MCV20 Posted August 13, 2003 Posted August 13, 2003 this review is base on my 97 ES 1. the Front Driver and passager cup holder is design badly... - it always block my way to shift.. - cant reallly hold any size of drink...ur drink just float around :chairshot: 2. Foot barke/Emerg brake.. - not very convience :chairshot: 3. Silly looking Shift knob P R N D 1 2 - look so much like my GF Corolla... :( - instead of straight up/down boring " I "design...i perfer it look like " S " or " U "
ProZac Posted August 13, 2003 Posted August 13, 2003 My GOODNESS I HATE THE CUP HOLDER ON MY 97!!!! it only holds BIG !Removed! drinks, and that is only because it rests against the center consule... I like the straight shifter, not too important to me. The S shifters confuse me :P Thats it for now :)
chillaxin Posted August 13, 2003 Posted August 13, 2003 huh, no complaints here, the 03 has this mechanism that will hold smaller drinks, i have the S shifter which is cool, and i prefer having the foot emergency brake because you don't have this ugly looking bar in the middle of your console area haha
H8R Proof Posted August 13, 2003 Posted August 13, 2003 Mine is only a year newer but, I agree with Chill...I like the emergency brake where it is: hidden and out of the way :) The shifter isn't important to me I do wish there was better visibility thru the rear window... <_<
NeiLtYmE Posted August 13, 2003 Posted August 13, 2003 my dad's caddie has the hand brake .... well footbrake on the bottom corner too ! except it comes up automatically....
H8R Proof Posted August 13, 2003 Posted August 13, 2003 except it comes up automatically.... Impressive!! ;) :whistles:
ticman Posted August 13, 2003 Posted August 13, 2003 I can live with the cup holders as is. I am a little disappointed in the 03 with the "plastic" piece around the courtesy lights and Home Link buttons. It looks a tad on the cheap side. OTHERWISE I LOVE IT.
mitchel68 Posted August 13, 2003 Posted August 13, 2003 Footbrake not a problem but would prefer hand release rather than foot release. Wish the doors would lock themselves as I engage the transmission and unlock when I turn off engine. :magic: Wish the memory seating would also adjust mirrors. No other complaints on my '97. Kevin
SW03ES Posted August 13, 2003 Posted August 13, 2003 The doors can be set to unlock when the shifter is put into park on the 02s/03s, dont know about the 97. And the memory seating on the new ones does adjust the mirrors. I find this pretty interesting, every complaint I've seen about the earlier models almost has been fixed in the new ones... Thats focus group engineering.
chillaxin Posted August 13, 2003 Posted August 13, 2003 haha, hey, thatz very true, didn't realize that until you mentioned how they've all been changed, good for them :D
SW03ES Posted August 13, 2003 Posted August 13, 2003 So far my only complaints are as follows: -Lack of power tilt/telescoping steering wheel. The RX330 has this, the ES330 may too. -Lack of fold down mirrors when the car is put into reverse. This one totally boggles me, I dont get why they dont tilt down like all other Lexus models. -Parts bin gentex mirror. The RX, LS, GS, even the IS all have a nice color coded rearview mirror that is attatched to the roof not the glass, makes claning the glass much easier, and looks better. The ES and the GX (go figure) have parts bon gentex mirrors that come on Buicks. Other than that, the car and I are all smiles.
mitchel68 Posted August 13, 2003 Posted August 13, 2003 I hear that the '03s are stickered in the high 40s and the 97 was in the low to mid 30s. I guess you gotta get something for an extra $15 large. Kevin
piggyncsu Posted August 13, 2003 Posted August 13, 2003 i hate: cup holders, cigarette lighter, head unit, windows, gas/trunk buttons, the back seats (dont fold down..but i guess thats just leather for ya)...i guess ill stop there, i could make a list a mile long ;) but my car is not on the same level as all the other ES's, as noted by the issues.
SW03ES Posted August 13, 2003 Posted August 13, 2003 Oh no, they top out right at 40k. Mine has every option availiable on the east coast except chrome wheels and it stickered at $39,671. Does not have AVS suspension which is another $600 (not availiable here), power pedals at $200 (not avail. here) or the $1700 chrome wheels (very rare). The 97 topped around $38k. The GS300 tops out at the upper end of 40s.
Piranha Posted August 14, 2003 Posted August 14, 2003 i love my hand ebrake. great for skidding around corners in a race. i wish i had a Trac Controlon/off . and i HATE NOT HAVING A CD CHANGER
chillaxin Posted August 14, 2003 Posted August 14, 2003 on the west coast, fully loaded like mine is stickered at $40,311 which obviously is not the price i got it for, but that's what it's listed at hahaha oh, no chrome rims either... but i like my aluminum alloy rims, but i guess chrome would shine more, right? eh, just makes people want to steal my rims, i'll live without them :D
MCV20 Posted August 14, 2003 Author Posted August 14, 2003 i love my hand ebrake. great for skidding around corners in a race. i wish i had a Trac Controlon/off . and i HATE NOT HAVING A CD CHANGER u dont have a Trac control off bottom..?? wat year do u have? i think the TRAC/off buttom is located on the bottom of your steering wheel.... yea.. mine doesnt have a CD changer either.... only TAPE player... i m wondering do the 02+ ES came with a TAPE player..??
MCV20 Posted August 14, 2003 Author Posted August 14, 2003 is it me or not.. i always feel Hand brake is much safer than the Foot brake..when it CAME into emgenecy...since u can HOLD/ Release faster.... also i m totally agree with the mirror rear view mirror (EXT/INT)..should be part of the memory... and the rear sit dont fold down all the way too... just a little "ski-hole" btw the passanger... i have no idea why they design not to fold all the way down.. that is kind of silly design... :chairshot:
steviej Posted August 14, 2003 Posted August 14, 2003 02 ES, HATE the parking brake. I won't call it an emergency brake cause you can't use it in an emergency situation. It should have been a step on, hand pull release for off. LOVE the premium sound system. 6 CD changer right in the dash. Auto reverse tape deck with all the little convieniences. HATE that there are not audio controls (even just volume and scan) on the steering wheel. My 93 SSEi had 8 buttons on the steering wheel for all this. LOVE the entire interior styling and the looks I get for my mods and the comments from people that ride in it. HATE where the oil filter is placed. I am going to burn my wrist one of these times. LOVE the placement of the cabin ac filter and all the storage bins and the huge glove compartment. HATE the cost of parts LOVE the exterior styling, the rain sensing wipers and the brightness of the HIDs matched to PIAA highs. Not thrilled with the transmission. Very thrilled with my ability to overcome the tranny and elicit some exciting drivability out of this car. Overall, I think this is a very wise choose I made and am very pleased with the purchase. Respectfully submitted. steviej
squarehat Posted August 14, 2003 Posted August 14, 2003 1996 ES: Dislikes: Dated looking rear end with giant, blocky taillamps Leather on top of rear seat susceptible to sun damage, stretching the seams, despite meticulous conditioning Inability to use cupholders if ashtray is open to allow plugging in of phone charger Likes: Soundproofing, easy-to-use climate and audio controls, superb soundstaging from stock stereo, aggressive looking front end P.S.: SW03ES, take a look at the mirror on the new RX330. It's the same parts bin Gentex mirror in use on the ES & GX, a clever cost cutting measure made during the redesign. I'll still take it over a flip-style prismatic mirror though, although you'll get no argument that the roof mounted mirror in the color-keyed housing looks much more refined.
SW03ES Posted August 14, 2003 Posted August 14, 2003 Square- Is it really? Shame, its the total quality of the Lexus vehicle thats so appealing. That mirror dissapoints me still after months of ownership. Most people dont care though I suppose... As to the tape deck, yep the 02/03 has a tape deck, on the premum car like steviej's its right there underneath the CD changer, on the Nav/Levinson car Alan and I have, the nav screen module flips down electronically to reveal the tape player and a one slot CD changer underneath it. There's a 6 disc in the armrest.
Piranha Posted August 14, 2003 Posted August 14, 2003 plugging in of phone charger. just get the phone system
H8R Proof Posted August 14, 2003 Posted August 14, 2003 Previously I hated that I didn't have Lexus floor mats, but I recently got a great deal on a set - just waiting for them to be delivered I still hate that I don't have a CD changer, but that's on it's way too (finally - I've been going nutz listening to the radio and tapes from the 90's LOL) I hate that there are minor exterior scratches here and there that I don't know how to get rid of I hate that a week after I got this ES I let a friend drive it and he f'd up the bottom of my front grill - jerk! <_< I hate that my windows aren't tinted (maybe in a few months) I hate that the moon/sunroof is so damn slow to open + close I hate that I didn't hold out for the Coach Edition I hate that I don't have heated seats I hate that I don't have HID lights (soon) Also wish I had a little less mileage I hate that I don't have a Navigation System :( Sometimes I hate that my ES is not a GS... But that's ok...in time...in time... :magic: :) Despite all of the above I DO LOVE MY CAR with all the things it *does* have :D - it's still the best car I've ever had
lexdriver Posted August 14, 2003 Posted August 14, 2003 SW03ES: you can use the seat memory... for the folded down mirror... The ES has 2 seat memories..... (if you are the only driver) use the second one for reverse... I set the second one with side mirror down and seat swing a little back and a little higher.. ( better rear visibility) So anytime... I make a reverse ... or make a parallel parking... I just press the second seat memory.... after done... switch back the first one... to get back to normal driving position
SW03ES Posted August 14, 2003 Posted August 14, 2003 Yeah thats an idea... I just find it really interesting that the ES is the only Lexus that the mirror doesnt fold down.
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