I am in the process of replacing my 03 honda Crv with a Lexus.

I have found a 2000 ES300 foraround 4500.

For 03crvs they are notorious for the AC compressors shredding themselves
and throwing metal shavings into the AC system. Repairs cost around
3k. Is there anything similar with nexuses in general and the 2000 ES 300?

I am trying to find a vehicle that will last at least 6years with minimum
upkeep

Any information would help.

Thank you.

 

Still searching. If you have had any problems that seem systemic please let me know.

 

There isn't anything 'known'. It's all maintenance/road conditions dependent. Some will come in here talking about sludge, which is worth checking out.

But here's a more real world view; https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es3...en-thread.html

 

To put things in perspective, the car will be at the very low end of problems on average compared to all other cars. The only outstanding issue is engine sludge, which as a percentage occurs rarely, but when it does it can destroy the engine. Proper maintenance prevents it from happening.

 

Most common issues: Worn out suspension, leaky engine gaskets (top end), burned out interior lights, dirty IAC Valve. Don't worry about sludge, if the car has been maintained, you won't have it.

 

Common problems would be: Air Fuel Ratio sensors, valve cover leaks, sludge and overheat. Just naming a few.

 

For a 2000 ES I'd say that a defective A/F sensor and a leaking valve cover are normal wear and tear issues. If proper maintenance is observed, sludge and overheat aren't likely to occur.

 

I agree those are normal wear and tear items, as are struts and suspension parts.

 

On the sludge, that's not true. I just picked up an ES300 that was meticiously maintained with sythetic oil and it has a moderate amount of sludge in it. Not the worst I've seen, but not the best by a long shot. I think that a religious oil change interval will reduce the amount of sludge, but I don't think it gets rid of it in this car.

Having said that, there are an insane number of older ES300's and camrys still on the road from that affected years.

 

No, MrBooby is correct. As long as the vehicle was maintained properly, sludge is nothing to worry about.

How confident are you that the seller didn't lie to you? It's quite easy to make up a service history. lol What was the OCI?

 

Awesome info. Appreciate it. I have also heard that getting a Lexus worked on is more expensive than say a Honda is that true?

Also is there a way to look IP maintenance records at the dealer based on a VIN?

 

^^It is the dealer network, at the Lexus dealer you pull into an indoor receiving area, they open the door for you like a valet, and bring a loaner around for you to use until your car is done being serviced. You pay extra for that, no matter how old and cheap your Lexus is.

Of course you can find another mechanic to work on the car or DIY, especially our ES300 being mechanically about the same as a Camry any Toyota dealer/independent mechanic can work on it and the mechanical parts shared with the Camry are generally inexpensive and readily available..

It is telling that the "common problems" with this car are normal wear/tear issues. I considered the same vintage TL Type-S before I bought my ES. My boss has this one and he is on the third trans at 150k he is doing pretty good. The ES doesn't really have any trouble spots like that.

BTW you can look up the maintenance records right from the web don't even need to visit the dealer, sign up at secure.drivers.lexus.com, you can put in any VIN for "your car" and check the maintenance records if serviced at the dealer. I checked out all the ones I looked at before I bought.

 

Great information. What kind of cost are we talking about when taking it to the dealer. 300 oil changes?

 

Completely agree, it's just something to pay attention to.

 

Oil changes are simple to do, and if you do them yourself, they are minimal. Remember, this is a Toyota, so you CAN take it to a Toyota dealership and get stuff done to it if you are a dealership kind of person. Taking a 12 year old car to a Lexus dealership would make no sense IMHO. Only reason to do that is to get warranty work done.

If you don't mind turning a wrench, do the oil changes yourself. I enjoy it and mostly I know it gets done right and you know exactly what oil is going into your car.