I recently purchased a 2000 ES300. The Lexus name emblem is on the passenger side of the trunk. Is this normal? All ones I have seen is on the driver side. It is a Japan serial number. Not sure if that makes a difference. Was trying to find a breakdown of the correct locations of emblems and cant find anything.

 

I've never seen that. In Canada the ES300 badge is on the trunk not on the tail light like U.S. models. The Lexus name in on the left of course.

 

What is the history of the car? Maybe there was bodywork that caused the emblem placement mix up.

 

The ES300 is on the light. It just then has the Lexus where the ES300 is in this photo.

 

Clean history. No accidents. 3rd owner.

 

Maybe the badges were stolen at one point and when replaced were put on wrong. Either way LEXUS is supposed to be on the left side. Oh and all generation 2 ES300's are made in Japan.

 

I am not saying that this is the case. just an interesting fact. cars meant for japan have everything on the opposite side as they drive on the other side of the road.

 

When you mentioned the Japanese serial number, are you referring to the "J" in the VIN for Japan? (Example US VIN: JT8BF28G8Y50xxxxx)

If your car is right-hand drive, it could have been a Toyota Windom that had Lexus badges put on it. Otherwise, I suspect something similar to what Lexus2000 described. The badge was probably removed for some reason (perhaps to de-badge the car, repaint, detail, or it somehow fell off), and a new one was installed.