IT'S BEEN A WHILE

[SH20]

Next Wednesday I will travel 170 miles to visit Lexus Cambridge to look at a 2022 ES300 with a Premium Pack.  Mesa Red with Tan leather interior.   So what you say but having had 2 ES300's between 2019 and 2022 I went over to Toyota and ordered a new CHR in Excel trim for no other reason than to own something different.    It is an excellent car built to a great standard as you might expect and  I have had it 10 months so far but the pull of the ES300 was greater than I thought. 

The Lexus pre owned Network has very few Premium Pack ES300's, lots of Premium Editions which was my second ES300, again Mesa Red but of course Tan artificial synthetic leather and much less equipment than the first Premium Pack ES

I have yet to stand in front of the car in Cambridge but  have secured first refusal with a holding fee. Pretty confident it will swamp me with nostalgia of my first ES which was Velvet Black and Tan interior.     I tried to find a Mesa Red Takumi with Tan interior but that was just an impossible  task.    Did look at 2 Takumi's with Mesa Red paint but black interiors just couldn't get me over the line.    Lexus Cambridge's offering should suit my tick list,  March 2022, one owner, 1st and 2nd year services completed by the dealer  with all the benefits of buying from the dealer Network.  They were quite happy to take my Toyota CHR in and I'm hoping to drive down in it but drive back in an ES.

Having previously sold my ES space saver spare wheel,  the different polystyrene tool holder and boot liner to a Forum member it looks I will likely end up starting over and getting the same items again just to avoid those horrible tyre inflator kits.   

Next Wednesday then 

 

 

  

       

 

 

[Spacewagon52]

Mesa red - Tan interior - the BEST!

[Tonyw]

I am loving the tan in my new one, feels more premier and makes such a difference in ambient light.

[SH20]

Is the paintwork black or blue Tony?    I agree about the tan colour and there are not many external colours that tan doesn't suit.   The rarest external colour, sunlight green, compliments tan interior in an old school way.    Not quite like British Racing Green and tan leather but close enough. 

[Tonyw]

9 hours ago, SH20 said:

Is the paintwork black or blue Tony?    I agree about the tan colour and there are not many external colours that tan doesn't suit.   The rarest external colour, sunlight green, compliments tan interior in an old school way.    Not quite like British Racing Green and tan leather but close enough. 

It’s the dark blue, almost purple in sunlight 

[george72]

Love my messa red inc tan interior! 

[SH20]

Looks great Rakesh, I think the black accents around the car, e.g vents , grille, mirrors etc make a great contrast to the red.  Just hoping when I get to stand in front of the car I'm seeing next week the previous owner has been  a car lover.   He's bought a 2023 identical copy of it anyway. 

[beyond the blue]

Good luck with the purchase Steve.

[SH20]

Thanks Neil,   Hope all is well over there in Bolton.   I'm expecting great things with this Premium Pack ES, having had  my very first ES with this spec.   I'm hoping it's been described accurately.   Should be OK and  the standard 12 month Lexus warranty and road side assist from the 19th July will give me a decent cushion  before the 3rd service back over here in Hull East Yorks in 2024 when of course a further 12 months Lexus warranty will be given under the Lexus Relax scheme.    I'll transfer my full size CHR space saver spare wheel  over to the ES and likely buy a tool holder tray in due course.   I did keep my ES mud flaps from  my last ES which a lot of members have bought from China via E Bay which fit perfectly.    

[beyond the blue]

7 hours ago, SH20 said:

Thanks Neil,   Hope all is well over there in Bolton.   I'm expecting great things with this Premium Pack ES, having had  my very first ES with this spec.   I'm hoping it's been described accurately.   Should be OK and  the standard 12 month Lexus warranty and road side assist from the 19th July will give me a decent cushion  before the 3rd service back over here in Hull East Yorks in 2024 when of course a further 12 months Lexus warranty will be given under the Lexus Relax scheme.    I'll transfer my full size CHR space saver spare wheel  over to the ES and likely buy a tool holder tray in due course.   I did keep my ES mud flaps from  my last ES which a lot of members have bought from China via E Bay which fit perfectly.    

It took me quite a while to pluck up the courage to fit my mud flaps but glad I did in the end.

 

[SH20]

On the eve of collecting or hoping to collect and drive home tomorrow the ES300 in Cambridge (340 mile round trip)  it's odd that all sorts of "what if's" stop popping up in my head.   What if the 46 images  of the car just don't reflect the true condition of the car.  The 20,000 miles it's done in 16 months is not the issue or concern for a Lexus vehicle, I know this, but a couple of images have been nagging away, one is a scratch above the driver's door handle and the other is the driver's seat particularly if I click the overhead video link of the interior as it pans round.   Clever option that but it clearly shows the hallmarks of a well used uncleaned leather seat base which is very shiny and grubby looking.  You know what I mean, a lot of in and out cycles which eventually leave that horrible shiny and greasy looking residue on a light coloured leather.    Both of these things can be resolved and my life spent in the world of Body and Paint shops will require nothing more than a heavy cut compound and machine polishing for the scratch and I have yet to see any piece of leather trim NOT respond to Swissvax Leather Cleaner, the very best on the market even if it is ridiculously expensive.   What it shows though is how dealerships think their general understanding of vehicle presentation and my own will never ever match.   We'll see what happens tomorrow.  

         

[Spacewagon52]

13 hours ago, SH20 said:

 What it shows though is how dealerships think their general understanding of vehicle presentation and my own will never ever match.   We'll see what happens tomorrow.  

         

I must admit when I picked up my NX 300h, with 23,000 miles, the car was immaculate. Canterbury Lexus seem to prepare their cars really well. 

[cruisermark]

15 hours ago, SH20 said:

On the eve of collecting or hoping to collect and drive home tomorrow the ES300 in Cambridge (340 mile round trip)  it's odd that all sorts of "what if's" stop popping up in my head.   What if the 46 images  of the car just don't reflect the true condition of the car.  The 20,000 miles it's done in 16 months is not the issue or concern for a Lexus vehicle, I know this, but a couple of images have been nagging away, one is a scratch above the driver's door handle and the other is the driver's seat particularly if I click the overhead video link of the interior as it pans round.   Clever option that but it clearly shows the hallmarks of a well used uncleaned leather seat base which is very shiny and grubby looking.  You know what I mean, a lot of in and out cycles which eventually leave that horrible shiny and greasy looking residue on a light coloured leather.    Both of these things can be resolved and my life spent in the world of Body and Paint shops will require nothing more than a heavy cut compound and machine polishing for the scratch and I have yet to see any piece of leather trim NOT respond to Swissvax Leather Cleaner, the very best on the market even if it is ridiculously expensive.   What it shows though is how dealerships think their general understanding of vehicle presentation and my own will never ever match.   We'll see what happens tomorrow.  

         

If its the car shown on their website that is VERY poor presentation!!

There is a mark under the screen

lots of dust around the interior switches

scuffs on the seat

hope its not a wasted journey (but your a prefectionist !!)

[b4u2]

On 7/13/2023 at 9:17 PM, Tonyw said:

I am loving the tan in my new one, feels more premier and makes such a difference in ambient light.

Looks beautiful 😍 @Tonyw

[Cs150]

If it was me I would just order a new one with a healthy discount of at least 15% from the list price. Premium Edition makes sense unless there is a specific feature that warrants the extra cost. Lexus must make much less profit on Premium Edition vehicles compared to the markup on higher tier models.

[beyond the blue]

On 7/14/2023 at 7:42 PM, beyond the blue said:

Good luck with the purchase Steve.

Any update???

[SH20]

Very tired just now. Left East Yorkshire at 5am today and arrived at Lexus Cambridge at 8.30am.   Arrived home 4pm.

Long story short:

Car was outside and it was raining,  the rain stopped and the rain water was wiped away with micro fibre towels to allow a proper look at the paintwork and if any dents dings etc were hiding.  I told the sales person I wanted to be left alone while I checked the car.   He went to look at my 11 month old Toyota CHR  and was back in 5 minutes saying everything was just fine.  I knew that he would be unable to find any faults.  I spent the next hour on my own and went over every inch of the car, inside and out. 

Fortunately no dents or dings or scratches in the ES  body  panels but    I found a scuff about 8 inches long under the front bumper lip on the nearside, very consistent with riding up a kerb or sleeping policeman at low speed.   The drivers seat was really grubby as I suggested previously but not a mark on any other seat.  The tan colour was perfect.  This car was used by a single individual.  Factory plastic still in place on various bits of interior trim.  Engine compartment needs a good power wash, dusty but will respond to some detailing.  No fluid leaks which is normal for a Lexus engine.  Service book up to date  and 2nd year service done yesterday, oil very clean. 

Did I accept the car?   Yes I did.    However the manager agreed to reimburse me £125 to cover the scuff which we agreed would fall under the heading of a localised  "Smart Repair"  and would normally be done insitu.  No need to paint the full bumper and I will sort this scuff out myself. The last thing I want is to risk painting full panels in Mesa Red metallic.  I had taken a small kit of detailing products with me in case I came across anything that might prove troublesome but didn't need them.   I am however going to do a half and half clean and treatment of the driver's leather seat base cover using Swissvax leather cleaner.   I want the dealer to appreciate what should be done for their customers in terms of pre owned vehicle preparation. 

In summary I am more than happy with the Car and once cleaned properly inside and out as well as a full machine polish it will look like the car the dealer should have presented.   Thinking ahead in about 2 years I reckon a pre owned Takumi ES will be in reach.  

 

 

    

[beyond the blue]

Congratulations. It is annoying and amateurish of sellers not to display anything to it's best. Knowing what a perfectionist you are, seeing how you clean the engine compartment will be interesting. Maybe another thread?