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I hope to officially be an ES owner in a few days. I just signed a purchase agreement for a ‘12 in Nebula Pearl with under 60k miles and a perfect service history at the Lexus dealership and a clean CarFax. I’ve owned and maintained a Highlander with the same engine/transmission for 15 years and I figured I needed something a little newer since the Highlander just rolled over 200k near flawless miles. Hoping to learn about this model and keep it running for just as long.
congratulations on your purchase. i owned a 2008 for 14 years, and put about 100,000 miles on it. it looked and ran like new when i sold it last month. i would be surprised if there is better car in it's class than the ES. by the way, if you want a covercraft sunshade for you new ride, i have one for sale on the marketplace.
Best of luck, i bought my ‘12 es350 touring pkg starlight white saddle interior, about a month now. I can’t wait for spring weather to take her on some nice drives
I hope to officially be an ES owner in a few days. I just signed a purchase agreement for a ‘12 in Nebula Pearl with under 60k miles and a perfect service history at the Lexus dealership and a clean CarFax. I’ve owned and maintained a Highlander with the same engine/transmission for 15 years and I figured I needed something a little newer since the Highlander just rolled over 200k near flawless miles. Hoping to learn about this model and keep it running for just as long.
I got it. Everything works perfectly except one or more of the TPMS sensors need replacing (checked the spare too). It is as close to mint as I could imagine. What amazes me is there are zero squeaks or rattles. Everything works as expected, from the power steering wheel to the rear sunshade. The interior is nearly flawless, except for a tiny scuff on the wood trim. That will buff right out with about 5 minutes of effort.
The only thing I might eventually change is the head unit, but I’m trying to sort out the logistics. I’m thinking of ditching the nav screen, going to the standard radio unit, getting a double DIN adapter then putting in a Car Play head unit. I know I can get that $700 adapter but I want a modern screen and the Chinese units either have no reviews or bad ones. I just need to figure out if the base head unit is plug and play and if the steering controls, etc. are compatible. I also need to work out a solution for the backup camera if I do this, but a higher res aftermarket one would be good too.
SAFETY FEATURES
Dual Fr Airbags
Dual Fr Knee Airbags
Fr & Rr Seat-Mounted Side Impact Airbags
Fr & Rr Side Curtain Airbags
Supplemental Restraint Sys (SRS) 3-Point Safety Belts for All Seating Positions Fr & Rr Outboard Seatbelt Pretensioners with Force Limiters Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) with TRAC 4-Wheel Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD)
and Brake Assist (BA) Smart Stop Technology Energy Managing Crumple Zones
Side Door Beams Theft-Deterrent System w/ Engine Immobilizer Safety Connect: Automatic Collision Notification
Stolen Vehicle Location
Emergency Assist Button (SOS)
and Enhanced Roadside Assistance (1-year trial subscription included - NOW EXPIRED) Automatic On/Off Projector Bulb Headlamps with Integrated Foglamps/Daytime Running Lights (DRL) Rain-sensing Intermittent Wipers w/Mist Cycle Tire Pressure Monitor / Tool Kit / First Aid Kit
LUXURY AND CONVENIENCE FEATURES
SmartAccess with Push Button Start/Stop Leather Trimmed Interior with Driver Memory 10-Way Power Adjustable Driver & Passenger Seats includes 2-way Power Lumbar Electrochromic Auto-Dimming Rearview Mirror Heated Outside Mirrors One-Touch Open/Close Pwr Tilt-and-Slide Moonroof Automatic Dual Zone Climate Control Lexus Premium Audio System w/In-Dash 6-Disc CD Player, Automatic Sound Levelizer (ASL) & MP3 Player Connectivity (miniplug) & 8-Speakers Bluetooth Technology, USB Audio Plug, XM Satellite Radio (incl: 90-day trial subscription-NOW EXPIRED) Pwr Windows w/One-Touch Auto Open/Close Feature Power Door Locks with Anti-Lock Out Power Tilt/Telescoping Steering Wheel w/Audio & Display Functions & Column-Mounted Cruise Control Rear Glass Imprinted Antenna w/FM Diversity Sys Heavy-Duty Rear Window Defogger with Timer Scheduled Maintenance Indicator Light Lexus Personalized Settings Carpeted Floor Mats Heated and Cooled Driver and Passenger Seats
Known Issues:
-Light above the driver side sunshade does not work when the slide is moved to reveal the mirror (all overhead lights work and I don't wear makeup LOL)
-Tire pressure sensor either needs reprogramming or replacement (I trust these about as much as a fuel gauge in an old boat LOL; I always check air manually)
-Evidence of scraping in rear tire/wheel well area from previous owner clipping garage while pulling in (none larger than a US dollar bill; all have been corrected)
-Extremely minor scraping on the outer edges of rims (I bought this off a sweet elderly couple; it was the wife's primary vehicle)
-Chrome trim on the driver door adjacent to rear door is showing early signs of coming loose (I need to address this ASAP)
-Bluetooth connectivity isn't 100% reliable (I am an oddball; I rarely listen to music while driving and never take phone calls)
Favorites Thus Far:
-This car drives like an absolute dream. Tough to believe that it's a 12 year old vehicle.
-I love the automatic rear sunshade. I live in the coastal southeastern portion of the U.S. It was 85 degrees Fahrenheit yesterday (about 30 degrees Celsius) and it's only March. We still four or five months of increasing temperatures to look forward to.
-Projected gas mileage is supposedly 19-21 City & 27-31 Highway; so far on this tank of gas, I've gotten 33+ WITHOUT using Premium which is 91-94 octane in U.S. (Regular is 87 octane)
Dislikes Thus Far:
-I can only control the blower speed and turn A/C on/off via touchscreen; if the touchscreen decides to go, I'm SOL.
-I paid the median of the KBB "Excellent Condition" price range. I may have overpaid a bit, but also I truly feel that you get what you pay for these days.
-Charging ports are in the center console. This will just take some getting used to. The lid does slide back and forth, so I can leave it slightly open and my cords won't get pinched. Again, I rarely use my devices while in the vehicle. But I do tend to leave them on the charger and like to see when notifications pop up.
First and only picture thus far. Please disregard the chrome trim on the driver door not aligning with rear door. It is in the beginning stages of coming loose in that area. I need to address it ASAP.
Hello, fellow fanatics lol.
I just picked up my second Lexus. The first is a 01 RX300 with 250K on the clock. It had its quirks, but it's now sorted. The 08 is mostly sorted with a few minor exceptions, which is why I'm here. I think I have the premium package, but I'm not sure. It had a woofer in the back deck lid, but no Mark Levenson emblem anywhere. Heated, vented seats, wood, leather, HID,nav, etc. The car didn't come with a manual or any documentation. I'm having window tint issues. I need tires and a set of floor mats. Any advice from members on what works and fits would be great.
02-21-24, 04:56 AM
Greetings!
