98 lexus ES300 with 265k

[T2urtle]

Very clean and well maintained. These have the 1mzfe motor in it, known to last long but i do recall they are oil sludgers as well.

It looks amazingly well kept for a 98 in the area. Even better looking the my 98 maxima that i babied.

How much life do you think this thing might have, i figure it should make it to 300k. Its a $1600 buy on my part as a spare car.

 

[halik]

Why? Seems about a grand too steep on the price...

 

[JulesMaximus]

One of my wife's good friends has a 2002 ES350 with over 340,000 miles on the original engine. She had about $12k worth of repair expenses last year but on a car with that many miles that's to be expected I guess.

I took this picture a few months ago.

 

[A5]

Seems silly unless you're going to DD it until it dies and you think it'll last a couple years.

 

[T2urtle]

Local CL shows some in the 400k. This will be a dd til death. And when death comes I might consider putting a used motor in it but that's wishful thinking.

 

[T2urtle]

One of my wife's good friends has a 2002 ES350 with over 340,000 miles on the original engine. She had about $12k worth of repair expenses last year but on a car with that many miles that's to be expected I guess.

I took this picture a few months ago.

any idea what that 12k consisted off... i assume dealership prices and lexus rates. So maybe $8k somewhere else. Timing belt would be a easy ticket and 4 strut/shocks and tune up, those items at the dealership could end up totaling around $5k there, maybe $1000 in parts and a weekend for me to take care of.

But i do know that the one i'm looking at has NEWER tires and brand new shock/struts all around.

 

[JulesMaximus]

any idea what that 12k consisted off... i assume dealership prices and lexus rates. So maybe $8k somewhere else. Timing belt would be a easy ticket and 4 strut/shocks and tune up, those items at the dealership could end up totaling around $5k there, maybe $1000 in parts and a weekend for me to take care of.

But i do know that the one i'm looking at has NEWER tires and brand new shock/struts all around.

$6k was the transmission. There were some suspension parts replaced too.

No, she doesn't take it to the dealership.

Does the car you're looking at have decent service history?

 

[JCH13]

A friend of mine has one with around 280k miles that has been through hell and back (like a battery fire from when his wife tried to jump-start it and flipped the jumper cables). If it's been well taken care of it'd be a good DD I think.

 

[bigrash]

Way too many miles.

 

[thedarkwolf]

It is $1600. If it runs decently it is worth that much. As long as it last a year you win. This isn't the 1950s anymore. Cars last a bit longer.

 

[manimal]

Ya 1600 for a runner is fair. Those things do go forever if its not abused-sludge-


Man six K for that tranny seems harsh Jules.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Ya 1600 for a runner is fair. Those things do go forever if its not abused-sludge-


Man six K for that tranny seems harsh Jules.

LOL! Yeah, not my money. That's just what she told me.

Yes, I think she's crazy. No way would I have spent that money to keep a car with that many miles going. Cut your losses and buy something new.

By the way, she is the original owner of that Lexus.

 

[mmntech]

My mom has a 97. It doesn't have nearly as many miles but drives like new and has had no major problems.

 

[pauldun170]

Very clean and well maintained. These have the 1mzfe motor in it, known to last long but i do recall they are oil sludgers as well.

It looks amazingly well kept for a 98 in the area. Even better looking the my 98 maxima that i babied.

How much life do you think this thing might have, i figure it should make it to 300k. Its a $1600 buy on my part as a spare car.

$1600 for a running issue free car that passes state inspection = Win

 

[pauldun170]

Make sure its not this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cl4bhoPrNO4

 

[T2urtle]

Owners of 1mzfe. Can u see oil the can shafts thru the oil fill cap?

I want to find a quick way to gauge if there is horrible oil sludge or not. I know I can see the cams of my vq30 but not my vq35.

 

[sjwaste]

A friend of mine has one with around 280k miles that has been through hell and back (like a battery fire from when his wife tried to jump-start it and flipped the jumper cables). If it's been well taken care of it'd be a good DD I think.

Holy shit, battery fire? I didn't even know that was a thing with lead acid batteries. I bet the scorch marks on the hood were funny though.

 

[JCH13]

Holy shit, battery fire? I didn't even know that was a thing with lead acid batteries. I bet the scorch marks on the hood were funny though.

I'm not 100% sure that the battery itself caught on fire, but the cables did melt/burn all their insulation off and went through two bumpers and the headlight housing in the Lexus and set a few bits of wire and plastic on fire.

 

[phucheneh]

I've never heard of a battery catching fire. They can...combust. That's a flash ignition of hydrogen, BUT, luckily, it usually blows the casing apart and you'll have some battery acid to douse the flames.

It's hard to imagine a battery catching wiring on fire. It's more likely that the wiring had (or was next to something with) an unprotected short to ground.

As far as the car, if it's nice and clean, everything works, ect, 1600 seems fine to me. I'd call it a 'luxury beater'...beaters are usually 500-1000 if they're not total crap...this one is commanding about double the price for having, like, amenities and stuff. A/C works, right?

 

[JCH13]

I've never heard of a battery catching fire. They can...combust. That's a flash ignition of hydrogen, BUT, luckily, it usually blows the casing apart and you'll have some battery acid to douse the flames.

It's hard to imagine a battery catching wiring on fire. It's more likely that the wiring had (or was next to something with) an unprotected short to ground.

Bro, do you even read?

She flipped the jumper cable leads, so each battery was discharging into the other one through just a wire. Basically the batteries discharged with more current that a dead short between the posts.

 

[phucheneh]

Bro, do you even read?

She flipped the jumper cable leads, so each battery was discharging into the other one through just a wire. Basically the batteries discharged with more current that a dead short between the posts.

...on occasion.D:

Actually I lost track of the specific story, since those posts at the end came a bit late. Was more just responding to the 'idea' of a 'battery fire.' And you pretty much confirmed what I said.

I mean, I coulda confirmed it by reading the entire thread thoroughly. But that's no fun.:\ [edit for clarification: I was literally referring to a battery being fuel for a fire in above post. With shorts, the battery didn't 'cause' the fire, the short did.]

That is a curious way to destroy something, though. Did she not consider the initial shower of sparks an indicator that something was wrong?

 

[hotlavaaaa]

Owners of 1mzfe. Can u see oil the can shafts thru the oil fill cap?

I want to find a quick way to gauge if there is horrible oil sludge or not. I know I can see the cams of my vq30 but not my vq35.

This is what you will see under the oil fill cap. Do not be alarmed(as I was the first time I changed the oil in my mom's Camry). It is some kind of screen and I believe it's there to protect a sensor that sits right beneath the fill hole.

 

[T2urtle]

Ah.. So u see next to nothing.

Yea everything works. Some belmishes on the body, all normal for 10+ year old car.

No history of timing belt change, sticker says it was last changed at 115k. Which is late for the first belt, I think its due at 90k. I want to assume somewhere at 200k another was done but u know I shouldn't.

Couple things collectively is telling me to not get it. 200k is high miles to me personally. But this is nearing 300k. The fact that its a known oil sludger is in the back of mind and the lack of proof on the 2nd belt change would mean it could of missed a couple of oil changes as well. I might pass on it.

Plus if I did have to resell it, I'm not sure if I can get $1000 @ 300k.

 

[mvbighead]

This is actually a car model I have been looking at for some time. They hold their value well. I have yet to see a 98 for 1600 at any mileage.

If everything checks out ok, I'd definitely buy it. Maybe I am crazy though. Can't remember the member, but someone suggested I look at these because they are basically Camries with a little bit of the Lexus touch. Many of the replacement parts will fit Camries, so most repairs won't be terrible. And, as you've seen, many of these get to very high miles.

Oh, just rechecked CL:

5200 for a 98 with 174k
8500 for a 99 with 84k
6200 for a 99 with 162l

Yes, your price is considerably lower, and your miles are considerably higher. But I would absolutely do it if the engine and tranny check out ok.

 

[T2urtle]

Most of prices on CL are 2000-5500. But then again I'm in rust belt area. But these cars don't rust much.

@275k I'm looking with the thoughts of the belt snapping. Spending another $500, not too bad $2100 total investment BUT if its a oil sludger well then it might be time for a new motor. At that point its just not worth it.

If this car had paperwork on history in wouldn't have a problem. I'm going off the word of someone.