vegas1

10 years ago, I learned how to drive on my mom's 2000 Lexus ES300. Maybe any first car you drive would feel the same, but I remember this as being an awesome car, extremely comfortable and fun to drive. Call me crazy, but I also really liked the looks, the two tone white and gray paint job (I don't know of ANY new cars that come in two-tone colors). As I often say, I may be young, but I'm old in spirit. I got my license in 2002 and borrowed her car to drive around town until she traded it off for a new 2003 ES300.

Right around that time I got my first car of my own, a 1993 Camry (4cyl). I bought it for $5,000 from an elderly lady who could no longer drive-- only had 42k miles, perfectly clean interior, just some cosmetic damage on the outside. Within the last year I was putting in tons of money for repairs-- window regulators, radiator, rack & pinion steering, and it was due for new brakes, timing belt replacement, and oil leak repair. I couldn't stand it any more so I got rid of it just 2 months ago, at 125k mi and bought a "certified used" 2007 Honda Accord with 38k miles from a Honda dealer for $16,800 + dealer handling + tax.

I like my car but I've been feeling a ton of buyers' remorse over the last 2 months, and it hasn't gone away. The car runs perfectly, but ALL of the doors and windows "creak" bad, and just lubricating the rubber only makes it go away temporarily. Never heard a car creak this bad before. Other problem, and I did not notice this at all on the test drive, is the seats feel uncomfortable after a long (several hour+) trip. Part of this is the design-- all Hondas have very firm seats, other part is the seat bottom does not tilt back at all (you have to get the V6 EX or the EX-L to get a drivers seat that has full adjustments). Also, after I've been doing a lot of number crunching lately I think I got a poor value for the money, buying a used car in this market. Private party sales value is only $15,800 and one Honda dealer I called said I would only get $12-13k if I traded it in. I probably could have purchased a brand new car with similar options with similar options and the total cost of ownership when factoring in resale value would probably be exactly the same.

So on hand I feel like since I'm a VERY particular, ****, OCD kind of guy and I like to take good care of my cars and drive them for a long time, & I have the room in my budget, I should have just bought a brand new car (I looked at the Camry, Accord, Legacy, Mazda6, and Fusion). On the other hand I probably could have found something older and cheaper but that still would have been a great car and a nice upgrade from the old beater I had before.

I've been obsessed with Lexus lately. It didn't really occur to me when I was looking at cars 2 months ago, but now I've been thinking a lot about the 2000-2001 Lexus... I probably could have found (or still could find) a car just like my mom's old car, exact color combination, for way less than what I'm paying now-- maybe even have bought it with cash. I actually like both the 1992-1996 ES (starting to get very rare) and the 1997-2001 models, but I think the 2000-2001 are the best.

BTW, I've driven my mom's 2003 ES, which I hated. I can't stand the front headlights, and the drive feels wayyy too "boaty." Doesn't even feel like remotely the same car as the previous generation model. I like the 2007-2011 models (although I've never driven one), but the 2002-2006 ones I can't stand. I also like the current IS & the GS models. No way I could afford any of these new, but I could conceivably find a 4 year old one that could be in my budget if it was a private party sale, no dealer markup.

Was the late '90's, early 2000's ES as as great as I'm remembering? Or should I leave that to the past, just forget about it, stick with my current car, and maybe think about getting a newer 2007+ lexus for my next car? Or would you guys rather have a brand new Camry (or something comparable) than a used Lexus?

Kamandeer

are you kidding you think im gonna read all that ?

Kamandeer

I test drove every new lexus so far and I dont like them... not enough room for me

ugly rear ends..

Kamandeer

and I only read the last paragraph

hypervish

The ES300's are very nice cars. They are based off a Camry platform, so they ride very smooth and have a nice soft suspension. They really are awesome, I would much rather drive an ES300 than an Accord.

Nothing beats a nice ES300 that's just barely getting broken in'. They just don't make them like they used to.

hypervish

BTW: Welcome to Club Lexus!

You might also want to post this in the ES300 section, it will get more attention and you can hear from current owners.

BNR34

iTrader: (1)

To answer OP's question, yes the 2000-2001 ES300 is an amazing car, my mom still got one and even though I drive a LS430 UL daily, her ES300 still feels very nice to me.

The 02'-06' ES is Lexus's soft suspension era, they all feels "boaty"......that's the era Lexus experimented with having a regular model with overly soft suspension and a sport suspension model. And the sport suspension model is overly harsh in my opinion, my dad got a 03' GS300 sport design that fit in that catagory

If I am you with your budget, my choices would be 2001 ES300, 2003 GS300, 2000 LS400.

Of course Camry and Accord feels like crap compare to Lexus, if they don't, Lexus won't sell any cars

Hope that help.

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

It just means that you are one of those that like the cushy comfortable ride in cars like Lexus. I've owned 5 Lexus cars so I do like certain ones, but I'm one of those that like a more firm and sporty ride. I'm not that young either as I'll be turning 40 soon. I've had a 94 ES300 and my mom still has a 99 ES300. They are good cars for what they are, but just wasn't for me. Not sporty enough. Seats too soft, suspension too soft. Pretty much all the opposite thing that you like

That is why they make different cars so people like you and I both have something to buy. You're not confused about cars, you are just finding out what type of car you prefer.

BNR34

iTrader: (1)

Perfectly said That's why I try to drive everything that people let me So I know what I like best for my budget

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

decided to see what they go for...

2000 ES300 - looks to be in great shape., check those interior pics.

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...standard=false

vegas1

What is your take on the IS250? Do you consider that sporty?

LeX2K

Don't get me wrong I like some of the new Lexus models, but I love my ES. It's understated, comfortable, is quiet and rides well, handles more than good enough, is very reliable, and is not a Cop magnet. Insurance is also surprisingly low, in fact I pay only slightly less for my old Camry. The car is also really easy to work on, and parts are readily available. Looking over the various user reviews of the Gen3 ES, they are almost all very positive, people really like it.

The car for me is also just the right size, I don't like the "upsized" trend we are seeing with each new generation. The current ES is too damn big for me, the IS I'm not 100% sure about the styling, I do like some things about the GS, and the LS is out of my price range. I'm probably not the typical car buyer out there, but I like the older Lexus and Toyota models better, I like the simplicity and honesty about them. But I can't lie, there are times when I go to a Lexus showroom, and come pretty close to buying one, mostly because I have not bought a new car in a long time and could easily plunk down a good portion in cash.

BTW, the last time I was kicking tires at the Lexus dealer, the salesperson was pushing hard for me to trade in my ES, pretty sure he wanted the car for himself. I told him right up front I don't have a trade in...
Looks sharp, I like the colour you don't see many.

RXGS

iTrader: (2)

I have a 2001 es300 and i love it, many times i have almost traded it in for numerous cars, 528's, tl's, e320's, q45's, 4runners, and even a porsche 944. I have been just moments from getting a new car over a dozen times, but i can never get myself to not keep my 2001 es300. People say it isn't sport enough, but fo the driving i do, its perfect. I'll put it this way, i got the car in summer of 2009 with 105k. Itgs summer of 2011 and i am at 170k. Driving it is just effortless you sometimes don't realize how much you do it. I do love the gs and ls models to, especially the old ones, and at first almost bought a 2002 gs430 or 2000 ls400, but since i live in buffalo, i realized rwd v8's would not go well with neither a young kid myself, nor the insurance. I'm glad i got the es instead, perfect size, reliable, looks great, and doesnt attract unwanted attention . If you have any questions bout the es, pm me

97-SC300

iTrader: (17)

I agree man. I got an 01 ES300 Coach myself and when I bought it I couldve easily got an 02+ ES but those cars feel like crap in comparison to the previous generation.

Fizzboy7

I think you may have a little automobile OCD, but that's not a bad thing. It just means you like cars, the ones that serve you best, and have a higher standard. Join the club! lol
I agree, the 2000 ES was a winning model. My cousin had one and I was always so amazed how smooth and powerful the engine was. It was a fine ride.
One other thing I want to point out is most of us like the first car we had or at least the one we learned how to drive on. Much of that is nostalgic, as we get older, we look back on the event as a very happy time in life. Learning to drive, gaining adult responsibility, and the beginnings of freedom. I had a somewhat cumbersome 1986 GMC S-15 Jimmy as my first car and still have a soft spot for that old box on wheels. It was there in my life during the best of times, just as perhaps the ES was for you.