Many Lexus Owners Don't Really Care About Their Vehicles

[RX350lover]

On my street there are two other homeowners who own Lexus vehicles. One has a RX350 (2006-2009) and it sits 365 days a year in his driveway. This past summer as temp reached 100F+ and the sun was burning, I couldn't stop thinking about the damages being done to the leather seats and felt sorry for whomever will be buying this car when it will be for sale. Another homeowner has 3 Lexus vehicles in his driveway; one 450H, one 350 and one ES350 (all 2010-2011). And as with the other homeowners, they spent the whole summer in his driveway. Yet he has a 3 car garage and doesn't seem like the kind of person who doesn't have the space for keeping them indoor. Even my 2009 RX350 which I bought a few months ago, wasn't taken care above and beyond the recommended maintenance. The service was all done at the dealer and although the use of dino oil can be asserted to a lack of knowledge from the owner, nine months could go by between oil changes. And money cannot be a factor as I know the previous owner and they live in a $2+ million house.

So clearly, buying a used Lexus is no guarantee of anything. Though one could have assumed that people who own luxury vehicles would go the extra mile to take care of them.

[lenore]

YOu know that is just people, most people that have cars outside where I live cant put anything in the garage, because it is full of toys, men caves, etc.

[pj8708]

Lenore is right. In addition to looking at their cars like their kids Big Wheel, people seem to to use their garages as a storage locker and there is never any room for the cars. There is a T.V. program on the "Home & Garden" channel called "House Hunters". During the show people are shown various homes for sale. It is amazing how much stuff people can put in their garages. It's not surprising then that the riding lawn mower and the bicycles are in there instead of the Lexus.

Being obsessive like I am, I am just the polar opposite of your neighbors. I over care for my cars. I garage them all day and night when their not in use. I have them hand washed and vacuumed once a week at a detailer, and I perform all maintenance one thousand miles before it's due. I also have them waxed and buffed twice a year, before and after our winter season. I know, somewhere in there is a happy middle ground. I need to get a life.

[RX350lover]

Lenore is right. In addition to looking at their cars like their kids Big Wheel, people seem to to use their garages as a storage locker and there is never any room for the cars. There is a T.V. program on the "Home & Garden" channel called "House Hunters". During the show people are shown various homes for sale. It is amazing how much stuff people can put in their garages. It's not surprising then that the riding lawn mower and the bicycles are in there instead of the Lexus.

Being obsessive like I am, I am just the polar opposite of your neighbors. I over care for my cars. I garage them all day and night when their not in use. I have them hand washed and vacuumed once a week at a detailer, and I perform all maintenance one thousand miles before it's due. I also have them waxed and buffed twice a year, before and after our winter season. I know, somewhere in there is a happy middle ground. I need to get a life.

The important point to remember is that a used luxury car might not be in a better condition than a used KIA Rio.

P.S. You definitely are slightly obssessive about your cars. But there is nothing wrong with that. I also do take very good care of my cars. The proof is in the fact that my three other cars are 21, 18 and 13 years old. No car last that long unless taken care of.

[lenore]

My Lexus in the the Garage every night. However I share my projects and woodworking etc which means I have to clean up every time and bring the Lexus in for the night. I have neighbors that have never used the garage in 20 years...For Cars....My Navy Days prepared me well for cleaning....

[SW03ES]

I owned a car detailing business some years ago, and I can tell you that its not just Lexus owners...its that most people don't care about their vehicles in general. If anything its almost worse with higher end cars...people with a lot of funds see them as disposable and replaceable things instead of things they've worked really hard for.

I literally have detailed $70,000 cars that would make you want to gag inside.

As a real estate broker I can tell you, a lot of people are this way about their homes too...

[RX350lover]

I owned a car detailing business some years ago, and I can tell you that its not just Lexus owners...its that most people don't care about their vehicles in general. If anything its almost worse with higher end cars...people with a lot of funds see them as disposable and replaceable things instead of things they've worked really hard for.

I literally have detailed $70,000 cars that would make you want to gag inside.

As a real estate broker I can tell you, a lot of people are this way about their homes too...

What you wrote is very true. I had forgotten about it. Thanks for the reality check.

[1990LS400]

In the last month, my next door neighbor has started leaving one of his two! Maseratis parked outside his garage in his driveway and in the last couple of weeks has stopped putting a car cover on it for the night. He used to be completely obsessive about that car. Maybe he's tired of it. Maybe I can ask him to give it to me?

[RX350lover]

Or buy it for cheap :)

[pj8708]

Is the house next to him for sale? I can move.

[1990LS400]

Is the house next to him for sale? I can move.

Yes, you can have my house at the right price. And the weather is soooo much nicer down here in balmy Kansas City than in frigid Des Moines. (Is there an emoticon for lying?)

My culdesac was "better" before an elderly neighbor and wife moved last year -- they had two Mercedes S500's. Another neighbor in my culdesac, though, has since bought a BMW M3 to go with his Range Rover. The best part of having "Maserati Gil" and "Porsche Ron" living on either side of us and the other expensive cars in the culdesac is that it makes it more difficult for my wife to give me flack about spending money on cars. And some womam my wife knows drives a Porsche Panameria and my wife seems to like it so that's why I looked at one of those which led me mention it the recent "Hyundai & Kia Beats Lexus ?" thread you started.

[pj8708]

Is the house next to him for sale? I can move.

Yes, you can have my house at the right price. And the weather is soooo much nicer down here in balmy Kansas City than in frigid Des Moines. (Is there an emoticon for lying?)

My culdesac was "better" before an elderly neighbor and wife moved last year -- they had two Mercedes S500's. Another neighbor in my culdesac, though, has since bought a BMW M3 to go with his Range Rover. The best part of having "Maserati Gil" and "Porsche Ron" living on either side of us and the other expensive cars in the culdesac is that it makes it more difficult for my wife to give me flack about spending money on cars. And some womam my wife knows drives a Porsche Panameria and my wife seems to like it so that's why I looked at one of those which led me mention it the recent "Hyundai & Kia Beats Lexus ?" thread you started.

It sounds like your culdesac is a little to rich for my blood! We can't afford to keep up with the high rent district you live in and especially afford the cars. What boggles my mind is how they continue to let a "skin flint" like you live there with your 11&1/2 yr.old LS. I bleed for you having to buy the Porsche for your long suffering wife.

p.s.; Let me know when your in the area again.

[1990LS400]

What boggles my mind is how they continue to let a "skin flint" like you live there with your 11&1/2 yr.old LS. I bleed for you having to buy the Porsche for your long suffering wife.

p.s.; Let me know when your in the area again.

As long as "Attorney Joe" lives in my culdesac with the 1972 Mercedes 350SL he bought new, I will never hold the culdesac record. Can you imagine owning a car for 40 years? And the Porsche would be for me - not her.

We'll probably be in Des Moines at XMAS ... maybe we'll meet up again.

[lenore]

Nice neighborhood, little too uppy for me, but I am a happy man. And I keep good care of the Lexus.

[LEX-SV]

I treat my Ford SUV like a truck.