Road Test: 2002 Lexus ES 300

[BigSmooth]

Originally posted by: NFS4

It's because of those mistakes that Nissan will make gains against Toyota...and maybe even Honda if people don't like that either. The Altima is easily the best looking of the three.

How do you figure? The Camry is having record sales this year and is currently outselling the Altima 271,024 vs 139,502...almost 2:1[/quote]
Actually, it's leading 309,618 to 139,502, so more than 2 to 1. But last year it was closer to 3 to 1.

But before we get wrapped up in sales figures, remember that the Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable combo sells as well or better than the Accord or Camry. :Q

 

[loup garou]

Originally posted by: Shantanu

A person who would buy an ES300 wouldn't be caught dead driving a Deville.

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Most ES300 buyers would give the 2 pints of blood and 3 hairs on their head that they have left for a Deville.

LMFAO!

LMFAO!

LMFAO!

The ES300 has a higher average buyer's age than the Deville, and by a good bit too (you can confirm that one for yourself). Lots of young celebrities drive Devilles (seen Cribs, DUBs lately?). Then there's the Escalade. Does that even need an introduction? A young celebrity driving a Lexus... Or heck, and young investment banker driving a Lexus... Lets just put that under NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! Have you ever seen anybody under the age of 90 driving an ES300? I sure as hell haven't. The Toyota brand itself is geriatric, with the average buyer of a Camry being well over 50. WTF the did you think Lexus was?

Lexus makes some nice cars, I'll admit that. But there's no fvcking prestige in owning one, and if you think there is, you've got to be fvcking kidding yourself. Cadillac has slipped a little bit in the past few years, but they're still the vehicle of choice for all politicians, most celebrities, and many businessmen; i.e. anyone who is someone in America.

Lexus is just a POS of rebadged Toyota's that was crafted WITHIN MY LIFETIME. No heritage. No prestige.

I think we agree it's an ugly car, but Shantanu, you've got some serious problems. Get a life.

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: bigsmooth

Originally posted by: NFS4

It's because of those mistakes that Nissan will make gains against Toyota...and maybe even Honda if people don't like that either. The Altima is easily the best looking of the three.

How do you figure? The Camry is having record sales this year and is currently outselling the Altima 271,024 vs 139,502...almost 2:1

Actually, it's leading 309,618 to 139,502, so more than 2 to 1. But last year it was closer to 3 to 1.

But before we get wrapped up in sales figures, remember that the Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable combo sells as well or better than the Accord or Camry. :Q[/quote]

So far through August 2002

Camry 309,618

Taurus: 227,704
Sable: 78,266

Regardless, if you're going to combine the Taurus/Sable, then combine the Camry/ES300/Avalon...on an even more distant front, the RX300/Highlander/Sienna

 

[BigSmooth]

Yes, but look at August figures:
Camry - 45,442
Taurus - 32,827
Sable - 14,980

So Taurus + Sable - 47,807 > Camry sales. And I said "as well or better", because they are within percentage points of each other, even for the year.

Regardless, my point was that sales figures are not all-important.
The Neon outsells the Protege, the Grand Prix outsells the Passat - are they better cars? No.

 

[BigSmooth]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Regardless, if you're going to combine the Taurus/Sable, then combine the Camry/ES300/Avalon...on an even more distant front, the RX300/Highlander/Sienna

I think if we went that route, GM's upcoming Epsilon platform would probably rule the charts.

 

[psteng19]

Originally posted by: Shantanu

A person who would buy an ES300 wouldn't be caught dead driving a Deville.

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Most ES300 buyers would give the 2 pints of blood and 3 hairs on their head that they have left for a Deville.

LMFAO!

LMFAO!

LMFAO!

The ES300 has a higher average buyer's age than the Deville, and by a good bit too (you can confirm that one for yourself). Lots of young celebrities drive Devilles (seen Cribs, DUBs lately?). Then there's the Escalade. Does that even need an introduction? A young celebrity driving a Lexus... Or heck, and young investment banker driving a Lexus... Lets just put that under NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! Have you ever seen anybody under the age of 90 driving an ES300? I sure as hell haven't. The Toyota brand itself is geriatric, with the average buyer of a Camry being well over 50. WTF the did you think Lexus was?

Lexus makes some nice cars, I'll admit that. But there's no fvcking prestige in owning one, and if you think there is, you've got to be fvcking kidding yourself. Cadillac has slipped a little bit in the past few years, but they're still the vehicle of choice for all politicians, most celebrities, and many businessmen; i.e. anyone who is someone in America.

Lexus is just a POS of rebadged Toyota's that was crafted WITHIN MY LIFETIME. No heritage. No prestige.

Actually, I'd buy an ES300 before any Cadillac product, and I'm 22.

Especially the CTS.
I've passed by 3 on the road, and couldn't comprehend what he was thinking when he made his choice... felt sorry for the dude.

I don't buy cars for the "image" or prestige as you call it. I don't need to pimpin' in the Escalade rollin on 22" dubs.
I'll take the comfort and reliability of a Lexus over heritage, because heritage really doesn't mean anything if the next dude got the better product.

 

[ChicagoMaroon]

Originally posted by: Shantanu
Or heck, and young investment banker driving a Lexus... Lets just put that under NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!

Cadillac has slipped a little bit in the past few years, but they're still the vehicle of choice for all politicians, most celebrities, and many businessmen; i.e. anyone who is someone in America.

Funny. Cadillac isn't even a consideration for the young buyer. Caddy has no mindshare whatsoever with anyone under 50 (excluding that "huge" demographic of rappers). GM has much to worry about as the Baby Boomers die and people with the disposable income to buy expensive cars won't even consider a Caddy.

Here's a roll call of vehicles recently purchased by friends I went to college or law school with:

Lexus IS300
Lexus GS430
Audi A4 (3 of these)
Audi TT
Audi Allroad
BMW 3-Series (like 7 of them, including 2 M3s)
BMW 5-Series
MB SLK230
MB C320
Infiniti G35
Jag X-Type
Porsche Boxster

Hell, if anyone got a Cadillac, s/he would probably get so much sh!t for it

That said, the current ES300 design is fugly indeed.

 

[Doggiedog]

Originally posted by: Shantanu

A person who would buy an ES300 wouldn't be caught dead driving a Deville.

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Most ES300 buyers would give the 2 pints of blood and 3 hairs on their head that they have left for a Deville.

LMFAO!

LMFAO!

LMFAO!

The ES300 has a higher average buyer's age than the Deville, and by a good bit too (you can confirm that one for yourself). Lots of young celebrities drive Devilles (seen Cribs, DUBs lately?). Then there's the Escalade. Does that even need an introduction? A young celebrity driving a Lexus... Or heck, and young investment banker driving a Lexus... Lets just put that under NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! Have you ever seen anybody under the age of 90 driving an ES300? I sure as hell haven't. The Toyota brand itself is geriatric, with the average buyer of a Camry being well over 50. WTF the did you think Lexus was?

Lexus makes some nice cars, I'll admit that. But there's no fvcking prestige in owning one, and if you think there is, you've got to be fvcking kidding yourself. Cadillac has slipped a little bit in the past few years, but they're still the vehicle of choice for all politicians, most celebrities, and many businessmen; i.e. anyone who is someone in America.

Lexus is just a POS of rebadged Toyota's that was crafted WITHIN MY LIFETIME. No heritage. No prestige.

You are too fvcking funny Shamu. You really are. You seem to know alot about Wall Street and peoples car buying habits I wonder where you worked on the Street? Heck, I worked at a few investment banks in equity research for 5 years and I have yet to meet anyone who drives (or admits they drive) a Cadilllac. However, I know lots of guys that own Lexus' including yours truly. I'll give you a breakdown of the cars I've seen owned by colleagues in my 8 years working on Wall Street.

1. Porsche
2. BMW
3. Mercedes
4. Range Rover
5. Lexus
6. Ford
7-11 Acura, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Chrysler in no real order.

I don't know a single person that owns a Cadillac, Escalade included. I think the Escalade is too "ghetto" luxury for the likes of us. Even my ex-boss's boss, the 141st richest person in the US, doesn't own a Cadillac. He owns a Porsche, Mercedes and some really old GM or Ford truck.

You are right in that politicians may drive Cadillacs. I went to a golf school in upstate New York and bumped into former NY senator Alphonse D'Amato there. He drove a Cadillac Catera. He is a fine example of an admirable politician

Edit: Left out Audi. It probably falls between Mercedes and Range Rover.

 

[Shantanu]

Heck, I worked at a few investment banks in equity research for 5 years

What did they have you doing in the equity research department? Scrubbing the pubic hair off toilets?

Did you even graduate from an Ivy League school? A CUNY school? LOL.

 

[loup garou]

Originally posted by: Shantanu

Heck, I worked at a few investment banks in equity research for 5 years

What did they have you doing in the equity research department? Scrubbing the pubic hair off toilets?

Did you even graduate from an Ivy League school? A CUNY school? LOL.

Very original. Why don't you tell us some more about your mommy and daddy's cars.

 

[Doggiedog]

Originally posted by: Shantanu

Heck, I worked at a few investment banks in equity research for 5 years

What did they have you doing in the equity research department? Scrubbing the pubic hair off toilets?

Did you even graduate from an Ivy League school? A CUNY school? LOL.

Bwahahah!! That is funny coming out of some punk ass kid who still needs a ride from mommy.

With your open mindedness about things, you wouldn't even be qualified to lick the pubes off my toilet at work kid.

As for not graduating from an Ivy, that shows just how much you know about the outside world. Do you really think the majority of people working in i-banking, trading, research and sales graduated from Ivys? I'll let you in on a secret. The answer is no. I hope you aren't so naive enough to think the world comes knocking on your door just because you have a piece of paper written in Latin that says you graduated from Harvard. The most successful people are the hardest working regardless of what school they went to.

Anyhow, enough preaching. I gotta get to bed. Gotta be in the office by 7.

 

[UNCjigga]

Originally posted by: Don_Vito
I know I am not the target audience, but the new ES300 is one strange-looking car IMO. I have no doubt it is one plush, comfortable highway cruiser, in any event.

Oh c'mon, out with it already! IT LOOKS LIKE A GODDAMN CHRYSLER LH JELLYBEAN CAR!!!