Larger, more headroom than previous series ( I had a 92 which gave me excellent service but lacked headroom) Much more luxury but moving toward a Buick ride

The transmission problem is fixable, but the failure of Lexus to honestly address the problem and deal with customers in a staightforward way has lowered my view of the Lexus/Toyota company.

The Lexus Bubble has Burst My 2002 ES300 has had transmission problems from the time (Oct 2001) it was purchased. The new 5 speed has a computer design flaw which of which every owner should be aware. If you are driving 40-45 mph and need to accelerate quickly, (for example merging or trying to move away from a 18 wheeler) the transmission disconnects from 5th or 4th but delays engaging 3rd gear. The engine revs to the red line, the computer cuts off gas at this point and you are sitting with no power until third finally engages. I consider this a MAJOR SAFETY defect. I have demonstrated this to the dealer on several new cars on the lot and have seen other on line complaints for the same problem; it is a problem in all of these cars. The responses from Lexus: a. (Oct) you must be using the wrong gas b. (Dec) you are at fault; the computer records your driving pattern and sets shift points accordingly c. (Jan) The chief technician in Memphis rides with me, aknowleges the problem and we both send a written notice to Lexus d. (Feb. March) Lexus is aware of the problem and is working to solve it, e. (April) The new computer program must get EPA approval; it will take three months f. (Now) No news, Now Lexus has not admiited there is a defect after all; Lexus complaint service consists of young people hired to read responses written for them and have no real knowledge of the car. These respones mirror corporate America at its worst. Lexus is no better than any car company when there are problems. If you own a 2002 ES300 check your transmission response under these conditions and drive in a way to avoid them.

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1992 Lexus ES300

Elegant style. Smooth vvti engine. Lucious leather. Lexus craftsmanship and reliability.

i just moved to America, and the roads are horrible. No wonder everyone here's driving SUVs.

This car is GREAT. I bought it in San Francisco for the price of a Hyundai Sonata. But I still miss my Honda S2000.

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98, Acura RL

Safety

Looks to much like the cheap Toyota Camry.

I think this is a great car. I like the wood trim. I don't like the regular edition because of the steering wheel. No wood on it at all, makes the car look dull. I think the Lexus ES300 drives well. It is a very reliable car... It has a nice sound system and drives well at 100mph.

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Lexus LX470, Lexus LS430

did i mention quiet and smooth? this car glides along so effortlessly. very well laid out interior that makes the car seem more expensive than it is. (those who think this car is essentially a Camry obviuosly havent had the pleasure of owning one of these puppies)though the styling is understated, this car still turns heads on every road. This car is really classy. a real pleasure to drive.

not always enough get-up-and-go. the 3-series from BMW would chew this car up and spit it back out. It is however quite responsive when the overdrive is turned off and enables you to downshift. (just ask the Audi A4 i left in the dust. one other minor complaint:the traction control is a little bit touchy. mostly i just turn it off to avoid being annoyed.

smooth, smooth, smooth. This car is amazingly smooth and very quiet. Road noise? what road? When i first purchased it the car idled so quietly i thought it stalled. i have looked at many different vehicles in the near luxury/sport sedan class, and next to the BMW 3-series it has no equal. everyone that sees it thinks its a new car. This baby runs like the first day it was driven off the lot.

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none

Reliability, style, lexus craftmanship,A/C is freakin cold!

Engine is OK, faster would be better, this car doesnt peel unless a lot of gravel is present.

This is my second car, and i graduate next year so I wanted a good car with a lot of power. It has very nice craftmanship on the interior, and there isnt a person that i drive by, that doesnt look at it. The exterior is VERY modern looking. This is a great car that i recommend you get.

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This car should have been born WITHOUT lights, cuz they dont work, all they do is burn out, i fix one, and another goes out!Cheap leather on seats.Sunroof snarls when moved, i know its an older car, b

The seating is comfortable. The controls for the stereo and other equipment are easy to access. The interior of the car is larger than the comparably priced BMW. The wood and leather interior trim have a nicer feel than the hard surfaces of the interior of the Mercedes.

Everytime I start the car and engage the anti-lock brakes they make an awful clunk and groan noise. It is particularly bad when you reverse and then put it into drive. This started at mile 300 for me. The dealership "fixed" it and it was soundless for the next 2500 miles. The noise has come back and it is getting progressively worse. The dealership has told me that this is a normal noise and cannot (and won''t try to have it) eliminated. Lexus holds itself out as a manufacturer of premium luxury cars (with a corresponding price tag), yet here is a aspect of the car that is anything but top of the line - my $15,000 Pontiac minivan didn''t have noisy anti-lock so you would think a $38,000 plus auto wouldn''t either. I plan to trade in this car.

Although I like the styling and comfort of this car, I am disappointed with the loud clunk and groaning noise made when the anti-lock brakes engage. It sounds like I have run over a garbage can.

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Lexus GS 300

Bose stereo, ride, car drives like it is on ice, handling, exquisitely quiet interior at driving speeds, butter smooth transmission shifting, comfort.

High priced factory parts, radio died at 90k and cost $400 just for the head unit.

I purchased my ES over 3 years ago through a dealer friend at a dealer auction. The car had 71k at the time and now has 105K. I''ve kept up the service since my wife uses and loves the ride and handling of the car. I replaced the timing belt, camshaft seals, water pump, serpentine belt, etc. and spent $1,200 on the car to put it in first class running condition. I fully expect to put 300k on this car. Repairs at the dealer are expensive, so it pays to find a reputable, knowledgeable repair shop other than the dealer. I just recently experienced the same complaint as some others with regard to the indicator lights on the tach and speedometer needle. The Lexus dealer quoted me $800 to replace both the tach and speedometer head. I went to car-part.com, found a junk yard 200 miles from me....and bought a replacement instrument cluster for $125.00. I had been quoted a price of $100 to install the replacement cluster.....still a lot cheaper than $800 at Lexus? When I received the cluster from the junk yard, and inspected it...I decided (with no automotive knowledge) to attempt to install it myself. In less than 30 minutes, I had the replacement cluster installed in the dash, all lights working like new.....and spent a grand total of $125.00? Sounds like to me, more people should try this themselves? Not long after I bought the car, I had the Lexus dealer pull the cluster out and replace all the bulbs. For this alone, I paid $100? After doing this job myself, I can attest to the fact.....anyone can remove the ES300 cluster from the dash, and replace every bulb (not the speedo and tach needles) for maybe $10? Don''t get me wrong. I will gladly pay someone for their knowledge and labor for timing belts, water pumps and the like since I am not a mechanic. But, for a simple task such as this one......$800 for a dealer replacement is nothing short of a rip-off? And before you ask, the junk yard gave me a 30 day warranty in case the cluster they sent me was not working properly. They informed me they would send another one if that was the case. So, go to www.car-part.com and see for yourself. A replacement cluster will cost anywhere from $75.00 to $500.00 depending on the junk yard. I decided to "spend a little extra" and get a good one.

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Cadillac Deville, Drove Volvo''s for 25 years....totally different car and ride.

Refined, quiet, comfortable ride. I prefer the smooth, subtle styling of this "older" version of the ES300. Reliable mechanical components (engine, transmission, etc.) Good engine power, smooth & quick acceleration... in keeping with the quiet sophisticated character of the car.

This is my second ES300, both had almost identical weaknesses: Can cost $$$ for routine maintenance (brakes, timing belts, etc.) Troublesome instruments... the "glow in the dark" look is very classy and easy to read, but doesn''t last. 2 of the instrument needles are beginning to fade out, dealer quoted $500 plus labour to repair! Other, more "minor" electrical items: power antenna, headlight washers, seat heater switches, have needed attention on both my ES300''s. Tires wear unevenly, especially rears.

Great value in a used car. I bought mine with only 50000 KM (30000 mi), it cost half the price of a new one. Still drives like a much newer car. Very quiet. Comfortable, luxurious interior (mine has leather & CD changer, heated seats, etc.). Fair gas mileage. A great highway cruiser, just eats up long trips.

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1992 ES300 1989 Acura

Smooth, quiet, good dealer service (albeit expensive).

Very questionable longevity; major repairs horribly expensive.

Despite having "book maintenance" performed on the vehicle from the day I purchased it, the car has experienced the following problems, mostly just after the applicable warranties expired: (1) a circuit board malfunctioned, shutting down the air conditioning and dash displays. Four trips to the dealer and three to independent repairmen later, the board was replaced at a cost of approximately $1,000. In the process, the odometer mileage was irretrievably wiped out, and Lexus blithely told me there was nothing to be done; (2) the center air bag sensor malfunctioned at a replacement cost of $600; (3) the transmission/torque converter failed just past the 70K powertrain warranty''s expiration, at a cost of nearly $4,000.00 (dealer told me they couldn''t put a reconditioned transmission in); (4) the electroluminescent gauge needles are flickering out one by one, and costs of replacement are prohibitive. Moral of story: if you get one of these things, ditch it before the warranty runs out, b/c you could well wind up with a horror tale like mine.

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BMW 3 series (a better car all the way round).

Comforble, quiet and easy to drive.

Electronics are beginning to fall apart...several dashboard lights are gone or are going, and are very expensive to replace. The arm on the speedo is losing its light. The car lack road feel unless the tires are seriously overinflated.

A wonderful all around car, heavy on the luxury and comfort side, and light on exciting handling.