KevRock

After shopping for 10 year old ES330, I bought at 2004 with 117K miles. While carfax was clean, but with no mention of whether the 90K service was done. All the other cars I looked at also had the same mileage, some with issues on Carfax, and all would have probably been $1000-$1500 under NADA. I went for the cleanest one. The only exception was one at was $3000 over book with every service showing on Carfax on which the dealer refused to budge. However, since the mileage was slightly less than 90K, the timing belt change was still right around the corner.

So here is the question, do people think that the lack of 90K service should be an impact to the car cost? Out here, I think the biggest impact was end of the year at the dealers wanting to get rid of unsold cars.

Kevin

Qwerty321

I'd try and negotiate with him to drop the price a bit cause of the timing belt. Give it a shot, you've got nothing to loose, worst case he'll just refuse to budge and you'll be back at $3000.

To answer your question though, yea. I reckon the lack of a 90k service should drop the price of the car a bit.

JetsonES

Heck yes the timing belt not being done should negatively affect the total price of the car. Considering it will need to be done I would deduct the cost of the service from the asking price. If the seller does not agree, move on, there are plenty of other fish in the sea.

Coulter

It should effect the value and you should try and negotiate if it's past due on the timing belt, but I wouldn't let it kill the deal, especially since it sounds like it's a huge savings going with the non-dealer model and just having the service done yourself.

Also, don't go into a Lexus dealer and ask for the 90k mile service. Read the owners manual and see what actual work is supposed to be done. Those "scheduled" services are major rip offs. Only have the work done that the owners manual calls for.

Find a shop and get the timing belt/water pump replaced. It's basically the same job as it is for a Camry, no reason to get robbed at the Lexus dealership unless they can be competetive.

EPayne42

The seller would use the completed timing belt job as a positive selling point if it were done. Conversely, you should be able to use it to knock down the price if it's not done. I would use the dealer's cost for repair as a negotiating tool. "Hey, this car is due for a $______ timing belt job, plus... You gotta help me on that."

Doing the timing belt DIY is a PITA, but its certainly worth the peace of mind. Here's a good video if you have mechanical ability:

EPayne42

You can do an easy test on the car if you buy it

KevRock

Since I bought the car way under book and assumed that the service was needed when I bought it I am ahead of the game. If my mechanic (would not dream of goiing to Lexus) decides it was replaced, I am even further ahead, and if not, I have a car that looks almost brand new that should run for 10 more years.

Now if someone would answer the radio question I posted....

brucelee1

iTrader: (2)

That is pretty cool. Some engines have a inspection cover as well, which is also pretty slick.

BDSL

I don't know if that is an accurate measure of worn timing belt/chain. Sometimes they have no "slack" even when they are way overdue. They will snap suddenly without warning.

BDSL

Of course. A neglected vehicle is worth less than a vehicle that is maintained as per maintenance schedule.

speedkar9

Thanks for posting my video. I don't think a timing belt is a major PITA, if you have some extra tools (for the crank pulley bolt) and your front seals are not leaking, a timing belt/ water-pump replacement can be done yourself in less than a day.

Inspecting a timing belt on a Lexus ES is not that easy. These cars don't have an inspection cover. Even if you could see the belt, there's no way to tell its worn, as there could be micro-cracks caused by the belt's age that are forming that you cannot see.

Unfortunately, getting access to the timing belt on these cars is half the job of replacing the belt, so you might as well change it if your going to be pulling the covers anyway.

In conclusion, I think you could use the lack of a timing belt service as a negotiation tactic when buying a used vehicle, or at least arrange to have it replaced as part of the deal. However, that doesn't necessarily mean a car is worth more on the used car market for having its belt changed, as that's something only a potential buyer perceives.

BDSL

It's not a PITA to change the timing belt.
I have done it on my 97 ES300 in 2 hours with basic hand tools.
I have done it on my 06 ES330 in +3 hours with basic hand tools.....faster if the shop manual doesn't have missing steps. Took me some time to realize the PS pump must swing out of the way....

Qwerty321

Yep definitely. If your going to negotiate with the dealer, get a quote (preferably a written quote) from the dealer cause that will be the costliest and so the most likely to knock a few hundred off the asking price.

Still, like Coulter said even if the dealer won't drop the price, don't kill the deal, if the cars in good condition it's worth just buying it anyway and then doing the timing belt. Don't go to the dealer though, they'll almost definitely rip you off.

KevRock

Decided to either do the 90K or the 120k service depending on whether or not timing belt needed changing, even though it is a few thousand shy of needing plugs. Turns out the belts and all other things replaced in a timing belt change looked great and so with a few inspections and new plugs I am good for another 100k miles.