osokuko

What was wrong? It started the day we bought the car, the car had just been placed on the lot that morning with 15 miles on it. We bought the car 6 hours later – 1st problem it had a dead battery (Oman?) – interior LED don’t use much power, and the head lights would have time out. Jump start for a test drive. We bought the car but had to leave it at the dealership over night to make sure battery was alright. Next day picked up the car and drove home, when I got out I noticed the driver side rear fender had pop out – no kidding. That night I tried the front passengers power seat but it got hung up on something attached to the floor. Only the left side of the seat would rise then slowing come to a stop because the right side was still lock down. I tried it several times but it would not let go. So I sat in the drivers seat suddenly BIG BANG !!! the passenger seat let go. Holy **** what is this?! Then a week later I noticed the drivers visor mirror light would blink on and off, the passengers light worked ok. Got that fixed by replacing it. Then the car drifted to the right on the freeway got that fixed, next the tire pressure monitor light went on and stayed on – got that fixed. That was the first 4 weeks of ownership. Then the NAV screen started to go dim and got worst over time, finally if I drove the car for 45 min it looked like a old CRT monitor with 9 years on it totally grayed out to were I couldn’t read the street names. It got to the point where I just it off to keep myself from getting up set, dealer couldn’t reproduce. I’m sure they will have to replace the NAV sooner or later which means they will take the interior dash apart. Then the flare started. That made me loose more sleep at night thinking about my new car is turning into a major mistake. Then I was schedule for the valve body which we all knew didn’t work which means a new transmission. That was the end of the 9th week of ownership and 2000 miles. I had found out what is involved with replacing the transmission Holly you know what. At that time not to many people had go through the replacement I would be the first here to have it. God knows what would happen. I had a melt down over the NAV, transmission may as well rebuild the entire car, enough is enough!! I want a new car!! So I went back to my dealer (as a basket case) and told them every that has happen over the last 9 weeks I want a new car!. They really helped me, They made the replacement car a reality. Thank God I picked the right dealership that would help me. The rest is history.

Here are some of the new things I’ve found so far in the 01/07 that are better than the 07/06 car. The rising driver head rest – is fixed. The rain senescing wipers are more sensitive to rain and work much better. The drivers extender seat option works better actually makes the driver seat a little longer, It has a much quieter interior when driving, no road noise at all except for the occasional pot hole maybe the lack of road noise is due to the Bridgestone tires I had the Michelins before, no wind noise at all – Bob will like that, the engine is quieter. I took a sound test (sound meter pointed at the most noisy spot on the front grill is just under the “L” with the hood closed) of the 07/06 engine at first start fast idle is (84db ) and after driving “hot” at idle (79-81db). Which I thought was pretty good. The 10/07 sound test is not completed yet but do have sound test at hot temp just after driving for 10 miles measured at the same spot at idle gave a reading of (76db). The wood grain and leather trim is much better, the 06/07 had a few places where the leather looked like cow hide not smooth. No rear carpet noise that’s fixed – nojack will like that one, no rattles but then the car is to new as yet, the outside window chrome trim between front and rear doors is near perfectly align on driver and passenger sides, ES350BOB knows that one. I’ll be taking a sound test inside the car later and making more observation as time goes on. They changed the engine plastic cover fasteners with new kind of button fasteners. Front left and right HID lights are better align, the 06/07 drivers side HID head light was adjustment to low and I couldn’t see the road when making a left curving freeway ramp at night, had to use the high beams to see. I think this is good for now, I’ll check back later on.

osokuko

I had to go out and check one more time for the carpet squeak. Lexus has rework the rear carpet around the center console where the squeak was, now the carpet is well molded close to the console and no matter how hard you thump the carpet no squeak. Hmm…does that mean Lexus reads this forum?? I think we were the only one’s make a joke of that squeak.

mattvds

Looks like they have fixed alot of the fit and finish problems that plague my car.... I'm intereseted to see if your new car has the 3-4 flare. I had my transmission replaced in december and it started flaring after about 400 miles (1 month later). I was actually told by my service manager that I probably shouldn't get another ES, since the flare hasn't been fixed yet.

dunnojack

hah. I have to see this for myself. I will stop by the showroom one of these days to check out the latest es350 builds........

John U

My sister had a Camaro bought back by GM back in the 80's. The next day the car was on the revolving car spinner out front of the dealership waiting for a new owner!
JU

ES350Bob

I can assure you of this, it seems obvious to me someone in accounting that takes pride in their work reads this forum for sure and must have put their foot down, because the spreadsheet just released does not contain the obvious mathematical errors the prior releases did, particularly the errors of the year end release, other months.

MD350

Back in the late 80's I had a Ford Taurus that had an electrical problem. The car lived in service, Ford factory service rep was involved, managers involved, etc. They could not fix it. They bought the car back. Not sure if it was considered a "lemon", but the car was on the used car lot for sale 2 days later.

osokuko

Did it have a sign that said AS-IS?

ES350Bob

If you look at your sales documents for your new car, you just may see, As Is No Warranty, on them as regards the dealership, not as regards Lexus.

I saw that in bold print on my first ES documents and it may be in real fine print on my second but certainly the first.

osokuko

Whoa, checked papers nothing about as-is. Still have the 4 year warranty and the Platinum 7 years 1ooK as before. They did say I’ll have to wait and see if Lexus will change the Platinum start date to the new car date but will probably continue on from the start date of the old car. Lexus will change the Vin# on both warranty – so I’m covered. Hold your water is this another one of those had you going things? Lol.

ES350Bob

Yeah, you would for certain be by Lexus on a new car or even used for balance of it's warranty.

First dealer of mine was a rat, so that... As Is ...mumbo should have been a clue to me...LOL...but as explained to me it really is as is as far as the dealership is concerned because it is Lexus that is responsible for any and all warranty work.

osokuko

Bob - Keeping things clear my edit was in progress when you posted so I didn't see your post at the time.

ES350Bob

No problem, but I have to say I laughed with you, not at you, at your being told the car was to be crushed. That was so funny, and they must have known you were an easy mark for joking like that. You seem to have a very nice dealer and one with an interesting sense of humor too. I'd have pulled that on you myself because some people's reactions are more entertaining than spending a small fortune at the movies.

osokuko

As promised: here’s the engine noise sound test findings. All measurements taken by Radio Shack sound meter at the most noise producing spot on the front grill (just under the “L”) with hood closed.

**************(ES 07/06)******(ES 01/07)
Cold start fast idle**84db**********79-80db
Hot idle**********79-81db********76db

Yesterday while at the dealership having my XM swapped out from the other car I noticed all new ES’s with paper plates driving in for service were all whisper quite.

ESsearch

Great information and I hope that it bodes well for the future of your car and ES's in general. As you may know, I am working through a buyback and I want to make an intelligent decision moving forward but that is clouded by the fact that enough solid information is not known. I really love the ES, and would not hesitate getting a replacement vehicle if I had some confidence the problems are being resolved on the new builds. I been keenly interested in how your new car works and I'm pulling for the problem being in the past. Keep us posted.

Pete