Cars in L.A as an insight into poverty/wealth of residents (Los Angeles: apartments, lease)

[bpeeps]

Originally Posted by thelopez2

Top Rated Cars, SUVs & Trucks - Car Reliability Ratings - 2014 Vehicle Dependability Study

"Highest-Ranked Nameplates and Models
Lexus ranks highest in vehicle dependability among all nameplates for a third consecutive year. The gap between Lexus and all other brands is substantial, with Lexus averaging 68 PP100 compared with second-ranked Mercedes-Benz at 104 PP100. Following Mercedes-Benz in the rankings are Cadillac (107), Acura (109) and Buick (112), respectively.

"The 2014 Vehicle Dependability Study is based on responses from more than 41,000 original owners of 2011 model-year vehicles after three years of ownership. The study was fielded between October and December 2013."

Consumer Reports 2014 Annual Auto Reliability Survey Finds Infotainment Systems are a Growing First-Year Reliability Plague: Consumer Reports http://pressroom.consumerreports.org/pressroom/

"European brands have historically been unreliable in Consumer Reports’ survey, but that’s no longer the case."



You can believe what you want despite the vast amount of information on the web and historic commercials where competitors compare their cars to Lexus. How much do you really know about the industry?

You're quoting a reliability and dependability study to someone who isn't arguing for or against that. Apples and oranges. I wasn't saying Lexus isn't a luxury vehicle and I wasn't saying they don't make quality or dependable vehicles.

I specifically said: they have no refinement or uniqueness in terms of looks, style, or features. You can get the same for much less buying Toyota. A point both of your articles back up by listing Toyota right up there in quality with Lexus. If Subaru, Toyota, Mazda, Honda, etc all have great reliability and dependability, then what are you buying a Lexus for? It sure isn't for looks. Fact: Benz, BMW, Audi, Porsche, etc all have a refined, unique style cultivated over many years. You know when you see a BMW. When I look at the majority of Lexus vehicles, they are indistinguishable from their lower market competitors. Nowhere have I disagreed with the vast amount of information on the web and historic commercials or whatever else you need to quote. The company in its current iteration remains stagnant.

[UKWildcat1981]

Originally Posted by bpeeps

You're quoting a reliability and dependability study to someone who isn't arguing for or against that. Apples and oranges. I wasn't saying Lexus isn't a luxury vehicle and I wasn't saying they don't make quality or dependable vehicles.

I specifically said: they have no refinement or uniqueness in terms of looks, style, or features. You can get the same for much less buying Toyota. A point both of your articles back up by listing Toyota right up there in quality with Lexus. If Subaru, Toyota, Mazda, Honda, etc all have great reliability and dependability, then what are you buying a Lexus for? It sure isn't for looks. Fact: Benz, BMW, Audi, Porsche, etc all have a refined, unique style cultivated over many years. You know when you see a BMW. When I look at the majority of Lexus vehicles, they are indistinguishable from their lower market competitors. Nowhere have I disagreed with the vast amount of information on the web and historic commercials or whatever else you need to quote. The company in its current iteration remains stagnant.

I agree with your post for the most part but BMW and Mercedes are nothing special you see them everywhere even in the ghetto. Nothing cache about a BMW and Benz anymore they are like a yuppie's version of a Honda, you don't even have to be successful to get a BMW or Benz because I have owned them and I am middle class.

[smokingGun]

Originally Posted by bpeeps

You're quoting a reliability and dependability study to someone who isn't arguing for or against that. Apples and oranges. I wasn't saying Lexus isn't a luxury vehicle and I wasn't saying they don't make quality or dependable vehicles.

I specifically said: they have no refinement or uniqueness in terms of looks, style, or features. You can get the same for much less buying Toyota. A point both of your articles back up by listing Toyota right up there in quality with Lexus. If Subaru, Toyota, Mazda, Honda, etc all have great reliability and dependability, then what are you buying a Lexus for? It sure isn't for looks. Fact: Benz, BMW, Audi, Porsche, etc all have a refined, unique style cultivated over many years. You know when you see a BMW. When I look at the majority of Lexus vehicles, they are indistinguishable from their lower market competitors. Nowhere have I disagreed with the vast amount of information on the web and historic commercials or whatever else you need to quote. The company in its current iteration remains stagnant.

I think you need to preface your remark by saying that it's just your personal opinion on Lexus as a luxury brand and doesn't reflect the general public's way of thinking. Let's be honest, Lexus moves a lot of product. If people perceived them to be over-priced Camry's or Hyundai's they'd be priced much lower, more in line with Acura's offerings.

Anyway, for those who've lived in Miami & are intimately familiar with their demographics, can you say whether that region has a huge population of illegal immigrants like LA does? There's a huge underclass of undocumented workers here that fly under the radar and largely go unnoticed, except when you take notice of their cars & trucks, like the OP has done. It's common for entire blocks on the Westside to be lined-up during the day with 15yo, 20yo vehicles driven by maids, nannies, gardeners, contractors, tradesmen who service these mini-mansions.

[Mister 7]

Originally Posted by bpeeps

then what are you buying a Lexus for? It sure isn't for looks. Fact: Benz, BMW, Audi, Porsche, etc all have a refined, unique style cultivated over many years.

Looks are subjective. I think Lexus cars look better than ever these days. What did I buy a Lexus for? I bought it because I love big-body, huge flagship sedans like the LS, and wanted a used car that I don't have to worry about breaking down and having to empty my savings account to keep on the road. 11 years old, 6 figure mileage, and not one single repair, ever. The fact that Lexus can produce such a high tech, extremely complex, gizmo laden flagship sedan that is as dead reliable as a basic, bare bones Corolla is an engineering feat in itself, which a gearhead like me is practically in awe of. Also, I can tell you, for a fact, that there is no a Toyota product even remotely as refined/nice as a Lexus LS.

And further, going by your logic, no one should buy Audis and Porsches either, since all they are are fancy VWs. You could get the same thing buying a high end Volkswagen, so what's the point?

[Marv101]

Miami gets over four times the amount of rain that LA does in a typical year, and although over 70% of the new cars sold in California in a typical year (only the F150 and Silverado cracked the top 10 in CA last year), it's a very safe bet that the percentage of new cars sold here in LA & OC which are imports is closer to 75% as opposed to the 71.8% market share of imports sold stateside in 2013.

LA is essentially a desert city surrounded by mountains, and is indeed much drier than most Deep South cities in an average year.

[bpeeps]

Originally Posted by smokingGun

I think you need to preface your remark by saying that it's just your personal opinion on Lexus as a luxury brand and doesn't reflect the general public's way of thinking. Let's be honest, Lexus moves a lot of product. If people perceived them to be over-priced Camry's or Hyundai's they'd be priced much lower, more in line with Acura's offerings.

Considering the amount of people in this thread agreeing with the majority of what I've said, personal opinion and general public aren't too separated in this case.

[True Freedom]

Originally Posted by bpeeps

Considering the amount of people in this thread agreeing with the majority of what I've said, personal opinion and general public aren't too separated in this case.

A few people agreeing on a website does not a statistical correlation make.

And, for the record, I disagree.. at least on one model: the Lexus Rx450h
You could get a Toy Highlander hybrid, which we looked at, but the Lexus was a bunch nicer, not that much more expensive, and got better mileage.

that's just one man's opinion, tho.

[Exitus Acta Probat]

Originally Posted by trancedout

You definitely see more flashy sports cars in LA & Miami than other cities. Vegas as well.

Most big cities you will see lots of expensive, but still fairly boring cars.

Another thing I've noticed is a number of high end performance cars with auto tranny, such as AMG Mercs. It seems a lot of people want the performance look from afar, but not the actual experience. Not surprising in this sort of city, actually.

[jamills21]

I honestly can't tell...There are poor people with Benz's and Rich people with Buckets. If you judge people about how they dress and what car they drive you should really think about how you view money.

[bpeeps]

Originally Posted by True Freedom

A few people agreeing on a website does not a statistical correlation make.

And, for the record, I disagree.. at least on one model: the Lexus Rx450h
You could get a Toy Highlander hybrid, which we looked at, but the Lexus was a bunch nicer, not that much more expensive, and got better mileage.

that's just one man's opinion, tho.

Both generic and boring vehicles. For the record.