Kaius88

Someone had mentioned that the 1st batch of ES350s has the transmission problems. How do i find the date of manufacture of my car? Is it on the inside of door? I doubt my UL has been around since May 2006, but im curious to know which batch my car was a part of.

twister

When you open a driver side door, look for a label in the bottom right corner which is almost between front and rear door. I'm just going by memory, but if I remember correctly its a black label or something like that. Date is going to be in the upper right corner of the label. Mine was 06/06.

Kaius88

the door just has the Vin number in black. I am assuming youre taking about the car frame portion?

twister

Yes, I'm sorry. When you open the door, its going to be in the lower right corner of the car frame (door opening).

Kaius88

ah found it. 05/06.
So if you just got your car, it would have been manufactured 1 month earlier thus 06/06.
My car arrived probably in June, but they had to order a replacement bumper from Japan so that probably delayed the sale date, cus I doubt an UL can be at the dealership for so long.
I suppose the 1st batch were bought by people in May 2006, thus were manufactured in April or March 2006?

amf1932

My car was manufactured March, 2006, and I purchased it the beginning of May. It was delivered to my dealer only 1 day before I bought it. This was in the New York City area.

Kaius88

amf1932, since you bought one of the earlier batches, and you love your ES350 to death, i assume you are not one of the unlucky ones with transmission woes. Some reports indicate that the transmission problems of the 07 camarys were discovered prior to ES350 production.... well either way, as long as warranty covers it, im not too worried.

BTW, dont kill me (have pity on me instead), i just looked at my window sticker again....forgot to add the delivery charge line.... MSRP: $43,769. Actual discount was $4869 off of MSRP. Im sure they still made money on my trade-in, them greedy pigs.

amf1932

You assume correctly! This car is a dream in ALL respects.

twister

Thats actually confirms what my salesguy told me. If you buy a car which they already have in stock and nobody claimed yet, you get an additional discount. Than, if the car was in showroom or test driven, you get even more off. While, if you get yours right off the boat from Japan, you pay more in comparison to other two. And the difference between all three cars? Really nothing, maybe a dozen of extra miles. With Lexus skilled car detailing they will all look the same. So, its just a matter of a timing when you show up for a test drive or to buy a car. But let me tell you, after you get this car and start driving it, you will forget about +/- $1k since the price of your enjoyment is priceless!!!

Kaius88, enjoy your car and have a good night sleep keeping in mind that you got a kick **** deal!!!

cocopops

iTrader: (1)

Agree with you twister. I got mine the day after it arrived at the dealer. Actually I was at the dealer on that day but I left few hours before the big truck came in. Received a call towards the late evening from the salesman and I immediately set up an appt the next day to come and see/pick up the car. I was lucky as in that batch there were 3 SGMs but only mine has the grey interior and I was the first person that came in, so I get to choose. (I am sure there were other prospective buyers that were notified as well). I think there were about 7-8 ES350s that came in with me at that time.

CyclopStan

"(I am sure there were other prospective buyers that were notified as well). I think there were about 7-8 ES350s that came in with me at that time. "

Thats why I put a deposit on mine, as I live an hour away from the dealer and I wasn't going to risk someone seeing the ruby 1st, snatching it away & me having to wait 2 more months. I also was 1 of the 1st purchasers and my build date was 03/06.

ES350LUV

Just checked my car and it too says 5/06....I'm also hoping I dont hve those problems.

The only thing that I have noticed though is the loud engine noise on cold start ups. I have read a post some where that others noticed it too. Do you guys have the same experience?

Har

Interestingly enough, my wife came home tonight with a loaner ES 350 MSM because she got tired of me complaiing about her ES 350 Tungsten Pearl having the loud engine noise "valve clacking" upon cold starts and continuing to have the similar but faint sound when warmed up after about 5-10 minutes. Our ES 350 is at the Lexus dealer so they can hear the problem after sitting all night. I took the loaner out as I wanted to see how quite the cabin was compared to ours which by the way was a louder version of what I hear when driving our car and after backing out of the driveway I put it into D and stepped on the gas and experienced first hand the transmission slippage and jerking shifting.

Once I got up to 45 or so it smoothed out but after stopping and turning on to a main road, it happenned again (same feeling as poping a clutch on a four speed), screached the tiires and the check engine light came on with the VSC icon lit. The manufacture date on this MSM was 04/06. I can't wait to see what my mfg date is on our ES 350.
The Lexus service manager did tell me last week that he replaced his first tranny on an ES 350, he will now have a second ..

I'll check in the morning if this MSM has the same "valve clacking" that ours has but hoefully be fxed to the point where is quiter after warmup like the rest of your ES 350s. My 2005 RX 330 engine is much quieter with no cold start issue.

We both love our new Lexus-i just have to get past the wind noise and engine noise. My wife's solution is to turn up the music.

BTW, my son came home from work and said Dad why does your new car look pink?

wanderer99

Har, welcome to the forum.

Wow, this must be a first. You broke the transmission on the loaner vehicle????

I just posted a pic of the shim used on my windows to mostly fix the wind noise issue.

Do you find the loaner (now with the broken trans) has a noisier engine than yours overall? Can you hear the clicking (valve noise) when parked? I can hear mine, but I only hear it when the vehicle is not moving. As soon as we start moving it pretty much disappears.

Your dealer must be panicking. You've got wind noise and valve noise on your car. And now the trans is broken on the loaner ES350.

Celibon

Basically all the known problems of ES350 have happened to Har. I must make sure he doesn't touch my car! (j/k)