Toyota's Lexus. Now They're Really Getting It...

When Toyota debuted the Lexus brand in 1989- it was a clear-cut blow to the German auto makers like Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

Well, gosh- I do believe they've finally, totally done it.

Toyota reports that some 270,000 vehicles have faulty engines...

This car guy loves this. Sure, Toyota has recalled over 8 million vehicles this year to date- but that's all safety related- finally something performance/engine related- the kind of stuff foreign import car drivers (like me) have known since the beginning.

I'm a realist as much as I am a car guy- and let me tell you- no "car enthusiast" wants a car that actually works. I mean- what fun is an animal that when it bites- doesn't hurt?

Sure- car guys want it to work- but what fun is having a car you know is always going to work well and all the time?

Look at people who drive British cars- they're mostly total (yes, still) pieces-of-shit and car enthusiasts still buy them- it's what makes them appealing.

Sometimes the driving excitement is in whether the car is going to start at all.

Part of the allure of driving a good, premium car is knowing your car is going to get you there- and if you're used to driving Japanese appliances- which are what Toyotas and Lexus cars basically are- where's the fun in knowing that it's guaranteed?

You need that small percentage of total disasters/shit storms to keep you on your heels and toes- in the foot well- if you're a real car enthusiast, anyway. Nothing good in life is ever totally guaranteed.

Now, I'm not saying Lexus cars haven't had their share of mechanical problems- they have. They just don't advertise them as much as other brands do- but now that Toyota is undeniably the Recall King of the Century- everything and anything is coming to light.

If you ask any professional mechanic- they'll admit that some any given models in particular have their fair shares of "problems."

One Lexus mechanic confided in me once years ago- a generation of 3.3-liter V6s as used in the very popular ES and RX model-line had oil-return line issues- where if the oil wasn't exactly changed often enough- plaque and sludge could build-up- causing an engine seizure. Nice!

But if you drive most any European or American premium cars- you know- most brands and models have their "good" and "bad" years.

Basically the Lexus recall involves faulty materials used in making the valve springs. The parts may fail causing erratic idling, strange noises- maybe even a stall.

The models potentially affected include the IS350, GS350, GS460, GS450h, LS460, LS600h, and LS600hL.

Oh, big deal... I've driven cars at highway speeds that made strange rattling noises- hell, some have even stalled completely on me while cruising down the road- it makes for a better driver and a better car enthusiast- trust me.

Drive a car that has jumped time- but still ran well enough to limp to the mechanic- ten miles away- now that's engineering.

Find me a car that drives and still drives broken- and well, that's an enthusiasts' car if I ever saw one.

Find me something that's never failed... and that's just a disaster waiting to happen.

Lexus has finally gotten this car guy's... respect.