samaralily

I have a 2007 rx350h that I bought new. Haven't had many problems with it, and now my dad needs a car. I like mine, so I suggested a used es350 to him. We took a nice one for a test drive this weekend, but it was full of cigarette smell, so we couldn't go with it. Upon doing more research, I see that there are some major transmission problems with some of these models. We are going to look at a 2007 es350 with 11,000 miles on it tomorrow-it's loaded apparently. I don't have the time to do full research-have to get the kids to bed-but I am hoping that some of you in this forum can advise me if I should even bother to give this car serious thought, or move on? Perhaps someone knows if there was a resolution to this problem or somewhere that I can find a vin# or something along those lines to look for when driving this car tomorrow?

Thanks so much for your help in advance! I appreciate it!!

p.s. I hope I posted in the right forum, I'm a total 'newbie' here, so I hope I didn't break any rules!

RickC5

FWIW, and some other posters will surely disagree, the 2007 was the first model year of the last generation ES350. A good car, but suffering from some early production problems/issues that the 2008-2012 do not seem to have. Like the tranny problems you mentioned, plus windows jumping out of their tracks & jamming, an oil line that leaks (recall on that) and the steering wheel buttons wearing off prematurely.

Still, if the price is right, and the car is perfect, you may wish to consider an '07. We have an '08 that has been trouble free for over two years. Personally, I do NOT like to buy the first model year of a new generation for just this reason: it's a crap shoot.

MDames2

iTrader: (1)

Though what RickC5 states is accurate, the majority of 2007 ES350's were great cars. I purchased a 2007 new in November of 2006. I had it for a little more than 6 years. It ran perfect when I sold it. The only issue from the above list I had was the driver side window jumping off the track. It was replaced under warranty. Other than that, I loved the car. Test drive the vehicle, if it drives well and you don't notice the trans slipping or flaring between gears, you're probably OK. Always have it checked out by a reputable mechanic before purchasing.

garsarno

And see if you can still get any type of extended warranty on the 2007.

igzy

Btw, given that it's been 7+ years since the car was made, any early production issues would have come up by now and any recalls implemented. I have an '07 I bought used and don't have any concerns (*touch wood*). See if the service history is available and look for any repairs on items mentioned above. Other than that, check CarFax and CarProof for accidents, etc. Based on mileage, it is almost a brand new car. ES won dependability awards many times

pheonix72

iTrader: (6)

Make sure you guys get the car checked out by a trusted mechanic (unless it is still under warranty). Timing Chain Cover Oil leaks are very common on these engines. I have the leak on my 2006 IS350 and the cheapest quote I got is $2400.

ThumperPup

i have an 07 es350 with 72k on it i bought it with 44k a year ago last week and no issues almost 30k and no problems what so ever
it was a mid model year build in may of 2007
and i love it trouble free

lanb

I have the same 2007 ES350 May 2007 build and have had

1) Passenger window jumping out
2) Water pump failure

Now, I may be looking at an oil leak .

I would recommend staying away from the 2007 Model year at least.

BTW, the 11000 (low) miles seems really odd for a 6 year old car.

ThumperPup

Maybe a older person or a student who doesn't drive all the time had it I see older cars with low miles like that all the time to bad it's not on a Lexus dealer lot or is it? If it is then you could probably gt them to certifie it with a Lexus 3 year 100k warranty