I currently own a LS460 and I love the thing, but I drive 30k miles a year and it might not be the most practical car to do that in...takes super, it burns through tires (every 30k), everything is just a little more money on this car...and I do love the way the newer ES350's look.

What I'd like to ask is what type of gas mileage are people getting? I do mostly highway, is it reasonable to assume I can average 28-29 mpg?

How much oil does the 3.5 engine hold? The LS460 holds 9.1 quarts, so it would be nice if it was less.

How are the interiors holding up? I love the way they look, but are there problems? Dashboard material holding up...any touchscreen issues? Are the interiors quiet?

Are there any known issues that are creeping up now that the car has been out a couple years? Brake issues? Problems with electronics? Suspension?

The 2013's in my area are going between $22,500 - $24,500, with anywhere from 30-70k miles on them. Any input would be appreciated.

 

We get 29 to 30 mpg on the highway and 22 mpg around town with the 2015 ES350. Absolutely no issues, with my 2013 ES300h, that one gets a yearly calculated 36 mpg all local driving. Both cars are very quiet and have the Michelin tires, one has 17" and one had 18". Some say the Bridgestone tires create more road noise. Interiors look like new.

 

Good to hear about the interior quality, I like the dash layout, but you never know if it's something that is going to hold up.

As for tires, my LS burns through tires...the most you can expect to get out of a set is 30k miles...which is a problem seeing how that's how many miles I drive in a year.

 

For that heavy mileage...a ES350 might indeed be a very good choice. I certainly love mine.

 

Here is a link to Fuelly with 61 other actual ES350 users. I use this app to track the milage on all my vehicles and motorcycles. Super nice app

http://www.fuelly.com/car/lexus/es350

 

Ok thanks, based off that list I imagine I'll get around 28mpg with the type of driving I do. I'm averaging 26.5 with my LS, but I have to feed it super.

Is the car direct injected? I imagine it's not, which is ok with me, just because of some of the problems manufacturers are having with carbon buildup, etc.

And what are people doing for oil change intervals on the 3.5? 10k miles? The LS takes 9.1 quarts of synthetic with an oil change interval suggestion of 5k miles.

 

I have to agree with Jollick as it regards to the ES300H. I'm over a 110k miles now with no issues. Interior still looks new, of course, I have it detailed at the dealership at least twice a year (inside & out). I have the dealership change the oil every 10k, of course, synthetic. It takes 5 quarts of oil and runs off regular. I don't think it's direct injection.

 

Correct, no direct injection on the 300h or ES350.

 

The 3.5 liter V6 used in the 2013-14-15-16 Lexus ES 350 uses 6.4 quarts of synthetic oil with a filter change. The suggested interval is 10k. I changed mine after a year and the oil was so clean I had difficulty reading the dipstick. This engine has been used in the ES at least 10 years. Believe it is the same one in the Camry V6.

 

Thats good to hear. As for the engine, I don't think I've ever heard anything bad about it...it's tried, it's true, it's tested.

Do you happen to know if the transmission has a dipstick? I imagine it doesn't, but it would be nice if it did.

 

No dipstick, no change necessary - for life according to Toyota.

 

Having made the transition from the LS to the ES for financial reasons before in my life...its tough. Once you become accustomed to the LS, its hard to go to the ES. The ES is a good car don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the two that I had, but its no LS in a lot of ways, many of which really don't become apparent until you have lived with both. I just had a 2015 ES350 as a loaner too, so the comparison is fresh.

The 2013-2016 ES does not have a touchscreen, it has the remote touch controller.

On my 2010 ES350 I got 30-31 MPG on the highway which was great. I never had a set of tires last more than 35k miles in the ES either. The LS is hard on tires yes, but so is the ES in a different way. Remember the ES is FWD and has over 60% of its weight in the front which wears front tires before rear tires.

I would advise you to extensively test drive the ES back to back with your LS before you make this swap and be sure that the tradeoffs are okay with you. The ES is quiet, but not nearly as quiet as the LS, especially when it comes to road noise and tire roar. The ES rides pretty well, but not nearly as well or as refined as the LS. The little details in the LS aren't there in the ES, and the ES doesn't have that heavy, solid, substantial feel of the LS. Inside the ES lacks much of the material quality found in the LS.

These aren't knocks to the ES, its half the cost of the LS which explains away these issues...but don't assume that you'll be satisfied with it because its a Lexus when you're used to the LS.

If I had owned an LS that was mine at the time, I would have kept it vs trading for a new ES. I'd drive my LS with 100...150k before I traded on a new ES.

 

Yeah those are all things I'm sort of tossing around in my head. I do love my LS, it's just that when you drive 30k miles a year it becomes a matter of practicality after the initial honeymoon period is over. I have to decide if going forward I mind paying an extra $40 bucks a month for super brand gas, paying an extra $80 per tire, two air cleaners instead of one, buying $800 bucks worth of control arms, having to buy 9.1 quarts of synthetic oil (compared to 6). And the parts for the ES350 are just so easy to get and soooo much cheaper. I'm putting in new control arms and a wheel bearing next week on the LS, I'll see how the car drives after that and make a decision.

I have driven that 3.5 Toyota drive train before and I like it. Now I didn't drive it much, but it seemed peppy and responsive. Will I miss the massive torque and power of the LS? I don't know? I usually don't push my cars, but instead just cruise a 100 miles up and down the highway everyday going 70...I'll probably miss it when I have to pass someone though. You bring up some good points.

 

Doublebase,

It looks like the solution for you may be a GS450H.

I was thinking about a LS when I first started shopping for a Lexus but the premium fuel and gas mileage didn't make it practical for my long commutes. So, I bought an '11 ES350 that took regular. The ride comfort on that car (with Michelin Primacy) would compare to an LS...I do miss it. Now, I'm rolling a '13 ES300H which of course gets better gas mileage and takes regular...both of which are win-win for my commuting.

BTW, I'm also looking at getting a '16 GS450H next year.

 

ls till the wheels fall off the car.
its best in class in everything excluding the new s class and the 16 7 series
the depreciation for your car is already in get as many years out of it as possible.
stay up on your air filter changes every 15k for gas mileage purposes, and put michelins tires on the car for mpg.
drive it till the car is going to cost three thousand dollars to fix then change