brisky

Thanks for all the great input, it was extremely helpful. Here is what I ended up doing Sunday:

I didnt want to buy a used GS300 (tax reasons: Section 179 deduction rules), and I just couldnt BARE to buy/lease a new GS for major money only to see a new one in less than a year. Lets face it, the new one is more likely to be gorgeous and powerful than not!

So... (drum roll please) I purchased a spanking new ES330 and will keep it a couple years until the new GS is out and the buying heat is off the car. I have to tell you, I previously test drove a used '02 GS300 and a new ES330 and the new 3.3L engine in the ES is quite zippy and can DEFINETLY keep up with a GS300 in my view. Obviously the suspensions are tuned a bit differently on the handling side, but the stock feel was not terribly different between them, IMHO.

So I guess I will have to move to the ES forum for a couple years, unless the new GS is sooo nice that I must trade in immediately! But I will definetly keep checking in here because Im a GS man at heart. The current GS is by far the better looking of the two.

By the way, I walked into my dealer an hour before close on the last day of the month. They didnt want to take my offer but eventually did after some some gentlemanly conversation. I got a SMOKING deal. I definetly recommend waiting til the last day of the month (and/or year ) and going in near close. Worked for me twice so far. Everyone is tired and hungry and wants to go home...yet they want the monthly numbers as shiny as possible.

Again... thanks for your help.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

Congrats on getting the ES and a 'smoking deal'. I like your buying approach but doesn't that only work if they have one in stock you're willing to buy? If you're picky about color for example, it might not work, right?

D2-AUTOSPORT

Congrats man, glad you happy!

I have never driven a ES330 (only the 300), but i DID drive the RX330, and that thing GOES!!

doug_999

I think the ES330 has either a different trans or a reprogrammed one if I'm not mistaken. That would fix the one major issue I have with that car - the trans gets confused when you get on it. I get ES300s as loaners and am always impressed. And I too purchased/leased my car on the last day of the month (one year ago today) and got a smoking deal. Amazingly enough, exactly one year later (Sunday to be exact), I got another smoking deal - a new son.

D2-AUTOSPORT

I have always had the same problem with the ES, its like you punch the gas, sit there and wait, then it downshifts!!

If the RX330 is any indication then the newer ES should NOT have any problem like that

I drove that RX on the highway and it pulls hard, even in the 80-100 region!

brisky

Nope, I have had the car for 3 days now and Im happy to report there is NO similarity or incidence of "stupid transmission" on this car like often reported on the previous ES300 model. Lexus reports they used a wider gear ratio and a totally revised software version in the new ES330. The problem previously reported is simply no longer existent. It shifts smmmmmmooth! Still, I want the new GS dammit!!!

One comment I do have: There is not the immediate "jump" off the starting line like I had in my 99 3.0LToyota Avalon, and experienced in separate test drives of a used GS300. Rather, the ES330 starts a bit soft off the line, and then hits its real zip once its going. There seems to be MUCH more power once its rev'd up into higher gears than right off the line, though there is "some" response there as well.

An informed friend told me this is likely due to the fact the car has 70 miles on it and once the engine is "broken in" this should get much better. Anyone agree or is he trying to make me feel better?

(don't worry, I know this is the GS forum, but I WANTED to buy one before this subject changed! Just hoping for some input here since you all are so much more sophisticated than us ES drivers! )