AZ08LexusES

Oh, I thought maybe you were up around the TPC Golf Course, there is a nice place to stay, the Resort Suites of Scottsdale. No golf course, but close to many and a bunch of pools with service. Keep those drinks coming!

From my understanding: 1- All ES350's, '07-'08 came from the factory with Gen 5 DVD's. Depending on the date of manufacture, you got either a 5.1 or 6.1 DVD disc. 2- A hybrid disc was offered to correct problems for owners that had problems under a Lexus TSB that was issued to dealers ONLY. They were never issued as replacements to upgrade the mapping. 3- The newest map DVD's for all ES350's is a, Gen5, 7.1, U32. 4- 7.1 mapping(newest) DVD's are supplied for different generation navigation systems......so make sure you get the proper disc for your model car. Example: A Gen5 disc will only work in a Gen5 system, and a Gen4 will only work in a Gen4 system.......and so on....and on. Here is an illustration from an '07 ES350 Owners Manual that show's the procedure for removing/installing the DVD. Just as an FYI, my 08 ES350 came with the 7.1 disc. The 08 are coming with the latest map DVD. You do not have to hit OK every time you start the car, but you are locked out when the car is moving and there is no override to this without tampering with the hardware or getting a DVD that is a hybrid. The "hybrid" I assume is a DVD that uses current maps of one version but programs of another, correct?

From my understanding: 1- All ES350's, '07-'08 came from the factory with Gen 5 DVD's. Depending on the date of manufacture, you got either a 5.1 or 6.1 DVD disc. 2- A hybrid disc was offered to correct problems for owners that had problems under a Lexus TSB that was issued to dealers ONLY. They were never issued as replacements to upgrade the mapping. 3- The newest map DVD's for all ES350's is a, Gen5, 7.1, U32. 4- 7.1 mapping(newest) DVD's are supplied for different generation navigation systems......so make sure you get the proper disc for your model car. Example: A Gen5 disc will only work in a Gen5 system, and a Gen4 will only work in a Gen4 system.......and so on....and on. Here is an illustration from an '07 ES350 Owners Manual that show's the procedure for removing/installing the DVD. Just as an FYI, my 08 ES350 came with the 7.1 disc. The 08 are coming with the latest map DVD. You do not have to hit OK every time you start the car, but you are locked out when the car is moving and there is no override to this without tampering with the hardware or getting a DVD that is a hybrid. The "hybrid" I assume is a DVD that uses current maps of one version but programs of another, correct?

What's the explanation for the base price being that much higher?

The hand grips make for better hooks!

Not from the dealership. Probably from ebay. So, what does he mean when he says, "from the dealer?" What kind of "dealer" are we talking about? A person that makes counterfeit unlicensed versions of the nav software? Or a legitimate licensed version from the nav manufacturer through a certified reseller?

Sounds awesome!!! I bet I know where you are in Scottsdale... I would probably be in the same place had my son's soccer tournament in Phoenix had happened, with my Lexus though! The team decided not to go, but had a great Easter weekend at home. Where are your rounds on Tuesday and Wednesday being played? Got your camera? some pictures of the parade would be nice...

Way to go, Nelsjay! Now you should look at the write up on how to take care of your new baby. There's good stuff on how to maintain the interior (leather, etc) and how to treat the paint, etc. And, it was all written by our very own LOC administrator, SW03ES!!!

Sweet ride JGT. Was your TWDS in place when you took this picture? We should all post ours with this option installed! I'll put mine up as soon as I get a picture...

Non-OEM software that upgrades and allows override (safety features) and use of the navigation system while in motion as well as bluetooth functions and viewing DVD's on the nav screen. I have not installed it yet. I have not checked the current nav version as it came installed in my 350 from the dealer. It was the latest at the time of purchase so I suspect it was the last update before 7.1 Wait, backup, you have a 7.1 disc that has overrides to the lock-outs? And the dealership sold you this? Is this new or did I miss something?

5K in 6 months? Man, that's awesome! I just broke the 9K mark and I'm on the 7th month... I have to stop driving so much! I just got my windows tinted, it's starting to get hot in Arizona, 80s today and quite comfortable! The car looks great!

So now you're attacking labor unions! Here's an illuminating point, the Camry and the Accord is assembled in the good Ol' US of A by, you guessed it, UAW! The measuring stick of quality that all other manufacturers were trying to attain, put together here. And, more than 50% of the parts are US made. Now, not all of the Camrys and Accords are assembled in the US, My 00 Honda Accord Coupe was made in Japan, but my 99 Accord Sedan was. The way to tell is when you look at the VIN number, if it starts with a 1 it was US built and if it starts with a 'J', well you know. Anyway, who are you trying not to offend? I am on this forum because I drive a Lexus, not GM... I like my brakes, I hope they last what they are supposed to. Or else Lexus will have to forfeit a bit of their profits in replacing them under warranty. AZ08 - This is a forum and as many people have stated, "It is MY opinion". You may choose to read it or not to read it. You may choose to reply or choose not to. You may agree with me or not. My father works for John Deere and is a proud member of the union! I intimately understand the faults of our labor unions here in America! I am not trying to offend anyone, just stating MY opinion. My brakes are currently functioning properly. But, I have had other issues that again, based on Lexus' past performance is a complete let down for me - MY opinion. Thanks for the VIN info; however, I was already aware of the distinction. Baddboi, when I asked who were you trying not to offend, it was because you were talking about my previous employment with GM and you threw in the 'no offense' statement in there. My way of saying no offense taken because I don't drive a GM. At any rate, it is well documented that the downfall of the big three, especially GM, was that they got so big and diversified, that leadership took their eye off of their main business, which was making cars. They made everything from bullets to satellites. While not paying attention to the auto, they let things slip, and hungry companies like Toyota, Nissan, and Honda surpassed in quality and took a great chunk of market share. Yes, there were issues with labor unions and when a quick turn around was necessary, negotiations were very difficult. Although GM had improved in the quality of their car lines and got rid of Hughes and other companies that had nothing to do do with the auto industry, there was already a stigma in the market that the Japanese cars were just better. A stigma that still exists, and perhaps because it still may be true but the gap should be closer. So, in part, I do agree with you, labor unions had their hand in the issues, but the leadership had a lot to do with it as well. Also, had I had the experience that you have had so far, I would probably not be happy Lexus either. And since that was your first impression, it will be very hard for Lexus to overcome that. Hopefully they will do things right for you and honor their warranties and commitments to quality.

So now you're attacking labor unions! Here's an illuminating point, the Camry and the Accord is assembled in the good Ol' US of A by, you guessed it, UAW! The measuring stick of quality that all other manufacturers were trying to attain, put together here. And, more than 50% of the parts are US made. Now, not all of the Camrys and Accords are assembled in the US, My 00 Honda Accord Coupe was made in Japan, but my 99 Accord Sedan was. The way to tell is when you look at the VIN number, if it starts with a 1 it was US built and if it starts with a 'J', well you know. Anyway, who are you trying not to offend? I am on this forum because I drive a Lexus, not GM... I like my brakes, I hope they last what they are supposed to. Or else Lexus will have to forfeit a bit of their profits in replacing them under warranty.

So, are you implying that the Toyota will be of better quality than the Lexus? Do you think that they actually downgraded the radio/cd player from the previous model to this model? And it is worse than what they put in a Toyota? Can you confirm that? And the OEM tires, are they a Toyota product (what does OEM mean)? Yes, there have been transmission issues and yes, it could be attributed to the new model year. Two things can be attributed to the product redesign with your vehicle, the parking assist is one. I don't think that was available in the ES330 (can anyone confirm that?). And the transmission problems, the engine was upgraded from the 3.3 to a 3.5, and along with that came a new 6 speed transmission. And Ira's brake wear issue may be attributed to the same thing, but this is something that can be corrected with replacement. I worked at GM, I have talked to engineers that worked on plant floors and to employees at all levels. I know GM is not Toyota, but it is a very real phenomenon that when a new line comes out, issues abound. But, not all cars display the issues. At some point things get corrected, but the best time to buy a new line is after the first year. Toyota is not imune to this, it is impossible to completely test a vehicle the same way general consumers would use them. AZ08LexusES, As a consumer, I trusted Lexus' past reliability based on their past laurels (mistake on my part). As evidenced by many of the posts on this site, the ES 350 is not being viewed as a success story, quite the contrary! I am hoping that my CD player is an isolated incident; however, I have NEVER had any issues with prior Toyota or Honda stock CD/Stereo head units not working. I would hope that Toyota would NOT downgrade their equipment for their luxury line (Lexus). Again, my 1st impression as a new Lexus owner has been poor. I am not sure I would purchase another Lexus at this time, due to the issues I have had in my ES 350. That is my opinion, which was formed by my purchase of an 07 ES 350! The overall quality of the vehicle is simply not what people have come to expect from the Lexus line. As for the tires, I have never owned a Toyota or Honda product in which the OEM tires were worn out at 20K miles! This was a very poor choice by Lexus. Yes, they corrected the transmission issue, but you can NOT tell me that something this major got past the "testing" conducted by Lexus. The brake issue is also not what Ira expected from Lexus. With the advent of the internet, you can very easily look up OEM and its meaning, but if not, here is a link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Original_equipment_manufacturer As for your past employemnt at GM, no offense, but there is a reason why Toyota will take over as the leader of total vehicles sold worldwide! The big three in America have become a casualty of the American Labor Unions and the lack of producing a quality vehicle :( Badboi, I too trusted Lexus' past laurels. BTW, my wife's 99 Honda Accord had an issue with the stock CD Player as well. I did not trash the brand for that. The tires my 00 Honda Accord were the same as the ones I got on the ES. Honda made the same decision as Lexus, and back in 2000! They were not bad, lasted longer than 20K. And, I can guarantee you that the transmission issue got past the testing. It costs more to fix something after you have manufactured it than before. It affects the profitability. If all the pre-manufacturing vehicles made displayed this issue, they would have corrected it then. But, I know you know that. And, BTW, my question about OEM was rhetorical. I was talking about tires, I know Toyota did not make them... Oh, thanks for the tip on the internet, maybe I'll start using it from now on. And P.S. for future reference, Wikipedia is not always the most reliable source for information. People mess with it all the time.

Ira, have you ever driven a prototype? I have... Prototypes are not manufactured in an assembly line and the parts used are normally either specially made for that prototype or borrowed from other models and/or prototypes. Wires are visibly seen in the unfinished interiors. They will not have stereos. I imagine the parking assist may have stopped working, but if you jiggle that wire again, bingo! By the time employees get to drive them and give their comments, a fleet of them had been built. These were extremely close to what the final product is going to be and you can bet, the manufacturing and assembly kinks have not been worked out. Herein lies the problem, manufacturing and assembly has not started yet. You cannot anticipate issues that may happen once that starts. And, if one of your parts vendors, you know OEM, had an undetected issue, your car will have that undetected issue. Happens all the time with all makes and models. And, with new models, the cost per unit may have gone up, so to increase profits, or even keep them the same, price per unit may go up also. I have said this before, I am really sorry that your car did not meet your expectations. But don't tell me that because I own one that mine is crappy too!

So, are you implying that the Toyota will be of better quality than the Lexus? Do you think that they actually downgraded the radio/cd player from the previous model to this model? And it is worse than what they put in a Toyota? Can you confirm that? And the OEM tires, are they a Toyota product (what does OEM mean)? Yes, there have been transmission issues and yes, it could be attributed to the new model year. Two things can be attributed to the product redesign with your vehicle, the parking assist is one. I don't think that was available in the ES330 (can anyone confirm that?). And the transmission problems, the engine was upgraded from the 3.3 to a 3.5, and along with that came a new 6 speed transmission. And Ira's brake wear issue may be attributed to the same thing, but this is something that can be corrected with replacement. I worked at GM, I have talked to engineers that worked on plant floors and to employees at all levels. I know GM is not Toyota, but it is a very real phenomenon that when a new line comes out, issues abound. But, not all cars display the issues. At some point things get corrected, but the best time to buy a new line is after the first year. Toyota is not imune to this, it is impossible to completely test a vehicle the same way general consumers would use them.

I used to work for GM in Detroit, they always say, never buy a car in the first year of the re-design. It is almost impossible to get all the kinks out of the manufacturing process. Throughout the year enough discoveries are made to improve everything, but the retooling doesn't happen until the model year change over. I almost bought the 07, got lucky and came out with the first 08 sold by the local dealer (what a story there!). I hope all the bad kinks got worked out...

Congrats and welcome to the LOC!!! Hey there's people out West that play golf!!! Although, if there's an excuse to go East for the First Annual, I'm sure I can convince my wife and we'll all go!

Some posters state their opinion and then say it's a fact, and that's a fact! We are all stating opinions, no one is attacking anyone. But sometimes I wish there would be an attack or two, some people just get prickly when other people don't agree with their opinions. Here are some opinions, I don't think that Lexuses suck. I don't think they use crappy materials. And I don't think that they are of poor quality. For the record, these are just my opinions, not facts. If someone can disprove my opinions with empirical fact, then I will be forced to change my opinion. But anecdotal evidence does not a fact make!

Here's what I don't get... Would Toyota put lesser quality brakes on a Lexus than on the Toyota, say ES vs Camry? No, the reverse maybe. Would tires perform poorer on a Lexus than on another vehicle? Probably not. And finally, for brakes to only last 10K, they have to be pretty bad, even worse than the cheapo after market ones (that squeal the minute you put them on) that you can buy at an autopart store. And this I find hard to believe. So, there has to be another answer for some people's misfortunes with these components. Sure, overly aggressive driving is one reason, but what else can affect these in this manner? My car was just serviced, tire rotation, oil change and the like, 8K miles and no red flags about the brake or tire wear. I drive pretty aggressively through very curvy and hilly roads, but I don't think I am experiencing low quality parts. Here's another question, does low quality mean that components do not last as long? Sometimes you sacrifice longevity for higher peroformance and quality. One example of this is in tires. You can get the nicest, stickiest tire in the market and they definitely will not last as long as the cheapest store brand tire.

The way my phone works, if I answer the phone directly, it will not go through BT. If I answer using the controls on the steering wheel or on the screen, it will go through BT. But, it does not matter how I place a call, it will go through Bluetooth unless I turn BT off on my phone (which is a pain to turn back on and reconnect so I don't do it) or car. So, in your experience, the transfer call works well? Just need to stop?

Had I not had a child, and planning for more, I would have probably gone with the IS. Having children also eliminated a lot of other cars off the list, the 300 series, the c-class, the Infiniti G just do not seem like vehicles you can have families with. Plus, I love my ES350! Out here in AZ I do not see as many as in Boca (used to live there), people seem to like SUVs and P/Us more than anything. I am 43, bringing the average down... As GrantS says, "I am still young!"

The total job was initially quoted at about $870 for the replacement of the cover and painting. Just be really picky about who you take it to and don't let price steer you. Go for a certified body shop and don't leave your car until you understand exactly what they will be doing to it. It was hard to leave it, I got separation anxiety. Then, the rental I got was a PT Cruiser, that was a strange transition, felt very cramped and even the smooth roads felt bumpy! But there is a charm about it, just not me.

I bought my Lexus350 in November and immediately noticed a problem with hesitation upon trying to rapidly accelerate from a slow speed such as when entering an interstate lane. There is a 1-2 sec delay before acceleration. Have approached the dealership on several occations.. the latest being the 5000 mile service. I am being told that this is because of Toyota using a computer instead of the old "cable" system and I need to learn to live with it. I find this a serious safety issue. Otherwise, I love my Lexus. Has anyone found a way to fix this hesitation? I read a whole bunch of stuff about the transmission programming itself to your driving style, and to change that you would have to disconnect the battery and have it reprogram itself. But, I have also read posts here about the transmission always reprogramming itself every 2 minutes or so. This is because you may be driving around your neighborhood slowly and carefully. But when you get to the highway, you need it to accelerate more quickly. When you first get to the highway, the transmission is still in slow mode. Once you have been through that first rapid acceleration the tranny learns the new behavior, it should not do it again while you are on the highway, I guess. Can anyone attest to this?

Well, I got the bumper cover replaced. The paint was matched exactly but there seemed to be some scratches on the top and the bumper seemed to have a little more separation than it should from the other panel on one side by the wheel well. I had them fix that and they buffed out the little area in the paint that didn't look right and it looks perfect now! It looks like new again!