Lexus ES 300/ES 330

antiosama · December 2001

Well, obviously the dealer charged more, but it is because he also did more. More than just oil, filter, and tire rotation. He actually called another local dealer and they also quoted about $250. The Lexus dealer's when they charge $250 to $300 also do more than what is recommended by the owner's manual.

hunter001, if the thud is coming from the rear end, I doubt it is the engine mount.

modvptnl · December 2001

If you read the pick up board here, you'll notice a similar complaint on the Tacomas only with ABS. I don't think the trucks have hyd. engine mounts.

Anyway, the thud or thunk has been confirmed by my servicing and selling dealer as the ABS. Please explain the mount theory. Do they actually pump up after sitting?

Antisoma, my noise comes from under the car, right side, toward the front. I wonder if it's a different noise?

antiosama · December 2001

modvptnl, I thought one of the earlier posters-a few days ago, maybe a week ago-said the thud was coming from the rear. I don't have a 2002 model, so can't say what the thud is. If the dealer told you it's the ABS system, and it occurs on all cars, I wouldn't doubt him.

hunter001 · December 2001

Please explain the mount theory.

The TL also makes this noise (only after the car has sat a while like a couple of days/overnight) and this came up in the acuratl.com site about a year back. A dealership technician (who is pretty good) gave a detailed explanation (which I don't have right here with me), basically pointing to the hydraulic mounts as the source of the "thunk". Basically it is supposed to be perfectly normal. Actually, the engine of the car is very smooth..... for instance, at a stop light, the only way you would know the engine is running, is by watching the tachometer and this smoothness is due to the presence of the hydraulic mounts; but the downside is that one has to accept this "thunk" after the car has sat for a while.

Hope this helps.

Later...AH

domettg · December 2001

My '99 ES has Michelin MXV 4 tires which are not good on wet roads or snow. I see on the Michelin web site that they have been replaced by the "Energy MXV 4 Plus", which Michelin claims has much better all season performance. Anyone have any experience with these?

antiosama · December 2001

domettg, The Energy MXV4 tires stink also. Maybe they have better all season performance, but they are even harder riding and louder than regular MXV4 tires.

lenscap · December 2001

I replaced the original Dunlops on my 1995 ES 300 with BF Goodrich Touring T/As. They are great -- quiet, smooth-riding and good in rain and snow.

mbbenz · December 2001

Referring back to my post #1650 I recently put the snow tires that I bought onto our 99 ES300. We had like 6 inches this past weekend in Central Mass. I woke up to the white stuff on the ground. I then took the car out with the original Michelin MXV4 tires on it. The car slip and slide everywhere. the traction control light was constantly blinking. The car could barely make it up a 5 degrees incline. Also these Michelin have 37k miles on them so they aren't exatly new. I then went home and jack the car up in garage and mount on the 4 Yokohama Guardex F720 and took the car back out. Wowser!!! What big difference. The car climed the same hill with easy, Tires weren't spinning everywhere. Stopped like a charm. I am very impress with these Yokos. I can't say for sure how the Bridgestone Blizzaks or Michelin Arctic Alpins are but I highly recommend these Yokos. I feel much better having wife wife riding on these Yokos when there is snow on the ground. As far as on ice, I haven't test yet since the snow melted quickly the past few days therefore never got to become ice. But I am confident it will do very well on ice as well. Just when we thought we had to trade in the ES for the RX300 AWD. The Yokos saved the day.

mbbenz · December 2001

One regret is I wished I had ordered them on some kind of alloy or aluminun wheels rather than the steel wheels with Toyota hubcabs.

kreativ · December 2001

Same here.

modvptnl · December 2001

If you've already stated, I apologize.

Did you get it diagnosed? Like I've said, it seems to be a chronic Toy problem with vehicles equipped with ABS.

Even though we love the car, it's a flaw that is inexcusable IMHO.

kreativ · December 2001

I haven't gotten it diagnosed, but I can ask about it during the first checkup.
What do you mean by "Toy"?

What bothers me more is the ever-present background hiss in the standard stereo system (a problem you don't have with your ML).

modvptnl · December 2001

Toyota. When is your first check up?

I did mine last week. I changed the oil myself @1200 miles. And will let Lexus do it for free @5000. The dealer asked if it was "OK" to give me a rental car for the day because it would take longer than the 45 minutes for the check up. So far the dealer service is all it's been cracked up to be.

Sorry about the hiss. Maybe a filter or something in the power wire to the radio will fix it. Shouldn't happen on a Lexus!!!

The wife drove the Cobra today for the first time in 2 months. Wishes the ES had the power(told her to get the 430 GS!!) but is more than happy with the vault like silence of her ES.

sage5891 · December 2001

Have a '98 ES300 w/ 93,000 trouble free miles. Car came equipped w/ Dunlop 4000's. Have since replaced w/ MXV4's for 'normal' conditions.For winter, I use the Arctic Alpines. Both sets of tires perform extremely well in the conditions for which they were designed. Both these sets of Michelins also offer a 'quiet' ride which was also a consideration for purchase.
Good news is that there is still no snow in Buffalo, NY (yes, I know it's hard to believe), and I'm still running on the MXV4's. Tomorrow, the forecast is for 60 degrees. I think there's room in the trunk for my golf clubs.

mike_e_smith · December 2001

You're pushing your luck. I thought I was pushing MY luck here in Syracuse when I waited until last Saturday to put on my Michelin Arctic Alpins. The forecast proved to be correct and we got several inches of snow. Since it was the weekend, I didn't go outside except for a snowball fight with my son. However, so far it's a big change from last year when we got about 200" total. I'm sure it won't be long before we get hit hard. Hope you have your snow tires on by then!

kreativ · December 2001

modvptnl,
Actually, I don't know when my first checkup will be yet. I guess it's supposed to be 30 days after I buy the car.
If you'd like, e-mail me at kreativ16@eudoramail.com and we can keep in touch about our ESes.

sage5891 · December 2001

I know I'm 'rollin the dice' regarding upstate NY winters and having my snow tires mounted. Long range forecast states that there might be some snow by Xmas. I'll definitely have them installed before then. Especially since I'll be travelling the Syracuse/Albany stretch early in 2002. Until then, the links beckon.

bglass3va · December 2001

I picked up my 2002 ES 300 this week. Great car-obviously.

One thing I learned that I did not know before, so I pass it along. You can buy the Lexus extended warranty at any time up to 36k miles or 3 years, whichever is earlier...if you wait, you pay the same price as someone who was buying a new es300 that day...so I can't figure that there is any reason to buy the warranty today. Of course, the price will be higher, but the increase is not based on the fact that they are now "insuring" a new car.

fredvh · December 2001

I hope you enjoy your new ES300. Please keep us informed as you drive the vehicle for a while as to how you like it. Advise us if you experience the noise problem that has been talked about in the previous posts. What color did you get? Thanks.

phanlm · December 2001

Any idea on the selling or drive-out price of a new 2002 ES 300 with premium package in the Houston, TX area? Thanks.

retiredjeff · December 2001

Has anyone out there got a source for a Lexus dealer willing to deal on the price for an extended warranty? A good friend just bought the 2002 ES-300 and his selling dealer is asking $1400 for the top end warranty (100,000 miles, 7 years).

Thanks,
Jeff

lenscap · December 2001

The 7-year/100,000 Platinum extended warranty covers everything (as opposed to the Gold version which covers most things). The "list" price of this with no deductible is $1660 for the ES 300. Note it was $1375 for the 2001 model.

So, $1400 is still s decent deal. I will get one when my car arrives in January. I negotiated a price of $1200.

Although I will get the warranty at the dealer I bought the car from, you can get the warranty from any dealer. Shop around and make the dealers compete for your business.

kreativ · December 2001

Who is the manager to talk to about extended warranties? (sales? service?)

lenscap · December 2001

I think it's the business manager (the guy who handles financing, leasing, etc.). I don't recall his title. But it's definitely not the sales or service manager.

retiredjeff · December 2001

Is the dealer who's offering you your Platinum warranty at $1200 interested in selling another at that price for a 2002 ES300 (locals aren't moving much off list here in DC area)? If so, could you email me or post his name & number and I'll refer my friend who's looking to him/her. If not, I understand.

Thanks.

rebelsk · December 2001

I factory ordered my 2002 ES in Sept and heard that it will be arriving in the next few weeks. I ordered the car in Starlight Pearl with the Mark Levinson Stereo,AVS, and most of the other features with the exception of the Navigation system which I did not want. I will give a full review of the car after I get it and have driven it for a period of time.

bglass3va · December 2001

I got the silver with ML and Nav. I've got about 500 miles on it now. I have not heard the "sound"--but you can hardly hear anything in this car, including the engine. The stereo is great and the NAV is very interesting..I have yet to use it when I really "needed" it (as opposed to just showing off.)

I was most impressed with all of the safety features, including a brake pedal that crushes at a certain force. The car feels very heavy and sturdy in a very safe sort of way.

The rain sensing wipers seem to work appropriately, as opposed to at least one other message here suggesting that they seemed to come on late.

My only "complaint" is that when you shut the engine off, and the moonroof has been open, it does not automatically close--(or maybe I just haven't figured out how)--In my Camry, it would close whenever the engine shut off.

There are some really cool features, like hold the unlock button on your key remote control for several seconds and all of the windows and the moonrool open...That would be great at you approach the car on a very hot day.

I imagine that the biggest "complaint" you will see are accidents arising out of playing with the NAV or audio controls on the finger touch screen..very easy to get distracted, even though many (but not all) of the NAV programming features actually are not available when you are moving.

tiger8 · December 2001

The New York Times damned the new ES300 with faint praise today (12/16) and summarized it all by calling the car "Bland Ambition." They need to put a little of the IS into it.

Motorweek didn't sound too enthusiastic either in today's TV review.

kreativ · December 2001

Leuxs is certainly trying to differentiate their 2 least expensive cars into sport and luxury. The IS is low on luxury and high on sportiness, while the ES is high on luxury and low on sportiness.

Of course, it's nice to have the best of both worlds. But how would one put a little of the IS into it? Tighten the handling and suspension? If I wanted better handling at the expense of a bumpier ride, I wouldn't buy an ES. Or one could always get the AVS option on the ES. I wouldn't mind the new ES having a more powerful engine, which should come in a few years for the ES.

If the new ES is bland, I'd hate to think what they thought of the previous generation ES. I doubt many of the editors cared as much about the vastly upgraded interior luxury than they did about the fact that the engine didn't get any more powerful.

I think Lexus has the right business ideas as far as their model lineup is concerned. They'll sell a lot of both the ES and IS, even though they might not necessarily please all the performance-minded magazine editors.

tiger8 · December 2001

The Times reviewer who called the ES300 bland said that other manufactuers try to combine sporty qualities in a luxury or near-luxury package, e.g., the Acura TL (and TL-S), the BMW 530, the Passat, the Audi A6, Volvo S80, etc. In other words, he felt Lexus had opted to produce a Japanese Buick rather than a sporty-luxury mix.

kreativ · December 2001

The Times reviewer is pretty accurate in that the ES has always been low on the sport quotient.

I'm just curious...is there any way to make the handling and performance sportier without firming up the ride?

modvptnl · December 2001

That's cool. I know we didn't get the ES to be sporty. With the exception of the BMW all the other marks mentioned may pretend to be sporty but to me front wheel drive, automatics and how quick they actually are would rule them out for me as a "sports" car. If we wanted another "sports" car, the BMW's would be at the top of the list then the Cobra/Z28. If the 540 has a 5/6 speed it would be a great choice because I couldn't afford an M5. The 330 also is a better "sports" car than the ones you mentioned.
The Corvette is also a better "sports" car. (I know, only 2 seats)

"Buick" is stretching it a little. The ES is much more refined.

kreativ · December 2001

Just a heads up that AVS has been available on the ES 300s in southern California for some time now. So you don't need to special order to get it, but they're also not very plentiful.
The top-level package is now:
premium package, ML stereo, NAV, rear sunshade, VSC w/ TRAC and Brake Assist, HID, Wood steering wheel and shifter, AVS, Trunk Mat, Wheel locks, cargo net.
Retail: $39.9K

rebelsk · December 2001

Has anyone gotten the car in this color? I am still waiting on mine and was wondering if others had the car in this color and what the color is like on the car?

gdb55 · December 2001

I'm still waiting for you to get your car so you can send a picture. I don't want to place my order until I see a car in that color.

rebelsk · December 2001

The last I hear was that my car was due to arrive at the port around Jan 2 and should be at my dealers by the 10th of January or so. We shall see.

shipmate · December 2001

I am looking what others paid for 2002 ES300 with ML/Nav in the WashMet/Baltimore/Annapolis area? Obviously no one is paying MSRP. What dealers have you found friendly and willing to negotiate.

rebelsk · December 2001

For those of you that have the car, how have you been doing in terms of the miles you are putting on the car? Is it 30 mpg on the highway? Are you using premeium?

tpbudde · December 2001

Does anyone have recent purchase experience in the New Orleans area?

I am considering the 2002 ES300 with the premium package. If you've got some recent experience, I would appreciate some help in what they priced it at.

JOFO · December 2001

I'm looking to trade in my 4runner for a nonsuv vehicle. I'm tired of the rough ride and the poor gas mileage. My wife and I are looking to start a family shortly and we want a safe and reliable vehicle. MUST HAVES:

- HID lights
- Front, side and head protection airbags
vehicle skid control and traction control or equivalent
- Navigation
- Reliable vehicle
- Baby friendly rear seats
- Did well on crash tests
- Pricing about $35K

OPTIONAL
- AWD

What other vehicles would fit this profile? We looked at: Acura TL-S (no head impact), Audi A4 (long term reliability ??), BMW 3 series (seems a bit small for a family), Saabs (didn't do very well on crash tests), MB C class (maintenance is expensive).

Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

J

kreativ · December 2001

You've named most of the competition. There's also the Infiniti I35, which has 45 more horses than the ES but isn't nearly as luxurious on the inside. Nissan/Infiniti reliability is also quite good and I believe it's a safe car too. The only complaint I hear is the outdated rear suspension. The first Infiniti I'll actually be interested in, though, is the G35 4-door sports-lux sedan coming out next year. That car will be awesome. As for me, I have an '02 ES now and am waiting for the Nissan Z 2-door coupe to come out next summer.

norcalmike2 · December 2001

How do you think Infiniti will address the NVH on the G35? I am sure it will not be the same as an ES. Is it possible that we could have the best of both worlds? Performance and a smooth ride? I must admit the car looks drop dead gorgeous and has definately peaked my curiousity, even the back seats recline. Check out the web page infiniti.com/G35preview

norcalmike2 · December 2001

Funny you should ask. I didn't allow myself enough time during my test drive to assess the car properly so I decided not to buy that particular day. (Southwest Airlines ran me through the security meat grinder that day having bought two one way tickets in one day) Marc has been absolutely wonderful. He placed me on the next allocation and I can pick up another silver w/ light charcoal as soon as the 5th of next month. How about you? How many miles? What is your assessment? Any regrets? Friends ragging on you about the front end styling? Latent G35 "I should have waited" pains?

kreativ · December 2001

Wow, that must've been pretty rough. You don't have any dealers near you for test driving?

I haven't driven it much...maybe 100 miles or so. I'm quite happy with the car. Front-end styling took some time to grow on me. But regardless of whether people like it or not, it turns heads. I didn't want a car that just blends in with the rest of them.

The G35 will be an awesome car, at a great price (reportedly under $30k base). It's not going to be as luxurious as the ES, but it makes up for that with its incredible performance. I knew about it before purchasing the ES, so I'd say it's more "I want both of them" pains rather than "I should have waited" pains. haha. My plan was to get the ES now and the new Nissan Z next summer. http://www.nissandriven.com/vehicles/FutureVehicleDetails/0,9437,520,00.html

If you still plan on getting the ES in SoCal, send me an e-mail and maybe I can help you out a bit.

karzz · December 2001

The 2002 Lexus ES300 is being recalled for two saftey problems:

http://www.safetyalerts.com/currentrecalls.htm

goarmy · December 2001

Thinking of purch my first Lexus, a 1998 ES w/ 40K miles. Have been quoted $24K (by Lexus dealer - Atlanta area) w/Cert Pre-Owner Warranty & $20K (non LD)w/o warranty. I tend to drive approx 30K miles per yr.

Does the '98 ES have a history of breakdowns or high maint where it's necessary to purch vehicle that has Pre-Owner warranty? Or am I safe to purch w/o?

mike_e_smith · December 2001

I told you that you were pushing your luck by playing golf and not putting on your Arctic Alpins. I hope you got them on before the snow storm hit. I heard Buffalo got more than 6 feet since Monday. We've been lucky in Syracuse until now, but tonight the snow combined with barely freezing temperatures resulted in ice on the roads. My 20 minute commute turned into 1 1/2 hours during "rush hour" with traffic moving at a crawl. I should have left work early, but I was enjoying the quiet of the holiday season. Happy holidays to everybody!

sage5891 · December 2001

First off, I did get in a round of golf. And, yes, I did get the Alpins mounted on 12/23 just in advance of all the snow. Actually, I live in the southern tip of Orchard Park and we 'only' received about 22" of snow since Christmas Eve which actually pales in comparison to the 82 + inches received in other areas of greater Buffalo. I've been off from work since mid December with the holidays and vacation time so I haven't had the 'pleasure' of having to drive extensively through the snowy mess. I've done some short errand related driving and the Alpins have performed admirably, as anticipated. This is the 3rd winter that I've used the Alpins and hope to get at least 1 more winter season before replacing.
By the way, I'll be heading Syracuse way for a business trip on Jan. 3rd and 4th, so I certainly hope that the snow holds off until after that. Happy New Year to you and all the forum readers and contributors.
P.S. My golf clubs are in the basement until April. I hope all the snow is gone by then.

kreativ · December 2001

Anyone know which are the summer and which are the all-season tires on the '02 ES? I got Toyo Proxes J33. Lexus claims they're summer, Toyo claims they're all-season.

sage5891 - if you're big on golf, come to southern California. Tons of golf courses, and you can play year-round. 65 degree weather right now.

mjs4 · December 2001

Got my es300 2 days ago. The more I look at it, the happier I am. I'm aways nervous when I buy a car and have to wait for delivery. I live 150 miles from the dealer and only drove the car 2 times before. I had to wait 2 months for the car . It has everthing except AVS. I wanted either silver with grey interior or alabaster with grey interior. Ended up with alibaster. It is awesome. The car rides like a dream. Quality everywhere. I really didn't know if I wanted or needed the Nav., but I think it wiil come in handy. This summer I'm planning on taking a long road trip. So I have 6 months to figure it out.The HID headlights are great. I'm making out excuses to my wife to go for rides.... Well to those who are thinking of getting it and to those who have the car ...ENJOY...mike

Lexus ES 300/ES 330

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