pktaske

Hello people...I'm in the market for a 1Gen RX. I've looked at a couple already. First one was fairly clean but high miles. Second was lower miles but when I got under it, was showing leakage by oil pan and the front bearing(?) on the shaft that connects the tranny to the rear wheels (grease I assume). Trans itself was pretty dry. Some rust up under the wheel wells but not very visible. Also throwing a p0420 which from reading here seems like sensor or cat.
On both cars the timing belt and pump was done.

Anyway, not looking to waste your time asking which car should I buy but something that could be more helpful to a bunch of folks going foreward: What are the things to look for when inspecting these cars for purchase? Maybe a top 5 or 10 list.

Hopefully I will become an active member of your community this weekend! I'm I big fix it myself guy so I should be able to add a lot here.

BTW - looking at a 2001 with 104000. Can be had for $5500 as it needs tires, timing belt and there's a tire balance issue wobble at 50-55 7mph. Dentist owned for what its worth.

Thanks all - Chris

code58

Chris, I don't know how much reading you've done on the forum but I'd suggest you don't even consider buying an RX until you familiarize yourself COMPLETELY with the trans. issues and also the rear main seal leaks. Even if you do a lot of your own work, if the trans goes you're not likely to be able to rebuild that, a VERY costly proposition. Other advice I could give you but NONE as important as those. Good Luck!

pktaske

So the trans are unreliable? Everything I've read here tells me the trans thing is overblown in the 2001. What are the signs if trouble during a test drive? Or do you needs a mechanic to diagnose at a shop?

Rear main seal - assuming you mean the transaxle box in the back on AWD models. Again - signs to look for on a test drive or more involved diag? This car is 50 miles away so I don't have a mechanic avail to look at it. Just me with ramps and a test drive. Thanks...

pktaske

Ok...from a look around the Rear main leak is found near the engine and it is Oil not Tranny fluid. Ill be on the watch for that when I'm under the car.

As far as tranny failure, doesn't seem there is any good way to check that out other than a test ride where you hope it is acting up?

ecrane

pktaske,

I'll provide my experience with one 2001 RX 300 FWD and what I've gathered from reading this forum frequently but posting very infrequently. We have a 2001 that when we upgraded my wife to a RX350 we passed along to our daughter. This car now has 158,000 miles. We had done nothing to the transmission until the 120,000 service when we had an independent Lexus shop exchange the transmission fluid with a device designed for low pressure fluid exchanges.

If you read here you'd think the world will end if you don't do frequent "drain and fills". While there is no denying a number of RX 300s have had transmission failure my reading of this forum is they are primarily prior to the 2001 MY and occur on predominately AWD vehicles. I think very few people join an internet forum to tell the world how well their transmission works so the failures could well be a signal to noise issue.

As always, YMMV.

hypervish

My uncle has close to 400k mile on his 99' AWD RX with the original transmission, with absolutely no issues. I have 195k miles on my original transmission, once again no issues. There are quite a few members on this forum with over 200k miles, and at least one person with over 300k miles on their original transmission.

One thing in common between all of them.... Drain and fill every 15k miles.

Don't let the transmission scare you off. If you are, then find an RX that has already had the transmission replaced.

As far as signs of transmission failure, there really aren't any until it's too late.

The rear main seal isn't very common, at least I wouldn't say it is. It can happen to just about any car. The rear main seal leaks from where the engine and transmission bolt together. A lot of people have had success with running an additive called Auto-RX which stops the leak. I generally do not advocate additives, but this one actually works.

A lot of these issues are internet amplification, like the previous poster said people don't come online to brag about how fantastic their car is.

salimshah

Personally I would not buy any vehicle with a CEL on. I would make sure that enough miles are driven so that OBDII displays valid readings. For this I would pay the seller the market value instead of discounted value for CEL. If you want to gamble, it is your call.

Repair and parts are not cheap. There is a growing after-market parts, but I tend to stay away from it. If you plan to DIY, great but if you plan to take the RX to the dealer, it will be expensive.

I am convinced that RX are good vehicle, specially as a long term auto. When you buy them past their prime, you are at risk as lots of it depends how the vehicle was maintained and used.

Finally I would not spend my last dollar to buy a used RX. [poor students take note]. Have some money in the bank to take care of repairs. This is true for all used vehicles, but the reserves should be more for RX.

Salim

pktaske

Ok...so I looked at the 2001. Interior and outside were pristine. I LOVE the black leather interior with the wood trim.

Here's the problems:

-leaking under around engine. All around. I assume this is the rear main seal. I think it was oil but I'm a bit colorblind and I wish there was a good way for me to tell. It did not smell like tranny fluid.

- both front tires worn (inside and outside). Looks like under inflation wear but I thought it was weird that both tires showed the salme wear. Front struts seemed good. Rear tires ok.

-went for test ride and right out of driveway I heard the grinding. Front left rotor beat to s hit. Rode ok but when brakes were applied you could feel the wobble from warped rotor.

- when we got back to the house I checked both front wheels for bad bearings/hubs just in case. Both solid as a rock.


So - I offered $4500. 103 000 miles. Fair or am I overpaying? One owner (dentist) but she let her brother use It for the winter.

It was in at 80,000 miles for O2sensors but mechanic did not mention leak.

Carver

That's a good price for those miles but you should have the things you can't do yourself estimated by Lexus, Toyota or an independent.

Go register here and plug in the serial number and get all the Lexus service records since new.

https://secure.drivers.lexus.com/lexusdrivers/home

The guys here will help you drive it as inexpensively as possible. Good luck and welcome!

pktaske

Thanks Carver. Looks like they kept it dealer maintained up until the last two years. Then they switched to a local guy.

hypervish

That's an excellent price.

Sounds like you'll need tires ($600), brakes ($200 DIY with new rotors front back & Abekono Pads), and timing belt, wp, etc cost depending on whether you DIY or not. I'd get the leak checked though to see where it's originating from.

How's the ATF? FWD or AWD?

jbl-1985

Repair and parts aren't cheap for any car. Taking any 1st gen RX to a Toyota dealership will yield the same costs as taking a Toyota to a Toyota dealership. One thing you will learn is NOT to take it to a Lexus dealership, and if you do Salim's comments will certainly come to fruition.

Owning any car is expensive these days. I guess my point is you can own a 1st Gen RX and if you don't do DIY you can have it serviced at a Toyota dealership for about the same cost as most other cars.

You wanna talk about an expensive car to maintain? Let me tell you about my 2002 Saturn L300 that I replaced with my 2000 ES...

code58

I'll tag on here, good as any. I have done the maintenance on the RX for about the last 80-90K mi. The trans has been kept serviced in that period of time, I can assure you. Though I held my breath (car is AWD) for the last 60-70K mi. the trans has operated flawlessly. Within less than a week and a half from the 1st tiny glitches, it completely destroyed itself. (mostly in a little more than a heartbeat). Trust me, when it went, there was almosty no warning at all. This is far from the 1st report on this forum of the same catastrofic failure without slippage or other noises at all. A '99 with 170K mi. and a bad trans, it has become expensive scrap metal at best. It's not worth it to them to spend $4000. on a trans. when the car is worth maybe $6000., even though it is So. Cal. totally rust free.

pktaske

I'm going to get the car. I already ordered a set of EBC rotors and pads for her (I've had an issue with warpage on cheap rotors on my 2006 Maxima).

The interior and exterior of this car is stunning compared to the other ones I looked at (and they were not bad). Its really what sold me on this car. Seeing all its routine visits to the dealership sealed the deal. I'll get her to a Toyota dealer this week.

Question-do camrys have the same rear main issue?

Thanks...PK

hypervish

Yes, I know of a few a Camry's which have had rear main seal issues. Just recently a fellow member on another forum had a rear main seal leak on his M5. Any car can get a rear main seal leak, this isn't RX specific and it surely isn't guaranteed you will get one.

Congrats on buying the RX! Be sure to post pictures!