I want to know what car is better, gs400 or es330?
02-14-16, 02:15 AM
#17
I'll take a well maintained 98 GS 400 over a 2016 es, yes a 2016 ANY day of the week, every high end mechanic I take my car to goes "oh u got the good one" they don't make them like that anymore, don't get rid of this car, but whatever, I will never sell my GS even if I hit the lottery for millions, but that's just me. : ) buy what u like buddy happy hunting
02-14-16, 03:17 AM
#18
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There are clean examples and busted examples of each one of these models, it all depends on how well they have been maintained. Best case scenario for either decision is a 16 year old GS or an 11 year old ES. At those ages, either they have already had issues or are going to soon.
All of the other rhetoric here is irrelevant, especially the BMW comment simply because he didn't add the M5 into his comparison so it doesn't matter if it surpassed anything.
There are 3 main points here.
1 - the 2 vehicles asked about are too different to compare, it's all going to be based on what you consider "better"
2 - take the time to do some research, there are countless reviews from tv shows, magazines, Internet articles all over the web. It's not hard to obtain the knowledge and form your own opinion on the two vehicles.
3 - in regards to buying used cars this old, you either want to be mechanically inclined or have the money to pay a mechanically inclined person to fix the inevitable problems......and mechanically inclined people don't ask this question, so have plenty of money to maintain your used car.
All of the other rhetoric here is irrelevant, especially the BMW comment simply because he didn't add the M5 into his comparison so it doesn't matter if it surpassed anything.
There are 3 main points here.
1 - the 2 vehicles asked about are too different to compare, it's all going to be based on what you consider "better"
2 - take the time to do some research, there are countless reviews from tv shows, magazines, Internet articles all over the web. It's not hard to obtain the knowledge and form your own opinion on the two vehicles.
3 - in regards to buying used cars this old, you either want to be mechanically inclined or have the money to pay a mechanically inclined person to fix the inevitable problems......and mechanically inclined people don't ask this question, so have plenty of money to maintain your used car.
02-14-16, 03:19 AM
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I'll take a well maintained 98 GS 400 over a 2016 es, yes a 2016 ANY day of the week, every high end mechanic I take my car to goes "oh u got the good one" they don't make them like that anymore, don't get rid of this car, but whatever, I will never sell my GS even if I hit the lottery for millions, but that's just me. : ) buy what u like buddy happy hunting
02-14-16, 05:32 PM
#20
I happen to be an owner of a 1999 GS400 and recently gave my little sister my 2005 ES330. Both are good cars but I kept the GS instead since I've owned it longer. I end up driving the ES more whenever I go out since it's more comfortable. The interior is slightly more modern even though the GS has higher quality material (d'oh). Parts for the ES are cheaper and more readily available. You need to look at what you need and see which car fits you better. Don't ever decide one car over the other without test driving.
02-14-16, 05:42 PM
#21
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I happen to be an owner of a 1999 GS400 and recently gave my little sister my 2005 ES330. Both are good cars but I kept the GS instead since I've owned it longer. I end up driving the ES more whenever I go out since it's more comfortable. The interior is slightly more modern even though the GS has higher quality material (d'oh). Parts for the ES are cheaper and more readily available. You need to look at what you need and see which car fits you better. Don't ever decide one car over the other without test driving.
02-15-16, 07:57 AM
#25
The only proper answer: Research and test drive both and get the one that better fits your needs.
My obviously biased answer: I would never own a wrong-wheel drive Lexus and, perhaps CL enthusiasts excluded, I find their drivers are only marginally more aware of their surroundings on the highway than your average Toyota driver. If you like a tarted up Camry though...who am I to judge?
Okay, I'm done snarking now.
My obviously biased answer: I would never own a wrong-wheel drive Lexus and, perhaps CL enthusiasts excluded, I find their drivers are only marginally more aware of their surroundings on the highway than your average Toyota driver. If you like a tarted up Camry though...who am I to judge?
Okay, I'm done snarking now.
02-15-16, 08:13 AM
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Keep in mind one important aspect. With time comes age. With age comes eventual wearing out. Mileage is an important factor but not the only one to take into consideration. A 16 year old car has 16 years of being in hot cold, cold hot climates. Or all hot or all cold people I think fail to realize that hot weaher is harder on a battery than cold weather. Rubber, sensors, plastic, electronics all break down over time. The older the car I don't care how well maintained will endure these issues at some point or another most likely. What can you comfortably afford to fix when something breaks? I thought the same way when i was younger comparing 2 very different vehicles. One side wants the fun factor the other side wants practicality. However you may have a wife and kids and settled down and you want the GS wife wants the ES 
.Listen to the guys/girls on here and take all their advice and soak it up
.Listen to the guys/girls on here and take all their advice and soak it up
02-18-16, 08:00 AM
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Yeah, and Val Kilmer used to be in good shape.
The ES330 is part of the 3rd generation of Lexus models, the GS400 is from 1998 and barely updated. It was also outpaced by BMW as fastest automatic sedan as soon as they launched the M5 and Lexus never recovered.
Aside from that yeah, you basically repeated the same pros and cons. The ES is mild and economical. The GS is faster and consumes fuel like a cruise ship. Handles like one too, stock.
The ES330 is part of the 3rd generation of Lexus models, the GS400 is from 1998 and barely updated. It was also outpaced by BMW as fastest automatic sedan as soon as they launched the M5 and Lexus never recovered.
Aside from that yeah, you basically repeated the same pros and cons. The ES is mild and economical. The GS is faster and consumes fuel like a cruise ship. Handles like one too, stock.
02-18-16, 05:32 PM
#29
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02-18-16, 05:40 PM
#30
Keep in mind one important aspect. With time comes age. With age comes eventual wearing out. Mileage is an important factor but not the only one to take into consideration. A 16 year old car has 16 years of being in hot cold, cold hot climates. Or all hot or all cold people I think fail to realize that hot weaher is harder on a battery than cold weather. Rubber, sensors, plastic, electronics all break down over time. The older the car I don't care how well maintained will endure these issues at some point or another most likely. What can you comfortably afford to fix when something breaks? I thought the same way when i was younger comparing 2 very different vehicles. One side wants the fun factor the other side wants practicality. However you may have a wife and kids and settled down and you want the GS wife wants the ES .Listen to the guys/girls on here and take all their advice and soak it up
.Listen to the guys/girls on here and take all their advice and soak it upI daily drive a 1992 SC300 with 92k miles, runs like a new car, factory paint looks great. All of the rubber door seals, vacume hoses, etc look like new. Age isn't that big of a deal, its how the car was used and maintained over that time that matters IMO.
Honestly the OP should buy the car in better condition, weather it be the ES or GS. If he's even looking at the ES, he probably isn't that picky about the way the car drives/performs. Plus the ES is a lot better on gas, but gas is cheap now so whatever.