quadratini

Hi, thinking of buying a 1992 ES300 I found on Craig's List but I really would like some opinions from someone who's actually owned a lexus before (this would be my first one). I've tackled overheating problems before on my saturn but I think this car has it worse. Here's the ad:


Gold 92' Lexus ES300, one owner, 96,940 miles, no accidents requiring auto body repairs, was serviced regularly by my mechanic, interior and exterior in good condition.

Main components replaced – Brakes, radiator, water pump, head gasket, thermostat, A/C Compressor Evaporator and Condenser, timing belt, cluster speedometer gauge, rear struts, distributor.

Presently the car has an over heating problem. Water coming out of the tail pipe. No water in the oil. My mechanic replaced the head gasket and replaced the thermostat But that did not fix the problem. So car will be sold as is. Car runs but it will over heat. I suggest a tow if you have to drive a distance.

I spoke with the guy and he tells me his mechanic is suggesting he replace another head gasket. Some of the other forum posts on here recommend replacing the motor all together (not gonna happen). I'm thinking that it could be a cheap radiator without enough flow, a faulty coolant temperature sensor or a bad computer.

Any help, suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you kindly in advance.

tromly

I think you should pass on this one, there's a lot of cars out there you do not have to tow to get home !! Good Luck

rlx101

offer him 300$ if you have a place to work on it and desire to bring this car back to life. financially wise its probably not worth it. there is plenty of fish in the ocean ....

eyezack87

iTrader: (4)

He must've driven his car to the ground to do that....mine is still going strong with no problems. Well, brake fluid is low so its tripping sensors but its my fault lol...

quadratini

Thank you for your good tips!

He tells me that it was his mom's car, so perhaps she drove it and drove it and never took it in for service (?) - but he has service records so that doesn't make too much sense. Hmmm, probably right - sounds like it was driven hard.

I have the space to work on it but not really the time or a great deal of money. At the end of the day, it's still an 18 year old car. Can't expect it to last too much longer.

angmedic91

iTrader: (5)

I would also pass on it. If its over heating and the mechanic doesnt have a clue, that in itself would tell me to walk away. Surprising it has low miles for a 92, something must have went wrong and he isnt saying anything. Service records just tell you when and what was done to the car, doesnt tell you what the driver did wrong while owning it. You can get some nice looking 3rd Gen ES for around 5,000 dollars, depending on milage and condition that are still running great.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

A lot of cars experience cylinder head warp whenever they experience major overheating. Even with new headgaskets, the cylinder head may not be seated well enough. I would definitely pass on this one.

quadratini

I looked at my original post and realized that I didn't include the price (it was in the title). The guy wants only $950 for it. But from what you guys are telling me it's still probably not worth it, especially if a new engine is in order. Not sure I want to deal with warped heads, valves and seals. Is there any way to tell if the cylnder heads are warped without taking it apart? Maybe a compresion guage or will the engine sound like a diesel motor when running? I still suspect a faulty coolant temp sensor as the root cause. It had me going on my saturn for months. But you're probably right, the engine may be too far gone by this point.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

In most cases, it's going to be hard to tell if the heads are warp with the naked eye. You can't see it if the engine is assembled. I know on many other cars, the cylinder heads have to be milled flat again in order for the headgaskets to properly seal.

quadratini

So guys, thanks for all your advice. I decided to pass on this car, especially after speaking with the car's mechanic who was just a total dirtbag. I guess one more fun fact is that the car has no coolant leaks but it's losing coolant - it's probably mixing with the oil in the engine - no thanks. Anyways, I'll post my future findings on this forum. You guys have been really helpful.