prooh

Not gonna lie, only reason I bought the first gen ES is because it was the best I could get with $2500 and no credit and was in bad financial condition. Now I’ve saved up over $10k and credit score is pretty good, im starting to look at replacing it.

I really like the LS460 or sc430 but for practicality, I should probably go for a used Prius to save on gas since I drive a lot. But then if I do that it’s a Prius (the new one looks hot though) and not as comfortable as the ES.

next option is an rx 350, only because everyone else is driving cuv/suv/pick up and I get tired of getting blinded by headlights. Also the rx is basically a taller ES. Also the extra space and cargo room is welcome.

Arsenii

Hello,

A 1st-gen ES250 isn't all that bad frankly..

But as to what car to replace it with, there is no magic answer, only you can know what is it that you need a car to do.

If you are not into repairing your own cars and you drive a lot, I would frankly suggest skipping higher end models, like LS and SC, they will cost you a lot more on a distance in maintenance and sheer amount of fuel than even a newer car beyond your current budget, while providing a similar level of comfort. Older models like your ES250 are mostly left as monuments of the days long gone, and for people with some rather biased math issues (myself included), rather than actual daily-drivers by now.

Before committing to any choice, I would strongly suggest visiting a couple of dealerships that have the cars you are interested in and taking them for a test drive, just to see how you like it, and whether it fits your needs, a descent size dealership will be more than eager to provide you with that opportunity. I've seen people being obsessed by a specific car only to get their hopes brutally wrecked when they actually got to drive it. And only after you drove all the cars and made your final decision, only then you can start looking around for a good one.

Hope this helps and best of luck!

FromFL

It's an impossible question to answer since it seems you aren't married to getting another Lexus and you are on a Lexus-specific forum. I was in a similar situation in September and I bought a Fit to "replace" my '04 ES and in rides far superior, is more comfortable than the ES, has more features, is practical, gets amazing gas mileage, etc. I didn't seek out a Honda Fit but it just fell into my lap and couldn't be happier. There are a lot of choices out there and with an open mind you'll find something that "speaks" to you. (Kept and still enjoy my ES.)

luxuryrice

Hybrid Avalon or Corolla, you're able to drive a similar car and have better gas mileage. Sure the ride between the two are vastly different but they are still both very practical.