You should of waited for the 04 model. I hear it will now be called the ES330. It will have the current RX330 engine in it making for more pep.

 

I think the 97-01 is the best, I love the body, and i especially love the 00 and 01's with the 16's, HID's, wood steering wheel, and that new dark grey color. The new 02+ are EXTREMELY nice (interior unmatched in its price category), very luxurious, but as someone mentioned, with just the 3.0L acceleration isn't too hot. However, I have to give the first generation serious props, if you look back at the ES300 when it first came out in 92, i think it blew every other car away, it looked soo classy and sporty, nothing else in the market at the time could even touch it. I remember when my dad first got his in 92, and i remember how many heads it would turn with the styling.

 

the first generation sporty? I don't mean to be cynical, but they look kind of like boats. The "senior citizen model" is much more refined and stylish. Mine has an aggressive stance with the back being higher than the front. Yehaw.




www.cardomain.com/id/sk8er251cc

 

What is drive by wire?

 

Read on: http://www.edmunds.com/news/innovati...3/article.html

 

Exactly what I was looking for! Thank you very much.

 

if you think the 97+ is a grandpa mobile, look at this!!
Best looking ES on the face of GODS GREEN EARTH!! LOL

Link to AUTOCOUTURE ES

 

Generally speaking.....the votes here will be going to the ones we currently own so naturally it's a bit biased. Also, the newer the ES, the more "perfected" they will be too! I think the 97 - 01 are the most classy looking

 

Gotta split my vote here......the second generation ES was the best-looking one on the outside, but the interior wasn't really up to luxury car standards. The present-generation one has a dynamite interior....the wood trim and leather is some of the best I have ever seen, even beating Jaguar, but those awful sweep triangular headlights that go halfway up.the hood....they truly suck....just like on the new Celica, Camry, Solara, Prius, and Ford Focus.

 

I gotta agree with you mmarshall; I had no idea what Lexus was thinking (no offense to those owning '02+ ES). You can't really distinguish those lights from the others (i.e. Celica, Camry, Solara, etc.) at nighttime. Plus, those headlights are not anywhere in the cheap zone, about $1,000 for each HID headlamp

I'm really jealous though of the 3rd-gen ES interior , but I'm content with that in my '01 ES. Can't ignore the exterior of the 2nd-gen ES either; it screams just the right amount of sporty stance and style in a Lexus

 

Well, sometimes you just gotta take the bad with the good. Those ugly and expensive headlights go with a really first-class interior that will give any Jag a run for the money.

 

Agreed. Kind of an offhand comment here, but sometimes I refer the new ES headlights as "wasp" lights because they almost resemble like the eyes of a wasp

 

Sometimes in the wheels/tires forum they show a ES in the Tire rack banner thats dropped on 18s or 19s, those headlights look alot better closer to the terra firma!! LOL

 

aw hmpf. and im drivin around a crappy ol' first gen. my bubble is burst.

 

*shudder* no 3rd gen for me then, because i'm terrified of bees!!! If I see one, I honestly run (and if its a bumble bee, scream ) like its the end of the world, haha. for some reason they're like my top fear. I guess i'll stick with a 1st gen