1998 Lexus ES300 ES review from North America
"Does it all well and... reliably"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Amazingly (at 145,000 miles), nothing! This car is astonishingly reliable.
General comments?
I've been so jaded by this car's reliability and general aptitude for doing everything well that considering anything else as a replacement seems unreasonable.
If I were to find fault with anything (in the spirit of an equitable assessment) it would be the high maintenance costs. Doubling any figure you are used to isn't a bad estimate, but even this is a bit optimistic. Since you can't get parts through a Toyota dealer and there are no Lexus dealers where I live, there is the added burden of having to drive to a dealership if you want in-house service. Other than that, my other comment (not a complaint) is that this car is really not performance oriented (as, say a BMW 3 series might be). And it has no such pretensions. I think a lot of people suffer from the illusion that the ES300 is sport sedan and, well, it is not. Having said that, I think it does a fine job of fulfilling many niches admirably.
Recommended Reviews:
  | The pursuit of Excellence |
| I am disgusted by Lexus reliability |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 2003 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2007 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.0 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 9/10 |
| Reliability marks | 10/10 |
| Comfort marks | 9/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 9/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 10/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 80000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 145000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 15th September, 2007 |