vernechamp

Hello! I owned a 2013 ES Lux which I adored, and after two BMW's which I really wasn't crazy about ( a 230i convertible and an X3 ), I'm back in a 2022 ES UL(matador red, sexy AF). I don't remember scraping bottom in my 2013 frequently, but I've had the 2022 only a few weeks and I've scraped bottom about four times. Twice leaving parking lots with a curb, once in my own driveway with a curb, and once pulling into my garage with a passenger (it never happens when I pull in alone in my car). I don't think I have a problem with my car--but I wonder, other than driving really carefully and taking curbs at an angle, does anyone have any tips for avoiding scraping. I know the bottom of the car is all buttoned up in fiberboard, and I doubt any real damage, but I'd rather not, if its all the same. Absolutely loving the car otherwise! Ta! Pic for attention!

ionian

It seems these days I can get a bit more clumsy and I attribute it to aging process. I have my ES300h for over a year now and a couple of times I scrapped the bottom of front bumper while coming up or departing my drive way. This only happened when approaching or leaving while not angling the wheel. It doesn't happen of course while driving the SUV as clearance is higher.

LukieLauXD

Definitely agree with both of you that compared to an SUV, driving a sedan is like almost driving a slammed car. Even being as careful as possible I've given the bottom of my front bumper a few good scrapes. Used to be able to climb over curbs with my 2003 GX.

mikemu30

Once you realize the risk is there, you'll likely not let it happen again. I did it once when my ES wss only a month old. Nearly three years later, it has not happened again👍👍

dklanecky1

The only time I've scrappedd is when I enter a driveway at an angle. For me, 90 degree entry and exit WHEN POSSIBLE stops almost all of the scrapping / impact entering drives.

Curbs, that's driver error, but I've done it occasionally, especially if they're black parking blocks and on an asphalt parking lot.

The 360 degree camera resolution just isn't good enough to see them all the time.

E46CT

Just drive slower as you approach bumps and give yourself extra room when parking. haven't scraped the ES once. to me it's a land yacht as i've driven far far lower cars before. so that sort of got me used to being careful. so naturally with the ES i don't come anywhere near hitting anything.

LexRuger

It's the nature of most FWD sedans. They tend to have more overhang in the front.

lccgl479

Almost a year ago with just over 1600 miles on my 2020 ES 350, I made a mistake when leaving a parking lot. I was leaving a shopping center, turning right onto the roadway. Unbeknownst to me, the right edge of the exit had a serious depression just off the edge of the pavement. My right front wheel dropped off the edge into a rut probably close to 8 inches deep. The sound and feel was sickening. Upon arriving at my destination, I looked only along the passenger side and didn’t see anything, and was greatly relieved. That feeling was short lived however. Once I got home, I got on the ground and looked underneath and found what you see in these pictures. I attempted to file a claim against the city, but they invoked sovereign immunity, which left me on my own to repair it. By the way, once I made the city aware of the problem, they had city crews out there within 24 hours to repair the roadway at the exit. Although it was barely visible, I had to get it fixed. Total cost of the repair ended up being $1700. It now looks like it never happened, and I’m satisfied. Lesson learned, and it’s a mistake I don’t intend making again.

LexFinally

That sucks. My wife dropped two wheels off a similar curb and ended up buying two tires. Shouldn't have been possible to drop that far there.

TechNut

Yikes. That would be very disappointing and that drop definitely needed to be filled in. It would have been easy to be over just a little too far, plus, that Krispy Kreme would have been distracting

E46CT

That's the kind of drop that sets off airbags...you can see where other vehicles have eaten sh. yikes is right.

lccgl479

I suppose I may have saved others from my fate by filing a claim. Love the Krispy Kreme reference. 😂😂

lccgl479

Good catch. Yes you can see where I wasn’t the only person who found this “accident waiting to happen”.

pckennedy

Unfortunately, for my 2020 ES, I learned the hard way and damaged the bottom of both sides of the front bumper just in front of each wheel by pulling too close to a curb during straight-in parking--just a few months after I bought it. The concrete curb shredded about an inch on each side. I tried to hide the damage by shaving off the shredded parts and filled using using plastic JBWeld. I then applied touchup paint. The damage was less noticeable at a distance, but I always looked at it. Finally I just could not live with it and took the car to a body shop for repair. I found that there was more damage than what I saw, with one of the mounts broken and the bumper cracked in three spots. Since I plan to keep the care for a few more years (only have around 9,000 miles on it), I went ahead with the repair. The repair required replacing the bumper, and with that, realigning sensors. It was costly but looks great now. However, it seems like there could have been a better design with a rubber skirt around the bottom of the bumper instead of plastic--or increase the clearance a bit. I don't like having to get it repaired, but am happy with the way it looks now.

Shaboom

Had the same problem, scraping an unpainted parking barrier in a lot. $500 damage. There is another thread on this which I started. It includes discussion of rubber strips that can be affixed with adhesive underneath to at least shield the painted parts from scraping. More serious damage in unavoidable. The car seems to be very low to the ground.