1997 - 2001 Lexus ES 300 Pre-Owned Review

Who Needs a Warranty?

What would your neighbors say if you drove up to your home tomorrow in a nice shiny Lexus? "Did you win the lottery?" or "Did

A pre-owned reliable 1997 to 2001 Lexus ES 300 can be had for the price of a new subcompact. (Photo: Lexus)

you get a promotion?" While new examples of the brand's least expensive model start at over $40,000, a pre-owned Lexus ES 300 can be had for the price of a new subcompact.

Normally the pragmatic reason to by brand new is either to take advantage of the executive lease plan the company you work for offers or to rest assured in the comfort and convenience of a new vehicle warranty, but if your job isn't about to give you the benefit of

Although not head turning, the 1997 ES 300 appeared cleaner and less cluttered than the outgoing 1996 model. (Photo: Lexus)

a car allowance the 1997 through 2001 Lexus ES 300 was and still should be so reliable that a warranty won't be an issue.

I can't say I was in love with the car's styling when it was introduced, but it's fair to say Lexus didn't have someone in their mid-30s in mind as the ideal customer anyway. Those that never paid attention to the Lexus brand might not have noticed the car was new at all, as the changes made were as subtle as complete redesigns get. In a nutshell, the 1997 ES 300 appeared cleaner and less cluttered than the outgoing 1996 model. Its profile was more wedge-like, which in-turn improved the car's coefficient of drag from 0.32 to 0.29, extremely slippery even by today's standards.