Lexus ES 350 - PLEASE talk me out of this!

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by mhawkin1, Dec 9, 2007.

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  1. SW03ES

    SW03ES Senior Member

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    As someone who owns both. The Lexus is heads and shoulders a better car. Its more comfortable, its built FAR better, and the dealership experience is light years better. Its also a lot more expensive.

    It all depends on your goals. You only go around once in life and if you want to experience driving a luxury car the Lexus is a great choice. The ES350 is a ton of car for the money, its very affordable, it gets excellent mileage (30 MPG+ hwy regular gas), its very reliable, and it has excellent resale.

    My ES has 100k miles on it and its every bit as great a car as it was when it was new. I'd love to get a new one but the car gives me absolutely no reason to do so. The Prius on the other hand has 32k and it rattles all over the place. The LS is a great car too obviously and my original experience with Lexus was in the LS. You get a LOT of the driving experience in the ES for $30k less though. Everytime I drive an LS I get all "I MUST have one of these" and then when I get back into the ES that urge subsides. Anybody who thinks its just like the Avalon or Camry hasn't compared the 3. The ES is much smoother, quieter, better built, better finished, has a better warranty, much more prestige, better resale. Well worth the premium over a Camry. The Avalon is a bigger more Buick like car, appeals to a different crowd.

    Gas mileage is great, but its not everything.
     
    #41 SW03ES, Dec 15, 2007
  2. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    You need the ES350 UL then that might satisfy the LS cravings (sorta).
     
    #42 Tideland Prius, Dec 15, 2007
  3. SW03ES

    SW03ES Senior Member

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    Naa, the difference is the size and the extra buttery and silent ride. The UL doesn't do much to add to that.

    I'd only buy a UL ES350, but I always buy the top of the line lol.
     
    #43 SW03ES, Dec 15, 2007
  4. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    True true and at LEAST $30k or another ES :p.


    Yeah.. the UL was supposed to be for current ES owners moving up at least that's what they told us in Canada :rolleyes:.

    C'mon... panoramic moonroof, semi-aniline leather, Gen 5 nav/ML...

    <sigh> we're deciding btwn a Camry Hybrid and an ES350. We were supposed to get an ES the next time we changed cars (unfortunately, our Camry was totalled back in May) but that was before we got the Prius and before the Camry Hybrid came out. Now the TCH is very very tempting (mostly cause it's a lot cheaper to buy, maintain and refuel). IOW, it's the sensible purchase (if you can call car-buying sensible).

    But the ES is exactly what you said in the previous post. It's smooth and luxurious (ok.. you said comfortable but I've expanded that :p).

    PLUS now with the dollar near parity and Lexus Canada's incentives, we can buy a base ES350 (~ the ES PP in the US I think... ) for LESS than a Camry XLE V6 :eek:. We won't be getting the base model, but the next package up. (~ES350 PPP I believe in the US).

    choices, choices.
     
    #44 Tideland Prius, Dec 15, 2007
  5. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

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    The title of the thread is "ES350 - PLEASE talk me out of this!

    Just don't DO IT!!
     
    #45 patsparks, Dec 15, 2007
  6. SW03ES

    SW03ES Senior Member

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    The Camry Hybrid is nice too, I have a coworker who has one but its still not as nice as the ES. I wish they made an ESh, I would buy that.

    Basically in the US the ES ships three ways:

    1. The preferred package without nav

    2. The preferred package with nav

    3. UL without PCS or radar cruise

    Anything but those is a special order.
     
    #46 SW03ES, Dec 15, 2007
  7. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Yeah an ESh would pretty much solve our dilemma - it's a hybrid and it's a Lexus and it's more affordable than the RXh or GSh.


    Oh ok. Here we have Premium pack with additional options, premium plus pack with additional options, UL with additional options. And there are 10 different variations in total.
     
    #47 Tideland Prius, Dec 15, 2007
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