SW03ES

Check out my article in the GS forum and leave input! http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=18091

Well, after reading the thread below about the member that just took delivery of his new GS430, I decided I would saunter on down to the Lexus dealer and take a new GS for a spin. I drove it on a test loop, followed by a new LS430, and followed by my ES300, all the same loop. Overall I was impressed with the car, but it didn't blow my socks off. The car I drove was a fully loaded GS300 AWD with nav, the new ML DVD Surround stereo with an MSRP of just over $51,000 (yikes). EXTERIOR The exterior of the new GS is very clean, definately more attractive than the aging body of its predecessor. It is very smooth and italian looking, and I feel it looks like a Lexus. If this is the future of Lexus styling, I'm happy. The car definately is more attractive in person than in photos as I knew it would be, and it doesn't look anything like an Avalon. One thing that really struck me is how small the car is. Its about the same height as an ES, but its at least 4 inches shorter and a couple inches narrower with a sportier stance. Its absolutely dwarfed by the LS430. The car I drove was as loaded as a 300 comes, and it had the 17s with runflat Dunlops we've all seen. It was Matador Red with a Cashmere interior. INTERIOR and ELECTRONICS I like the syling of the interior as I did the quality for the most part. There were some rough edged and thinner plastics around the radio face than I'm used to in a Lexus, and sadly the interior colored rearview mirror is replaced by a black one that is made of pretty shoddy plastics. I'd say the plastics in these areas were lower quality than those found on my ES and certainly on the LS, dissapointing. I also have to say I prefer the styling of the LS and ES with the wood high on the door and dash panels, feels more luxurious to me having the wood in your sightlines as you look around the car. The leather is top notch and the seats are amazingly supportive, the lack of support in the LS was immediately apparent after driving the GS, as it was in the ES but to a lesser degree. I love the styling of the center console with the consealed seat warmer ECT switches under the sliding armrest and the concealed mirror and instrument panel buttons on the left side of the steering wheel. Makes for a much cleaner look. All the lighting is LED and it casts a cool HIDish glow over the interior. Better light staging than on the ES or LS, opening the door to the GS at night is an event it is very, very cool. Space in the rear is no better than my ES which is as I feared, and the LS has 5-6 inches on both of them. With the drivers seat positioned like I like it my knees touched the seat in the ES and GS, but I could cross my legs in the LS. Not a big deal for most people, but this alone will keep me out of a GS as I need the car to carry clients as a Realtor. The trunk is also much smaller than the trunk on the ES or on the LS. The new gauges are AWESOME, Lexus did such a nice job with them. They really needed to do something as all carmakers have optitron gauges now, and they did. They look very high tech and very expensive. The readouts under the gauges are also much improved. The gauges have 7 different settings and they change automatically depending on the ambient light. All the buttons have a nicely damped feel and operate silently. Stereo/Nav. Well, I'm dissapointed in the nav screen. Yes it may be big, but its lower resolution than the one found on my ES and the LS and graphics and backgrounds appear granier. The screen is also positioned in such a way that having the shade pulled back on the moonroof glares on the screen and it cannot be adjusted like on my ES, nor is it inset like on the LS. I also wasn't blown away by the new DVD ML system, the surrpound feature sounded good but it doesn't really sound any better than the ML system in my ES, and I liked the ML in the LS better. RIDE and DRIVE Lexus did a great job on the suspension on the GS. Its taut with very little dive when braking or lean in the corners yet it is also very smooth and refined. It drives very much like a BMW now, with a lot of confidence that the ES and LS blatantly dont have and a tauter overall feel. The engine is very responsive and smooth, I would bet the 430 is an absolute screamer. Nicely damped gas and brake pedals, definately a better driver than the previous GS that I wasn't impressed at all with. The runflats were surprisingly smooth and only let you know what they actually are over expansion joints, they'd be the first thing to go for normal tires though. Overall I'm very impressed with the GS, Lexus did a great job with this car not only in form and function but in the engineering of the suspension also, a great drivers car. My only complaints are the rediculously small trunk and the small quality foibles some places that shouldn't be there on such an expensive car. I won't be buying one, but thats because the size of the car doesn't fit my needs not because of any fault.

I drove a new GS today and the LED lighting seemed nice and diffused, but those light sockets were designed to refract LED lights. Basicalkly I want a whiter cleaner looking light, I dont want to go blue or racerish or anything like that. Any suggestions SK?

lone- I know how you feel, I'm not interested in doing any of the work myself... It isn't important, and having the vehicle serviced outside of the dealer network can not by federal law void the warranty. You are free to service your vehicle anywhere and by yourself. That said, I'd stay away from PepBoys and Sears and places like that. The people that work there are more accustomed to working on Escorts than they are a Lexus. You want to do some research and find a good independent mechanic in your area that specializes in Japanese vehicles. Talk to several of them and get referrals, when you find the right one you'll know it. Probably not, but its a good idea to do. Rotating the tires prolongs tire life and tires are expensive. Air filters can get dirty fast depending on where you live and drive. Its easy to check and replace an air filter. Basically if the package doesn't include things your maintenance schedule doesn't include, go for it. If it does, then skip those items. When you find your independent mechanic show him the maintenance schedule and say "this is what I want done". You're not going to void the warranty, just keep your reciepts and you'll be fine. Luckily, unlike Mercedes, BMWs, Audis etc there is nothing really special about the mechanics of a Lexus and basically anyone can work on them.

Matt- It does it just has a generic parts bin Gentex mirror instead of the one in your GS and in the LS. Its a autodimming/compass mirror. This is the mirror mine has: Lexus is starting to use these, they come identical on all sorts of makes and models because they're cheaper. Oh it can definately be done, I just prefer to have a professional do it and nobody will touch it because of the side curtain airbags. If they were to say destroy one airbag when they ran the wire down the A pillar they'd be liable if I or my passengers were injured in an accident. I wanted them to install my Sirius radio there.

Different colors wouldn't have to look gaudy. Lexus does different colors on their special editions all the time. You wouldn't want hot mama neon green but a nice deep red or maybe a deep green would be classy and different. Also, why would colors make it difficult to replace exterior parts? Exterior panels have to be painted, they ship bare. The shop you use simply pulls the color code and computer mixes the paint to match the color. Car companys change and add colors all the time.

It comes with a sport package and 18" wheels now ;) The LS...

Great! We'll look forward to seeing you around more.

LLS- I was wondering if you guys did that, I'll come check you out. How goes getting set up as an authorized trader/sponsor? SK- I've seen several that are in clusters designed to fill out the reflector housing, I had assumed the same thing.

Seeing the new GS (all LEDs are used on the new GS, all interior lighting, the license plate lights, etc) the LED lighting looks so modern and clean I'm thinking about upgrading the lighting in my car to LED. Not the brake lights or turn signals and I'd imagine this would trip the brake lamp and turn signal sensors but the licnese plate lights, interior dome lights, map lights, courtesy lights on the doors and under the dash etc. Has anyone else ever done this? If so how'd it turn out?

Nope, no title, no sale. As for claiming your car belongs to them, not likely.

My only concern is wiring it up there with the side curtain airbags in place. No install shop wants to touch it because of that.

I think the Lexus chrome license plate frames are nice and make the car look finished. Only reason I dont have them is they're hard to clean.

Good to see you again Todd, been a while!

Lexus interiors age very well, they choose materials that age at the same rate, avoiding the hodge podge some panels look new look of other cars.

Yeah probably so. Shame, the new GS is a beautiful car.

LOL! The ES has a traditional mirror that is attatched to the windshield instead of the (nicer) interior colored mirror that attatches to the headliner in the GS and LS. Thats a good point, you'd have trouble mounting it there on an LS too. Plus you'd loose the little thin visor strip there.

Yep, I find them excellent every time.

My guess is this will be much more complicated than with a Jeep that has easily removable driveshafts. I'd buy a trolly for it.

I think probably this is something you'll have to get used to. Drive a GS with 16s and see if you like the ride better, if so you can always switch to the 16s.

2006- No more room in the rear though? I ask because I'm going into real estate sales and will probably upgrade my ES in 1.5-2 years. I was wondering if I should even look at the GS or just wait for the next LS. Rear seat room is one of the big concerns.

Why thank you ;)

Jim- Like Matt says, some do have displays like that parrot kit. I'm going to upgrade either to the kit he has or to the Parrot kit with the display. They mount the display there where his microphone is between the rearview mirror and the headliner. You can buy the Parrot kit with the display at BestBuy now. I assign special ringers to people that I know, my fiance has one, my mother, my father, certain key customers have special rings so I know who they are. My old Sanyo phone spoke the name if it was in your phonebook, that was cool but it wasn't Bluetooth.

Gumart- Thank you! I just gave it a wash and a wuick wax, shinin again.

You've got it 100% on the nose, at least thats how I understand it.