number2

Hi, I am looking at a very well maintained 1997 ES300. Two owner, lots of hwy miles, regular oil changes, new struts, something done with a valve or valve cover, tyranny oil replaced every year, brakes done, etc. owner wants $2800 with 291,000 miles. Question: should I buy it? The high miles scare me..
Thanks in advance for help!

msekanha

With that amount of money, you could find an es300 with less miles. I'd talk down the price or walk away.

mdbrown

What's the condition of the vehicle? Paint, interior, upholstery, etc.

tomf

Scares me too. I'd be worried about the transmission. For $2800, the question to ask is: Will this car last two years without being too much trouble?

Personally I'd don't even consider a car with over 200K miles because things wear out no matter how well they are made.

number2

Interior and exterior in excellent shape. No nicks, dings or rust. Interior in excellent shape .

number2

What kind of price is reasonable. I am a newbie to Lexus.

msekanha

I feel like for $2800, you could find a decent shape one with 150K. Same year.

number2

Any ideas where to find one?

5ltrbeater

Craigslist, autotrader...

as for the car you're looking at, $1500 or walk away.

Zen470

Don't do it. I bought my 97 lexus es300 with 150k miles for $3200

NoBullShiz

I just got mine a few months back for around 185K in good condition for only 2500. You can check kelly blue book's web site to see how much it's worth in a private party sale to get a baseline for negotiations. But, with the info you provided so far I have to agree with other posters that the price should come down SEVERAL hundred dollars, or just walk away from it.

Either way, do your research and no matter what people TELL you about how well maintained it is, if they don't have the service receipts to prove it then it's all hot air. Even if they said they did it themselves there should be part receipts. As for the person's skill level as a DIY mechanic that you have to determine from the tells you see around you. Are his other vehicles in pristine shape? If your at his house taking a look at the car & the garage is open, does he have / own the tools that indicate he could have done a good job? If he's a "tuner" / "tinkerer" type of DIY guy then be careful.

This is probably more info than needed, but it's good to know nonetheless. I hope I've been able to help.