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Comments
* NAV & Mark Levinson Audio, HID Headlamps
* VSC, Black Birds-Eye Maple Wood,
* Black Pearl Emblems on Trunk Lid
* Channeled Spoke Wheel Design
* Power Rear Sun Shade
I had a leased RX300, 2001 w/Nav for about 3.5 yeas and called Lexus Financial and they told me they have a special 6 payment waiver certificate program which basically I can drop the old car off at the delar and either lease or purchase another any Lexus through Lexus Financial Service without paying the remaining 6 payments. Lexus did save me few thousand dollars and I was almost going to buy the BMW X3 SUV.
But I'm glad I got my ES330 Sports Edition. I got a great deal on it and the ES330 has a much better gas millage than BMW X3 or even my old RX300. I did test drive the new 2004 RX330 but find the engine is quite noisier than my old 2001 RX300.
My favorite part of my new ES330 Sports Edition is the Black Birds-Eys wood trim, it does give a more sportier feel with the charcoal gray leather trim. The new NAV has lots of nice improvement and it's very user friendly. I think it's the best in the market (even better than Acura)
I'm not really impressed with the Mark Levinson Stereo system. I don't know if there is any setting issue to get the best sound but I think my old RX300, 2001 had a better sound system. However, I did see on the radio AM button also listed as "SAT" and my delar told me there is an XM Satellite Radio Option for $900 (Delar installed Option)?? I'm not sure if she is right, is anyone know anything about this new option?? and is anyone has the Mark Levinson on the new ES330, 2004 model and how do you like it. Thanks.
But it also makes me wonder if my new ES330 ML has a flaw or maybe not set up correctly? The only sound control is through the NAV screen (same as my old RX300, '01 model)and don't know if there is any other way to fine tune the sound system??
The current ES' standard system is a 7-speaker, 86 watt system. 86 isnt much. Thats only roughly 12W to each speaker, which is about as much power as the average TV speaker has. The ML system doesnt add additional speakers, at least I dont think so, but they are replaced with much higher quality ones, and a 240W root mean squared amp, which means it is capable of a lot more than that in small doses. Thats a pretty big difference.
My 2K2 ES300 has the Nav w/ML sound system and there is another setting (ASL) that you can activate which adds more depth to the music. I have never heard the 'Premium Sound' system and got the ML because I knew I wouldn't be satisfied unless I had it. The sound is very impressive and absolutely crystal-clear with no distortion/hiss and the bass is more than sufficient and not at all muddy like some other systems. Please investigate the ASL setting on your ML system and ensure it is on. Maybe this is why you haven't been impressed with the sound quality.
Regards -
M. J. McCloskey
2K2 ES300 Alabaster - loaded
I noticed one thing that the ML system has a wider range on the volume control (low - high) than my old RX300. In other words, the ML system offers a finer/more precise volume level control than my old RX300.
Maybe I did not turn the volume high enough to really feel the ML's acoustic effect in my ES330. I turned the volume to 30-32 while driving in the traffic (about 40MPH)and the ML sound great. Thanks.
I'd like to directly hook up an iPod, without using a FM transmitter or cassette adapter, and would like to hear about other's experiences before I try to pull out the stereo.
Anyway, I think excessive oil use (without any observable leak) is the main symptom of the oil gel problem. It should be obvious to the technician during oil/filter changes.
You should pay a third party mechanic to look over the engine before you buy it. (IMO) 95,000 miles is high. It could last for another 100K, but I have to believe that there must be an engineering problem with those engines (even the ones without observable oil gelling) that could limit their lifetime.
Good luck, but you know the old saying - buyer beware.
I carry a lightwt. Ping bag which fills about 1/3 of the trunk. You could probably fit 4 of these lightwt. soft-sided bags in the trunk (with empty side pockets); akin to cramming soft-side carry on luggage in an airline overhead compartment. There is no way, IMO, that more than 1 of those heavy leather(old Ben Hogan-type) bags would fit in the trunk.
Your bags must be somewhere in between these sizes and I agree with you that 4 probably wouldn't fit (unless they have collapsable sides and empty pockets and you don't need to carry shoes, umbrellas, etc. in the trunk also).
Have you considered the Toyota Avalon as an alternative to the ES300? (Larger trunk and back seat room). Excellent reliability (also own an '95 Av with 140K mi - still going strong), and is less money than the ES. And no, I don't work for Toyota.
Second question, should I go to the dealership to have the timing belt changed or just a corner repair shop will do? If I go to the dealership, how much would it be?
Thanks, yes I have looked at the Avalon. I've considered it although I don't really like it as well as the ES330. The Nav requires use of a remote which sounds awkward. I agree that the car is bigger in the trunk and rear seat. A friend has a 2004 Avalon and a 2000 and loves both.
The LS430 is a great car and would meet my trunk needs but I can't see spending that much on a depreciating asset and driving what some consider a pretentious vehicle, but that's only me.
But on second thought I might have to reconsider.
J.D. Power says Detroit's big three made impressive gains; VW, Land Rover struggle.
June 29, 2004: 4:54 PM EDT
DETROIT (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp. was the highest-ranking automaker in an annual vehicle quality survey released on Tuesday, with its Lexus luxury brand winning top honors for the 10th consecutive year.
The closely watched J.D. Power and Associates survey of long-term vehicle dependability is based on responses from 48,000 owners of three-year-old vehicles in the United States when questioned about scores of specific problems ranging from wind or brake noise to uneven tire wear and stalling engines.
The survey is key to the auto industry because 52 percent of new car buyers say long-term quality is one of the most important factors in their choice of brands, according to J.D. Power. It is also important to automakers because of warranty costs.
Toyota's Lexus unit topped the brand rankings with 162 problems per 100 vehicles. But Japan's largest automaker also led manufacturers overall, with 207 problems per 100 vehicles, followed closely by Honda Motor Co. Ltd. with 210 problems.
Porsche AG, with 240 problems, General Motors Corp. with 262, and BMW AG with 264, rounded out the top five.
"The two (Toyota and Honda) are head and shoulders above everybody else and the factor there is that they were the first in the industry to recognize that building vehicles that last is really the most important thing," said Joe Ivers, J.D. Power's executive director of quality and customer satisfaction research.
"Building vehicles that last tends to produce a whole lot of benefits that aren't immediately obvious. One of course is that it satisfies more customers, it gets you more customers," Ivers told Reuters.
For the second straight year, GM was alone among Detroit's traditional Big Three automakers in ranking above the industry average of 269 problems per 100 vehicles. Its Buick brand placed No. 2 behind Lexus and its Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC, Saab and Saturn nameplates all scored above the industry average as well.
Ivers said Ford Motor Co. and the Chrysler unit of DaimlerChrysler also made impressive gains.
"The domestics have been touting for a couple of years now the commitments they've been making to long-term quality, and we just had not seen, until now, consistent evidence of that. Now we're really seeing that," Ivers said.
Preception lags reality
Despite improvements, Ivers, who noted that GM was neck-and-neck with Toyota in the number of highly ranked vehicles, cautioned that Detroit has an image problem stemming from some of its poorly built vehicles of the past, however.
"It takes a long time for a reputation to get healed ... The perception tends to lag the reality sometimes by as much as 10 years," Ivers told reporters on a conference call.
"There's a large cross-section of customers out there who just will not consider a domestically produced vehicle and in many cases the (past) quality is the barrier," he said.
Volkswagen AG and its Audi unit both improved over last year's results. But VW was still near the bottom of the survey and Ivers said virtually all European automakers were struggling with quality problems.
Land Rover, which Ivers described as a perennial loser, finished last among individual nameplates. "They're highly desirable vehicles but they tend to have a tough time getting customers to buy more than one," he said.
Since their 1998 linkup with Chrysler, executives at Daimler have boasted about how Mercedes-Benz would show its poor American cousin how to build more dependable and desirable vehicles.
But Chrysler and its Dodge, Jeep and now-defunct Plymouth brands all out-ranked Mercedes, which had 327 problems per 100 vehicles, up from 318 problems in last year's survey.
Find this article at:
http://money.cnn.com/2004/06/29/pf/autos/autos_quality.reut/index- .htm<
The styling doesn't fit any kind of "sport" image. The exterior got pretty dowdy and frumpy compared to the last generation ES300.
Also, the transmission does not like sporty driving with quick downshifts and hard acceleration.
1. By the look of the headlights it seems like they may have the swiveling projector beams.
2. More chrome on the grille.
3. Round foglights.
4. Different air intake in lower front bumper.
5. Thin chrome strip above rear license plate.
6. Redesigned taillights (which may be LED, it's hard to tell).
7. Lighter wood with the ivory interior.
8. Steering wheel radio controls.
http://www.toyota.co.jp/Showroom/All_toyota_lineup/Windom/exterio- r/index.html
The content between the Windom and ES is also 99% the same. In Japan they offer some cosmetic options they do not offer on the ES (such as ground effects), but everything else is the same.
I thought I read somewhere that there would be optional 17" wheels, but I didn't see that on the site.
Wonder if ML will become standard, or at least optionable w/o Nav. Or just make the base audio better.....
Does anyone know of an adjustment (C-BEST or otherwise) to boost the subwoofer level outside of the tone controls (maybe at the speaker or amp)?
What's involved with the installation?
Where does the receiver go? Is it hidden or out in the open?
Is there an antenna?
How much does it cost?
The Lexus staff member says the cost is $800. Don't know whether that includes installation. I didn't ask where the receiver would be installed, but the functionality will be integrated with the navigation system, so no external control module is needed.
The recommended location for the antenna is on the side of the trunk lid, as on the LS, but service has been installing the LS antennas inside the car on the rear parcel shelf, against the bottom of the rear window. The signal strength is reduced, but still acceptable, whereas many find the trunk mount too aesthetically unpleasing (as would I).
I am considering ES330 basically because of it's reviewed quitest car, any other brand/model that as quite as ES330?
If ES330 is the only choice and I do want Navigation, do you think it's possible order it online, fly somewhere, pickup and drive home?
Thanks.