Johny, For some reason, the IS 350 model doesn't come in manual.... (WEIRD HUH??). The 250 model does, but its soo much slower. It does have that semi-auto mode where I can use the paddle shifters to shift up & down with. But yea, I was a little bummed about it. Then again, manual in traffic isn't fun either and this is my daily commute car Jeff.
It is safe to say that the automatics Lexus (toyota) puts in them are finely tuned for that vehicle to give the driver the speed and efficiency without having to manually change gears. As well as the reliability Lexus demands from its vehicles. Besides, how can we Americans change gears if we are busy talking on the cellphone and eating while driving? . Most sedans come with them. My 1999 Taurus comes with one, they all do except for the Gen1 SHOs. Actually I think mine has the AX4N transmission which is the good/reliable kind and the 'sportier' trany for that model. It shifts smoother and quicker and it makes me go from 0-60 in less than 9seconds because it doesn't jump from 1-2-3-4, but rather 1-3 and it only has 145hp lol.
That's so weird :nod: Anyway, it's a very nice car. Congrats! :thumbsup: Well, the automatic cars i driven were: Ford Taurus (1996 i think), Ford Mondeo (1998) and a Peugeot 307. Hated everyone of them Lexus probably have better automatic gearboxes.
Wow, someone is in great debt or very rich! Nice car by the way. Not my cup of tea but still a very nice car. All you've got to do is put the wheel on the right side Yakumo
actually, most german cars dont live up to their reputation. when it comes to reliability, toyota beats almost any german car maker imho. i'd prefer a lexus over a mercedes or bmw anyday, but maybe thats just me. i also get the chance to drive a lexus at work occasionaly and i'm loving it.
Watch BBC's Top Gear. THey will slag or praise anything that deserves it. No back handers for these guys. They once tried to destroy a Toyota pick up by blowing it up, leaving it in the sea, setting it on fire, droping it from a grerat height etc and it still bloody drove ! Toyota cars (or Lexus if you want to sound like you've got something better) can easily if not better anything the German's do. Yakumo
Thanks guys, BTW, I'm not rich I just live at home and wanted one nice car before I go into homeownership. I love the car, I have no regrets on my decision. For me, it was the right car. I think everyone has to figure out what's right for them. Some people want to feel the road, some want a nice looking car, some want an affordible pratical, it all depends . Everyone who owns a lexus has told me even over 100k miles, all they do is go in for oil changes and the car's good! I liked that a lot. I'm a game programmer for a living. Jeff.
Lexus & Honda came out top of a European survey into the reliability and efficiency of both their cars and service procedures. It's clear to everyone that Japanese cars are the dogs bollocks in terms of their engines, even if sometimes the external design is a bit... well.... naff! Let's just say not all Japanese cars cater for the European and American market in design terms. That Lexus looks very nice however and I don't think you can go wrong with something that will be so reliable.
The ironic thing is that most of the Japanese cars you see in Europe and the USA are actually designed and made in either Europe or the USA!
Japanese: Reliable, not always the best built though, can be pricy at times, often boring as sin. German: Well built, not as reliable, fun and pricy. French\Italian: Badly built, some good\bad on reliability, good fun and really cheap. American: Cheap, powerful, but horribly built, unreliable and crap around the bends.
