This Is No Chevrolet Sedan

[n0qkl]

I just bought a 1999 ES300 with 100,000 miles for my son to drive to highschool. I bought the car without even test driving it based solely on it's reputation as a reliable car. However after owning it for several weeks I must admit I had no idea such a fine automobile existed. My main transportation has always been Chevy pickups. Now my 2005 Silverado sits in the garage and I LOOK for places to go in my new Lexus. By the way I just completed my first 500 mile road trip and at 70 mph on cruise it ran 30.5 mpg. Beats my Chevy at 15 anyday. Even in town it runs 20.0 mpg.

Also as a semi professional mechanic I ASSUMED I'd need to do SOMETHING to it to make it road ready, especially at 100,000 miles. Ok so I changed the timing belt, air filter and oil and replaced the tires. Now I'm puzzled. Everything seems to be working. Mirrors, windows, radio, etc. I've TRIED to find something wrong with the car and can't. All it seems to be needing is gas and ambition to drive it. Hmmm, this is a new concept. Whenever I take my Chevy in for warranty work there's a line at the service door of people waiting to get in. Last time I was at the Lexus dealer (to buy a new spare key) the place was empty. I asked the service advisor where were all the customers needing service, and he politely smiled at me. He knew that I knew the answer.

Now I'm in the process of aquiring a new Tacoma pickup and finding a different home for what will be my last Chevrolousy truck. I wish I had more knowledge and or insight to contribute to this forum but it seems this message, like most postings here, seldom deviates from what a wonderful car we have the privledge of owning.

PS: The 99 ES300 body is the sleekest form of any car on the road. Anyone else agree? And I used to think the Acura Legend was sweet.

[LexKid630]

Welcome to the club ;) I have to a gree with you Lexus' are one of the best cars ever made. Tight as a drum...

Good luck with the ES!!

[dcfish]

Welcome to the club ;)  I have to a gree with you Lexus' are one of the best cars ever made. Tight as a drum...

Good luck with the ES!!

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Congrats on the "NEW" ES300 and welcome to the club.

[ImranS]

Congrats

You're probably like me and will start taking the long way home ;)

[justin97]

neat, what year taco are you looking for i have a 98 taco 4x4 4cyc w/177 miles and not one prob except the droken u joint but i blame that on my trd lsd, and lexxie

[GS3is4me]

neat, what year taco are you looking for  i have a 98 taco 4x4 4cyc w/177 miles and not one prob except the droken u joint but i blame that on my trd lsd, and lexxie

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Yes, the 97-99 models are clearly the sleekest style.

[SKperformance]

Glad you like it.

Chevy still does make a good truck but a different league.

[Toysrme]

Ya man, you'll hate owning Toyota's if you like to wrench. Nippon Denso electronics seem to last forever, and everything else is overbuilt.

If you keep the fresh transmission fluid flowing & descent oil in the thing. Barring the out of the blue parts that fail, it'll probably do at least 300,000. 1/2 million if you're lucky.

You were wondeirng about parts changes? Toyota designed the Camry to run 200,000 miles with nothing more than following the routine maintenance. If you actually keep up with it, and flush the transmission fluid (instead of draining like they ask) it'll run 500,000 if you spot it a few out of the blue parts failures (nothing important).

The bottom end of the v6's are so overbuilt for their power output it's not funny. Theycan double stock horsepower (with ultra careful tuning), or probably run 500,000-1,000,000 miles stock if you keep fresh oil in them.

You're going to love Toyota v8's! ;) Varriable valve timing, 4 valve heads, varriable intake. Gives surprizingly good punch for "small" v8's. The powerband starts so low & goes on forever. The gas mileage is awsome too! 20mpg-23mpg is good for a full size truck. A good friend of mine got one & he get's 23... That's as good as my '93 ES when it was stock & it's what? Half the wind resistance, and a v6 with better gearing hah!

If you buy an '05, buy the clear plastic bra that get's bonded to your paint. Paint laws have changed this year, and every manuf. is putting out paint that chips easily. Ya... That's how Lexus/Toyota goes. The types of problems we complain about are "The paint chips easily this year".

Lexus & Toyota rock! It's easy to see why they're #2 and catching GM.

btw if you ever need servicing, Toyota dealers are "required" to service Lexi. (A few don't)

The difference is that Lexus dealers charge a bit more for labor & parts, but are going to be 100% spick & span & will give you brand new "loaner" cars off the lot. Normally the next more expencive model! Just incase you're ever stranded anywhere without a Lexus dealer.... Hahahahaha stranded my !Removed!. They don't even put a light in the engine bay. The serious parts just never seem to break, or wear out.