Considering Buying A 2007 Lexus 350 Es

[Joeyde]

I am considering buying a 2007 350 ES. However, I just logged into this forum and found that there has been transmission problems, wind noise problems, Motor noise, etc. Are these just exceptions, or are they common?

[Rx330driver]

if you peruse this forum and other lexus forums, you will notice there is an unusually large number of 2007 ES350s with problems. However, not all cars have them.

since the new ones come out in september ish, perhaps you can wait a while can buy an 2008 version so that most of those are fixed.

[SW03ES]

Another thing you have to remember is car forums are populated by people who either are extremely pleased with their car, or extremely displeased. You can't take what you read here as indicitive of the experience of the whole population that owns the car.

Do extensive test driving before you buy, which you should always do and I wouldn't be concerned.

[jaspal]

You may view Consumer Report on this car at www.consumerreports.com. They look, test and rate every aspect of cars. They have rated transmission and quiteness etc. for this car as "Excellent". This is shown as the top car in the Upscale category of vehicles.

Note that only a very few percentage of Lexus users patronize web forums, and mostly those who want to share their good or bad experiences.

[Rx330driver]

here is a pretty full list of things you should check that ive heard of:

1) transmission flare between 3rd and 4th

2) rear seat carpet sqeaking in the middle area

3) rear windshielf knocking/rattle

4) wind noise from the front drivers window

5) actually just rattles everywhere

6) diesel like sound from the engine

[SW03ES]

Most of those rattles are addressed in TSBs from Lexus too, so the dealer will know how to fix them. I had a couple rattles in my ES when it was new, Lexus had TSBs and they were fixed. Now we're near 90K miles ($1400 service, yikes!) and rattle free.

[Buford]

I can empathize with the original post in this thread. Whenever I visit this forum, I feel like I've fallen through a worm hole into a different reality. The new ES is the best selling Lexus model, and it is rated as a Best Buy in Consumer Guide. Yet, it seems to be regarded by many here like it's an unclaimed !Removed!.

My wife and I are still in an extended and unhurried shopping spree for her next car. We got around to driving a couple recently, and we liked the ES quite a bit. I guess we're just a couple pedestrian hillbillys for liking a front wheel drive car. :D

[thermo]

I'm new to the club.Going to pick up my ES350 Saturday,can't wait. I think I got a fairly good deal. I traded in my 96 Camry with 106,000 miles and in good shape. I payed 32,700.00 including tax,tags. MSRP was 38,202.00

[Doug Bates]

If you are looking to buy, I am looking to sell!

I am very disappointed with Lexus' removal of the Nav override. When we are traveling, in order to use the touch screen you either have to pull over to the side of the highway and stop on the side of the road or get off at an exit and find a place to park for even the passenger to use the screen- my wife hates that and I don't consider it safe at all. The same limitations are built into the phone system.

So my advice is "take MY car, please!"

[Buford]

Thanks, but we're looking to buy a new car.

I'm not sure why people buy cars with navigation systems anyway. I have a Garmin Streetpilot c530. You can pick one up for less than $350. It works like charm, can be moved from vehicle to vehicle (including rental cars on business trips), and has a safety over-ride. Lexus charges what.... three or four grand for that option? No thanks!

[amf1932]

It works like charm, can be moved from vehicle to vehicle

Including the thief that stole it from your vehicle. LOL :P

[SW03ES]

Lets not drag another thread down into nav system vs nav system land...

[Buford]

Lets not drag another thread down into nav system vs nav system land...

I didn't know that was a dead horse. I know one topic that has been flogged to a pulp, and that's the "I don't like the ES 350, because I think it's crap compared to my ES 300/330." But apparently there's no moratorium on that. <_<

[SW03ES]

When have I said one word comparing the ES350 to my ES within the last 6 months? In fact, I just told the OP of this thread to go buy one and don't take what people here are saying as being indicitive of how the population of people who own the car feels.

And for the record, all I've ever said is that I love everything about the ES350 over my ES300 except the interior and that I'm deeply dissapointed in the changes they made. NEVER have I said the ES350 is crap. People have different opinions than you, deal with it.

[Buford]

I didn't name any names.

What's the significance of six months? Is that the statute of limitation on jealousy? :whistles:

[SW03ES]

Jealousy?!? hahaha I can go buy an ES350 any time I want, why would I be jealous? I just don't like the interior of the car and I'm no longer interested in purchasing one because of that, whats wrong with that? You're the one that brought this up remember, not me. I told the guy to go buy the car and said that it was a great car. Even if I did bring up the interior, no problem with that since he was asking for opinions as to whether or not he should buy the car.

If you're here to chat about cars, feel free. If you're here to pick a fight with me or anybody else (and you quoted me in your post, so don't play the sad "I didn't mean you" card) I suggest you move on to a different forum. if you keep it up we'll make that suggestion a directive.

For the record I wasn't even referring to you in my original post about the nav system, we've been INUNDATED with people complaining about the nav lockouts across all the forums over the last month.

Now, back on topic.

[Buford]

When I use an emoticon with a comment, you should understand that there is a certain level of levity implied.

Get a sense of humor and lay off the coffee.

quick edit: And for what it's worth, I actually didn't mean you, buddy. I've seen loads of anti-350 jabber in this forum. I don't take the time to remember what side of the coin everyone is on.

[SW03ES]

Thats just as sad a response as pretending the original post wasn't about me. If you're going to try and cut somebody down, at least own up to it.

You should also learn what the emoticons mean, the one's you used aren't supposed to denote levity.

[Buford]

Thats just as sad a response as pretending the original post wasn't about me.

See quick edit above. As crushing as this may seem to you, I don't remember anything about you.... except that I think you were the guy who was a rear-wheel drive snob.

quick edit #2: I don't know what your life experiences have been, but I have a hard time not assigning levity to a little yellow head whistling.

[Rx330driver]

wait wait, steve, you dont want to buy the ES350 because you dont think the interior is nice looking? lol sounds like this problem my friends having with a Hyundai, dont remember the model though, ;)

lol. cant we all just one big happy family? :D

[SW03ES]

Why does everyone who disagrees with you about something have to be a snob Buford? I do prefer RWD cars, but seeing as I've had a FWD ES for years and also have a FWD Prius, I'd hardly consider myself a "RWD snob".

Look, I have no desire to argue with you or anybody, but regardless of what you say you did post here in an attempt to start one with me. If not with me, then to start something with somebody. Otherwise there would have been no reason to accuse me or anyone else sarcastically of calling the ES350 crap compared to my ES300, to call me jealous, or to call me a RWD snob. Remember you're one one who started this exchange, not me.

Lets just drop this. I'm as annoyed by all the anti-ES350 stuff on here and other Lexus boards as you are but there's nothing we can do about it. Almost all the anti-350 stuff comes from 350 owners, not 300 or 330 owners. Its the same thing on CL. Lexus clearly has some quality issues with this car, I just doubt they're as widespread as the posts here and on CL would indicate.

wait wait, steve, you dont want to buy the ES350 because you dont think the interior is nice looking? lol sounds like this problem my friends having with a Hyundai, dont remember the model though,

But Rx, I've sat in and driven the car to make that determination ;)

Its not that the interior isn't nice looking, its that they took several fairly large steps back in quality from the previous version of the car that I find off-putting. If I had never had an ES previously I probably wouldn't care, but I have and I've gotten used to those quality touches so I'm going to have to move to a higher line car to get them again.

[Buford]

regardless of what you say you did post here in an attempt to start one with me. If not with me, then to start something with somebody.

uuuuh.... no.

Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.... aaahhh much better (this is an inside joke, SW03ES... not an attempt to "start one") :P

[Rx330driver]

But Rx, I've sat in and driven the car to make that determination

just teasing ya

[SW03ES]

But Rx, I've sat in and driven the car to make that determination

just teasing ya

As I was just teasing you ;)

[ArchieES350]

I am considering buying a 2007 350 ES. However, I just logged into this forum and found that there has been transmission problems, wind noise problems, Motor noise, etc. Are these just exceptions, or are they common?

Joeyde,

I just bought my ES350 a month ago, and found this forum afterwards. Started reading all the concerns and opinions. Kinda of scared me for a second but then I thought as other have said, not everyone goes on the forums (probably a very small percentage of the total number of Lexus customers.)

I had check Consumer Reports on the ES's track record and Lexus overall has a fine reputation.

As they said, there are thousands of ES owners who don't log on the forums. I'm guessing some do because they have a complaint, others (like myself) to learn more about our cars and how to take care of them. So it is more likely to get someone who has a problem to log on than those who are satisfied. If you buy from Amazon, do you always log in and provide a user review on all products you bought? I don't. But if you were the unfortunate one to get the one unit with a problem (out of how many thousands with no problem) you'd be more likely to provide feedback. Also if you were extremely pleased or pleasantly surprised with a product and/or its performance then you might want to provide feedback but most satisfied customers don't provide any reviews.

I love my new ES350. Its a definite step up from a fully loaded Accord or a Camry. I looked at the current Camary. Avalon, Accord and Acura when shopping). Yes some who had the ES300 may have seen some changes that to them were on the negative side but hey when your 'moving up' as I am (and comparing my past cars with the ES), its all great.

I do agree that it would be nice if the GPS would work while your driving so that the front passenger (when there is one) could access it. But hey, I guess I'll have to live with it KNOWING that it helps protect me from many of the incompetent drivers on the road who can bearly drive much less try to talk on the phone (even with a handfree connection) while driving.

If you like the ES, I say go for it. You have a higher percentage of getting an ES with no problems than some cars from some other vendors.