SH20

You can't fault the professional narrative and the speed at which he delivers the info. Edited in sections of narrative he talks without stalling and without ums and er's. Try and memorise one minute of the tech info. He's been at it for years for sure. At an hour you have to stick with it but there was nothing left out. The same style of presentation has been applied to the dozens of similar videos for other makes this company make. I thought if anyone was considering an ES this would influence you.

The space saver I obtained fits the front and rear hubs ok and turns freely so I will make a new dummy floor out of mdf so I can store the spare in the wheel well. I'll use the original Styrofoam tool holder as a pattern. Finished detailing my new car, took 35 hours to address the issues the dealer's car cleaners caused. The only panel not affected by them was the roof panel. I decided just to start over and do every panel. If I ever buy another new Lexus the dealer will be told to do the PDI after it comes off the transporter and nothing more. I would collect it with all the factory tape and plastic coverings and remove it all at home.

Fitted the 4 mud flaps for my ES today. These flaps are a perfect 100% accurate fit and utilise existing Lexus locating points in the front and rear wing liners, no gaps between the bodywork and the flaps, perfect shape that follows the contours of the body panels. At £25 they represent a great deal for fussy owners who want to protect the front area of the body sills and the rear lower areas of the rear bumper. Given that Lexus don't sell flaps for the ES these ones took 2 minutes a corner to fit because they were designed by this Chinese company specifically for the ES. Well pleased. There are 3 sets left on E Bay. Type the address below into E Bay if your keen to have a set and it should result in the site I found. They arrived in 7 days from China. 4pcs-Molded-Mudguards-For-Lexus-ES-F-Sport-2019-Splash-Guards-Mud-Flaps

Often, it takes longer to mask up the delicate areas of a car you don't want the cutting, polishing, finishing pads to touch before you even start to machine polish a car.

There is currently no listing for genuine Lexus ES mud flaps. Always surprised that Lexus will do flaps for some of their range but not for others. Until such time as Lexus decide to make them I have ordered these, a knock off design but before you laugh out loud here is a company who are saying quite clearly they are for the 2019 Lexus ES and the photos on E Bay seem to show a lot of detail in relation to the shape and fixing locations. Anyway for £25 for 4 they have to be worth a go. If they are rubbish I'll let you know.

Hi Dan, if the badges have been on a while then the tape that holds them to the panel will be hardened but using dental floss you can saw from behind the badge and the floss tape will cut through the adhesive strip. Likely to leave behind some tape on the panel but using your thumb you can push against the tape and it will bunch up and then you can pull it off in little balls. This will take a few minutes if the badge tape is old. You can use cellulose thinners on a rag and gentle massage the residual tape, it won't remove paint. My badges on my ES have only been on a few months given that the car was built earlier in the year so just pulling on the badges they gave up easily and at least 99% of the tape came off with them. A little clean up and it looks like they were never on. I wish Lexus gave customers the option to opt out of badges like BMW do.

Hi Kellogsj, Not heard the term forced rotation, what is that?. Although I removed the rear boot lid badges I did fit my quarter panel badges which I had on my LS460 and GS450. A more subtle reference to the brand I think. Front dash cam now installed, just need to run the cable for the rear camera which is more involved. Paint correction next week. .

One of the first things I checked when I went to pick my car up and in the knowledge that the car had been in the air on a two post lift with swing arms was to check the sill flanges. The small vertical spot welded joints where the floor meets the inner metal body sill. All my previous used cars suffered from bent sill flanges due to mechanics not positioning the swing arms correctly. I always repaired these sill flanges before I could fit my removable flange mounted jacking plates. I now simply transfer them from car to car and today I fitted them to my ES. This will guarantee no bent over sill flanges in the future although I always have to point them out to the technician before my car is hoisted in the air if they use two post swing arm car lifts. Capable of supporting the car over a greater surface area and are a permanent fixture till I remove them for my next car. I know some members have their own versions for home use but when I take my car in for servicing and/or warranty issues/claims I just make the technician aware of where these plates are located, the same place where the scissor jack would be used. One more job done.

Nice choices to have Pete. The wrap idea sounds good, I'm guessing the clear wrap is what you are considering. Not thought about ceramic coat on wheels but again sounds like a plan given how hard that stuff is. It will give hot brake dust nothing to hold on to. C3 needs fairly quick application but once dry as you now it's like concrete. First thing I did this morning was to remove the badges off the boot lid. Not for me all that cleaning in and around letters and numbers. I like minimum and don't need to be reminded what car I drive. They came off easy as the adhesive hasn't had enough time to harden. I'll put them back if I ever trade it in. I'll leave the Hybrid badges on as they are low down but would have preferred if they had been an oblong one piece badge.

Hi Pete, no real point raising this with the dealer. They have no bodyshop on site and this minor but annoying problem is a paint shop area. Moreover even if they did have a paint shop they would use a rotary machine polisher with a wool mop head for speed alone and probably leave polish residue in every nook and cranny. It gets results but not on my car. Dual action polishing machines are kinder to the paint but take longer but you have to be patient. The dealer is very good in all areas but prepping solid black painted cars. No not their area, no matter how many black cars they might sell.. The Service and Sales staff are very good hence I placed my ES order 110 miles away where I bought a pre owned LS460 and who I sold my GS450 to. Any other colour would probably not be given a second glance on collection but I just knew I would end up sorting the car. Probably given everyone the impression the car is a mess, it's not, I'm very pleased with it but when I'm done the paint will look factory fresh again. Like I said, Anal. Jobs to do, Paint, front and rear dash cams, mud flaps, my own sill jacking plates x 4 and anything else I can think off on the way.

I agree, the with everything that has been said, the car came wrapped up but that means nothing to the vehicle prep guys at dealers. They work for 40 hours a week I guess cleaning and being responsible for new car prep. These guys would be the last people that should try and rectify swirls in lacquer caused by filthy worn out drying towels etc. My faults will be removed by me using a duel action polisher after I clay bar each panel and then using a light cutting polish on a mid range sponge pad on mid speed, just enough to bite into the top coat. I will then degrease the panels to leave the top coat bare of anything before a coat of Fusso 99 a well known Japanese soft wax is applied. No vehicle prep guy or "valeter" I've ever seen at dealerships would know the back end from the front end of a polishing machine.

From the Lexus paint shop in Japan to driving my new ES off the dealer's premises today I wondered how many people had laid hands on my long awaited car. I guess there were a few people on the long journey from Japan which accounted for the 19 miles on the clock before I selected Drive and moved off from the dealer's forecourt today. It was just plain daft of me to expect the solid black paintwork not to have suffered from all the good intentions of the factory paint shop staff, contract drivers on and off the ship, the transporter driver in the UK and last but not least the dealer's own "prep" dept, all of whom have collectively given me about 3 days paint correction to complete. Anyone who picks up a dual action or rotary polishing machine should be licenced in my opinion, I wish. Still I doubt if anyone intentionally put the swirl marks in the top lacquer coat and in any other colour it would probably not even be noticed because it's a new car so what possible damage could be done?. For me it was never going to be any other colour than solid black and Topaz trim. My fault you might think but when solid black is sorted it can look like a mirror. Can't get my head round the left hand side multi function steering wheel controls and the handbook doesn't help. Might have to ask a salesman to talk me through it. So much going on visually with menus and sub menus. Only got 2 hard copy manuals, a user's manual and a service book. Had to ask for them well in advance, all online now. Ever seen the manuals for a 2007 LS460 or a 2012 GS450, it's like having a library in the glove box. However the car itself is just outstanding, tight as a drum, not a squeak or rattle and drives with impeccable manners, build quality superb. In the 100 miles I covered coming home to West Yorkshire it averaged 52.4 mpg, 50% motor way and 50% B roads. Was I expecting just too much regarding the paintwork for my first ever new car, maybe, but part of the joy of being an anal anorak with an unhealthy obsession about detail and perfection is that it gives me something to do and if I'm honest putting right other people's carelessness makes me smile just a little.

I guess profit drives the whole issue of who will and who won't take the time to remove the residue and repair a conventional puncture. I'm going to have a spare wheel and the first thing I will do when I get the car home is to try my space saver on the front and rear hubs. I had a GS 450 with 18 inch wheels and a space saver so my space saver should fit. The whole thing is really about cost and which markets will accept the no spare wheel . Does the US insist cars are supplied with a spare I wonder.

On principle I simply refuse to accept that if I have a puncture I am forced to use those awful inflation kits which render the tyre un repairable and therefore scrap. The added expense of a new tyre just adds insult to injury. After a fellow forum member sent me some photos of the boot floor of his Takumi ES I could see there was a threaded bracket welded to the floor so a spare wheel could be secured to it. I'm assuming that's for other markets were a space saver is standard or an option. So I bought a second hand space saver off a GS450, 5 stud configuration and at this point I'm hoping it will fit my ES hubs front and rear. From memory I don't believe there was an option for a space saver for the UK. Anyway it cost £20 and I decided to refurbish the wheel today, nothing drastic just denibbed the minor cosmetic defects and dressed the scratched paint finish. Painted it satin black after removing the original maximum speed stickers, 50 mph and 80 kmph. Found a set on ebay for £2.50, a Jaguar original item. Bought a spare wheel securing bolt fastener for a Toyota on ebay and I'm hoping it will all enable me to have a proper spare. May well have to do something about the black polystyrene tool holder sitting under the boot floor board as I'm guessing there won't be sufficient space to allow for a spare wheel. The US market has a much thinner polystyrene tool holder to allow for their standard space saver.

Yes Velvet Black (Solid) Topaz trim, (1 of 4 colour trim options) available only if you have the Premium Pack. Not waiting till Sept, collecting 12th August. Private plate so the whole 69 plate thing doesn't really interest me, if it did I would wait. Car was under £40K so road tax will be around £135 I think. I noted from the video the Factory must have fitted the rear bumper stainless steel protector trim as part of the Protection Pack. Although I live in Leeds Lexus have been very generous and loaned me a car for the last month and said I can just drop it off at the dealer in Carlisle when I collect my car. Saved me having to get a train. It's a Toyota Auris and is a really great car in terms of build quality and equipment.

Dealer sent me a mini video just after it came off transporter. Notice no centre wheel caps and the plastic film over wheels. Customer ES Video.mp4

At long last my dealer say they have the car and we have agreed I can collect on the 12th August. Decided not to take part in the mayhem of the 1st Sept as this car is to stay with me for at least 5 years as I have 5 years free servicing from the dealer. Moreover my car will be registered with DVLA using my personal plate so the 69 reg plate is academic to me. Ordered 26th Feb 2019 and will collect 12th August 2019. My first ever new car. Glad I opted for the Premium Pack and the dealer threw in a Protection Pack so can't complain about the overall deal. Not really sure what 5 years servicing will cost but it will be 3 interim and 2 larger services. My GS450 service plan was about £36 a month x 36 months so an ES can't be less surely. Didn't think £378 insurance was too bad either with only a £150 xs (one accident, my fault in the last 5 years declared) There was not one top ten motor insurer who could match the premium and the benefits of Saga and I spent all my working life in the world of Motor Insurance Claims as a loss adjuster. Just got to stay alive till Monday.

LEXUS UK E MAILED ME AND ADVISED ME MY ES ARRIVED IN PORT ON 1ST AUGUST 2019. ORDERED 26TH FEB 2019. NOT SURE HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE TO SEND IT TO CARLISLE AND HOW LONG IT TAKES THE DEALER TO GET IT READY. NOT SURE ALSO IF I SHOULD WAIT TILL 1ST SEPT NOW. I USE A PERSONAL PLATE BUT I GUESS THE NEWER REG PLATE (69) MIGHT HAVE A LITTLE ADVANTAGE WHEN I'M READY TO SELL OR TRADE IN. MY FIRST NEW CAR EVER. I'VE ASKED MY DEALER NOT TO DO CERTAIN THINGS DURING PREP LIKE HAVING ANYONE USE A MACHINE POLISHER ON THE PAINT IN THE BELIEF IT WILL MAKE IT LOOK PRETTY. IT'S BLACK SO I DON'T WANT INEXPERIENCED VALETERS LEAVING SWIRL MARKS OR HOLGRAMS IN THE PAINTWORK.

Hard to believe that if you want rubber floor mats for winter use you can only have front mats at £334 !!!!. Even the £400 cost option of a protection pack only includes front rubber mats. I bought a set of rubber mats for the Lexus LS460 I had and at just under £100 it seemed good value. I kept them when I sold the car so will use the rear LS mats. Why would you not want 4 mats for your new car. The mystery of Lexus thinking.

Is there a tracking facility of some sort? I was told my car was due to dock in Bristol 1st August

Hi Vince, I saw the fitted rubber mats in February 2019 at the Leeds showroom in a ES300h with the protection pack fitted. Rear mats are part of the £400 protection pack. Told my car is now late August early Sept but no guarantees. Told my dealer (Carlisle) if Lexus push back the date for a 4th time I will cancel and consider buying a 19 plate used ES from the Lexus Network as long as it has a P/Pack and a Premium Pack. Hope to meet up some time this year. Steve.

I ordered the car and signed the order on the 26th February 2019. Gave the dealer my GS450h in Feb 2019 to achieve the best trade in having been told it would be July delivery. I was advised it would be August about 4 weeks ago due the demand everyone is talking about. He rang me yesterday to say the time line has moved again between the 26th August and 8th September but still no guarantees it will arrive then. As my car is not built or had a chassis number allocated I asked my dealer about a change of paint colour. They rang Lexus and said it was possible to change the paint colour choice but only by cancelling my original order and ordering the same car again. Lexus UK also said the order would then go to the back of the queue and could be December or Jan 2020 before it was delivered. I've decided to go with the original choice of paint. If I receive another revised delivery date I will cancel my order and consider a pre owned ES from the 36 cars that are currently available in the Lexus Network on Autotrader.

Hi Vinny, I ordered a protection pack at the point of my original order which the dealer paid for and have witnessed the actual mats in an ES. The front mats are very well designed and the drivers one in particular is shaped in such a way that the foot rest area has the mat covering it. This was achieved by making the rubber mat very flexible but at the same time the floor area is shaped to catch any water etc because of the raised sides. The locating points are also reinforced. The passenger mat and the rear mats are well shaped with similar raised sides so no rain water or snow dragged into the footwells soak the carpets. The carpet mats of course have to be removed in order to use the locating clips. From what I remember of your car the rear bumper trim was fitted as was the boot floor liner so why didn't your car have the rubber mats too?. Steve

Thanks Ged, very useful. I guess I will need to transfer my ipod tunes to the flash drive you have found. It can then stay in the car as a permanent fix. Cheers Steve