Glen

The 6000lbGVWR is for taxes, You get a huge depreciation allowance this year vs your agi can be new or used is my understanding but must be 6000gvwr or above.

Glen

BTW my wife really loves her LX and of course the Land Cruiser is an option also.

Greg Fishman

Glen,
You are right it can be new or used but must be purchased, not leased. Also there are deductions for normal cars and SUV's also, they just have different limits than for the 6000+GVWR vehicles mentioned.

88clbsport

Used better qualify...that's the only reason I allowed for the '00 LX 470!

BTW, when looking at new the difference in price between the Land Cruiser and LX is something to factor in BUT IMO the lexus ownership experience and the adjustable suspension are worth it!

YellowC4S

Next year we get the Touareg V-10 Diesel @ 25mpg

George from MD

The quality of the dealer might be critical to her enjoyment of the vehicle. If you're in the DC area this may be even more important as the dealer who might give you the best price on the car (truck/SAV/whatever) may not be convenient for service. For example, we bought our X from Passport (although we never actually visited the dealership- the car was flatbedded to the house) but get service from VOB only two miles away. VOB treats us very, very well. Loaner cars (even on the five year old 5 series) and prompt, courteous, correct service. Always on time and invariably done right.

OTOH the Porsche dealer nearest our home (whom I won't name here but anyone local could guess) has a pretty poor service department and a sales staff that makes even a Pontiac dealership look good.

Ruairidh

Pretty much the same could be said of the duck billed platypus.................I guess I'm still not sure that the category makes any sense

Steve 96C4S

George - Glad you hear you received good service from VOB as they have had a bad reputation in that dept! Maybe it's improved. That's great news.

Didn't know our local Porsche dealer (yes, I know which one - I work across the street from them in Rockville) was that bad. Interesting. That's why I go to an independent. For parts that cost under $15, they've always been reliable for me ... lightbulbs, a Porsche crest keyfob, etc. Heck - I even bought floor mats from them this year!

My clutch went out on my 88 911 a few years back when I had it, and I hobbled into this dealer. Even THEY told me I should have it flatbed towed to my independent. That's truly sad, but I give them points for honesty and trying to save me money and heartache. They said they mostly work on the newer ones! Yeesh.

Steve

George from MD

Actually you know who used to be among the best IMO. But they were purchased by one of the big mega dealerships (can't remember their name- out of NC also bought BMW of Fairfax) fired the Service Manager (won't say his name but he was great); their best mechanic (and one of the best mechanics and people I ever met) quit and went to Ferrari of Washington and their sales staff I won't even go into. At any rate they went downhill in a hurricane. I go there only for parts now but hope they will go back to their old form someday. They actually left the old fan belts sitting on my engine last time I was there- two days late and a giga-retail price.

I too used to be unimpressed with VOB but started going there last year and have been very pleasantly surprised. My service advisor is a real car freak and is restoring a vintage 328. We're always discussing Montoya vs. Raikonnen vs. that German guy who always wins anyway.

DC from Cape Cod

"Pretty much the same could be said of the duck billed platypus.................I guess I'm still not sure that the category makes any sense."

Perfect solution = Then don't buy it.

I had $100K to spend and wanted something different and fun. The CT is luxurious, fast, safe, comfortable and still a good performer (if I need it) off-road. It qualifies for Sched. 179 and I save about $40K because of that.

It works for me.


By the way, any non-essential vehicle (993, etc.) makes no sense. Then again, that isn't the point. Sometimes people choose to do things because those things are fun to do....

JimB

We recently faced the same decision when we decided to replace my wife's Range Rover 4.6 that she had suffered with for four years. We drove them all and ended up with the new Volvo XC90. It was the best compromise for us. We have several other 4x4s so neither off road capability nor towing capacity were issues. It's pretty quick, has plenty of room, is very safe and meets the 6000 lbs. standard. It's worth a look.

Greg Fishman

When? I thought this was a Euro-only engine. If not, I would be very interested.

SkipSauls

My thoughts based on experiences with each of these:

Land Cruiser - Cousin of the LX. Owned a '99 until last year and miss it greatly. Interior is great, lots of room, built like a tank, and all around a great SUV. Looks are getting to be a bit dated, but it doesn't offend the eye and at worst it is anonymous looking. Has a much smoother ride than most SUVs, is great in bad weather or off-road. These will probably still be going long after most are in the junkyard.

X5 - Owned an '01 and sold it after a year. Tiny cargo area makes it useless as an SUV, and altogether pointless as a vehicle. Interior is a mixed bag with nice layout but a bit too plasticky for my tastes. Ride is pretty good, although it gets harsh with sport suspenion and the bigger wheels. Not so hot off-road or in bad weather, and is "scarier" than the Land Cruiser in snow/ice.

Cayenne - Drove an S on Sunday and liked most of the interior except for the ugly "elephant hide" grain dash. Cargo area not much bigger than the X5, so I can't imagine how you could expect to haul anything worthwhile. Will probably go anywhere the LC/LX will with air suspenion, and seems to be better than the X5 in the tranny department.

ML - Have driven a few over the years and never like them. Feels and looks quite dated, especially the minivan-esque exterior. I can't imagine owning one, but then again I'm not really a fan of anything from Mercedes.

Get the Land Cruiser or the LX and you'll be happy. Get the others only if you're looking for a tall vehicle that doesn't ride as well as a car and offers only marginal utility.

SLVR

Greg - The press has been saying for a long time that US will get the V-10 Diesel in the VW. I'm sure stump pulling capacity is great!!

There are an amazing number of Golf/Jetta TDIs here in DC and, if the Touareg comes with the TDI, I am sure it will be popular in this market.

akolodesh

I drove the lx 470 when I got my wife her Landcruiser and they are truly the same car (minus the suspension height control, extra wood and $10,000 extra dollars for the Lexas name and service). My wife absolutely loves the Landcruiser (now her second one). I have to admit, I like it a lot too (though I drove the Cayenne and really loved the ride).