SW03ES

See I never found the GS appealing, I think the side of the STS looks very clean and sporty. The GS looks weird and misshapen to me. Plus the current GS is extremely old and most dealers aren't even currently stocking them because of nonexistant demand. We'll have to wait until we can hear more about the new 06 GS before the GS is really competition for anything currently on the market. The question on pricing we'll have to wait and see on. One significant advantage Cadillac has over imports like BMW and Mercedes, and to a lesser degree Lexus is the ability to insanely discount their cars because of much lower destination costs due to them being built in America. The STS may sticker at $63,000 (thats loaded with all kinds of equipement the GS doesn't come with like AWD, 18 inch rims, magnetic ride control, smart entry and keyless start. Its much more fair to compare the base STS with the loaded current GS430, so around $49,000 vs $52,000) but I have a feeling the car will quickly be sold for far less than that. Plus the availiability of different cars built to different specifications will be appealing to buyers who get the runaround on option packages from BMW, Benz and Lexus. Lexus ships every car 2 or 3 ways if you want it another way you're out of luck, BMW does the same thing and Mercedes charges $1000 to custom order a car. Cadillac stockpiles their cars in warehouses strategically located throughout the country so customers can almost get any car they want within hours. Thats pretty attractive. If this car is 3/4 as good as the press says it is (I have not read a compero it has not won) then it could signify the beginning of a big problem for foreign luxury cars much like Lexus was in the 90s. It could especially be a big problem for Lexus. Lexus doesn't have as much brand loyalty or image recognition as BMW, Mercedes or even Cadillac NOW, let alone if Cadillac can build a world class car. Lexus has been slipping, and rightfully so from what I've heard in customer dealer satisfaction rates, they've had problems with the launch of the GX470, the RX330, and now they have a tranny problem on the ES AND the LS430. This is not Lexus' finest hour. Lexus service is the most expensive in the industry, and especially now that service is FREE at BMW, Cadillac, Infiniti, Lincoln and Audi thats a real turnoff. I always thought Cadillac's "comeback" wasn't in the cards, but after reading the reviews on this car, I don't know. Now all we have to do is wait and see how Cadillac handles the launch. They need to be stingy with inventory to create a demand, they need to be good with service to keep their dealer satisfaction rates up, they need to have made sure this car is going to be problem free all to guard resale values. It could be the greatest car on earth but they could totally !Removed! up the launch and ruin it (a'la Infiniti). We've just got to wait and see.

He means switch his entire ES for an entirely new GS ;)

Well its not the dealerships its the car company itself. They make the decisions what comes on the car. The dealer stocks what they can get the best deal on which is what comes on the car through Lexus. The service rep was probably right, they don't make a lot of money on tires because they don't sell a lot of tires, but theres a significant markup on each tire.

The difference in the interiors just speak for themselves: CTS: STS:

This is a CTS See the sharp creases down the side with big flat spaces, the door trim and handles that look tacked on out of place, cheap ugly wheels that look way too small for the car's body, dull matte plastic window trim that again looks cheap and makes the car look tinny and poorly constructed. This is the new STS from a similar angle. Overall you can see the car looks much more proportioned, and much smoother overall. All the lines and body shapes seem to fit together and the doors are devoid of useless trim and have better, more proportioned, non parts bin handles. The window trim looks of higher quality and is more integrated into the door. The wheels are more expensive looking and look more proportioned to the body. The front end is smoother and the art and science theme of vertical lights and the large wedhe shaped grille and bumper valence are much better integrated into the overall car. To me the CTS exemplified everything Cadillac did not understand about making a high quality appealing vehicle. Its ugly, at best even if you like it you have to agree its trendy and has a style that will not age well. Its poorly constructed made of typical GM garbage materials thrown together in their typical "we're making a taxicab" style. The STS seems to be an example of just how quickly non-exciting sales and terrible resale in their "renaissance" automobile (The CTS) can make them learn the lessons they need to learn. The STS is edgy and different but still universally appealing and recognizable as a Cadillac. Much better and more appealing car.

The STS is much smoother and more proportioned than the CTS. The CTS is a nightmare of disjointed angles and thrown in parts bin trim that doesn't fit (rounded door handles from the Deville don't fit with the angular look) that horrible pointed rear end, the rear being so much higher than the front. Too many colors and textures and angles on the interior which doesn't have very good materials to begin with. Its just a total styling nightmare. From certain angles it looks okay, but from others it looks downright rediculous. The STS is much more well rounded and mature, it looks consistently good and in proportion from all angles, it looks to be constructed better and seems to have better fit and finish. The interior is more ordinary which is good. The STS and the CTS don't look any more similar to me than say a Lexus ES and a Lexus LS. Family resemblence thats all.

I'd agree but the technology has been around for almost 5 years now, its been tested by time in all kinds of conditions. The technology IS sound. The same technology from the Prius is going into the 400h, its just mated to a bigger engine thats all.

Nothing that I have heard, including looking at the 05 steering wheel leads me to believe it has bluetooth. If it had bluetooth there would be answer/hang up buttons on the wheel and there aren't any.

No ;) Ford is present at the design meetings on all of the component peices and some units developed for Jaguar, Volvo etc are used in Ford vehicles but all thecar companies Ford owns continue to be run by the same people, built in the same factories, and built to the same standard they've always been. Ford simply provides a backbone, an infusion of cash, and a safety net allowing them to take greater chances and improve quality more than when they had been independent.

Its not only Japanese engineering though, I've felt the lag on Jaguars, BMWs, Audis...

I would definately try and find a 2002 even if it has to be higher mileage because of the engine sludge concern on the 97-01.

See I don't need a car to impress women :D

Which is based off the same platform as the 4 Runner ;) The ES is sold in Japan as the Toyota Windom which MUCH more closely resembles the ES than the Camry (much as the Prado does the GX), but that doesn't change the fact that the ES is based off of the Camry platform. If I were buying an SUV today I would buy an Infiniti FX 35 or 45. Great styling, fun to drive, both of them are fast, and they're not rediculously expensive. Lexus doesn't have anything in the SUV line that really appeals to me. The RX is too minivanish, the GX aside from being rushed to production and being plagued with reliability problems is lacking some key features such as xenon lights and has some cheap interior fittings, and the styling looks too tall for me. Plus they have that rediculous rear door that opens on a hinge making it useless if backed into a parking space. The LX470 is old and doesn't have a lot of usable interior space. As for Range Rover, its not "made by Ford" its owned by Ford. Ford has done an awesome job with captive companies they've bought like Jaguar (Ford took Jaguar from the bottom of the reliability and customer satisfaction shots and put them at the top), Lincoln took a 15 point jump in initial quality and customer satisfaction to BEAT Lexus this year. They've almost tripled Land Rover sales since they purchased it and doubled the reliability ranking. Don't knock Ford nowadays, they're not !Removed! around anymore. Lexus is a great car, but plenty of other people make great cars too.

Is it beautiful car? Yes definately. Is it worth the money? No. I personally don't think any Mercedes, except maybe the E class is priced reasonably both within its market and to its attributes. Benz WAY overprices their cars to the point where stopping off at a Benz dealership and looking at the stickers sends me laughing all the way back to my Lexus. An S500 for $100,000 that doesn't even have features the LS430 has for $69,000? Come on Benz, you've got to be reasonable. I seriously doubt I'll ever buy a Mercedes. To me they remain total status symbols and I have better things to spend my cash on.

I would never buy another car without HIDs. In fact thats one of the principal reasons I bought the ES instead of the GS, the GS300 doesn't have HIDs. The reduction in eye strain when travelling at night and the high tech look are just great. Better get used to them because eventually they'll become the industry norm. As for blinding I've only been flashed at once. Acura's HIDs before 2004 do not have an autolevelling feature thats why you get flashed at. The HIDs in my fiancee's Prius don't have autolevelling either and I noticed they were really blinding the other night when she was following me home after we had met my dad for dinner. All in all though they don't bother me really.

It is definately true, I always seemed to notice this when driving my dad's 98 LS and his new 04. Unfortunately the new ES doesn't have an ECT PWR mode...

Have you seen the pics of the new STS I posted above? Much better looking than the current CTS and SRX "Art and Science" designs. First Cadillac I've found appealing in a really long time. I just thumbed through the brochure and all I kept saying was "This is a Cadillac?!?" lol. As for trading mine on one, notime soon. I MIGHT consider something else when I trade my car in 2007 or 2008 if Lexus still doesn't have free scheduled maintenance (Caddy does starting this year, as do BMW and Benz, Lincoln, Jaguar, Audi) but I'm still 110% satisfied with my Lexus. I have a feeling in the next couple of years Lexus will have to jump on the bandwagon with free maintenance. The caddy saleswoman has one coming in in a couple days and she's going to call me so I can drive it. Can't wait to see if its all hype or if it actually is built as well as a Lexus. I'm guessing its going to be much better, but not up to Lexus quality yet. Even the saleswoman admitted that at a briefing yesterday when she drove the new STS next to the LS430 she still thought the LS430's interior was nicer. She did add though that it was still almost $10,000 more. I was a little bit dissapointed that you can't get things like the magnetic ride control or xenon headlamps on the V6 STS like you can get those higher line options on lower model Lexus' like the ES and the GS3.

The difference is the 15 inch wheels on your 98 vs the 16s on the 03 I guess. Make sure they're 32 though, my guess is they're more like 40-45. They ASSURED me that they had aired my tiures to 29 when I got them installed, and they were between 40-45. Immediately quieter once I adjusted them. Chuck- Did you get Toyo to pay for the new tires under their pro-rated plan for the treadwear coverage?

Eh, to me they're just overdone. Personally I don't want to own something "rappers" buy and put 24's on so they can "pimp they hoes" LOL. I'd rather have a Navigator. I saw one today at the Cadillac dealer (picked up a brochure on the new STS), just overdone.

Unlisted is right, definately put one of those keys in a safe place.

Ooh a new toy LOL what did you buy? As for the noise, I noticed that too at the very beginning, but the tires have about 3000 miles on them now and they've gotten MUCH better. The tire dealer said that Toyos generally need a couple k to "smooth out" the tread blocks and get the super quiet ride I wanted, so far he's 100% right. We just took the Lexus on a trip to the beach (150 miles each way) 2 trips to New Jersey (250 miles each way) and a trip down to Kings Dominion (100miles each way) and the tires have gotten much quieter. Also check the tire pressure, tire places always WAY overinflate the tires. They should be 29psi cold. The more pressure the louder they are.

The same DESIGN wheel is used on the Avalon, but its painted not machined like on the Plat. ES...

How do you like em?

I know just how you feel lol.

BUT you would get that same service even if the cars weren't CPO. Thats simply because you have a good dealership, I have a good dealership too. Good dealerships don't care if the car is new, used, CPO, whatever they treat everyone the same. Poor Nick does NOT have a good dealership...