Lexus ES 350

zekeman1

I personally love the Aquamarine pictures but have not seen it in person. When I asked my local dealer I was told it was "discontinued

Discontinued would not surprise me; I asked my dealer about the color and he started wretching...so I got the impression it may not be so popular!
zekeman1

ljk1000

I'm trying to find someone who has purchased the black exterior, too. I've only seen Aquamarine and Moon Shell Mica in person--both were not my taste. My salesman said that several people who've come in to buy the black one changed their minds because it is a flat black, no sparkle. He says the granite is the "hot" color. I'm not the gray type, but nor do I want a flat black. What I want is a sparkly black with cashmere interior. I may settle for the Smoky Granite Mica with the light gray interior.

Anyone have a picture of the black? (Not a Lexus pic, a personal pic.)
Thanks.

bobbass

I'm pretty sure I have a pic of that color. Took it a few weeks ago at my dealer. It IS spectacular if you're into having a "sparkly black" color.

Send me a PM with your e-mail and I'll send the pic to you.

Bob

robertw477

Downpayment should be zero! On a lease you dont want to pay any downpayment or cap cost reduction. Only normal inceptions and first month payment.

Ask about MSD (Multiple Security deposit) after they give you the cost. It is a fully refndable fee at the end of the lease. Not a cap cost. Seems to me that the Lexus lease can be pricey at least as compared to Infiniti...Rob

ljk1000

Bob,

How do I send a PM to you?

bobbass

LJK,

I THINK you can do it thru CarSpace. Click on my blue name and "visit" my space. There might be a way thru that site. There is an mail manager section or something.

Too bad we can't do it right from here.

cablondeblue

I am leasing because I am a Realtor and it is a write off for me. Also because the payment is less monthly than purchasing. Besides, I always want a new car after three years anyway. There is no worries having to sell it, you just turn it in.....next. LOL

The only reason I was thinking of putting 5,000. down is to make the payment lower but I will take all of your advice into consideration.

Sigh! I hate going in to lease or buy a car. I feel like I am going to battle. I hold my own though. I am a tough negotiator. Contrary to when the salesperson first sees me and thinks this is going to be a slam-dunk. LOL

psychdoc

Good move. You want as close to zero down at signing as possible.

That way if the car was ever stolen or totaled you wouldn't lose that money.

psychdoc

...(I posted this over at the Lexus Transmission Forum but that's pretty dead, so I thought I'd get your opinions over here, too)

I have the 2002 ES 300 and I can't tell you how annoying it is to come to stop signs and feel the awful tranny refuse to down shift as you slow to 1mph. Then on acceleration the damn thing doesn't know what to do. As soon as you put your foot on the accelerator, it hunts frantically for a gear and jerks like a bucking bronco.

Lexus claimed to have a "fix" for this disaster about a year after I bought it. The "reprogramed" the tranny. Or so they said. Didn't do a darn thing though.

I'm picking up my 2007 ES350 in a few days and I'm really hoping that this sorry chapter in Lexus' history is going to be a very bad memory and nothing else.

Anyone know?

pat

Why not post your picture on your CarSpace page for all to enjoy?

pat

That discussion usually wakes up when someone contributes ... let's wait to see if folks can respond to you there before we sidetrack this discussion, okay?

Good luck with your ES 350 - let us know how it goes.

Meanwhile, let's go to psychdoc, "Transmission problems with Lexus ES?" #1207, 27 May 2006 4:17 am to respond to psychdoc about the ES 300 transmission issues.

bobbass

Pat,

Now, why didn't I think of that?

I just added three ES350 pics taken at my local dealer a few weeks ago.

The first is, I think, the Smoky Granite Mica. I am not persoanlly interested in that color - already have a black '85 Vette that is a handful to take care of - but when I was "Sunday Shopping" and came across this "Sparkling Black" color on the lot, I was absolutely STUNNED and HAD to take a pic.

It was spotless and in the bright sunshine just stopped you dead in your tracks. Now, keeping it that way would be another story.

The other two pics are the Crystal White which has a slight pearlescent effect.

Hopefully, these pics will help anybody who hasn't seen these cars in person, yet.

I think you click on my name and then "Visit Me" to go to CarSpace and view the pics.

cablondeblue

....I am going to have to cruise over to the dealership today and check out some colors... and somehow fly under the radar of the salesmen.

Surprised that Moonshell looks like that in the pic. It was one of my first choices in the brochure. (Of course, it was just a little swatch of color and looked good.) That Smoky Granite looks good (if I can promise myself to get it washed on a regular basis). Does anyone like the Blue Onyx? I have to see it in person but that has always been my favorite color. I don't know about having it on a car though.

ljk1000

Which one are you calling "sparkling black"?

I do think that the first one is the smoky granite mica. I like that color, but I wanted to compare it to the black.

Thanks for posting the pics.

bobbass

The first pic in my album I can only describe as "sparkling black." As I recall, it's not a truly deep black, but about as close as you can get without being called gray. Now, "VERY dark gray"....

What really sets it off are the metallic particles which just grab your attention. They provide the "sparkle" and account for the "mica" in the color name, I guess.

The Lexus black is a deep GLOSS black - almost like patent leather. And, the horizontal surfaces DO reflect up...much like patent leather shoes.

robynl

I have seen the blue onyx and it is real nice when, like the black, it is clean. In the sun it sparkles. In the clouds, it almost looks black. It is still too dark for me as far as the upkeep. I have not seen Moonshell in person but sure looks different in some pictures than on that tiny swatch. I too am a realtor and am seriously considering leasing, which I have NEVER done.
I love the Mica color, but I really don't want grey or black inside. I have pretty much decided to go with the White/cashmere UL as I have stated here before. I thinks it just looks crisp, clean and luxurious.

psychdoc

If you're even vaguely considering the moonshell mica, I implore you, see it in person before you buy.

It's really quite hideous. In fact it's whatever comes right after "hideous."

Ughhh!

The dark metallic grey (whatever they call it) is very nice indeed. So is the darker brown but I hardly ever hear this mentioned. Odd 'cause it's rich and nice looking. Black you can never go wrong with and the light silver is as close to a universal car "color" as there is. It always looks nice.

The real winner here though I think is the ruby red. It's just the right shade of red. Not too bright but not maroon either. It's simply the runaway "must have" color for this car.

Just my opinion.

cablondeblue

I know, I know..... I read your "Ugh" about the Moonshell. And I agree after I saw the pic. I was just saying it looked nice on the tiny swatch in the brochure. Believe me, if I don't like something, I won't get it. But once I find something I want, I have to have it. (A little spoiled that way.)

I have a list of colors (7 out of the 10 offered) that I want to go look at. I will let you know what I thought later. :shades:

cyclopsstan

I couldn't agree with you more. As soon as I saw (& read about) the car at the Chicago auto show, where they were featuring the ruby, I knew that would be my next car. Never owned or wanted a red car before, but with this 1 it was love at 1st sight.

cablondeblue

The only 2007 ES350s they had were Black Onyx (too flat) and the Golden Almond (my current car is a sand color, I want something different.) I was able to see Smoky Granite and Crystal White on other styles of cars, but would prefer to see them on the ES. The salesman said he would call me when any other colors come in. But that may take weeks. I am glad I started this search early because this may take a while.

I think I am going to call around to other dealerships to see who has what, just so I can, at least, decide what color I want. :confuse:

beneyw

I may have already posted this on another forum but to cut to the chase....I picked up my new ES 350 on the 16th of May (FL dealer) and the next day began my drive back to Maine for the summer. About 125 miles from home several warning lights came on....called Lexus and was told.."drive it carefully" and get to a dealer. I did that///the last 100 miles were like a hell on earth..bucking...skipping like there was a bad electrical connection and when starting from a dead stop and upon accelerating the shifting of gears seemed very rough and jerky. The car failed several transmission tests at the dealer and I am now getting a new car since Lexus wants 'mine' back to go over it with a fine tooth comb. So, I have no idea what the issue is with Lexus but does anyone recall a transmission problem with the early 2007 Camrys?...not saying the two are related but what a coincidence. I sure hope my experience was/is isolated since I think this car is fantastic looking compared to earlier editions of the ES and obviously pleased with the response from Lexus...but....here's hoping..

robynl

Yep! Not surprised to hear that. It is taking me a while too. Only 1 dealership where I live unless I want to travel 80 or so miles down the road to look at colors. I might order one - Ruby(or white)/Cashmere UL package. anybody have an idea of how long it is taking once you order or does it depend on the package you want will UL take longer?? I have heard anywhere from 6-8 weeks to 3-4 month. I am not willing to wait 3-4 months. What to do????????

robynl

cyclopsstan,
I am having the hardest time deciding on color - as you can tell. Ruby...... or White........... The Ruby was abosolutely spectacular in the showroom. How is it when it's dirty, etc. Are you still loving it??? Are you getting lots of comments about the color?

HELP!!!!!

austincharles

Has anyone else thought that the ES 350 drove like a Park Ave. The car is very comfortable but the steering felt so loose that I could not take it.The steering was so easy that if you for some reason moved just a little bit the wheel would go with you.(just seemed to loose)

I also thought that the wood looked cheap compared to the 330. It looked like under layment more than it did nice wood.

We are going to give it another try Monday. I hope that we have a better experience. Me and my wife thought the samething after we drove it.

I have never had a Lexus before, is this drive normal for this vehicle? I prefer the BMW ride. I feel like i'm in much more control.

I will say that the 350 is a much better bang for your buck and is hard to beat for the money. But I just hope that it was the car we drove and that the steering is a little more stiffer on my next test drive.

cyclopsstan

Everyone loves the color, as the sunshine here really shows it off. And fortuneately the primary dirt here is red clay, so its actually the best color for me to have,it seems to show the dirt less than most.

robertw477

IF you are a realtor and sell me a house for 500K and I put down 250K it lowers the payment but the total cost of the house is 500K. If you want to lease a car you want to put zero down. You can leave the 5K in the bank earning 5%. I never understand "making the payment lower" Your total cost is the same. If the car is totaled you lose the money...rob

robertw477

I am sure all the Lexus dealers would wish nobody would talk about prices online. Like every car dealer they can tell you how little they make on the deal etc? Imagine going to the grocery store and the manager tells you how much he makes on your groceries. Who the hell cares how much they make. Take a look around those places. Do they look like they are dealing in a low margin business. Tons of tv and paper ads, gimmicks of all kinds to get you to buy. Car dealers love impulse buyers and uninformed buyers. These boards were a great barometer for me because I can see how motivated a dealer was in my area with a few leftover ES330 car. The deal wasnt that good and I was able to identify that by seeing what others paid for the car throughout the year.

Rob

samiam7

My post is directed to those who do not own a Lexus or a Toyota (those that do, by and large, already know what a great product they are).

The recent posts regarding transmission problems have me a bit concerned (I'm awaiting delivery of my 350, so I'm committed), but no one makes every car perfectly and I'd rather take my chances with Lexus/Toyota than any other mark.

This is my first Lexus, but I'm a long time multi-Toyota owner. My ES will be replacing a SAAB 95. I did not plan on buying a car now, but I was rear-ended at a stop light a couple of months ago by a fast moving car that squished me into the car in front and that was the end of my SAAB (I by the way came out without a scratch). I liked my SAAB. I've had SAABs for a long time too. I liked the combination of the ride and handling of the SAAB. But, they have their quirks and it was time for a change.

I took a look at the BMW 330 and found it nothing special. Stiff ride, very stiff steering (I thought the power steering had gone out) and if the placement of the cupholders is any indication of the thought they put into the car, that alone was a reason to pass.

Also looked at the Infiniti G35. If I was looking for a car to race through traffic with, that might be the one and it can be had for an attractive price. But, it seemed a bit cramped from the drivers seat and also too stiff of a ride. I have a sports car (that I race from time to time at road race courses) so I have an outlet for my boy-racer moods (although I am coming up on 50 this year and my wife keeps wondering when I'm going to grow up). I wanted smooth, but not a boat.

I looked at the Acura TL. The TL has the SAAB like balance between ride and handling and it too can be had for an attractive price, but there are a lot of troublesome posts here on edmunds for that car and I wanted something a bit more understated.

Then, I tried the ES 350 (right after it came out) and there was no question that it was what I wanted to be sitting in for my daily commute and occasional road trips. However, I'm not an impulse buyer and I continued my car research. Then, I came back a few weeks later for another ride to make sure and I was sure. I enjoyed the ride (gentle, and handles with precision--like any car, you have to learn how it drives to properly drive it). During my two fairly lengthy test drives on the expressway, and on smooth and very rough surface streets, I really enjoyed listening to the silence. The interior is very attractive for its price segment. Would I like more wood on the dash instead of plastic? Sure. Would I want to pay for it? No.

I signed up for a premium plus with nav, smoky granite with black interior (hope to have it in a few weeks). Based upon the posts I've seen above, I got a respectable price from a Milwaukee area dealer. For those in the Chicago area, I'd try Woodfield Lexus. And, as other posts have pointed out, a good way to start is through the internet sales channels and use a wide geographic area.

neko608

Hi Austin

BMW does not have a model to compare to the ES350, you're right, it is more comparable to a park avenue with regards to ride quality and handling.

If you're used to 3 series feel, check out the IS series, and if you prefer the 5 series, check out the GS series.

louiswei

I personally recommand Nalley over Hennessy. I just bought an IS350 last month and I shopped in both Hennessy and Nalley, apparently Nalley is more willing to "deal" than Hennessy. But that's just my experience though.

Hope you find the best deal

cablondeblue

Duly noted - Robert. You have a point about the money down. I guess I am just a little uncomfortable with a huge monthly payment and I'd rather pay it down in the beginning. Mainly because I am a Realtor and work on commission only. With the recent fluctuating market, some months I am rolling in the dough and other months it may be a little tight. (I haven't gotten that money management thing down yet.)

Anyway, I do plan on calculating the total monthly payments for the three year lease and put that money in a separate account for automatic withdrawal. That way I will not have to worry about it.

First things first.....I have to choose a color!!!!!

jaybird12

I also have to recommend putting 0 down on leases unless it is a mfg national program that requires a cap cost to help with the mfg sub. I have a 03 ES300 that had an MSRP of 39.5K. The dealer had asked what I wanted to put down and I said zero.

I already had the invoice pricing on the car and options as well, so I was not going to get into a nego. battle. I said I will offer you $500 over the total invoice and not a penny more. I also knew that they were going to get the 2% holdback on the base MSRP, so I figured that that was enough profit between the two.

After the inital shocked look I received from the salesman, He said, Wow you did your homework. I replied, yes I did. He said I do not know if they will accept this. I replied, if they want to sell a car today, they will. After about 5 minutes he returned and said if you take the car today, you have a deal. So I signed and left with a new car.

If I plan to lease a new ES350, I will offer the same deal regardless of it being a new model.

bobbyshred

I personally love the Aquamarine pictures but have not seen it in person.

Interesting. That's the color I ordered and my dealer said it's the most pre ordered color. He said they still can get them but there is a wait because it is so popular. I still have not seen it in person.
The red looks great and is also popular.

dlf2

It is tough to get a good deal on the ES350 this early in its life. The most in demand color seems to be Ruby Red.. After rounds of emails to 4 different dealers in So. Fla. we were able to get an offer of $2300 off MSRP on a straight purchase. Finally JM Lexus offered another $500 if we took a White one off the lot "today" as it is near month end. That was enough to seal the deal and my wife accepted white instead of Red.. The MSRP was $40,755 and we offered $38000 cash.. and no dealer fee... I is the finest car we have ever owned and our 6th Lexus... It might be bit early to judge it completely but it has lots of bells and whistles.. Haven't figured them all out yet.

austincharles

Thanks, yes I know a bmw is no Lexus but I was just disappointed how the car felt. I have driven plenty of toyota's and have had no problem of how they drove.

The ES just felt to loose to me, it is a shame because this is the car that my wife really wanted. The ride was ok, just the steering felt funny.

I think that the car is a wise buy as far as money. I just hope that we can like the feel the next time.

as for the wood. I still think that my sister's High lander limited has much nicer wood than the ES. I also looked at the 330 and the IS and both had better looking wood. It looks cheap compaired to others. But that alone would not sway me from buying this car.

I did look at the IS and the back seat in the thing is just to small. That ride felt better to me. For that matter my wife's mothers 06 Camery had a better steering feel than did the ES.

I did find a review from cars.com http://www.cars.com/go/crp/research.jsp?section=reviews&makeid=27&modelid=8315&y- ear=2007&revid=49945&revlogtype=22

"The Lexus ES gets a taut new body and a leaner and meaner engine for '07, but it retains the gentle and refined personality that has typified Lexuses since they first arrived 17 years ago.

If you're looking for a sport sedan, keep looking. There's too much float in the ES suspension, too much dead feeling in the steering system. From a performance standpoint, its front-wheel-drive layout is an inherent drawback, too, compared with rear-drive competitors such as the Chrysler 300 and the Cadillac CTS.

But if it's a midsize near-luxury model you seek from a carmaker with one of the best reputations in the business for quality and customer satisfaction, the new ES should satisfy even more than its predecessor did."

this review hit's the nail on the head.

me21379

I am still looking. Actually know what I want but can't find it in the Atlanta area:
BLUE ONYX PEARL / CASHMERE
PREMIUM PLUS
BLUE TOOTH
Really want those heated/vented seats but don't seem to be shipping such to the Atlanta area. I can view the Nalley inventory but not Hennessy. Oh well guess I will just have to wait awhile.

Thanks for the comments.

me21379

On the steering issue. New cars are usually shipped with the tire pressure well above recommendation (so as not to get flat spots on them). This is supposed to be corrected at the dealership but if not done can make for a very unusual steer feel. Try another test drive?

nyarlathotep

I'm a big audiophile who currently owns a 2003 Infiniti I35. One of my favorite features is that it has an option to shuffle through ALL 6 discs, as well as just one. My question is (now that I'm looking at buying a new car): does the Lexus ES350 have this cool feature? And, anyone know whether the new Infiniti M35x or the Acura TL can do this?

louiswei

The dealers might not have the exact configuration on the lot but they can get it for ya. What you need to do is find the best deal first (I recommand go to all 4 metro Atlanta Lexus dealers - 2 Hennessey, 2 Nalley) and tell the salesperson exactly what you want. Usually what they'll do is if they don't have your desired configuration on the lot they'll try to trade with other Southeastern Lexus dealers (this process usually takes about 4 weeks). This is not special order so don't worry, you can still negociate. The dealers usually trade cars when they arrive at the port (for us that'll be Jacksonville, FL) and once the car arrives at the port the dealer would call you to schedule a delivery.

Here is my personally experience:

I purchased my IS350 from Nalley Roswell's internet manager and since they don't have what I want on the lot (Blue onyx Pearl/Black + preferred package) He said he'll try to trade with other dealers. I put down 500 USD deposit on 3/28 and he called me on 4/21 told me that he got a car for me and it's already arrived at Jacksonville and it'll be at the dealership on 4/27. I then scheduled a delivery on 4/28.

:shades:

winyourbentley

Hi,

The new Lexus models are awesome beautiful... Like them really much, even though I'm dedicated to Bentley.

Have a nice day!

Regards,

Giovanni

cyclopsstan

Well I've had my car for over 2 weeks and I have now gone thru 3 tanks of gas, the 1st 2 were premium 92 octane & the last was the mid-grade 89. And while this 'test' is far from conclusive, I got 24.5 on the 1st tank, 24.9 on the 2nd & after approx. 9 gallons on my 3rd tank I'm getting 22.5. The driving conditions have been pretty much equal too. I defineately don't feel any differance in power or acceleration and so far the results maybe a fluke ( & 1/4 of the tank was premium when I filled-up w/ the 89) so these results are very far from scientific. What are your guys results so far?

roachbugg

Thanks so much for your response. I had no idea that this was possible. I have already met with the local Lexus dealer in my area to get pricing on a new ES, but of course they do not want to give me anything for my trade. I know that I am already over mileage on my car, and it's no problem for me to pay the extra milage fees, but I hope that my finance company (Honda Finance) may be willing to cooperate with letting me get out of this deal. Thanks so much with this advice. Is it best that I call them, or wait for the letter explaining my options? (I have not received such a letter yet from Honda). thanks again

mf94ss

Not much UL inventory in Chicago. I shopped at McGrath, both downtown and Westmont and finally landed a Ruby Red model expected to be delivered this week. Expect to pay about $800 off list price. Orland Park dealer would have charged more. I was told they are only looking at 2 to 3 UL per month and most have been sold before shipment.
Good luck. This is my first Lexus so I am anxious to break it in!

austincharles

Well, my second test drive today went better than the last. This car handled much better than the first one i drove. The ES 350 I think still feels a little loose to me, but i think that i just like the BMW's feel.

Like what was said earlier, i think that there was to much air in the tires. This time i did not feel like i was in a run away boat.

Well, i did not want to just come on here, bash the new ES and leave. I have got some valuable information on this forum and felt it fair to post my second experience. We did however end up buying the BMW. I can't say that it has all the bell's and whistles as the Lexus but the BMW's drive is more of what i like.

take care i guess now i'll have to go to Bimmerforums

I forgot to add that even the wood was nicer and had more life to it in the second car i drove.

I don't know? was their a holiday in Japan recently that they were in a hurry to get to because the first car i drove needs to be melted down.

take care E-

louiswei

I know you are going to Bimmer forums but I still has to say...I am pretty sure you are one of the few whom actually cross-shop a Bimmer and an ES (I believe your Bimmer is a 3-sries?)

By the way, did you test drive the IS? If not I hope you won't have buyer's remorse one day...

kmmcgra

Anybody get the climate control mode voice commands to work? They are listed as valid commands in the navi help screen but don't seem to work. Any tricks to get them to work?

psychdoc

***I am pretty sure you are one of the few whom actually cross-shop a Bimmer and an ES***

Believe it or not, I test drove and shopped the BMW 5 Series (530xi), M-B E350, Infinity M35 (awd) and Audi A6 before I bought the Lexus. Here's a quick summary:

BMW- Awesome driving car. A real pleasure. Great suspension, steering and handling. Spartan interior. Almost complete lack of bells and whistles. Primitive, unusable nav system. Appearance that has grown on me since it was introduced. Overpriced (about $57k by the time you're done)!

M-B- A real disappointment in many respects. Tinny sounding doors, interior fit and finish not up to GM standards (ugh!), primitive nav system, horribly counter intuitive control layout. Nicely aesthetically designed interior. Exterior probably the most appealing of the bunch. Powerful engine, slow, ponderous steering. Nice suspension. Hugely overpriced (about the same as the BMW) though M-B subsidizes the leases to maintain market share, itself a very telling point.

Audi- Very stately, attractive exterior. Elegant looking if not terribly exciting. Interior in a league of its own. Simply gorgeous! Nicely laid out controls and good ergonomics. Very stiff suspension. Decent steering and braking. NO POWER!!!!!!!!!! Especially off the line the car feels like a brick rolling up hill. They call the engine a 3.2 but if you look at the specs it's really a 3.1 liter engine. Whatever it is, it's horribly underpowered for this car. Don't believe the published specs on this car's acceleration. They're not true. I took two for test drives out of different dealerships and they were both identically slow. A Yugo has more power. Oh, and I almost forgot...another Germanic primitive, unusable nav system. Very nicely priced, however. A real bargain in this segment.

Infinity- Tremendous power (even from the 6 cylinder engine), sharp steering, good brakes. Horrible transmission. Jerky, hunts for gears, etc. Pretty much what I've become used to from my (otherwise terific) 2002 Lexus ES300. Interior like Tokyo at night. Lots of bells and whistles but a bit 'over the top.' Great nav system. Very unattractive exterior..."Hi, I'm the G35's big brother" styling. Not cheap so it's not like you get much of a financial incentive to go this way.

Lexus- Well, I think we've covered it pretty well here in the last ~1200 posts (lol).

Suffice it to say I bought one with no regrets whatsoever.

maypo

I'm having the same issue. Sometimes, when I'm parked, I can get them to work. My wife was able to get it to recognize the temperature setting once while driving, but most of the time it does not interpret them. It will be one of the things I ask the dealer to look at.

moratz

Same problem-started at 300 miles. Engine would rev up and then shift into gear. I am awaiting my new car.

kmmcgra

Somebody posted over at Club Lexus that these are missing commands and will be fixed with new chip. Not available yet.