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Lexus ES300 problems - READ ONLY

88 messages,  Last post on Jul 19, 2003 at 11:58 AM

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What is this discussion about? Lexus ES 300, Car Safety, Engine, Transmission, Sedan

Messages Page 5 of 9

#39 of 88 bobw15 - Service not free? by atoews

Jan 10, 2003 (10:44 pm)

Why are you paying for the 5000 mile service? This service is free for buyers of the car. Is that not true for leases?

#40 of 88 sddlw question by r1_97

Jan 12, 2003 (3:25 pm)

I also live in San Diego (north county). Who is your independent Lexus/Toyota mechanic? Like you, I also have a Benz E320. Do you also have an independent MB mechanic to recommend?
 
Would very much appreciate your response.
 
Steve in Encinitas

#41 of 88 Hey Steve by sddlw

Jan 13, 2003 (8:04 am)

We're neighbors! I live near La Costa Canyon High School. But I work in the Miramar area.
 
MB first. I have used Ziggy's for the last 8 years for 3 benz that we have owned. I can't say enough good things about Ziggy and his crew. They've been together for years and I have found them to be very professional at prices about 50-70% of dealer. (Ziggy Von Rathmann 858-450-1501)
 
Lexus: I just stopped going to the dealer about 6 months ago so I only have a short history with TLC in Clairmont. But the day I stopped in for the first time, Jim, the owner drove me back to the office in my car so he could get to know the both of us. He was charging $275 for a 30k service. Lexus Carlsbad wanted $500. I'm stopping back by this morning for a 35K service. The service manager's name is Fred Webb (858-541-0852).

#42 of 88 cooool by lcowherd

Jan 13, 2003 (8:13 am)

#43 of 88 First 5000 miles by bobw15

Jan 13, 2003 (8:58 am)

To atoews. You are right, the first oil change is free, but at 10,000, they charged me $209.00, and at 15,000, they indicated it would be around $379.00. They rotate the tires, check fluid levels, dust out my brakes (didn't know they needed dusting), and various other tasks which probably takes them about ten minutes. If I don't have them do it, I don't know how it affects my lease.

#44 of 88 sddlw you're right by r1_97

Jan 13, 2003 (11:24 am)

We are neighbors. We live in Olivenhain (Encinitas). My step-son is graduating from LCC in June. I plan on trading my '98 E320 when we return from vacation in Feb. My wife is interested in new RX330 or ES330 whenever it comes out. My preference is for another E320 so I'll be interested in independent mechanics for both brands. I'd like to ask you more about you evaluation of TLC's 35k service.
 
Maybe this discussion is too narrow for the group and we should continue in private email. My address is s3r6adelp***.net (***=hia).
 
Thanks, for your advise.
 
Steve

#45 of 88 by sddlw

Jan 14, 2003 (7:54 am)

Steve, let me know if my e-mail reached you.
 
I just returned from TLC. They charged $95 for the 35K service (a minor service). That included LOF, overall inspection, fluids, etc and rotating and balancing the tires. They did it in less than an hour. But I had arrived early and waited for the tech to get in.

#46 of 88 Interior Exhaust odors by madison0021

Jan 15, 2003 (1:28 pm)

I see that message #25 here reports the same problem I'm having with a 97 ES-300, namely exhaust smell through the ventilation system. We had the Lexus dealer proffer a fix by changing the air cond. filter for $90. but the smell is still there. Any ideas ? The pipes in the exhaust system seems fine.

#47 of 88 Pesky annoying Hop and Shudder by msstrikehr1

Jan 26, 2003 (12:12 am)

Recently bought a '96 Coach Edition Cream Puff (40,000 miles on it) that my mechanically inclined dad picked out from his friends at Lexus dealer in New Orleans. All seemed fine with car when hubby and I first drove it around for 2 days. Then I got injured and couldn't drive. Hubby drove car back to Chicago. When I got behind wheel, car wasn't right -- overally responsive to road, made popping noise during slow turns and had a shutter and hop. Before we could get it to dealer b/c of holidays, we got a flat tire too - 2 nails in it. Got flat repaired at gas station.
 
Took car to dealer for other problems. Tires were WAY overinflated (thanks hubby) and rear sway bar bushings were dirty. So, afterwards, the car was not so too overly responsive to road and less noise on turns. But it still seems to drift to left when in left lane of Xpressway and have to hold steering wheel in slight, slight correction so as not to drift off side of the road. Still makes bit on noise when turning and backing out of garage but not on forward turns.
 
But, the thing that really annoys me is that pesky hop and shudder remained -- almost like I was riding a horse, but not quite as severe. So I took it back to dealer. They let me drive around with the tech who worked on my car and he said while he knows what I'm talking about from other cars he just doesn't feel it in my car and tried to blame it on the roads. I told him that, yes, I was really sensative but that I had driven it on the expressway and city roads and smoother suburban roads and it was there all of the time. It seems to be worst when accelerating from 25 to 45. And I told him about the repaired tire. So, they tried to fix it by balancing the wheels, which they said were off by 10%, and gave it to me to drive around and see.
 
So, after the wheels were balanced, I drove around and the pesky hop and shudder were still there. So my dad suggested that, since we have a brand new spare in the trunk, we put that on to replace the repaired tire and see if that did the trick. It didn't.
 
So, does anybody have any suggestions? I know it seems like a minor complaint, but we have had the car less than two months and I saved up for years for it and got to drive it when it was pristine for 2 DAYS!!
 
I'd just like it fixed, and it seems to me that it's going to be hard for this dealer to fix it if they can't even feel the problem, which both me and my husband feel. I'm willing to pay to have it fixed (and have an extended warranty). But I don't want to pay for all of their guesses only to have them discover the real problem 3 or 4 educated guesses down the line. To their credit, so far, I've only paid the $50 initial inspection fee. (Of course, they still haven't diagnosed the problem nor can they acknowlege it's existance.)
 
Does anyone have any mechanics they particularly like in the Chicago area? Any particular tech at any Lexus or Toyota dealer, especially in the city?

#48 of 88 Lurching problem by pulak

Jan 31, 2003 (5:19 pm)

I have 2002 ES300. I noticed that my car lurches forward if my AC is on and while stopping in 'drive' mode. I took it to dealer. Upon investigation they told me that this symptom is common in all 2002 and 2003 ES300 but they did open a case with Lexus Factory finally.
 
Is that true, is this symptom common to all ES300. Why has Lexus not provided any fix to this yet. Have other people noticed this ? Is n't this a serious problem which should be addressed. It could be personal style also but I am especially concerned when parking my car inside my garage since I have to be dead slow to avoid hitting the walls due to lurching.
 
Has anyone else opened a case with Lexus ?

Messages Page 5 of 9

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