List your model, year ,
# of owners ,
price when bought and from where
lenght of ownership and attributed problems and repair costs.
Also mention where you had it fixed ( lexus, independent, midas or diy).
When it was done.
Any mods done to the car and its costs.
If desired your age and insurance you pay.
If you have any picutes in the gallery put links in the post so we can have an idea about the car.
Please only post once and if you have a question either pm the member or make a new thread .
This will keep the page from being filled with excess.

I'll start.
1994 Es 300 ,dark mettalic green with purple and brown pearls painted all one colour .
Just made 200 000 km on Saturday.
I pay $1000 a year insurance for full coverage and am 28 .
1 previous owner, bought in 96 from a Lotus dealer for $28 000 Canadian,has both options of the cd changer and sunroof. The cold weather package is standard in canada which is heated seats,mirrors,headlight washers and block heater.
I also pay for lexus roadside every year.

all prices mentioned are canadian.

05/98 replaced all bulbs on a/c, radio and gauges for the backlighting.
10/00 lexus replaced the motor mounts as it shifted hard,and all the wiper motors switches and everything else as it would not go back to rest position after the stalked was tuned off. Just after the 7 year/110 000 km warrenty time ran out.
08/01 Timing belt and water pump done from a Lexus tech on his time for $250 cash belt and pump cost $150 . 2 hours
09/03 power steering pump did myself , pump was $200. 4 hours
10/03 cv boot right side ripped ,bought a kit from lexus to replace all parts for $100. 3 hours
12/03 do tranny flushes every 50 000 km ( did it last week at walmart) $40. 2 hours
09/03 new dogbone engine mount redone in ureathane to never break again ( make them myself)
06/03 New power and ground wires and battery( optima yellowtop) made new wires with gold connectors and 4 gauge wires. 1 hour
Once a year i vacume out the interior temp sensor ,located below to the right of the steering wheel
that has some horizontal lines on it to remove the dust. It has a return air flow to suck interior air in and measure the temp.Never replaced the a/c filter as i don't have one an don't feel like wasting the money.
airbag light is on as i had a friend who though he knew how to remove the wheel ,screw it up. WHile i was working on the engine.
I use mobil one synthetic ( 0-30/40 winter) ( 15w 50 summer )for the engine and use an engine flush every 2 years, It keeps the engine well lubed and i have the least amount of valve train tapping i ave seen in a 1mz-fe engine ( camry or es 300 v6)
All the mods are in the link below for Cold air intake/ exhuast ,brakes, rims , suspension ,body kit , stereo , lighting , tv ,nokia in car handsfree kit and other upgrades.

1993 ES 300 3 owners, including myself, originally sold by my hometown's dealer, purchased in May of 2003 w/126k miles for $5700

"stripped" --i.e. no sunroof, no factory cd changer, no heated seats, no gold package, no chrome wheels, and most unbelievable of all NO LEATHER!
I still love it though! Really nice black & gray striped interior, very sporty

No problems whatsoever with the car for the first 4 months, but around September of 03 radiator split-don't recall repair cost (DIY; only cost parts cost)
Then in December, realized that head gasket was blown. Fixed that for around $600 all told (gasket kit price, cylinder heads machined. once again, DIY)
Now I'm struggling with the transmission and has so far costed me around $1200 to fix, but it's not really fixed just yet...seems at this point to be a neverending battle but I think that's just b/c of the mechanic, not the car. I love my car but lately haven't been able to enjoy it for all the trouble I've had out of it. Just my luck I guess.

1995 es300 2nd owner
i paid 6200 US dollars last year (october)
problems: crazy blinking, solved by getting a new headlight (my old one has condensation inside of it) paid 150 shipped on ebay.com

a/c charged-$10 kit from walmart

cruise control problem- i can't fix it. i have no idea what's wrong (changed the actuator, but not fixed)

i fix it myself. but previous owners took it to Nalley Lexus for everything (i mean, everything)

mods:
pioneer deh-p6500mp mp3/wma player
infinity 605cs component set
lanzar vibe 430
audiobahn 12" in a bandpass box

cost- HU=210
infinity 90
lanzar 110
audiobahn + box 85

Phillips HID kit 200
i am 21 yrs old, my insurance is liability-$80 a month

Black 1996 ES300 Coach Edition

PreOwned Vehicle purchased @ 65k

Fixes..

f/r brake pads $200 diy/midas
Power Antenna $20 mast diy
Warped Rotors - Upgrade to Brembo's Drilled/Gold plated $200



Mods..

Complete Speaker replacement- Polk Audio/Kenwood
4 Channel Directed Elec. Amp
Sony M-series Head Unit/Sony 10 CD-changer (trunk)
Interior Dressed in Custom Chrome Trimming
Cup Holders in compensation for the Uselessness of the Current
(F/50)-(R/22) Window Tint
Custom Fit Mid-Range Spoiler
16" 02' Ls400 Chrome Wheels
1" Eibach Lowering Springs
Tokico Struts
Brembo Drilled/Gold Plated Rotors
Borla Dual 3"DTM Style Muffler

1993 ES300 5 speed manual.
Color: White
200,000 miles just a few days ago.
I have no idea how many owners.
The things that i had fixed and or problems:
Radiator = $110.00
Axel (the passenger side)
edited: 5/24/2005 I am now having the other Axel replaced (the driver side). I guess that i should have had them both changed at the same time, but it never crossed my mind at the time. I know better now.
Battery = $60.00
Brakes = $200.00
Caliper = $155.00
edit: I now had the other Caliper changed (same price) and again new brakes in the back because the one was bad because of the caliper.
Front valve pan gasket 5/28/2005
With the Axel and the front valve pan gasket i paid $200.00
The lights are burning out on the gauges
Everything is fixed at my brother-in-laws Garage.
What the car has:
Leather seats
Heated seats
Gold package
6 disk CD changer
Spoiler
Car phone that is also on the steering wheel. (Not in use)
Insurance:
I pay $534.10 yearly. (edited 2/24/2006)
I have reductions for the air bag and Accident Free.

That is all that i can think of for now if i think of something else i will edit.

2001 Black Onyx ES300 (ivory interior)

- 2nd owner, purchased in April 2003 from a used corporate car dealership for $18,900 (64,000 miles at time of purchase). About 18 months later, I have put in over 33,500 miles of daily driving (work commute, weekend driving).

- This car has all the options except HIDs and AVS (Adaptive Variable Suspension).

- As far as I know, this car has never been taken to a Lexus dealership for any type of service, not even for a 30K or 60K. I'm amazed how solid this car still feels, but eventually I will bring it in for the 90K soon (UPDATE: Just completed the 90K service in late April 2004). I plan to keep driving until the wheels fall off

- Non-maintenance problems
1) May '03: Brake/tail light bulb burnt out (replaced myself w/ $3 Walmart bulb).
2) June '03: Charcoal canister went bad, resulting in CEL and TRAC OFF lights (Lexus replaced for $238, originally $575).
3) Aug. '03: Vibration on steering wheel when braking, so resurfaced F/R rotors (Lexus did it for $288).
4) Jan. '04: Two bulbs behind A/C unit burnt out (replaced myself w/ $4 Lexus bulbs).
5) March '04: Seat shield mount on passenger side broken (replaced myself for $60).
6) April '04: 'AUTO' function on driver's side window switch not working (Lexus did it for $465)
7) June '04: Rough/low idle at random times upon engine start-up. Problem was a faulty idle air control valve and MAF sensor (replaced under extended warranty). Later on, Toyota professionally cleaned up the throttle body for $85.
8) Dec. '04: At approx. 98,600 miles, dying transmission w/ hesitant behavior. Replaced w/ Lexus reman tranny (partially covered by extended warranty. Total out of pocket = $1,200)

- Modifications
1) Aug. '03: Debadged 'LEXUS' emblem ($0, one of the easiest and cleanest mods done yet)
2) Oct. '03: Installed extra wood trim ($161 purchase from Exotic Wood Dash).
3) May '04: Installed 2003 ES300 washer nozzles ($22 purchase from Lexus parts dept).
4) May '04: Replaced with Denso Iridium spark plugs ($78 purchase from Autozone).
5) June '04: Installed 35% smoke tint (4 windows), and 20% smoke (rear windshield). $159 plus tax.
6) Aug. '04: Installed '03 OEM ES300 wheels ($349 for the whole set from Ebay). This revives the look of my '01 ES
7) Oct. '04: Installed M-6 Polarg bulbs to the back-up lights ($12 purchase from Cardomain.com).
8) March '05: Installed Sylvania Silverstars to low beams ($34 purchase from Advance Auto Parts).

2002 LEXUS ES300 ALABASTER SILVER EXTERIOR/BLACK INTERIOR with
NAVIGATION
MARK LEVINSON
HEATED SEATS
AIR SUSPENSION
REAR POWER SUNSHADE
HID 8500K (upgraded for 150, sold old bulbs for 100)
LEATHER
SUNROOF

BOUGHT IN MARCH 19 FOR 12, 500 with 2680 MILES WRECKED
REPAIRED HOOD, 2 FENDERS, HEADLIGHTS, GRILLE, BUMPER. PAINT, NO ENGINE WORK, DROVE IT FROM OREGON TO WASHINGTON.
COMPLETELY REPAIRED COST 14000, SALVAGE TITLE.
NO BLOWN AIRBAGS.

UPGRADES..
8500K HID FOGLIGHTS 250.00
ALABASTER OIL TINT - 850.00

NICE CAR. IM POOR SO I COULDNT AFFORD A NEW CAR, HE HE, SORRY. BUT ITS LIKE NEW, I MEAN I ONLY KNOW ABOUT THE MINOR PREVIOUS DAMAGE.

1996 ES300 Green with tan leather

2 owners including me

Bought used with just over 50k miles in 2000 for $12,500

125k miles currently

Added Pioneer 12 disc changer (FM Modulator) last year (approx. $500)

Serviced by an independent foreign car shop

Problems:

1/ Recently a valve stem seal gave way. Smokes on start-up about once every 5 or 6 starts.

2/ Antenna has never functioned properly. Disconnected motor and left in 'Up' position. Cost to fix would be approximately $75 at a shop.

3/ Center caps on driver's side wheels rattle like hell.

No major repairs to speak of outside of a brake job (with rotor work) and replacing the regulator for the driver's side power window. That valve stem seal is going to run me about $600 when I take it in for repair, though.

1997 ES300 ONYX WITH THE CRAPPY GREY CLADDING AT THE BOTTOM
PURCHASED FEB 2 01 FROM ANTWERPEN TOYOTA IN BALTIMORE,MD
THE CAR HAD 44G'S ON IT WHEN I BOUGHT IT FOR $21K. IT WAS MY FIRST LUXURY/PERFORMANCE CAR AND I WAS ONLY 21. IN B-MORE "LEXUS" IS KINDA LIKE A STATUS SYMBOL WHICH IS PROBABLY WHY I WAS SO EXCITED ABOUT BUYING IT. I WAS A LITTLE NERVOUS BECAUSE I AM YOUNG AT THE CAR BUYING GAME. IT IS LIKE A PSYCH CONTEST. THE CAR CAME WITH HEATED SEATS, LEATHER, A MOONROOF VISOR WHICH I RIPPED OFF (TOO MANY CAMRY'S HAVE THEM). AS A DISAPOINTMENT TO ME, MY BABY (NAMED ALEXUS) WAS IN A TERRIBLE FRONT END COLLISION IN JUNE 01. SHE WAS IN THE COLLISION CENTER FOR 2 MONTHS TOTALING $14G'S. I WAS MISERABLE ALL SUMMER. UP TO DATE I HAVE ABOUT 130G'S ON THE ODO NOW

MAINTENANCE:
09/01 CHANGED FRONT BRAKE PADS AND NEW ROTORS (METROMOTORWORKS IN COLUMBIA MD) THEY DID A GREAT JOB. $365.00

12/02 90K SERVICE PERFORMED ONTHE CAR. HAD THE TIMING BELT, WATER PUMP, ACCESSORY BELTS, ALL HOSES, THERMOSTHAT, NEW TIRES AND TIMING RESET (METROMOTORWORKS) $1,100.00

07/03 NEW BATTERY (WAL MART) $65.00 INSTALLED MYSELF

MODS:
18X8 ZENETTI MYSTIK'S WITH NANKANG TIRES

7000K NOKYA H7 LOW BEAM LIGHTS

2800K NOKYA H3 FOG LIGHTS

K&N AIR FILTER

BREMBO CROSS DRILLED ROTORS

PROBLEMS:
DRIVER DOOR HANDLE BROKE WHILE OPENING THE DOOR ON A RAINY DAY. MY HAND SLIPPED FROM UNDER THE HANDLE AND THE HANDLE SLAMMED AGAINST THE DOOR BREAKING THE HINGE. HAD IT REPAIRED AT LEN STOLER LEXUS IN OWINGS MILLS FOR $375??????????????????

EARLIER THIS YEAR I TOOK THE CAR TO METROMOTORWORKS FOR A TPS SENSOR ERROR $69 FOR THE SENSOR AND $60 INSTALLED.

LIGHTS ON THE DASH ARE SLOWLY GOING AWAY INCLUDING THE ENTIRE LIGHT ASSEMBLY ON THE SHIFTER. I CAN'T SEE THE DISPLAY AT NIGHT. GOOD THING LEXUS PUT IT ON THE DASH TOO.

SEAT HEATERS NOT GETTING HOT (JUST NOTICABLY TAKING THE COLD AWAY)

THIS RE-OCCURING PROBLEM WITH THE WAY THE CAR IS RIDING. IT SEEMS TO FEEL LIKE I AM RUNNING OVER A BUMPY ROAD AT TIMES BUT THE ROAD CAN BE VERY SMOOTH. NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE THAT OUT.

THOSE PROBLEMS ARE MINOR AND CAN WAIT TO BE FIXED. I AM NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THEM YET. I AM 24 YEARS OLD AND i PAY ABOUT $2G'S A YEAR FOR INSURANCE (FULL COVERAGE) I WAS YOUNG AND DUMB BUT QUICKLY GREW UP AFTER SEEING ALL MY MONEY GOING TO MY BABY.

FUTURE MODS:
HOPEFULLY CHANGE THE SPARK PLUGS (ORIGINALS FROM WHEN THE CAR WAS BUILT ARE STILL RUNNING STRONG)

NEW SUBWOOFER (I GOT A GREAT TIP FROM THIS FORUM ABOUT AN IMAGE DYNAMICS 8" SUB FOR THE BACK WINDOW)

ROCKFORD FOSGATE 351M AMP

NEW SPARK PLUG WIRES

IN THE PROCESS GETTING THE LITTLE STUPID PROBLEMS FIXED.

* '93 ES300
* 1 previous owner
* purchased in 1998, it had ~ 45,000 KM (27,000 miles) when I got it (still had that new car smell!), I paid around $20K CDN - I traded my tired '92 ES300 + cash on this one.
* purchased @ Tony Graham Lexus in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
* It has 165,000 KM (102,000 miles, more or less)

This is my second ES300. My first, a '92, had a lot of miles on it when I bought it in '94 - so it was quite cheap initially. My present one, a '93, was on the dealer lot when I had my '92 in for service one day. Took a test drive - made a deal to trade. This one was like new when I got it. Dark green metallic, black leather interior, CD changer and all the other Lexus "goodies". This car has been awesome, very reliable, comfortable, and great for long trips. It has been to South Carolina a couple of times, to PEI, and made many long boring cruises down the 401 between Montreal and Windsor.

As an ES300 owner for more than 10 years, I have seen some common problems crop up on both my cars. They occured at similar mileages, too. Here's a short list of some maintenace items I've encountered:

- Gauge needles burning out. I know "they all do that", but I still find it annoying that Lexus persisted with this flawed system for so long. The dash really looks impressive when you first start the car - but you're soon looking at flickering, hard to read gauges every time you drive the car.

- An alarming "grinding" noise when accelerating on the highway. Sounds like your transmission is about to fail, very disturbing. I spent a lot of time and money trying to find out what the problem was on my first ES300, I thought it was a serious transmission problem (the dealer did, too). It's actually a dust shield between the trans and the engine block contacting the ring gear on the flywheel. The transmission has to come out of the car to fix it... and the problem will re-occur anyway. The area of contact is very small and doesn't do any damage if left alone, which is what I have done with my present Lexus. In my opinion, this is a design fault that Lexus should have corrected - but they don't want to hear about it.

- Front exhaust pipe failure at around 150,000KM. One of the flex joints in the front pipe fails. The entire front exhaust pipe, from both banks of cylinders, must be replaced at a cost of around $600 CDN. The flex joint alone can't be repaired. I expect to have to replace exhaust components in any car at some point, but t seems a shame to have to scrap a perfectly good exhaust pipe just to replace a failed flex joint. The rest of the exhaust system seems very robust, no other problems with exhaust on either of my cars.

- Brakes. Again, I expect to replace brake components since they are by their nature "consumable" items. They work by generating heat and wearing away. But rear brakes in particular have needed far too much attention, IMHO. The shoes in the handbrake system are outrageously expensive for what they do. In fact, dealer cost on brake components and labour to change them is really out of line, again IMHO. I wrote Lexus a letter on this subject after my last brake job, done at a Lexus dealer for $1700 CDN - and that did not include repairing the handbrake. The estimate for that was an additional $600, which I passed on. If your brakes need attention, go to an independent shop for an estimate before laying out big ca$h to the dealer for brake repairs. Come to think of it - that's good advice for any kind of maintenance.

- Power antenna problems. In short - expect it to break from time to time. Dealer wanted $350 to fix it (replace the entire power unit). I bought an antenna mast from a Toyota dealer for $45 CDN and did it myself. Some dealers will tell you the Toyota antenna won't work - but it will. This one fit my '93 ES300: Part # 86337-06010 for Camry V6 (same year). It will probably work fine for any '92 - '96 ES300. I had to cut about 5 or 6" off the end of the plastic that retracts into the motor so the antenna would go down all the way. Very easy to do.

- Tire wear. The rear tires on both my cars wear more on the outside edges of the tread than the insides (or is it the other way around? don't remember...). Yes, I have checked alignment (many times), rotated tires, tried different brands of tire, etc. etc. It seems that "they all do that".

Other than these items, both my ES300's have been quite trouble free. I would buy another one, except that I will keep my green '93 until it totally falls apart. I have to replace rear struts and the rubber boots that protect them soon. Two dealers quoted prices of $175 - $195 CDN for each strut, $70 for each boot, plus labour to install, plus tax, plus, plus, etc. I called Autopak (an auto parts supplier in Canada, they can supply rear struts for $78. Boots are $22 per side. I'll buy them later this week & post a "review" of the cheaper parts on the message board. I will also need a new radiator soon... more adventures in car maintenance to follow!

Tim...

99 ES300
- 2 previous owners came off lease,
- car had 150k when i got her back in august 04 for $9,400
- car is onyx with tan leather interior, with all the options except for seat heaters and avs, dont really need those heaters in florida.
- car has been extremely reliable thus far 153k so far and only the oxygen sensor went and that was my fault since i ran over a piece of wood and it knoked into the sensor breaking it, besides that no complaints what so ever.
- i installed some sylvania silverstars($50), flushed the tranny at 152k and change the oil every 2500 miles($199 at lexus of kendall).
- im going to take this car another 150k miles, with lotsa love and care.
- im just going to buy some new mikeys since my bak tires r pretty worn out, and get some ceramic brake pads when i do my brakes in a couple of months, besides that nothing else major i can think of rite now

im 23 and pay 1200 a year for liability insurance only, full would run me about 5gs in miami, crazy aint it

First time Lexus owner! Purchased 1994 ES 300 last month. Never owned a foreign car before (unless you count the VW beetle-baja that I owned for 2 weeks as a teenager...) Champagne exterior with tan leather interior. 95K miles.

2.5 Owners (first owner traded it in to dealership, second owner bought it with intention of letting their son drive it. Once they determined that cost of insurance + cost of loan >$800/month, they had his license revoked and I bought the car from them 35 days after they bought it...they put less than 300 miles on it)

Paid $6,700 for it (right at KBB). Only probs with it are two burned out needles (speedo and temp), one of the headlights was yellowed out/dirty, and both license plate lights are burned out. everything else works perfectly!

Not a ding on it, the paint is perfect, interior looks brand new...feels like I just bought a brand new car! Nobody I know that has looked at it can believe that this is an eleven year old car...

Clean CARFAX history, took it to three mechanics before I bought it (ok im paranoid...Caveat Emptor), appears that the dealership replaced all the brakes and all hoses were brand new, no mechanical issues whatsoever...only thing was that the coolant was somewhat "brown".

This car has the quietest running motor ever...while I was test driving it I tried to start the engine twice while it was running...

Am planning on taking it to the lexus dealer to get the oil changed and the coolant flushed. Am hoping to get a copy of the service history at that time also (should had done that before I bought it but they were closed the day that I bought the car). Will let the lexus dealer service the vehicle as long as I can afford it...

Cleaned the headlights with Meguiars car cleaner-wax about three times and that took the yellow almost completely out of the lens...thanks for that idea...saved me from trying to bake those lights and disassemble. Replaced all the headlights with Sylvania Silverstars...again thanks for that idea & recommendation.

Still researching the needles and how I want to fix that. The taillights...looks like I will take both of them completely apart and replace every bulb in them. Does anyone have a good lead on replacing these bulbs with LEDs? Otherwise, I simply plan on keeping the car 100% stock.

BTW, I bought the car simply to drive to and from work. I am a firefighter and live only 5 minutes from my station. Will probably only put 4,000 miles/year on this car. Lives in my garage on my days off...I joke that I will let my 10-month old son have the car when he turns 16...well see if it makes it that far.

I'm 35 years old and I'm paying $688/year for full coverage.

Anyways, been using the site extensively to research and fix any of the little issues and look for potential issues. Thanks for all your input! Hope that I will be of help here in the years to come.

Plan on replacing my 1999 Chevy Silverado LT for a Lexus RX300 next year for my wife...

DKRC-2003

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/gallery/ES/IMG_9613
http://us.lexusownersclub.com/gallery/ES/IMG_9612
http://us.lexusownersclub.com/gallery/ES/IMG_9608
http://us.lexusownersclub.com/gallery/ES/IMG_9617

Recently I bought a 2002 Lexus ES300 (silver with grey leather) with nav and fully loaded (only thing i didn't find in it was a cargo net!) from a private owner recently with 32k miles on it for about $17k. Sound real bargain right? The catch is this car has a rebuild title due to a flood history. However I got it fully inspected at the local Lexus dealer who said the car looked 'straight'. He checked the underside found no 'salt' deposits (it could have been involved in fresh water flood). All systems (including the electrical) seems to be working fine with no warning lights or anything. OBD scan did show a flood history code but according to the dealer they can be cleared once I get it to them for the 30k maintenance service ($600). Just a few scratches and the key problem I've mentioned on another thread. The warranty though has been voided by the company. I've always dreamt of owning a Lexus but couldn't afford the sticker for a new one or even a CPO. Ordinarily I wouldn't take a chance with any vehicle with flood history but having faith in Lexus build quality, I decided to take the chance. Its a big (pure pleasure) jump for me from my current Plymouth Breeze!

So far it's been great. Now I want to use some of the money I saved and load it up even more with remote start and a dvd player. Would appreciate any advice from anyone. Any remote start brands to recommend? Is the 30k ($600) maint service from the dealer worth it?

1992 ES300 w/ 184k and running strong
Shadow Rose Quartz (the name sounds cool) w/ a tan like interior don't know Lexus' name for it.
-All options except for heated seats
-Purchased May 2003 for $4000 from private owner (knew the guy so he gave me a deal on it)
-2nd Owner
-car has been very nice to drive (amazing on how this car is different as far mannerism goes compared to the Camry, yep i have a '92 Camry too)

Only problems I had was:
*the rotors were shot causing the car to shake when braking (it's fixed now!), *engine hesitates a bit when the engine is cold
*it has some small oil leaks at the valve cover gaskets, oil filter adapter o ring, and distributor o ring. going to get those fixed soon by my mechanic.
*has a creak/clunk noise in the front
*need to recharge the a/c.
-Luckily i don't have to worry about the transmission, was rebuilt in early 2003 and the timing belt was done at 180k. overall the car is running great.
-i let my mechanic do most of the major work on my car and i go to Lexus of Serramonte, Colma CA for just the basic oil changes since my mechanic charges kind of the same price.
-i plan to install the xenon kit that i've seen other members install in there ES, other than that i just plan to keep it stock. maybe i may want to get the chrome version of my factory wheels (probably not). going to upgrade the plugs to iridium when i get the 60k service done soon.

other than that i plan to drive this car over 300k miles if not more.

-Andrew

1995 ES300 purchased on 8/1998 at Lexus dealership non-CPO w/ 67k miles (@$19.9K w/ 2 yrs extended warranty)

_35% tint (local legal limit) on 6/99 @$140, K&N filter installed on ??/99

_CEL comes on&off on 9/99 at Lexus (code for shift solenoid-possibly going bad) @$65 diag check Advised to continue driving until CEL stays on consistently

_Replaced starter on 11/00 DIY @$160 after core trade-in Autozone

_New windshield on 4/02 @FREE insurance covered, deductible covered by windshield shop (something metal on the oncoming lane smacked the windshield while driving home from work )

_CEL again on 4/02 code P0770/P0773 at Lexus (replaced shift lock E transmission solenoid at Lexus) @$444 ($126solenoid&gasket+$32ATF fluid change+$252labor)

_Bent antenna mast after drive-thru carwash on 10/02 @$104 ($58parts+$38labor) Didnt start reading LOC until 10/04 :chairshot:

_Replaced timing belt,water pump,antifreeze,drive belts,&alternator belt on 8/03 at Lexus @$800 ($250parts+$525labor) 131K miles at time of change :whistles:

_All-around new pads&rotors and both half-shaft front axles relpaced on 8/03 at Firestone @$861 ($500parts+$324labor) Lexus wanted $840p&l pads&rotors, $270p&l torn left frt axle boot

_Installed Alpine CDA9811 MP3 head unit (tired of going to trunk to change cds & bulbs/LCD going out in radio unit) on 12/03, single 12in sub in bandpass box w/ Kenwood amp on 3/04 (rear 6x9s were weak in bass), 2-way Polk Momo 6.5 door speakers (Xmas gift), 2-way FM remote start alarm system (will coexist w/ factory alarm) on 10/03

_CEL again on 3/04 (P1035 O2 Bank1Sensor1) at Lexus @$280 ($146part+$121labor) Next time www.sparkplugs.com $90 DIY!
Asked them to check sources of oil leaks after seeing minor droplets on driveway (gave est. $555 F&R valve cover gaskets, $665 rear main seal - DECLINED) After inspection they also gave me a list of maintenance jobs to be considered.

_Due to oil leak changed F&R valve cover gaskets and also fuel filter, PCV valve, spark plugs(OEM platinums) at independent mech shop on 10/04 @$340 ($92parts+$236labor) Read above what Lexus wanted.. No more leaks, rear main seal never leaked!! avg 300 miles/12gal refill Chevron 93octane as of 12/04

_CEL again after valve cover gasket job while driving car home code P0401 (insufficient EGR flow) Replaced EGR air flow/temp sensor @$180part free labor by same mech shop Problem solved!! (See thread)

_Oil changed religiously every 4-5kmiles w/ Castro Syntec before valve cover gasket job.. now back to dino Valvaline MaxLife after job. Switched to Mobil 1 synthetic on 11/04 (keeping fingers crossed)

_Installed cabin air filter DIY 10/04 @$45 www.lexus-parts.com (new info $35 www.sparkplugs.com)

_Added SSilverstars (formerly used CoolBLues) & front strut bar on 11/04 DIY

_Transmission service (pan dropped,filter cleaned,fluid changed) @$60p&l on 12/04

_Changed dogbone&front motor mounts (completed on 12/04 @$150parts) no more hard shifting/clunking R-N-D

_Motorvac/fuel inj & throttle body cleaning (completed on 12/04 @$85)

_Replaced bulbs in hvac (completed Lextech.org on 1/05)

_New struts/springs all around (KYB struts&mounts/Eibach Prokit & 4wheel alignment on 1/05 @ $260labor)

_XenonDepot HID kit installed DIY 4/05

_Wet-sanded my yellowed headlights on 5/05 (1500grit sandpaper, 3M rubbing compound, Meguiars PlastX then wax). Meguiars PlastX will offer a temporary 3-4weeks solution if done alone.

_CEL on 8/09 (P1031 O2 Bank1Sensor1) Denso 234-4622 $51.60 shipped & also changed dogbone torque engine mount again ($35 local Advance Autoparts) - both DIY install. OD = ~235,000 mi

THINGS TO DO:
_Replace sway bar bushings
_Transmission fluid drain&fill
_Antifreeze flush/drain&fill (12/05)
_Power steering & brake fluids siphon&refill

Purchased new 2004 ES330 in Dec '03 for $35K from Rohrich Lexus in Pittsburgh, PA.

Mark Levinson Sound/DVD Navigation package
Stability control

And the other options that come with these...

Car is now 11 months old with about 11K miles on it.. Have had no problems whatsoever with the car and have had nothing but maintenance items (first 2 done by dealer for free, subsequent will be done my me or by jiffylube).

I have been very happy with the features of this car. The details that Lexus pays attention to are what sold me on it. I especially love the automatic wipers, mirror dimming, remote window opening, and sunshade.

My only complaints are:
- Nav system "Agreement" screen every time car started
- Transmisison sluggish
- Cup holders not "tight" enough to hold cans or tall cups


I recently found out that the Nav system supposedly can accept a microphone and will do voice recognition.. still researching this. Also, confused on whether this nav system does bluetooth?

Car: 92 ES300

MODS:

ENGINE--
custom 2.5 in" exhaust system straight pipe with a little bend at the end so that it wont stick out in the middle of ther back but to the side... High Flow Cat with Ractive Muffler with silencer..Custom Headers,MSD 6AL, NGK spark plug wires, Denso Plugs, Custom Cold Air Intake with K&N Cone Filter, Port and Polish Head, All Synthetics Fluids, Blue Dress up vacum tubings and various others, 2 cycle battery

ROLLING GEARS--
18x7.5 Racing Hart C2 rims with Toyo Tires.. Drill Cross Rotors with Axis Ultimate Brake pads, Sprint Lowering Springs with Sprint Struts, Sprint Rear & Front Camber Kits

BODY: Custom FiberGlass Lips, Front, Sideskirts, Rear, APR wing, Custom Eyelids, HID kit. Strobes All Around: Front Headlights & Rear Taillights, Black Housing Headlights, JDM Side markers, Shave door handles with Door poppers,Black Paint Job, Custom Made Fiberglass Hood with EVO8 style Hood Scoops, 1000 color Underglow LED kit.

I.C.E: too much to list

Had a accident with the car the other day and push in my front bumper plus the front
support or the frame by a little, busted my right headlights because the frame was pushed in on the right side a little in the front so the headlight pop out of place and the plastic support for it broke, Some dumb lady slam on her brakes too hard and i couldn't stop because of the icy streets, had snow tires with studs on but that didnt help, hit her in the back pushin my front bumper in along with a little bit of the frame and busted my fiberglass hood. Car is now garage not driving it till summer, will do the fix in the summer.

I had this car for 3 years now, i would like to think all the auto shops that help me with the project, too many shops to list, thank my grandpa for taking the time to find and order me parts. Altho the aftermarket is small for these cars.

Sorry forgot to add pricing for parts.. overall investment put into car is 50,000 USD

Second Owner- bought it for 10,000 USD from Next door neighbor had 30,000 miles on it stock

repair costs were 3,000 dollars in timing belt and fluid changes with all new belts and paint job because of scratches. and new head gasket.

All repair jobs done at LExus Dealerships

Age 25 insurance per month is 350 dollars because of MODs

**USE THE EDIT FUNCTION TO ADD TO YOUR OLD POSTS**

ES300 1999
103000 miles
3rd owner
$9950, Dallas, TX
Have owned it for one month without really any problems. Made the mistake of filling up with the motor running and set off the TRAC and CEL lights.
Just bought a left blinker bulb, $2.99(for 2 bulbs)
Was certified at a Dealership in Ft. Worth, Sewell Lexus
Also bought an extra CD cartridge for net cost of $6 on ebay. Bought 3 for $36 +S/H($10), sold 2 for $40 +S/H.
Thinkin about a nav system. Too rich though
34 and $379.10 eveery 6mo.

ES 300 1996 ex Singapore

My first and last Lexus .

53225 kilometers
$NZ 16,000
Reg Jan 17 2005
No tow bar, cell phone or roof devices. Too old for TV Navigation.

Comprhensive insurance cost less than NZ$ 400 for a year because I am old, 56, and 65% no claim bonus.
One year registration and the cost of inclussion on the motor vehicle register = $370
First trip, from car yard to home was three and a half hours two mountain passes 280 kilometers returning just over 10 kilometers per litre 96 octane. This is probably the hardest work the car has ever done in its life.

It was a cheap one. Probably about 60% of normal local retail. You have to be reminded that second hand cars in New Zealand have only a commodity value. It does not matter how up market they pretend to be. Our market is flooded with Japanese Imported Second Hand vehicles.
The mileage is low but supported by the Logbook. Proof that maintenance to preserve warrantee is very expensive where ever you are; there are 5K and 10K services separated by twelve months and very few kilometers.
When it was new in Singapore it was pre delivery checked in January 1997. That salesman assisted the export to NZ to his brother from whom I bought last week, so it is second owner officially. Before I collected the car the car sales had the rocker box gaskets replaced because that was the only thing that they thought might go wrong in the immediate future. There was no sign of leaking. How unlike normal car sales behaviour. We even were given two remotes with the keys. Also out of character for car sales.


I will collect cost of ownership detail to share for comparison with other L O C locations if you want.

I did 216 kilometer of into and out from town driving to work and test driving by family and it has taken 21.6 litres to top off. This was not ecconomical driving. I would guess that when the car is used for our transport needs we will average better than this. 12 kilometers per litre might be tops though.


Graeme

1998 ES300, Gray, Purchased with 63K miles for $15K. I currently have 98K miles on the vehicle and have not had any problems at all. I had the 70-75K mile
service performed on it by Lexus. Cost $900 and they gave me an RX330. Beautiful automobile but much to small for me when it comes to SUVs. At 98K miles on my ES I will try to plan on having the 90K mile service (replace Timing Belt and all other belts and also the recommended water pump). Will try to get pricing on having the shocks replaced although as I have learned via this informational site this may be costly.



Rtyson
InStlMo

1994 ES300 Special Edition (or so it says on the floor mats)
Pearl White
Premium Sound (for what it's worth) W/ 6disc changer

IMHO, this car is a lemon. 3 out of 5 stars for reliability in Consumer Reports is not great for a Lexus. My grandmother bought it new, and had all service performed from the dealer at proper intervals. Always garaged, and never commuted. Never used the sunroof (bad move).

I got it from her at 70K. 6 months later, capow! The left axle drops at 55MPH. Mechanic says it looked like an aftermarket axle. From the dealership??? at under 70K??? My mechanic managed to fix it for $350. It took out the ABS sensor with it. Didn't fix it right away, and then it decided to take out the adjacent sensor $800 job. Bad short? Anyway, month after that and the sunroof breaks. I found that it had been missing two brackets. They didn't just dissapear, because the screws were still in place! Did the dealer decide that my grandmother didn't need the parts? Dealer told me the wanted $250 just to diagnose the problem. That same week my antenna overdosed on Viagra and won't come down. It just sits there and whines the motor for 30 seconds before it gives up. Oxygen sensor goes out. Left turnsignal started blinking faster. The typical dark needle problems. Bad alignment causes me to burn through $300 worth of tires, and possibly some wheel bearings. Sounds like I'm riding on mud tires or something. Now I have an intermitent power issue. Sometimes it takes off, other times I floor it, and it barely accelerates. It's like a friggen stubborn mule.

Yeah, I'm a bit harder on my cars than most people are, but most of my cars last a very long time, because I also take care of them. I service them when they are supposed to be serviced, and not just when they need to be serviced. I've owned and shared over 12 cars in my life so far, and have never had so many problems in this short ammount of time. I think its time to buy American again. At least the parts and service are cheap. I understand the Ford Focus is more reliable. Maybe I should get one of those. I get the fealing that my car was assembled on a hot Friday night at 5:00pm and the workers just wanted to go home. My Mustang never gave me this much heat, and i drove the hell out of it.

Fist Car Ever Pruchased its a 98 ES300
Its Black with the grey trim and tan interior
Had 90k on it when purchased
got it for 8500 in July 04
Came With Nachamichi Dealer Option System
Fully loaded with eveything possible (From heated seat to lexus trunk mat)
Insurance is 115 a month
2nd owner I got it from Binghamton NY (All Highway miles if you've been there)
Im 19 but birthday is next week

Engine Runs perfectly
Just had to get new brakes rotors and rear struts for the car and thats it so far all dealer parts, had my fried put them in paid 750 is that good?
battery was replaced a year before i got the car.
the lady i purchased this car from only went to the lexus dealer to change brakes and other minor things

Future mods for this spring are:
1. 20 Tints
2. Polished IForged 18' Evolution Rims (want to see them http://www.iforged.com/showroom/album05/whtieevo )
3. 00-01 Taillights
4. Chrome A pillars
5. Purple HID low beams and fogs(scratch purple gettin the 350 z HID's)
6. Custom Eyelids
7. New Alarm with remote starter (the works)
8. Might put on the auto-couture kit on it depends if i get this new job

2005 ES 330 purchased in December 04 at Lexus of Maui for $34K
Blue Micah shale with ash interior
Insurance $830 year full coverage

I have to say, this is the best car I have ever owned. The car rides and handles very well. The interior is a thing of beauty I especially like the in steering wheel stereo controls. Wifey likes the dual climate control feature adjustable brake and gas pedal and memory seats.

I get a solid 18 miles per gallon and have not had any problems with this car. I have not come close to the tk mile threshold for first service yet.

I have a set of 18 X 8.5 kazera rims on order, plan to change the air filter and maybe a cat back exhaust to complete my mods for now.

1998 Es300 second owner, originally purchased in california owner moved to El Paso, then traded it in. I purchased it in 2001 with 39,000 miles, it is maroon with dark maroon trim. Now has 100,117 miles in it. Had the bumper redone by dealership and tires put on. I have never really had any problems with it, as i do my own brake work and tune ups. Only replaced the brake pads twice since i bought it. Presently it is down because of a possibly a thrown rod. I let my son drive it and i needed to change the oil, don't know it that was the cause but it has really ran great until then.

Future mods
1. Upgrade rims to 18 x 7 with tires ( haven't figured out which ones only know i want chromes)
2. Tint windows to tx specs
3. Would like to add auto shades in back and sides, anyone have a clue as to where i can get them.
4. Upgrade to newer audio system with nav systems.
5. Would like to find a body kit that i like to fit this model.

Year: 1995
Owners: 2
Miles: 215,225
Color: Amethyst Mist (gray)

MODS

Lights:
-Silverstar High/Low beams
-Red interior lights

Engine:
-K&N performance air filter

Audio/Visual:
-2 12" Infinity 1200watt subs
-PowerAcoustik Amp
-Kenwood 715 touch screen DVD player in dash

PROBLEMS

-Trans rebuild at 213,000 miles

1995 es300
beige/gold
about 130 000 kms

k&n filter...other than that, all stock.

The a/c, when it goes on to automatic, it stalls the car, and there is a burning smell, but its like an electric-motor burning smell. We took it to one place, they said it was about 2grand to fix. Otherwise the car runs great without it. Anyone else have this problem??

1997 ES300 Sage w/standard factory options, heated seats
124,000 Miles

Zaino paint care (www.zainobros.com)
Leatherique Buttery Soft leather all around (www.leatherique.com)
Dynamat Sound Deadening All around (www.dynamat.com)
Toyota Touch Screen DVD Nav flip down w/CD
Toyota XM module for Nav
Toyota back up camera for Nav (auto on reverse)
Diamond Audio Speakers (www.diamondaudio.com)
Xtant Amps (www.xtant.com)
Audio Control Crossover (www.audiocontrol.com)

Maintainence
Amsoil Fluids all around (www.amsoil.com)
BG Products fuel treatments BG44k (www.bgprod.com)


Problems : NONE at all. Shocks need to be replaced soon which is a standard wear and tear item. Very WELL maintained.

1997 ES300

Purchase Info:
3rd owner, 68k on the ticker
$14,900 @ Smithtown Lexus (LI, NY) (include 2yr/100k warranty)
Purchased in July 2003, as part of my Divorce celebration!

Service/Maintenance:
Dealer installed 2 new tires, performed COMPLETE detail job and oil change
Within 1st year, replaced front struts (@ Lexus under warranty), oil change & filter (@ lexus and always synthetic) Rear brakes (ceramic) at my own mechanics shop (
$120), tranny service (@ Lexus and part of $400 75k service)
In Jan 2005, replaced Timing chain, water pump, front brakes (ceramic) at own mechanic: $550 (A LOT less than what Lexus was asking and 3k miles later, she's running perfectly!)

Mods:
Engine: None
Interior: Wood dash kit (steering wheel and glove box included); Windows tinted (Titanium, 35% sides, 20% Backlite)
Exterior: 17" GF1 Enkei rims on 215/50/17 Falken Ziex tires. Ride and look are better than expected. I was worried the wheels (they're Graphite color) would be too dark, but they look great!
Check out the: PICS

Insurance:
GEICO, best rates ever and I've checked around my whole life! I'm old enough for it to be cheaper now

Future Plans:
Immediate: While changing the wheels, I noticed the rear boots were torn. I need to replace these. Otherwise, the only other thing I plan to do is another tranny service.
By the end of the year: Install winter tires on the stock wheels.
Next year: Lowering springs to get the height down ~1"

Distant future:
Get a daily driver and retire the Lexus to "show car queen" duties.

I LOVE THIS CAR!!!

More to come...
JJ

1998 ES300
-previously owned by family member but no others before
-car has 250,000 miles
-just the standard gold color with tan interior
-exact same problem as someone before with oxygen sensor but other than that not a single problem.
-I did a few basic mods to the windows... 30% up front and 10% in the back, and up until about a month ago had 2 12's and a 1600w amp
-this car just keeps on running and running even though i am 19 and not as easy as i should be with this car but it has made it this far with nothing but the senor replacement (can be considered my fault) and a pair of brake pads in the front and back @ 175000... great car dont have any future plans of selling... will probally keep forever

1991 Lexus ES250

My first car. I'm 16.
Not too sure about insurance, but I know i didn't get the good student (3.0+ GPA) rebate on Geico; not yet, anyways...still stuck with a 2.9...
3rd owner.
128,7xx miles on the ODO.
Bought at the end of May, around the 20th for $3750.
Black with dark gray paneling exterior, tan leather interior.
Gold pinstriping.
Original paint; which is amazing.
Pioneer head unit, 1 800W type-s sub.
New Goodyear Aquatreads; replaced during the dry season soon.


Car Care:

Mobil 1 Synthetic- haven't gone 3k yet, but have already replaced the oil, just in case.
Mr. Clean Autowash; this thing works miracles, even on a black car- the only trouble i've had with is is the windows and getting them spotless.

Repairs/Modifications.

Paint is slightly beginning to bubble by the trunk key latch; sanding and repainting area around it.
3 small dents in the hood, not sure how to get them out yet since they are on the edge of the bulge of the hood.
Missing power lock switch cover.
Cup holder doesnt lock in place, pushed out by the spring- no big deal.

Modifications (in the future):

Work with the airbox and leaning the fuel mixture.
New sway bar up front.
Silverstar's and maybe some auxiliary fog's to accompany the yellow stock fogs.
New speakers, stock ones starting to sound tinny.
Tint all the windows to 30% except the winshield.
Keyless/remote start.
New spark plugs and new oxygen sensor. (NGK and Bosch)

Tyler Leathers 23yr
1995 ES300 had 190k now 260k
#2 owner black leather full load
$15000
bought Jan 18/02 from a small car lot i dont remember the name
the car was mint
replaced
#2 02 $85 TRD
battery DIY
serp belt DIY
A/C belt DIY
left CV shaft DIY
both ball joints DIY
new hood affter old man hit me not my bill
had silver removed paint all pearl white $1000 Grove collision
put custom mesh in bumper also pearl white $50 DIY
street glow neons green from dics performance staff purchase $175 DIY
full chasis tec air ride kit $3500 DIY
Digital air gage DIY
6 windows tint $240 pro tint
magnaflow muffler and cat $290 dics performance staff purchase DIY
clear headlights DIY
clear tail lights DIY
rear brake pads $75 DIY
had 2 Rockford HX2 10" $850 and crossfire BMF1000D amp $1200 took out to fit air ride parts from F/X audio install DIY

most work was preventative maintenance
next week i will bedoing my Tbelt and water pump and cam seals DIY
i never go to lexus to fix my car as i am a 3yr auto tec. the dealer is the worst place to go many wont even work on your car if it has serious mods. also the dealer tends to hav tec's with less exp do to the lack of variety of car's they see they never tend to learn to think out of the box. they also tend to hav a higher come back rate then the small shop's and the small shop will go the extra mil to make you happy. i know because i have work in both

2000 ES300
-Paid $10K w/99950 miles (currently @ 148,700 miles)
-We are 3rd owners
-Bought off eBay & picked up in Houston, TX on 06/04/05

05/06/09 --> 4 years later, and this car has been *GREAT!*

06/05 - (4) Kumho Solas 115 55/R16 & SEARS - $412
06/05 - 2 Key Blank w/Transponder & Remote off eBay - $85 cut locally $27
06/05 - Wide Angle Blind Spot Circle Stick on Mirrors - $2
08/05 - Old 38 tint off, new *legal* 34 tint on front windows - $65
09/05 - ® signal flashing faster then left - (fixed by hitting front end, LOL!)
06/06 - rearended someone and smooshed the front end, painted back bumper too - $750
09/06 - Front ® tire blew out, replaced @ SEARS - $112
04/07 - ® signal flashing faster then left - removed/put bulb back in & fixed
04/07 - TO/CEL's (2) P0171 - system too lean & (1) P0330 Knock Sensor Bank 2 circuit 125,700 miles
05/07 - changed tranny fluid, cleaned O2 sensor, A/F sensor & MAF, reset CEL codes & reread: (2) P0330 & (2) P1153
05/07 - bottle CHEM 12, 93 Octane, & Mystery Oil, changed air filter, fuel filter, spark plugs, PCV valve, codes reread, (1) P0330
05/07 - Checked KNOCK sensor harness/ECM for continuity, switched KNOCK sensors to test, reset CEL & reread (1) P0325
06/07 - Replaced both KNOCK sensors w/OEM Toyota #89615-12090 - $360 126,320 miles
10/07 - Duralast Battery - $60 130,720 miles
11/07 - Front/Back Brake Pads, Machine Front Rotars 131,070 miles
11/07 - P0125, (2) P1155, P1150 131,235 miles - (fixing by adding radiator fluid)
03/08 - both cabin filters - $30 134,100 miles
06/08 - (2) Perelli 215/55 R18 bought off eBay - $90
07/08 - tires mounted & balanced - $22 137,500 miles
11/08 - oil change, inspection sticker, wiper blades, coolant top off - $81 142,441
04/09 - bought personalized plate: SMILING
05/09 - serpentine & a/c belts replaced @ Toyota dealership - $179 147,642
06/09 - fuel injection cleaner, oil change, cabin filter @ Jiffy Lube - $57 148,718
06/09 - Yakima rack & canoe fittings - $405
06/09 - 2 blank keys (bought off eBay) - $27
09/09 - Duralast Battery (exchanged since still under warranty) - $29 152,133 miles
10/09 - Brake Light comes on intermittantly: not brake fluid level, not pads,

Some pix:
2000 ES300

[FONT=Times][SIZE=7][COLOR=blue]
Hello. I am new to the site.

1998 ES300 White two tone color.

2nd owner of this previously enjoyed car.

I got it for $13K on 5/27/04 with 58K miles at Earnie Palmers Toyota in Jacksonville, FL.
I had it for a little over a year.

No problems at all except the second day of possession, my garage door hinge sracthed the rear bumper. No biggie. I removed the rear bumper and took it to Bayside collision who did a fantastic job in color duplication within 24hrs. I mis-gauged the length of the car

On 4/12/2005, I had a complete tranny flushed from Eurospec and topped off with synthetic ATF logging in 66K miles.

Oil change every 4k miles with mobile 1 5/w30 synthetic.

No mods. completely stock. I really don't know what to put or modify. I have browsed the site for ideas, but nothing struck me that would be significant. I do most of my scheduled maintenance, oil change etc... Anything I can do in my garage. I do know my mechanical and technical limitations, so I leave the rest to the PROS..

I am 35 yrs old. I pay $750 a year for two cars insurance with USAA..Great company. Pics are in my album. Pictures of my two cars, 1998 ES300 and 2004 S4 Avant. check it out.

HELLO I'M NEW TO FORUM
I HAVE A 1994 ES300
PURCHASED PRICE USED WAS $11,000 IN 2000.
ONLY ONE PREVIOUS OWNER.

I DO MY OWN MAINTANACE
I HAVE REPLACED ALL THE MOTOR MOUNTS (ALLTHE RUBBER SEEMS TO HAVE ROTED)
I HAVE REPLACED BOTH FRONT LOWWER ASSEMBLIES, AS WELL AS BALL JOINTS

REPLACING THE BACK SPARKPLUGS WERE A PAIN I HAD TO REMOVE THE AIR PLENUM.

I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR ANY ONE WHO MIGHT KNOW.

HOW DO YOU LEAN THE 1MZ-FE ENGINE?
AND ARE THE VSV ADJUSTABLE?

1990 ES250 for $500.00,I'm the third owner(50 yrs old male). The reason I got this car so cheap is
'It will not go into reverse", but runs great in all forward gears.
It is loaded with all the extras of it's time(electric everything) and it all works,body is pretty darn clean for its age. I pay around $700.00 a year for this car and my full-size truck.
It is gray in color with same interior.
Anyone ever heard of this problem,i'm in the process of draining the fluid,shift linkage inside tranny appears to function appropriately. Are there any Idea's from you folks here? Any help would be appreciated, as I have always done my own work. Thanks in Advance

ES 300 YEAR 1997
CHAMPAGE
BOUGHT IN MARCH 2005
MILAGE AT THE TIME I BOUGHT : 105 k
PAID : $8200
INSURANCE : BASIC $ 500 PER YEAR
BOUGHT FROM A PRIVATE PARTY
EVERY THING WAS WORKING
AFTER BUYING I DID FOLLOWING PREVENTIVE MAINTAINANCE:
1- TIMING BELT $500
2- WHEEL ALINGMENT $ 50
3- NEW TIRES $ 300
4- FRINT ROTERS AND PADS $ 50 ( DID SELF )
5- WING WITH SPOILER : $250
6- DRIVER SIDE WINDOW RAILING : PART $ 150 ( SELF )
7- RADIATOR FLUSH : $ 7 ( SELF )
8- TRANSMISSION FLUSH : $ 70
ENGINE FLUSH : $ 4 ( DO EVERY OTHER OIL CHANGE BYMYSLEF )

TOTAL : CAR COST ME 9500 . SAME MILAGE CAR AT LEXUS AT THAT TIME WAS 13000 DOLLARS .

CONDITION :
ON SCALE OF 1 TO 10 , I POOR AND 10 SHOW ROOM QUALITY , MY CAR IS 8
PERFORMACE:
SMOOTH RIDE WITH GOOD ACCELARATION

OIL CHANGE:
REGULAR OIL CHANGE BYMYSELF EVERY 2000 MILES .
TRANSMISSION OIL :
JUST DRAIN AND FILL EVERY 5000 MILES ( BY MYSELF )

SATISFACTION :
I OWNED MAZDA 6i 2003 . I AM SATISFIED WITH MY LEXUS MORE THAN MAZDA 6 . SMOOTH AND QUITE RIDE AND VERY GOOD ACCELERATION .
ONE GUY TOLD ME IT LOOKS LIKE A NEW AND ALSO TOLD ME DON'T UNDER ASTIMATE THIS ES 300 , IT CAN GO ON TO 2 K WITH THE MY MAINTAINANCE SCHEDULE . I DO MOST OF THING MYSLEF AS IT GIVES ME SATISFACTION AS WELL AS SAVES MONEY .

1996 ES 300
Bought from private original owner
$11,500 CAD in October 2005, 72,500 Kilometres

Fixes from a friend that works at a Lexus dealer.
First month fixes:
- Valve cover gasket
- Top engine mount
- Oil pan gasket
- Oil Change
- Bosch platinum spark plugs & seals
- Above total of $550 CAD

- New BF Goodrich Traction T/A $510 CAD
- Front and rear wheel alignment $60 CAD
- Replacement master key (non-Lexus no remote, laser cut) $40 CAD

Future Fixes:
- Fog lights were missing when I bought the car
- Paint chips and possibly getting the hood repainted
- T-belt and CV boot @ 100K

The speedometer needle sometimes darkens at certain spot. A few of the backlit "green" lights on the radio buttons don't light up. Minor problems that I will not waste money to fix.

This is my first Lexus and it runs very smoothly with good acceleration. I am very happy with the car in terms of quality, comfort, and power. I use it for commuting to work. I find the parts and service is quite expensive at the dealer. You really need to shop around to get the best prices. I hope to keep this car for 8-10 years. I am now tempted to find an used LS400.

Hello everyone!!!
Thank you...for the guy that created this website!!!! U R one cool man

I own a:
95 Lexus ES300
Drk Blue 113k miles
Paid $5900
I am 2nd owner
I luv this car

I just got this car and the second day I went to start it......click (nothing) I wanted to kill the guy that sold it to me in that instant. So it's like 11pm when this happens
I relax go online and start to figure out what could it be. I somehow found this website so of course I sign in and start researching for answers. I start reading all these posts and found exactly what I was looking for and a whole friggin lot MORE.
Today---> I took the starter out went and bought one for $150 (from a great mechanic I just met) I figured that instead of just getting the contacts I could actually afford it. I also got an Optima battery for $144 man came back home put it all in and YEAH!! it feels good and the car started in a heartbeat. I really give credit to this website.

Keep it up....all of you guys rock!!!!!!

97 es300, sage pearl, 75k miles, 1 owner before me

Leaking coolant from EGR cooler, thermostat housing, and leaking engine oil from rear main and oil pan. All done + both valve gaskets just in case (mechanic said they were about to leak) run me close to $1400 in total . Labor is what killed me, duh! Also replaced the radio LCD (DIY, $100 for the parts, thanks LOC ), done spark plugs ($160) and 60k service ($250). Need to do some detailing and maybe painting - both bumpers are scratched, as well as and front left fender + few dents in the front bumper and that fender ($????).

Not to offend anyone around here, but why do some ppl use only caps? it's looks and reads ugly

I just bought a '95 ES300 with 107,000 miles, for $5,000. I'm the third owner, and never owned a Lexus before. Metalic cranberry w/ tan leather interior. CD changer, power moon roof, seat heaters (nice now that its #@*%'n cold in MN). Valve cover gaskets are leaky, and the antennae mast gears grind on start-up (I understand there's a cheap fix for this -- tell me about it, please). Otherwise, it seems solid -- great ride! Would welcome advice about some basic mods. Anything I need to address for the cold weather?

[quote=SKperformance,Dec 29 2003, 11:41 PM]

ES300,1993, 5 speed standard, most options.

Original Owner

~$35K, Naley Lexus, Marietta GA, nice dealer.
l

160K mostly commuting miles, garage kept at home and work, car looks amazing on interior.
paint is very good but needs a buffing.
Very low to date, mostly PM, one axel, several oil leaks, currently has an oil
leak my mechanic says is to expensive to fix.
I fixed the gages with a UV lamp and iridescent paint, looks ok.

Steve's Auto Service

No mods

49 male, insurance is low.

Hey everyone, I'm a new user to this forum. I'm also on clublexus. Anyways I have 2 Lexus vehicles. A 1992 SC 300 and a 1993 ES 300 Coach Edition.

And the Stats:

20, male.

Cars I owned: (first car to last) 93 ES 300 (still own this car), 88 Supra n/a w/hks mods, 89 Supra turbo, 91 Eagle Talon TSI, 91 Mercedes 190E 2.6, 92 SC 300 (Still own this car).

I'm the 3rd owner of both these cars. I bought the ES back in 2004, and the SC in 2005.

The SC 300.

I spent $6,000 buying the car.
It has 111K right now.
The mods and accesories: Gold License Frame (front and back) $100. Short ram intake - $40. FULL wood dash Kit - $200. Front Bra: $30. Gold Emblems - Priceless (it was already on the car) NGK iridium spark plugs - $26
Oil: Mobil 1 5w-30 Fully Synthetic
TRD oil Filter: $15
91 Octane gas used.
Insurance (6 months) : $1,500 (Liability only)

What I do with it? Take it to the max speed (about 152mph, then the rpm redlines like crazy) Drive it daily to school, work, show off to the integra-civic racers what a 2JZ is all about.

The ES 300.

It's a coach edition (rare for a 93+)
Again I got it for $6000.
It has 147K on the chasis. (I blew a head gasket)
I just dropped in a 30-50K JDM motor.
The Labor: $1,420
The motor (long block): $748
Mods: Gold License frame - $50. K&N air filter replacement - $60. New projectors - $400. Silverstar bulbs - $40. Blue Fogs (Equivalent to HID lighting) $40. TSW EVO chrome rims: Priceless (it came with the car, but I sold them for $250, and got some OEM wheels, the tires for the TSW's were wearing out too fast, and the rims were scratched up already) And again, the Gold Emblems. NGK iridium spark plugs - $26
Insurance (6 months): $820 (Liability only)

What I do with it? Park it in the garage from haters. (I can't believe that people hate on my ES when I had the TSW EVO rims, dang it's only an ES.. with better looking wheels than now)Took it to the max speed to 135-138 once (Yes I am crazy) Drive it to school, work (switch off with the SC300 when I'm Low on gas) My dad uses the car sometimes for trips to L.A.

Pictures: The ES picture is in poorer quality because it was taken with a philips key chain camera. The pictures were taken at different times.




No I'm not spoiled, I worked my @$$ off for these cars.

1996 lexus ES300 - White/Tan
125,000 miles
Bought used from dealer in PA at 119,000 miles for $6600 about 7 months ago.
Excellent condition, no cracks or tears in the leather, the only thing is that it was repainted (you can tell if you look for the marks), but no sign of any accident damage. The cupholder was broken but i fixed it!!


Repairs:
Flex joint fixed (on the y-pipe) - took out the broken piece and welded a new one in $150
Drivers door body molding was stolen overnight in front of my house(!!!!!!), but i found one on ebay for $20 shipped and paid $25 to some local shop to install it.

Other than that, its just been oil changes and a brake job.
Tires replaced with Falken Ziex512 - Superb handling and hydroplaning resistance, especially at $40 each!!
Tie Rods (both inner and outer) are shot, but it's too expensive to replace them just for the sake of an alignment.

No mods

Paying $2200 annualy for liability in NYC, 19 years old

P.S. Does anyone know how to fix the rattle in the sunroof?? I thought i saw a thread on it at one time but i cant seem to find it.

Hello everyone , I`m am new to this club , but i have been in this web site several times.
-- I own a 99 lexus es300 . I first bought it with 39k for 15,500.00 after wheeling n dealing you know.
that was 3 years ago . I just recently hit 100k last month . I always change my oil every 3000 miles .
first thing i did to it was flush the transmission . I had to take it to toyota dealer because they are the only one`s who have this machine to flush trans.. I payed about 100.00 for that service . about 77k i was having this noise under the hood . turns out to be the timing belt itself . which i disagreed . i though it was the timing belt tenstioner because of the noise. I payed about 400.00 for lexus to replace the timing chain & tensioners . I have replaced the brake pads f&r once . pads purchased @ lexus . this car comes in 2 tone . black & lwer. half is dark grey . I had the lwr. half painted black so the entire car is black. so with the car being all black and my windows tinted dark . I call it my night rider . looks sharp when its nice & washed you know I payed about 400.00 for that paint job & buff . also had the sunroof deflector painted black to match car color . I have also replaced the spark plugs only . old one`s didn`t look that bad . really didn`t feel a differenace with the new one`s but in my mind . i feel better that I replaced them anyway ( by the way , i did replace them myself ) . the job wasn`t that bad . took about 2 hrs. to do . and thats because i dragged & took my time to do it right . I haven`t really dressed it up to much . still has the stock rims ( grey ) . i`m looking for the same rims but in chrome - no luck . I have purchased chrome lexus plates .
I also added the wood dash kit . and just this past xmas . i recieved the XM radio kit for my car . still have not installed it yet . I recently had my service light come on due to an o2sensor . this appears to be a common failure on these vehicles . and my upper strut mounts are starting to make noise . and I need to take it in for another trans. service . CHEERS EVERYONE

'96 ES300
3rd owner
Purchased in '99 for $14k 75K miles
As of 4/06 191k miles
Transmission problems
Need Struts
As of 8/05 Stopped all services except for oil changes just waiting for the sucker to die so I can purchase the new '07 LS460.

I spent a fortune on this car!

Date of Service Type of Service Car Mileage Amount
3/9/2001 Gasket, Cyclinder Head 98,924 $489.76
3/9/2001 Reseal Transmission Pan 98,924 $156.21
3/9/2001 Reseal Oilpan Assy 98,924 $448.70
3/9/2001 Replace Rear Struts/Shocks 98,924 $788.09
3/9/2001 Replace Light Bulb 98,924 $7.65
11/5/2001 Oil Change 112,747 $42.37
11/5/2001 Antenna Broken 112,747 $157.52
11/5/2001 Detail 112,747 $99.00
11/27/2001 Leaking Oil Pan 113,704 $0.00
2/25/2002 Rear Mean Seal 117,117 $882.05
2/25/2002 Oil Change 117,117 $42.37
6/12/2002 Oil Change 122,594 $42.37
9/3/2002 ABS Speed Sensor 129,598 $90.73
9/3/2002 Oil Change 129,598 $42.37
10/8/2002 ABS Speed Sensor 131,389 $304.65
3/17/2003 Power Steering Pump 138,590 $841.02
3/17/2003 Fuel Injection Service 138,590 $203.87
3/17/2003 Oil Change 138,590 $43.17
7/7/2003 Oil Change 146,474 $52.87
7/7/2003 Head Light Bulb Replacement 146,474 $35.27
3/2/2004 Oil Change 157,742 $51.86
8/29/2005 Transmission Diagnois 182,000 $105.00
Total Lexus Service $4,926.90

3/3/2001 Replace Front Crankshaft Oil Seal 98,800 $82.81
3/3/2001 Timing Belt 98,800 $259.95
3/3/2001 Oil Change 98,800 $24.75
3/3/2001 Drive Belts 98,800 $35.76
3/3/2001 Shop Supplies 98,800 $45.46
Total Toyota Service $448.73

3/20/2001 Tires 99,290 $616.77
6/11/2002 Alignment 122,518 $69.74
11/2/2002 Tires 132,502 $693.37
1/5/2005 Tires 106,345 $463.06
Total Mr Tires $1,842.94

12/11/2004 Oil Change 171,067 $17.62
Total Merchant's $17.62

11/21/2000 Front Brakes 113,802 $112.36
11/21/2000 Rotors 113,802 $328.90
11/21/2000 Fuel Injection Service 113,802 $127.32
11/20/2000 Fall Maintenance (Oil Change, etc) 113,775 $42.12
10/25/2002 CV Boots, Brakes, Rotors 132,021 $407.35
Total Midas $1,018.05

Grand Total $8,254.24

I have 2.

A 1999 Black/black ES 300, car is my second black es300. This is perfect, little issue with headlight cover. Recently replaced the drivers side front corner lights and headlights... now my other one looks yellow and foggy in comparison. Any suggestions on if I can just replace the glass/plastic or remove it to clean?

Also, have a 1994 ES 300 black/beige with 286,000 miles. This one is on its last legs, bought it in 97 with only 20k miles for around $25k. It has been worth every penny and I am sad to see it dying, but its been an amazing car.