MERCEDES S CLASS v LEXUS LS

[hawk20]

MERCEDES S CLASS v LEXUS LS
AutoExpress have recently reviewed the new Lexus LS against the Mercedes S class. After a detailed review they conclude: -
If you’re in the market for the ultimate luxury car, both the Mercedes S-Class and Lexus LS are likely to be on your shortlist. No other models come close to their quality, technology, equipment, comfort and refinement – not even the Bentley Flying Spur or Rolls-Royce Phantom.
But in concentrating so hard on these areas, Lexus has missed a critical trick – to make the occupants feel good. The LS460 is highly impressive and has incredible engineering, but it lacks personality, coming across as clinical and bland. The Merc is every bit as talented and rides better, yet while it doesn’t have the charisma of the best British luxury cars, it’s more engaging to own and live with than the Lexus. As a result, it wins comfortably here.
Here’s the link
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/grouptests/204423/lexus_ls_v_mercedes_sclass.html

 

[psmart]

Dont you own an S Class? No suprises there then! Personally, Id extrapolate Mercedes Reliability forward and buy according to how few breakdowns I was willing to have.... erm! Arent Toyota (Lexus) more reliable?

 

[television]

erm! Arent Toyota (Lexus) more reliable?

It would appear that lexus do have some electronic problems and the engine is way behind the MB, plus in my view the Lexus is slab sided and ugly (very ugly at that)

Dont forget that the S Class was also voted best car in Sweden

Malcolm

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Did they mention rust..........:-D

 

[television]

Did they mention rust..........:-D

The new MB's do not rust either, just been onto some Lexus forums, leaking windscreens to instruments to many things to list that have gone u/s you name it, its there every fault under the sun. Plus you get a ugly beast into the bargain.

malcolm

 

[slim_boy_fat]

The new MB's do not rust either,
malcolm

Yes we'll see.......I will start to take that seriously in 2010 or so once the 2003 cars have been driven enough.

 

[hawk20]

It would appear that lexus do have some electronic problems and the engine is way behind the MB, plus in my view the Lexus is slab sided and ugly (very ugly at that)

Dont forget that the S Class was also voted best car in Sweden

Malcolm

Yes and by What Car, Autocar and most European and US car mags. You would think Mercedes enthusiasts would be pleased wouldn't you?

My S320cdi reached its first birthday on December 23rd and has just passed 20,000 miles without a hiccup. In the last year I have bought one new set of tyres and had the A service at about 14,000 miles which cost £235 inc vat at my local Merc dealer. Pottering about locally we get 27-30 mpg and on a run get 35-37 mpg. Over the year as a whole we've averaged about 32 mpg.

Having driven 30-40k miles per year for most of my life, and owned a wide range of cars (Granadas, Volvos, Hondas, and lots of Mercedes), I suppose I should by now be bored by it all. But this car is quite the greatest joy to drive of any I've ever owned. Every time I get in it, I feel a surge of exitement. And every time I leave it I wish the drive had been just a little bit longer.

Yes I suppose a Toyota might be even more reliable, but so would a bike. I just wouldn't get the joy out of it. And having done over half a million miles in Mercedes cars and not had a breakdown, it is just not an issue for me.

 

[OlafMaxwell]

Interesting comparisons. Having driven both and listened to my busienss partner [he lives in US] make a decision to go for an Infiniti in preference to the Lexus which he described as incredible but not suiting his image or driver feel I still cannot see the argument in favour of the S class. True, it may well have more feel, but, having had to deal with MB quality which was variable [but probably acceptable with decent customer service] neither of us feel that the S class even merited consideration. From my point of view I would not touch an S class. It may well be a better car to drive, more feel etc, but the ownership experience is nothing to write home about. Whatever is said about the Lexus I cannot imagine a Lexus dealer honestly trying to tell me that a split in a seam weld on an exhaust at 4,000 miles is wear and tear or that a knock in the defectively designed and built S class air suspension 'is normal, they all do that'. Maybe if MB were to realise their customers, or some of them at least, are mechanical and electrically literate then it might help. Things may seem to be improving but they have a very long way to go.

Had a friend bought a Mitsubishi Galant back in 89. Out of warranty and a few years old it was in for service when the garage said to him they needed the car back for a few days. Asking why he was told that the top end did not sound good, he had not noticed anything wrong. New head, camshaft etc. All done at no cost to him. A Merc a few years later was the opposite extreme. He now buys Mitsubishi commercials!

 

[mioba]

i assume this is a totally unbiased view hawk

agree totally

its somewhat abvious that mercs have substantial goodwill to those that want executive style.

 

[Micman]

Got to be the S-Class for one reason alone.

The status.

No mater how good a Lexus might be, it's always going to be a posh Toyota to those in the know!

 

[C200 goblin]

I would prefer a Benz over a Lexus anyday. Image is one thing that counts. After all a Lexus is just an overpriced Toyota. Many of the models that sell as Lexus in the UK & US are badged as plain Toyota's in Japan.
The Lexus that looks good IMO is the IS range, dont like any of the other ones. They just look bland to look at or a poor copy of a Mercedes.

 

[mattb]

nobody has mentioned residuals either. I would imagine that the Lexus' value will drop like a stone. I know the old ones did as my friend got a second hand LS400 for peanuts. He did circ 50k miles last year and he said it didn't miss a beat and cost him about £10k. Admittedly it was quite old, can't remember exactly how old, but it was a bargain if you could cope with the boring looks.

Matt

 

[psmart]

The S-Class is hardly a looker....

....it states 'Boring Old Fart' many times over, just like the Lexus (which admittedly, probably states 'Completely Boring Old Fart'.

Now A GL, there's a looker, just the car to show you have money, pezzaz and you can pick your nose with Ken Livingstone to boot!!

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

the GL just looks like any other 4x4 box IMO. If I was going to get a 4x4 and had money it would have to be a range rover. Now the cls, there's a car I could go for, I'd have one of those over an S-Class any day. Again, just my opinion.

actually this is turning into rather an interesting thread.

 

[hawk20]

Interesting comparisons. Having driven both and listened to my busienss partner [he lives in US] make a decision to go for an Infiniti in preference to the Lexus which he described as incredible but not suiting his image or driver feel I still cannot see the argument in favour of the S class. True, it may well have more feel, but, having had to deal with MB quality which was variable [but probably acceptable with decent customer service] neither of us feel that the S class even merited consideration. From my point of view I would not touch an S class. It may well be a better car to drive, more feel etc, but the ownership experience is nothing to write home about. Whatever is said about the Lexus I cannot imagine a Lexus dealer honestly trying to tell me that a split in a seam weld on an exhaust at 4,000 miles is wear and tear or that a knock in the defectively designed and built S class air suspension 'is normal, they all do that'. Maybe if MB were to realise their customers, or some of them at least, are mechanical and electrically literate then it might help. Things may seem to be improving but they have a very long way to go.

Had a friend bought a Mitsubishi Galant back in 89. Out of warranty and a few years old it was in for service when the garage said to him they needed the car back for a few days. Asking why he was told that the top end did not sound good, he had not noticed anything wrong. New head, camshaft etc. All done at no cost to him. A Merc a few years later was the opposite extreme. He now buys Mitsubishi commercials!

Always there to depress eh Olaf.

 

[Sanny]

I've driven both recently and I have to say (imho) that in real world driving there isn't much difference between them.

If you want something that stirs the heart everytime you look at it, then MB has got it spot on. No-one at this level does an interior like Mercedes or makes a car that looks as good. Included in this list of at this level is BMW, Audi and Maserati (I had a QP until last year as well).

However, if your head has anything to do with the decision then Lexus wins hands down. Mercedes simply haven't got the customer service bit right yet - at least not consistently.

From recent experience BMWs service levels are plunging down to where Mercedes used to be and Audi A8 simply isn't as good to sit in or drive.

If you can live with the belief that Mercedes will get it right again, then buy the S class.

 

[robbo]

Always there to depress eh Olaf.

Hawk,

I think Olaf has legitimate reason to express his dissatisfaction judging by his past experiences. He has a valid viewpoint and I don't think it should be summarily dismissed.

However I do think that the kind of bad ownership experience that Olaf has suffered is much less likely to happen on the most recent MBs, although his experiences are rather too common with owners of cars made in the 1998-2002 era.

 

[Juddian]

Be interesting to see what excuses anyone can come up with why lexus paint doesn't fall off and their bodies don't corrode away as you watch, have merc sussed that a high price quality vehicle needs to last longer than 4 years before rust rectification. Be honest they both make very fine vehicles, the Germans probably win in driving pleasure, but it takes an awful lot to beat Toyo/Lexus durability.

 

[benzo]

I think Hawk, Olaf has as much right to 'depress' as you have to eulogise. He is, after all, speaking from experience like yourself.

the GL just looks like any other 4x4 box IMO. If I was going to get a 4x4 and had money it would have to be a range rover.

IMHO for prestige saloons - nothing beats a Merc S Class. But in the SUV world I think the Range Rover is still king and not even the new GL can take that crown.

The only thing that reduces the cachet of the Merc is that so many are used as private taxis - but then that is a good indication of the quality of the cars.

 

[Blobcat]

Only think about Range Rovers is they can be very unreliable.......