode in my brothers mates S Class 55 with the AMG package not the real AMG in New York as he uses it for Chauffeuring and rode in 2011 E Class 320 CDI as a taxi car when i was in Munich and all are nothing special with the exception of the S55 maintly the engine sound and sound system of that car is beast. so it boils down to what the buyer is looking for. . as Exdee confirmed 'Reliabilty' aside, why in world would some one pay that much money for top tier S Class and expect a vauxhall to be more reliable than it??

facts dont lie as when the dust settles Lexus comes on top. if i pay £150k for a top tier S class then i expect it to be reliable and smoother than a Lexus but is it??

[petayV8]

The top-tier S Class models compete with Rolls Royce and Bentley's. Comparing it to 7 series, A8's and LS's is a bit silly. Reliability aside a top spec LS is absolutely no match for a top spec S Class.

Are you sure? They have just announced pricing for the all new 2014 S class, the range topping AMG cost £120k whereas a 2013 Base hand built Bentley Mulsanne will set you back £200k. Everything ive read competes the S class to the 3 german big ones. You can buy more expensive custom S class's from coach builders and such but Mercedes already made the Maybach for that

[petayV8]

Yes the LS is boring to drive but so what. If you said Bentley Arnarge, Mulsanne or Royles Royce Phantom then fine, they would beat the LS hands down

And those cost prob twice the price of a new LS so i would be surprised if they dont beat the LS ... The Germans know how to build a car and no one disagrees. I owned a BMW 520i briefly , I have driven my mates BMW 330Ci few times, rode in my brothers mates S Class 55 with the AMG package not the real AMG in New York as he uses it for Chauffeuring and rode in 2011 E Class 320 CDI as a taxi car when i was in Munich and all are nothing special with the exception of the S55 maintly the engine sound and sound system of that car is beast. so it boils down to what the buyer is looking for. . as Exdee confirmed 'Reliabilty' aside, why in world would some one pay that much money for top tier S Class and expect a vauxhall to be more reliable than it??

facts dont lie as when the dust settles Lexus comes on top. if i pay £150k for a top tier S class then i expect it to be reliable and smoother than a Lexus but is it??

Yeah im not a german car hater either, just stating the facts. I really took to the 320 and 323 when in the market for the IS200, the coupe more than anything but reliability put me off. lovely cars though if you have the money to up keep them. Those AMGs are certainly something. My dad (in law) has a E55 and its amazing to say the least. Hes always had mercs, hes got a S430 LW too, but even he says great cars if you can afford the bills that come with them

[Exdee]

The top-tier S Class models compete with Rolls Royce and Bentley's. Comparing it to 7 series, A8's and LS's is a bit silly. Reliability aside a top spec LS is absolutely no match for a top spec S Class.

Are you sure? They have just announced pricing for the all new 2014 S class, the range topping AMG cost £120k whereas a 2013 Base hand built Bentley Mulsanne will set you back £200k. Everything ive read competes the S class to the 3 german big ones. You can buy more expensive custom S class's from coach builders and such but Mercedes already made the Maybach for that

The current base S65 AMG costs £165K. I am sure the newer one will be more expensive.

Maybach has been discontinued. S class will have similar models now.

@ Noby: You are missing the point. The top spec S Class and its alternatives are status symbols. You don't pay top buck for reliability. You pay it for other things such as product differentiation, build quality and brand image. The cost of buying the car is usually a tiny proportion of the level of income of people who buy such cars. Surely if you or I were to save money over 10-15 years to buy a car then yh reliability would be a concern but for them it's not.

Mercs are expensive to own and maintain. This is why they are more prestigious.

[thesmileyone]

Yes the LS is boring to drive but so what. If you said Bentley Arnarge, Mulsanne or Royles Royce Phantom then fine, they would beat the LS hands down

And those cost prob twice the price of a new LS so i would be surprised if they dont beat the LS ... The Germans know how to build a car and no one disagrees. I owned a BMW 520i briefly , I have driven my mates BMW 330Ci few times, rode in my brothers mates S Class 55 with the AMG package not the real AMG in New York as he uses it for Chauffeuring and rode in 2011 E Class 320 CDI as a taxi car when i was in Munich and all are nothing special with the exception of the S55 maintly the engine sound and sound system of that car is beast. so it boils down to what the buyer is looking for. . as Exdee confirmed 'Reliabilty' aside, why in world would some one pay that much money for top tier S Class and expect a vauxhall to be more reliable than it??

facts dont lie as when the dust settles Lexus comes on top. if i pay £150k for a top tier S class then i expect it to be reliable and smoother than a Lexus but is it??

Why are you comparing an E320 CDI, a 2.0 tdi, to an LS v8? Completely different cars. So is the S55k to an extent. Infact they don't even make an S55 anymore...so you are comparing a 2004 car that, like you said, is not even a real AMG model, to a brand new LS. Just lol.

I would like you to go and drive an S65 AMG or an S600 biTurbo and then come back and tell us that it is no match for the top Lexus car, rather than comparing 10 year old base model mid-range Mercedes' to brand new top range Lexus'.

I await your opinion.

[thesmileyone]

I think the most ironic point is you compare Merc's to a Rolls Royce... which is made by......wait for it....BMW.