Closing the Deal - Part 2

So as you can see from my posts so far, something that should be as easy as buying any other consumer good can be a complete pain in the you know where, here in Japan.  Too much paperwork and regulations, and thus things can take time.  However, sometimes these delays can work in your favor.

During my visit to the local dealership after checking out the car in Saitama, I had then asked the Lexus salesman how most people in Japan pay, expecting him to say "cash" but he told me that actually many people (Lexus customers probably) use their credit cards - because they can then get airline mileage points.  Inspired, I had immediately contacted my airline mileage credit card company to see if I could raise the limit to cover the cost of the car.  A few days later, I was approved with a much higher limit.

So, I let my local dealership know that I wanted to pay for at least part of the car, with my airline credit card.  At the same time, I had to figure out where to go for my car insurance.

In Japan, there are two types: mandatory and optional.  The mandatory insurance is part of the purchase price of the car - the car simply cannot be registered without a showing of this insurance.  This "Japanese Compulsory Insurance" or JCI isn't too expensive - it's designed to provide coverage if you cause injury or death to other people driving your motor vehicle. But it doesn't cover damage to property, yours or a third party's, nor does it cover for theft, vandalism, self-imposed accidents etc.  So the optional insurance really is a must.

Of course Lexus has a "Lexus Owner's Club" insurance, but it ended up about 2000 yen more per month than what my current insurance broker could get me.

So, the following Saturday when the final invoice was ready (including recycling fee, personalized license plate, etc.)  I visited my local dealership again, this time to pay for the car as well as to check out the car itself.

Upon arrival, I saw that the CPO RC F had still not been sold. And had been unceremoniously removed from its place inside a glass enclosed room at the dealership (an older couple were picking up their brand new RC F and so that was under a cloth, in that room - ready for the unveiling and photo ceremony, etc.).

A good looking car, especially in this color, which I think works better than than the ISF

I then sat down and, being a hot day was offered some ice coffee and a Japanese frozen dessert.

 Meanwhile, they asked me if I wanted to check out my car again.  Of course I said "yes" and so while I checked out some of the displayed goodies, they got the car down from their indoor parking lot.

Serves to remind people of the Toyota+ BBS relationship

Actually, if they had the for the ISF I would consider it. Did wonders on my GT-R!
(note: Turns out that TRD does offer it!)

Finally, I went and paid a part of the car's purchase price with my airline miles credit card. After which I then noticed my car sitting outside.

First, I checked out something which had been bothering me:

This is the "shaken-sho" case - all cars in Japan must be inspected every 2 years and the proof of that (which also serves as the car's registration) is supposed to be in the car. Along with insurance papers, maintenance log, etc.
There are universal cases, but in this case, a nice custom leather one! Yay!

Despite the dirt on the car - notably where the license plates had been, I was happy with how it looked.  The car had been brought down by transport (no additional mileage allowed from what it was advertised to have).

Paint is in great condition! Despite the many apologies from the salesman that the car wasn't prepped...still looks good.

One interesting thing - I could not believe the lack of space between the top of the rear tire and the rear fender. There was maybe 2 fingers worth of a gap - about 3.5cm! Is this normal?

The salesman opined that, the car had been lowered in the back.
BUT, don't worry he said it's a CPO car...I have to figure out what that means....

Compared to the front:

Three fingers is roughly 5.5-6.0 cm...and it looks "normal"

In any case, I was happy to see this and figured it would make for a good last photo for the day:

Looking closely at this now, yes I can see the dust and dirt... 

But, delivery of the car itself was still the following weekend...first they had to still get the license plates and then arrange for the optional insurance, with my insurance agent. Then due to my schedule as well as the salesman's (he is booked solid) we agreed to pick the car up at 6pm on the following Saturday. Can't wait!!

In my next post, I'll cover what it's like to take delivery of the car from a Japanese Lexus dealership...

Closing the Deal - Part 1

So after I personally inspected the car which was at another Lexus dealership, found it to be acceptable (but having drawn up a mental list of things that I will need to have taken care of), I immediately went back to my local Lexus dealership to finalize the paperwork.

Well hello again, Mr. RCF. Still not sold??

This wasn't a hassle, but the salesman told me to expect a wait, as the car was currently in Toyota Saitama's inventory and had to be transferred to Toyota Kanagawa's.  This would take a maximum of a couple of weeks, which was not a problem.  I signed some papers, put down a deposit, and now just had to sit back and wait.

The bigger problem for me was, clearing out my garage.  In Japan, a person cannot buy a car until he provides proof of an adequately sized parking space, for that car.  Proof means that a police officer from the local precinct comes by and actually physically measures the parking spot.  After that, he forwards the approval document ("shako shomei") to the car dealer who will need it to register the car.

Makes sense in a country where everything is crowded together and space is at a premium.  Luckily for me I live in a house with two garages, the only problem is that until now, I've kept my R33 GT-R in one bay, and used the other bay as my workshop/man cave (and on occasion rent the space out to deserving cars).

From a post on my GT-R Blog.  I know the ISF will fit -
and you can see the shelving that I had to move behind my friend's R34 GT-R

I don't have any photos of what I did, but basically I moved over shelving and sundry items (bicycles, etc.) to the other bay (where the GT-R is) because that bay is wider. And this wasn't as easy as it sounds - I had to operate mainly at night during the week (after I was given notice from the dealer that the police would arriving on a Tuesday), after the family and the neighborhood was asleep, and box things up, etc.

As if that wasn't enough, although initially I was NOT going to get a personalized license plate like I did for my GT-R (which has a "33" for obvious reasons), after finding this website on Japanese personalized license plates, I was inspired to get a fun one. (the way it works - numbers in Japanese can have the same pronunciation as other words/characters. A well known one is the number 4, which is pronounced "shi" - which is how the word for "death" is also pronounced. Hence a number to be avoided, usually.)

Because personalized number plates must be ordered ahead of registration, my delay in telling the dealer I wanted one, pushed things back a few days as they had to redo some paperwork. Any guesses as to what I decided on?

A few days later (Thursday after the police inspected the garage) I finally got the email from my local dealer that the car was due to arrive that day from Tokorozawa (Saitama) and that at earliest, the process to register would start the next day (Friday), and that likely I would get the final invoice on Saturday.  However, because payment isn't possible by wire transfer on weekends I would have to wait until the next week - Wednesday - to pay, and the could at earliest pick up the car on the following Thursday.

Next post - payment...but not delivery...

Certified Pre-Owned - Japan Style

So as I wrote in my previous post, during my research I quickly realized that there were very few ISFs out there that had all of the factory options, and while I could continue my search at the wholesale auctions or with other car dealerships, the fact that the Lexus CPO dealership network had an ISF with "everything" that I could buy NOW gave me little choice if I wanted to buy a fully loaded ISF as quickly as possible.  There would be a premium, yes, but it might actually be worth it, depending on what a Lexus dealership (or at least this CPO program) offered compared to buying direct at wholesale or from a regular used car dealer.

After sending in a request for an estimate, and then getting, the next morning, a phone call from the local Lexus dealer, I decided to swing by on the weekend just to see what else I could learn about the car.



Of course being met and greeted at the Lexus dealership was, a first class experience. Even though I showed up on my wife's "mamachari" bicycle, lol.  After exchanging pleasantries, the salesmen explained to me what the Lexus CPO program was all about, as well as showing me what "faults" this particular car, located at another dealership in Saitama prefecture, had.

Near the entrance, they had this particular thing parked:

Very tempting... too bad it's a 2 door coupe!
It's also just SLIGHTLY out of my price range... but still, only 6000kms...

The best aspect of the Japanese CPO program is, Lexus (supposedly) only sells what they consider to be the "best" used models they can find.  Generally that means a vehicle less than 6 years old and with less than 100,000 kms (although most are LESS than 60,000kms, with some even less than 10,000km!).  I also realized that Lexus had an exclusive source of high quality used cars - from current Lexus owners who trade in their cars for a new one! From what they told me, cars offered through the CPO program cannot, for example, have any repaired body damage (other than scratches) and of course no accident cars. Not just the "R" grade (= major accident and repaired) cars found at wholesale auction, but ANY accident whatsoever.  There are other minutiae as well, but knowing how Japanese in general tend to be very, very picky and demand an exceedingly high level of service and quality, I wasn't worried to the point where I was going to spend time having them list out everything they inspected.

I DID of course compare the Japanese CPO program with the CPO program American Lexus dealers offer. I also found the American inspection checklist, which contains an impressive 161 inspection points. Interestingly, the American program has a 3 year comprehensive warranty from time of purchase, compared to 2 years for the Japanese program (although one can buy a third additional year).

In the Japanese CPO program, a CPO car, before delivery to the customer, undergoes a final 90 point inspection, and depending the results, up to 12 parts are replaced for new. The customer is then given a print out of the inspection.  These twelve items include:
1) tires - replaced if tread is less than 4 mm
2) brake fluid
3) battery
4) engine oil
5) engine oil filter
6) wiper blade rubber
7) V-belts - power steering, fan belt, air conditioning
8) timing belt
9) brake pads
10) spark plugs
11) air cleaner element
12) navigation software
* oil, oil filter, and wiper blades always replaced; other items depending on level of wear.

Here are other differences which I learned upon comparing both programs:
1) Maintenance - Japan CPO offers 2 years of free maintenance, at 6 month intervals; free oil change every 6 months, and then free oil, filter, air filter and wipers change every 12 months.
 - US CPO offers only first free maintenance (oil and filter change, etc.)

2) Japan CPO has several services under its "Car Life Support"
a) G-Link - akin to Enform in the US, I think? Provides maintenance reminders, calls police and ambulance when there is an emergency or accident, etc. Accompanying app on one's smart phone. Part of Toyota's G-Book system.
b) Lexus Owner's Desk - a 24 hours, 365 days per year concierge service (trip directions - direct input into the car's Navi, restaurant and hotel recommendations and reservations). Can be accessed by calling from your mobile phone or via a button on the Navi.
c) Lexus Owner's Website - just like in the US
d) Lexus Owner's card - basically an ID card to expedite transactions at Lexus dealerships/calling the Owner's Desk/accessing G-Link from home/office, etc. Only for new and CPO car purchases.

The salesman then proceeded to show me photos of the "defects" on the car.  Most of these were small scratches, some no larger than a grain of rice. The worst seem to be on the edge of the hood and then upon entry to the right rear seat area.

For example:

Looks worse than it actually is. I think most of these can be buffed out by a professional detailer... I hope.
Note also the wheel - bad curb rash.

Close up of one of the scratches

Amateur application of touch up paint. I wonder if anything can be done to fix this?

Biggest problems were the wheels. All 4 showed curb rash. Likely they can all be repaired, but at this point, I began to wonder - who buys such an expensive car, and drives like this? Further, what effect would this have on how the engine was broken in, etc.?

Luckily, all of this seemed cosmetic.  But one thing they could not show me was the interior (no photos taken!?) as well as how the car sounded when the engine was on, how well the A/C worked, the stereo, etc. This would require a trip to actually see the car.

Fortunately, the other dealership was within driving distance. Although that meant a 4 hour (round trip) road trip the following weekend.  So on a hot summer Sunday, I drove up to Lexus Tokorozawa.



Again the hospitality was great.

Some fancy mineral water... just what I needed on a hot day!

 There was also a very interesting Lexus vehicle on display there.

I did look at the car in person, and it seemed even better than in the photos. The blue color is stunning (a welcome relief from my GT-R's silver)! The interior was fine too, and everything worked. I did notice some wear on the driver's seat (to be expected and probably easily repaired) but most importantly, I was able to get information about the previous owners.  First, I learned it was a couple in their mid 40s who bought the car new, from the Tokorozawa dealership.  Second, I learned that they had faithfully had ALL of their servicing done at that dealership (they showed me and I verified all of the records).  Third, I learned that it was mostly driven by the wife. Not being sexist, but clearly she wasn't the best driver with the amount of curb rash on the wheels, and other scratches on the left side of the car suggesting a minor sideswipe.  And likely, those sensors in the bumpers had saved the bumpers from major scratches, as there were only a few I noticed on the bumpers.

I also saw that the plastic piece in front of the windshield was faded - clearly this car was not kept in a fully enclosed garage, likely it was left outside or partly outside (which is NOT unusual in Japan, as most houses don't have enclosed garages).  So likely this, as well as the windshield rubber, will have to be replaced as soon as I get the car.

So, I now know that the car wasn't owned by a 20 something who would, for example, track the car. 55,000 kms over 5 and a half years is about 10,000 kms a year. Also the tires were all evenly worn, 6mm of tread left on each wheel.  Pretty normal if the car is used mainly on weekends for shopping, some road trips, etc.   Also, despite the fact that the car has a "cold climate package" the car was NOT sourced from up north where winter is a snowed in event.  (In Japan they don't use salt on the roads, so rust isn't a concern, but snow and rain generally mean a higher chance of accidents as well as water spots in the paint.)

Despite the long drive, the trip paid off.  Now the only thing to do was to return to my local dealership and begin the paperwork process...

The Candidate - CPO 2010 (Color Code 8U1) ISF

So here are photos and a thorough description of the car.

As a September 2009 car, the base price when new was: 7,800,000 yen.  This car has every factory option [pricing listed herein]:

- 19 inch forged aluminum wheels (made by BBS, hand polished) - 87,150 yen
- Pre-crash safety system (using millimeter wave radar) + radar cruise control (with braking control) - 147,000 yen
- Moonroof (tilt and slide) - 94,500 yen
- Clearance sonar (parking sensors in front and rear bumpers) - 42,000 yen
- Interior: "silver styling fiber" on center console, door window switch panels, etc. - 39,900 yen
- Mark Levinson Premium Sound System (tuned exclusively for the IS F) - 194,250 yen
- Cold climate package - rear fog lamps, windshield defroster, etc. - 16,800 yen.

In addition, when you buy a car in Japan there is the mandatory "recycle fee" of 14,530 yen.

When you add this all up: 636,130 yen. And then added to the base price of the car,  the total is: 8,436,130 yen!  Not cheap at all, I think the USDM models had better pricing (especially when you consider the exchange rate at the time...).

However, not only does this car have every factory option, it also turned out to have the following dealer installed options (with pricing, just FYI):

Interior:
- ISF Exclusive Floor mats - with F logo (94,500 yen)
- Instrument panel box - replaces the ashtray and cigarette lighter - so this car is a non-smoker car! - (16,800 yen)
- Trunk mat - (17,850 yen).  There are actually two other trunk mat options - a "trunk cushion" (50,400 yen) made with urethane foam cushion as a bottom layer, and a "trunk tray" (28,350 yen) which provides a water proof surface and which can also be folded in half to partition the trunk space.

Top is the "trunk cushion" and the bottom is the "trunk mat" my car has.

Trunk net on top, "trunk tray" on bottom, showing how it folds in half to provide a space behind to hide stuff

Exterior:
- Side Visors - to reduce wind noise and prevent rain water from entering when windows are slightly opened (29,400 yen)
- Door edge protectors - body color (10,500 yen)

Safety & Utility:
- Wheel lock nuts (10,500 yen)
- License plate lock bolts (3,150 yen)
- Remote starter- to get the A/C or heater running remotely on hot/cold days before entering the car (84,000 yen)
- Drive Recorder - dash cam with main unit hidden in glove box (52,500 yen)

Umm those are expensive wheel locks...remote starter is cool though

When all of these options are added up - parts alone with installation labor not included:  319,200 yen!  This means that, combined with the base price and factory options, the car, when new, cost at least 8,755,330 yen!  This does NOT include various other fees like the ETC (electronic toll collection system) set up fee, required insurance, etc.  So whoever owned the car before me, appears to have been on the wealthy side?

Other dealer options which the car did not have include (as judged from this 2009 JDM catalog):
Interior:
- "clean box" - a cloth garbage bag (with anti-microbial properties apparently) that fits into the front door pockets (or can be hung off behind the front seats)
- premium ashtray - fits into center console cup holder, made of "bone china" with LED light up (12,600 yen)
- basic ashtray - fits into center console cup holder (2,625 yen)
- hangar (leather wrapped) - clips onto headrest stays of front seats, for jackets and neckties (10,500 yen)
- front sunshade - (15,750 yen)
- trunk luggage net (11,550 yen)

Definitely going to get the real leather wrapped clothes hangar...

Safety and Utility:
- 3 kinds of baby/child seats (42,000 - 63,000 yen)
- "Snow cap" - plastic tire chains (16,800 yen)
- Emergency signal light (rechargeable type) - two versions, one for the center console, the other for the  "luggage room" (trunk?). Both are 21,000 yen each, and get their power from the car.
- Rescue tool (for the center console) - cut seatbelt, break glass, etc. (2,415 yen)
- Emergency reflective triangle (2625 yen)
- Car cover - waterproof type (46,200 yen) and flameproof type (29,400 yen)
- 8cm adaptor - to play mini CDs (for Mark Levinson stereo equipped cars only) (315 yen).

Still that is an interesting "signal light," may have to get it...

Then of course there are the various dealer applied wheel polishes, paint sealants, and tire coatings, etc.

I don't plan on buying most of these "missing" dealer options, but it sure is interesting to know what was available at the time.  Readers of my GT-R blog know that, I will likely first fix up any scratches and dings on the car, make it perfect, before exploring what's out there in terms of aftermarket parts, whether Lexus brand or otherwise.

So this car looked very good. However, the asking price was more than what I wanted to pay.....but I emailed a request for an estimate anyway.  The very next day I got a call from my local Lexus dealer, less than a mile way....

It turns out my local Lexus dealer did not have this CPO car in stock (they had a blue RCF in stock, however), but it would be possible to get it... why don't you come down and we'll talk they said...

In my next post, I'll detail what I learned when I went to the dealership...

And So The Search Begins

After having seen an IS F first hand courtesy of my friend Mikku, I decided to, while continuing to search for an e39 M5 or C5 RS6 Avant, check out what was out there in the IS F used car market.

Using CarSensor and Goo-Net, two well known Japanese internet used car sites, I gradually became familiar with the IS F, but quickly realized there was a difference between early versions ("zenki") and later versions ("kohki"), post-facelift.  That is, I saw that the 2011 and later versions had the single large tach and the LED daylight running lamps (and apparently there were revisions to the suspension too). And there were also differing options and trim.

I also realized that, even used, the retail used car prices of these cars, even the early models, was more than twice what I had budgeted for the M5 or RS6 (at wholesale auction).

So, I then started searching for cars online at auction, courtesy of Pacific Coast Auto Imports.  I figured having met and gotten to know Derek Weldon, the owner of Pacific Coast, and knowing he was a really nice guy, that he would help me find what I want. The pricing at auction seemed much more reasonable too.

The only problem with auction sales is, the pictures are fuzzy and the descriptions aren't always accurate.  I wouldn't know until the last minute, via a report from an inspector shortly before the auction, what options the car had and its condition.  Because this car would be used as family transport, I wanted all the safety options, as well as those that made driving the car easier (as I am anticipating the wife will be driving it too).  In particular, this meant the parking sensors on both the front and rear bumpers, as well as the radar cruise control feature.

Check out the following three photos (all from the Pacific Coast Auto Imports website).

Here is a typical photo. Can barely make out the bumper sensors

This is readable - unfortunately it does not go into much detail about the options

For me, the chance to finally own and be able to drive a (relatively) quiet car (vs my GT-R) meant I wanted a good stereo, so naturally I was interested in a car with the optional Mark Levinson system.  It didn't help that my motor journalist friend Dino Dalle Carbonare had given me a short ride in a press RC F car, where we were able to enjoy how that system sounded.

At auction however, cars equipped with the Mark Levinson system were rare, and then when optioned that way, most did not have the bumper sensors (or another option like the moonroof).

Sometimes the data sheet doesn't list the ML stereo. All cars in Japan have the Navi screen so from photos one has to find the "Mark Levinson" script to double check.  Also this car does NOT have the optional silver weave on the center console.

So, just when I was ready to settle in for a long search, I stumbled upon Lexus' own CPO (Certified Pre-Owned) website.  And there, I found it - a production date September 2009 (so 2010 model) car with not just every single factory option, but apparently almost every single dealer option as well!

My next blog post will describe in detail the car and the options it had.

Prelude: I Need A Second Car

So for those of you who have read my original blog featuring my adventures with my 1997 Nissan Skyline R33 GT-R, the contents of this blog will not be a surprise to you. However because I don't plan to do too much in terms of modifications (famous last words...??), this blog may actually disappoint those who are expecting to follow me on a full-on car modification project.

Original photo is here, please like it if you haven't already:
 https://instagram.com/p/4eJNQ4rN_2/?taken-by=speedhunters_dino

Obviously I love cars, and (perhaps reflecting my overall personality) when I get caught up in a topic/problem, I tend to research obsessively, to the point where I can justify to myself that I have reached a reasoned and well thought out answer/solution.  With my GT-R, my blog showed my "adventures" as I gradually (and still continue to), add certain bits to "modernize" my GT-R, as well as discover unknown trivia (usually from Japanese sources) along the way.

But when you have a growing family, a GT-R as your only car is limiting (in Japan, even having ONE car in a metropolitan area is a luxury, and most people do with just one...). The ride is too firm, the exhaust too loud, and more importantly, the car lacks the safety features found in more modern cars - like curtain/side airbags, US/EU standard structural crashworthiness, etc.

So now it's time I purchase a second car, not for me (right...) but for the family. Something with FOUR doors (accessing a child seat in the back is not fun in a coupe), safe (or at least, safer than the GT-R which I discovered has minimal (no) side impact protection, at least for the rear seats), with high reliability, decent gas mileage, and preferably, an automatic transmission.

Obviously from the title of this blog you know what I ended up with, but this was actually not my first choice.

I actually wanted something German because of their known high safety standards and superlative driving characteristics, and something which I could keep for a long, long time.  Something which would end up or already is a classic.  Yet modern enough so it would be safe and reliable.  So I began to check out used car listings here in Japan, and then stumbled upon a car which I had vowed one day to own when I saw one driving down the street, when I was walking to work as a freshly minted lawyer struggling to survive in San Francisco - the mighty BMW E39 M5!

From: http://fastestlaps.com/cars/bmw_m5_e39.html

Classic (before Bangle) styling, gorgeous wheels, 6 speed manual, and 400 hp V8 engine. One of the best, if not THE best, sedans BMW has ever made. And check out this no nonsense interior:

From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M5

I quickly realized however, with constant checking of used car listings, that I needed to study up on the differences. There seemed to be at least two different kinds of seats patterns, various colors, and different instrument panels, center consoles and steering wheels.  I ordered some books, read a lot of articles online, and found the very excellent www.e39source.com, which, with its accompanying youTube page, quickly educated me on the e39 M5, and thus, what I wanted.  All of the articles I read also had nothing but good things to say, which got me even more excited.

Unfortunately for me, finding what I wanted turned out to be quite difficult - only 200 some odd examples were imported into Japan, of which it appears less than half were what I wanted - the 2001-2003 post minor facelift model.  In early June I finally did find a nicely spec'd 2000 model at auction courtesy of my friend Miguel of Newera Imports, but unfortunately was outbid, mainly due to my inexperience.

Normally I would have the patience to wait until another came my way (whether at auction or via an internet listing), but due to a sudden change in my professional circumstances (it's complicated but basically I need a tax-write off) I found myself having to find and own a car, soon, preferably by July or early August of this year.

I then began researching the Audi RS series Avants - RS4 and RS6 - and with my desire for an automatic car (mainly so the wife could drive) settled on finding an RS6 Avant.

Yes, this is a station wagon!
From: http://sa7.1-themes.com/audi-s6-avant-4-2-quattro.php

These were less of a unicorn than the e39, but I had heard that they were not as reliable as the BMW, and repairs were expensive. On the other hand, they were never sold in the US (which satisfies my rule of not getting anything I could drive back home), and their gorgeous interiors and full time four wheel drive certainly were attractive. Oh, and Paul Walker had one.  The real reason I wanted an RS series car, of course, is that these cars represent the best that Audi offered in performance (450ps from a 4.2 liter biturbo V-8!! Oh and the torque!), and further, compared to lesser Audis, promised more residual value even as they age - like the older BMW M cars (e30, e34s).  Plus, the utility of a station wagon would be nice.

Wow look at that space! And the RECARO seats are nice too! (Yes,I know this is a sedan... I would assume the rear legroom in the wagon is the same)  From: http://www.audiaddict.net/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=2278

BUT - just when I was ready to begin serious inquiries on a silver M5 I found on one of the Japanese used car websites (although I had vowed to never buy another silver car, as my GT-R is silver), along with some decent C5 RS6 Avants I had also found, my friend Mikku showed his car to me after a social get together (so June 27 2015 will be the day I first actually saw an ISF close up in person!).  A very blue 2008 Lexus ISF, fully loaded.

That BLUE color is so IN YOUR FACE!

To be honest, I wasn't immediately smitten (it's a Toyota (= boring?), after all). It also appeared that the rear seating area had LESS space than even my GT-R! And what, no middle rear seat? How are we going to haul around grandma when she visits? Not good.

But I began researching it anyway. And the more I did, the more interesting the car became.

I mean, things started making sense, consider:
- it was built for the NA and EU markets.  So it had to be designed to face and pass world class crash tests.  Japan tests cars too, but somehow the US and Euro NCAP tests seem to be the most demanding (click here to see the regulations compared)?  Lots of airbags (non-Takata!) are a very good thing too.

- it's a Toyota. It's not going to have mechanical or electrical issues down the road like a German car, or even in fact like other Japanese brands. Even high mileage shouldn't be an issue. And even if it does break, parts are available locally, meaning there should not be as much down time, and likely the parts are cheaper too.

- it's a Lexus. Looks luxurious on the inside and reviews suggested it was quiet. Build quality is higher than other Toyotas.  And compared to Infiniti, BMW, and Mercedes, etc.,  of course the Lexus build quality is higher.  Plus, the world famous Lexus dealer service!

- over 400 horsepower. Blame the M5 and RS6 for setting my expectations high. Further, those cars I wanted were one generation older, circa 2000-2004, so a newer car should be better in all aspects.

- crazy 8 speed automatic that shifts in sport mode in 0.1 seconds? Faster than some dual clutch transmissions? Hmm, very interesting. Did I mention it's an automatic, so no issues driving in heavy traffic, as well as no excuses by my wife NOT to drive?

- better gas mileage and emissions than my GT-R. (Ok, that is an easy one).

- the local Lexus dealership is less than 1.5 km from where I live. So if any troubles I could literally walk over in a few minutes to get help.

So on paper, things were looking good.  Granted, it didn't have the visual impact that the BMW has (and continues to have for me), nor is it a useful wagon like the RS6.  In fact it has that weird bulky hood, and those fake tailpipes...

In my next post, I'll review what I found and why I decided on my particular car.