capnjim

Am I nuts for even considering this car? It has 106,000km, which is 70,000 miles.
I have been looking for a used lexus/camry and have 5-6k to spend. If I buy this one, I can spend 2-3k on it no problem. Is there anything major I should look for with a car this old? Will it still be smooth and quiet??

https://montreal.craigslist.ca/ctd/6036401579.html

nsghtbrwry

Amazes me how much cheaper cars are outside where I live (Bay Area, CA, USA). Here that car would fetch 6-7k.

It looks good, I can't read French, and just the usual stuff with these gen3/4 cars...do a test drive. Maybe bring a mechanic for a pre-purchase inspection.

Off the top of my head,

- check for leaks, especially the valve covers. Two-washer mod will fix that easy, and most cars outside of the forums don't have this done.
- scan for codes, check smog monitors to see if any are incomplete (indicating that the computer was cleared recently)
- listen for suspension squeaks and rattles, see how it rides on the test drive
- press every button, move every switch except the self-destruct
- service records, vehicle history report
- check fluid conditions

I'm new to these forums but I wonder if there's a thread out there with an ES300 buying guide? TBH you could just look at gen3/4 Camry buying guides, not much is different

EDIT: Also, this has the nearly-bulletproof A541E transmission unless I'm mistaken. Pay special attention to the condition (color and bouquet) of the trans fluid.

tomf

Hell yeah. I'd buy that car assuming that when I test drove it I didn't notice any major problems. I'd check for malfunctions by using a scanner. Several errors are two cycle errors which means that the CEL won't light for two cycles. So the CEL could be reset and would not be visible on your test drive but show up as you drive it home.

Check those things listed in post 2. Make sure you check the transmission fluid. If its color is black it's an indication the transmission fluid has never been changed. Could lead to transmission problems down the road.
Around here you'd pay $5000 for that car.

I'd bet that ES300 will drive like brand new.

chadlex

Still have my 97 ES 300 I have had since 2000 and it's a great reliable car. Garage kept cars with less than 150,000 miles are the best.
Try to get service records so you know some history.
These cars are pretty easy to work on and very common since they are like the Toyota Camry of that period.
Highly recommend!

capnjim

Crap...its sold. One day. I think someone got a killer deal.
Oh well....there is still the 2000 Millennium Edition, but that one is 6k.

speedkar9

A few things here:
- Avoid cars from Quebec. A lot of things go unregulated there, accidents aren't reported, odometer rollbacks are common and the roads are rougher contributing to more mechanical wear.
- Used cars are cheaper in Canada than they are in the States. Last year I sold my ES to someone taking it to California where it was worth quite a bit more.
- Cars rust more up here in Canada due to road salt.
- The Canadian dollar exchange rate is quite low right now, so your American dollars go a long long way into buying a Canadian used vehicle
- Remember to swap your instrument cluster to MPH