teaphanna

I have major buyer's remorse with my brand new 2012 ES 350. It took a week of driving it to really feel how sloshy and sloppy the handling is....I don't feel grounded or contained in the seat at all, especially when turning corners. I am def more fit for a smaller vehicle. Do I need to wait an entire year before I try to trade it in? What is the smartest thing to do in this instance?

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

Wait at least until the new IS comes out.The '13 IS250 will take a hit like the '12 ES.
Trading it then will probably get you fairly close to the same trade in value now.Plus the IS will be much cheaper.You're going to take a big beating on a trade now.Of course you'll have to deal with the sloshy ride till them.Dealing with that may be tough,though.
Hey.life too short and you only live once.If you can afford it....go for it.

LexBob2

Either way you are going to take a hit. It probably just depends on how bad you want out of the ES350.

Did you read any reviews of the ES350 before buying? One of the things that comes out of most of them is that the ES is not known for its steering and handling. It can be a surprise if you're not ready for the way it drives.

flowrider

iTrader: (9)

All our advice hers is based on conjecture. Call the dealer and ask him what he can do. I was in a a similar situation back in 1985. I had just bought a new Mazda RX7, and after a couple of weeks I really hated the damn thing. I found a good deal on a new Porsche 944 at a different dealer. I called the first dealer, and he luckily let me bring it back and as I recall I lost very little. I wound up with the car I really wanted.

And I understand exactly how you feel, I really don't like it when I have to drive my wife's car. She loves it, but me, not so much.

Lou

hypervish

+1, talk to the dealer maybe they can help you out.

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

I believe he will take at least a $5-$6K hit with a trade in or lose less and then not get a great discount on a new IS.Especially on a '12 ES but anything is possible.I agree that he has to get numbers from the dealer.

garsarno

If the mileage is less than 1,000 miles, maybe his hit will be minimal but there is the the slight problem of the 2013 restyle that will impact the value.

oldgrump

I hope the OP means that he's looking at an IS350........the IS250 is lacking grunt. It has only 204 HP.

dman00001

Mine felt like that until I changed the crappy OEM tires. Once I put on the Michelin Primacy it was an entirely different ride. Much stiffer in corners and better handling in general. It will never be like an IS but you may not be riding now with the best it can be.

sanjaysdca

I would wait until all new 2012 are gone
then i would engage dealer.

You might want to give CARMAX a try.

RickC5

I agree. As the OP found out, the ES is NOT a "sport sedan" and handling/steering will never be considered to be up to the par of a sport sedan. That said, the ES can handle pretty well with good tires.

We also experienced sloppy handling when we first bought our '08. It came shod with some oddball Pirelli tires that were never meant for the ES. Upon switching to Michelin Primacy tires, the ride, handling & steering all improved dramatically! Still not a sport sedan, but MUCH better. The sidewalls of most Michelins are much stiffer than comparable tires, which is what provides the improvement. Plus, I run 36 lbs. of tire pressure too.

If I was the OP, I would surely spend the $800 or so to see if some Primacys might provide the handling improvement he is looking for. Going a step further, any car can be modified to handle better--all it takes is money. Sway bars , shocks, tires & wheels. Lots of stuff to spend money on if he likes the basic car, which I'm not too sure he does.