New Toyota/Lexus Models Coming Out In The Next Few Years?

GS, SC

Where do you live, under a rock?

Is the Lincoln the only RWD V8 sedan you could find?

Lexus RWD V8's available in the U.S. (back in 1999 and now) GS 400 - now GS 430 - sporty sedan probably more comparable to Lincoln LS in performance LS 400 - now LS 430 - luxury sedan probably more comparable to Lincoln TC SC 400 - now SC 430 - RWD coupe, current SC 430 has a retractable hard top convertible/coupe

The IS 300 is a straight 6 RWD sedan

Price-wise, the FWD Lexus ES 330 is closer to the RWD Lincoln LS while the RWD GS is closer to the FWD Continental so Lexus and Lincoln have different offerings in these segments.

Lincoln no longer manufactures a FWD sedan, and I would buy one of they did.. I only buy new RWD V8 vehicles evry two years and the fact remains, for me to buy another RWD V8 Lexus sedan I would have had to spend at least $20,000 more than I have been paying to buy the Lincoln LS RWD V8 and that is the reason I no longer buy Lexus vehicles. In my opinion based on the six or so Lexus and Lincolns I have owned the Lincolns have been just as reliable and a lot less expensive to replace when the time came. You are free to buy the brand and type you prefer as well.

mike hunt

Ray O wrote:

Ray O wrote:

Yeah but if you buy every 2 years, have you considered the TRUE cost to own? In many cases, the more expensive Lexus is actually cheaper to own because they hold their value so much better than Lincoln over the first 2-3 years.

I stand corrected! I thought Lincoln still offered the Continental but according to their web site, their only sedan offerings are the LS and Town Car.

First you said that you would buy a FWD sedan if Lincoln manufactured one, then you say that you only buy RWD V8 vehicles.

I am not trying to convince you to purchase a Lexus or Toyota over a Lincoln or Ford. I agree with you that people should buy the brand and type they prefer.

My point is that when looking at competing vehicles, the Lincoln LS competes more with the RWD V8 Lexus GS 430 than the Lexus LS 430. The Lincoln LS probably still lists for less than the Lexus GS but the price difference is a lot less than the $20,000 you were stating, probably around half of that.

That may be your opinion but not my experience. I have actually owned both brands. The fact is it cost me much more to replace my Lexus' every two years than it has to replace my Linoolns every two years. You need to consider the percentage of the drive home price retained, when comparing deprecation not dollar for dollar, in any event.

mike hunt

"D.D. Palmer" wrote:

looking at web sites is one thing but you obviously have not tried to actually buy either, while trading either, have you? I have, and my drive home figures are correct.

mike hunt

Ray O wrote:

No, he hasn't.

He knows the price of everything, and the cost of nothing.

Mike Hunt,

I am merely asking for clarification because your responses "RWD V8" and "the one priced at $57,000" are vague and did not answer the question. All you have done is respond like a politician with rude accusations instead of actually answering the question, which was, "which Lexus model did you shop to compare with the Lincoln LS?"

To answer your question, I am driving a Lexus LS, I did not shop the Lincoln LS, and I did not trade a car for the Lexus because my son is driving my last car.

I am not questioning your drive home figures or accusing you of being wrong or saying the Lincoln LS is a poor choice. I was just seeking clarification.

You know as well or better than me that if ownership costs were the only deciding factor when choosing a vehicle, everyone would be driving an econobox like a Focus, Echo, or comparable Korean offering and make their purchase decisions based purely on objective factors exactly like a fleet operator. Fortunately, things like style, interior space, seating comfort, luggage space, features, performance, drivability, reliability, etc. also matter to a lot of buyers and so consumers have a lot of choices. If it were not for those other factors, Toyota would have to drastically change its pricing in the U.S. to stay in business and Lincoln, Lexus, and all other luxury makers would be gone.

I know exactly the cost. It has been around $4,000 to $4,500 a year, depending on the amount of the price increase in two years, plus the cost of the gas I use. The dealership provides free annual inspects and all of the scheduled maintenance is covered by the warranty. ;)

mike hunt

"Elmo P. Shagnasty" wrote:

What difference does it make, I gave you plenty of information? The first Lincoln LS I bought was a 2000 model that came out early in 1999. At the time the 2000 Lexus 400 was not available for another 4 of 5 months. The Lexus I owned was a 1997 LS with

29K on the clock. I pass my cars to any my children or grand children who may happen to want them. I didn't say the Lexus cost $57,000 I said the dealer wanted nearly $57,000 as the total drive home price, and he would not budge, even though I had bought a total of seven vehicles from him in the past. My first Lexus was only $37,000 but they went up very rapidly in price thereafter. He figured once one owns a Lexus they will not by anything else, i guess. I stopped at the Lincoln dealer down the street drove the then new model and ended up buying a 2000 LS V8 for a total drive home price of $37,200. Since then I have purchased a 2001, 3003 and a 2005. None of them cost anywhere need what I was paying every two years for my Lexus LSs.

This whole discussion is way off the point of my original post to begin with. The original poster was asking about the 2005 Avalon. I suggested to him that as long as he was considering a $35,000 car and if that was the size car he was interested in that he might want to take a look at and price a Lincoln LS, since he could buy a luxury car for the price of a near luxury car. When i buy cars I compare the drive home price the total amount of my check. I saved so much money buying Lincolns rather than Lexus' I have purchased a 99, 01, 03 and 2005 Mustang GT convertibles from him as well with the saving paying most of the price. In 99 i bought the two cars for only around $8,000 more than I would have paid to buy just the Lexus.

By the way my son in law just put a power steering pump on that

97 Lexus of mine, that he now owns, at a cost of $1,615.

mike hunt

Ray O wrote:

The difference is the target market of the vehicles. I agree with you that the Lincoln LS and the new Avalon are targeting the same buyer; I disagree that the Lincoln LS and a Lexus LS are targeting the same buyer.

One could say that a FWD Corolla LE costs less than a FWD Saab but those cars are targeted to different people.

You don't have to be defensive with me. Like you, I believe that people should test drive and do their homework before buying a vehicle. I don't dispute that the overall ownership cost of a Ford or Lincoln is lower if someone wants to replace their vehicle with a new one every 3 or 4 years. If, however, factors besides overall ownership cost are important, then perhaps other brands and models make sense. Why would someone buy a Testarossa over an MR2 or a Mustang GT? Why are Toyota, Lexus, BMW, Daimler Chrysler, and all the rest still in business?

On Tue, 26 Apr 2005 19:27:09 -0500, "Ray O" graced this newsgroup with:

..if someone is buying a new car every 24 months, it's hardly surprising that there's no mechanical problems, however in 24 months the residual value of the Lincoln is 50% of it's original value and the Lexus is is 70%.

I'm sure there must be a logical reason why someone would opt to voluntarily lose so much money on a depreciated car like the Lincoln but the total logic of paying cash for a car and keeping it for only

24 months over and over again totally escapes me.

There is satisfaction in driving a new car. I'm still having a tough time adjusting to keeping a car for 7+ years instead of 3 months.

The percentage you perceive are not actually what you perceive them to be for one thing. I thought I made it clear it was costing me MORE money to replace my Lexus' every two years, than it is costing me to replace my Lincoln every two years. That if why I now buy Lincolns rather than Lexus'.

mike hunt

" snipped-for-privacy@nospam.net" wrote:

Just curious, why the Lincoln LS over the RWD V8 Crown Vic or Grand Marquis? Wouldn't the Crown Vic or Grand Marquis offer RWD V8 performance and comfort for even less than the Lincoln LS?

Two reasons, my wife drives that car often as well and I happen to prefer the size, better handling, and more power available in the lincoln LS. Yes indeed one can buy a really nice Grand Marquis LS for a LOT less than the Lincoln LS, around 22K. My one grandson did just that last fall for around 18K, with all of the discounts available at that time. All of his associates that own imports and yuppie mobiles, that happen to ride in his GM, cannot believe he got so much car for so little money, especially the guy with the 18K Civic. ;)

mike hunt

Ray O wrote:

Mike,

LOL! Keeping the wife happy is all the reason you need to spend a little more on the LS over a CV or GM! In my house, when the wife is happy, everyone is happy and when the wife is on the warpath, everyone hides, including the dog and cats!

Your wife allows cats and dogs in the house???? ;)

mike hunt

Ray O wrote: