fwiw, i've been to several dealers in so cal and i've been impressed with the relatively gentle/classy nature of sales people, compared to bmw and merc sales people. the attention to detail in the dealerships always seems to be high.
the rumor i hear is that lexus charges a boatload for maintenance and it's relatively frequent maintenance, unlike with bmw and merc.
is the is-f viable? well having been one of those "oddball" guys who bought amg c class cars when the m3 was always the 'top choice,' i think it's tough to be the guy who gets the 3rd place or whatever in the magazine shootouts. i personally think it's a great looking car... take an already great looking IS platform and make it meaner. nice job, imho. if there were .9% APR and/or some great leases, i think a lot more people would be buying these cars, but in real financial terms, even with $12k off msrp, these cars are too expensive, especially since it's not coming up top of the 'lists'. right now i can get 80-100k bmw's for the same or better total lease costs.
i do think it occupies a unique spot: the longevity and reliability of a japanese car, the tangible quality that is easily as good as bmw and i think better than mercedes, and the ability to be both a great performance car and a daily driver. my c55 was like that. the m3 is and has been not quite so.
i do think it's a bit cramped. and i do not understand why the japanese sport sedans can not have fold down rear seats! they make an otherwise very limited car into a more useful one for everyday life.
if there were some good financial terms at the current prices, i'd have already bought one. but as it is, it'll probably be a bmw in my driveway soon.
the rumor i hear is that lexus charges a boatload for maintenance and it's relatively frequent maintenance, unlike with bmw and merc.
is the is-f viable? well having been one of those "oddball" guys who bought amg c class cars when the m3 was always the 'top choice,' i think it's tough to be the guy who gets the 3rd place or whatever in the magazine shootouts. i personally think it's a great looking car... take an already great looking IS platform and make it meaner. nice job, imho. if there were .9% APR and/or some great leases, i think a lot more people would be buying these cars, but in real financial terms, even with $12k off msrp, these cars are too expensive, especially since it's not coming up top of the 'lists'. right now i can get 80-100k bmw's for the same or better total lease costs.
i do think it occupies a unique spot: the longevity and reliability of a japanese car, the tangible quality that is easily as good as bmw and i think better than mercedes, and the ability to be both a great performance car and a daily driver. my c55 was like that. the m3 is and has been not quite so.
i do think it's a bit cramped. and i do not understand why the japanese sport sedans can not have fold down rear seats! they make an otherwise very limited car into a more useful one for everyday life.
if there were some good financial terms at the current prices, i'd have already bought one. but as it is, it'll probably be a bmw in my driveway soon.
