First Model Es 300 - Why Do They Look Good?

[Venture]

I'm constantly amazed at how many first model ES 300s I see that are in almost showroom condition.

Has anybody seen one of these that's obviously going downhill? At a minimum of eight years old most cars would have some that show signs of neglect.

Or do they just last and last and last?

[SW03ES]

I see plenty of them that are getting rough around the edges. A Lexus will last a long long time, but its gotta be cared for...

[blake918]

My ES looked like hell when I first got it. The driver's seat had holes in it as well as the steering wheel. Very nasty looking! The paint was ok, but I(with Steve's help) made it near perfect. However, $1500 down the road I'd say that my ES is just about as mint as 10y/o can get B) .

I can't seem to make the pic any larger, but you can still make out the very large hole accompanied by many smaller ones!(look at my car...see link in signature, and you'll see the 'new' seats!) Yep, you have to take care of these cars just like any other car from a Kia to all the way up to a Ferrari ;) .

CHANGE YOUR OIL every 4k-5k miles, or our friend, engine gel, will get the last laugh .

[juan01]

Yup, you just have to take care of the car...

There is someone at my university who has the exact same one as me, but for some reason it looks mucho crappo. Paint is faded and dull... The antenna looks like someone chopped it off, and the tint is bubbled purple? wtf...

As long as you take care of your car, then it'll run and look B) for years and years and years.

[chillaxin]

@ blake: how the heck did the seat and steering wheel get holes in it?

@juan: that's what happens when you get cheap tint...

my friend's mom has an es 250 that still runs like a beauty. but it's pretty much the same as a camry, it just has the lexus sign on it. but then again, i guess the es has always looked similar to the camry...

[blake918]

Chill, I guess the lack of Lexol in conjunction with the brutal 100+ degree summers down here caused the steering to crack open over 9 years(I got the car last May). American Stitches had to rebuild the top part of the core too; that's how bad it was! I need to search on here, and find the photos for you!

Once I got to learn about the ES's...mainly on here, I've really seen how very little they share with the Camry other than the 1MZFE and a few little switches here and there. I find the designs to be pretty different(several of my friends have Camrys that I compare with). Just my $.02 :whistles: .

[blake918]

Here ya go Chill...old and new

Old, Cracked Steering

Reconditioned Steering Wheel

I think my seat pics were lost in the crash a while back, but I'll keep diggin.

[SW03ES]

Basically only about 20% of the ES is shared with the Camry.

[NeiLtYmE]

Yup, Ive definetely seen some ragged models too....

I must say however, the only ones i have seen though are those that belong to the professors here. Not to rag on them... but some can be sooo clumby.

I also know one who drives a vette... hes mad pimp

most of then though .. are in nice prestine condition and usually stay that way with normal maintanace and careful driving