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I'll take my Infiniti G35 and BMW 530i over the ES any day of the week. A hooker in a nice dress is still a hooker and a Camry with a gussied up interior is still a Camry.
Isn't a 530i comparable to the GS series? So apples to oranges.
Isn't a 530i comparable to the GS series? So apples to oranges.
If you set aside the namecalling, the Infiniti G35 or G37 is a competitor to the BMW 3-series. Both are RWD, have similar overall size, and similar power.
The Infiniti M is closer the BMW 5-series.
The ES is not comparable to either because it is FWD, biased towards comfort and luxury, and makes no claim of its sporting qualities.
Its funny you make fun of the ES for being a gussied up Camry but the G35 is simply a Japanese Nissan Skyline rebadge. To make matters worse while sportier, it is far less refined and reliable.
530 is a good car but it should be better, it is a higher level car.
Get ready to take a seat buddy because you're about to get schooled. Your G35/Skyline comparison has absolutely no relation to the ES/Camry issue.
While the ES and Camry are both offered in the states and targeted at different kinds of buyers (and price levels) the G35 is the USDM version of the JDM Skyline. At the time of their release you could not buy a G35 in Japan nor could you buy a Skyline in the US. They are essentially the same car with minor differences to suit their target markets. I don't have the option of saying that the G35 is a gussied up Skyline so I can go ahead and buy the Skyline instead. I can on the other hand say that the ES is a gussied up Camry, trot down to the Toyota dealer and buy one instead.
The idea of selling the same car under a different name in different countries isn't unusual (Infiniti didn't exist in Japan at the time) and the Skyline name carries quite a bit of history there. The idea of selling two versions of basically the same car in the same market is an issue though, one that has plagued many domestic makes and other manufacturers well. You're comparing applies and oranges but hopefully you've been observant and taking notes. Nissan has been selling USDM Infiniti's branded as JDM Nissan's in Japan because they aren't offered as Infiniti's there. Much like Honda sold USDM Acura's as JDM Honda's and Toyota sold USDM Lexus's as JDM Toyota's before rolling out Lexus as a global brand. This is not the same as offering a gussied up USDM Lexus ES when a USDM Toyota Camry is also available.
Of course, there are other options for less than 40K, but I won't mention them all here.
well I would go for the M3 over the 7 seies and X5 just because it is a real sports car that is fun to drive while the 7-seires is more of a luxo-cruiser and the X5 is well an X5 and not really worth it IMO
yup, and i wouldn't be surprised if it was worth $20k the year after that.
the depreciation on american cars is severe, especially a luxury one. no way i'd buy this.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tropolis
whats the best used 08, any vehicle, any brand, that you could get for 40k then
well i'd probably get a brand new tacoma or a tundra, or the best toyota land cruiser i could get with $40k (2008's are $50k+). if im spending $40k i'm treating it like an investment, where reliability and resale value are priorities.
but the buyer of a cadillac is probably out for features, luxury, and status, that a toyota generally won't give you. if all those things were important i'd buy a lexus or a bmw. if you wanted some kind of "luxury truck" for towing i would look at some of the F-150 and F-250 packages.
i personally do not like the Honda Pilot, but i think for the majority of escalade buyers it would be a smarter choice.
Get ready to take a seat buddy because you're about to get schooled. Your G35/Skyline comparison has absolutely no relation to the ES/Camry issue.
While the ES and Camry are both offered in the states and targeted at different kinds of buyers (and price levels) the G35 is the USDM version of the JDM Skyline. At the time of their release you could not buy a G35 in Japan nor could you buy a Skyline in the US. They are essentially the same car with minor differences to suit their target markets. I don't have the option of saying that the G35 is a gussied up Skyline so I can go ahead and buy the Skyline instead. I can on the other hand say that the ES is a gussied up Camry, trot down to the Toyota dealer and buy one instead.
The idea of selling the same car under a different name in different countries isn't unusual (Infiniti didn't exist in Japan at the time) and the Skyline name carries quite a bit of history there. The idea of selling two versions of basically the same car in the same market is an issue though, one that has plagued many domestic makes and other manufacturers well. You're comparing applies and oranges but hopefully you've been observant and taking notes. Nissan has been selling USDM Infiniti's branded as JDM Nissan's in Japan because they aren't offered as Infiniti's there. Much like Honda sold USDM Acura's as JDM Honda's and Toyota sold USDM Lexus's as JDM Toyota's before rolling out Lexus as a global brand. This is not the same as offering a gussied up USDM Lexus ES when a USDM Toyota Camry is also available.
Only an idiot cannot see the difference between the Camry/ES and say its the same. Its not. The G35/Skyline IS THE SAME.
Everything you said backed up what I said. The Camry/ES is platform sharing, the G35/Skyline is a rebadge (though the G35 also shares its platform with many other cars/SUVs).
The G35 was the Japanese/French attempt at rebadging, it had a hood prop and also the seats were simply moved to the other side (why they have those idiotic seat controls by the center console) and they didn't change the center console either from RHD to LHD. Thus all the major controls in America are actually on the passenger side. Cheap cost cutting. Thank goodness the current model got better.
Only an idiot cannot see the difference between the Camry/ES and say its the same. Its not. The G35/Skyline IS THE SAME.
This was one of the more frustrating things that I'd hear when I worked for Lexus. Some people still seemed to think that Lexuses were literally a Toyota with a badge that had an "L" instead of a "T," or that Lexus was a bargain luxury brand.
They'd walk onto the showroom floor and look at the brand new LS430 or GS330, say it was nice, look at the sticker, then hollar: "SIXTY THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THIS??? ALL THIS IS, IS... A CAMRY!"
I wish I could have legally tazed everyone that said that.
The ES used a Camry chassis and engine. Everything else about the thing was absolutely different. Totally different body panels, interior, suspension, electronics, sound deadening, tires, lights; you name it, it was made on a different manufacturing floor by different people to different specs. The Camry is designed to be a cost-effective everyday sedan. The ES is an entry level luxury car that is designed to be much smoother and more quiet, and thus it has a totally different construction.
It's platform sharing in the same way that the Nissan 350Z and Infiniti EX35 use "the same chassis."
And then the other Lexuses... none of them have analogues on the US market other than the SUV's.
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To make matters worse while sportier, it is far less refined and reliable. 
The Camry/ES is platform sharing, the G35/Skyline is a rebadge (though the G35 also shares its platform with many other cars/SUVs). 
