Velvetbone

Hi,
I'm looking into purchasing a 2004 ES 330. Get this, it only has 16k miles on it. You know what they say about when something sounds too good to be true......

My question to you is what should I be looking for? The car looks pretty immaculate inside and out. Supposedly the car was owned by an older couple who had other cars and only drove this occasionally. There is a lot of retirement cities close to where it is being offered for sale. I did a "Carfax" check. Nothing on the report aroused my suspicions. No accidents, regular maintenance was done, passed emissions test etc.. If this car was indeed seldom driven what should I be worried about? This car is at a dealer which is well established where I live.

Thank you in advance for your help.
Velvetbone

hypervish

Welcome to Club Lexus!

Any service history?

You will need to have the timing belt done ASAP, if it hasn't already been done? Also, have the tires been changed yet? If not, that will need to be replaced. Factor all of that into the purchase price, and if everything else checks out then you should be fine.

These car's don't really anything major to look out for, they are very solid reliable vehicles. Just inspect all of the rubber as considering the car has extremely low miles the rubber may have degraded with age.

May I ask how much they want for the car? It sounds like you found a gem.

hzt30

I bet they want a small fortune for it.

16K means an average of 2k per year. I would check all of the usual stuff for buying any used vehicle.
See if all the routine maintenance have been performed. Yes, I agree to change the timing belt. This is an interference engine. Timing belts are usually done in either miles or time... after 8 years changing it be would be a good idea.

Velvetbone

Hi
Thanks for the quick replies.
I didn't find any maintenance records of the report. I can only assume that
Is because of the low miles. What really would be scheduled at 16k miles?
It passed the required Ca. emissions tests.
Asking $20000. What do you think?
How much would replacing the belt cost? Anything else i would need to
Take care of.
The Yokohama tires show little to no wear.
Thanks again.
Let me know what you think. You guys are the experts
Velvetbone

01LEXPL

iTrader: (10)

for 20k that's 07 ES350 [with regular/reasonable mileage] territory.... much better car overall, IMO
I say this, and am one of the few that doesn't let miles 'scare me'. I'd be happier with a newer higher mileage car myself, since more services have been performed and already taken care of.

It goes both ways, both will need things 'replaced' however, a car that sees 2k/year, no matter who makes it will be more prone to leaky seals/gaskets and such due to non-use vs. one that has seen the road more than once a week going to the grocery.

Then again I was never a fan of the 'bubble' 4ES myself.

BradTank

A 2004 ES330 with "normal" mileage would probably be around $12k, so you're paying a nearly $8k premium to have less mileage.

I personally don't think it's worth that. The lower mileage is not going to save you that much money in repairs or maintenance, and usually one-owner Lexus are well take care of anyway. The same car with 70k miles and a nice detail will probably look the exact same. You might have a few more repairs over the years, but nowhere near $8k worth.

If it were my money, I would also prefer a later model for $20k, even with more miles.

I suppose it's all in your perspective, on one hand you're buying a nearly new Lexus for $20k, but on the other hand, it's over 8 years old and miles aren't much of an issue with these cars.

About the most I could see is paying is about a $3k premium, and even then, you'll probably never see any of that back when you sell it since it won't be "nearly new" any longer.

speedkar9

I also agree with the rest.

Newer car with higher mileage is better than an older car with low mileage. More bang for the buck.

With Lexus, the mileage is just a number on the dash .

I'd prefer the 05-06 models of the 4ES after the mid-gen refresh.

Tires might run you about $600 for a set of four and possibly another $600 for timing belt w/ labor.

hypervish

I couldn't have said it any better than that.

For that price, I agree buy newer with higher mileage.

Velvetbone

Hi Everyone,
Thanks for all your responses.
You have gotten me to rethink about the '04 es 330. I've decided let the situation simmer for a few days.

Sounds to me what youre saying and from what Im reading, is that the Lexus is a solid car. And, when looking at a used Lexus reasonable miles are in fact ok.Lucky for me time is in my favor. NO immediate need for another car.

So, please keep your thoughts and suggestions coming.

In the mean time I've been researching an '07 ES 350 with 75K miles, asking $18,500 . It has the Premium Plus Package too. Any thoughts or concerns on this vehicle?

Thanks!!!
Velvetbone

speedkar9

If you can, spring for a 2008+ model to steer clear of first year redesign issues.

The adjustable suspension can get expensive to repair, I'd pass on that feature.

Make sure the VVT-i oil line recall has been done.

Try asking around on the ES350 forum, more members chime in there.

Velvetbone

Well, darn, the more I read and the more research I do, the more I find myself getting bitten by the "Lexus bug"!

I'm greatful that many owners feel that a "few" miles (65K-85K) on cars like the Lexus isnt anything to worry about. As long as the vehicle has been serviced and maintained! I've decided to look for a "newer" model with some well loved miles on it.

Lucky for me time is on my side. With the comments, suggestions I'm getting and knowing what questions to ask, I am 100% confident I am going to find a great deal.

Thanks to everyone who has responded so far.
Velvetbone

hypervish

Yup, Lexus builds very solid, and reliable vehicles.

My ES with 177k miles runs like new, same with my RX which has almost 190k miles. Both run fantastic, very smooth just like when new, and still reliable. I can jump into either of my Lexuses and drive cross country without thinking twice about it. In fact, once a month I take a road trip to Michigan/Chicago in my RX, and don't ever worry about the car.

One thing that may help you on your search for the right ES, that has been maintained properly is using the Lexus website which can show you service history.
Sign up here: https://secure.drivers.lexus.com/lexusdrivers/home
And, input the VIN of the ES, or any Lexus you are looking at and it will show you it's service history. Keep in mind, the service history you see is from any service performed at Lexus. So if the service was done at an independent shop or at home, it may not be on there. Although the owner can self-report services.