rx300 vs. a6

[oleg@veritas.com (Oleg Kiselev)]

> Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1998 19:24:58 -0800
> From: Craig K Yandow <Craig.K.Yandow@aero.org>
> Subject: Subject: RE: Subject: '93 90 cat recommendation?
...
> I reminded them of the history.  It didn't hurt that my girlfriend happens to 
> be shopping for a new car in the A6Q range . . . (Really, she is.  Can't 
> decide between Lexus RS300 and A6?    Says SUVs are not!!! tall station 
> wagons and does not want a 4 door family car-  She has ridden and driven 
> enough miles in my 90 CSQ to know the difference, but still can't choose.  
> Ah, it's her car)

we almost bought the rx300 for my wife.  we had ordered, had it delivered,
it looked phenomenally nice, and drove well (for a spiffed-up minivan! :-).
but in the end the vibration of the steering wheel was too rough on my
(carpal tunnel aflicted) wrists, so we did not buy it.  trying to figure
out if we should take our $1k deposit back and buy another a6q (or a fully
loaded a4q), we test drove lexus gs 300 and lexus gs 400.  the 400 ended up
being perhaps most smooth, powerful and fun car to drive, better than a
bmw540.  but it was too stiff for my wrists to handle, so we went with the 300.
300 is more powerful than a6 and accelerates a lot better, but it handles
similarly.

i suggest you have your girlfriend try to drive a gs300 right after
driving rx300 -- and make sure she goes on a curvy, twisty road at
45-55 mph or so and see how differently the 2 vehicles, which cost
almost the same, behave.  it's easy to forget that the lexus suv is still
an suv -- it's heavy, it sits high (lower than most suvs but still high)
and it **rolls** and **slides** on curves.  badly.  as in "swings out into
the next lane" badly.  on the same road the a6 and gs300 are tight, highly
controlled, prescise, with hardly any body roll and without ever feeling
like you are nolonger in control of the car as it starts sliding and
screeching, while its engine whines with a strain.  

of course if your girlfriend is planning to drive through deep snow or
heavy mud mixed with boulders, then the suv is a better choice than an a6.
and if you have snow or muddy roads where you live, a6 is a better choice
than a gs300.  otherwise, a6 is better for most places, while gs is best
for california freeways.

-- 
Oleg Kiselev                              oleg at veritas dot com
VERITAS Software
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