Factory ordered 2016 ES 300h has arrived at the dealer after 3 months, looking to pickup tomorrow. What are some things that I should check before/when I pickup the car? e.g. learn new features, call insurance, configure settings, etc.

First time owner of Lexus, first time owner of a hybrid.

Price has been negotiated as ~ $3800/- off MSRP. anyone else go better or worse pricing?

anyone aware of Lexus financing specials?

will be ordering mats from weather tech.

Thanks.
CJ

 

Don't know about Lexus financing specials but Patelco offers 1.9% on new *AND* used vehicles on loans up to 6-years. They require $0 down and will finance up to 125% of the value of the vehicle.

 

Your salesman/woman will probably give you a rundown of the electronics, i.e. Nav, radio, various settings, and you won't remember it all. That's where CL comes in. Come back here with all your questions and you'll get answers. Otherwise, I look at the odometer, make sure there's no body damage, should have a full tank of gas, check the lights front and back, if your state requires annual inspections make sure it is the latest, get all of your paperwork sorted and away you go. One additional item that I do is prohibit the dealer from attaching any dealer nameplate onto the car. A tag holder you can change or take off. GOOD LUCK with the new car and welcome to CL.

 

There's quite a bit of hybrid weirdness you'll have to get used to:

The hybrid computer controls how the engine behaves so don't be alarmed when the engine shuts off or starts up by itself. There's a short vibration through the gas pedal when the engine starts.

You get more responsive acceleration by keeping revs in the midrange or at the start of the Power segment on the hybrid counter. The electric motor kicks in instantly while the engine revs up. If you press the gas pedal all the way down, there's an annoying lag while the engine revs to redline.

Eco mode - lightest steering, soft throttle response, reduced climate control heating/cooling. I use this in town driving.

Normal mode - all normal I use this on highways and fast rural roads.

Sport mode - heavy steering, very sensitive throttle response, stronger acceleration because the motors get more voltage. I find it too abrupt for daily driving. Good for traffic light burnouts though.

EV mode button - I rarely use this, you need a lot of charge to enter EV-only mode. Good for turning the ES into a giant golf cart.

Dial customization - you can show the tach in all modes, turn the ambient dial lights on/off, set exterior light timers etc. using the customization settings. Your salesperson should be able to help. I keep the tach on, EV light on, everything else as default.

As for fuel consumption, just drive sensibly, get used to the hybrid system and you'll see good mileage. You can hit crazy figures by using cruise control, pulse and glide and anticipating traffic flow.