Zereldo

Hey, I've started my search for a used Lexus ES 350/IS 250/350 as the winter month approaches. I currently drive a 2015 Jaguar XFS Supercharged that I purchased off of my father and planning on keeping it in the garage as a way to keep it away from the harsh winter month and road salt. I've established that my budget for a winter vehicle allows for a high KM (120k to 200k+ KM) Lexus ES ranging from 2008 to 2010 model year. I had originally set my eyes on a 2008-2010 Audi A6 for the quattro AWD; however, I've decided to drop it due to a long list of issues and maintenance costs the vehicles are known for.

I've never owned a Lexus before and my brief search shows that the 3.5l V6 is pretty reliable; however read mix reviews about the transmission going bad often. What can I expect from these vehicles, in term of reliability, winter performance and maintenance cost?

Fuel economy isn't a major deciding factor. As far as options go, I'm not spoiled for choice given the budget and prefer a basic model (lower KMs / newer model year) over a well equipped (older model with higher KMs).

My budget is about 8-11k (CAD) depending on bang for buck. In other words, I'd be willing to spend the higher end of my budget to get a vehicle with better equipment/lower KMs/newer year with all major work done as opposed to a cheaper one that may require substantial amount of work.

Owners with either pre/post facelift models may chime in and share their ownership experience and recommendation regarding my decision to get a Lexus with such a low budget. I am planning on taking all potential purchase to an Lexus dealer for Pre-Purcahse inspection (PPI), is there anything else I should look out for? Given the budget, what sort of ES or IS should I expect to get in term of condition and mileage? (in Ontario, Canada). I understand the markets vary depending on the region.

Any and all help/advice would be appreciated!

Cheers!

jagtoes

For a winter car in the Lexus family I would not select an ES but look for an IS with AWD. If you only have cold weather and little to no snow/ice then AWD is the way to go. My 2010 is very poor in the snow so it stays garaged during snowy days where we then use our AWD pick up truck. Although this has been the most reliable car we have owned it's winter performance is terrible. Typical or a front drive car. My previous commuter prior to retiring was a Jaguar X-Type which was their AWD entry in the low cost market. It did the trick for 90K miles .

igzy

I picked ES350 because it has been consistently winning dependability studies. When I bought mine as used, it was still covered with powertrain warranty (6 years, 120K km). In your case, 2010s and older will be outside that, but with low mileage you will be fine. Private sale you may be able to find something in that range $$$, dealer will cost you more for a low mileage ES.

I would have loved an IS350 RWD (fun factor) or AWD but it was outside my budget. I stayed away from IS250 as they are IMO underpowered and carbon deposit issues with that engine...

Major known issues for ES that are not covered with recalls, etc. are water pump failure, timing cover oil leaks, CV drive shaft vibration. Again, it will be way more reliable than Jag or Audi...

Transmission has a weird shift behavior (aka 2-3 and/or 3-4 flare) that some think is an issue. This will not leave you stranded, and is a matter or caring for. Mine does it when cold but I never cared to "fix".

And happy shopping!

nevernu

I'm in Ottawa w heavy snow/ice every winter and have a 07ES; my experience w snow tires is positive, never had any problems. Never driven an AWD car though so can't compare, maybe its significantly better.

Zereldo

Hey Jagtoes, thanks for the input! I'm primarily aiming for the Lexus ES as I find the interior far more attractive than that of the IS of the same generation. The IS and ES compete in different classes, however the ES being a larger and more comfortable vehicle according to what I've read online, I would be my first choice. Having suffered through the harsh ride of the Jaguar, a Lexus would be a welcome addition.
As far as AWD is concerned, I live in Ontario and we tend to get a lot of snow (Picture Michigan/New York) I would love to have it though I believe its not offered on the ES. I'll keep an eye out for a good example of the IS, preferable the 350 as the 250 seem to suffer from carbon build up as Igzy mentioned.

Zereldo

Hey Igzy, thank you for the input! I had the chance to ride in a buddy's Lexus ES and was quite impressed by the ride quality hence why the urge to get one now. Unfortunately, my budget won't allow for one that is warrantied by Lexus, doubt the older gen are even offered with CPO warranty as they're past the threshold at which a manufacturer would bother warrantying it.
I'll look into the carbon build up issue on the IS 250, thank you for bringing it up. If it's just a matter of de-carbonizing it then I'd be fine with it, though I wouldn't want to risk buying into one that wasn't cared for and sits as a ticking bomb waiting to go off.
"Water pump failure, timing cover oil leaks, CV drive shaft vibration" - Noted! Do you know if these issues were addressed on the face-lift version? (2010+).
Not sure if I understand the transmission bit...I'll make sure to have it inspected by a dealership and take it on a test drive along with a technician.

Cheers!

Zereldo

So I've heard. A proper AWD system (Like quattro) would be neat, though I reckon I'll be fine with FWD w/ a set of snow tires.

igzy

Water pump was improved some time after '07 but can't say if 2010s would see problems with it, may be some owners can chime in on that. Timing cover oil leak - the engine remained the same since '07 so the potential is there. CV shaft - one of my friends explained the best: it is a FWD with 270HP, a lot of power goes through them and it is expected that at some point they will give. For the shift flare - there were many ECU reflash TSBs and AT part updates. Not sure if newer years are less prone to it. Again, to me I'd consider that as abnormality and not a defect. To check for it, accelerate slowly and steady and you should feel the shift points. If the engine revs unusually higher and you feel a delay in upshift then that'd be the "flare". Under heavy acceleration, you won't feel it. I'll try to make a note of RPMs next time, I think this happens in 3-4K range on mine...

For IS250, I'd check out the forums here for other common issues

Ghidorah

Following...

As I, too, have just begun looking at the 2010 ES 350. I already know I like the car, and the price point at various dealers near me is acceptable.

I'm mostly curious to learn more about the model's reliability reputation. I do not have the time, knowledge or tools to DIY my own repairs, so I'd be dependent on a professional mechanic. Having said that, my search for the most reliable used luxury car has landed me on the Lexus.

I'm usually a Toyota & Subaru guy. Generally speaking, may I expect about the same reliability from a Lexus? That would satisfy me.

igzy

This was my main source of info at the time, my 2007 appeared as a winner in 2010 study:

https://www.jdpower.com/Cars/Ratings/Dependability/2013

jagtoes

I would consider a GS if you wanted a larger AWD car. The ES is a great riding sedan and a good long trip car. If you are just looking for a winter ride even with snow tires the ES gets squirrelly in the snow. You need to judge that for yourself .

John U

Zereldo

Noted. I've come across a decent example being sold by a Lexus dealership as a "certified" vehicle. Hoping all the issues listed above have been attended to. Your input is much appreciated, Igzy!

Zereldo

Hey Jagtoes, unfortunately the Lexus GS 350 (2007 onwards) is out of my budget. They seem to be holding their value insanely well compared to the ES/IS. I have only been able to find examples that have 200K+ KMs and not nearly in as good of a shape I've seen some ESs. Despite wanting an AWD vehicle to tackle the snow and ice, I also need to to take future maintenance into account. I reckon I can get more years out of a low KM ES vs a high KM GS. Thanks for the suggestion!

Zereldo

Thanks for the feed back John. Glad you were able to push your ES for a lengthy period of time. Majority of drivers in Ontario either lease their vehicles and or have a "winter beater" and keep their primary vehicle(s) garaged. Thats because keeping a vehicle for a long period and driving it year around is not the most ideal decision as winter months take a toll on the body of the car (i.e premature rust/oxidation, body paint deterioration etc).

I'll be buying a set of beefy winter tires for good measure.