jz14

I thought I'd start a thread to discuss why people are buying or planning to buy a 2019 ES? Give us other cars you're looking at and why you are choosing the 2019 ES over them?

Here's my rationale: Disclaimer: I have not purchased yet and I could change my mind for various reasons (wife, money, etc.). Some comments on cars that I have owned or currently own (in recent memory): Honda Accord, Lexus RX, Mercedes SUV, BMW 5 series.... The Honda is now gone but ran it close to 250K miles and over 16 years. Updated suspension, even changed the transmission but no engine problems. I could have kept the car longer except for emissions requirements in CA. Just not worth spending the money to fix that. Lexus RX is amazing in terms of reliability. It's been over 13 years and runs perfectly. The BMW on the other hand is full of problems. I got it pre-owned but purchased the extended warranty. Ended up spending more than the cost of the car on repairs (fortunately covered by extended warranty). When not in the shop, it drives awesome; good power, amazing handling, just a great driver's car. But now I'm getting to the point where I simply can't keep the BMW without thinking a turbo charger replacement in the near future. My friend just had his replaced for $6K! As for the Mercedes, that one has a non-turbo engine so I am going to keep it for a bit a longer. However, already had to put in $ thousands on suspension, ignition key, oil leaks, etc.. So this gets to why I'm looking at a Lexus ES (mainly to replace the BMW 5 series).

Main reasons for looking at Lexus ES 350:
1. No Turbo - One of the only cars in the luxury segment without turbo.
2. Reliability - Currently have a 13+ year RX that still runs perfectly. (Parents using it now)
3. Upscale Brand - Lexus is the closest to competing with the top German brands in this category.

Also, I'm not looking at the hybrids because I don't want to have to deal with battery replacement / degradation when the car is older.

Other cars I have considered:
1. Mercedes E class - I could get a great deal on this one as I know someone who works at the dealership but I want to keep the car longer than 5 years and I know i'm going to pay up the **** for that. Plus, I will run into the same problem with a turbo replacement at some time. Add to that it's only a 4 cylinder instead of 6 (not looking at the E400 as the price difference is too great).
2. BMW 5 series - Same reasons as #1 with even more money spent on repairs.
3. Audi A6 - Same reasons as #1 and #2
4. Mercedes C Class, BMW 3, 4 series, Audi A4 - Too small. I have a family to move around and need good back seat room for people and car seats.
5. Infinity Q50 - Reliable, though not as good as Lexus but now with turbo engine, so no go there.
6. Acura, Honda - Had great experience with Honda previously but don't like the new designs. Don't like the Acura front beak or new grill.
7. Camry, Avalon - Had looked into the Camry actually but realized too many Uber cars are Camrys. Wanted something more upscale. Avalon seemed too big and I don't like the front grill. Although I just realized that the 2019 ES is the same length as the Avalon.
8. Lexus RX350 - Almost was going to go with this one but just could not stand the front grill. The 2019 ES (non F Sport) luxury grill was the only one that my wife and I were ok with. If it wasn't for the RX Grill, I would have gotten that one instead.

Again, those are my opinions and they may be totally flawed. Though let me know what you guys think and why you are looking to buy or bought a 2019 ES.

bc6152

I bought my first (and only) Lexus 6 years ago and have had zero issues. Joined this forum and the 6th. generation forum and participated with the other members talking about our cars.
The overwhelming opinions on these forums was extremely positive with very few complaints. Add to this that Lexus is either #1 or very close to the top in owner satisfaction and this is why I am planning on owning a 2019. A V6 that's smooth as silk and now has over 300 HP. As far as the German brands, the closest German luxury car I ever owned was a 1978 VW Rabbit
@ $3275.00. Plus you pay out the wazoo for repairs on German brands. My daughter just recently looked at an Audi Q5 and a Lexus NX. She went with the NX... The Audi would have been $1900.00 more to insure. I, along with numerous others, do not like the new grill on the ES. However one can NEVER get any vehicle with everything he/she wants and likes. Just isn't possible. So if you want the car you suck it up...

fatguy

Nice post. I am on the same boat. Have been thinking about a upscale car for a while. I almost have thought about all options you mentioned. But I focused on Mercedes sedan, RX 350 and ES 350. Several friends own Mercedes but they are mainly doing some kind of business. And they usually do not put too many miles on it. They are mainly using it when there is a need to meet customer or "show off" in public. I have read a lot about the repair headache many Mercedes owners had. It is very common. I am looking for a upscale car which is reliable and more for daily use. Repair of Germany car not only costs a lot but also inconvenience. I have been driving Honda and Toyota for many years and never had a major repair. I know little about cars and hate to spend time on car issues and repairs. Now when I want to have a upscale as I am turning older, it seems like Lexus is my only choice. I feel that Acura from Honda is not at the same level and reputation as Lexus. The only Japanese luxury car can compete with Germany cars like Mecedes or BMW is Lexus.
Since I am using for commuting and will put a lot of miles on it, I passed RX350 due to the size and fuel consumption. I am now thinking on ES 350 or the hybrid 300h. I have never drove a hybrid. I heard the regular maintenance of hybrid is less and easier (no oil change, etc). That is why I am interested in investing more to get a 300h, not just because it save gas cost.

mikemu30

Similar for me. My wife has the RX - I still prefer sedans. With the ES, no turbo, regular fuel, likelihood of Lexus reliability, soft smooth buttery ride (Test drove it already) and love the looks of it. Benz no thanks - I like the A6 but worry a bit about long term reliability. Currently driving a 14 Azera which Hyundai has discontinued. Bullet proof in five years of ownership and also very nice ride. I could probably drive it another 50 or 100k miles but I have the five year itch😁

95bat

Don't you hate the itch, it gets expensive lol Mine happens every 3 years Eat all the depreciation and then sell like a dummy.

mikemu30

I try to hold out until five years 😁

jz14

For those of you who plan to keep a car 3 to 5 years, reliability should not be a factor in your decision. You can purchase extended warranties to increase the coverage. If I were to go with a Mercedes, I'd get the service package and extension to 7 years of warranty. Sure, it's going to cost a bit more but it would be worth it for that car. It's years 7-10 that brings on the most problems. I'm hoping that with Lexus, I don't have to face an engine overhaul problem when I hit year 10. That's when the car's value is under 10K and I don't want to get stuck with a turbo charger replacement for $ thousands.

BTW, I know a lot of people are getting the hybrid and I do believe Lexus has the most reliable hybrids but have you searched for battery replacements for Prius? The Lexus hybrid warranty is 100K miles or 8 years for Lexus. I want to be able to keep the car for over 150K miles if necessary.

I get the 5 year itch too but its usually for a particular feature that I don't have and really want. Believe it or not, these days it's good LED headlights and Apple CarPlay for me. Most of the cars out there have these now. I believe this is the first Lexus model to have CarPlay.

MSterling

jfz219

mikemu30

Really?????????? Good luck with extended warranties and the exclusions that magically appear as soon as you try to make a claim.

bc6152

+1. Extended warranties are simply great money makers for dealers. The profit margin can be as much as 75-80%. They are a waste of money. And then there are the catches that exclude a claim when you need it. The best way to handle unexpected service or repair issues is just to place a bit of money aside each payday or when you receive a check. Then you'll have it if needed.
There are numerous threads on this and other forums about thousands of dollars paid out with no return... Pass on extended warranties...

jz14

This is a generalization and may be more true for Lexus, Toyota, Honda, etc. When I bought my pre-owned BMW, my mechanic friend said he himself would buy the extended warranty so I did it. It saved me close to $20K in repairs. Again, this is anecdotal but after owing BMW and Mercedes, I totally understand what reliability means. A single repair can run you to $1000 easy. These days, there are so many electronic gadgets that even the more reliable brands can have expensive repairs when something breaks. One thing though is to make sure you get the right extended warranty. When I was on the MB forums, there were specific extended warranties sold by the dealer that covered exactly the same items as the original warranty, those are the ones to get. It's the external ones you see on TV commercials and ads that you need to be careful of as they don't cover certain things. Past year 7, it's hard to get a good extended warranty even if you wanted one. That's because with certain makes of cars, the extended warranty companies can't even make money with the amount of repairs needed. This is one of the main reasons, if not the main reason I'm looking at a Lexus. So that I can keep the car for a long time without having to worry about this stuff.

mikemu30

I suspect the margins are closer to 99% no kidding.

mikemu30

Makes sense.

reposado2

In CA your hybrid battery is warrantied to 150k miles by law. "California, however, has a mandated battery warranty period for partial zero emission vehicles (PZEV) sold in the state. Thus, models classified as PZEV sold in California have a 10-year/150,000-mile battery warranty."

https://www.energy.gov/eere/vehicles...-8-years100000