Poolboy

I can buy a RX 300 for $4,900 but it has 163,000 miles. Is this too high of mileage? Would you get it if it appeared in decent condition?

defo

iTrader: (6)

That mileage is on par with a vehicle that is 11 years old.....if you can, have the drivetrain inspected by a toyota/lexus mechanic prior to purchasing

Poolboy

I know the transmission has been rebuilt on it.

Leines

Thats below the bluebook value for a car with that miles and of that year.. i think the bluebook is around $6,000... i know at the auto auctions they routinely end up around $5,500 canadian with a similar milage....


I just bought a 99 with 200,000km.. which im not sure the mi equal... and i paid $5700... it did have some aftermarket extras... like headrest lcds and 10 disc dvd... and was the premium rx.... for a comparision... this was considered by the dealership well below wholesale cost on mine... on the lot here in canada they run from $7,500-$10,000 depending... black ones sell for more then other colors.


Cheers

Poolboy

I was also hoping it would have good re-sale value if I choose to resell it at some point.
Would you buy this car assuming it is in decent shape?

RX300TC

Did you try looking upthe BlueBook value yourself??

www.kbb.com

Carver

Go sign up for Lexus driver on the Lexus site and you'll be able to pull every service record the car has from a dealer anywhere in the US. If it's got good records and survives a mechanical check your probably good to go.

The price range you are at is about as low as a nice RX is going for these days. On older cars, it's always condition!

rx300mm

$4900 for RX300 in good shape (no accidents, re-built transmission) is a good deal.

hypervish

Buy it! It's already had the transmission rebuilt, so you have nothing to worry about. Just do normal maintenance and it'll be just like any other Toyota, reliable!

JAB

I'd ask for documentation of the transmission 'rebuild' first. Was it a rebuilt from Toyota/Lexus, or was it done by some local tranny shop. Beware of the latter.

sktn77a

iTrader: (2)

If the car is in good condition (most RX300s are) then this is a great value. As Carver says, with an older car, it's all about the condition of the car when you see it.

With the RX300 you have 2 other issues to consider:

1. Sludge: You can check for this yourself by removing the valve cover. Not usually an issue if the oil has been changed regularly (check the service records).

2. Transmission: Check When the the transmission was replaced and by whom. Unfortunately, with the RX300, the failures are unpredictable and catastrophic. There are quite a few reports of failure of the replacement trasmissions on this forum.

Having said that, you have a ~90% chance that these issues will NOT be problem with the car you are looking at.

"Do you feel lucky"?

01LEXPL

iTrader: (10)

YEAH! <5K for an RX300 is great value and makes for a fun and comfy winter beater.