I think you're right here but probably using the term "
aftermarket parts" instead of "
accessories" - add on things to improve styling or preformance vs replacements for existing parts. Lexus = Toyota = Scion. The Toyota brand alone was the best selling car brand in the World last (year as usual), selling nearly 30% more units than the #2 spot, Volkswagen alone. When it comes to replacing parts on a Toyota or Lexus there are zillions of aftermarket replacement
parts, it's the best selling car, that's where the most customers are.
Toyota-
Lexus-Scion does not make sports cars, they're not performance cars. Lexus is a pure luxury car, Toyota is a smooth riding economy car- people don't modify them. People don't generally upgrade their appearance or performance substantially to anywhere close to the extent of VW-
Audi-Porsche products, which are innately sportier and more of drivers cars. Have you ever really seen any (or many) 'suped up", "modded" or "tuned" Lexus or really many Toyotas? And despite the fact Lexus builds AWD cars and SUVs, they're not really shown as "sport" or "activity" cars, that would be marketed with recreational accessories the same way an Audi, high end VWs, Volvo, Land Rover, Jeep, etc would be.
In terms of service... Growing up my mother had A6 Allroad from 2001-2005. It was an "electro-mechanical nightmare" (her words), most mechanics wouldn't touch it, and she traded it in for an XC90. In 2009 when her commute increased and gas went up, she bought a Lexus ES350. She had
zero problems with it,
literally. The maintenance was done at a Toyota dealer next to her office and it was pretty minimal and affordable. If it needed it, I'm sure nearly every mechanic would work on it since it's essentially a glorified Toyota Camry.
It's a fair concern and justified concern. We've discussed it a lot in this thread. European (I'll extend beyond Germany) cars typically cost more to fix, have more problems, and have more complex solutions. That said, if you're looking for a premium drivers car, no one else builds a better car than Europe. Japan pumps out amazing products- well built, fantastic reliability, usually unmatched residual value, but the same level of driving quality, overall feel, and image has yet to be matched in my experience. America cars... Ehhhh no comment.
If your passionate about you car, value the advantages of Euro/German car, and don't dropping lots money into your car -or- are unfazed by generally more frequent, more costly repairs and the time you must take out of your day to fix them/get them fixed, then owning one won't be an too big of a nuisance. Some people think they're set because they have a warranty but then are traumatized by the fact they get stuck going to the dealer for repairs all the time. In the early thousands my dad sold his
beloved 2 year old Range Rover he bought brand new because after 30,000 miles (still under warranty) he couldn't afford the
time it spent in the repair shop. He still considers it one of his favorite cars he's ever owned. Despite that, his little little maneuver to dump it cost him about 50% in depreciation. If you want a buy it and forget it car, with some extra features, head in the Acura/Lexus/Infiniti direction. They're excellent cars in their own respects. It all comes down to what you value.
When I graduated college 2 years ago my dad graciously gave me his 2009 BMW 535xi (currently with nearly 90,000 miles). I like it as a car, its fun, but am always afraid of things going wrong and wondering how I'm going to get the car to the dealer and my ass to work and my other obligations. A couple weeks ago the battery died, which isn't 100% user replaceable due to the possible necessity of "reprogramming the battery" and requires special computer. Not reprogramming the battery apparently can cause big problems. The cost of the job- battery, installation, and reprogramming was just under $500.00, which absurd in my opinion. If you go back a few pages we had a lengthy discussion about German/Euro repair costs. The question is, do I like the car enough to put that kind of money into it for something so simple? The car is still in my dad's name, registered in my home state, and I'm under his insurance so luckily usually pays for the major repairs/maintenance. I haven't sought reimbursement on the battery. Affording life in a nice area of Boston near my work and a BMW is a lot for someone getting paid my lowly resident wage at the hospital.