CJS57

In the older model Lexus there was what appeared to be a front bumper that could take a slight hit without major damage. Now on 2019 it looks like the grille is all we get, no real bumper? Or can that grille take a little hit without damage?

Joelexus52

It's behind the grill.

https://st.motortrend.com/uploads/si...iew-in-red.jpg

bc6152

Looking at the front of the car, of which I have one, makes me think that a front end collision would mean major $$$. Including the $1515.00 triple beam headlights... And I don't think the grille could "take a little hit without damage".

lesz

The design of the bumper on the Generation 6 ES after the 2016 mid-cycle refresh is similar to that of the 2019 ES, with the grille extending a bit further forward than bumper.

But the reality is that, whether it is a pre-refresh Generation 6 ES, a post-refresh Generation 6 ES, or a Generation 7 ES, any impact to the bumper is likely to result in the need to replace the grille. The plastic grille is attached to the bumper at multiple points, and, if the bumper is pushed back by impact, at a minimum, the attachment points on the grille are likely to snap off and lead to the need to have the grille replaced.

The bumper and grille design is such that it is supposed to minimize damage to the "frame"/unibody and other components further back from the bumper, but any impact to the bumper is likely to result in the need to replace the bumper and grille at a cost of somewhere between $2500 and $3000, and that is assuming that there is no damage to headlights, parking sensors, or other components in the bumper/grille area.

There are now so many expensive electronic and safety systems in the bumper area, and that is the reason why many of us experience sticker shock when we see how high the insurance premiums are going to be when we buy a new car.

mikemu30

My insurance barely changed when my ES replaced a five year old car.

Joelexus52

That's correct. The new cars have more standard safety features that mitigate some of the insurance cost.

lesz

...until those safety features need to be replaced as the result of a collision.

Insurance premiums are determined by a number of factors, including the likelihood that collision repairs are going to be needed and the likely cost of repairs, if they are needed.

There is no question that safety features reduce the frequency of accidents and, thus, the number of repairs that are likely to be needed.

But, when there is an accident, the cost of repairs is likely to be significantly higher. The cost of replacing something as simple as a single park assist sensor is $250 for the part plus labor. If all 4 sensors in a bumper need to be replaced, the cost of replacing those sensors will be more than the cost of the bumper, itself.

There have been threads on the CL boards started by people who were involved in various accidents. From the pictures posted, the damage level didn't seem to be severe, but, ultimately, the cost of repairs ended up being between $20,000 and $30,000 or more, and the insurance companies eventually decided to declare the vehicle to be a total loss.

The key word in the post that I quoted above is "mitigate". Yes, because safety features reduce the chances of an accident, that factor, by itself, leads to lower insurance premiums, but the enormous cost of repairing or replacing various sensors, cameras, collision avoidance systems, etc. easily offsets the monetary savings that come from reducing the likelihood of an accident.

That said, when I buy a car, I will choose to get every safety feature available. Even though I know that I will pay more initially for those systems and that the cost of replacing/repairing them, if needed, will add to insurance costs, I place a higher priority on reducing the chances of an accident and personal injury than I do on the cost of the car or insuring it.

bc6152

The increased safety features now included with the gen 7 Lexus ES cars is the only reason I switched from a 2013 in pristine condition to the 2019 with all the added cameras, monitors, safety systems, etc. I know that my driving abilities have declined with age and need everything I can get to assist. Insurance premiums, collision costs, were never a consideration in making the purchase.

irishbrahm

My biggest problem with the 7ES grille is that leaves easily find a way in there (and are nearly impossible to remove!).

AnthonyMJ

A front-end collision will cause "major damage" to any vehicle. But, if your concerns about the 7th Generation Lexus are more acute, I would suggest not buying one. There are certainly many many more vehicle choices out there.

Dave Mac

I never consider insurance or repair cost in choosing a car. Once the feature is offered, everyone pays the same premium whether or not you opted for the additional (soon to be standard) safety features.

And maybe on the upside - if you should have a major accident the significant cost of the airbags, sensors etc. is often enough to make your car a total loss which is always desirable over repairing the car in my opinion . I had a pretty bad accident a few months ago and received a call from the insurance company within hours asking some general questions about the damage like fire, rollover or airbag deployment. As soon as I said yes to airbag deployment they said "okay - we will send this to our "total loss" department which they did and three days later I had a check.

Dave Mac