Looking for an insight/recommendations on buying a used Lexus ES 350
10-04-18, 04:30 PM
#31
Driver
Thread Starter
Miles don't scare me.... if I'm the one who put them on. I drove 40,000+ a year for my job before retiring....I drove down highways with the cruise control on......easy miles on a car! I retired my last 2 vehicles when they reached 300,000. My current van has 206,000 on it and is in better shape visually and internally then the vast majority I see on the roads. The service techs come out to meet me when they do the 100,000 services on it they are in awe of my vehicle.. You can "eat off the motor" etc.
Figure it's a throw-away car when you go to sell it because of the miles and collision. How's the repaired paint work look? Tires good? The Lexus check list on the gold one indicates you'll need two tires. The previous owner did not rotate them which is why there is a 4mm difference in thread depth....if they purchased 4 tires new to begin with.
No doubt more miles equals a better chance of repairs. Roll the dice! A couple of repairs and you might have the same amount of money in it as the gold one with 137,000 on it. For the $3,000 difference I'd be inclined to go with the Gold one
Figure it's a throw-away car when you go to sell it because of the miles and collision. How's the repaired paint work look? Tires good? The Lexus check list on the gold one indicates you'll need two tires. The previous owner did not rotate them which is why there is a 4mm difference in thread depth....if they purchased 4 tires new to begin with.
No doubt more miles equals a better chance of repairs. Roll the dice! A couple of repairs and you might have the same amount of money in it as the gold one with 137,000 on it. For the $3,000 difference I'd be inclined to go with the Gold one
I cant comment on the repair done to the other ES since the dealer doesn't have that information, neither am I looking to peruse it as the Beige one is a better deal over all.
You've been a huge help John!
10-05-18, 05:16 AM
#33
The sheet says that all 4 tires have more than 6/32nds, so they are ok and pass.
For winter driving, it all depends the roads you drive on and distances. My daily commute is a mix of urban and back roads, and for me snow tires are a must esp on freezing rain days. You will notice that the car is very front heavy and tail will go out very easily on slippery roads when turning, i.e. heavily understeer, and winter tires help to reduce that...
For winter driving, it all depends the roads you drive on and distances. My daily commute is a mix of urban and back roads, and for me snow tires are a must esp on freezing rain days. You will notice that the car is very front heavy and tail will go out very easily on slippery roads when turning, i.e. heavily understeer, and winter tires help to reduce that...
10-05-18, 05:32 AM
#34
Izgy, Respectfully you must admit 6/32 on an aged street tire in snow is nothing but slip'n & slide'n! Save them for summer use. One accident on bad tires will cost you more then the snow tires in deductable cost and an increase with your insurance company.
10-05-18, 06:27 AM
#35
I was responding to the earlier discussion on what the sheet says, i.e. tire thread depth and if it passed inspection. More than 6/32nds can be anything up to full thread, but that is unknown just by looking at the sheet...
I like snow tires on mine, actually just shopping for them now
10-05-18, 01:15 PM
#36
What's the snow tire of choice in your area?
I put Blizzak WS80's on the ES350 for my wife's use. (The prior "snows" were Michelin Xi2's) Very soft and sticky and never any feedback from her about slipping around. I'd wear them out too fast when I was working/driving 40,000 miles a year so my last set of snows... sitting next to my desk right now are my second set of Goodyear UltraGrip-Ice. I usually went with Michelin's latest and greatest but they did not produce my size when I purchased my current minivan. I'm looking at both sets now and happy I head to AZ for 6 months a year and only have to experience snow in my memory!
I wore out a lot of noisy Vredesteins back in the 80-90's before the manufacturers got serious about quiet snow tires.
I see Tire Rack likes the WS80's too.
https://blog.tirerack.com/blog/colin...e-blizzak-ws70
https://blog.tirerack.com/blog/make-...ersus-michelin
I put Blizzak WS80's on the ES350 for my wife's use. (The prior "snows" were Michelin Xi2's) Very soft and sticky and never any feedback from her about slipping around. I'd wear them out too fast when I was working/driving 40,000 miles a year so my last set of snows... sitting next to my desk right now are my second set of Goodyear UltraGrip-Ice. I usually went with Michelin's latest and greatest but they did not produce my size when I purchased my current minivan. I'm looking at both sets now and happy I head to AZ for 6 months a year and only have to experience snow in my memory!
I wore out a lot of noisy Vredesteins back in the 80-90's before the manufacturers got serious about quiet snow tires.
I see Tire Rack likes the WS80's too.
https://blog.tirerack.com/blog/colin...e-blizzak-ws70
https://blog.tirerack.com/blog/make-...ersus-michelin
10-05-18, 03:16 PM
#37
Driver
Thread Starter
So far they meet Lexus standards and pass safety I'm fine with them. Ill look into a new set of snow tires and put them on by Dec (when proper snow starts). Anything else anyone would like to add? Ill be flying over early in the morning (Saturday) to see the vehicle in person and most like be driving it back home given I end up liking it..and I really want to. How do Lexus of this age hold up against corrosion/rust? As most, if not all new/old lexuss are steel bodied, they inevitably rust and I reckon the rear/front subframe probably has surface rust on it. Then again, I'm buying it for the sole purpose of driving it in winter, but hate the idea of rust on my vehicle.
1) Ill pay extra attention to the transmission and how it performs during a test drive.
2) Check for premature or excessive rust/corrosion.
3) Check the electronics
as for the mechanical and engine components aspect of the vehicle, I'm placing my faith in the Lexus tech who called me today saying its in good condition.
1) Ill pay extra attention to the transmission and how it performs during a test drive.
2) Check for premature or excessive rust/corrosion.
3) Check the electronics
as for the mechanical and engine components aspect of the vehicle, I'm placing my faith in the Lexus tech who called me today saying its in good condition.
10-05-18, 08:53 PM
#38
Sounds like a perfect winter vehicle......we all have one too!!! 
Crown is popular up your way for an oil spray over the bottom for rust abatement.
What kinda car are you storing for the winter?
Crown is popular up your way for an oil spray over the bottom for rust abatement.
What kinda car are you storing for the winter?
10-07-18, 07:23 PM
#39
Driver
Thread Starter
I'm storing away a Jaguar XFS s/c. Not the most ideal winter vehicle.
10-07-18, 07:56 PM
#40
Driver
Thread Starter
Thank you John U, Igzy and all those who took the time to leave me with their feedback and general suggestions regarding my search for a winter vehicle. I am happy to post that I am now an owner of a 2010 Lexus ES 350. The sales manager brought the vehicle out straight from their used inventory lot, not washed or cleaned in any way shape or form. The car looked good on the exterior besides the dirt and dust, however the interior wasnt in the best of shape..saying they would only clean/wash the car given the sale was made, and couldnt do so it being a Saturday. I dont really understand that since I had paid a deposit and more or less committed to the purchase when I flew over 700 KMs. Long story short, I negotiated the price to $9,000 given the condition of the interior (driver seat worn, front two chrome trim pieces flaked) which I plan to address after the long weekend.
The car is old...but drivers VERY comfortably. Easily on par with my fathers 2018 XJL. Not a huge fan of the replica Mag wheels the car came with and lacking TPMS sensors, an alert for which is constantly on the dash. The salesman agreed to mail me a set of sensors and pay to have them calibrated at a Lexus dealership near me.
All in all, I'm pretty happy and looking forward to having the car polished, detailed inside and out. Will post pictures if anyone is interested.
Cheers!
Last edited by Zereldo; 10-07-18 at 08:03 PM.
10-08-18, 02:48 PM
#41
Glad it came together for you.....bring on the snow! Your detail guy will make that drivers seat shine again. Put a set of Weathertech type mats in the car (they have a brown colored mat I have) to catch the snow and save the light color carpet mats for summer. Now you're set for winter without the worries of messing up your Jag. In college we called them, "winter rats"....$200 cars to drive when our Corvettes were stored.
10-09-18, 07:09 AM
#42
Thank you John U, Igzy and all those who took the time to leave me with their feedback and general suggestions regarding my search for a winter vehicle. I am happy to post that I am now an owner of a 2010 Lexus ES 350. The sales manager brought the vehicle out straight from their used inventory lot, not washed or cleaned in any way shape or form. The car looked good on the exterior besides the dirt and dust, however the interior wasnt in the best of shape..saying they would only clean/wash the car given the sale was made, and couldnt do so it being a Saturday. I dont really understand that since I had paid a deposit and more or less committed to the purchase when I flew over 700 KMs. Long story short, I negotiated the price to $9,000 given the condition of the interior (driver seat worn, front two chrome trim pieces flaked) which I plan to address after the long weekend.
The car is old...but drivers VERY comfortably. Easily on par with my fathers 2018 XJL. Not a huge fan of the replica Mag wheels the car came with and lacking TPMS sensors, an alert for which is constantly on the dash. The salesman agreed to mail me a set of sensors and pay to have them calibrated at a Lexus dealership near me.
All in all, I'm pretty happy and looking forward to having the car polished, detailed inside and out. Will post pictures if anyone is interested.
Cheers!
TPMS, I wrote how to disable the light. Mine had the light on pretty much since I got it and was too cheap to replace the broken sensor, and didn't want to get another set of sensors for winter. So look it up here:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es-...o-disable.html
Glad it came together for you.....bring on the snow! Your detail guy will make that drivers seat shine again. Put a set of Weathertech type mats in the car (they have a brown colored mat I have) to catch the snow and save the light color carpet mats for summer. Now you're set for winter without the worries of messing up your Jag. In college we called them, "winter rats"....$200 cars to drive when our Corvettes were stored.
For your earlier question, over years I had many winter tire brands and models. This coming winter it will be on Hankook Pikes. I had Michelins the previous season. Over the decades of winter driving and many different tires, none of them really stood out, except Gislaved tires I had on the IS300. Those were amazing and IS took the winter like a champ. I even drove it in a foot of snow and it went just fine. Lastly, I haven't driven on Chinese brands so can't comment on those...
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