Hi guys. I dont have an ES yet, but im considering to buy Es300 '98. I have a question about its performance. I know that ES is not a racing car or anything, but i just want to know how ES performs against some other cars like Camry, Solara, Maxima... (lets say all are around 98-99 year)...
and plus, are there any performance mods u can possibly do to a lexus ES?

thank you!

 

Do a search on here for ES performance mods......as for how the ES holds up against the Maxima in that year.....well I traded my 01 Maxima in for a 01 ES 300 & never looked back. You can't compare the difference in quality between the two cars......the Lexus blows it away! Performance wise they are very close in numbers, but in the long run, bank on the Lexus to be far more reliable. THe Lexus is a smart choice! Good Luck & welcome to the club!

 

the performance is strikingly similar to the 3.0 maxima. they have almost the same power (mid range torque) both engines redline at 6 although i get the impression that the ES tranny is more responsive. i've never driven one but i've ridden in one and observed the shift points. i've raced a lot of maximas and most of the time i win if you're used to 4 cyl camrys and accords, the ES feels fast. some significant mods i can think of for the car is camry trd supercharger which no one has done, i think aem makes a cold air intake for the camry v6... that might work, trd muffler, ive seen a nitrous'd avalon... that might work too.

 

how fast is it compared to camry? what about the handling experience?
also, what are the standard audio system and also optional audio system for 98-99? how many watts are the system? thank u!

 

I'm pretty sure the 98 & 99's have 200hp compared but not 100%. My 01 has 210 hp with 220lbs ft of torque. Check some sites like www.edmunds.com & check the different used car years as they give you the specs for different years & explain the changes each model year as well The standard Lexus audio system as far as I know is made by Pioneer & it's 190 watts.....fellow members, correct me if I'm wrong The handling is like a luxury sedan, soft with body lean in the corners at moderate speeds. A little firmer if your has the factory adjustable variable suspension. There are some mods you can do to tighten things up, do a search under the suspension & handling section on the ES forums and that should provide you with some more detailed info.

 

yep... body roll is excessive compared to normal cars. my mom's rav4 handles better than the ES if im not mistaken the camry v6 has 194hp vs. 200hp in ES but since the ES is heavier, they're about the same 0-60... the camry solara is a little quicker. also, the audio is good imo and b/c of how its a lexus, there's a lot of sound dampening material to make the interior quiet so you'll have no problem listening to radio... even in highway speeds.

 

The ES has a bit more torque over the V6 Camry as well. But as Flip mentioned, almost identical 0 - 60 times.

 

ES'es are primarily designed for comfort, not hard driving. So are Camrys. The Solara and Maxima, slightly less so.
You ask about performance. Depends on what you mean by "Performance", but if ( as I suspect )....... you're talking about handling precision, 0-60 times, supportive seats, lack of body roll, skidpad, slalom, etc.....you would probably be happier with a used IS300 rather than an '98 ES300, even though used IS'es will be harder to find. Unlike the ES, the IS is designed more for spirited driving. The 17" hi-performance tires will stick to a DRY road better and give quicker steering reponse than the 16" all-season tires but will wear out more quickly, be more expensive to replace, ride more harshly, and give less pothole impact protection to the alloy wheels. Also..they are NOT for the snow....period. For that you'll need snow tires.

 

what about mods to make ES look better? Except the rims, are there any grills or body kits for ES 97-98?

 

search.

there is a nice trd lip kit for the camry that will require some modding but it looks great.

 

I found one of the best overall mod's you can do to enhance the appearance of the car is window tint Get it professionally done & compared to other mods, it's a fairly inexpensive way to make the car look that much better than it already is. Personally I haven't done much to my ES other than the tint, K&N filter & synthetic oil with a performance oil filter (Mobil 1). Everything else I've kept factory when replacing things due to the type of car it is. To each their own it comes down to in the end, & whatever the persons taste as to how they want to express themselves.