gserep1

NOW NOW VERTEX, Be nice. WE Americans (as you so aptly put it) have to wait for things too at times. Oh, you long-suffering Europeans. Lexus does seem to cater to us simply as a matter of money. We are the largest market, BUT that doesn't make us any better by any stretch of the imagination. Lexus will not release the car until it thinks that it is right. Americans are also used as guinea-pigs sometimes. I would rather have a car AFTER the bugs are worked out instead of BEFORE. Europe has some of the world's finest cars. You have some cars that we just drool over, because we can't have them due to our emissions and safety regulations. Sometimes when we get a hot European car, its' horsepower has been reduced to comply with our standards. Your performance cars are awesome. HOPEFULLY, you will not have to wait too long. It will be worth the wait, I am sure.

Doc Rings, My heart bleeds for you my friend. That is truly a scary proposition at best. Please let us know what happened to your vehicle. I know that GS's are very reliable, and this is a bit scary for me. I have a 99 GS-400 with 36,000 miles and NAVI, and 17inch wheels (non-chromed). You got your car from a local Lexus Dealer..I did not. I am familiar with all of the Lexus dealers in this area from Carlsbad to El Cajon. I have been to all of them at one time or other. I drive from La Mesa to Coronado every day to work and back. Other than the traffic at those hours, it is a pleasant drive. Maybe I should have bought a certified car, but I was able to get a great warranty form an aftermarket company that seems as good as the L:exus one. When I added in the price of this warranty $1700, it worked out about the same, but the miles are for 150,000 instead of 100,000 miles. I will let you know how the perform if I ever have a need for them. Until then, good luck on the car, and please keep us posted on the problem... GSEREP1

Hey Captain, I did not know that you could get the GS300 with 17 inch wheels as an option. Here in the U.S., you can't do that I don't believe. Correct me if I am wrong, but CONGRATULATIONS on the new Lexus, and happy motoring. I got a preowned GS-400 with Navigation system, 17 inch chrome wheels and tires, and the spoiler in the gold color. Those 17 inch tires (Michelin Pilots) are really noisy when worn about half way down. Good luck again! GSEREP1

This is a very interesting topic. I am in the market for a GS-400/430, and I have been scouring the market, and trying to decide between a very expensive NEW one, and some VERY well maintained pre-owned 400's and newer 430's. I was at a local Lexus dealership recently, and spotted a GS-300 SPORT DESIGN, and the suspension was amazingly tight in direct contrast to the regular GS-300, and even tighter than the current new 430. I am beginning to wonder if the current 430 will be updated to this new SPORT DESIGN package. Everytime I get close to making a decision on this car, something else happens. I don't want to purchase the regular 430, and have the newer tighter suspensioned car come out. The dealer is tight-lipped about all of this, and only says that the new GS design will be out in 2004. That is designed to make me feel good about buying what could conceivably be a "last generation" model 2002. The only things that I do NOT like about the new 430 is the really soft suspension, and the absence of the "e"shift feature on the steering wheel. If anyone else has any info that would shed some light on this PLEASE do so, before I wind up buying the wrong car. There are a lot of GS400's in 99 and 2000 vintage coming back from lease returns, and I do not know what 2003 will bring as to changes or improvements in this car line. Thanks again ! GSEREP1