Lexus ES300h MY21 Premium Edition

[Diesel Do Nicely Brian]

Well, after nearly 5 years with the fabulous GS450h, it was decision time - keep maintaining (absolutely worth it), move into a 5 year old GS450h or look at a newer ES300h. Here is the detailing world thread for the GS450h over nearly 5 years and 60,000 miles of maintenance and restoration:

https://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=382716

I have ALMOST bought a newer GS450h a few times, but other than being a bit newer/more modern/a few nice modern features, nothing got close to the one I had worth spending £20k+ for a 5/6/7 year old car. 

I also looked at, and seriously thought about a GS-F, which is a dream car, but the prices, rarity (and a lot had 5+ owners) and to a tiny amount, running costs, made this less of a good option, especially as I do drive my cars and it would not be a Sunday driver or garage queen. 

A chance email to the Lexus dealer replying to a generic sales email which had an obvious finance mistake in it, LED to some discussion with the franchise and some thinking, running options and some extra negotiations as we neared the end of the month (and LED towards their VIP event on this weekend). 

Anyway, several cars weighed up including a quite new low mileage GS300h F Sport, a potential RC-F and a few options on new ES models. 

Long story short, deal worked out, then reworked out to ensure it covered quite a few extras for me that lead to not a lot of cost for the franchise but save me loads - various cars and colours but I loved the combination of Velvet Black NON metallic paint, and the lighter interior, so sorted a deal on an ES300h MY21 Premium Edition Velvet Black with a Sand leather interior, which adds some newer tweaks but also some important stuff - 12.3” screen, wireless charging, apple Car play, 18” wheels, rear tints, and a pile of other spec including heated steering wheel etc  

I had already driven plenty of newer Lexus, but the test drive went well and for as long as I wanted, lovely quality, superbly heavy doors, beautifully built, and now I have it and have driven about 100 miles since yesterday, it’s just an amazing car to have and experience. It is NOT an Aston Martin or a Ferrari, but it’s also a hell of a lot better built, will be superb to own, and is plenty quick enough on the road with the newest hybrid system - it has an eco, a normal and a sport mode for economy vs responsiveness and is averaging just under 50mpg since I bought it so far on very mixed driving. 

As part of the deal, and THE most important part - it left the dealer and went to their (luckily) on site company Detailogy for 3 days for a full new car prep, single stage machine and full ceramic coating. A valeter would have destroyed the velvet black on this so I was VERY clear I would NOT be buying with standard dealer prep on the new car. 

I also negotiated in various useful (and some gratuitous extras) to bump up value to me to include a Lexus stainless steel entry guard, a Lexus boot liner, a complete spare set of black Lexus mats (it has dark brown ones which looks superb), a Lexus flask mug and lovely Lexus pen, full tank of fuel, as well as GAP insurance and the first service covered too - this was alongside a fair to reasonable enough trade in and a good deal on the car pricing and finance too. 

All in, I am extremely pleased with the car - it’s simply the most luxurious and high quality car I have ever owned and, although I will miss the GS450h outright performance, and a few of the luxuries (Mark Levinson sound, rear blind, cooling memory seats, auto dipping rear mirrors) there are plenty of other lovely new features alongside a very decent Pioneer 10 speaker sound system which, importantly, still has a sub and centre speaker and can play DVDs too 😄

Anyway, here are some pics after it was pressure washed as it was already looking unloved (parked under trees today at work, collected in the driving rain etc). 

 

 

 

[royoftherovers]

That is a lovely read Brian. Many thanks.

I have been having similar thoughts myself.

Do I want to spend £20 Grand on a 3/4 years old 39000 miles GS 300H when I can spend nothing and keep my 10 year old 62,000 miles GS 450h ?

 HEAD says NO, HEART says MAYBE, WIFE  says YES. It`s a really tough one !

[Diesel Do Nicely Brian]

Thanks ROFTR. Your GS450h is a superb car and will last a very long time if looked after. 
 

Mine will be 15 years old this year, and needed nothing doing (although I had decent plans for further renovation work as I was always aiming for back to new standard on it). Whoever gets it next will love it - and I hope they get in touch with me as I have folders full of info, invoices and other info for it (including all the body and undersealing work done to it). 
 

I’d keep your GS450h until you find exactly what you are looking for - for me, the ES had everything I needed but at a cost and I am sure I would have loved a 4/5 year old GS450h just as much but I think I have made the right call. 

[royoftherovers]

Thanks Brian. You think as my head does !

Mine has been trouble free too. I bought it as a final car in 2013 and feel it is too good to pass on to others.

In 5 years I shall be 80 and quite possibly thinking of giving up driving.

Do enjoy the ES.

[Diesel Do Nicely Brian]

I will. 
 

If it was me, and with your plans, I’d keep the GS450h and get full and complete use from it - it is an extraordinary car. 
 

[e-yes]

On 5/4/2021 at 10:13 PM, Diesel Do Nicely Brian said:

 

Anyway, here are some pics after it was pressure washed as it was already looking unloved (parked under trees today at work, collected in the driving rain etc). 

 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Brian.

Just one thing though. There were reports of the front parking sensors malfunctioning if Ceramic Coating was applied. That's what is preventing me as well from going ahead with a paint protection on my Graphite Black ES. And I already have a shrub branch induced scratch on the rear driver side door (either that or my daughter managed to rub her coat zipper when closing the door)

Have you noticed any issues with parking sensors after getting the ceramic coat ? Is getting a PPF a good idea ?

Cheers,

--E

[Diesel Do Nicely Brian]

Zero issues with the coating and the sensors. I assume those who have had issues have applied it themselves - although the sensors work through paint etc so a coating should have zero issues. 

A decent detailer may be able to get that scratch out as they prep the car for the coating. 
 

Car beading well (although not yet contact washed after 300 miles of every weather) - and installed a front and rear dash cam today too. 

[F.A.]

On 5/9/2021 at 12:51 PM, e-yes said:

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Brian.

Just one thing though. There were reports of the front parking sensors malfunctioning if Ceramic Coating was applied. That's what is preventing me as well from going ahead with a paint protection on my Graphite Black ES. And I already have a shrub branch induced scratch on the rear driver side door (either that or my daughter managed to rub her coat zipper when closing the door)

Have you noticed any issues with parking sensors after getting the ceramic coat ? Is getting a PPF a good idea ?

Cheers,

--E

I would highly recommend PPF. I’ve had our GSF fully ceramic coated and PPF placed on the front bumper, lights, bonnet, front wings and wing mirrors. Ceramic coating is great but PPF understandably  gives more protector to the dreaded stone chips. 

[Diesel Do Nicely Brian]

I had PPF installed on my first IS220d Sport I bought on U.K. launch and when I sold the car nearly 60,000 miles later it was still intact - and I don’t doubt if it was removed and the car 2 stage machined it would have looked like new. 

[e-yes]

Any recommendations on where I can get PPF in Bucks/Berkshire area ?

Things are pretty dire as the hand car wash I used to go to has now installed a conveyor belt type machine wash. And they don't know how to operate it correctly. The last time I went there the belt stalled (apparently one car in the front applied brakes) and I just was stood there getting soap on the car three times !!! And then the belt moved too slowly I started getting Hybrid System warning as the car has to be in Neutral while on the belt. Not going there ever again 😕 

I have had one hand wash at a different place but really don't trust those guys set up shop very recently.

Cheers,

--E

 

[Ricardo22]

I can recommend Adam Jeffrey he's based in Aylesbury,7365445C-F8C4-4F15-B8BC-057878B872AE.heic if that's any good.

He did a very good job on my new ES a few weeks ago.

 

[Ricardo22]

I should add he did the ceramic coating.

[F.A.]

I wouldn’t take my car to any ‘hand car wash’ even if it was fully covered in  PPF 😱. Topaz fitted my PPF and I highly recommend them, however they only have centres in London and Bristol. I think they do offer a collection and drop off but that comes at a price. 

[VinnyB]

Roy

if you wanting a top of range takumi es in sonic white with 32k on clock full service history with integrated dash cam and winter mats 2019 plate mine is available for £27k based in holmfirth 

regards 

vince 

 

[Diesel Do Nicely Brian]

8 hours ago, e-yes said:

Any recommendations on where I can get PPF in Bucks/Berkshire area ?

Things are pretty dire as the hand car wash I used to go to has now installed a conveyor belt type machine wash. And they don't know how to operate it correctly. The last time I went there the belt stalled (apparently one car in the front applied brakes) and I just was stood there getting soap on the car three times !!! And then the belt moved too slowly I started getting Hybrid System warning as the car has to be in Neutral while on the belt. Not going there ever again 😕 

I have had one hand wash at a different place but really don't trust those guys set up shop very recently.

Cheers,

--E

 

I’d absolutely not once go to a hand car wash on any car I cared about the paintwork finish on 1 I do5 let the dealer wash my car ever as their valeters have wrecked them more than once. The average punter does not see the difference but any visual inspection in the sun shows the truth. 
 

The exception is a local detailer has a safe 2 bucket wash mitt hand car wash set up, but that’s only if I am passing and it’s absolutely needing done where I have no time or the weather is horrible. 

[royoftherovers]

53 minutes ago, VinnyB said:

Roy

if you wanting a top of range takumi es in sonic white with 32k on clock full service history with integrated dash cam and winter mats 2019 plate mine is available for £27k based in holmfirth 

regards 

vince 

 

Thanks for the offer Vince, but I will keep my GS450h.It should see me out.😉

[paulrnx]

On 5/4/2021 at 10:47 PM, royoftherovers said:

That is a lovely read Brian. Many thanks.

I have been having similar thoughts myself.

Do I want to spend £20 Grand on a 3/4 years old 39000 miles GS 300H when I can spend nothing and keep my 10 year old 62,000 miles GS 450h ?

 HEAD says NO, HEART says MAYBE, WIFE  says YES. It`s a really tough one !

Keep what you’ve got I would think John. The only reason to swap would be if you genuinely wanted a different and newer car. Going from a GS450h to a GS300h would be quite a compromise imho 😀

[royoftherovers]

42 minutes ago, paulrnx said:

Keep what you’ve got I would think John. The only reason to swap would be if you genuinely wanted a different and newer car. Going from a GS450h to a GS300h would be quite a compromise imho 😀

Thanks Paul. I will do as you and my Head say.

[Diesel Do Nicely Brian]

4 hours ago, paulrnx said:

Keep what you’ve got I would think John. The only reason to swap would be if you genuinely wanted a different and newer car. Going from a GS450h to a GS300h would be quite a compromise imho 😀

Only in a few areas but John is completely right to keep his GS450h. Performance is not everything in a car, and the ES300h offers things the GS450h does not. 

[paulrnx]

3 hours ago, royoftherovers said:

Thanks Paul. I will do as you and my Head say.

You know it makes sense 😀

[paulrnx]

1 minute ago, Diesel Do Nicely Brian said:

It’s really not but John is completely right to keep his GS450h. Performance is not everything in a car, and the ES300h offers things the GS450h does not. 

Different cars. I think John was talking about swapping to a GS300h not an ES300h. Yours is a lovely looking car and different enough to a GS to make it worthwhile. Later generation hybrid powertrain too. I quite like the look of an ES I must admit. I’m not surprised you changed to an ES. Always nice to get a brand new car. Yours is a beautiful looking car 👍

[Diesel Do Nicely Brian]

1 hour ago, paulrnx said:

Different cars. I think John was talking about swapping to a GS300h not an ES300h. Yours is a lovely looking car and different enough to a GS to make it worthwhile. Later generation hybrid powertrain too. I quite like the look of an ES I must admit. I’m not surprised you changed to an ES. Always nice to get a brand new car. Yours is a beautiful looking car 👍

Absolutely - a GS450h to a GS300 would be a real disappointment I think. There’ll certainly be things I miss about the GS450h, not least the performance (and owning it outright) and it was a great (near) 5 years of ownership 👏