So far the first 151 miles on my new Lexus ES 350 have been a fantastic experience! I am still trying to sell my 2006 BMW M3 and notice how much more comfortable and relaxed I feel driving the Lexus over the more gut wrenching visceral experience of the BMW M3.

 

Apples and oranges. I know what you mean when I take a ride in my son in law's M4. Vroom!

 

M cars are fun and better leased than owned. I now prefer comfort and reliability

 

Yes, and yes. Got a few K off MSRP.

 

While BMW was fun car the comfort and relaxation driving the new Lexus suits my needs better now.

 

I went through six months of hell right after I drove my new 2024 ES-350 off the dealer's lot last March.
That's how long it took to finally disable the Nav system.
My long sordid story about it is here for everyone to read.
I hate Nav systems!

 

To Mr Bungle's comment above on Teslas are for people that don't value time..

My tesla saves me nothing but time. from not having to need keys (my watch or iPhone is my full time key), the car knowing when light turns green and notifying me audibly, to smart turn signals actually/actively reading the traffic knowing when my lane change is complete and turning off the signal, one pedal driving, the ability to instantly blow past any traffic at a standstill and catch / or beat the next light, automatic cabin pre-heating ready for me when I leave in the morning, dog mode, or automatic cabin cooling/AC. to name just a few. (i'm forgetting a lot) i absolutely cannot go back to a "normal" or 'legacy" car again. Tesla changes/deletes so many of the mundane/time consuming/repetitive things normal cars require, it's mind blowing. you just get in and go with minimal fuss.

As for having a big screen controlling most aspects. i wouldn't want it any other way now. why would i need a giant array of rattly squeaky plastic buttons for things i'll barely if at all use? The settings are saved on my profile

i keep the tesla talk to a minimum but i have to enlighten people when they get stuff wrong.

 

This is true. One of our other cars is a 2025 Model 3 and I had a couple other Model 3s before that. When I drive the Tesla soley for a while it's hard going back to ICE vehicles. Need keys to start it, gotta push start button, put it in drive then park, stop get out and wait for everyone else to get out before you can even lock it. Sometimes right after coming from the Tesla I sit in the ICE cars thinking... wait what do I need to do before I get out.

Plus insane acceleration, never stopping at a gas station (especially true with the ES and it's tiny gas tank) and actual real "remote start" from my phone anywhere or I can just have it leave the AC on when I know I'm only getting out for a little while. So many little things that make other cars feel antiquated. Now if don't like tech and use a Nokia brick because the CIA is watching you... probably not the car for you.

 

True. do you also turn on the windshield wipers on normal cars? haha.. I think with Tesla only Elon is watching you.

Forgot about getting out procedures. I don't even put it in park. i just open the door and get out. the car puts itself in park. nothing needs to be "turned off."

Also every stop at every stop light is consistently buttery smooth. that jerk at the end you get with normal cars that use normal brakes is no longer. you dont need to modulate your stops to stop smooth. its the same... every time. thing of beauty. when i drive ice cars or get driven in them, i get jerked when i stopped. LOL. i drove my friend's new civic the other week and it felt strange indeed (even though i know it's a great car). everything felt like molasses. everything had a delay. and i knew most of these things when I had my ES. remember i'd complain about having to use an old fashioned key? But yeah.. off topic for a bit. back on OP's topic.

 

Enjoy driving my 2023 ES so much did not notice all the driving aids I am missing or how labor intensive it is to drive without them.

 

Interesting how different people have different preferences for these things. I've turned almost all of them off - lane assist, etc. Kinda felt like I wasn't in control, and it took away from the driving experience.
I do, however enjoy, maybe to the point of over-reliance, the blind spot monitoring (changing lanes without ever looking in the actual lane, only reading whether or not the side view mirror is flashing), and the back up warning that tells you when a car is approaching when backing out of a parking space.

 

You raise a good point about the safety systems - people DO become too reliant on them. Yes, they can be a nuisance sometimes, like with sudden overreaction beeping, but by and large they are pretty helpful - I especially like the back up/side sensors in parking lots when I’m squeezed between two ridiculously large SUV’s and there’s just no way to see cars or pedestrians as you pull out.

But a lot of people forget these are to enhance safety, not replace the driver still turning to look when backing or, especially, when changing lanes. We’re naturally lazy, I guess, and I’m just as guilty as the next person, but these systems are not a 100% substitute for driver responsibility.

I would add that in a lot of cases these electronic nannies have become more necessary due to vehicle design. The days of a tall greenhouse with lots of glass are long gone. The door sills are much higher now due to side impact regulations. The more swoops design of most cars means the C-pillars are often pretty wide, and the rear window is a lot more slit like. The bottom line is that seeing out of the care is much harder than it was in the past, so sometimes the electronic aids really do make it safer for you. The electronic rear view mirror, which I hope the ES will get is a good example of an improvement to counter the reduced visibility, It doesn’t matter how big the pillars are or if there are passengers in the rear seat - you can see out with a great view. I rely a lot on my forward parking camera to see the slot markings and where the front end is, as the taper makes it almost impossible to know where the front end is.

So bottom line, these can be a big help, don’t hate the like some do but use them smartly to help.

 

"why would i need a giant array of rattly squeaky plastic buttons”. Lol, I don’t know what kind of cars you used to drive, but getting up there in years, I can say I’ve driven a lot of cars in those years, and I’ve never found the dash buttons to be “rattly squeaky” source of noise!

 

I concur. At first the lane-keep-assist felt like it was fighting me for control. But, with experience I came to see it as a safety net if I were to become distracted for a second. I realized it can be a kind of mutual approach to steering. Now, it doesn't feel like I am fighting it, just making minor adjustments which give me primary control. And, I can anticipate situations where I will need to counter the system's desired course. All in all, I think it enhances safety.

 

The adaptive cruise control and lane keep is fantastic on long trips. I have been doing a 1 hour each way drive a lot recently and I'm sooooo glad I have the ES with the ACC and LKA. The only time the LKA bothers me is when I decide to turn without using a signal or when the road lines get kinda wonky and I have to drive over them. It's also very gentle when it tries nudging you back.