Do you know I think i'm going completely mad. I've wasted so much money on cars (selling em too early) and getting fed up with them. I don't know what I want. I wanted all bells and tricks and believe you me my Lexus has em all. DVD multichanger, sat nav, bluetooth, voice control, heated/cooled seats, reversing camera, rear electric blind. Electric memory seats both sides. Flippy paddles the lot. It's got a smooth engine, is fairly quick, runs well, loks nice but there IS SOMETHING MISSING ! It's something I had with the C-Class. I bloody loved that motor for all it's faults. I think the bottom line is the rattles which I've solved most of have put me off and it's not quick enough. I love the diesel shove and not having to thrash the car to get performance out of a petrol. Am I talking sense here ?
I think the problem is that it seems to me that most Japanese cars have no real soul.
Lexus for example - they should be great - they're well made/reliable etc and nearly do everything you could ask of a car.
They even compare favourably with the European luxury car makers on most aspects, obviously being superior in some ways (reliabilty/rust etc?). But they just just can't find that 'X' factor IMHO. Still feel a little more flimsy/plasic/clinical or whatever, they get 95% right and you notice a few shortcomings - Toyota parts bin switches, generic LCD panels in places, slightly office-nylon type carpet etc. They struggle to make things feel 'chunky' and 'solid' like MB used to. Can you imagine a Japanese W124 for example?
I think the gap has narrowed over the years, MBs and some others are becoming less special and more mainstream IMHO and Lexus have improved and maintained an excellent reputation.
Money no object, for almost any car in any sector I don't aspire for a Lexus unfortunately, and that's where it still is today. People don't sing about Lexus, you don't have the history there etc. They just don't make you smile.
If I wanted a fleet of reliable minicabs, or a reliable 4x4 type car then perhaps I'd be looking at Japanese options. But for a prestige/sporty car I still think that European stuff is more appealing.
I reckon most people convince themselves that they want a Lexus based on the facts and from reading magazine reviews, and tell themselves that they want one - bought with the 'head'. Where as you don't always do everything like that in life, you know MB dealers can be useless and that the cars aren't quite as good as they used to be, but you still want to drive/look at/clean a Mercedes for the feel good factor. They're bought with the heart
All IMHO of course.
Will
