Newbie with a question
 

Hello my name is Robert A Shear from Florida. I have posted before on this website but never officially introduced myself. I am a man with a lot of questions and club Lexus is there to help me on my journey. Thank you

I do have a question:
I currently own a 1999 Es300. A lot of people say that i should trade or sell it because it is "notorious for shifting problems." I do have a shifting problem though... I would like others opinion once more, if I should trade/sell my Es300 for a different model or make?

Thank you for everything again.

Some of the 330's have a shifting problem -- due to the touchy electronic throttle.

Can't say I have ever heard of it on a 300

My 97 ES300 is still on original transmission with more than +250k miles.
I change the transmission oil as per maintenance schedule (i.e. every 15k miles).

The people telling you of notorious "shifting problems" with ES300s may be referring to the 2002+ ES300s.

In 2002 Lexus switched to "Drive-by-wire" system, and many shifting problems were reported with owners of that vintage (I was among them with my 2002 ES, and I finally sold it because I couldn't stand it anymore).

Lexus made several attempts to fix the shifting problem by first resetting the ECU and then, later on, by re-flashing the firmware (which they refused to call "fixing" the problem, but rather referred to it as "enhancing" the shifting.

Oddly some owners of that vintage ES said they never experienced a shifting problem during their ownership. It was unbearable for me, and downright embarrassing when driving with passengers who would say, "What the heck was THAT ?? This is a LEXUS ??"

OTOH, I have never had a shifting problem with my 1998 ES300 w/ 161,000 miles and which I've had since new.

Walt