When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I found a clean Carfax 2 owner 97 ES with W/P AND TB done at 101K
Service H/X shows regular oil changes and transmission serviced at about 110K. The car looks very clean with some very minor cosmetic issues. I think the price is probably about 1K higher than I like but I think I rather get a nicer
Car than just a beater. The only issues are the “ D “ light in the dash is out, the seatbelts are slow to retract back and the car pulls to the right. The seller is nice enough to bring the car in the tire shop to check the alignment. Other than those two issues, the 3Rd Gen ES after test driving it is still such a nice quiet ride. Very solid built and everything work like a brand new car!
What do you ES 3Gen think ? Do you have some of the symptoms I described above ?
Worn tires can cause the car to pull to one side. Any accident history? Soaking the seat belts in hot water and upholstery cleaner for a few hours (rinse well) will help them retract better.
The only thing I am going to do for sure is change the
Gold Bling Logos out. Geese, it seems like every car has
the logos Changed to Gold from Chrome during this era.
The only thing I am going to do for sure is change the
Gold Bling Logos out. Geese, it seems like every car has
the logos Changed to Gold from Chrome during this era.
That's a really clean car. With today's car market I can't comment on the price. I think if it's really clean it's worth it.
In regards to the gold logos, it was a 90's thing for sure. Those logos are gold plated and were an optional extra. You may wanna hold onto them for the authenticity factor.
The D bulb is P/N: 90981-11018. A really simple swap and very DIY friendly.
Slow seatbelts is a thing on mine as well. I tried cleaning the belts and the pillar attachment points, but nothing really helped. I think it's a mechanical issue with the spring inside the assembly. Just something I learned to live with.
Do you like your 98ES? Obviously you have some miles on her.
Other than the engine sludge and ATF I know you need to be on top of
has your ES been good snd reliable ? How easy is it to pull the dash apart?
I also own a 01 RX300 and did replace the D light on my dash but not sure if
it is the same. Love my 01 RX300 with 77K
As for the seatbelt slow retracting, does your belt locked in place when you
pull abruptly on it ? It for sure locks in place in the ES I test drove. How common
is this issue for the early 3rdGen ES?
The Transmission was very smooth and the oil look good!
guys, what do you think? Should I pull the trigger? Or look for one with
lower mileage ? Only like the 3rd Gen
My seatbelts were a PIA too on 97 es300 until I really went at the top holder deal & did a scraping of crud that was not visible but in the narrow part that belt slides through, I did wash the belts w soap & water but the crud was really the issue I think. Been fine for three years now. That's a nice looking car & probably worth the money.
Yes the narrow slot...I always missed cleaning it because the belt is kinda hiding it, sounds silly I know but I missed it. Their great cars mine has been in the family since my daughter bought it in 99, then moved to UK a few years after and give to her grandmother, I took it over a few years ago when my mother quit driving due to age. Its in nice shape too but not as nice as yours because of the winters here & salt they use, just some minor rust at the back of the rear wheel wells.
I put a new set of tires on and boy what a difference, It does need the rubber deals on all the suspension stuff changed but I don't drive it enough to worry right now, maybe in the spring, we'll see. Oh the radio display went blank a couple years ago but it still works great, just have to remember what the ***** do. hahaha. You'll love it I'm sure.
P.S. it was also purchased by daughter in Chicago...
Do you like your 98ES? Obviously you have some miles on her.
Other than the engine sludge and ATF I know you need to be on top of
has your ES been good snd reliable ? How easy is it to pull the dash apart?
I also own a 01 RX300 and did replace the D light on my dash but not sure if
it is the same. Love my 01 RX300 with 77K
As for the seatbelt slow retracting, does your belt locked in place when you
pull abruptly on it ? It for sure locks in place in the ES I test drove. How common
is this issue for the early 3rdGen ES?
The Transmission was very smooth and the oil look good!
guys, what do you think? Should I pull the trigger? Or look for one with
lower mileage ? Only like the 3rd Gen
My car was in rough shape when I got it so it was neglected on maintenance and repairs but I was young and didn’t know any better. So reliability was not really a thing especially with the age, high miles, and rust from road salt. On the plus side, I’ve learned to fix every common issue on this car.
Pulling the instrument cluster is very simple. Two screws on the trim piece and then four screws holding the cluster. A few connectors on the back. It should be the same if you’ve familiar with an RX.
Definitely stay on top of all fluids. Engine oil, ATF, brake fluid, coolant, and power steering.
engine oil: 6 months or 5,000 miles (5w30 high mileage)
ATF: 30,000 miles (Mobil1 Synthetic ATF is very good value or any other full synthetic ATF should be good too)
brake fluid: every 24 months (any DOT3)
coolant: 40,000-60,000 miles or 5 years. Red Toyota coolant or equivalent (I’ve used Pentosin A1)
PS fluid: 24 months (I stick with cheapest synthetic ATF fluid)
Yea my seatbelt locks in place so the safety aspect is still there. I just have to be patient retracting it back. I tried cleaning the slide mechanism as mentioned but didn’t get much of an improvement. I’ve seen somebody use silicone spray on the belt, not sure if that’s something I wanna try myself.
Rear sway bar/links are known to make noise.
Valve covers gaskets leak with age - this job is usually done with a bunch other parts in that same space (while you’re in there).
Radio display is known to fail every 10 years or so but replacements are no longer being sold so you gotta go aftermarket if that happens.
01-04-22, 04:40 PM
97 ES 300 with 121K for 6.7K
