12jimmyjam

Isingtbk2

After the timing belt went on my 87 BMW 325E, which I bought with a broken odometer at 228k (whoever replaced the timing belt did not put the sticker with the date and mileage on the cover, so I had no way of knowing when it was done. When I bought it, it needed an idle control valve & a wheel bearing. The specialist who did the work, inspected the belt & said the white lettering was still on it & it did not look weather worn. So I drove it for four years, including a trip from Indiana to LA & back! Then sadly one day it stalled at a stop sign......... and that was it! Amazingly, I found a gentleman who restores them & gets BIG money for them. So even with the broken timing belt, I got what I paid for it! The estimates to send the head out & do a new timing belt & water pump, were 2600 dollars & up!)
Enter my 2000 ES300 Platinum Edition which I paid 2700 for from a Honda mechanic who had worked on it for the original owner, then bought it, as it was throwing a couple codes & the original owner was ready for a new car. So said Honda mechanic fixed it, put new rear struts on it & posted it on CL. I saw the photos & it was just looking beautiful, so this gentleman & his wife actually were kind enough to bring it to me. They pulled in the driveway & I immediately dug it! It's the pearl white color with the gray mouldings. VERY clean in & out & just looking & running beautifully with 198k on the odometer and EVERYTHING works! Ice cold ac. No bad window regulators. All I've done to it is front brake pads, a new battery & oil changes. It now has 221k, & doesn't even use a drop, of oil! I still love BMW's, but I had to drive fifty miles just to have it worked on. Now, I've been nothing but impressed with my ES300 & mechanics here in town will actually work on a Toyota product! I do prefer rwd, so I'm trying to find a clean 94 GS300, (which I've always really liked the looks of) Anyway, 221k & still running & looking VERY good, I most certainly am a fan!

tbmobiledj

1998 with 275,000 miles and still running like new.

koreywill

2003 ES300 Bought almost 5 years ago with 277107 miles on the odometer and full service records for $3700. Hoped to get 50,000 miles out of it. I now have 348800 miles and it looks like I'll easily get 100,000 miles out of it. Great car.

mankave1

2005 ES330 (which I just told my wife that I LOVE that car ...and that I can't believe it but.... it still rides beautifully) ! My daughter has it now with 200,000 + on it , we bought it many many years ago used with 29,000 on it. My daughters went to the beach the following day (after purchase) and when they returned home and started to vacuum out the interior somehow were fooling around and side swiped our neighbors mailbox ????
I lost it on them since we paid like 18K in cash for it .... never the less it has stood the test of time here and we admired that vehicle so much that we bought a ES350 .
We love them both !!!

BMeek

This describes mine almost exactly (give or take a thousand miles). It certainly doesn't look like new. I've been gradually improving the sound system and keeping up on maintenance while continually surprising myself with how much I really like this car.

June1978

2003 ES300- 189k miles

Bought it 6 months ago with 184k miles for $2000- one owner vehicle maintained very well by the original owner. Her kids bought her a new Tesla and she had no room for her ES anymore.

Interior was kept in flawless condition and exterior had some very minor scratches on front bumper and 2 doors.

She had timing belt done at 90k miles so at 184k miles, I thought it was best to get it done and update the maintenance just for my piece of mind. I changed timing belt and components, PVC valve, MAF sensor, cleaned throttle body, changed ATF, changed coolant (part of timing belt service)- all genuine parts

Only issue I have now is that the car does not handle well in windy conditions- wind gusts blow car all over the place and I feel like I'm losing control- someone told me to get suspension checked- will get to it at some point- not a big issue- barely do highway driving and high wind days are rare

airlexus

75damien

im in anchorage Alaska. I’ve got a 2000 es300 with 177455 miles. Original everything but will need to change my cat converter on back firewall side of engine in next month. Wasn’t bad off eBay for $200 oh changed out all the struts with the top of the line Monroe struts. New pads and rotors. Timing belt done at 130,000 miles. Water pump and coolant Flush along with thermostat, tranny flush also type 4 fluid. Changed the front valve cover gasket at 176,000. Rear not leaking. Had to change our one of the VVT solenoids at 172,500. Just normal wear and tear. Love driving it champagne gold in color.

EBennett

89k on my '97 3ES.

I purchased it this January with 84k miles on the clock. One owner car, garage kept, weekly grocery getter for an elderly lady, but it was rough around the edges... fluids first (multiple changes, esp trans!), then new platinum plugs, tightened the slack in the throttle cable, ran a few bottles of Techron, and switched to Shell 93 with an ECU reset. New struts/springs/tophats/end-links, to compliment 16x7.5 wheels wearing Conti DWS06 rubber. Full interior detail, and leather reconditioning (the interior was dirty but held up beautifully). Next is painting the bumpers, and pulling a few dings around the exterior. 2000 tail lamps and new OEM floor mats, as well as a rear driver's side ABS sensor, are in transit, so I'll post up some pics or a thread when I'm done

So far, I am loving this car!

Hayk

iTrader: (1)

Sounds like a neat little project car. The only thing that would concern me with such low mileage is all the engine gaskets letting go as you start to drive it more frequently.

Post some pictures of the exterior before you restore it, I’d love to see it.

EBennett

It is a great project, thanks! From what I know from the previous owner, it was not a "short trips" car. When it was driven, it was on the weekends, for 20-40 miles at a time, to the grocery store, church, or NYC (the bumpers attest to city parking!). Thankfully garaged in between. No rust for a ~24yo Japanese car in the North East is a feat.

I'll post a thread with before and afters, for sure.

squanchy

2000 ES300.... Im gonna try and get it to 500k at least.

Replaced o2 sensors, Evap Canister, got rid of P0420 and many other codes.

this thing has got more miles on it than my first car did before it died (First car was an '89 buick lesabre custom).

Right now im waiting on stimulus here in the states to get a new set of rear rotors and pads...

Original Tranny and Motor...

Getting close to 26 MPG on average.

Ichy62

99 coach, 141k still great. Had a slight scare P0171 which they all apparently have, All kinds of possibilities fuel pump injectors 02 sensors etc... Someone had a tip to use mass airflow sensor cleaner... Did the trick perfectly, light out, no bugs no problems no excessive fuel trim.. Perfect again, 24 mpg ❤ 💖

WStromer

Just got a 2000 Platinum that was gifted from my in-laws. 25499 on the clock. That's not a typo.