Comments by "Tony Sterbenc" (@tonysterbenc) on "Should you buy the Latest Lexus ES? Hidden features? Common Problems?" video.

  1. Yes, but it won't be a sedan. It'll be the "Crown," basically a low-roofed Highlander SUV, replacing the Avalon. Everybody wants SUVs now.
    3
  2. Actually, the reliabiility and low need for service of the hybrid is incredible. Brakes can last 100,000 miles because the regenerative braking reduces speed without using the brake pads. Devices like the A/C don't need a serpentine belt. I don't own the hybrid version, but I absolutely would not be scared off by that aspect of it.
    2
  3.  @ravd883  On Christmas, is there such a thing as too much wine? :.)
    2
  4. Most reviewers say the Avalon was a better value, although the ES is ultimately a better car.
    2
  5. Sound system brand and wattage numbers are both meaningless in a car audio system. The number is bogus, and the brand is just that, a brand—nearly all car stereos are made by either Samsung or Clarion (this one's upmarket optional stereo is "Mark Levinson," which means it's from Samsung's Harman-Kardon division). The speakers are 17 drivers combined into 10 enclosures (10/10 on the base "Pioneer" system). It sounds good except for a lack of sound from the rear; if you crave surround, you won't find it here.
    2
  6. Lexus warranties the battery for 8 years/100,000 miles, but reports from owners of various Toyota and Lexus hybrids say that many last much, much longer. There's a Prius in our family that's gone 14 years and 150k with no hiccups. Some NYC Prius cabs reportedly have gone over 300k.
    2
  7. The ES 350 started to be closely related to the Avalon in 2013.
    1
  8. Depends on the option load, the interest rate, the balance you don't cover with a down payment, and your credit score. Like your Land Cruiser? Keep it.
    1
  9. Cheaper, certainly. A better value, arguably. A better car, no.
    1
  10. Costiler for them. It'd require having two different sets of sheetmetal, and the roofline/quarter panel assembly is the most extensive and complex piece of sheetmetal on the entire car. Far easier and cheaper to just tool up for different badges, wheels, seats and springs/shocks.
    1
  11.  @Gemini530  Worth it to folks like you, absolutely. But for it to be worth it to Toyota, they have to sell enough of them. That's a heavy lift for a specialty version of a car that only sells about 30,000 in the US even in basic sedan form. It's why the economics of the Solara haven't added up for Toyota for a long time. For reasons ranging from cargo practicality to insurance prices, people don't buy many two-doors anymore.
    1
  12. The 2019's engine is "much less reliable"? Document that, please.
    1
  13. What's not right, as usual, is the dealership. They don't all do it.
    1
  14. Sorry, what does "RF" stand for?
    1
  15.  @dvuemedia  Thanks. Anti-theft tip taken.
    1
  16. Thanks for the tips, especially the one about that incredibly annoying middle rear seat alarm. Does disabling the RF also disable you from button-free unlocking of the car when you open the handle?
    1
  17. Glad you emerged with your health. Sounds like your NX did its job.
    1
  18. Almost.
    1
  19. There's a base-model Pioneer and a Mark Levinson upgrade. Most say the Pioneer is decent and the ML is excellent. Both generate complaints from some because most of the sounds comes from in front of you, not a surround experience.
    1
  20.  @bradh6185  It's good to remember Mark Levinson isn't a system, it's juat a brand name. Nearly all car stereos now are made by only a couple of companies with a bunch of different brand names slapped on them. ML systems are made by Harman Kardon, now owned by Samsung. Mr. Levinson has has nothing to do with them for decades; it's just the brand used on all Lexus top-trim stereos. Don't get me wrong; it's a good system. It's simply not as exclusive as the name implies. Ditto for Lexicon in Genesis cars, etc, etc.
    1
  21. That's exactly the problem with the touchpad—it's distracting and makes you look away to use it.
    1
  22. Very quiet, especially the Luxury and Ultra Luxury trim levels with their extra noise suppression measures. Car and Driver measured it at a quiet 69 decibels in 70 mph cruisiing, just 1 dB higher than a Mercedes S Class.
    1
  23. You posted on an automotive road test board just to say that?
    1
  24. "Elevated Standard"? Did you mean to say that's what ES stands for? Because it stands for Executive Sedan (although they're now trying to re-dub it as "Elegant Sedan").
    1
  25.  @kimdavis5631  I am not the expert TCCN is, but I have seen other experts who agree with him. Modern cars use direct fuel injection (the ES uses both direct and port injection, which is good), which squirts fuel through very small nozzles under very high pressure. You want the higher detergent content of Top Tier gas to clean those nozzles on an ongoing basis to avoid costly repairs later. One tank in a pinch of cheap gas is fine, but just like junk food as a treat, I wouldn't make a habit of it.
    1
  26. Then it would not be this car. It would be a costlier car, configured differently in every way, and it would be a considerably less relliable car from BMW, Mercedes or Cadillac.
    1
  27. Yes, that and the rest of the things that make up the car.
    1
  28. I'm obviously not Ahmed, but you're smart to use the Top Tier gas. Unfortunately, there's no telling whether the first owner was as diligent as you, and injector crud is a gradual process. If you want to keep trying a cleaning additive (which is the basic advantage Top Tier gas has), I've heard good things about Techron.
    1
  29.  @ravd883  Merry Christmas! Sorry I wasn't clear. I didn't mean Chevron gasoline. I meant you can get the "Techron" cleaning ingredients as a bottle of additive.
    1
  30.  @N77z  No. All ES models—the V6 ES 350, the hybrid ES 300h, and the ES 250 AWD—all are rated for regular gasoline, and gain no rated power with premium. It's a big advantage over most other luxury cars.
    1
  31. Lexus' lack of AWD is not because they don't care about Europeans. It's because they don't have an AWD hybrid powertrain for this generation of ES in any market.
    1
  32. I own one, and it feels to me like a cable shifter.
    1
  33. The regular ES is more comfortable and quieter, especially the Luxury and Ultra Luxury with their extra soundproofing. The seats on those trim levels are still a little stiff, but they do have more adjustability and less confining side bolsters than the F Sport seats.
    1
  34. I'm not the Car Care Nut, but you can find several threads on the ES board of Club Lexus that discuss this subject in detail and make several specific recommendations. If you want a reco here, Michelin Primacy is one of the several good choices.
    1
  35. The IS is completely unrelated to the GS except for engines. It's a chopped-wheelbase version of the chassis used for the GS, which was built for rear-wheel drive and therefore had enough room for the transfer case that AWD requires. Even at that, the IS 350 AWD has a conspicuous bulge in the driver's floor that really bothers some people, so it depends on your definition of "able to fit."
    1
  36. If it were AWD, it'd be the GS. A much better-driving car that was so much more expensive to produce, it went under.
    1
  37. Regular.
    1
  38. Yes, many would. But which would you rather pay for?
    1
  39. Read fewer reviews. The car is not especially prone to oil leaks. In addition, the battery is not going to cost you a cent in less than 8 years or 100,000 miles, because that's what it's warrantied for. And based on the torture testing of NYC Prius taxicabs, many last far longer than that. I can't speak to the ES, but a Prius battery replacement in the costliest scenario (new OEM battery, dealer installed) is about $4,000, which isn't so bad amortized over the gas you saved.
    1
  40. Thanks for sharing. What was your point in posting this on a Lexus thread?
    1
  41. Two I've seen on owner boards: 1) Remove the knee pads on the sides of the console and cover the contact surfaces with vibration-insulating tape. 2) Remove the cosmetic clips from the back seat that cover the child-seat mounting points. Good luck.
    1
  42. What does the owner's manual say?
    1
  43. Yes, you can. No, there aren't. It runs perfectly and delivers its full power on regular.
    1
  44.  @FilmScape4K  I don't think the ES ever used leather on the doors. I think it was always vinyl. Now, early ES's always had leather on the seats, and now only the Luxury and Ultra Luxury trim levels do. That is an actual downgrade.
    1