askhao

hey guys,

I'm looking for a new [to me] daily driver. I'm coming from a BMW X5 4.4i, which I will still keep. I've been considering the 1998-2001 ES300, 2001-2003 acura tl (preferably type-S), and even the LS400.

The most important factors are:
-reliability
-mpg
-comfort


I've driven all 3 when I was valet parking for a restaurant, but had an extensive drive of the LS400, since my uncle owned a 1992 LS400 before he traded it in for a GX470.

Can you give me some pro's and con's to these cars?

Thanks in advance!


edit: I really like the ls400, but it looks dated when compared to the other 2. The ride is fabulous though. I like both the es300 and acura tl styling a lot more.

askhao

mods, please move to car chat if necessary. sorry.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

Stay away from those generation TL. Their transmissions are not reliable at all. 04+ transmissions are good, but the car may be out of your price range.

tt426

If you are looking for a MPG issue i would say look into ES or TL. I had a 96 Acura TL and now have a 97 ES. MPG wise TL was better since it was a 5cylinder but driving wise i would say ES is better. I'm trying to recondition my ES since company finally going to provide me with a company car and i'm going to pass my ES to my wife to learn how to drive. Even if i buy a new car in future i'm planning to keep my ES since i love to drive it. Also they share parts with camry...which all asian moms drive..hahahaha

brucelee1

iTrader: (2)

A 4TH gen ES is a very nice ride. I have had the three cars that you mention and they are all nice.

MPG will be very good in the ES and it is very comfortable at HW speeds.

WAES300

That generation TL's (& any Honda product with the V6/auto combo) have terrible transmissions. They all eventually go out, which is a shame because the TL is one of my favorites..

I ended up spending less, and got a 98 ES300. Couldn't be happier, MPG wise it gets 22-23. I'd imagine the LS400 would get less MPG.

askhao

Thanks for the responses,

Now I've taken the TL out of the picture, and focusing more on es300, and ls400 for around 5000 +/- 2000.

i'm leaning more towards the ls400 because it rides so beautifully and mpg isn't too big of a difference. I'm having a tough time finding one with decent mileage and in good condition.

on paper:
ls400- 19 city/25 hwy
es300 19 city/26 hwy


edit: the mpg on both cars puzzle me. why would the ls400 with a V8 have similar mpg to the es300 with a smaller V6 engine?

askhao

what do you guys think about this one?

http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/cto/2189301889.html

Coulter

This being an ES forum, your going to have some bias, but I went through the same decision between an LS and ES (btw, good advice to stay away from the Acura TL).

The reason I went with the ES is because it was the better value. 98-01 Es300's are ridiculously cheap, you can find really nice examples in $4k-$6k range. They're EXTREMELY reliable, parts are easy to locate and plentiful (based on Toyota Camry) and the cars themselves are fairly simple. I also really like how smooth and quiet they are, it's like a Japanese Cadillac.

The LS is a "better" car, but it's significantly more expensive (usually more than double the price) I also found it extremely difficult to find a nice one. They're reliable cars, but being a flagship model, a lot more is likely to go "wrong" since there's so many more bells and whistles (like the expensive air ride suspension)

You can't go wrong with an ES or LS, I just happened to come across an especially nice one-owner ES for cheap, so I pulled the trigger. Whatever you decide, I would have a shop or dealer do a pre-purchase inspection before you buy, it's cheap insurance.

LeX2K

Kinda strange to narrow your choices down to an ES or LS, they are the opposite sides of the spectrum, one being entry level the other being flagship.

I personally love the first generation LS, yes it looks a bit dated but at the same time it's understated and classy, not flashy. It's a beautiful car inside and out, and mechanically a tank. I want to own one and still might if I come across a low mileage example. But I do love my ES.

Are you willing to travel to get one? That's your best bet to find the one you want, like you said it's getting tough to find an older low mileage LS. I like this one, also check out Autotrader.com.

adreano17

the magic number for that tl is 108,000 miles, then this is when honda doesnt cover the exchange anymore....that should tell you something lol. but 2000-01 es are BEAUTIFUL! i would take the es/ls just because of affordability.

avascon1

Ls or es, I drive an es, have driven an ls400. The es is obviously great, but the ls I've driven was owned by a meticulous car cleaner and his car was immaculate, if I could find a late model ls400 in good shape I might trade

BradTank

I really wanted an Acura TL, but I found out about the transmission problems and passed.

A good friend of mine has an Acura TL, and it's a nice car and a lot more sporty than the Lexus, but the car does feel cheaper. Lexus just seems to feel like a more expensive car.

WAES300

The LS probably has a taller O/D gear, allowing it to achieve the 25 MPG HWY even with the V8. Maybe it's a 5spd auto? The newer ES's get something around 28MPG HWY I think.

01ES300NYC

iTrader: (2)

U cant go wrong with the ES...
what part of NY u from?
they're pretty easy to find in NYC
and usually in better condition than the LS'