*** This tread was originally posted on Club Lexus forum ***
This is my story… After 20+ years of mini-van and 7 passenger SUVs and now my kids are grown, I decided to search for a sedan that’s a little more sporty, good looks and performance with high quality. I have been waiting for the ES300h with ULP since September. My local sales rep., told me it is now due mid-December. ES300h attracted me because of the good mpg and Lexus’s reputation of good reliability. I never owned a Lexus before but willing to give it a try. I started to follow Club Lexus and learned a great deal about the ES along with many informative comments from the members, very appreciated. When I test drove the 300h, it was OK, stable, comfortable, quiet and good mpg. The CVT is not what I like but I can live with it. Drivability and performance is average but nothing standout. My sales rep. who refused to negotiate the price and insisted they could easily find other customers. This is the first time in my 30 years of new car purchase/order with no negotiation, very proud dealership.
Before I got interested in ES300h, I’ve been following the Tesla Model S development for sometime. Though the car has quite a lot of publicity lately, Motor Trend Car of the Year, Automobile Car of the Year and awash in many awards, I only sat in the Model S prototype once but test drive was not allowed at the time so I didn’t expect a lot based on my initial viewpoints: a little too wide, little too heavy, little too expensive (about 20K+ than the 300h with ULP). In the back of my mind something continues to push me. That is a company with American design and manufacturing. An innovative and good engineering company that strives for the future EV revolution. I am no environmentalist but an EV with good range makes a lot of sense to me now since I don’t travel much by car anymore. In addition, we can alleviate the dependence of foreign oil along with the notion that we may pay $5 or more per gallon of gasoline someday. If this movement can be a game changer, why not consider supporting the American product and company.
Yesterday I decided to travel 277 miles to the nearest showroom (Tesla has their own showrooms and service centers, no dealer involved), Washington DC to test drive the car. I arrived around 1pm and Beau was there to welcome me but I was very eager to test drive the car. Traffic in the city prevented me to fully test the car but once I was on the freeway and then the country road, I immediately noticed the pull. The car was ridiculously fast. The instant torque from standstill was like Usian Bolt running the 100m dash. The air suspension and chassis made the car very stable, comfortable and absorbed even heavy bumps. The pancake battery on the floor made the center of gravity so low which made turning sharp corners easy and quick. I learned that as soon as I took my foot off the “gas” paddle, the car slowed down quite a bit and I no longer need to step on the brake even for a sharp turn, a new and good experience. The 30 minute ride reminded me of my college days driving habit, GO FAST and ENJOY THE THRILL. This car is nicely sculpted in German flavor which I like. Interior quality is very good but I have a few complaints (cup holder position, lack of center console and window pockets) but it doesn’t prevent me to fall in love with the car.
In the end, the beauty of Model S, the driving excitement and thrill, a well-built and true sport sedan along with the joy of guilty pleasure convinced me to join the EV revolution and willingness the discover the new journey.
Thank you for reading my story.
This is my story… After 20+ years of mini-van and 7 passenger SUVs and now my kids are grown, I decided to search for a sedan that’s a little more sporty, good looks and performance with high quality. I have been waiting for the ES300h with ULP since September. My local sales rep., told me it is now due mid-December. ES300h attracted me because of the good mpg and Lexus’s reputation of good reliability. I never owned a Lexus before but willing to give it a try. I started to follow Club Lexus and learned a great deal about the ES along with many informative comments from the members, very appreciated. When I test drove the 300h, it was OK, stable, comfortable, quiet and good mpg. The CVT is not what I like but I can live with it. Drivability and performance is average but nothing standout. My sales rep. who refused to negotiate the price and insisted they could easily find other customers. This is the first time in my 30 years of new car purchase/order with no negotiation, very proud dealership.
Before I got interested in ES300h, I’ve been following the Tesla Model S development for sometime. Though the car has quite a lot of publicity lately, Motor Trend Car of the Year, Automobile Car of the Year and awash in many awards, I only sat in the Model S prototype once but test drive was not allowed at the time so I didn’t expect a lot based on my initial viewpoints: a little too wide, little too heavy, little too expensive (about 20K+ than the 300h with ULP). In the back of my mind something continues to push me. That is a company with American design and manufacturing. An innovative and good engineering company that strives for the future EV revolution. I am no environmentalist but an EV with good range makes a lot of sense to me now since I don’t travel much by car anymore. In addition, we can alleviate the dependence of foreign oil along with the notion that we may pay $5 or more per gallon of gasoline someday. If this movement can be a game changer, why not consider supporting the American product and company.
Yesterday I decided to travel 277 miles to the nearest showroom (Tesla has their own showrooms and service centers, no dealer involved), Washington DC to test drive the car. I arrived around 1pm and Beau was there to welcome me but I was very eager to test drive the car. Traffic in the city prevented me to fully test the car but once I was on the freeway and then the country road, I immediately noticed the pull. The car was ridiculously fast. The instant torque from standstill was like Usian Bolt running the 100m dash. The air suspension and chassis made the car very stable, comfortable and absorbed even heavy bumps. The pancake battery on the floor made the center of gravity so low which made turning sharp corners easy and quick. I learned that as soon as I took my foot off the “gas” paddle, the car slowed down quite a bit and I no longer need to step on the brake even for a sharp turn, a new and good experience. The 30 minute ride reminded me of my college days driving habit, GO FAST and ENJOY THE THRILL. This car is nicely sculpted in German flavor which I like. Interior quality is very good but I have a few complaints (cup holder position, lack of center console and window pockets) but it doesn’t prevent me to fall in love with the car.
In the end, the beauty of Model S, the driving excitement and thrill, a well-built and true sport sedan along with the joy of guilty pleasure convinced me to join the EV revolution and willingness the discover the new journey.
Thank you for reading my story.
