Aron9000

Please guide me here, I'm mixing up my vehicle fleet. Right now its a 1992 SC300/5 speed, 103k miles on it. IMO its getting a bit long in the tooth, I want something a bit newer, something with a more practical back seat, something that I can strap my new infant nephew in easily.


Now I know there are some high rollers around here that can afford all kinds of crazy new cars, but that isn't me. I just took on a new mortgage a couple years ago, early 30's, I am wanting to have that paid off by my early 50's and semi-retire by then, so no fancy new cars for me.

As it is right now, I'm keeping my 2004 Tacoma, reg cab/5 speed/ base/base/base as **** truck. 189k on it, its a good truck to haul crap, sometimes drive to work, put miles on it. Not to get into specifics, but dad gave it to me. It is maintained to a damn T, should be good for another 100k.


So I have about 3 or 4 Lexus and Toyota models in that 2000-2010 range, under $10k.

#1 2000-2004 Toyota Avalon Man I love this sedan, as it has served our family over the years, brother in law is still driving that old 2000 Avalon we bought new with about 270k, runs like a new car, interior still looks near mint with that grey velour/cloth.

#2 1998-2003 Lexus RX 300 Pretty much a wagon version of the Avalon. Same drivetrain, but I don't like that sort of weird touch screen, that one thing really dates the car. Still though, I can find a really nice RX300 with low miles near me if I look hard enough, its a really damn popular car around here.

#3 2001-2006 Lexus LS430- Wanting a more base model here, not the Ultra Lux with the more failure prone air suspension. Man this is one superior ride, only thing I have against it is that that damn Avalon or RX300 is about 80-90% of the experience with much better gas mileage.

#4 1998-2005 Lexus GS400 and GS430, smaller but yet seems like more fun. I do love that shape, but once again this is a nation wide search for the right car, I don't want a GS300, same engine as my SC300.

#5 2001-2006 Lexus ES330 Not my favorite car in terms of looks, but damn the interior is nice, good reliable powertrain, good gas mileage.

05ls430518

iTrader: (1)

I say ls430 for the win but thats because I own one....I also believe the the best car Lexus has ever built hands down. I will be buying an rx300 in a month or two also.......your good with any Lexus as long as it has not been thrashed and neglacted

Johnhav430

When one thinks about it, imho ten grand "is" a lot of money. Even if it's not a lot to everybody here (think about the avg. bonus on Wall St. this past year), it's still a lot in what you can do with it. And it is a lot for a used car--add about 4k, and you can get a used Camry that will last you another 10+ yrs. If you mailed off a check in that amount, to the hate to say it 2nd best (wish it were #1 but it's significantly larger than the commonly regarded #1) pediatric hospital in the nation, and one of the best in the world, I assure you, they would very much appreciate it.

Anyway, I would agree since we're talking Lexus, that the 3rd gen LS430 would be my choice. There are a lot < $10k now. I think someone got a nice one recently for $4,700.

I bought a 2006 with 81k 18 mos. ago, and would it really surprise anybody when I say the only unexpected problem I have had is my LF corner park assist sensors need replacement? I refuse to spend $350 ea. for the OE part, so I got eBay ones for $14 a piece, will put them in early summer.

I did have trouble finding a Japanese specialist to work on it (I only live in the 5th largest city in the nation lol), but once I did, my costs are contained, since the indie does install customer parts. A larger job like the timing belt/water pump, they get < 50% of the Lexus dealer, and do a much, much, much, better job.

If I were a race car driver and had a stable of cars, the 3rd gen LS430 would be included. I have no experience with the 400's, but if the stable were large enough, LS400 and GS400's would also be in the stable. Probably a 1998 GS400.

MattyG

Based on your needs Aron, The RX is probably the practical choice. If you want to have an infant seat with a kid in and out of your vehicle, the extra height is going to make that easier vs trying to do all that in a sedan. Yeah the touchscreen is an issue but maybe it's a worthwhile compromise for what you're getting.

The GS is a really nice car, but goes more towards sport than luxury. Very fast, quick car in V8 form but it's a noisy ride and you'll feel the bridge abutments and potholes. Limited back seat room.

The LS, well it's an LS what can you say. Superb everything and more roomy vs the GS, but you'll still be stooping down to put in a child seat and strap it and your nephew into it.

The ES/Avalon a good second choice compared to the RX because they're fwd so roomy inside with good packaging. For that kind of money though, you might as well upgrade to a 2005 Avalon, the next generation which looks nicer and was a roomy quick smooth car. Significantly nicer interior.

Sulu

If your nephew is still in the rear-facing seat, you will want a vehicle with a lot of legroom in the back seat, or are able to pull the front seat forward (a short person in that seat or nobody in the seat).

Johnhav430

btw have not tried a rear facing seat in the LS430 so not sure about that, but I have a forward facing one and no problems. The front pass doesn't even have to sit weird or anything.

On the mortgage, dunno if it even exists anymore, and it may be moot with rising rates. I believe in paying off the mortgage asap (aunt is in her 70's and owes on a heloc, she is the opposite, if the rate is low, she believes in owing and doing better elsewhere--again I think she is wrong esp. given her age, she was so happy when stocks were hitting highs, at 70+?). The instrument that helped me to lay a smack down on my principal is called a first lien position home equity. It is a 10 yr. product, whose rate was closer to a 30 yr. than a 15 yr. Where it is handy is when rates are falling. There are or were literally zero costs to set it up, no title insurance, blah blah blah i.e. no breakeven. To show how it's 100 legit, it's not even an option to pay insurance or taxes to escrow, you are responsible on your own.

I was at 5.25% on a 30 yr., and wanted to go to a 15 which was 3.25% at the time, but there would be a break-even due to closing costs. Went to the 10 yr. first lien and dropped the rate to 3.75% with zero fees. Payment increased, interest went down. 8 mos. later the rate was 3.37%, did it again. There was one charge, $67.50, which was a disposition fee at the county. If rates had gone down a 3rd time, would have done it again. It's all a game, but we don't want to be without a chair when the music stops. Good thinking to get rid of the house payment at 50 or thereabouts.

edit ps with tax reform one would think that a big mortgage is not a good thing anymore, so many I know will be taking the standard deduction at 24k. It stinks because personal exemptions gone.

RNM GS3

Johnhav430

The LS430 is a boat compared to anything, not just a GS430 hehe

Was it here or at the 3rd gen, I said LS430 at an autocross? That doesn't seem like it would be very good, and someone got all mad saying how would I know if I weren't there...lol

mmarshall

Of the list you provided, I'd look at the 4Gen 2001-1006 ES first....but check it out with a careful test-drive and see if your sample has the low-speed drivability quirks in transmission-shifting and electronic throttle-response that a factory ECU-flash was supposed to fix, but sometimes did not do so.

riredale

I'm afraid I'll have to be the contrarian here and suggest that Lexus may not be the "best" solution. For $10K do you want a car with leather and a host of doodads (that can eventually fail) and an aging powertrain (Lexus), or a surprisingly-similar very-reliable midlife nice car made by the same manufacturer (Toyota)?

Crazybrit

Es 350 5th gen

Aron9000

Okay, you tell me here that a Lexus is not just as reliable as a base Corolla. I mean I bought my 1992 Lexus S300/5 speed in 2012 with 60k miles. It now has 103k on it. In that time I've had to fix one power window motor, did that myself for about $100. Had the A/C recharged for $300. Had the Clutch hydraulics fixed for $300, that was the one issue that would have left the car on the side of the road. Other than that I've done the brakes and replaced the tires twice due to me upgrading to 18" wheels. On a 20+ year old car I spent about $700 on repairs over a six year period. BTW I paid $9000 in 2012 for the privilege of driving the damn nicest 1992 SC300/5 speed in the country, it had 59,000 miles on it at the time, perfect paint, perfect interior, perfect leather, it looked like something the Lexus dealer would have sat in the front row of their pre-owned car inventory in the early 90's.

Or for example my parent's 2000 Toyota Avalon. 3.0 V6, same damn car mechanically as the ES300, but a lot nicer, bigger car. That car has like 260, 270k miles on it. My brother in law drives it every day on a 80 mile round trip commute. Its still dead stone reliable, 18 years later. It still rides nice, the paint looks decent, the interior still looks mint with the velour seat option, I mean damn what more can you expect.

I am an expert at finding those one owner, low mile cars that were maintained to a T. Past cars included a 1991 Cadillac Brougham D'Elegance, drove that from 100k to 130k, only problems were the fan blower motor($30 DIY replacement), a total rebuild on the front brake calipers, a stuck sunroof(easy $100 replacement of the motor), a rear axle seal that was about $300 to replace both axle seals, drain the rear diff fluid and replace.

Anyways, you find these mint shape low mile, one owner cars that are 10 to 20 years old, run them for a few years, sell them for about what you bought them for with still low miles. Wash rinse repeat once you are bored with them.

Propulsion

Aron9000

I've thought about that 3rd gen GS, If I could find a GS460 or GS430 with the V8 for the right price, I might buy it. The main thing though, that makes me want an older car is that stupid infotainment screen. I mean on a 3rd gen GS, its pretty much standard. I'd much rather have a non-screen spec type of radio with buttons than one of those early mesolithic era screen type of setups like what is mostly standard in later 00's cars. At least in those old push button radio era cars from the late 90's/early 00's, there is a way to wire an aux input into the stock radio head unit.

Still though I think the 3rd GS is a bit of a stupid looking car, I can't figure out if it was first or if Jaguar came out with the XF first, they both look almost exactly the same, both look generic IMO.

Aron9000

Like I've said, I've had good luck picking up old Toyota and Lexus cars that were cheap to me.

In other news, I've had some luck in teaching my sister how to drive a 5 speed, she can drive my 1992 SC300 and 2004 Tacoma back and forth to work. So therefore, if I need to drive my six month old nephew, she can drive one of my cars to work and leave her Rav4 in the garage, with its baby seat, so if I absolutely need to get somewhere with my little nephew, it isn't a big deal like it used to be.